Monday 30 November 2020

Introducing The Officials

   


  Today I'm introducing you to a (sort of) new band called The Officials. Back in the late 80's, over in The States, John Copeland was in an oi band called The Officials. Fast forward to 2019 and he was putting together a new d-beat band called Aesthetic Of Anger (who I featured on here in April   https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/04/aesthetic-of-anger-burn-piggy-burn.html) but who fell apart before they really got going. That wasn't the only iron he had in the fire though. He was also collaborating with vocalist Nath Haywire from Haywire, Armoured Flu Unit and Distance (a band that featured on here a couple of days ago) on an Anarcho-oi project which would resurrect the name of The Officials. They've been hard at work on a debut ep so I thought I'd ask a few questions.  


  JSPS : The Officials. Who's in the band? 

John Copeland : It’s just me and Nath Haywire. I have a friend who comes over and does some guitar work, but he’s not in the project officially


Nath Haywire : I was hugely honoured that John liked my style. It’s fairly easy and relaxed. John sends over tunes and words or I may write a few after I’ve listened to a tune. I set up my home vocal booth – bits of old carpet and blankets to stop the sound bouncing off the walls – then I send the vocals over to John for mixing. I’m trying to get John to do more backing vocals, in keeping with the Oi sound!

JSPS : You're both genre veterans, can I have a quick history of what you've done...

JC : The first band I was in was called Madcat And The Rabid Dogs. It was a four piece from the LA airport area. We had Madcat, an Australian girl who located to LA to do who knows what. Don’t even know how I met her. But we did a demo of pretty much very simple hardcore music. That was 1988-1989 time frame. After that band broke up, Steve Moore, Miguel Hell of early Generators fame and myself formed a band that wanted to do a more Oi! Influenced sound. We had been listening to a lot of Oi! U.K. 2nd wave punk, and some Anarcho stuff. We got 5 songs down and went into Mundista Humanista Studios to do our demo, we recorded and played with the likes of Dogma Mundista, Total Chaos (US), Empirismo, Golpe De Estado, and a bunch of anarcho bands from Huntington Beach, California like Autonomy, Resist and Exist, Armistice, Garblecrat, and many more. Steve and I left the Officials in 1993 to play in Dogma Mundista. We played some shows, mostly in the LA area, and were in the middle of recording an album when the 1994 Northridge earthquake hit and destroyed all of our equipment, including the Tascam 16 track recorder we were using to do the record. From 1995 to 2008 I took a long break from Music to do other things. Work, make money, build a life I was pretty much a gutter kid those few years playing in those bands. I met a guy named Rick who had just left with the rhythm section of Resist And Exist. He wanted to do more of a melodic D-Beat band so we started that in 2009, and recorded a 4 song demo that was featured on a LA comp with a bunch of other bands of different genres. We started to go into a more metal direction with some songs, but alcoholism destroyed the band. Fast forward to 2020... I had been re-recording those old Officials tracks and wanted to find a singer who had the right voice to sing the songs. I heard Nath through some demo stuff Iain Ball from Armoured Flu Unit had done, and I knew he was the guy I wanted to work on this project with. And he fits the bill perfectly. He has rewritten some of the lyrical content to make it more relevant. Since we aren’t teenagers anymore, a song about being “19 and bored” wouldn’t exactly cut it these days. It’s been a good working partnership and I have more material in that style would like to do. I would consider the project Anarchoi! With some humour thrown in. We sing about serious stuff and everyday funny stuff. The song Alcohol Abuse is a true story.

Oh, the Aesthetic Of Anger stuff. Was a guy I met at a Subhumans show who wanted to do back to basics d-beat Discharge style. We even covered “ Fight Back” but he lived 3 hours away and it was never going to be more then a project. I haven’t talked to him in months. He has severe depression and he said he went off his meds. We were recording another ep with lyrical content that had to do with mental health issues. But we never finished it. That was around the time I had approached Nath about doing “The Officials” stuff.

NH : I first joined a band when I was 16 called SOS and we were all still learning how to play. A few gigs but no recordings. Things really got going when I joined Haywire in late 89 as singer. Then in 92 took up bass as well. Things ground to a halt in 94. I rejoined Haywire 9 months later on bass and later vocals, playing up until about 10 years ago (2 tapes, 1 CD, 2 singles). I had also briefly played bass for a straight edge band for 6 months in about 1991 (me being a big drinker! haha). I played guitar for Whole In The Head 2005-2010 (3 singles) and have played guitar for Liberty since 2012. Then Armoured Flu Unit came into being in 2016. And in 2019 I joined Abrazos on guitar. I've played in a few covers band and stood in on the odd gig or people but they don't warrant a mention.

JSPS : I was going to ask what it's like to start a band in 2020 when there's no chance to play live but I suppose with you and Nath being on opposite sides of The Pond anyway the lockdown hasn't really affected you in that way. Do you envisage hooking up at anytime in the future to play a few gigs or is this just a recording project? 


JC : I’m not sure. I will be going to the U.K. for a few months next year assuming the vaccine works as intended so I won’t rule it out. I think it's a sound that’s sorely missing in punk rock these days. I would be fun to get a real band together with Nath and do a few shows.

 NH : Never say never. The way Armoured Flu Unit came together was originally just home recording and then with the offer of a single we assembled a real band which led to gigs and the development of a bigger sound. I’m sure we could find a couple of willing punks if John wants to play live when he’s over! Perhaps borrowed from AFU!

JSPS : How important are the lyrics? Do you find that the angrier you are about a subject, the easier it is to write about it? 


JC : It’s partly cause I'm pissed off at social media, and people just kinda floating through life. We have two songs that deal directly with those subjects. But for me it’s more about writing a good tune in the style of the bands I grew up listening to. I learned how to play the drums by listening to Wilf from Charged GBH and mimicking what he did, so my style of music is based around those drumbeats and how they fit together to make a cohesive track. I generally don’t get involved in writing lyrics cause I can’t. But I do express what I think the song is about, and I let Nath take it from there.

NH : I find it is definitely easier for words to tumble onto the page if you’re angry about something. I spend a lot of time shouting at the TV and radio so I’m sure my partner would prefer it if I wrote it down instead!

 JSPS : It's been over 30 years since the first incarnation of The Officials. Obviously it's a lot easier getting your music out there nowadays, albeit into an over saturated market place, but do you think people value music less highly nowadays than back when it was solely a physical product? 

JC : I think so because it’s more accessible. Just look at Bandcamp. It’s loaded with stuff. Some releases do have physical media, by there is always an option to get the digital version with artwork included in the download. It’s also very important to me that the band has 100% control over the content. From recording to releasing. I dealt with one record company and I will never do it again, unless it’s a company like Grow Your Own Records. Or Dr. Strange here in the states. We take the DIY ethic and go full in with it. All music was recorded in my house.

NH : There is so much great music out there. It’s difficult to keep up with everything and I definitely respond better to things I have a physical copy of. They stay in the conscious part of your mind. Saying that there are some great releases I have downloaded and play a fair amount but they tend to be things that have struck a chord with me through seeing the band live or knowing them as mates.


JSPS : You've just released your debut ep, what can people expect?


JC :  Some good old fashion U.K. '82 inspired pogo music with a message and some fun. Imagine Blitz on 45rpm with a bit of Partisans thrown in for good measure. That about sums it up for me.

NH : If we could come close to Blitz or Partisans I would be a very happy chap. I think there is a bit of an Infa-Riot and Oxymoron vibe to some of John’s songs too.

  

  The ep is titled X Ray Vision and it boasts 4 energetic blasts of raw, in your face punk rock. You can get it here :   https://theofficials.bandcamp.com/releases 

  It's nigh on impossible to choose a favourite song to highlight as all the tracks are great so I'm going to go with the title track. This is Xray Vision... 




Sunday 29 November 2020

The Red Lite District - Killer Disco

  


  The Red Lite District (https://www.facebook.com/theredlitedistrict/) are a 4 piece from Glasgow who've released a string of eps over the past 3 years in which they take elements of old school punk rock and give it a modern twist. The latest of those, Peephole, is set for a December 11th release but is already streaming on Bandcamp : https://theredlitedistrict.bandcamp.com/album/peephole 

The current line up of the band is David Cameron (Guitar and vocals), Graham Dickson (Guitar and backing vocals), Barry McAvoy (Bass and backing vocals) and Derek McKee (Drums and backing vocals). With the Lockdown scuppering their touring plans this year they concentrated their energies on putting together the new ep. It's 5 tracks which reflect what's been happening both around them and in their minds during 2020. Ghosts is a prime example of this, it's a thoughtful look at the solitude and silence of lockdown. The Idiot ups the tempo a little and hits out at a "venerated idiot" charming their way through life. The Fireman is the ep's longest track, clocking in at over 4 minutes whilst Send In The Clowns is a snarling rager about beggars on the street, tory wet dreams and how the Cayman Islands are just food banks for the fat. 

  The track I'm highlighting is the opener, it's a catchy tale of a local Glasgow killer haunting the discos of the 1960's. It's called Killer Disco... 

Rudi Betamax - Killing People After Skool

  


  Who's Rudi Betamax? I ain't got a clue to be honest other than than what it says on Bandcamp (Art Punk writer and performer. Collaborator and protagonist with Real Shocks and The Videos) and that he's from Stockton On Tees. 

  He's also responsible for releasing not one, but 2 of the month's best releases. 

  First up there's Rudi Betamax & Real Shocks. 8 tracks of quirky budget electro punk with titles like Affection and CurlyWurly (I Need You). And if that ain't enough, there's also a 5 track ep titled Rudi Betamax and the Videos. It's fun stuff that reminds me somewhat of bands like Geza X and the Mommymen. It's playful and inventive and leaves me wanting more. 

  Check 'em out here :  https://rudibetamax.bandcamp.com/ 

  This is the track I'll be playing on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show (it's on later today :  https://www.facebook.com/events/746729319560439/). It's called Killing People After Skool... 

Saturday 28 November 2020

Distance - Lockdown Punk Rock Radio

  


  I don't think I've ever featured on a record before and as I've absolutely no musical talent I'm almost certain I never will again but just for a split second, at the very start of the song I'm featuring today, you get to hear my voice. The reason being is that the song in question, taken from a brand new ep from UK d-beat outfit Distance (https://www.facebook.com/Distance-110174297301219/), tips it's cap in the direction of a few of the online punk rock radio shows that have played the band's earlier releases. As well as the Just Some Punk Songs, there's also mentions for other great shows such as Pulsebeat, Radio Weirdo, Make A Cup Of Tea Put A Record On and the Tadpole Records Youtube Channel. All great sources that are worth checking out if you're interested in discovering new punk music. We might be in Lockdown, we might not be able to get to gigs but as Distance say, internet connection gives us reach. 

  So Distance, they're a hard hitting "virtual" band featuring contributions from various members of UK punks Haywire (https://www.facebook.com/haywirepunx/) that exist to help get over the frustration of being unable to play live or practice during this period of coronavirus containment. With the pandemic dragging on, their releases keep on a coming. 

  Lockdown 2.0 features 4 new tracks and it's available on Bandcamp as a name your price download. As well as the aforementioned shout out to the online punk community, we also get songs about being sick of the seemingly endless cycle of get up, go to work, go to bed in which our life is stuck on repeat, about how the abuse of animals by humans has led to the current pandemic and about how disaster capitalists are making fortunes from government awarded contracts. 


  This is Lockdown Punk Rock Radio, a song about community and the love of our favourite genre of music. Listen out for a cool Ramones inspired ending... 

So here we are in lockdown 2.0 2 weeks in and 2 weeks left to go Where this is all heading just don't know But the tension and the stress is sure to grow Need chorus Another lockdown here we go Distance on your internet radio show Pulsebeat, Just Some Punk Songs, Radio Weirdo, Make a Cup Of Tea Put A Record On dipped a toe And the Tadpole Youtube channel gave us a go Another lockdown here we go Worldwide punk rock community We break isolation with online solidarity We look out for each other in the breach internet connection gives us reach Another lockdown here we go Another lockdown here we go Punk rock internet radio let's go



Friday 27 November 2020

The Cavemen - Over You

  


  Rejoice! New Zealand's premier purveyors of tasteful garage punk rock, The Cavemen (https://www.facebook.com/thecavemennz/) return today with a track from their brand new 4 track ep. The ep is titled Euthanise Me and it's out today on the ever reliable Slovenly Recordings. If vinyl's your medium of choice then you'll want to be all over the (limited to 150 copies) white vinyl 7". There's also regular black vinyl and digital download. Grab them here :  https://thecavemennz.bandcamp.com/album/the-cavemen-euthanise-me-ep

  As always with The Cavemen, you don't just get a "hit" and 3 b sides, you get a full ep's worth of great music. The title track is a rowdy rocker that's accompanied by a fun sci fi video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyB9SRQZc6U). We're also treated to the equally frantic Eat Your Heart & Wear Your Face and Nightmare. Both fat free budget rock bangers that'll get you bouncing around. The closing track sees the guys slowing things down a little and introducing doomed romance into the mix. As they tell the shrink, they need some strong fucking meds... 

  It's called Over You... 

Thursday 26 November 2020

Lucky Malice - Revolt

 

(photo : Erlend Lånke Solbu)
                                                                                                                                                                          It wasn't my intention to post another song from Lucky Malice's
(https://www.facebook.com/luckymalice/) excellent new album Magnetic as I'd already featured the title track back in February (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/09/lucky-malice-magnetic.html) and I'd hope everyone who visits this blog has the good sense to have already checked it out. Just in case you need a little encouragement, don't just take my word as to how good it is, read what Nathan Brown over at Louder Than War has to say (https://louderthanwar.com/lucky-malice-magnetic-album-review/).

  But having said all that, there's a track on the album that deserves singling out for special praise. It's got both an important message and a tune that you won't be able to get out of your head. It's a definite song of the year contender so it's getting posted today. 




  If you haven't yet got the album, it's available as a name your price download so go get it now :  https://kraftpest.bandcamp.com/album/magnetic 

  My highlight is this, it's called Revolt... 

Gathering forces, let's fight the rotten. The words we spoke aren't making the fuzz we want. One shout together will not be disclaimed Make sure the past is not forgotten. I'm standing with you pushing them down. Revolting No nazi scum in our streets. We claim we are stronger. We claim we are fearless. No frames or borders are sculpting our views. When people around us are dropping like flies, our voices need to be louder. No nazis, no nazis, we want no nazis in our streets.
  

Wednesday 25 November 2020

Scene Killers - Not So Working Class

  


  "Collecting members of Blatz, The Hip Priests, TV Crime, The Pathogens, and dozens of other bands, it's Nottingham's newest punk band"

  Sounds promising yeah? 

  Well going off the evidence presented by the 2 teaser tracks available on Bandcamp that promise will come to fruition when the Scene Killers (https://www.facebook.com/scenekillers/) release their debut ep. It'll be titled Rev it Up and it's due on December 4th via No Front Teeth Records 




  The band features a line up of Jesse Luscious (Vocals), Austin Rocket (Guitar), John G Warrior (Bass) and Luke J Moss (Drums). They made their live debut back in January, in Nottingham, sharing a bill with TV Crime and Vital but with 2020 going to shit it's been a frustrating year. They'll be ending it on a high note though with an attractive looking slab of toxic snot coloured vinyl. You can pre order it here :  https://scenekillers.bandcamp.com/

  If you're a fan of lean, mean punked up garage tuneage, you'll want to hop on board. 

  This is Not So Working Class...

Love the life of the underemployed Next of kin to the hoi polloi Asphalt rolls through the dazzling day Spoke flash bits of the sky Under the west coast sun you know it’s beer o clock again Not so working class We’re never first, we’re never last Underjoyed! Underemployed! Bottles wrapped in brown we sit back on the porch Crack a cold one open and slowly snugly drown Late afternoon light, all these empties at my feet I just wanna know how’d we sink so deep?

  

Tuesday 24 November 2020

Jungle Boys - Broken City

  


  Jungle Boys (https://www.facebook.com/Jungleboysband/) are a noisy, energetic punk band from Manchester who recently self released their debut ep. It's titled Barred and boast 4 aggressive and impressive tracks. They sound young, they sound fresh and they sound as though they'd be great live. The ep is well produced and combines the energy of punk rock with brooding, growly post punk.  It's a very promising calling card. 

  You can get the ep here : https://jungleboys.bandcamp.com/album/barred 

  They've released a video to accompany the closing track, Forest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRV8hveRTf8). 

  This is my highlight, it's called Broken City... 

Monday 23 November 2020

Unite Against Society - Fuck You (Guest Review By Dirk Ceustermans)

  


  Unite Against Society - Fuck You (Self titled album release 13 Nov 2020)



  This band posted an announcement on the Facebook group called Punk Rock Belgium.
So when that happens and I got minute to spare I check it out usually.

  These guys seem to be active since 1996 and have several releases on their Bandcamp  https://uniteagainstsociety.bandcamp.com/. So time to showcase these a bit.
U.A.S. are based in Herentals, east of Antwerp and that is the same area from longstanding punk band Funeral Dress.
In a way I can identify influences from Dirk's band (not me!) while listening to these songs. Definitely up your street if you like the modern day streetpunk style. But there's a considered dose of metallic guitars lurking underneath all of it and that brings some refreshing tunes along for sure.

  "Fuck you" obviously selected for its refined title, but even more, it is also slightly outstanding with it's good vocals, up tempo drumming and and a decent portion of shout-along-with-the-lads poured all over your beer soaked shirt. 

  Off for a beer now, play loud! You can hear the new album here : https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l1jwEkOBsE3mxsipcSWDblmo95SoTmurQ 

  Fuck You... 

Sunday 22 November 2020

Frankie Traandruppel - No Longer There (Guest Review By Dirk Ceustermans)

  


  Dirk introduces us to another cool release from his native Belgium... 

Frankie Traandruppel - No longer There (No longer There/Sad Trip) (Ronny Rex, 6 Nov 2020)

  Frankie shure is a busy boy who has already dropped 3 7"s this year that kind of stretches your mind
and makes you scratch what's left of the fur on top of it.

  In his spare time he like to do real bands too known to some as Double Veterans (there is a Crackups link there) and Ero Guru, that I featured last year I believe? (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/02/ero-guro-corkscrew-review-by-dirk.html). 

  Traandruppel translates as teardrop and there are some serious tearkjerkers in Frankie's output.
The man works in unpredictable ways and drowns his songs in a brown sauce of no-fi, to demystify the little pearls he records in his little chamber down in the dark caves of the citadel of this smalltown called Diest. A town that's about one point five inches to the right on my google maps from where I am.

  On this track, Frankie went bigtime and collected a bunch of bums to help recording this thrashy sleaze and he unleashes it onto us with spit and sparks that makes Mick Jagger sound like a crooner. The 2 minute sneer of no longer there is exactly what the man impersonates with his instant 60s punk classic in the sewers of smalltown Diest.





sticks & stones
they might break my bones
they tryna keep me stuck
while the way is up
the road out before us
is long and filled with dread
i'd move out to 'frisco
but it's too cold for me out there

such a strange sensation
this predicament i'm in
i feel just like allnut
when he lost his gin

i can hear you wonder, i can hear you think
i can hear you say
this poor soul, he's lost his goal
he's no longer in the game
wine & roses
love & fun
you got alotta nerve to tell me what i should be thinking of

you say it's all over
well i don't care, so
don't come crying when i'm no longer there

Saturday 21 November 2020

Puck Folice - Bullshit Babies

    


  Puck Folice live in Osaka though don't sound as though they're natives of that country (or at least the vocalist doesn't. I'm not sure how you can tell someone's nationality by the way they play a guitar or hit a drum). Earlier this year they spent a productive 9 hours recording and mixing a Self Titled album and I've been giving it a listen. It's very good. It's available as a name your price download so check it out...  https://puckfolice.bandcamp.com/ 

  11 tracks of punky goodness featuring a singer who sounds equally at home doing catchy melodic indie or shouty garage. I like him. I like them. So will you. 

  This is the opening track, it's called Bullshit Babies... 

Friday 20 November 2020

The Sweatys - Nervous In The Service

    


  The Sweatys today. And I don't know anything about them. Except they're from Philadelphia and have a mission statement to play fast or die. And they're tagged Agitpunk. Oh, and they are just one man... Joseph Meadows. 

  He's released a Warm Up Demo 2020 on which he rattles through 5 blisteringly frantic tracks in under 6 minutes. As Joseph reveals on the closing track, "I'm ready to get sweaty." I'm not sure if there's an eventual plan to perform these songs live but I'm pretty damn sure the audience would be bouncing around enough to end up soaking wet too. 

  You can get the cassette and digital download here : https://thesweatys.bandcamp.com/album/warm-up-demo-2020 

  This is the opening track, it's called Nervous In The Service... 

Thursday 19 November 2020

Romero - Troublemaker

  


  Some of you may remember being wowed earlier this year when Melbourne band Romero (https://www.facebook.com/Romeroband/) released their debut single Honey. It was a power pop classic and the b side, Neapolitan, wasn't half bad either. Happily they won't be remembered as "one hit wonders" as they've just dropped a rather splendid follow up. 

  They're a 5 piece with a line up of Alanna Oliver (vocals), Adam Johnstone (guitar), Fergus Sinclair (guitar), Justin ‘Murry’ Tawil (bass) and Dave Johnstone (drums). The single's titled Troublemaker and it marries up the soulful vocals of Alanna Oliver with some playful instrumentation that reminds me a little of Sheer Mag. It's classy stuff and you can find it here :   https://romeromelbourne.bandcamp.com/track/troublemaker 

  Troublemaker...

Hey you with the platinum blonde hair
Troublemaker
I cross the line if I see you standing there
Troublemaker
I’m seeing double in the light of the reflection
Troublemaker
And this development is causing my aggression
Troublemaker

I know that you have good taste
Hell, we might have to

I'm not relying on a sense of affection
Troublemaker
Who’s getting all the attention
Troublemaker
What about if I told you it don’t feel right
Troublemaker
Anytime of the day or night troublemaker

I know that you have good taste
Hell, we might have to

Have to cut ties, to cut ties
Off the shirt he wear
Bring a needle and a thread
I cross my heart and I hope to hell that we
Cut ties, have to cut ties
Off the shirt he wear
Bring a needle and a thread
I cross my heart and I hope to hell that we

It's everywhere in my peripheral vision
Troublemaker
I’m seeing red I guess I caught the condition
Troublemaker
What about when I told you it don’t feel right
Troublemaker
You get yours ‘cause I’ve got mine.. I’ve got mine
Troublemaker

I know that you have good taste
Hell, we might have to

Have to cut ties, to cut ties
Off the shirt he wear
Bring a needle and a thread
I cross my heart and I hope to hell that we
Cut ties, have to cut ties
Off the shirt he wear
Bring a needle and a thread
I cross my heart and I hope to hell that we… Oooh

Wednesday 18 November 2020

Paranoias - Misled

    


  Paranoias are yet another one of the multitude of great new punk bands that Australia is producing at the moment. They're from Perth and released an impressively raucous Demo cassette last year (https://paranoiaspunx.bandcamp.com/album/demo). They're back and readying to release their first 7" ep on top local label Helta Skelta Records. It'll be titled Napalm Springs (which as titles go is a great one) and boasts 5 tracks of "snotty, fast paced" punk. 

  Featuring members of a couple of great bands that I've had on here before (Bikini Cops & Aborted Tortoise) as well as one I haven't (No Future https://nofuturepunk.bandcamp.com/), they're a thrilling  Killed By Death type of energetic old school punk band. I don't think it's the done thing to say they've a female vocalist anymore but I love bands with killer female vocalists so I'm not shying away from the term just yet. Hannah Atcheson is an impressive tour de force fronting a hard rocking outfit that take no prisoners. 


  This is the opening track, it's called Misled... 


Monday 16 November 2020

Vanilla Giver - Light Up Your Life (Guest Review By Darren Bourne)

    


  Another guest review today as Darren Bourne of Tadpole Records draws our attention to one of the many great bands from his home city... 

  The 2020 lockdown has stopped a lot of things, but you can't keep the good punks down, and so we have a new Demo from Vanilla Giver (https://www.facebook.com/vanillagiver/), who are a queer punk rock band currently living in Brighton.

  What you get are 5 tracks of Punk / Grunge that should appeal to fans of raw garage punk, L7, punk rock, 90's grunge or the Lunachicks. It's raw, short & loud - as all good punk should be.

  My favourite track is "Light up your Life" with it's catchy chorus, but you can check it all out at https://vanillagiver.bandcamp.com/album/ffs & rock out to tracks like "Traffic Warden Love Song" or "Single Mumz".

  Final song "The Best" has a more shouty chorus and would fit on a 90's Riot Grrrl compilation with it's screaming backing vocals & it's a solid ending to a solid demo.

  Hopefully I'll get to watch them rock out live in 2021, I have a feeling it'll be a lot of fun & after the shit show that is 2020, we could all do with a bit of fun.  


This is Light Up Your Life... 


Sunday 15 November 2020

The Scoffs - Little Blue Tyrants

    


    I was expecting a sparse turnout in the chatroom for yesterday's Just Some Punk Songs show as England were live on tv playing Belgium in the football but if anything there were more than usual listening in, hoping to hear a new favourite band (cheers guys). One of those new bands that went down a storm features on here today... 

  The Scoffs (https://www.facebook.com/thescoffs/) are old school punk rockers from Seattle who have a long list of influences including the likes of Blitz, Cock Sparrer, Sham 69, The Boys, Dead Boys etc etc etc... They line up with Steve "Knuck" Bostick (vocals/guitar), Gabor Szakacsi (guitar/vocals), Nate Manning (bass/vocals) and Rob Olsen (drums). They're genre veterans and have featured in a number of bands including DragStrip Riot, The Graceland Five, Sledgeback & Amazombies.  

  Earlier this year they released a debut 5 track ep titled Talk Is Cheap. It's anthemic punk n roll with songs about not trying to force your point of view on others, spreading lies till they become accepted as truths, murder, police violence and how you should own up to your own mistakes. It's good stuff and you can get the cd and digital download here : https://thescoffsband.bandcamp.com/ 

  Everyone likes a good cop song and The Scoffs have recently released a video to go with theirs. This is Little Blue Tyrants... 

Here comes the little blue man With his little tin star and a gun in his hand He's gonna knock your block off if you don't do what he says There goes another young man With a lesson to learn about making a stand Don'cha know blue meanies demand your total respect A C A B Don't cross that thin blue line A C A B Alright Oh no here come The little blue tyrants It's four on one with The little blue tyrants Watch yourself around The little blue tyrants Or bang bang you're dead The little Blue Tyrants Oh no There goes another young dad They shot him seven times Even though he complied While his wife and kid watched them blow him away There goes another young man Sick of being harassed about a cigarette tax So they choked him to death on the ground that day A C A B Don't cross that thin blue line A C A B Alright Oh no here come The little blue tyrants It's four on one with The little blue tyrants Watch yourself around The little blue tyrants Or bang bang you're dead The little Blue Tyrants Oh no A C A B Don't cross that thin blue line A C A B Alright Oh no here come The little blue tyrants It's four on one with The little blue tyrants Watch your nerves around The little blue tyrants Or they'll protect and serve The little blue A C A B That's right

Bruce - Next Time (Guest Review By Dirk Ceustermans)

    


  Dirk returns today to make sure you all know about a repackaging of a couple of albums into one handy 21 track treat by one of his favourite bands. Bruce (https://www.facebook.com/BRUCEPUNK/) are another cool Belgian garage punk band and have members from Aarschot and Bilzen. They're no strangers to this blog but the album is a thing of beauty and deserves a little more exposure :  https://brucepunk.bandcamp.com/album/captain-weve-lost-bruce-my-latest-popstar-crush




  BRUCE released their 2 latest CD releases together on 1 lp a month ago, so time to put this band in the spotlight again. This lp, release initially at a 100 copies run, contains all songs from their short and blistering CD releases: "Captain, we've lost Bruce" (2019) & "My latest Popstar Crush" (2017)
As I am typing this now, I just found out they did a second press already, these records sell like a proper good Belgian beer here and rightfully so!




  I chose "Next Time" to introduce this band's release as this song has a bit of history. 
Could've chosen a tougher track, but hey nothing wrong with a ..er love song?
The track appeared for the first time on a compilation of Belgian 60's inspired bands back in 1987, when some members of BRUCE were in a band called the Leftovers.
This version gave it the fantastic Bruce makeover, however this time without the ever present wah wah guitar lead, reminiscent of their inspirators, the mighty Cosmic Psychos. 
As a matter of fact, if these guys were Australian, they'd be BIG!

  This is Next Time... 

 when I saw you walking in my room
 wondering why I was counting all those years
 and still I feel like hell
 You're dressed up for going out in town
 It doesn't bother me
 a night alone won't mess me up
 but still I feel like hell
 next time you can try another lie
 next time you can find another guy

Saturday 14 November 2020

Crackups - White Fruit (Guest Review By Dirk Ceustermans)

    


  Dirk Ceustermans makes a welcome return today to recommend that you all check out a quartet (Thomas, Niels, Toon & Siebe) from Antwerp called Crackups (https://www.facebook.com/crackupsband/

  Over to Dirk...

  Now here's a band you need to check out. In the series, "Never mind the beer and chocolats, here's Belgian bands" I present to you this brand new 12" release. A mini lp full of blistering garagy punk that drives on like a steamroller on steroids. Those kids already earned some recognition (ahum!) when some of them tried their luck in their childhood years in a band called X!nk and were sent in to represent Belgium on a Eurosong for kids edition in 2003.

  Ooops, zap quickly to the next phase, entering 2008 when first signs of the Crackups appeared with a tape release full of snotty obnoxious tracks. They sort of went into a hiatus around the middle of previous decade when some guys joined other bands such as Sun Power and Double Veterans. 
But early 2020 saw them return with a 7" (Floor) and now a mini LP titled Greetings From Earth dropped another bomb on Flanders' fields.

Two words come to mind, when listening to this gem: GET THIS!




  This track is called White Fruit... 

Thursday 12 November 2020

Star Party - Something to Do

    


  Did anyone else buy UK music paper The New Musical Express (NME) on a regular basis back when they were younger? I think I probably read most issues for a decade or so from 1978 onwards and so it's no surprise I had the C86 cassette in my record collection. No doubt you'll remember it was compiled by a few of the NME writers and featured some of the best indie bands around at that time (The Wedding Present, Primal Scream, The Soup Dragons, Shop Assistants etc). It was almost as if a generation of kids with no budget were joining together in a movement directly opposing the stadium rocking Live Aid type mega bands. The title, C86, went on to be a tag used to describe many an indie band that wrote rough and ready pop songs, played jangly guitars or maybe drenched their sound in varying degrees of distortion or feedback. Including the one I'm featuring today... 

  Star Party are a trio from Washington State who feature Ian Corrigan (Vexx & Gen Pop), Carrie Brennan and Sophie Hendry (Firewalker & Leather Daddy). They recently introduced themselves with a 4 track demo which they describe as "saturated, misty coastal rock." It's inspired by both 80's Scottish punk and 90's American dream pop. It's like The Jesus And Mary Chain meeting up with Aislers Set. It's fuzzy pop goodness. It's both familiar and very fresh. 

  There's a couple of covers, a great version of The Shop Assistant's 1984 debut single Something To Do (recorded when they were still called Buba & The Shop Assistants) and a song which originally featured on the 1964 Bob Dylan album Another Side Of Bob Dylan and was also a hit for both The Byrds and Cher). The other 2 tracks are originals and, boding well for future releases, they don't suffer in comparison to the covers.  

  The cassette version is up for pre order and will ship next month from Feel It Records (https://www.feelitrecordshop.com/collections/preorders/products/star-party-demo-2020-cs-preorder) whilst the digital version is available as a name your price download :   https://starpartyrocks.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2020 

   I'll play the Dylan cover on Sunday's Just Some Punk Songs show but today you're getting Something To Do...  

I know it's just a feeling
I know it's just me
I never know what to say
I always get it wrong
Stomping around
Confused as usual
I need a piñata
or something will go wrong

 just can't seem to keep my head straight
I just can't seem to get it right


That's a thing that makes me feel sad
Tears in your eyes
Something to do with love
It has something to do with something called love

 

Wednesday 11 November 2020

Shot Balowski - Critique of Everyday Life

    

"In these interesting times
 Bankers get away with crimes
 The media’s not on your side
 Don’t need to read between the lines..."
  

  Today I'm posting a song by another one of the bands that went down so well on the recent Just Some Punk Songs UK special show (if you missed it you can listen here : https://www.mixcloud.com/mick-fletcher/just-some-punk-songs-uk-special-show/).

  Shot Balowski (https://www.facebook.com/shotbalowski/) are a 3 piece based in Carlisle and Glasgow who's line up features Debbie Ullrich (bass/vocals), Tef Lovegrass (drums/vocals) and Simon Whittle guitar/vocals). Earlier this year they released a debut, self titled album and it ain't half bad. 

  They're a band with a left leaning political worldview who write snappy little punk tunes on subjects such as militant suffragette martyr Emily Wilding Davison, orange hued has-been Donald Trump, hate filled red top The Daily Mail, boxing icon Muhammad Ali, sexy people with guns and fast cars on American tv etc. They even make a good fist of the Bob Marley classic Redemption Song. 

  I assume the album sold out as they've started taking pre orders for a 2nd rerun of the 10" vinyl version : https://shotbalowski.wordpress.com/shop/  

  They're also streaming a couple of tracks from the recent Eton's Burning ep on Bandcamp :   https://shotbalowski.bandcamp.com/album/etons-burning-ep 

  This was the song I chose for the show, it's a fuck you to those greedy, grasping twats that are doing their best to keep most of us in poverty. It's called Critique Of Everyday Life...  

  

Tuesday 10 November 2020

The Shell Corporation - Hot Bleach Injection

    


  The Shell Corporation (https://www.facebook.com/TheShellCorporation/) hail from Los Angeles and feature a line up of Jan Quixote, Curtiss Lopez, Seantonamo Bay & Jake Margolis. They released both their debut album (Force Majure) and debut single (Bread And Circuses) back in 2011 and have since released a couple more albums (Mandrake & Fucked). Earlier this month they released a new 5 track ep titled Told Ya So.  It's available on vinyl from two-o-six Records : https://206records.com/ 

  It's an impressive helping of political hardcore from a band that tell us in the title track that 40 year old punk rock songs are still relevant today (and to prove it, they turn in a belting cover of the 7 Seconds classic Here's Your Warning). Another highlight is Unfollow, a song that takes aim social media and people's often dodgy online activities ("Why do I still hit reply to you? I love you in person but your online persona is a trifling bore"). 

  21st Century Pestilence Song deals with humankind's raping of planet Earth and the song that you'll find below is about the joys of Lysol enemas, no doubt inspired by the orange idiot in the White House. The ep's streaming here :  https://theshellcorporation.bandcamp.com/album/told-ya-so  


  This is Hot Bleach Injection...

You know what you need? Deep cleaning inside and out Disinfectant For your brain, for your mouth You need a Lysol enema Come on this will be fun A Lysol enema and Mr. Clean will show you how its done You know what we need? Is to burn this cancer out Acid for the scurvy, iodine for the gout You know what we need? Is a bucket and a mop Drown us all in the bucket Starting at the top We need a Lysol enema Disinfect the world Lysol enema for all the boys and girls Lysol enema this wont be very much fun Lysol enema and Mrs. Clean will show us how its done Disinfectant!
  

Monday 9 November 2020

Civic - Radiant Eye

    


  "TRUMPETS!!!....  and wah wah!! - track of the show!!"

  Just one of several positive comments from the chatroom when I played today's song on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show. And the praise was deserved as it is one hell of a track...

  Civic are a "gutter rock" 5 piece (Darcy Grigg, David Forcier, Jim McCullough, Lewis Hodgson & Roland Hlavka) from Melbourne. They've released 3 yop notch singles on Anti Fade Records and have now added a 4th in the shape of the Radiant Eye 7" which this time around is available via Flightless Records on transparent red vinyl (ltd to 500 copies with a foldout poster cover) :   https://flightlessrecords.com/products/civic-radiant-eye-7 



    The A side, and title track, actually appears to feature saxophone rather than trumpets but who cares, either way it's a blistering garage rocker with more hooks than you'll get in an angling competition. Definitely one you'll be rocking out to. The flip side is an impressive cover of Making Time, a song originally released as the 1966 debut single by UK rock band The Creation (it was one of the first rock songs in which a guitar was played with a bow). 

  This is Radiant Eye... 

Sunday 8 November 2020

The Fallout - Same Old Shit

  

  Biden Wins Presidency, Ending Four Tumultuous Years Under Trump 


  That was the headline from the New York Times and was followed with... Joseph R. Biden Jr. achieved victory offering a message of healing and unity.

  So Donald Trump will be leaving the White House (no doubt kicking and screaming) but will things change. In the opinion of Toronto punks The Fallout (https://www.facebook.com/TheFalloutToronto/), probably not. There's a new sheriff in town but he's very much a part of the old order. 

  They've just released an updated version of a song which was written by bass player Patty O'Lantern many years ago whilst he was a member of The Embarrassments. It was inspired "by Basquiat artwork. I wrote it just after Bush won his 2nd term." 

  You can get the song, name your price, here : https://thefalloutcanada.bandcamp.com/track/same-old-shit 

  This is Same Old Shit...

Politics and a crucifix the same fight we always had
Blood runs as thick as oil but these days it's twice as fast
Hatred spills in off the streets and it's filtered in through glass
And all that remains is this price tag on our backs

It's the same old shit

Everybody's got a price and it's quickly going down
We're all just dollar signs so we'd better cash out now
In this razor wire playpen we can have fun within bounds
Don't pick us up we're in love with falling down

It's the same old shit

Politics and a crucifix the same fight we always had
Blood runs as thick as oil but these days it's twice as fast
In this razor wire playpen we can have fun within bounds
Don't pick us up we're in love with falling down

It's the same old shit




The Chats - ACϟDC CD

    


  "AND WE ARE FIRST!" 


  Yay! The Chats (https://www.facebook.com/thechatsband/) are back with a new single. And it's great. It's fun, catchy and rocks like a mother. I'm sure you've all enjoyed plenty of repeat plays of their High Risk Behaviour album by now and I'm sure it'll be taking pride of place on many of your Best Of 2020 lists. Happily the new single is more of the same. It'd be a single of the week winner if I did such a thing. It's a pick me up for those over on this side of the world who were left disappointed at the recent news that the band's tour of Europe and The UK has been pushed back to 2022. 




  It's titled AC/DC CD and it extols the virtues of "the 2nd greatest band in history." The accompanying video will bring a smile to your face with Josh, Eamon & Matt rocking out in a way that would make their heroes proud. According to our fresh faced trio, there's only one band better! 

  The b side is a cover of AC/DC's Rocker and it's only available on the 7"



  AC/DC CD...

Saturday 7 November 2020

Kingsway Flyers - Don't Let It Go

    


  Back to Blighty today, Stockport to be precise, and one of the bands that went down a storm on last week's Just Some Punk Songs UK special show. 

  Kingsway Flyers (https://www.facebook.com/kingswayflyers/) are a new 3 piece featuring Antony Walsh, Anthony Morrison and Ben Relton. Anthony "Morry" Morrison played bass in the much missed Epic Problem (https://epicproblem2.bandcamp.com/) whilst Anthony Walsh was vocalist/guitarist with The Vox Dolomites (https://thevoxdolomites.bandcamp.com/) and has also been in D.F.A. and One Man Stand. 

  They've a debut album on the way which was produced at their local Pressure Drop Studio by Will Farley and to whet our appetites they've put 3 of the tracks on Bandcamp as a free download :  https://kingswayflyers.bandcamp.com/album/three-songs 

  Fans of the members' previous output will feel at home with some gritty, melodic punk rock. Driving guitars and strong vocals added to catchy tunes is always going to go down well and the teaser songs leave us eagerly awaiting the full length. They're a band to keep an eye on. 

  This is Don't Let It Go... 

Thursday 5 November 2020

the Obscenities - Police Aren't Friends

   


   "Just another shitty punk band..."


  the Obscenities (https://www.facebook.com/theobscenitiesrule/) are a trashy garage punk band from Detroit featuring Dee (guitar/bass/lead vocals) and Greg (guitar/bass/drums/synth/vocals). They love their sweet grandma so much they named their Halloween ep Songs For Grandma. It's pretty apparent though that she's "dead."  

  Song 1 is a cheerful ditty titled Youthful Euthanasia. It's budget synth punk. It's fun. 

  Song 2 is called Police Aren't Friends and it's a warning to be wary of the boys in blue. Grandma features in this one. 

  Song 3 is about Kasper Hauser, it's about the 19th century German boy who claimed to have spent his entire life in a small, dark room, sleeping on straw and fed by unseen strangers. It's pretty well acknowledged that he was somewhat of a liar 

  You can get the ep on cassette and digital download : https://obscenities.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-grandma-ep 

  This is Police Aren't Friends...

Wednesday 4 November 2020

Mr. Teenage - Kids

  


  Oh come on Australia! You're just taking the piss now. I can't believe you've actually got so many awesome new punk bands, you must be importing them from somewhere. Every time I log onto my pc another one pops up online with a killer new release. 

  And today I'm getting all giddy over the debut ep by Melbourne garage punk/power pop 4 piece Mr. Teenage. They feature vocalist/bassist Nic Imfeld (who you may remember from Tyrannamen), his brother Joe Imfeld (guitar), Carey Patersen (guitar/vocals) and Nadine Muller (drums/vocals). They released a demo song last year which was produced by Dean Muller (Cosmic Psychos) and was titled Neighbourhood. It boded well and happily the ep delivers in spades on that early promise. 




  Titled Automatic Love, it kicks off with the title track and great though it is, in my opinion it's my least favourite on the ep (which goes to show how bloody good the ep is!). Next up we get a song that I'll play on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show. It's called Waste Of Time and it struts confidently along making my heart soar with it's majestic hooks. Then it's The Loser, a slower paced 60's influenced rock n roll delight. And then they wind things up with the song you'll find below. Be still my beating heart! 

  A quick shout out to Billy Gardener (Anti Fade Records founder plus Living Eyes, Ausmuteants, Smarts etc) who does a sterling job on production duties and contributes to Mr. Teenage getting me wanting to toss around comparisons with the legendary (and much missed) Exploding Hearts. You can get the ep here :  https://mrteenage.bandcamp.com/album/automatic-love

  You like riffs? Well hello my friend, step this way. Damn, how does a new band get to be this good this quickly? This is Kids...