The first time the album has been released on vinyl and will be available on three different limited edition vinyl’s – White, Gold and Red & Black Splattered vinyl.
The album, originally released in 1996, features four original members of The Boys – Matt Dangerfield, Casino Steel, Duncan ‘Kid’ Reid & Honest John Plain along ex Berne Torme drummer Mark Harrison and Die Toten Hosen frontman/singer Campino. The album includes sleeve notes from Campino & Matt Dangerfield along with full lyrics and several never-before-seen photos from the recording sessions. There has been a resurgence in Boys’ releases recently what with To Hell and Odds And Sods getting pressed and selling out it makes sense for this beauty to finally get pressed on wax. Along with Mattless Boys, it’s some of the finest Boys-related curio out there and the quality of sound and of course the music is second to none. Sure the staple classics are here like opener ‘See You Later’ ‘Brickfield Nights’ ‘Soda Pressing’ but the hidden gems are the likes of ‘Gabrielle’ which in its stripped back form is an absolute stone cold classic and the delivery is emotional from the deft piano fills to the sparce drum fills its a beautiful song and takes on a new life.
I always loved the artwork and the cheeky Black and white kickabout it sort of summed up The Boys and this particular release. Anyone lucky enough to catch the band playing an acoustic set at Rebellion even the final Duncan Reid set from some years ago will get the picture of just how good these songs are plugged or unplugged a great song will stand tall whatever form. An emotional ‘Brickfield’ takes me right back to those unplugged Blackpool nights.
If you are lucky enough to hold a copy on its rightful format (12″ of wax) then cherish one of England’s finest ever bands stripped back delivering the goods – Its a real joy to hear especially loud and after a few glasses of plonk. Those big sweeping chords of ‘First Time’ or the raw aggression of ‘Sick On You’ is a beautiful thing.
When I was planning to review this release I put the songs on my phone to play whilst out riding my bike on a crisp morning I pulled over along the local canal and just sat and listened to the whole album from top to bottom day dreaming and admiring just how bloody good these songs are. ‘Heroine’ had me wiping a bead of sweat from my cheek It wasn’t a tear honest.
The only problem I have with this is it was recorded back in 96 and therefore doesn’t have any of the more recent ‘Punk Rock Menopause’ tunes given the same treatment then it could have been a double album covering all points of their legacy. As a stand alone LP ‘Power Cut’ is a must own LP Long Live The Boys and all who’ve sailed within. Easily one of my favourite ever acoustic albums, perfectly captured, perfectly executed.
A brand new 2023 version of “Organ Grinder” has been released as a Digital Single. Please vote for Organ Grinder (Under “T” for The Boys) on the Legacy Charts click here
Finnish Record label Woimasointu will also release it today as a double “A” side 7-inch vinyl single. The vinyl single will come in three different versions including two Special Limited Editions.
Version One: “ORGAN GRINDER” c/w “Punk Rock Girl” & “Punk Rock Girl (live version). Luminous Violet vinyl individually numbered 1-125.
Version Two: “PUNK ROCK GIRL”
c/w “Organ Grinder” & “Punk Rock Girl” (live version) Red vinyl individually numbered 1-130.
Version Three: “ORGAN GRINDER” c/w “Punk Rock Girl” & “Punk Rock Girl (live version). Regular black vinyl issue.
Another day another version of To Hell gets released. This one though features sleevenotes from Matt Dangerfield along with never before seen photos taken at the 1979 recording sessions at Nidaros Studios and a full lyric sheet. It’s available in regular black and limited edition blue vinyl from Mad Butcher Records. Originally released on CD by Casino Steel’s Revolution Records after the band had split. ‘To Hell’ might just have taken their power pop notoriety to the next level it had a little something extra and was the sum of their parts all rolled into one fantastic album they were no longer the punks of the first wave they were more than that and anyone who read previous reviews and interviews will know that The Boys are a massive influence on the records we play around HQ. ‘To Hell’ was given a kiss of life for record store this year but this has to be the definitive mix (being the original mix) it doesn’t have the original sleeve artwork but then Who doesn’t love a new fresh mix of a classic album? I certainly do and although it’s been a while since I spun this on vinyl I thoroughly enjoyed hearing a not-clicky-popping version that wasn’t a CD.
It seems a bit weird looking at the artwork and it not being the blue and red lit sleeve and this version is such a great cover in Black & White looking so youthful in black leather. A Japanese compilation came out on CD about seven years ago with this very image but like the music – not quite as sharp.
‘To Hell With The Boys’ curiously opened with an instrumental cover of ‘Sabre Dance’ and quickly bled into ‘Rue Morgue’ Johnny Thunders and Hanoi used to open their sets with Pipeline and I always saw this as the same kinda deal. ‘Rue Morgue’ being a swirling ball of energy and fine musicianship. The Keyboards punching in and out layer the track perfectly. The album contained one of those soft songs for hard men in the shape of the massively popular ‘Terminal Love’. ‘To Hell’ always had a great flow to the tracklist I love the rawness of the guitars on ‘See Ya Later’ a song that still features heavily in their set list to this day and it’s not difficult to see why. The same can be said for the ballad ‘You Can’t Hurt A Memory’ again so far from the punk bands of the day it’s a beautiful song with a great feel to it from the crisp piano intro and harmonies to the chorus. It’s also almost as long as a lot of punk rock albums on its own. Often described as Lennonesque, it’s certainly got similarities in the vocal effect but I always loved the harmonica and where it speeds up it’s got more in common with Mott The Hoople or The Stones in my humble opinion and that saxophone is a great piece of arrangement. ‘Kamakazi’ continues the use of sax again an influence on Hanoi Rocks no doubt about it. what’s not to like about songs about bikes and Rock and Roll.
I guess it’s fair to say the band was really mixing it up with the tracks like the powerful ‘Lonely Cowboy’ or the Reid written ‘Waiting For The Lady’ they really were a band that had a whole bunch of excellent songwriters and not just one. Each added their own special ingredient to make a well-blended record that flowed better than its predecessors.
rounding off the record as it was originally intended there are no B sides bonus tracks its just the ten of the best from the Boys ending on the Lennoneque ‘Independent Girl’ and then we were done. As good a power pop rock n roll album as you could ever wish to hear and with it being the original mix it’s a beautiful moment in time captured forever. ‘To Hell With The Boys’ is an album that should have wide appeal and one that should be played loud and often. To hell with whatever you had planned get on this bad boy before they’re all gone. Quite simply an essential purchase – Get one!
Three years on from the last Rebellion Festival and we are finally back at our spiritual home, and there’s a few things that have changed. The Winter Gardens has opened a new Conference Centre main entrance, and the old backstage area where we’ve done so many great interviews with bands over the years is no more, so sadly bang goes any chance of doing any of those for you this weekend folks…. sorry! Then of course there’s the new outdoor stage going by the name of R Fest that you can attend on its own if you so wish, at £50 a day, or its free to those with Rebellion weekend wristbands and then finally there’s this sense of freedom in the Blackpool air, something that I certainly haven’t felt in quite some time.
What hasn’t changed though is the fact that Rebellion is still the number one punk and alternative festival here in the UK, returning with another knockout bill (that a few cancellations aside) has the RPM team arriving a day earlier than we have done previously, just so we can ensure we don’t miss any of the bands playing early on the first day of the festival. It wasn’t that long ago that I remember Thursday being the kind of “warm up” day for the event, now it’s the surrounding pubs and clubs that provide that, and we find ourselves crammed into an uber sweaty Tache watching Suzi Moon, when really we should have been getting an early night preparing for the weekend ahead, but fuck it, we really are back, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
THURSDAY
Arriving early doors at the Winter Gardens to catch Janus Stark opening the Empress Stage line up, the first thing that hits me is the size of the queue outside the conference centre waiting for the wristband exchange. We’d followed the festival’s advice online and got ours the night before, so we sailed through, but I can understand some of the anger vented within Facebook groups if you did get caught up in this and missed a band you wanted to see. As it is Gizz Butt and the Stark guys get to play to a smaller crowd than they might have given these circumstances but this doesn’t bother the quartet one iota as they deliver an outstanding performance that proves once again that every little thing does in fact count.
“Alright you English cunts, I bet you wish you’d been stuck in queues too rather than watch us,” is certainly a risky opening gambit from Pizzatramp frontman Jimbob Theodore Logan, but having risen from playing a slot at the festival’s Introducing stage just a few years back to now playing the flagship Empress Ballroom, he’s a man on a mission, and if he can make you laugh, or indeed cry (more of that in a moment) then what the hell? Jimbob’s other half Tia is in the line-up today on bass and backing vocals and that female voice does add a new dynamic to call response element of some of the band’s back catalogue, but then when you have songs as insanely catchy as ‘CCTV’ and ‘Ciggy Butt Brain’ within that canon of work how can the Chepstow pizza crew possibly go wrong? There’s even a touching moment when Jimbob calls his son mid-set just for the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to him, something that sees the frontman getting “sweat in his eyes” before the obligatory ‘Bono’s A Cunt’ closes a resoundingly successful set for the trio. You know, when people say you have to be “in the know” to get on the Rebellion bill, I always say “well Pizzatramp did it and they are fucking clueless.” There’s really no come back from that one is there….
I first saw Suzi Moon take to the Rebellion stage twelve years ago, playing one of the two stages they then had over in the Olympia, when she was a member of the Hellcat signed Civet. I have to admit I wasn’t that enamoured with the set I’d witnessed at the Tache the night before, largely due to a muddy sound, but Suzi seemed to love it, and for her set in the Pavilion this afternoon, it’s the almost absolute opposite. Here right from opener ‘Special Place In Hell’ the sound out front is stunning, thus ensuring that tracks like the strutting ‘Sonic Attraction’, the glamtastic ‘I’m Not A Man’ and the sultry set closer ‘Animal’ rip through flesh to get their hooks in you. It’s up on stage where Suzi is having guitar problems, that she doesn’t seem quite as in her special place as she did just twelve short hours earlier, and smashing the offending article into the Pavilion stage, you can feel the frustration she must have had boiling up inside. Rest assured though Suzi (If you are reading this) this was a great performance, and pretty much everyone around me seemed to think so too. I mean a bit of mid-set tension never hurt Texas T at Rebellion now did it?
Heading back to the Empress for some Wonk Unit, it’s now a decade since I first witnessed Alex Wonk live (that being at Slugfest 5 back in my hometown of Abertillery) and boy how things have moved on since those early(ish) part spoken word/part grunge/part punk rock days of the band. Only the main man and bassist Pwoison remain from that gig, but once again within this performance today the spirit of vaudeville is still there for everyone to delight in. I’ve often referred to Alex as the “Ian Dury of his generation” and here in the same hall that so many tortured geniuses have played over the years he seems in his element, conducting his glorious-sounding band through the likes of ’Pathetic Merry Go Round of Existence/Heroin’, ‘Day Job Wanker’ and a furious sounding ‘Nan Is Old’. It takes a pitch-perfect ‘Awful Jeans’ to get the sprung dancefloor bouncing for the first time this weekend, and just as ‘Go Easy’ tears out the PA we have our first band clash of the weekend, as we hop, skip, and jump over to Club Casbah in time for the arrival of Dirt Box Disco.
It’s also a decade since I first witnessed the mighty Dirt Box Disco deliver their slamdunk debut at Rebellion, and today they return to the Olympia, now retitled Club Casbah, playing perhaps their finest set since that jaw dropping debut. Some might argue that this is because the set list draws heavily from the ‘Tragic Roundabout’ EP and ‘Legends’ album, but when you have a song as strong as ‘Burning’ that can immediately get the whole of the packed-out Casbah singing as one, you just need to make sure you don’t lose the audience, and then when you can follow that anthem with the likes of ‘Peepshow’ ‘I Don’t Wanna Go Out With You’ and ‘My Girlfriend’s Best Friend’s Sister’ you really are ‘Unstoppable’ and even when Spunk calls his band “rock ‘n’ roll dinosaurs” towards the end of their set, I’m sure he means it in a “Jurassic Park” Alan Partridge kind of way. “Back Of The Net!!!”
After a quick pitstop for some food (we do have to eat too you know) we move back to the Empress for Anti-Flag, or as they like to pronounce it An-tie-Flag, and I have to admit that I’ve never been a huge fan, thinking them to be a band consisting of more style than substance. Tonight, however even an old cynic like me can’t help but get caught up in the moment and singalong with the likes of ‘You’ve Gotta Die for the Government’ and ‘Fuck Police Brutality’ and whilst these tunes might now be over 26 years old they still sound as relevant today, maybe even more so. I do find it odd that in amongst their strongly politically driven setlist that they still have time to do a ‘Stars on 45’ kind of run through some cover tunes like ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’, ‘God Save the Queen’ and ‘If the Kids Are United’, but the Empress faithful lap it up and send Anti-Flag off into the night like all conquering heroes. Me, I’m properly distracted by what’s about to follow.
Drawing the largest crowd of the day so far, it’s LA hardcore punk legends Circle Jerks who are up next in the Empress. Originally confirmed for the 2020 Rebellion Festival for what would have been the 40th-anniversary celebration of the band’s seminal debut record ‘Group Sex’, tonight, two years on it’s also the 40th-anniversary celebration of the band’s second album ‘Wild In The Streets’. Guiding us through tonight’s 32 (there may have been more) song battering of the senses that the band like to call a set list there’s the ever-convivial Keith Morris to relay the background story behind each of the blocks of songs the band, made up of bassist Zander Schloss, guitarist Greg Hetson along with guest drummer (the man who makes it all possible according to Morris) the monster that is Joey Castillo, deliver like men a third of their age. From ‘Deny Everything’ through to ‘When the Shit Hits the Fan’ via ‘Red Tape’ there’s even a point towards the end of their set where Castillo has to ask Morris to keep talking just so he can get his breath back, and if you remember that his day job is currently laying down the backbeat for The Bronx then that is surely some feat indeed. With the crowd thinning a little towards the end I do wonder how much of this is down to the relentlessly intense nature of the Circle Jerks set or if it’s just another one of the weekend’s many stage clashes, and as I’d actually forgone a long overdue chance to watch Hawkwind down on the R Fest stage for this Circle Jerks reunion set I for one was certainly glad I made this choice here tonight, as this was something I really would have hated to have missed.
Another potential stage clash was taken out of my hands literally a few days before Rebellion started when Bad Religion were forced to cancel all of their remaining European dates, including their headline slot in the Empress Ballroom, due to a family emergency back in the US. With The Skids stepping in to save the day and me having never been a fan of the band I instead headed over to Club Casbah to catch The Boys once again ploughing through a 19-song set that covered most of the hits from their back catalogue as well as a few deeper cuts to keep the diehards on their Cuban heeled toes. Singer/bassist Kent Norberg may lovingly refer to Boy’s songwriting machine of Matt Dangerfield and Casino Steel as the “Lennon And McCartney of punk rock” but through squinted eyes, Dangerfield would certainly pass more for Keith Richards these days, and not just in his looks either. There’s also the clang of his tight yet loose guitar proving to be the perfect counterpoint to Honest John Plain’s stand in Chips Kiesbye and with Steel closing down the set keyboard-less for ‘Sick On You’ he was giving us perhaps a rare glimpse of his inner Mick Jagger, albeit a slightly reluctant one. Oh, and here’s a footnote to the organisers of Rebellion too regarding this performance, because as The Boys have for some time featured two members of the fantastic Swedish punk rock band Sator. How about asking them over to play as well especially given they’ve just scored a number 1 album back home with their ‘Return Of The Barbie Q Killers’ record?
With just a couple of bands left on my must-see list it’s during the changeover between The Boys and The Bar Stool Preachers that I rechristen my RPM travelling compadres for the weekend, the Goldfish Brothers as everything I seem to tell them they immediately seem to forget. It’s no wind-up either, and never mind how many times I tell them I want to watch Bad Nerves at the ungodly hour of 1 am over in the Arena they instantly forget and ask me “who?” and “where?” time and again. In the end I have to put it down to the cider visors they have both been wearing for most of the day and the fact that one of them left home at 4 am this morning to get here, so instead I just settle in to watch the return of the mighty BSP as their career takes yet another stellar upwards turn.
Having recently announced that they have signed with Pure Noise Records on a two-album deal Brighton’s favourite ska-punk sons can seemingly do no wrong at the moment. Granted, a couple of band members do resemble extras from Nick Love’s The Business as they take to the Rebellion stage with a drum and bass intro tape booming out over the PA, but as soon as ‘Choose My Friends’ kicks in there’s no disputing this is the sound (and look) of The Bar Stool Preachers at the very top of their game. There’s also a smattering of new tunes given a spin around the Club Casbah block tonight and if this is the sound of what is to come then this is probably the last time we’ll be seeing TJ and the lads playing small venues here in the UK. This new stuff is essential listening, and I can’t wait to hear what the third album will sound like when it does finally get released. There’s only one downer tonight and that’s the fact that the band’s signature tune ‘Bar Stool Preacher’ doesn’t get to be played as the lads are on a strict curfew, but that tiny set list blip aside, this is the sound of the future of punk rock, bold, ballsy and most of all, absolutely brilliant. Look out for them across Europe and UK as the support for The Interrupters tour, things are about to go major league for these guys, you just mark my words.
So with that performance still ringing in my ears, it’s at this point I give up on ever getting the Goldfish Brothers to ever hang around to watch Bad Nerves, but as the weekend progresses I actually find myself not regretting missing them quite as much as I was fearing, but more of that to come.
Adios for now I’m off to bed for some much-needed shut eye. “Woking turn that fucking phone off!” Ha!
Following on from the success of last year’s “I’m A Believer” CD single, which reached the Top 10 of the UK Heritage Chart, Finnish label Woimasointu will release a new double “A” side 7-inch vinyl single from The Boys. The single will come in three different versions including two Special Limited Editions.
Version One: “SHE’S THE REASON” c/w “(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer” & “I’m A Believer”. Green vinyl with free Boys sew-on patch and new picture sleeve individually numbered 1-100.
Version Two: “I’M A BELIEVER” c/w “She’s The Reason” & “(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer”.
Blue vinyl individually numbered 1-100.
Version Three: “I’M A BELIEVER” c/w “She’s The Reason” & “(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer”.
Regular black vinyl issue.
Black vinyl copies are available from The Boys. BUY HERE
Please VOTE for “SHE’S THE REASON” at No. 45 in the UK Heritage Chart: VOTE HERE
Following on from the success of last year’s “I’m A Believer” CD single, which reached the Top 10 of the UK Heritage Chart, Finnish label Woimasointu will release a new double “A” side 7 inch vinyl single from The Boys on Friday 8 July 2022.
The single will come in three different versions including two Special Limited Editions.
Version One: “SHE’S THE REASON” c/w “(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer” & “I’m A Believer”. Green vinyl with free Boys sew on patch and new picture sleeve, individually numbered 1-100.
Version Two: “I’M A BELIEVER” c/w “She’s The Reason” & “(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer”.Blue vinyl individually numbered 1-100.
Version Three: “I’M A BELIEVER” c/w “She’s The Reason” & “(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer”.Regular black vinyl issue.
Copies of all three versions of the single are currently available to order in advance from Woimasointu Records by emailing Hannu at info@woimasointu.com
*To promote “She’s The Reason” a new promo video of the single has been recorded, featuring The Boys legendary rhythm guitarist/vocalist Honest John Plain. The video is due to be released on 18 July.*
*The Boys will be performing electric & acoustic sets at Rebellion 2022 – They will also be interviewed on the Literary Stage at 7.50pm on Thursday 4 August*
Radiation Records released Special Limited Edition copies of The Boys “To Hell With The Boys” (Red vinyl) & “Boys Only” (Orange vinyl) for Record Store Day on 23 April.
Both albums also come with gatefold sleeves and were remastered directly from the original Safari Masters (as used by the recent Safari CD Box Set release)
The albums, which have been in Record Stores since Saturday, will also be available to buy online from Radiation Records from April 26th ‘Boys only’: Here ‘To Hell With The Boys’ Here
To help promote the two albums Cherry Red will give a digital release to The Boys 1980 single “Weekend” on Friday 29 April –Spotify
Mike Read has been playing “Weekend” on his Breakfast Show for the past two weeks and it has entered the UK Heritage Chart at Number 44. You can vote for “Weekend” here
OK Rock n Rollers, the time is here, the time is now! Sleazy Punk Rock n Rollers Killer Hearts have teased us with their EP and a few compilation cuts but now they’ve dropped their bomb of a full-length record and it kicks like a mother fucking mule. Imagine Cheetah Chrome and Stiv fronting a punk rock n roll band in 2021 with a history of sleazy rock and glam (no not the sunset strip glam – real glam) and they’ve gone and poured their molten sleaze on ten tracks on wax and then hit the explode button to supercharge this fucker with lipstick and a laced up iron fist – its full to the brim with Thunderbird fueled punk rock with the charm and borrowed gang vocal of The Boys, these cats can whip your ass if you throw them some shade and they’ll be the best damn party you’ve ever pushed a front door on.
With tried and tested titles like ‘Get Some’ and ‘Savage Heathen’ you just know instinctively what ‘Dead End Kid 4 Ever’ is going to sound like and if you’re still in doubt then maybe 24/7 Action’ and ‘Goodtime Motherfuckers’ should seal the deal. Listen, if you’re looking for right on politically correct modern rock then you’ve opened the wrong review and we don’t cover Muse or Biffy Cliro this is Rock and Roll baby, with some cheap wine, a switchblade comb and a pack of lucky strike no filter. Marvel at the artwork and the fact it’s pressed on red-light district red vinyl. It’s a late record for people who hanker after the Dead Boys, The Heartbreakers, and Hanoi on steroids these cats cut the crap and rock out using all the chords their heroes did and you’ll be damned if you think they’re going to apologise for it and why the fuck should they.
Right, the tunes. ‘Get Some’ is a thunderous downstroke killer of an opener. Setting the tone with a rush of blood it’s kicking the door off the hinges and going for broke before the cops come. “Like a bad habit, use it take it” Get some indeed. From the bass throb in the breakdown to the tambourine joining in the rhythm to that killer solo that rips across your face it’s like when Guns and Roses burst on the scene with ‘Live Like a Suicide’ before they imploded and forgot their roots this is thunder and lightning in a bottle that’s been shaken and the top taken off.
I’ve been waiting for this album to get released for a while and I was hoping that the high expectations would be met and after the opening few tunes I’m loving it and those expectations have been reached and some. ‘Do Your Thing’ is full to bursting with Chuck Berry licks a plenty played at Dee Dee speed through fuck you speakers! Take a breather kids because these punks are taking over the pit with the sonic reducer phaser and ‘Savage Heathen’ is having it both barrels and there ain’t nothing we can do about itas solos dive in through the speakers like bolts of lightning striking your ears and heart.
After ‘Dynamite Heart’ has muscled its way into the reckoning I was worried that they couldn’t maintain the standards but fuck me sideways this is the Sleazy Rock n Roll album the world has been waiting for its epic and exciting. Sure it’s been done before but who really gives a fuck its Rock and Roll baby and I fuckin Like it!
You want punchy rockers then step up and take a swing at ‘Midnight Lucifer’ a thunderous powerhouse with an earworm chorus that will rip your ear off and throw up its rock down your canal straight to your pleasure receptors in that punch drunk brain of yours. Hell, we’re only halfway through and this is showing no sign of letting up.
Play ‘Good Time Motherfucker’ to your nan she’d love it from the gang vocals through the verses and that piano tonk this is exceptional stuff. Howling harmonica approaching in the name of ‘Scream and Shout’ now join in on those gang vocals kids you know you want to, hell they’ve even loaned The Boys gang ‘oh oh oh ohs’ and I’m sure Honest John and the lads would approve it would only get cooler if they had asked them to the recording and join the band to lend a hand.
If you’re asking for a favourite song then I’m at a loss really such is the quality of the album but if you held a gun to my head then maybe ’24/7 Action’ might get the nod for its dirty riff and sleazy vocals and the punch of the rhythm section.
Shit, we even had some acoustic guitars for the intro of ‘Dead End Kids 4 Ever’ but it was short-lived and the chorus is a killer (obviously) Damn we’re on the last track. ‘Buried In Leather’ is a dark romp that is full of harnessed feedback and has an aggressive punch.
Easily one of the finest records I’ve had the pleasure of hearing all year and one I’ve already played to death – on repeated plays (not something you can say these days) and there isn’t one single weakness I’ve heard thus far. A beautiful noise if ever there was one and a crash and burn record if ever there was one, a vital, must-own if you’ve ever had a fire in your heart for loud, dirty, sleazy Punk Rock and Roll! Buy it! play Loud or else I’m sending the boys round.
The Boys released their new three-track EP/Single “I’m A Believer” on Friday (3 September), the band’s first new single for almost 20 years. Available as a Special Limited Edition Digipak CD it sold out immediately on release. A Limited Edition vinyl release of the single is currently being planned.
The EP/Single comprises:
1. I’m A Believer – New 2021 Single Version
(Steel/Dangerfield/Plain)
2. She’s The Reason – From the album “Punk Rock Menopause
(Steel/Dangerfield/Plain)
3. (There Ain’t No) Just One Beer – Previously Unreleased
(Steel/Dangerfield/Plain)
It is available now on all digital and streaming platforms. Download and stream – Spotify / Apple Music
Poison Boys – ‘Little Speedway Girl’ (Riot Records) gang vocals, twelve bar chords on the chorus, snotty vocals why these Poison Boys spoil us with their Rock n Roll songs. Bring on the album already if this is what it consists of. Love it long time baby.
If someone is saying the Pandemic has killed Rock n Roll needs to go see the ear doctor because this is Rock and Roll as fuck and some. Now go tell yer friends. The huge chorus has had us singing along since the song initially appeared on the b-side to 2017’s ‘Bad Mouth’ single, and the song is finally getting it’s time in the limelight after the band re-recorded for ‘Don’t You Turn on Me’.
The Boys – ‘I’m A Believer’ (Action Records / Revolution Records) This is the 2021 single version of the classic rocker from the band’s last studio album ‘Punk Rock Menopause’ with that classic strumming acoustic guitar holding the rhythm whilst the vocals take it to the next level and more layered gang vocals that are always superb when these gents get hold of em. Housed in a very impressive glossy CD gatefold always bucking trends the boys have only released this on limited edition CD with a lyric insert. The second offering is the superb Honest John sung ‘She’s The Reason’, had this been released by The Ramones music fans would have said it was the last classic track by the bruvvers. For me, the main reason (sorry for the pun) is track three ‘(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer’ with a barnstorming guitar laid down by the one and only Petter Baarli and ably assisted on the ole joanna by Daniel Rossing. Another day another awesome release from the band. Record of the week? I should coco.
The single will be available on all streaming and download platforms also on 3 September. Hit em up here
The Black Halos – ‘Uncommonwealth’ (Cursed Blessing Records) No brainer here. Another new single from the most awesome Black Halos. Backed by a blistering take on the much underrated long-defunct UK indie hipsters Birdland who for any amongst us who ever saw them live embodied that spirit that The Halos have in spades and the superb ‘Fossil Fuel’ that was first released back in 2016 when the band played a few shows in Europe. The Black Halos have stayed true to the music that is coursing through their veins and always release passionate and worthy tunes and this is no exception – a superb three-track EP that’s well worth importing wherever you are. Record of the week? It’s a tie break with the Boys for sure. Now hurry up and deliver my wax please Mr postman I’m getting impatient, oh, there’s an album on the way which is even more exciting news – Buy it Here
Amazing Grave – ‘Dog Chained To Dog’ (Eric’s Cool Records) You want noise? we can deliver plenty of that or rather this Canadian duo can. Coming on like Portishead brought up on some extreme metal and trip-hop meets Royal Blood. Eric must have some pretty cool records if this is the fruit of his work. Check em out here
Lorne Behrman – ‘When I Hit The Floor’ (Spaghetty Town Records) When the vocals kicked in I was instantly reminded of the excellent Pursuit Of Happiness. Some cool guitar licks with some sneered, spoken, cool lyrics delivered in a nonchalant way makes for a really good tune. NYC rocker Lorne, singer-songwriter-guitarist who previously played in The Dimestore Haloes, L.E.S. Stitches, The Dead Tricks, and most recently The Sweet Things goes it alone on this EP released in early October but starts promoting it with this lead track and video.
KING ZEBRA – ‘Hot Cop Lady’ (Crusader Records) New school old school hard rock. ‘Hot Cop Lady’ is a pure 90’s, hard-rock-infused banger of a track that harks back to the glory days when Biff in spandex was no big deal.
Who says you can’t have fun stretching the truth in a rock song? Hot cop lady, leather and chains, misogyny, finger tapping. This fast hard-rocking crowd-pleaser will get you air-guitaring the riffs and chanting the anthemic chorus. From the epicentre of NWOSHM King Zebra raaaaaawk!
IRMANS – ‘Hermano’ (No Front Teeth Records & Dirty Water Records) Unable to play live with their existing bands, Jose Reilly (Le Jonathan Reilly, Caballo Tripode) and Manuel Santos (Lucy & The Rats, Johnny Throttle, Thee Tumbitas, Michael Jackson) decided to put together some ideas and start rehearsing as a two-piece, new wave/punk band, “IRMANS” (“brothers” in Galician).
After two months of writing and rehearsing, they decided to add Francho Wilson as a third member of the band. With a background in electronic music with the act “We Are Not Brothers”, Francho added the synth they didn’t know they needed!
Their first release is a 7” single on the legendary No Front Teeth Records (physical) and Dirty Water Records (digital) entitled, of course, “Hermano” (“brothers” in Spanish).
Available to pre-order both vinyl and digital from https://irmans.bandcamp.com/releases.
Jesse Malin – ‘Tall Black Horses’ (Wicked Cool Records) ‘Tall Black Horses’ is a single from Jesse Malin’s upcoming double album, ‘Sad and Beautiful World’, out September 24 on Wicked Cool Records. Over his 40 year career, Malin has established himself across many genres from hardcore to Americana, and ‘Sad and Beautiful world’ embraces his versatility. Of ‘Tall Black Horses,’ Malin says, “the song is about taking your worst fears and insecurities and owning them, conquering them, riding on through tall and big – being bold without fear and regret. Everybody gets hurt. Everybody gets their heartbroken. It’s part of the journey. Ride on.” He wrote the song on an acoustic guitar, and credits producers Derek Cruz and Geoff Sanoff for, “taking it to a much wider and vivid sonic place that I’ve never been before.” Link
Kurt Baker – ‘Keep It Tight’ (Wicked Cool Records) This is the second installment of Kurt Baker’s series of singles coming out this year, and the only one which will be available as a 7″ on vinyl. The a-side, ‘Keep It Tight,’ was written by Michael Garrett and Gary Alan Holmes, and was originally released by Single Bullet Theory in 1980. Kurt describes hearing the song for the first time as “an electric feeling.” He says, “it’s been an inspiration to us for many years and many albums, but especially on our last full-length album “After Party”. A couple of songs we challenged ourselves to write our own version of “Keep It Tight”, or at least we tried.” Their version of the song was originally recorded during the “After Party” sessions. The b-side, ‘Get Away’ is an outtake from The Kurt Baker Band’s 2020 album, After Party, and was written by Julian Leal. These tracks bring Kurt’s signature power-pop sound to the forefront, as well as honoring his inspirations. Stay tuned for more in this series of singles. Pre Order
The Bloodshots – ‘Bad Moon Rising’ (Golden Robot Records) Canadian rockers THE BLOODSHOTS are back to follow up the success of their single ‘No Way Out’ with a modern, dirtied up version of the classic Credence Clearwater Revival tune, ‘Bad Moon Rising’, and why not? Sure it’s tough to beat the original here but the guys give it a good go and it’s one of those tunes you’d have to try hard to really fuck it up which they don’t. Enjoy!
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