You'll all know (and no doubt love) The Ruts, the Golden Era punk band from London who mixed up punk and reggae and were as highly rated as any band of that era. And you'll all know that that first incarnation of the band came to a premature end following the death of frontman Malcolm Owen in 1980.
What you may have missed is that they're still going, under the Ruts DC moniker that they adopted after Owen's death, and they've recently released a new single, a taster for a brand new album.
The current line up features original bassist John "Segs" Jennings and drummer David Ruffy along with guitarist Leigh Heggarty. The single is out now on Sosumi/Westworld Recordings and the forthcoming album (due in September) will be called Music Must Destroy.
Those of you who've been reading this blog for a while now may remember a couple of years ago I posted a song by Noi!se. They're a band who's The Scars We Hide album has stood the test of time and is one of my favourites releases of recent years. http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/noise-pawn-in-game.html.
Today's update features Stadium Way who are a new 2 piece acoustic project featuring Matt Henson and Kenny Dirkes from Noi!se and who have a debut ep available soon on Pirates Press (US) and Randale (Europe).
All 4 songs, Lessons Learned, Misplaced Rage, Never Afraid and Shadows are already up on youtube and are all worth checking out. As there's a video been released for Shadows, that's the song I'm posting today. As well as Matt and Kenny, it also features Kevin Bivona (The Interrupters) on organ and piano.....
Give it time when it's not ours to give Hour glass sand falls right through a sieve And buries us all by the end These regrets have filled up my head Should be filled by memories instead Now I sit and wonder what could have been If it's fate, then I resent it But I feel this wasn't meant to be The end state I never meant it So much more I thought I had to see Over time we start to see It's not as endless as we thought it would be We thought the debts that we owed were all free Eternity welcomes us in With open arms and it's only then We start to wonder how it begins If it's fate, then I resent it But I feel this wasn't meant to be The end state I never meant it So much more I thought I had to see There's a shadow looming over our time One by one it engulfs us Who's to say if it's your turn or mine Let's just live till it shows us
Riots are from Oslo, Norway and have been around since 2000, though originally they were called Goldcrush. It was under this name that they toured Europe 3 times, playing alongside the likes of Uk Subs, Anti-Nowhere League, The Real McKenzies, Sham 69 etc. They changed their name in 2010 and shortly afterwards released their first ep, Another Train. Next up was a debut self titled album which Maximum Rocknroll described as "polished street punk with Warped tour potential." Their most recent album is out on Randale Records and saw Vive Le Rock comparing them with Bad Religion (and giving them a favourable 8/10). You can check out those releases here : https://riots-oslo.bandcamp.com/.
The current line up is Gisle Bangsund (vocals), Mathias Svensson (guitar), Mari Eriksson (bass) and Paul Mileman (drums).
From the new album and featuring legendary U.K. Subs frontman Charlie Harper on harmonica, this is Drunk & Dumb.....
Barney are an up tempo, guitar driven band from Northern Ireland who, like The Inflatable Dolls (see yesterday's update), are flying the flag for that corner of The British Isles. Following in the footsteps of such luminaries as Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones, The Outcasts, Rudi, Defects, Protex etc is no easy thing but with their 2015 album 20 years being hailed album of the year by the NI punk website I think it's fair to say that they're making a damn good go of it.
They're no new kids on the block, as far back as the 90's they were supporting the likes of SLF, NOFX and the UK Subs. Their hometown is Newtownabbey and they line up Rab (lead vocals/guitar), Jeremy (lead guitar), Bret (drums/vocals) and Scotty (bass) and their sound has been described as being a mix of pop punk and early oi.
The album is on Punkerama Records of Belfast and this is the opening track, Don't Trust.....
The Inflatable Dolls are from Dungannon, Northern Ireland and got together back in 1978 whilst still at school. The original line up was Joe Ross (guitar), Paul McBride aka Macker (rhythm guitar/vocals), Paul Connolly aka Onion (drums) and Feargal Quinn (bass/vocals). Their first gig was on Halloween Night, 31st October 1979 alongside a couple of other bands (Nimnules and Strictly Prohibited) and it went down well enough that they went on to play at Belfast's famous Harp Bar as well as the 1980 Glen Rock Festival.
They split up in 1981 but as has often been the case with Golden Era punk bands that you thought you'd long ago seen the last of, they reformed to play a show (in 2003) and have been sporadically playing ever since. On guitar since they got back together has been Kieran Lavery (aka Rocko) who was previously a member of Strictly Prohibited.
As well as gigging, they've recently been in the studio recording 4 songs for a new ep. The songs are Dungannon Angel, Factory Girl, Super Bitch Queen and Julie, Mary & Me. The latter of that quartet is a mid tempo, old school gem that wears it's influences (Rudi, Outcasts etc) on it's sleeve and you'll find the video for it below.....
A third member of Amsterdam punks Cracked Up chooses a top 10 today. This time round my thanks go to guitarist Yasmine Khaldi for a blistering selection. Don't forget you can check out Cracked Up's wonderful new ep here : https://crackedup.bandcamp.com/
1) DISCHARGE - Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing
Huiabella Fantastica are a three piece Estonian/Finnish punk band who've been together since 2013 and who's members are Pets (aka Kristo Magi) (guitar/vocals), Taavi Karu (drums) and Mikko (aka Antti Raja) (bass). They've released a couple of eps, Bufe Le Madnesse (2014) and Huiabella Situation (2015). You can snap them both up, name your price, here : https://huiabellafantastica.bandcamp.com/.
Last week, Pets kindly sent me their brand new ep, Ei Taha Teie Elu (Don't Want Your Life), and today I'm posting a track from it. Raw and rocking, this is called No Good......
Blanks 77 describe themselves as Total Fucking Pogo Punk!! and I can't argue with that. From New Jersey, they formed in 1990, split in 2001 and then reformed in 2004. They currently line up Mike Blank (vocals), Tim "TJ" Blank (bass), Renee Wasted (guitar) and Chad 77 (drums).
They've a large back catalogue of work, including a triple whammy of great late 90's studio albums (Killer Blanks, Tanked And Pogoed and C.B.H.) and now after a gap of nearly 20 years they return with 5 new tracks on a split album with Phillipsburg punkers The Parasitix. Recently released on Jailhouse Records, it's called Gettin' Blasted! and you can check it out here : https://jailhouserecords3.bandcamp.com/album/gettin-blasted.
A scything commentary on modern society's reliance on pharmaceutical pick me ups or just a celebration of the various drugs that help the days pass more agreeably? (I'm hazarding a guess at the latter!) This is Pills......
W.O.R.M. have been firm favourites ever since I was lucky enough to catch them touring their Vertically Unchallenged Baby album many years ago (and if you haven't got that album, it's one of the greatest records ever released so snap it up for free on bandcamp immediately). From Chesterfield (U.K.) they've been together since 1992 and though vocalist/bassist Danny is the only constant, they're happily still around.
Nowadays a trio, Danny is backed up by Kyle (guitar/vocals) and Simon (drums/vocals) and they've just released a new ep, their first since 2013's Little Man ep, although Danny did put out the Attack Of The Dickheads single last year.
The new ep is called Creature From Another World and it's more of the top notch, hard edged pop punk that we've come to expect from them. You can find it, along with their previous releases, here : http://worm2.bandcamp.com/.
"I hear Uranus is the place to be", she's a Creature From Another World......
Patsy's Rats are from Portland, Oregon and are headed by Patsy Gelb (daughter of Giant Sand's Howe Gelb) and Christian Blunda (guitarist & vocalist of Mean Jeans). Also featured on their 2015 s/t 7 song ep are Aaron Levy (bass/vocals), Nat Browner (drums) and Kyle Raquipiso (drums).
Mixing up catchy powerpop with driving indie tinged rock n roll, their debut single, Rock n Roll Friend is an infectious throwback to a time when the likes of The Go-Go's, The Runaways and The Bangles used to rule the airwaves.
Helen Love, Wales' top day-glo bubblegum pop rockers are back with a new album called Smash Hits. They've been around since 1992 and the latest release will be their 8th studio album. It's out now on Alcopop! Records and features a dozen songs with titles such as You Can't Beat A Boy Who Loves The Ramones, Long Live The Modern Lovers, Spaceboy, Mario Kart Grand Prix....... As you'd expect, it's more trademark Ramones loving, space age sunshine and glitter and it's fabulous.
A glorious tribute to arguably the most iconic female punk of all time, this is Thank You Polystyrene.....
Three Grams (originally 3 Grams Over An Ounce) are from Denver, Colorado and got together back in 2006. They split up in 2012 and then reformed last year. Before their hiatus, they released a self titled album (in 2010) and an ep (in 2012), after getting back together they put out a single (Before The Fall) and there's a new ep in the pipeline called Awakening. You can check their music out here : http://three-grams.bandcamp.com/
Now a 5 piece, the new ep will feature an infectious new version of a track from their debut album. The reworking definitely benefits the song which is called Raise Our Voices and which is just begging to be sung along to. Enjoy.....
So can you just deal with it? The fact your system never gave a shit About your property and life And your basic human right To live a decent life Always feeling like you are under the knife In depression and defense we raise our voices
Loud! We raise our voices Loud! We raise our voices loud
So you're working just to get ahead But you know it's not gonna turn out like this You find your stupid mark and never amount to anything So I say: "I won't live your way" "I'll never play societies games" And when you see me on this stage I'll be singing so
Loud! We raise our voices Loud! We raise our voices loud
Aiming to make punk fun again, they write catchy tunes and have a front woman, Ashley Amoeba, who's punchy vocals do those tunes justice. Don't be fooled into thinking they're your typical pop punk outfit though, their music has bite as well as melodies.
It's not just people, it's delicious. This Is Soylent Green......
Food supplies are dwindling Well honey i got just the thing It's Tuesday night know what that means We're all eating soylent green Joey, Nicky in the blender Going on a people bender Sarah, Becky, Suzy Q, Jack, and Jim, and Billy too Grind up all the teenage slackers Make 'em into people crackers Jessie is too hard to chew, make him into soylent stew Soylent yellow, soylent red Don't taste as good when you eat the dead Eating legs and arms and lungs Eyeballs, noses, even tongues Soilent green is pussy too, so eat it up, it's good for you All the masses must be fed The governement is out of bread No more steak, eggs, or veal Soylent green's the perfect meal When you die I will eat you And if I die you'd eat me too Solent Green Soylent Green You got let them know Soylent Green Soylent Green Soylent Green is people
Most of you will know about the tragic accidental death last year of Rebel Spell vocalist Todd Jenkins ( aka Todd Serious). He was one of modern day punk's best, and most passionate frontmen and he's greatly missed.
I've no idea as to the plans of the rest of The Rebel Spell, how can you replace someone as integral to the band as Todd was or would you even want to try? Would the fans want a Rebel Spell without Todd? I don't have any answers to those questions but in my opinion, going off the evidence of the song posted below, if Rebel Spell are to continue, they certainly wouldn't shame his legacy. You can find the song here : https://therebelspell.bandcamp.com/
Written by drummer Travis Challord (who steps in on lead vocals) and ably supported by guitarist Elliot and bassist Erin, Solemn Eyes is a song to honour Todd's memory and it's a fitting tribute.
Also on the horizon and eagerly awaited is the forthcoming compilation album, Rebels Sing : A Tribute To Todd Serious And The Rebel Spell. A couple of songs (by The Fallout and REDS) have already featured on this blog and are both excellent.
This is Solemn Eyes.....
You've got those darting eyes, a crooked spine, you will never grow old Counting crimes, suspicious times, your rhymes continue to un-fold Climbing high, just as time it flies, we will never grow old Memories, the only things, some stories just to go untold
We'll be here and you'll be near Just like you always were And we won't forget what you said We will remember everything All we have to do is just push play
The seasons change, life is re-arranged, but you will always be the same In our eyes, in the ground and sky, a reflection all to clear We will push to gain as the world cries, and carries on in pain We realize as the days go by, to see things through your eyes
We'll be here and you'll be near Just like you always were And we won't forget what you said We will remember everything All we have to do is just push play
We want to jump over board and swim as hard we can, away from it all Oh our friend we're in a cold dark night Your existence has always been our fire and light What we do is all we are and we can probably do better than the pain we're causing (It can't be just you) They say love these walls cause without them we’'d fall but this thinking’'s so small we only live, despite them all. Their cages won’t save us, they'’re no help at all. We know they're fucking wrong. We are not leaving and we are your fault. We are all your fault
We'll be here and you'll be near Just like you always were And we won't forget what you said We will remember everything All we have to do is just push play
Last week I posted the favourite 10 songs of Cracked Up (https://crackedup.bandcamp.com/) bassist Lianne Vino, today it's the turn of their drummer Alex Martin. A heavier selection than most, here's Alex's hard hitting selection......
A hard hitting melodic punk 4 piece from Cheltenham, Red Light Rebels have a couple of eps on Bandcamp. There's 2014's Rebels ep plus there's the brand new Another Round ep. You can check them out here : https://redlightrebelsx.bandcamp.com/album/another-round.
Despite being a relatively new band, the members, Ryan Simmonds (guitar/vocals), Tom Saunders (guitar/vocals), Sam (bass) and Simon (drums) have previously featured in the likes of Skintight Jaguars, Riot And The Popshots, The Hook Line Riot and one of my favourite British bands, 4ft Fingers.
There's a video out for their song Dominos that you should track down but I'm posting another song from the new ep. The chorus to this has been stuck in my head for the last couple of weeks, it's called Kryptonite.....
Evil Conduct formed in 1984 and split in 1988 without many people noticing. It was only after the release several years later of a couple of eps and the positive reception that those old recordings received that they reformed and achieved the success that had previously eluded them.
From Roermond, a city in the South East of The Netherlands, they were a proudly working class oi band with a strong skinhead identity. They released half a dozen anthemic studio albums and numerous singles and splits, there were also the 16 Oi! Scorchers! compilation and last years Live At Wild At Heart. The song you'll find below is the title track of 2012's Working Class Heroes album and also featured on their Oi! Rules...Ok! split ep with The Old Firm Casuals.
Unfortunately they abruptly split up in Feb 2015 but their legacy lives on. This is Working Class Heroes.....
Who are the ones who fought for freedom? Who are the ones who gave their lives?
Maybe they didn't have to lose much
But don't forget their kids and wives
Working class heroes
They are the ones who helped to build this land
Working class heroes
They stay united always hand in hand
Working class heroes
With hearts of gold that always shine so bright
Working class heroes
They give you hope, will never leave you side
Is this the way to treat your heroes?
Don't you have no respect at all?
A government that never listens
It seems it's riding for a fall
This ain't a country fit for heroes
The government don't give a shit
They're all so full of self importance
Soon time will come that they'll admit
We need to honour them, we need to honour them
We need to show that we'll remember them
Yesterday's update featured a band that formed in the 70's but who took the best part of 40 years to release their debut album. Today's update features another.
Reaction are from Airdrie in Scotland and they formed whilst still at school, back in 1978. Taking their diy ethos from Sniffin' Glue's Mark Perry and his famous mantra "Here Are Three Chords, Now Go Form A Band", they originally featured vocalist Ian Carson and drummer John Bryson plus several different guitarists and bassists, they were a boisterously raucous outfit who became fan favourites but who's reputation for attracting trouble put off record companies and earned them bans from several venues. They split up in 1982.
Fast forward to 2014 and they reformed to play a couple of charity gigs in support of Airdrieonians Football Club and this led to them recording an album for Tarbeach Records which they titled Accelerator. This time around, Carson and Bryson are joined by long time friend Joe Whyte (guitar) and Scot Van Den Akker (bass). Influenced by the likes of The Damned, The Heartbreakers and Sex Pistols, they received impressive 9/10 album reviews from both Louder Than War and Vive Le Rock so try and check it out. You'll also be able to catch them live if you're going to this year's Rebellion Festival.
Deadlock UK formed as Deadlock way back in 1979 in Aldershot, gigged for a couple of years and then went their separate ways. Fast forward to 2012 and they got back together with the intention of recording their old songs (which had previously only existed on a few home made cassettes). Things went well and they got back to regularly gigging and also writing new material.
Last month saw the release, 37 years after they first got together, of their debut album. Called Speeding Along, it's available on Deadlock Punk and you can check it out here : http://deadlockpunk.bandcamp.com/.
Featuring Fez (vocals), Paul Denison (guitar), Richie Nice (bass) and Sully (drums), they've added the UK to their name to avoid confusion with a German melodic death metal band and they've put out a shiny new video for the title track from the album. This is Speeding Along.....
Same old boring everyday Jumped in my car to get away Highway driving I felt fine Speeding along I had plenty of time Thought I’d turn my radio on But all I got was a disco song Reached and moved the dial along But all I got was Jimmy Young
Speeding along with my radio on...
Gave that dial another twist But all I got was Brahms and Liszt Thinking this was pretty bad Capital Radio driving me mad Turned it on to LBC Where news comes first but not for me Switched it to the Long Waveband Some DJ I can’t understand
Speeding along with my radio on...
Turned that dial a little more On the air it’s Radio Four Programmes on the arts and mime Politics and story time Thought I’d put the FM on Police transmission coming on strong A speeding car APB Then I sussed that car was me
Today I'm pleased to bring you a top 10 songs chosen by Cracked Up bassist Lianne Vino (other members of the band will be featuring soon). Many thanks Lianne.......
Some of you will know that I broadcast a weekly internet show that features many of the bands that get posted in this blog but for those that aren't aware of it you can either listen live or listen at your convenience to the saved shows.
The live shows were always on Tuesday evenings at 8pm (GMT) (here :http://mixlr.com/mick-fletcher/) but as I'm now back working shifts the shows on alternate weeks are usually broadcast on a Sunday evening. Don't worry if you miss them as they're all archived : http://mixlr.com/mick-fletcher/showreel/
Last night's show seemed to go down well, one of the listeners in the chat room has a bar and he was putting on a gig by a Darkness tribute band! and he streamed the show through the bar's pa system which was cool as the point of the show is to introduce people to new punk music.
You can catch last night's show here : http://mixlr.com/mick-fletcher/showreel/just-some-punk-songs-18/. If you can see a small round widget near the top right hand side of that page you should be able to download the shows which is great if you want to listen whilst on the move.
Most of the people who broadcast are in bands or run labels etc, all are rabid punk music enthusiasts, just click showreels to access their old shows :
modern tribes uk subs vox dolomites the lippies the hallingtons deadlock uk the dead class spanner rixe red light rebels los pepes the headliners gaunt caffiends blanks 77 andysocial and the antidotes shitty friends zero tolerance sweatshop boys the stops snide devious ones
Today he makes it a hat trick, here's his new band The Ratz.
An old school hardcore punk 3 piece from New Haven, Connecticut, The Ratz also feature Matt Mullarkey on bass/vocals and Ed on drums. Other bands that they've played in include The Danglers, Black Noise Scam and Elvis McMan.
Forming in April 2016, they've already released their debut ep. It's titled From The Sewers To The Streets and it's a short, sharp blast of in your face punk attitude that you can download free here : https://theratz.bandcamp.com/album/from-the-sewers-to-the-streets
LITTERBUG are a "punk, surf, grunge" band from Blackpool who's line up features Stuart Diggle (guitar/vocals), Andy Higgins (bass/vocals) and Cassius Streetly (drums/vocals). Infuences include The Pixies, Joy Division, Ramones and Death In Vegas and they'll be playing both Rebellion Festival, Blackpool on Aug 4th and the Punk And Disorderly Festival in Lancaster on Friday 3rd June. For those of you that listen to the Just Some Punk Songs internet punk show, I'm planning to do a special show featuring bands that will be playing Punk And Disorderly so watch out for details on that.
" is this freedom for the free, or state controlled democracy?"
80's style punk rock today from The Fuck Ups who are a band that formed around a decade ago in Irvine, Scotland. There's been numerous line up changes during the course of the last 10 years but they currently feature Baz (vocals/guitar), Bunnit (bass/vocals), Sparky (drums/vocals) and Steven (guitar).
Influenced by the likes of Rise Against, Blitz, Chron Gen, Anti Flag, 4 Skins etc, they're a politically minded outfit that are fiercely anti fascist, anti racist and anti religion.
In April 2009, during the G20 summit protests in London, newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson was struck by a policeman whilst on his way home from work. He subsequently died from his injuries and though the constable who hit him, Simon Harwood, was dismissed from the force for gross misconduct, he was found not guilty of manslaughter.
Damn, this is so infectious. The Hallingtons are old school pop punkers from Oslo who've been releasing great music since 2010. Songs like Alien Girl, The Avenger, All She Did Was Lie (to name just a few) are the sort of Ramones influenced gems that once heard will lodge themselves in your brain and demand repeat plays. Now I'm very happy to report that their latest ep is out on Monster Zero Records and it'll also burrow it's way inside your head. If I were you I'd stop reading immediately and go check out their bandcamp : http://thehallingtons.bandcamp.com/
If there's anyone still here, I'll just mention that they line up Mikel Hallington (bass, vocals), J. Hallington (guitar, vocals) and T.E. Hallington (drums, vocals). The new ep is called Running From The USSR, it contains 4 tracks (Why Can't You Be With Me is a classic that only misses out on being posted below due to the mega catchy chorus of the title track so don't miss that one too) and it's highly recommended......
"Hey everyone, this is Tonia talking right now. It is with a heavy heart- one full of love, gratitude, and an ever developing sense of self- awareness that I make this announcement: I have decided to pull the plug on The Lippies."
From Grand Rapids, Michigan, The Lippies were the great white hope of female fronted, bouncy pop punk. Featuring Tonia Broucek (vocals), Lawrence Kole (bass), Taylor Shupe (guitar) and David Sparks (drums), they were an infectious, energetic blast of effervescence who formed in August 2014 and announced their presence with this self released debut ep : https://thelippies.bandcamp.com/releases.
Snapped up by Red Scare Industries, they recently released their self titled debut album, an album that whilst catchy and (for the most part) high tempo also deals in more serious subject matter than many of the bands who play this type of music. Tonia's punchy, urgent vocals espouse feminist lyrics that'll engage your brain as you bounce around your bedroom.
A few weeks ago they had to curtail their tour due to the state of Tonia's singing voice and then towards the end of April came the announcement that the band was no more. Sad news indeed but at least they left us with one hell of an album.
We're the radiation generation
When we were born i wish i'd known
Mom and daddy got the meat
And we got the bone
We're undecided and divided
Livin' out of control
All we ever really wanted
Was a place to call our own....
KLOVER were from Boston and they featured (future Queensryche guitarist) Mike Stone (vocals/guitar), (Gang Green mainstay) Chris Doherty (guitar), (Red Rockers and Paul Westerberg member) Darren Hill (bass) and (ex Jerry's Kids/Gang Green member) Brian Betzger (drums).
They were only together for a short time in the mid 90's, their two releases were an album called Feel Lucky Punk? and an ep called Beginning To End. Both were released on Mercury in 1995.
This is the catchy as hell opener from the album, it's called Our Way.....
I've a song for you today that I only recently had brought to my attention (thanks Paolo Merolla) but which is fantastic. It's by a band who formed in the Derkovits district in Szombathely, Hungary, in 2002. They're called Derkovbois and their music is a mixture of street punk, rock n roll and real oi.
Their first release was a 6 track demo in 2003 and they followed it up a year later with 3 tracks on a split with Youngang. Their debut album, Mindent Egy Lapra came out in 2005 and the ep Paprika, Shamrock, Pride saw the light of day in 2008.
Following a 6 year gap, their most recent album, Szabotazs! was released in September 2014. You can check it out here : https://derkovbois.bandcamp.com/album/szabot-zs. The line up of the band as far as I'm aware is Peter Farkas, Pedro Cavallo, Lezer Raptor, Imre Balna and Attila Nemeth.
I know very little else about the band but I do know that the song you'll find below, Bomba, builds slowly before breaking out into one of the catchiest gang vocal singalongs you'll hear.........
Télen a jégen, nyáron a hőben, Egy generáció elveszőben Az a néhány dal, az a pár akkord, Mi toljuk akkor is hogyha nem akarod,
Ma a haverok előtt, holnap a klubban, Újra a punk rock bomba robban, A munkának vége kijössz a gyárból, A hétvégén újra indul a punk rock, hejjjj!!!!
A zene robbanószer Ha a kanócot meggyújtod egyszer A punkrock bomba újra robban És belül a tűz majd újra lobban
Amit felemészt a hétköznap Az hétvégén újra lángra kap A problémák hada várhat Punk rock a király! Élj a mának!
(English lyrics)
On ice in winter, in the heat in summer A generation is disappearing But those few song, those few accords We play even if you don't want it
Today in front of friends, tomorrow in the club The punk rock bomb explodes again The work is over, you leave the factory Punk rock starts again at the weekend. Hey!
The music is an explosive If you light the fuse once The punk rock bomb explodes again The fire inside burns up again
What the weekdays take away That catches fire in the weekend again Problems can wait Hail to the Punk Rock! Live for today!
Menace got together way back in 1976 and originally lined up with Morgan Webster (vocals), Steve Tannett (guitar), Charlie Casey (bass) and Noel Martin (drums). They released a handful of classic singles before calling it a day in 1979 due mainly to a lack of press coverage and record label interest.
They got back together in 1999 and though there's been several line up changes (Noel Martin is the only remaining original member) they're still fighting the good fight. Their most recent album was 2014's London Stories, a song from which you can listen to here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caMQEN_hDIg
For today's song I'm going back to the 70's. From the flip side of their Last Years Youth single, this is Carry No Banners......
Well they finally made it. A-Z, mission complete and still sounding far better than a band that's been going since the mid 70's has any right to do. I'm of course talking about The U.K. Subs and the release of their new album Ziezo.
The line up on what is their last studio release sees Charlie Harper ably complimented by long time partner in crime Alvin Gibbs (bass) as well as Jet (guitar) and Jamie Oliver (drums). Having a settled line up for the last decade has helped them sign off with some of the strongest albums since the early, glory days of Another Kind Of Blues, Brand New Age, Crash Course and Diminished Responsibility. Even after all their many releases and so many years, Charlie hasn't run out of things to say and despite them saying this will be it as far as albums go, there's still hopefully going to be further singles or eps.
There's plenty of tracks from the album that I could have chosen to highlight but I'm going with Dope Fiend.....
Following the temporary break up in 2012 of The Sheckies (https://thesheckies1.bandcamp.com/), vocalist/guitarist Andy Social formed Andysocial And The Antidotes. Based in New Castle, Delaware, the band also features G-Bear (guitar/backing vocals), Geo Suicide (bass/backing vocals) and Justin Two-Times (drums/backing vocals).
Influenced by both old school rock n rollers and old school pop punkers (Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Ramones, Queers, Lillingtons), it's no surprise that their sound is up beat, harmony filled bubblegum rock. Last year they released a self titled debut album on Mancastle Records and Ramone To The Bone Records and now they're back with follow up, Diesel. You can find both releases here : https://andysocialandtheantidotes.bandcamp.com/album/diesel
It may be their last release for a while as they're going on hiatus, luckily their parting shot is a treat. From it, this is the extremely catchy First Kiss.....
Rebel Flesh are from Austin, Texas and feature Jeremiah Ingram (guitar/vocals), Royce (guitar), Chris Dempsey (bass) and Michael Dempsey (drums). They formed towards the end of 2013 and play horror themed punk n roll.
They released an album in 2014 called I have Become The Night which saw them draw comparisons with the likes of The Misfits, Johnny Thunders and The Damned and they followed it in 2015 with Up All Night. There's a few tracks (including the song I'm highlighting today) on Bandcamp "name your price" https://rebelflesh.bandcamp.com/. They also contributed the theme tune for a new horror film called The Barn (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3390550/).
From Up All Night, this is Family Business....
IT'S A TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE AND WE GOTTA GET AWAY SO WE CAN'T GO BACK FOR HER WE THOUGHT WE SAW A BODY WE THOUGHT WE SAW A HEAD WE THOUGHT WE BETTER RUN AWAY BEFOR WE WIND UP DEAD IN A TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE WELL YOU CAN STAY ALL NIGHT AND PARTY BUT THEY'RE NEVER GONNA FIND YOUR BODY 'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WELL YOU CAN STAY ALL NIGHT AND PARTY BUT THEY'RE NEVER GONNA FIND THE BODY AND THERE AINT NO PLACE THERE AINT NOWHERE TO GO IT'S A TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.
