The Saints wind the clock back

The Saints wind the clock back
THE SAINTS’ 73-’78 BLOW THEM AWAY IN THE US & UK

SO FAR FROM HOME, ED, IVOR & GANG WIND BACK THE CLOCK AND BLOW THE REST OF THE WORLD AWAY – AGAIN 

In 1976 it was the English press who climbed on board with The Saints first. The weekly music newspaper Sounds in particular, with their multiple “The Single of This and Any Other Week” reviews, recognized that these Brisbane outcasts had beaten their homegrown punks to the punch. The US press also came on board, in particular Creem and the punk zines like Slash and Bomp!; the yanks seemed to really recognize the Saints connections to pre-punk high energy outfits like the Stooges…  All the while the Australian media of the day looked on with a fair amount of bemusement.

Fast forward 49 years, and with The Saints ’73-’78 having just completed a run of US dates and now on the UK & Euro leg of their world tour, it’s deja vu all over again in terms of the response in the upper hemisphere… This time it’s the American press who’ve taken the lead – natch, given the American shows came first – and who are hailing the band as something akin to the second coming, singling out the ferocity and brilliance of Ed Kuepper‘s guitar playing, the singular swing of Ivor Hay‘s drumming and Mark Arm‘s ability to fill the shoes of the late great Chris Bailey – or perhaps to wear different but equally as appropriate footwear – in particular:

Under The Radar: “Watching Kuepper play guitar is like watching someone at the very top of his game … do things with his right hand that humans shouldn’t be able to do… Kuepper always had a tone and sound that resonated with a heaviness that most punk bands couldn’t pull off. Therefore, it was just STUNNING to see it done live…. Out of everything I’ve seen this year, I can’t think of anything more exciting and thrilling. This was one of those performances that makes this longtime fan grateful to be there and to be alive!” 

Backbeat Seattle: “Kuepper’s churning, propulsive rhythm guitar (every bit as essential to the Saints’ early acclaim as Chris Bailey’s vocals) has lost none of its razor edge and Hay’s solid drumming pushes the band along at a brisk clip. Mick Harvey’s tasteful leads added a nice bite and Mark Arm’s vocals were just what the punk rock doctor ordered.”

Illinois Entertainer:  ‘“(I’m) Stranded” brought the audience to a fever pitch, inciting a full-throated singing from the fans as well as some semi-moshy behavior among rowdy older punks near the barrier. “Know Your Product”… maintained the crowd’s peak energy with the Saints’ influential blend of catchy brass licks and the jet-engine roar of Kuepper’s guitar.”

Spill Magazine: “They really had no choice but to perform “Nights In Venice,” a track from their debut album, (I’m) Stranded. The song explodes, and it’s no surprise that the crowd erupts at the end. Kuepper and Hay have formed an eight-piece band who perform a tight and rocking version of the song. The energy is incredible. This is followed by “No Time,” a track from the same album. Again, the band grabs the song and turns it into a force of nature.”

Chris Morris (esteemed LA music writer – RS, Variety, Billboard etc):“The Saints show at the Teragram tonight could not have been better if I had dreamed it myself…  Beginning with “This Perfect Day” and ending with a second encore of the inevitable raver “Nights in Venice,” the band dug deep into the meat of their formidable early catalog…  Kuepper…  lashed the crowd with dense, intense, feedback-laced playing all night… Mark Arm … laid down a stupendous performance that deftly channeled the spirit and sound of the group’s co-founder Chris Bailey… A lot of friends were in the house, and at the end of the gig they unanimously talked about the show with excited ecstasy. Further words are failing me at the moment. ” 

Hudley Flipside (Flipside magazine legend!): “Ed moved with his guitar like electricity. As Ivor drummed perfection and consistency as the full moon above us. The lights… made our eyes close and tune into that place of lyrics in our hearts when we sung loudly with Mark Arm…”

Falling James (of Leaving Trains & LA Weekly fame): “All around me at Teragram Ballroom, people were spinning and shaking and stomping and screaming and singing along or staring upward silently in rapt fascination, fully mesmerized and in a state of wide-eyed shock and sheer, unadulterated, pure, ever-loving joy… as founding guitarist Ed Kuepper summoned forth those monumental, incendiary, massive guitar riffs that frame some of the greatest songs of all time, all hammered home with stunning authority by founding Saints drummer Ivor Hay and such estimable all-stars as, you know, Mudhoney vocalist Mark Arm, the Birthday Party guitarist Mick Harvey and Sunnyboys bassist Peter Oxley…. “

Of course, the band’s audiences were star-studded too, with the likes of Jello Biafra, Thurston Moore, Steve Turner (Mudhoney), Stephen Malkmus (Pavement), Penelope Houston (The Avengers), Ian MacKaye, Guy Picciotto & Brendan Candy (all from Fugazi), Matt Sweeney (The Hard Quartet), Mac (Superchunk), Mary Timony (Wild Fang) and many others making the scene. 

Not to be outdone, the Brits – who we should not let forget actually dumped on our boys a bit back in ’77 after the initial outpouring of adoration because Ed, Chris, Ivor and Kym did not give two f**ks about the rules that quickly bound the London punk scene – are also responding ecstatically to the band, who played their first shows their last week, and who did a live session for Mark Riley on BBC6 on the weekend from the BBC’s legendary Maida Vale studios. 

The Yorkshire Post: “A judiciously chosen set pares down the catalogue to perhaps their 19 best songs which Arm delivers brilliantly in either an Iggy Pop-like drawl or full-throated rasp. This Perfect Day is especially brutal… All in all, a stunning reminder of the raw power of one of the finest punk bands ever.”

The band will have come off stage at the Electric Ballroom in London around the I hit send on this – we look forward to reading the responses to that.

For those of us who can’t be there, there are still copies of a new TheSaints ’73-’7812″ EPLive Nights in Venice Vol.1 – released on In The Red and limited to a crazy 800 copies only – available (along with loads of cool merch) via The Saints ’73-’78 official website. But it before disappears forever or have a listen via the usual digital outlets. 

Website / Facebook

Ed Kuepper
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The Saints – ‘Long March Through The Jazz Age’ (Fire Records)

The Saints – ‘Long March Through The Jazz Age’ (Fire Records)

On 28th November 2025, Fire Records will release ‘Long March Through the Jazz Age’, the last recorded work by Chris Bailey and The Saints, coinciding closely with what would have been Bailey’s 69th birthday. It’s a moving farewell – a testament to a restless, uncompromising artist who always moved forward, one of rock’s great lyricists and iconoclasts. Sure, he was a different fella to the youth who came up with ‘I’m Stranded’ and there might no thave been the same rage as he had many years previous but he matured into a quality artist and had gravitas and can still capture a room when his music comes through the speakers.

Recorded at Church Street Studios in Sydney, Bailey and longtime Saints drummer Pete Wilkinson flew in from Europe to reunite with guitarist/engineer Sean Carey, who had previously toured and recorded with the band. They were joined by Davey Lane (You Am I) on guitar, plus a handpicked ensemble of Sydney’s most exciting young horn, string and keyboard players.

From Bailey’s rough demos, ‘Long March Through the Jazz Age’ is the sound of a man who grew up and his take on modern times.

Lead single ‘Empires (Sometimes We Fall)’ is the album’s anthemic opener, the western guitars sit nicely behind Bailey’s words: “Sometimes we rise, sometimes we fall”. It’s a great intro on an album that has gravitas and a swagger with Bailey’s punk rock heart beat flowing nicely in a really well-produced album.

‘Judas’, is a big piece, with space and thoughtfulness in the arrangement. ‘Gasoline’ has some Stones country honk in its DNA, whilst ‘Bruises’ is an introspective look inside the mind of a legend. Loads of kids who grew up in the glare of the public mellowed later on, take Westerberg as a prime example, add Bailey to that list

There are a few really epic long songs on offer here, and towards the close of the record, I love the cracks in the vocal, which is flawed and rasping on ‘Resurrection Day’ with its uplifting chorus, with beautifully poised horns and strings. It’s a crack of sun poking through the sky on a wet and rainy day, a big panoramic widescreen track.

Over four decade of doing whatever the fuck he liked Bailey and his band The Saints were truly the best from down under make no mistake, utterly pierless and groundbreaking on a global stage and this final offering shows another side of the legend and the best was saved till last with the epic trumpet-punctuated jazzy ‘Carnivore’ as the seven plus minutes unfold like a cinematic widescreen road movie with the vocal sounding both strong and vulnerable at the same time its wonderful through some good speakers or headphones. As it builds, it never really spills over but it does make your heart ache for what could have should have been.

Leaving the whistful acoustic ‘Will You Still Be There’ to carry this fine record home. Saints fans will love it, and I’m sure new fans will find it uplifting, and the full stop of this majestic band brought on for one finale. Buy this record.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Introducing…Zodiac Panthers

Introducing…Zodiac Panthers
As we always try to bring bands to your attention that you might never have come across and when we do we like to pass it on down the line and we continue to introduce quality music when we hear it.  Today is no exception ladies and gents can we please introduce the most excellent Zodiac Panthers… 

Where Dya get the name Zodiac Panthers from?
I Lifted the zodiac part from Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction. I always loved that name. The panthers part came from looking at MC5 albums with all the white panther party propaganda. It just clicked Zodiac Panthers would be a great name!
Who is in the band and what do they play?
I’m Johnny Yeagher (vocals/guitar), Angela Yeagher (drums/backup vocals) & Nate Erney (bass).
Where do the Zodiac Panthers call home?
We’re from Wilmington, North Carolina.
What are your influences?
We’re influenced by 60s garage rock & 70s/80s punk mostly. Sonics, Music Machine, Stooges, Ramones, Testors, The Cramps, The Saints. The list could go on!
Who brings what to the table as far as songwriting goes?
I write all of the music and most of the lyrics. Angela also writes lyrics and helps come up with lyrical themes. Once Angela and Nate work out their parts the songs take on a whole new life. That’s when it sounds like the Zodiac Panthers.What releases have you had so far and what can we expect over the next 6 to 12 months as far as recordings go?
We’ve released three EPs:
‘Zodiac Panthers’ / I Don’t Gotta, But I’m Gonna, Cause I Wanna’ / ‘Hexray Vision’

Four singles: ‘I’d Rather Be Dead’ / ‘Primal Astrology’ / ‘666 Feet Away From My Love’ / ‘Black Leather Heart’

Luckily I have a home studio so we can continue to release new music. ‘666 Feet Away From My Love’ and ‘Black Leather Heart’ were released during this pandemic. We have more material we’ll be releasing in a couple of months.

What about post pandemic and playing live?
This pandemic has definitely hurt us as far as playing shows and promoting our band. Playing live is how we generate most of our income for the band and make the majority of our fans. I’m just not sure how soon it’ll get back to normal or what the new normal will be.

If you could co-write with anyone who would you like a crack at? I guess alive or dead is fair game. 
It would be Stiv Bators. I love his vocal style and his lyrics. He was definitely one of a kind. Very raw.

We’re heading to a desert island and you have to travel lite. Give us three records you’d take one book and three films?
The first New York Dolls record. I never get tired of hearing it. It’s so perfect.

The Jim Carrol Band – Catholic Boy. He’s one of my favorite lyricists. Theirs so much attitude in his voice.
The first Ramones record. It changed my life. It was my introduction into punk.
I usually read music biographies. So my one book would be ‘Please Kill Me’. As far as punk history books go, it’s the best.
As for Movies, It would be ‘Escape From New York’. An awesome sci-fi movie starring Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken. It’s a killer! Next up ‘Trick or Treat’ which was a great ’80s heavy metal horror movie. Some of the scenes were actually filmed here in Wilmington. The Warriors is one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s so dark, grimy and sleaze. I love all the different gangs and how they have to fight their way back home.

Matt Dudzik – Poison Boys Interview

Matt Dudzik – Poison Boys Interview
One of the best debut albums I’ve heard in quite some time happens to be ‘Out Of My Head’ it’s jam-packed with influences ranging from the good to the greats and the passion and energy poured into every groove of the LP is evident to the listener.  I tapped Matt up for an interview with RPM and he was happy to oblige.  If you’re lucky enough to have the band roll into a town near you I suggest you cancel whatever it is you’re doing and get down to the Rock and Roll show.  But hey check em out then support them and Dead Beat Records because we need more bands like this making music on labels like that.  So lets cut the crap and get down to the chatter that mattered  Ladies and Gents boys and girls  Matt from Poison Boys…
When did the band form and let us know a little about where you grew up and what inspired you guys to pick up an instrument and play Rock and Roll?
I grew up right outside of Chicago in Northwest Indiana, about 1 minute from the border of Illinois. Been obsessed with rock n roll since I was a kid. Me and my friend Mike Lippman had been playing in punk bands together since we were young teenagers and finally decided we wanted to start a rock n roll band. I played drums throughout those years but wanted to play guitar if it was a rnr band so started figuring out Ramones songs and went from there.
Can you remember what the first songs you wrote as a band was?  
Mike and I collaborated on nearly all of the early songs, he’d write riffs or I would, and I’d write vocals and he’d help me with the lines sometimes. First ones we wrote were Been Here All Night, Out of My Head, Cut Right Out, Bad Mouth, Without You and a couple of others. Unfortunately, Mike passed away before we could complete a lot of other songs which I ended up finishing later like Headed for Disaster, Got to Tease, and Up to the Sky among others. We always wanted it to be a well rounded rock n roll group, not just one specific sound the whole record or anything. But not to stray too far outside of the rock n roll spectrum.
You’ve released a couple of singles before the album came along with the first two being on the excellent UK label no front teeth.  How did that come about?  How did a label out of London pick up some guys in Chicago?  Is the line up stable now? your almost in Spinal Tap territory for past members already 
I found out about No Front Teeth from reading a PORK magazine and either seeing an NFT ad or a record review with NFT as the label it was released on. Just emailed Marco and he was super down to help us get our first (and second) 7″ out. Really I could not find any snotty punk labels in the states at all. Even now I only know of like 2 or 3 and that’s it. And if they aren’t interested or are too busy or whatever you turn to labels elsewhere that’s all.
As for the lineup… When people don’t wanna play rock n roll anymore or move out of state what do you do? The band hasn’t been around long enough to make much of an impression with anyone lineup, hasn’t had an LP or anything out prior to now so it didn’t matter to me. Granted I don’t exactly enjoy having members flake out or whatever but it is what it is. We’ve had a pretty solid lineup for about a year and a half or so with Matt “Chainz/the Chainblaster” Chaney on drums and Steve  “Stevsie/Stevie Poison” Elfinger on bass at home/guitar on the road, and touring members Nico Bones on bass and Julius Lange on guitar. It’s been pretty killer getting to know and hang with all of them.
The first single was back in 2016 then ’17 then you got White Zoo to release the last one last year.  Had you already signed up to dead beat to do the album by then?  How come you switched for the album? 
Dead Beat came about through me asking them earlier this year if they’d be interested in releasing the LP. They were very stoked especially after hearing the record, so we just had to finish up art and final mastering for it and it was a go. The 7″s were released on the other side of the pond, we were just looking for somewhere closer to get the records released by and knew Dead Beat had put out records by some of our favorite newer rock n roll bands.
Is there a chance of a European release for the record?  What about touring Europe and the UK?
We’d love for it to be released by a European label! Haven’t heard anything about that yet but time will tell I suppose. We plan to set up a European tour for hopefully next year.
As far as the album goes I was really pleased to hear plenty of influences in there and some choice covers.  Obviously, I have to ask why those covers? (apart from them being great songs) 
Well, I was listening to a Beatles singles comp called ‘Past Masters’ and heard a banging rocker called ‘Slow Down’. Knew it had to be a cover and found out Larry Williams was the original and sounded killer!! I figured we could pull it off and should give it a go. It delivers well live so we figured it’d be a good way to help open up the album and add more bitchin’ piano to it which we love big time. As for the Dead Boys cover… that one’s always been relatable to me and it fits with our style really well I think. It’s, of course, a tribute to them and our influences getting into punk at an early age.
I love the album and think it’s one of the best debut albums I’ve heard in an age and the attitude in the songs is superb – really authentic sounding. Is there a plan to tour then record some more? are you someone who writes all the time? 
Thanks man I really appreciate it. We worked hard on these songs and it’s good to finally let them have their day. Really nice to hear that people like them. We’re leaving for our “Out of My Head” East Coast/Canada Tour 2019 this week and beginning recording for our 2nd LP this week as well. Plenty still on the horizon for the Poison Boys. I write all the time even if it’s just little pieces and put them together as I go. Show ’em to the guys and get opinions and we work em out from there.
How has the reception been at the live shows?  How would you describe the scene over there in Chicago? is there much of an appetite for real rock and roll?
The live shows are killer and what we love the most. People seem to love it too and get down to our set so that’s cool. I think people need this type of rock n roll but just aren’t getting it much from bands these days. Not a lot of people go to rock n roll shows around here anymore unless it’s the Stones or KISS or something. A lot of bands around here either play washed out reverb’d out psychedelic shit or shoegaze or grunge or a mixture of all that. There’s like 3 bands in Chicago that don’t do that. As with many bands, the reception on the road is way greater than at home.
There seem to be pockets of superb music coming out of America right now – any chance you cats hooking u with bands like Wyldlife, Ravagers and The Sweet Things and stealing over here for a package tour?  Are there any bands you hear about currently tickling your fancy so to speak?
We generally like touring alone but are open to whatever if the situation’s right. One of our first shows ever was in Indianapolis in 2014 opening for Wyldlife. Alex from Ravagers does a lot of our artwork and we have a gig with our boys the Sweet Things coming up at Coney Island Baby in Manhattan in a couple weeks, Friday 8/02. Yeah favorite bands going on right now in the states are mostly in California, like Black Mambas, the Crazy Squeeze, the Flytraps, Dr. Boogie (although they just broke up), and also bands like Terry and Louie, our boys Jonesy from Montreal, the Rubs, our buds Big Blood from out here, stuff like that. And of course the Sweet Things out in NY. There’s a good amount of rock n roll going on elsewhere and I think it’s growing thankfully.
Listening to the album I hear some obvious inspirations from the likes of Dead Boys, Thunders, then I hear classic Stones and Faces – you guys have some of the swagger that made early Guns N Roses shine (tear Me Apart)  and I love the confidence of songs like ‘Up To The Sky’ but you can also mix it up like Hanoi Rocks on songs like ‘Desperado’   it opens up options for you to go in any direction what’s on in the van currently? What are you listening to?
We listen to old protopunk shit like Berlin Brats, Hollywood Brats, Razor Boys, Nervous Eaters, Rockpile, Flamin Groovies, Stooges, all that. A lot of Johnny Thunders and Dolls stuff of course, their solo stuff right after the Dolls broke up too. Hanoi Rocks, Dogs D’Amour. But also stuff like the Nuggets comps and other more obscure comps like the Bonehead Crunchers comps and shit like that. A ton of old punk bands like Menace, the Only Ones, Teenage Head, the Saints, Chelsea, Testors, Slaughter and the Dogs, Gen X… Then Mott the Hoople for 24 hours straight, Lou Reed, Kiss, T Rex, Motorhead, the Faces, Stones. All the goods all the time. Oh yeah and the RAMONES.
If there is anything you guys need to get off your chests here’s your chance.  Anything you’d like to add?
Come see us on tour!!! Buy merch, support rock n roll and keep us on the road. If you play rock n roll start a band get a shitty van and a mechanic friend and go tour. Keep this shit alive and growing and spread the love not shit talk and hate. We’re too small of a scene to be separated all the time by trivial cool guy bullshit and life’s too short to waste energy tearing each other down. It ain’t like the old days, we all know that… Rock n roll is so unimportant to modern society and we’re all we have left. We’re all in this together. Be inclusive there’s no room for hate against each other.
Buy The Album Here or coloured vinyl Here

Alvin Gibbs – ‘Your Disobedient Servant’ get Blood Red Re-press

Alvin Gibbs – ‘Your Disobedient Servant’ get Blood Red Re-press

One of the albums of the year gets a re-press on Blood Red vinyl for those who missed out on the initial press.  RPM  reviewed it Here and we urge you not to sit on your hands a second time as this will sell out as the first run did.  Go Go Go!
Alvin says, “For all you vinyl junkies that missed out on obtaining my solo album ‘Your Disobedient Servant’ on 12 inch vinyl earlier this year due the initial 300 being sold out in short order, Time & Matter Records have manufactured a new batch of 300, this time on blood-red vinyl and minus the accompanying CD and download code. This release will, therefore, be sold at the lesser price of £17 (the first pressing was priced at £22) and can be ordered from this Here”

It features twelve songs written by yours truly and an array of very talented guest musicians that reads like this: Brian James – The Damned / Lords Of The New Church; Leigh Heggarty – Ruts DC; Mick Rossi – Slaughter & The Dogs; James Stevenson – Generation X / Chelsea / The Cult / The Alarm; Barry ‘Barrington’ Francis – The Saints; Timo Kaltio – Johnny Thunders band/Hanoi Rocks / Cheap ‘N’ Nasty; Mel Wesson – Keyboard player & Ambient music designer – TV Smith’s Explorers/The Verve ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ / U.K. Subs ‘Diminished Responsibility’ LP / Films Mission Impossible 2, Batman Begins, Hannibal etc; Steve Crittall – The Godfathers; Jamie Oliver – U.K. Subs.

“I would advise interested parties to get their orders in sharp to avoid what occurred last time, which was a lot of people missing out due to the speed that the original batch sold at. In fact it was due to so many people voicing their disappointment at not being able to get a vinyl copy in time that persuaded T & M Records to go with this colour-altered second run. For those of you that are not so disposed to a bit of vinyl, there is also a CD version of the album available from the same link. Ta! A x”

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

With high winds whipping round our neck of the woods we need to see some Californian sun so why not begin this weeks Rainy Days and Mondays with this banger from Janes Addiction.

Second out today we play a classic from the other side of the globe (sorry flat Earthers) but up next is this Saints classic

Finally keeping it topical and seeing as they’re in the news recently after announcing a new tour and album we leave you with these three cool cats. Have a good week folks and remember stay sick and keep it RPM Online