Its A Revolution – Podcast – Episode 40

Its A Revolution – Podcast – Episode 40

Join us for this week’s instalment of the RPM Online Podcast Episode 40 no less. This week’s show opens on a sad note with the awful news that 60ft Dolls drummer passed away recently so it seemed fitting that we kick off with the awesome ‘Happy Shopper’ from ‘The Big 3’ album. I witnessed the band at the peak of their powers when they played to a packed-out house in the next village on the same road effectively that we broadcast from. A band that should have been as big as the Manics no question about it but alas they burned brightest rather than fading away, this one is for Carl may he rest in peace.

After such a sad note to begin with the show starts with the original kick-off and the most excellent Turbonegro cover of The classic ‘The Party Starts Now’ released in 2005, this is how to do a cover version deathpunk style. After Martin reviewed the Love Fiends album recently we had to include this Banger ‘Jimmy (Is An Agent)’. Power Pop done superbly.

Great to have UK Hardcore legends Chubby & The Gang ready to drop their new LP ‘And Then There Was One’, to loosen the juices they’ve dropped this new single ‘Theres A Devil In The Jukebox’ which is going down a treat at the pumphouse HQ. October seems so long away.

Cherry Red are continuing their tradition of releasing double album CDs of classic releases and this time its GBH so ‘Sick Boy the single version is our pick of the pack. Out in months time the band still play to this day with the same power and aggression.

A classic reissue with a superb mix was The Replacements ‘Tim: Let It Bleed Edition’ which came out a few years ago. ‘Kiss Me On The Bus’ (Ed Stasium mix) is our pick from this stunning box set that is well worth the price. Packed with goodies for the fair ear The Replacements always do quality reissues and this might well be the pick of the pack. Now if only they were to do some more reunion shows that would be most excellent. As far as remixes or remasters go this is night and day with the original release probably only outdone by the recent Senseless Things remix /remaster.

Another band we love at HQ is The Hillbilly Moon Explosion and with their most recent album getting a repress and launch in a few weeks it seemed right to play one of the best songs off the album ‘1979’ check em out. ‘Back In Time’ is a fantastic addition to the band’s catalogue and an underground band who have bazillion of plays on YouTube if you want to get a flavour of what to expect.

Now a band we’ve played before The Cavemen have a new album out and thankfully it’s more of the same from our favourite New Zealand reprobates. ‘Cash 4 Scrap’ is all killer and no filler (possibly because they don’t hang around long enough) They do a great line in zero fucks lo-fi garage punk even if this is the slowest song in their repertoire.

The first half of this week’s offerings is the brand-new single from the one and only Marilyn Manson who by the sounds of it is right back on form. With a new album hopefully in the pipeline being released on nuclear blast records it’s one to look out for.

With all the unrest around at the moment, it seems appropriate to drop this last live recording of the late great Joe Strummer when he did the firemen benefit and got Mick Jones up to blast off the cobwebs of ‘White Riot’.

Janes Addiction have been getting some great reviews from their live shows and having the four original members back in the fold ‘Imminent Redemption’ sound right back on form for the Californian rockers. Lets hope this new album is of the same strong output. It would be great to have them back making a noise and upsetting people.

Swansea upstarts Monet are busy recording their second album and after a quality live performance recently celebrating 30 years of Repeat Magazine/Records it would be foolish not to add them to the roster of excellent bands to look out for. We’ve also asked Richard to pop down to HQ and host the podcast with us so fingers crossed that comes off soon. Repeat are the kind of people we want to align ourselves with as we all sing off the same hymn sheet. Love Music Hate Racism.

Another band who played the Repeat party was West Wales noise makers Lacross Club and it might be the first song we’ve played twice but ‘Welsh Weather Heather’ is so good we could play it most weeks, get an album done gents those songs might go off if you leave them.

Chris informed me that Sepultura covered the New Model Army and I had to check it out as I didn’t know that one but they bloody well did. Good solid effort but not a patch on the original and hopefully they’ll play this when I go to see them in a few months, next up is ‘The Hunt’.

The Bellrays have a new album coming and its a banger so we’re playing ‘One More Night’ before they head off on a US tour with Social Distortion. One of the finest voices in garage rock no doubt about it. Another band to write a song influenced by a riot is The Damned who deliver ‘Thanks For The Night’ with Vanian on vocals as opposed to the Captain but regardless of who is singing this was and is a classic.

Tubthumper Dunstan Bruce has signed a contract with Heavy Medication Records to release his ‘Fucking Expensive’ single so it would be rude not to give it an airing. The penultimate track is an unreleased single from the late 70s by The Vibrators who have captain Oi reissuing ‘V2/pure mania’ and ‘Bad Time’ is the tune showcases just how bloody good The Vibrators were another very underrated band from the late 70s.

We end this weeks show with with another new song this time from the awesome Peter Perrett who dropped the news of his pending album and then released the first video off the record and what a banger to sign off with. ‘I Wanna Go With Dignity’ is a swashbuckling slice of classic Perrett. Adios amigos til next time.

The Hillbilly Moon Explosion – ‘Back In Time’ (Cleopatra Records)

The Hillbilly Moon Explosion – ‘Back In Time’ (Cleopatra Records)

With some bands, you always know that a new album is worth the wait. It’s been five years since ‘The Sparky Sessions’, around the same time that I finally got to see them live. My final gig prior to the pandemic, and thankfully it was every bit as great as anticipated.

‘Back In Time’ sees the variety and class that we’ve come to expect from the band. ‘Sometimes Late At Night’ swaggers from the speakers, style and substance personified. Emanuela smolders as only she can on ‘Summerlove’, like the blackest velvet. As with many of their songs, it could easily be the soundtrack to a film noir classic.

‘Knocked Down’ you may already be familiar with, as the first video from the album. Oliver’s lead vocal is as smooth as ever, next to his slap bass and Emanuela’s ethereal backing vocals, while Duncan pulls all the right sounds from his Gretsch. ‘1979’ veers towards classic Blondie, clearly a good thing when you can pull it off with panache. Ideally, this would be playing on your radio on a regular basis.

‘I Live In My Head’ was made for dancing too, hopefully, we’ll get the chance again soon at a club near you. Short and sweet. ‘Sudden Ring’ is another fine, slow song from Emanuela, she makes it all sound effortless. In a word, seductive. ‘Jet Fuel Rock N Roll’ brings back the boogie to get your boots moving, and ‘Let’s Go (Back In Time)’ has a hypnotic, Cramps-style rhythm that you rarely hear anymore.

‘Nothing Takes The Place Of You’ appears to be the only cover version, proving that the band can take a reggae song and put their own stamp on it. ‘Always Just You’ sounds like an Elvis ballad, with Duncan’s guitar picking following Emanuela’s vocal melody, and ‘Death By My Side’ introduces some gothic country to the mix. Reminiscent of The Phantom Chords at their best.

‘Reno’ by Emanuela ends the album on a classy note, the tune seemingly already familiar, yet it sounds fresh and new. Class never dates, and The Hillbilly Moon Explosion never let you down. Long may they continue.

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Author: Martin Chamarette

The Hillbilly Moon Explosion – The Sparky Sessions (Jungle Records)

The Hillbilly Moon Explosion – The Sparky Sessions (Jungle Records)

Never mind Brexit this is the European Union, in session the Hillbilly Moon Explosion features two Englishmen currently residing in Switzerland A French Drummer and one Italian/Swiss to round it off oh and a guest from Deepest darkest Welsh Wales. Mixing up an eclectic blend of Roots Rock and Roll, some Dark Rock, a punk attitude at times with a healthy or should that be unhealthy dose of Rockabilly and throw in some swing, soul, ska, garage and pop  – I kid you not this really is a melting pot that can go anywhere they like and still come out sounding cohesive and well, bloody magic.

The ‘Sparky Sessions’ is the bands seventh album, yup I know what you’re thinking, I wasn’t sure how many I have either; a few but seven is remarkable. A band this good can’t go under the mainstream radar for so long (when I say so long the sixteen million views on youtube aren’t all bots I guess).  When I say mainstream, I mean I told a few people who I was listening to and they shrugged their shoulders, these are people who listen to a lot of underground music of all persuasions and they’d never heard the band.  So strap yourselves in and join me on a journey into the magic sprinkled ‘Sparky Sessions’ courtesy of The Hillbilly Moon Explosion.

What we have here is a whole long player of duets featuring the guest vocals of the one and only Mark Phillips he of the Demented Are Go parish here in South Wales. After dueting on the murder ballad from 2011’s ‘Beg Steal Or Borrow’ to be fair nobody in their right mind would have mixed the oil and water of Phillips vocal style with that of Emanuela Hutters – but it works and the choice of songs is inspired.  Forget Cave and Minogue or Jagger and Turner – its Phillips and Hutter that have the magic. This whole record will testify that from the rockers to the sultry smoldering murder ballads this is an exceptional piece of work. A magnificent eleven that is weaved into an exceptional record that is one of the finest I’ve heard all year thus far,  one I’m sure will be carried triumphantly into the end of year best of – easily.

 

The covers are stunning but the original songs stand shoulder to shoulder alongside such classics as ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ and ‘Baby I Love You’.  A total of seven new songs were recorded along with the four that had previously seen the light of day of the originals ‘Black Ghost’ builds and builds into a cacophony but it’s not the jarring racket but a harnessed noise that builds to an awesome climax.

 

It’s a bold and brave offering that has more than a sprinkling of magic throughout Hutter has a voice that can melt the ice caps of the north pole and Sparky has the vocal cords to rival a drilling from Thors hammer and put together it’s a beautiful thing brothers and sister trust me. ‘Northern Crown’ is smokey whilst ‘Jackson’ is just a total fuckin’ killer version.  I must have heard about a million covers of this one and this Hillbilly Moon Explosion take is head and shoulders the best yet even better than Carter and Cash in Fulsome Prison.  They absolutely take ownership and just kill it stone dead – sublime. and to end with that Murder Ballad ‘My Love For Evermore’ is still a spine-tingling classic that just works.

If there’s a better record released this month then I need to hear it but I seriously doubt it, folks, this is my album of the month maybe album of the summer – let’s see. Enough waffle from me pick it up and let the music do the talking this one just won’t shut up!  I only hope that this won’t be the end and one day like Skywalker on that mountain the Hillbilly Moon Explosion will come calling and Sparky will hear that call and once again record some new songs together but if that never happens (never say never) thank God we have this collection to live with. Love Songs And Murder Ballads a near-perfect collision of beauty and the beast, light and darkness.  Just buy it!

Author: Dom Daley

 

Buy the Sparky Sessions Here