One beacon of light for music fans worldwide throughout this sorry Covid-19 mess has to be the website Bandcamp. It’s given us a veritable treasure trove of new stuff to discover these past six months (The Hip Priests, Bob Vylan, Division Of Laura Lee, Stay Voiceless and Phoxjaw to name but a few of those all getting some of my shilling) plus to top it all off they also went and set up “fee waiver days” to further support their clientele currently unable to work.

Now that to me really is keeping with the true spirit of punk rock, so it’s kind of apt that Scott ‘Deluxe’ Drake a veritable legend of the US punk rock scene has decided to utilize the platform to launch his new band Guerrilla Teens.

Having already released a contender for album of the year in the shape of ‘Bats From Planet Skull’ (via the then already disbanded Lovesores) back in April, Scott has wasted little time in bringing us Guerrilla Teens – formed once again out of Portland Oregon by members of The Humpers, Lovesores, Suicide Notes, Magick Gardens, Epoxies, 8 Foot Tender and Sex Crime, with the band line up consisting of Guerrilla Deluxe aka Scott Drake on vocals, Anna Bananas aka Anna Anderson on bass and vocals, Deaf Jeff aka Jeff Fieldhouse on guitar and vocals, Tim Panzee aka Tim Connolly on drums and vocals and finally Saul Teen aka Saul Koll on guitar.

Originally released via Bandcamp in staggered bite-size segments across consecutive months ‘All Our Hits’ is all the band’s Covid-19 demos, together in one convenient package, however in saying this the most immediate thing that hits you from the first guitar chime of opener ‘Dillinger Red’ is just how NOT demo sounding these tracks actually are. Each of the ten tracks bristling with uneasy low-slung guitar energy, the bass and drums pumping out hypnotic rhythms over which Scott works his trademark sneering vocal magic.

Take one listen to the likes of ‘Tell Me What To Do’, ‘Super Aces’ or ‘Black Weather’ and you’ll feel the immediate need to self-isolate with this album on constant rotation.  It’s infectious and dangerous and if it does ever get a physical release it absolutely demands the full gatefold vinyl treatment just so you can lie on your bed, headphones cranked, staring dreamily into the band members bloodshot eyes.

Straight outta the Covid-19 garage, Guerrilla Teens really are a full throttle sonic assault on the senses – a 100% ballad free zone, which in these anxious times, really is music to my (perma-ringing) ears

Looking ahead Guerrilla Teens have already stated (right here on RPM) that post lockdown they would love to tour the UK and Europe just to kick the living shit out of Boris Johnson, plus of course play ‘All The Hits’. So, please make sure you all click on the link below – go purchase your download and let’s make this happen!!!

Buy ‘All The Hits’ Here

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Author: Johnny Hayward

A Fistful More of Rock & Roll, Volume 3 contains Twenty Six of the best Rock n Roll bands from all over the world! Originally slated for release in January of this year manufacturing problems and a pandemic pushed it back to July 31, 2020. Although all the bands/songs are sweaty, beer-soaked denim dripping Rock n Roll, Available on CD and gatefold double LP.

Liner notes from Producer Sal Conzonieri of Electric Frankenstein.

A Fistful MORE of Rock & Roll – Volume 3 continues in the same tradition that the original 13 volumes of A Fistful of Rock ‘n’ Roll did from 2000 to 2007. 

It’s the Return of the Return of Rock ‘n’ Roll,Call it what you like Action Rock Punk n Roll does it really matter? It’s Straight down and dirty, Loud n lustful, Action Rock revolution, High Energy Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll yadda yadda yadda.

Action Rock, Punk N Roll, Hard Rock now we’ve established that you can actually call it what you like if its good I’ll give it a spin and if it’s not then no thanks I’ll pass.  This new age of “Action Rock” is churning out records at a rate of Knotts and for the convenience of keeping all these alternative bands under one umbrella, I happen to think its in rude health.  Having covered a lot of these bands over the years I find it warming that they’ve been brought together  thanks to the super hard work of Sal.

Starting in the late 80s and early 90s, a worldwide Rock revival / New Rock Revolution sprang up, from Scandinavia to the USA to Australia to Wales. Spontaneously, around the world, a group of bands developed this new sound, such as Poison Idea, Action Swingers, Bullet Lavolta, Big Chief, The Fluid, Blue Hippos / Otto’s Chemical Lounge, Celebrity Skin, The Kings of Oblivion, Flower Leperds, Fearless Leader, The Lazy Cowgirls, The Donnas, The New Bomb Turks, The Didjits / The Lee Harvey Oswald Band / The Gaza Strippers, Dwarves, Zeke, Supersuckers, The Hookers, Nashville Pussy, Easy Action, Trash Brats, Candy Snatchers, Adam West, The Cherry Valence, Jakkpot, The Upper Crust, Speedealer, B-Movie Rats, The Stitches, The Humpers, Rocket from the Crypt, The Superbees, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Zen Guerilla, The Murder City Devils, The Mud City Manglers / The Cheats, D Generation, Electric Frankenstein, The Black Halos, The Spitfires, Danko Jones, American Ruse, TV Killers, Dumbell, Temporal Sluts, Thee STP,  Aerobitch, The Pleasure Fuckers, Safety Pins, The Nomads, Puffball, The Rockets, The Hives, Gluecifer, The Flaming Sideburns, The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies, Turbonegro, The Onyas, The D4, The Datsuns, The Powder Monkeys, The Panadolls, Mustang, Hoss, Teengenerate, Supersnazz, Jet Boys, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, and so on, that were all featured on the first series of the “A Fistful of Rock ‘n’ Roll” compilations.

Today there is a whole new generation of young bands and (cough, cough) not so young bands delivering the goods and knowing exactly where the action is.  they have built upon what the previous bands started, keeping Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll alive and full of high energy. Thus, a second series is necessary to document this: “A Fistful MORE of Rock & Roll”; No mistakes at all when I say this is one of the loudest compilations and no quarter is given not even an inch.  Side one pairs up Deathtraps with Egyptian Gay Lovers both playing loudly but both offer something quite different from each other. As far as Deathtraps go they’ve just released an excellent album full to the brim of loud rock and roll and a leap in quality from the first which was pretty impressive as it goes.

Flexx Bronco opens up side two with a cool rocker ‘Heart on the Floor’ and again it’s sounding quite different from the Elvis meets Danzig rock of Nevadah and ‘Iggy Dog’ but I have to admit I have a soft spot for the most excellent Drippers record ‘Solitary Speaking’  rumbles along like a freakin’ steam train heading for oblivion.  A quite ferocious cut for sure. Then to follow that with Randy Savages Rockin’ and a rollin’ on their single Guilty of Nuthin’ is an exceptional burst of energy and how can anyone not get behind that guitar solo!

Of the bands I’ve never heard before Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre is one with a bit of a mouthful but fear not Rockers the guitars are slung low and the energy levels are in bloom. Moving away from the Punk n roll attitude of a band like Randy Savages you have The Dirty Denims who pray at the altar of DC and all things ROCK!

There are some bands I’ve not heard anything from in quite a while and to be fair bands like The Cheats are kicking serious backside as is Dog Toffee someone I’ve not hear anything from in a while and they sound excellent as do East Coast Low another new one on me and their solid thump.

It might be an idea to listen to this in healthy chunks so as to not overwork your brain and to give your speakers a chance to recover.  Projeckt Daghouse  are kicking up a hellish racket but they are overshadowed by a band I’ve championed since hearing their debut. Poison Boys have got the lot from the pretty faces going to hell. But trying to pick a favourite side is like being forced to choose between the kids.  But don’t tell anyone but the last record is freakin awesome such is the quality of songs on offer.

It’s fair to say I’m impressed and this is right up there with the best for sheer quality and like I said earlier the amount of hard work that went into making this project a reality and all these cool bands delivering the goods on mass is a real Boon to the scene. An honour and a feather in the caps of those who get featured and being associated with such a quality compilation.  I hope Sals turned his attention to volume 14 and I look forward to hearing who and what is on offer because this is only the beginning of the second wave. Now if only this virus would be kind enough to fuck off and let us get back to live shows maybe we can see some of these bands in the flesh tearing it up around the stages of the world.

Pre-orders and limited edition purple vinyl available exclusively Here

Author: Dom Daley