Clean Lines – ‘Nuisance’ (Spaghetty Town Records, Ghost Highway Records, Wanda Records)

Clean Lines – ‘Nuisance’ (Spaghetty Town Records, Ghost Highway Records, Wanda Records)

Clean Lines – when Steve E Nix says he wants to join your band you know you must be onto something right? Right Clean Lines are something of a supergroup in underground power pop punk rock circles and in a perfect world, they would be fuckin huge. From the opening slam dance of ‘Nuisance’ through its chaotic party on the patio vibes through the sloppy Thunders soloing it’s a joy to your eardrums. Described as Brat Rock is just about the perfect description for this ensemble of seasoned Rock n Rollas it’s a snotty, confident, joyful romp through four awesome tunes. Sure I’d have loved to hear a whole LP full of this shit but like the old adage says keep it lean and keep em keen and less is more and all of that.

The opener sets the tone and rattling out of the gate hot on the heels is ‘So Sharp’ which is exactly what it is. Sharp in name sharp in nature. You wanna pogo on the spot and you’ll be singing the chorus before the “ooh ahs” are done and the floor tom rattles that backbeat. Majestic stuff. The retro clock is turned back to the mid-70s for some Glitter band handclapping foot stomping thumb in yer jean loop dancing whilst the likes of Sweet n Rockpile fill yer stereo speakers.

We manoeuvre from the sub-two-minute burst of energy in the title track opener to this uber-cool groover that clocks in at over four minutes. Before we sign off with another burst of frantic bratty rock  ‘In The Way’ which is a song that gives you a swift clump around the ear as it flys out the door from the frantic twelve bar to the Chuck Berry licks and one-finger piano plonking its breathtaking stuff and exactly what you need to shake off the cobwebs from Christmas and new years and welcome to 2025 and hopefully, the first of many tunes from Clean Lines.  Just buy it!

Spaghetty Town Records Ghost Highway Records Wanda Records

Author: Dom Daley

The Hellacopters – ‘Overdriver’ (Nuclear Blast)

The Hellacopters – ‘Overdriver’ (Nuclear Blast)

Sweden’s finest exponents of action rock The Imperial State Electrocopters are back and they are firing on all cylinders. Nicke Andersson’s 70’s drenched tribute to The Stooges/Kiss/Thin Lizzy/Motorhead (delete as applicable) follows up their 2022 comeback album ‘Eyes Of Oblivion’ with a new 11-track banger of an album in ‘Overdriver’, and there is not a Dregen to be seen or heard on this, the 9th long player from The Hellacopters. Which sort of makes it an Imperial State Electric sort of thing, doesn’t it?

Confused? Well don’t be. The livewire Backyard Babies guitarist may well have been instrumental in the sound of The Hellacopters classic ‘Supershitty To The Max!’ garage rock era, but that was a different band in a different century ladies and gents. Nicke and his gang progressed over the years, and while the gang members have come and gone, the song remains the same in 2025.

Seems as they are a four piece in the videos, we are to assume out illustrious leader handles guitar duties as well as vocals here. All is well and good and opener ‘Token Apologies’ delivers the Kiss/UFO influences to the max, and if you have, like me been rediscovering the ‘Head Off’ covers re-issue recently, then that is a good reference for where we are heading sound-wise.

‘Don’t Let Me Bring You Down’ is classic Nicke, and could’ve been a single from any of the early Imperial State Electric long players, or any 70’s Quo album come to think of it. A great memorable hook, and an early highlight for sure.

But then things get really tasty with the magnificent power pop single ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Just A Memory’. Methinks Ginger Wildheart would give his left bollock to have a hook that good for The Wildhearts in 2025. With its urgent beats and rousing chorus, it sounds like Benny & Bjorn penned it back in ‘78, Iggy stole the beat from the Lord and traded it to Nicke’s old man for a bag of blow and a bottle of Jack. Yes, it’s that good!

3 songs in and were flying in the right direction. The groovy punk n’ roll of ‘Wrong Face’ follows, the rousing and uplifting ‘Soldier On’, and the overly familiar ‘Doomsday Daydreams’ wrap up a very strong side 1.

Flipping the virtual disc and the high energy ‘Faraway Looks’ has riffs and a chorus to die for, latest single ‘Do You Feel Normal’ is classic 70’s rock at its finest and closer ‘Leave A Mark’, does exactly that with its throbbing bass line, driving rhythms and Starchild vocal delivery. It rocks you like a hurricane until the final note rings out.

For me, ‘Overdriver’ is a stronger album than its predecessor. It’s an album of two halves, side 1 pisses all over side 2, but it’s worth flipping the disc for the opener and closer alone. There’s a lot of familiarity of ‘Overdriver’, riffs you will have heard before…somewhere, and you’ll be wracking your brain to recall where the hell you have heard certain melodies before, but that’s half the fun of the listening experience. Who was it that said, “There’s nothing original in rock n’ roll these days”? That may well be true, but if it’s good and it makes you feel something, then who the fuck gives a fuck?!

The Hellacopters may not sounds as raw and exciting as they did in 1996, but they’ve mellowed like a fine red wine over the years and ‘Overdriver’ is a great return to form and one of the essential listens for 2025.

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

THE HARD-ONS – NEW VIDEO FOR  “RIDE TO THE STATION” AND US TOUR – WITH POISON IDEA’S JERRY A ON LEAD VOCALS! 

THE HARD-ONS – NEW VIDEO FOR  “RIDE TO THE STATION” AND US TOUR – WITH POISON IDEA’S JERRY A ON LEAD VOCALS! 

THE HARD-ONS RELEASE NEW VIDEO FOR SINGLE “RIDE TO THE STATION” AND ANNOUNCE US TOUR – WITH POISON IDEA’S JERRY A ON LEAD VOCALS! 

NEWS FOLLOWS MASSIVE 40TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR AND ‘BEST DOCUMENTARY’ PRIZE FOR
THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER AT THE LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL PUNK FILM FESTIVAL

The Hard-Ons have followed a massive 2024 with the release of the new video for “Ride To The Station” – the single take from their new album I Like You A Lot Getting Older – and the announcement a May/June US tour with old friend Jerry A of legendary Portland punks Poison Idea!

The “Ride To The Station” video was produced by Sydney based studio Kapow Pictures. Director Mark Gravas has said, “I have been a fan of the band for almost 40 years. We have produced several videos in the past for The Hard-Ons and were very happy to produce this one for their 40th anniversary. I was inspired by my favourite zombie film ‘Train to Busan’ and my own experiences on public transport. We animated the video using Quill a software primarily used in VR.”

Kapow has also produced a poster of the video which is available to purchase on their website.

The US tour with Jerry A from Poison Idea on guest lead vocals will see The Hard-Ons joining the heavy weight double bill of Napalm Death and the Melvins for shows across the Mid-West and Western states in the USA. The complete run of dates is listed below.

The Hard-Ons first toured with Poison Idea back in the late ’80s, and first recorded with Jerry A as guest vocalist back in 1993 – Jerry wrote and sung the track “The Blade” on their Too Far Gone album. The track recently resurfaced on Jerry’s solo album From The Fire Into The Water. The Hard-Ons are set to release an album with Jerry on vocals later in 2025.   

In addition to the new album, 2024 saw The Hard-Ons celebrating their 40th anniversary with extensive European and Australian tours and enjoying numerous screenings of (and international acclaim – including the ‘Best Documentary’ prize at the International LA Punk Film Festival 2024 – for) their feature length documentary, The Most Australian Band Ever, directed by Jonathan J. Sequeira for production companies Living Eyes and Play Vintage.

I Like You A Lot Getting Older was the third album by the band’s current line-up of Blackie, Murray, Ray and Tim, and follows 2021’s ARIA top 5 debuting I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken and 2023’s the Top 30 debuting Ripper ’23. 



The Hard-Ons’ first two shows for 2025 are February 8 at Selinas in Sydney with the Hoodoo Gurus and February 14 at Mary’s Underground in Sydney with NZ’s rocking The D4.

Buy I Like You A Lot Getting Older via Cheersquad Bandcamp 
https://cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com/album/i-like-you-a-lot-getting-older

Buy/stream via digital providers
https://bfan.link/i-like-you-a-lot-getting-older

For more info on the feature documentary, The Most Australian Band Ever, go to
www.livingeyes.com.au

The Hard-Ons (with Jerry A) appear as guests of Napalm Death and the Melvins as part of their Savage Imperial Death March Part II tour at the following shows:
May 22 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue 
May 23 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s
May 24 – Kansas City, MO @ Madrid Theatre
May 25 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
May 27 – Denver, CO @ Summit
May 29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
May 31 – Bozeman, MT @ The ELM
June 1 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Spokane
June 2 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
June 3 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
June 4 – Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
June 6 – Reno, NV @ Virginia Street Brewhouse
June 7 – Berkeley, CA @ Cornerstone Berkeley

Midlife Crisis – ’45 to 33′ (Wild Kingdom Records)

Midlife Crisis – ’45 to 33′ (Wild Kingdom Records)

You might well be sitting there wondering why is he getting his knickers in a twist over this Midlife Crisis album well, let me take you back to the previous website I wrote for where I did the singles club round-ups, when a certain 45 landed featuring members from iconic bands such as The Hellacopters, Maryslim, Backyard Babies, Crimson Shadows, and Mike Monroe Band, offering a unique blend of punk rock n roll outta Sweden I got very interested. When the needle dropped I got a little bit more excited at what I heard. The bands complete output was a smattering of limited edition 7″ vinyl EPs, making this a highly anticipated album indeed fo anyone who indulges in some dark underground punk rock n roll like Moir.

It also Includes guest backing vocals by Danny Furious from the legendary punk band The Avengers and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, adding further punk credibility. Theres even time for a UK Subs classic ‘Same Thing’, titled ‘Samma Sak’. Oh now you’re interested. The album kicks off in style with the anthemic ‘Sick Of You’ which had me thinking was it really twenty years ago they recorded this? My God how time flies.

The band went on to release three more EPs (the latest one in 2018). Now, everything is being released on a most welcome long-playing 12″ via Wild Kingdom Records. ‘The American In Me’ lashes its flag to the mast of Turbonegro and MC5 and thunders along but then so does ‘Cranked Up Really High’ What a fuckin barn burner.

The album flows really well and considering its twenty twenty-plus years old you’d never tell, it sounds like it could have been written and recorded yesterday, simply the energy they capture is awesome. I’d love to think we’d get the chance to see a live show over here on shit island UK but I won’t hold my breath. Covering the Subs in their native tongue is cool and fits right in. It’s all pretty uptempo and sleazy none more so than the groovy ‘Here I Go And Here I Am’ complete with handclaps. The band absolutely nails the sound on the guitars it’s the perfect Steve Jones crunch with the Keith swagger while the production leans towards the classic MC5 production, especially in the vocals, which is never a bad thing.

‘Shitty Shitty Bang Bang’ is the penultimate whig out with that warm fuzz on the guitar waiting for the chorus to throw some beers around and sing along with more than a hint toward Ron Ashton and his TV Eye on you. Leaving only ‘Bye Bye Hey Hey Hey’ to kick this mother home in style. Every ones a banger with the energy of the national grid Midlife Crisis has finally delivered the album they always promised. Don’t hesitate, don’t sleep on this one get out there and pre-order with your nans Christmas record tokens if you buy one album in 2025 already then make it ’45 to 33′ you simply have to. Buy It!

PRE-ORDER links (feel free to spread):
 https://orcd.co/midlife-crisis-album

Author: Dom Daley

Spiders – ‘Sharp Objects’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

Spiders – ‘Sharp Objects’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

Founded in 2012, Spiders quickly made their mark with their debut album Flash Point and continued to build their reputation with follow-ups Shake Electric (2014) and Killer Machine (2018). So not an overnight success by any means these glam rockers hark back to the classic 70s sound with everything being larger than life, bombastic, big time and grande Glam. the solos are retro and full-on. Having Chips Kiesbye
(The Hellacopters, Sator, The Nomads) on board to produce is inspired and it adds another level of kudos to proceedings.

Vocalist Ann-Sofie Hoyles lays down the line in the sand on opener ‘Rock n Roll Band’ and they don’t look back from there. ‘Sweet Boy’ is a dirty riff that is a down n dirty slowed down Ramones groove with the velvet touch of Debbie Harry. The melody is addictive and the groove is classic. In contrast they turn up the dial for an all out rocker on ‘Whats Your Game (Miss Insane)’. The album meanders from street tough classic Alice Cooper (‘Fun In The Sun’) with huge chorus’ and cool groove to the Stonesy ‘Schizoid’ where they dabble with some darker rock n roll with a hint of ‘Gimme Shelter’.

There’s a familiarity with the songs like a well worn pair of stack boots they are stomping all over the turntable and throwing the best party in town. they can kick back as well like on the wall of sound. Soft song for tough guys in ‘Valentines’ before heading off into a galaxy far far away with ‘Life Mission’ baby it’s totally groovy baby and I like it, I like it a lot.

Having enjoyed this album so much its time to dive in to their back catalogue to see how we got here. what a fantastic way to start 2025 with an album packed with tunes, top tunes arranged magnificently kissing the past and kicking it into the 21st century. Get into ‘Sharp Objects’ but be careful not to cut yourself these tunes are razor sharp. Check em out.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley


SOCIAL PROFILES:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearespiders/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spidersgbg/

Bad Nerves / Ultra Q – Thekla, Bristol – 21.12.24

Bad Nerves / Ultra Q – Thekla, Bristol – 21.12.24

It warms the cockles of my heart to hear the songs played between bands Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Dead Boys, Clash, Damned, and New York Dolls hopefully this is like subliminal indoctrinating of the kids and they’ll kickstart a new youf culture movement, or not and it’s just a band with impeccable taste. Just about all the good and the greats and whilst Santa is only a couple of days away the good ship Thekla fills up to capacity and beyond I would wager. It’s an excellent reception for Bad Nerves European tour pals Ultra Q who open tentatively before relaxing and cutting loose with a pretty impressive set of bristling modern Californian noise/modern punk rock.

But Tonight was all about Bad Nerves wrapping up a monumental year for these Essex Boys who released an excellent album, toured the USA also toured decent venues with The Hives, before zig-zagging around the globe honing their craft and spreading the word that indie punk rock n roll isn’t dead but in bloody good health and it’s bands like Bad Nerves who are up for the task and not afraid to put in the hard yards schlepping it around the toilet circuit of the UK and beyond knocking out a catchy tuneful buzz saw brand of rock and roll with equal measures of Buzzcocks and Ramones melodies and speed with a chirpy early Supergrass for the indie kids to jump on board with.

The Thekla is heaving, and the hull of this riverboat is full to bursting with anticipation for what we’re about to receive. Without further ado, the five-piece gets down to business with a verve and excitement that’s eaten up by a passionate audience welcoming every song like the Beatles have reformed and we’ve been invited to the first knocking of the comeback.

The band feeds off the energy and proceeds to spend the next sixty minutes rattling through their repertoire, showing the fans exactly why they’re currently at the top of their game. They have a hunger for more and a tightness that comes from a band that’s pushed out almost every other night of the last twelve months—impressive stuff indeed.

It’s awesome to see punk rock n roll in such capable hands. ‘Baby Drummer’ sets the pace and it’s a race through their catalogue of Songs like The Ramones fucking with the uptempo Supergrass material of their beginnings Bad Nerves have tunes, plenty of memorable tunes. ‘Don’t Stop’, ‘Radio Pink’ ‘Bad Kid’ and the excellent ‘USA’ are all dispatched with much aplomb. ‘Antidote’ and ‘The Kids Will Always Have Their Say’ close off a frantic set before the inevitable and much-deserved encore. The band are constantly on the move giving it everything they have and this is the final night of a seven-week Euro haul but you’d think it was the first.

‘You Got The Nerce’  ‘Can’t Be Mine’ and ‘Dreaming’ are the sound of a band who are bristling with confidence for an audience rabid for more Bad Nerves. 2025 will be a year where this band take the next step up the ladder and move on to bigger venues with more satisfied fans coming on board this crazy train isn’t slowing down any day soon and these boys are determined and capable of bigger and better things.

Punk as fuck, Bad Nerves are on the march and a more impressive live rock n roll band currently bursting out of the UK you will not find. Gimme, gimme more, more, more. Roll on 2025 and bigger and better things for Bad Nerves.

Author: Dom Daley

Christmas – Fear Of Romance’ (TNS Records)

Christmas – Fear Of Romance’ (TNS Records)

On ‘FEAR OF ROMANCE’ might just see Christmas climb the greasy ladder of success and MAx might just have found himself the lineup to do the name justice because on ‘Fear Of Romance’ they’ve broken free of the pure hardcore sound and branched out and created a melting pot of punk rock n roll with influences from pure hardcore to Turbonegro and beyond. the songwriting has taken a step up as well and the production is really sympathetic to the music giving the instruments a bright and clear path to your ears. This isn’t a muddy lo-fi DIY project it’s one that’s been painstakingly poured over and a lot of hard work has been given to the songwriting and all-round mix making this head and shoulders the best record in the Christmas arsenal.

The album kicks off no it literally kicks off sounding like a serious contender to the likes of Zugly on ‘Always Keep Giving Up’ as they really do slam the hammer down, magnificent opener driven by the phenomenal rhythm section.

Power and a great arrangement make ‘Thirsty and Disgusting’ a brooding pounding co-pilot for the opening track. They’ve lost none of their hunger and passion that much is obvious. The metallic ‘Maggot’ is a real earworm (or should that be ear maggot) but the title track is up next with a blood curdling riff and groove.

‘This Means War’ is a speaker busting grunt of gargantuan proportions as the Bass and Drums ramp the album up a notch or two. The middle of the album does relent in its pace and bark and ‘Smart Jokes’ is melodic and twisting and turning on the intro with a champion intro leading to the albums finest moment thus far and that’s saying something when its been this good so far.

‘Big Fish’ mixes it up with the choppy guitars and piano intro before kicking right off. Theres a happiness in the guitar melody of ‘Trainwreck’ with its big chorus and party gang vocals another really good song. ‘Burn Piggy Burn’ is a masterclass in modern hardcore before ‘Over You’ cruises through the gears with another anthemic chorus for you to throw yourself around the pit to.

Leaving ‘I’m Not Alright’ to grind us home on a wave of Bass and Drums before the riff joins in swinging. Max has upped his lead vocals as well and conducted a real banger for the end of 2024. One of the last releases in the year and it’s fair to say one of the best hardcore punk rock albums you’ll hear all year no question, It’s short and oh so sweet with a slick and complimentary production that lifts these songs up high and I would be doing an injustice to the underground if I didn’t highly recommend ‘Fear Of Romance’ its a pit busting banger from one to twelve, there I zero chaff here just top tunes. Buy It! Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

BLACK SPIDERS – NEW ALBUM & VIDEO

BLACK SPIDERS – NEW ALBUM & VIDEO

BLACK SPIDERS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘CVRSES’ DUE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2025 ON THE DARK RIDERS LABEL VIA CARGO DISTRIBUTION.

PRE-ORDER ‘CVRSES’ HERE:

UK TOUR DATES CONFIRMED FOR APRIL 2025

www.blackspidersband.com

Nothing is ever easy for Black Spiders, never straightforward, there’s always a plethora of circumstances, bad luck and karma. Their last album, released in 2023, was titled ‘Can’t Die, Won’t Die’ and here we are at the dawn of 2025 and they’re still not fucking dead. Back with a brand-new album of high-voltage smashers, the Sheffield righteous rockers are set to release new album ‘Cvrses’ this coming February 28th on Dark Riders via Cargo Distribution.

Featuring twelve new tracks of exactly the kind of soaring rock ‘n roll action we’ve all come to expect, love and demand from Black Spiders, their intentions are the same now as they were from the very moment they started back in 2008 – be true to yourself, no compromise. 

“Stick to that formula and everything will be alright is what we hope and then with a little bit of luck life might surprise you,” says guitarist and singer Pete Spiby. “It’s our fifth album, from the point of view of myself and Irwin. It’s our best. Our statement of intent has not changed from day one.”

Recorded once again at Axis Studios in Doncaster with producer Matt Ellis behind the wheel, ‘Cvrses’ is, and of course all bands say this, very possibly their best album yet. It successfully distils everything that is thrilling and life-affirming about Black Spiders unique brand of thumping heaviness. Massive riffs, massive hooks, massive beats. It’s all massive.

Today listeners can get a taste of just how rockin’ the new Black Spiders songs are with their rousing new single ‘Out Of Order’. The band are in such rude health that this tune is not even on the album, but it’s by no means an offcut, instead ‘Out Of Order’ shows us all exactly where Black Spiders are at right now; maximum amped-up rock ‘n roll with a fun video to boot.  

“We wanted to give people a vibe of where the new album may be heading and have some fun with the video. We didn’t really have any budget, so we took inspiration from many places and paid homage to the old ‘United States of Whatever’ (Sifl & Olly version) single by Liam Lynch,” says Pete. “The song itself is a rant against God. For when things go wrong or not the way you planned and giving us such a shitty life.”

“As long as that drive is in the tank, we will keep going, because that’s what we need to do,” summarises Pete and Cvrses to anyone that tries to stop them.

Catch Black Spiders live in 2025 at the following dates:

19/04 Birmingham – Asylum

20/04 Derby – Hairy Dog

21/04 Manchester – Rebellion

22/04 Exeter – Cavern

23/04 London – Signature Brew

24/04 Newcastle – Newgate Social

25/04 Sheffield – Corporation

26/04 Crumlin – The Patriot

27/04 Leeds – Key Club

Brother Brick – ‘A Portable Altamont’ (Bang Records)

Brother Brick – ‘A Portable Altamont’ (Bang Records)

For the first time on vinyl, a great Australian high-energy classic from Brother Brick, led by Stew Cunningham, one of the best guitarists to emerge from the antipodes. It is held in the same regard as Bored!, Asteroid B612, and New Christs—a real underground gem of OZ rock. Thanks to Bang Records this is the vinyl debut of ‘A Portable Altamont’ – Fully Remastered Edition to capture the raw power and energy that defined their high-octane sound.

This release showcases the band’s grit, the superb rhythms, and all held together with some sumptuous melodies clearly students of Detroit’s finest The Stooges and MC5, but with that unmistakable Aussie magic sprinkled in the mix.

Something of a staple in the Sydney underground. I’m happy to admit this is my introduction to the band and better late than never this is a superb introduction. Originally only available on CD, ‘A Portable Altamont’ has all the high-energy you’d expect from down under officiandos of the garage rock sound, with blistering guitars at every opportunity and melodies. As with most Australian bands from the alternative genre, there is a beautiful raw, unapologetic aura a nievaty maybe of a band just kicking out the jams. If you’re a fan of loud guitars, powerful melodies, and pure rock ‘n’ roll attitude, this is another Bang release that’ll tick all those boxes you’ve come to expect. From the opening thump of ‘The Same’ it’s absolutely raging. There are plenty of absolute belters like the riff-ola of ‘Chip On My Shoulder’ that would give any Steve Jones aficionado a run for their money. The tone is like a bomb going off in the speakers and it doesn’t end there its a beast of a song and like I said one of many.

It’s not all about the wall of raw guitar attack mind because the rhythm section goes toe to toe with some thumping hypnotic grooves like ‘Beyond My Hands’. The breakdown in so simple yet absolutely killer and when the band kicks back in its awesome.

There isn’t a bad song on here and even the more mellow moments sound like a fuckin landslide ‘Derelict Eyes’ on the back of the brawling ‘Chokito Bar’ that is as close to a bar brawl as you’re likely to hear. Side one closes with a bluesy rampage ‘No Turning Back’ and it’s time to flip this one over and get stuck into side two.

More of the same please gents as ‘Rock n Roll Marie’ comes spitting out of the speakers looking for trouble. ‘Feel Strung Out’ is the only way feeling strung out is appetizing in any shape or form. They do kick back a little on ‘Drives Me Wild’ but the filters are open and everything is set to the loudest possible setting. After one play of this, you are left wondering what it would be like stumbling across these cats in a barroom – it would be dangerous for anyone of a nervous disposition and if you’re like me with a dicky ticker get the defribulator on speed dial you might just need it. Hell, even the instrumental ‘Help Yourself’ doesn’t deter me from starting a one-man mosh pit. Before we check out and take a lie in a dark room we are treated to the full on fuzzed out fucked up ‘We’re Not Like You’ before we have to say goodnight with one final triumphant song entitled ‘Rock Action’ (of course it is). Brother Brick delivering the goods and if you’re looking for a fix of the good stuff then this is the one you need to get on. Buy It!

Buy Here

Quireboys/Willie Downing & The Invisible Band/Continental Lovers – Corn Exchange – Newport – 17th November 2024

Quireboys/Willie Downing & The Invisible Band/Continental Lovers – Corn Exchange – Newport – 17th November 2024

NO DRINKS ON STAGE – “that’s Luke Morley’s doing” jokes Quireboys’ frontman Spike as he spots the large warning signs stuck onto the front of the venue’s on-stage monitors. “He’s had me and Nigel practising too”. But what are the band going to sound like when they have rehearsed and not had too many sherries beforehand?

We’d been chatting in the pub beforehand about the times we’d all seen the Quireboys over the years, and the one thing we all said was “We’ve never seen a bad Quireboys gig”, but would a line up featuring two ex-members of Terrapin (thank you Spike for that little gem) on guitar and drums and the one time bassist/singer from (“remember the name”) The Grip match those high standards already set? Might tonight actually end up being an exception to that golden rule, even if ‘Wardour Street’ the album the lads are out on the run of shows to help promote is indeed a little bit of what every Quireboys fan should fancy?

Before all of that palaver though I’m in early doors tonight to catch the RPM approved Continental Lovers, who are playing some carefully selected Quireboys shows to help promote the upcoming release of their all new ‘Self Titled’ thirteen track debut album. Having last played Newport’s nearby McCanns basement venue just over a year ago the four Lovers instantly look just at home on this venue’s more expansive stage, the gigs they’ve played in between obviously reaping them full reward, as opener ‘St Joan’ crashes headlong into (my favourite tune by the band) ‘Tape Deck and we’re three songs in with barely the same number of minutes on the clock. It’s glam punk rock ‘n’ roll played fast and a hell of a lot of fun to (Chelsea) boot. 

As the crowd begins to fill out, I move back towards the mixing desk to take in proceedings, and as new single ‘Connection’ chimes in I can sense the levels of excitement rising through those lucky enough to get in early. In fact, from the number of Continental Lovers’ 7” singles I later see in people’s possession I’d say my glam punk senses were bang on point.

Closing things out with a cover of ‘Dead Flowers’ (think more the Dogs version than the Stones original) is perhaps something of an open goal, especially given tonight’s headliners, but every goal counts in this game and tonight Continental Lovers come away with all three points. “Victoire”.

At this point I have something of a confession to make, I’ve really struggled to get my head around ‘The Simpleton’, the new album from Willie Dowling, it’s not that it is a poor record, it’s just, errr…. not an easy listen (the last time I can remember this happening quite so clearly was with ‘Spilt Milk’ by Jellyfish around three decades or so ago).

It’s something that Willie himself explains to the audience from the get-go (phew, so it isn’t just me) as he takes his place behind his keyboard alongside his bass playing amigo Andy Lewis, with the rest of the music being provided by Willie’s electronic box of tricks and hence the band’s “Invisible” moniker.

The music itself isn’t a million miles away from the songs he’s previously written with Jackdaw4 or as part of Dowling Poole, but the lyrics are easily his most politically driven to date, as one listen to the likes of ‘Long Drop Down’ or ‘The Gravy Train’ soon prove. There’s even a heckler when Willie dares to criticize the calamity just waiting to unfold in the US in 2025 as he introduces Dowling Poole’s ‘Fuck You Goodbye’. Hmmm, perhaps ‘Long Drop Down’ is more prophetic than the songwriter could ever have imagined, and who would have thought that such stinging political messages would be delivered via tracks that actually sound like they were written during the days when the UK charts where full of names like Supertramp, Queen, Sparks and 10CC and not via the usual platform of punk rock? Has Willie perhaps unintentionally invented a new subgenre of politically charged progressive powerpop with ‘The Simpleton’? Only time will tell, I guess, but you can next catch the duo out on the road promoting the record with Cats In Space in the run up to Christmas and on a nine date 2025 headline tour.  

For the longtime Willie fans in tonight there’s a reworking of The Grip’s ‘Vera Daydream’ slotted in at the end of the set tonight, and as the duo leave the stage to their loudest cheer of the night, I’m reminded of the one and only time I saw that band, supporting (yup you guessed it) the Quireboys, then complete with their bar stage set, something that sadly isn’t with the band anymore, but their It Ain’t Half Hot Mum intro tape most certainly still is, and it’s soon booming from the Corn Exchange’s crystal clear sound system and Newport’s population of lovely boys (and girls) fall into line ready for tonight’s main event.

It feels a little odd watching Thunder’s Luke Morley strapping on his guitar and launching into the riff for opener ‘Jeeze Louise’, but only for about 30 seconds, because as soon as Spike opens his mouth to sing the opening lines and bassist Nigel Mogg quickly bounds across the stage to conduct the evening’s first Scorpions like pile-on with the six stringer, you can be in no doubt, this is very much a Quireboys show. Then there’s the smile on his face when they then race headlong into ‘Can’t Park Here’ which speaks volumes for how much he is also enjoying his time sharing stages with these two rock ‘n’ roll dandies.

The between song banter between Spike and the six stringer is fast and, at times, furiously funny, and the rehearsals I mentioned at the top of this review have certainly paid off for the band with new tracks like ‘Raining Whiskey’ (dedicated of course to Frankie Miller) and ‘You and I’ sitting pretty next to the likes of ‘Misled’, Tramps & Thieves’ and ‘Hey You’ and stand in drummer Harry James turns in a faultless shift in Rudy Richman’s absence.

Over on the piano there’s that Willie Dowling once again, now filling in for Chris Johnstone whilst also filling out the overall sound with the band seemingly settled on a reduced five piece format, although I do miss that added KLANG that the Ronnie Wood style second guitar always gave the band.

I also cannot go without mentioning that not only does the band’s merch tonight include two quotes from ex-members of UFO but whilst Mr Mogg was digging out his favourite Gibson Thunderbird for this tour he must have in the process also found all his old Pete Way VHS tapes, because he is absolutely on fire at the moment, throwing shapes left, right and centre, and this only serving to provoke his singing compadre to once again throw his mic stand around like Rod Stewart in his early ‘70s prime. And speaking of which, if I thought ‘I Think I Got It Wrong Again’ sounded like The Faces on record, then live, you could almost close your eyes and think you were back in 1970 watching one of the earliest UK shows by said band, and if that song is The Faces then ‘Happy’ really could be a Rolling Stones song. Magnificent stuff indeed.

These shows are of course overshadowed by the fact that founding Quireboys’ guitarist Guy Bailey passed away before ‘Wardour Street’ could be recorded and as such Spike dedicates an emotional ‘King of New York’ to not only the perma-behatted guitarist but also his father, who apparently thought the track was the best the band had ever recorded. You can almost sense Bailey smiling down on the band as they then draw the set to a close with a riotous ‘There She Goes Again’, ‘Roses & Rings’ and ‘7 O Clock’.

With the 10:30 curfew having long since passed there’s just enough time to raise our glasses in the air for a quick run through of ‘Like It or Not’ before we are all sent home with “something in our eye” thanks to an exceptional rendition of ‘I Don’t Love You Anymore’.

An emotional night for sure, and one that should silence not only any critics but also answer any nagging doubts you might have about what the Quireboys in 2024 are all about.

This is rock n roll, and I love it!

Author: Johnny Hayward