My lack of knowledge isn't going to deter me from saying I'm getting Blvckhelicopters vibes from this song. It's angry acoustic and political and I'm liking it a lot. It's called Welcome To The Police State...
If you read the introduction to her on the Bandcamp page you'll learn that Sally Pepper (https://www.facebook.com/SallyPepperMusic) is a singer-songwriter based in Blackpool who plays a unique brand of acoustic punk and who has both a big voice and a knack for finding the catchiest of hooks.
Which is good to know as until this week I'd not had the pleasure of hearing her music. That unfortunate situation changed when I came across the new ep, Factually Correct, which was released by Manchester label Horn & Hoof Records at the start of August. It's an ep that will see me checking out earlier material, but first...
A few things hit you immediately. Sally has a great voice, it stands out from the crowd. It draws you in, you might not know her but it's like listening to a friend. She also actually does have the promised knack for finding catchy hooks and thirdly (as you'll see below when I post today's song), she's a very talented lyricist.
We're served up 3 acoustic songs plus full band versions of a couple of those songs. Which are better? The acoustic or big full band versions? To be honest, I'm undecided. Both are highly enjoyable and bring something to the table. You can get the ep on cd and digital download : https://sallypeppermusic.bandcamp.com/album/factually-correct
All 3 songs are very impressive, all would grace this section of the write up but the one I've decided to highlight is about liars and hate mongers on the internet. It's called Clickbait...
Oh you read it on the Internet,
So it's got to be factually correct.
But the only thing to cause offence is your lack of fucking common sense.
All the national papers printed it,
So it's definitely legitimate.
But you can't even trust the government,
Just take a look at who is running it.
Don't believe the lies you're told,
Don't believe all the stories you're sold.
Cos that headline sensation is just a creation they made.
To keep spreading the hate, to keep you in your place.
You're not racist 'cos you've got a friend who's black,
But you think it's safest if we just send them back.
And you don't hate the gays, but why's there no straight pride parade?
And you're not sexist but they won't rest until there are no real men left,
And trans rights leave you so perplexed even though they have zero effect on you.
Don't believe the lies you're told,
Don't believe all the stories you're sold.
Cos that headline sensation is just a creation they made.
To keep spreading the hate, they feed you on clickbait.
Don't believe the lies they tell,
You've got mouths to feed, they only care about themselves.
Don't believe the lies you're told,
Don't believe all the stories you're sold.
Cos that headline sensation is just a creation they made.
To keep spreading the hate, they feed you on clickbait.
Don't believe the lies you're told,
Don't believe all the stories you're sold.
Cos that headline sensation is just a creation,
The claims that they're making are pure fabrication,
Their one motivation is to divide the nation, it's true,
And keep spreading the hate by feeding you clickbait.
As I sit here typing, it's early on a Saturday morning, the skies are grey, rain is pouring, winter is slowly approaching. But that means it's football season and later today will be the first few of the 4th round of fixtures in the English Premier League. One of those will feature my team, Leeds United, who have made a promising start to the new season but who will be up against it in front of a large tv audience when they entertain a wounded and very dangerous Manchester City side. It should be a very entertaining game. But will either of the 2 managers, Marcelo Bielsa or Pep Guardiola be wearing Denim in the dugout?
Probably not.
But it is a trend that singer/songwriter Ian Passey has noticed sneaking into the beautiful game. Better known as his alter ego, The Humdrum Express (https://www.facebook.com/TheHumdrumExpress/), he's featured on here previously with his offbeat observationalism (songs about leopard print onesies and James Bond lookalikes) but during 2020 the Corvid pandemic and ensuing live venue lockdown has seen him struggling to whip up the enthusiasm for writing. This changed on the last day of the 2019-20 Championship season when he bore witness to the sight of Barnsley manager Gerhard Struber's euphoric celebrations as his side avoided relegation to League One. Whilst wearing skinny jeans. Not your typical managerial regalia but enough to inspire a song.
So after enlisting the aid of Carl Bayliss on drums, Ian has just released the fruit of his reinvigorated mind and you can find it here : https://thehumdrumexpress.bandcamp.com/
This is Denim In The Dugout...
He used to wear a suit until he axed it Found a casual substitute - stonewashed, relaxed fit From Brazil to Bulgaria On the touchline and technical area Football managers are wearing jeans
They shelved sports wear; heard ripped slim fit looked hotter When sported by Sean Dyche and Graham Potter An assistant coach in shorts in December Is an image I’d rather not remember, now Football managers are wearing jeans
Brendan Rodgers often goes out shopping The fashion league is one he dreams of topping A recent acid-wash acquisition Turned heads of those held back by tradition Football managers are wearing jeans
Away fans crudely chanted “What’s he got on?” “Dark blue, distressed, snug fit hard wearing cotton” There’s outfit help for those in need From Kenny Jacket and Neil Harris-Tweed
Neil Warnock’s flares flap in the breeze Steve Bruce cuts a dash in dungarees No foul committed, the ref says “play on” Garry Monk’s transferred to spray-ons Football managers are wearing jeans
2-0 down half time at Grimsby Town His wardrobe and his team get a dressing down Roy Hodgson still looks sharp in a suit, but Wait till you see Bielsa in boot cut!
Excitement mounting on cup final day Double denim droves down Wembley Way A united apparel from dugout to crowd Rossi and Parfitt would be so proud Football managers are wearing jeans
Football managers are wearing jeans – It’s a real game changer! Football managers are wearing jeans - A tactical jean-ius! Football managers are wearing jeans - A victory over two legs! Football managers!
Those of us that are old enough to have been around in the late 70's will remember that the UK punk scene was a hotbed of exciting new music with bands springing up in cities and towns across the country. Angry young men and women were discovering that you didn't necessarily have to be all that talented to join in the fun. All you needed, according to Mark Perry, was to learn 3 chords and away you went. Obviously though, many of those young punks were very talented, Strummer and Burnel were just a couple of them.
The mention of punk rock brings to mind noisy, fast songs. Often accompanied with lyrics protesting about pretty much everything. With socially active North Wales band Red Or Dead you get plenty of lyrics that hit out at deserving targets, what you don't get is noisy or fast. Instead you get a more considered approach, they're still trying to bring down the system but they're doing it at their own pace. Think intelligent acoustic folk with a punk influence, I'm almost tempted to say think latter day Chumbawamba, but maybe that's just me. Think well crafted songs that make you engage your brain rather than jump around.
The song you'll find below is a look back to a time when the band members were probably a little rowdier (if they were even around back then), before they became old punks and decided that angry songs were better delivered with rapier as opposed to bludgeon. This is Strummer And Burnel....
This blog started at the end of 2013 when I was still on holiday from work, Christmas was over and I was bored so decided to see if I could suss out how to make a blog to collect together a bunch of cool videos. Just so it didn't resemble Youtube too much I thought I'd better write a couple of lines saying what the songs were. I'm still doing it.
The first song to feature was I'll Be Gone by The Oblivians and this was followed the next day by Radioactivity with Alright. Day 3, 1st Jan 2014, saw me post Dissatisfactions by Onsind (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/the-buzzcocks-once-wrote-song-called.html ) No one knew about the blog back then and even now, nearly 4 years later, only 20 people have viewed the page. Considerably more will view the song I'm posting by them today.
There must be something about the north east accent that attracts me, Bear Trade's Silent Unspeakable will quite probably end up being my favourite album of 2017. No Ditching were a band I adored (I'm gutted they appear to be no more) and Martha are one of the UK's best bands. As they share members with Martha and No Ditching, it's no surprise that Onsind (One Night Stand In North Dakota) are pretty wonderful themselves.
It's also no surprise that a band who's name is a reference to the lack of adequate abortion facilities in some areas of the USA write songs that are intelligent and hard hitting but they wrap these iron fisted missives in velvet gloves. The best protest songs are the ones that sucker you in with a catchy tune, letting the message slowly seep into your brain as you hum along. Onsind have been doing this for a decade now and you can find their music name your price here : https://onsind.bandcamp.com/
With a line up of Nathan Stephens Griffin, Daniel Ellis, Naomi Griffin, Jason Cavalier and Claire Swift, they'll be releasing their new album, We Wilt, We Bloom, next month on Specialist Subject and Salinas Records. A tour will coincide and you can find details here : https://www.facebook.com/onsind/
To whet your appetite, here's their new video for a song called Immature. You can also get it name your price on Bandcamp with all money donated going to Savage Collective ("The salvage collective aims to brings together women (cis, trans & intersex), trans & non-binary survivors & activists who experience gender oppression, violence and abuse in UK activist communities to nurture activist cultures of care, accountability & safety.
We aim to provide a network to share experiences, resources, skills and build communities of belief, support and action." )
My neighbour told me a story, About a kid who bought a house aged twenty one, I said "you're winding me up just for fun" He said "it's true! By the way, your rent's due, son" "But that seems so unfair" He said "if you tried really hard you could get there, But your generation's so immature, you want it all on a plate, you want it all on a plate, you want it all..."
Do I sound like a teenager, When I say that you've infantilised our rage, When I say I want to put my self in danger, Do I sound immature?
Yeah we're still living in our parents' basements, Or renting foul accomadation from our baby boomer mates, And god forbid you take a selfie or you're hated, By a generation raised in a welfare state, They say we're all so self-obsessed, So lazy, so work-shy, and all the rest, It's seems to me the one thing that unites my friends is that we all just wanna fucking die.
Do I sound like a teenager, When I say that you've infantilised our rage, When I say I want to put my self in danger, Do I sound immature?
As well as the title track's humerous look at celebrity culture and the business of celebrity lookalikes the ep also features a cover of Television Personalities' Painting By Numbers and songs called If Only I'd Watched Blue Peter and Fading Stars On Social Media. Imagine Half Man Half Biscuit with less bile; one man, his acoustic guitar and a sense of humour.
Here's the excellent video for Lookalike Bond.....
Not one to stand out from the crowd, an average man on the street I have to work long hours, but still can’t seem to make ends meet People have always said I resemble an actor on TV I don’t quite know how I ended up joining a look-alike agency
The work was steady, with the opening of a sports shop and a bar Hardly an insight into what it must be like to be a star Until one morning, I awoke to find an unexpected twist My double was named as the next James Bond, and overnight became ‘A’ list
My name’s Bond – well, they say dead ringer My name’s Bond My name’s Bond – You only live twice, Goldfinger My name’s Bond… James lookalike Bond
I forged signatures in Cannes; when I was there to see the sights Seemed a far cry from switching on some village Christmas lights Factory hours, now even more a distant memory Former workmates, I hear, are passing comment jealously
My name’s Bond – I’m so well dressed, exuding charm My Name’s Bond My name’s Bond – with a wannabe Honor Blackman on my arm My name’s Bond… James lookalike Bond
I turned on the TV news, left me shaken not stirred As the (money) penny dropped, my whole world crashed by what I heard My doppelganger, is not all he’s cracked up to be I’ll admit… it scared the living daylights out of me!
His list of crime seems endless, he’s facing 007 years inside The press are out to get him, my high life’s on the slide The public are alleging other serious matters I think I’ll have to sue – my career’s in tatters!
My name’s Bond – The novelty’s wearing thin My name’s Bond My name’s Bond – At the mercy of my famous twin My name’s Bond, James Lookalike Bond
I was tempted by the taste of celebrity and wealth – Fooled into thinking I’d be bettering myself A small crumb of comfort to ease my loss of earning Is the hangers-on have gone; and I doubt they’ll be returning Fame based on looks, I won’t be such a fool again But I felt I needed something to help to ease the pain I sought medical advice in a bid to ease my woe My GP said “sit down, Bond” - I said “Dr, NO!”
I’m not Bond – Forget the man I used to be I’m not Bond I’m not Bond – Must be someone else who looks like me…
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
Here's a new song that I came across yesterday by Ray Rocket. Ray as you'll probably have quickly worked out is Ray Carlisle from Teenage Bottlerocket and the song is the title track from a new album called Do You Wanna To Go To Tijuana?
It's Ray's first solo venture and will feature acoustic Teenage Bottlerocket songs, a Ramones cover and this brand new track. It's available in April on Rise Records.
May will see Ray touring in support of the album alongside The Copyrights and The Lippies.
Poignant and Heartfelt and with a video featuring Ray's son Milo, this is Do You Wanna Go To Tijuana?.......
You got yourself a condition. You need a physician. And then you put me in an awkward position. When you tried to get attention using razor blades to cut up your wrists. You’re running out of ambition. So you called a mortician. I’m getting sick of all your superstition. What am I supposed to do when someone really ends up dead? Do you wanna five-o? With Steve Caballero? Do you wanna practice your karate? With Mr. Miyagi? Do you wanna travel the world with me? So many different places to see. So many different people to be. I wish that you were here with me. Do you wanna? Do you wanna? Do you wanna go to Tijuana with no one?
Born in Liverpool but now a resident of Brighton, Chas Palmer-Williams was the singer with one of Britain's best ever bands, Lightyear. I've already posted a track and written about them (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/lightyear-life-jacket-water-wings.html) but today it's my great pleasure to bring you a song from Chas' new solo album.
The album's called American Smile British Teeth and it's a more laid back affair than his work with Lightyear. Citing his inspirations as The Weakerthans, The Hold Steady, Johnny Flynn, Frightened Rabbit and Propaghandi he's produced an album that'll appeal to anyone who enjoys honest, acoustic folk/rock music.
Produced by Lightyear drummer Jim Harrison, this is the video to the song Absolutely Some Regrets.......
I suppose if you wanted to tag today's song you could say that this is genuine street punk. Briefly, Sam Sadowski, disillusioned with her life in Austin, Texas, took off and via freight trains and hitched lifts ended up homeless and broke in San Francisco.
Whilst Sam was travelling the country, her mother uploaded a video onto Youtube of her performing a song and this was spotted by a mightily impressed Scott Sturgeon (of Leftover Crack fame). Enlisting the help of Nofx frontman Fat Mike, they tracked down Sam and the end result was a 5 track ep which has just been released under the name Closet Fiends, on Fat Wreck Chords.
"The words five more years Reduce me to tears And I'm torn apart by fears for my kids But you say Dry your eyes, don't mourn, organise And I do realise that you're right...."
Something a little different today which shows that even music that possesses a fragile beauty can still have a punk as fuck attitude.
I only heard this song recently and hadn't previously heard of Ruth Mundy so hopefully I don't get too much wrong in my intro.
I think that Ruth is originally from the UK but is now based in Wellington, New Zealand. If the song I've posted below is any indication she's influenced by Billy Bragg. A woman armed with a great voice, a guitar and a left leaning social conscience as well as the ability to pen a killer tune.
Commenting on the recent UK general election result, this is a new song, it's one of the best I've heard for a while and it's called F*cking Tories.....
