5.THE LEN PRICE 3 - "Nobody Knows" The best kept secret in Britrock today? Quite possibly. Now on their fourth album, "Nobody Knows" saw the LP3 remind us all exactly why they're such a damn good band. Tight and focused garage rock (with the odd '60s psychedelic moment thrown in) this is retro rock with power, enthusiasm and some damn fine tunes and riffs (check out the video for "Swing Like A Monkey" below for proof). The anti-Black Stone Cherry if you like and, really, what more a recommendation do you need?
4.THE BERMONDSEY JOYRIDERS - "Flamboyant Thugs" The Bermondsey Joyriders' third album was everything you'd want from them at this stage - a good reminder of what they're capable of with some cracking tunes into the bargain. Veering from the spit 'n' sawdust rock 'n' roll of opener "Sonic Underground" through the sly humour of "It's Nice To Be Important" to the epic political closer of "The Message" (which you can listen to below), this was proof positive that the Bermondsey Joyriders were still out there and with plenty to say in 2014.
3.SILVER SUN - "A Lick And A Promise" Yes, this technically came out in 2013 but sod it, it got that badly publicised at the time that I didn't even hear it until this summer so it's going in here. And the fact that it got released with hardly a peep was criminal if you ask me because this was arguably Silver Sun's best album since their debut - stadium sized glam rock anthems with a deceptively warped undercurrent bubbling away beneath (check out the glam-synth rock of "She's With The Band" below). Go check it out now and get it the listens it deserves.
2.KORY CLARKE - "Payback's A Bitch" Quite simply, no-one was expecting this. Although lyrically "Payback's A Bitch" was just as sharp as anything Kory's done with Warrior Soul, musically it saw him turning his hand to every genre from lonesome country rock through Pleasures-style German Eurodisco and Quireboys style bar room blues (take a listen to "The Last Hand" below) to the beautiful epic closer "Meet Me In Las Vegas" and carry it all off with style and panache. You really need to add this one to your CD/mp3 collection now if you've not done so already.
1.ELECTRIC RIVER - "The Faith And The Patience" It could only be this one really. Electric River's second album saw them well and truly outgrow their ska-punk past to create a truly incendiary album which veered from the sheer joie de vivre of "Keep The Engine Burning" (video below) to the smalltown blues of "This Garden Will Grow". While there's plenty of political fire on the likes of "The Fixer" and "Leap Of Faith", the message is always that there's a light at the end of the tunnel no matter how dark it may seem as evidenced on "Queen Of Hearts" and the quite lovely closer "Water Song". Quite simply, this is a document of our time in 2014 and doesn't have a weak track on it and that's why it's top of my pile this year. And the fact that Electric River can hopefully only keep getting better from here should hopefully mean that by the time of their next album they should deservedly be a group firmly in the national spotlight.
10.DEADCUTS - "Dark Is The Night" Take various reprobates from the Senseless Things, the Wonder Stuff and the Skuzzies and put them together and you'd maybe be expecting some spit 'n' sawdust indie punk, right? Wrong. "Dark Is The Night" was a throwback to when goth rock really was majestic, swooping and fascinating by equal turns instead of the horrible whining of emo - just listen to "DK" below for proof. Credit to the Deadcuts for pulling off such an accomplished record at the first time of asking.
9.THE URBAN VOODOO MACHINE - "Love, Drink & Death" Still as wonderfully unpredictable as ever three albums in, "Love, Drink & Death" saw the Urban Voodoo Machine taking a more epic approach to their music with the likes of "Loretta's Revenge", "Crazy Maria" and "Jimmy Cuba" being the sort of twisted odes to the downtrodden in society that Paul-Ronney Angel and co do so well while the raucous likes of "Pipe And Slippers Man" (video below) and "Hid The Bottle" prove that they can still do polka'd up party anthems as well as always. Another very worthwhile addition to the UVM canon.
8.ZOMBINA & THE SKELETONES - "Charnel House Rock" Back after an extended break, it's a pleasure to report that the Skeletones' fourth album finds them just as wonderfully warped as ever and not afraid to throw everything including the kitchen sink into making an album. "Charnel House Rock" saw them putting demented hellbilly hoedowns, ferocious Misfits style horror punk and tribal drum chantalongs all alongside each other with no regards given to conformity. A true treasure of a band and an album and one you really should check out if you've not already - if you need further proof then listen to "Tonight There Will Be No Survivors" below.
7.CJ WILDHEART - "Mable" Back after a lengthy absence, CJ's comeback album saw him taking the events of the last two years of his life and using them to create a focused and tight slice of pop-punk - listen to "Kentucky Fried", "Down The Drain" (video below) or "Next To You" for proof that Ginger isn't the only accomplished songwriter in the Wildhearts. The follow-up is hopefully due in 2015 and hopefully it can keep up the high standards of this album.
6.THE QUIREBOYS - "Black Eyed Sons" Rapidly following up last year's "Beautiful Curse", the Quireboys' seventh album saw them very much in business as usual territory but when business is this good, why the hell would you want to change that? Ten tracks of whiskey-soaked bar room blues that will get your toe tapping and a smile on your face from the Stonesy "Lullaby of London Town" (which you can listen to below) to the lovely closing ballad "Monte Cassino". And they even threw a free acoustic CD and live DVD in with it - talk about value package of the year!
15.THE ROUGHNECK RIOT - "Out Of Anger" Second album from these Warrington folk-punk firebrands and it carries on nicely from where their debut, 2012's "This Is Our Day" left off. Fired up, furious and with the sort of undeniable energy that the Levellers used to have back when they were good (listen to first single "Parasites" below), this album saw them cement their place as one of the best punk bands in the UK today.
14.DIRT BOX DISCO - "Bloonz" Fired up on a diet of wrestling masks, face paint and cheap 'n' nasty beer, this was a catchy-as-hell third effort from these Midlands madmen. While powered up Ramones/Buzzcocks indebted thrills were in plentiful supply, elsewhere they conjured up memories of the late '80s Soho glam scene and bands like the Soho Roses and the Babysitters. Really, how can you possibly dislike an album with a song including the lyrics "I'm the king of the castle and you're a f**kin' b*st*rd!"
13.EVIL SCARECROW - "Galactic Hunt" There's an old saying that those who the Gods destroy, they first make mad. If that really is the case then Derby's Evil Scarecrow should probably be very worried indeed. This is 50 minutes of utterly insane thrash metal with songs about giant crab robots ("Crabulon", video below), Cyclopses dancing with their shirts off and losing the Necronomicon after borrowing it from the library. And it references "Knightmare" and "Red Dwarf" - really, what more of a recommendation do you need?
12.THE HIP PRIESTS - "Black Denim Blitz" Filthier than a night on the town with Frank Bough, the Hip Priests' third album saw them cement their position as the most catchily debauched rock 'n' roll band in Britain today. One part Stooges, one part Motorhead, one part Turbonegro, the ferocious likes of "Motherfucker Superior" and the awesome "Jesus Died So We Can Ride" (video below) are the sort of songs that are the best kind of bad fun, usually as a precursor to waking up in a strange place the next morning...
11.GINGER - "Albion" Ginger's fifth solo album saw him throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the mix (actually, thinking about it, the kitchen sink probably is in there somewhere if you listen hard enough) to create an album that you could happily lose yourself for weeks in. Often taking in several musical genres in the space of the same song, it's the sort of album you'll still be listening to and noticing new things about several months later and that's the mark of a good album. I've put the video for "Body Parts", probably the most easily accessible song on the album below. Treat it as an earworm then go check this bugger out.
20.ELECTRIC SIX - "Human Zoo" It's often been said that if you're looking for the answers to life then don't expect to find them on an Electric Six album. But if it's a simple good time with plenty of oddball twists and turns that you want then Dick Valentine and co are still pretty hard to beat as the likes of "Karate Lips", "It's Horseshit!", "Who The Hell Just Called My Phone?" (link below) and "I'm The Devil" testify. Eleven albums in and there's no sign of them running out of steam.
19.TYLA J PALLAS - "Another Day Wasted In Pursuit Of Pleasure" Possibly the only man with a musical output that makes Ginger Wildheart look relatively relaxed, Tyla put out no less than three albums in 2014 with this and the re-recording of "The State We're In" being the pick of the bunch. Grizzled dark balladry (have a listen to the sinister "Charmed" below) with a tender edge, the man's still got it after all these years.
18.SPUNK VOLCANO & THE ERUPTIONS - "Injection" Fronted by Dirt Box Disco's masked guitarist, the titular Mr Volcano, "Injection" was a second slice of boozed up glam-punk to go side by side with Dirt Box Disco's "Bloonz". Rocket science it very much ain't but sometimes it's something big, dumb and singalongable after a few pints that you need and rest assured that "Injection" very much fits the bill. The "Buzzcocks on Special Brew" "Platform Three" below is one of the highlights.
17.SUPERSUCKERS - "Get The Hell" A welcome return to form for the 'Suckers following their slightly disappointing previous effort "Get It Together". Simple, heads down rock 'n' roll with riffs and singalong choruses aplenty that you can see working perfectly in the live arena. Essentially, it's the sort of album that works perfectly for sinking a few beers to and, for a Supersuckers album, what else do you need really? Have a butchers' at the video for "Pushin' Thru" below and crack open a cold one as you do so for added effect.
16.IMELDA MAY - "Tribal" Imelda May just seems to keep getting better with each album and "Tribal" may just be her strongest effort yet. Just take a listen to "Hellfire Club" (acoustic version below), "Five Good Men" or the storming title track for some awesome red hot rockabilly to sing and dance along to. The plaudits for this one were well deserved, no doubt about it.
25.DRAGSTER - "Dead Punk" While it's a departure from the sci-fi scuzz-punk of their debut, Dragster's second album saw them getting a new political fury to their sound which grows on you with repeated listening. The likes of "Skull Ring" (live video below) and "Death By A Thousand Cuts" could almost be Obsessive Compulsive which is definitely a good thing. Angry punk music with something relevant to say in 2014 - who'd've thunk it?
24.MFC CHICKEN - "Solid Gravy" Old school '60s indebted garage rock with an unhealthy fixation on chicken, MFC Chicken turned in a clucking good album with their debut (sorry but I should warn you - listening to this may leave you prone to making bad chicken puns as well). Music to shake your backside and tap your toes to, this is fun, catchy and eminently listenable. Personal choice here had to be the excellent "Get Outta The DJ Booth" which you can listen to below.
23.THE DOWLING POOLE - "Bleak Strategies" There's something about this album by Willie Dowling (ex-Honeycrack, Jackdaw 4) and Jon Poole (ex-Wildhearts, Cardiacs) that reminds me of XTC for some reason - quirky off the wall pop music with a definite summery feel to it. Maybe not one you'll get straight away but it definitely grows with repeated listening into something you can happily lose yourself in for hours at a time. And that's the mark of a good album in my book. Just listen to "The Sun Is Mine" below and let some sunshine back into your life.
22.MING CITY ROCKERS - "Ming City Rockers" Raw as you like garage punk from just outside Scunthorpe, Ming City Rockers were the genuine sound of teenage smalltown angst in 2014 (the fact that the song below is entitled "I Wanna Get Out Of Here (But I Can't Take You Anywhere)" should provide proof if needed). Although they're arguably still at a developmental stage, this is an impressive debut with a tip of the hat to Iggy and the Stooges and riffs and firepower by the bucketload. Where they'll go next with their imminent breakout into the big wide world remains to be seen but it'll be an interesting journey, no doubt about it.
21.THE PECKHAM COWBOYS - "Ten Tales From The Gin Palace" Single-handedly keeping the brewers of South London in profit in 2014, the Peckham Cowboys came back with an album which properly showcased their sound (their debut, while it showed promise, was sunk a bit by bad production). Driven along by Dale Hodgkinson's scuzzy riffs and powered by Marc Eden's louche barrow boy charm (check out "Bromley Girls" below), this is the sort of lovably shambolic rock 'n' roll that there's sadly too little of nowadays.
30.IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC - "Reptile Brain Music" Album number three from former Hellacopters frontman Nicke Andersson's current project, "Reptile Brain Music" is 12 tracks and 30 minutes of lean, fat-free garage punk with the occasional nod to Social Distortion style cowpunk and creepy early Alice Cooper dynamics. Essentially, it gets in, says what it's got to say and gets out again nice and quick to leave you saying "Hey, that was a bit good, wasn't it?" Have a listen to "Eyes" below and see for yourself.
29.FOXY SHAZAM - "Gonzo" Teaming Foxy Shazam up with Steve Albini might just be the weirdest combination of the year but the results made for a much stronger effort than their rather overblown previous album "Church Of Rock 'n' Roll" with the veteran punk producer giving the band a new energy and fizz to make "Gonzo" a strong effort. Unfortunately, it appears to have been their swansong as the band announced this autumn that they were going on an indefinite hiatus. Still, if it does turn out to be their final album then it was a good way to go out. You can see the video for "Tragic Thrill" below.
28.TRIOXIN CHERRY - "Let's Take Off And Nuke The Site From Space" Fired up punk-metal from Nottingham, Trioxin Cherry have been doing the rounds on the live circuit for some time now and "Let's Take Off And Nuke The Site From Space" is definitely the sound of a band who've taken their time over things to hone their live set into a good solid album. They're very much a punk band (as the likes of "Fly Bill Murray!" which you can listen to below and "Ratbiter" show) but they're not afraid to introduce some heavier riffs and rhythms into the mix and even end this album with a light-hearted ska-punk song about punk festivals. Keep an eye on this lot, on this evidence there should be plenty more good things to come from them in the future.
27.GAGGERS - "Blame You" Snotty street punk in the Dead Boys/Heartbreakers mould, the Gaggers' debut album is a pure blitz of attitude and scuzzy Keef style riffs which'll appeal to anyone who likes their rock 'n' roll with a bit of dark swagger to it. It blitzes into the party, drinks all yer booze, cops off with the best looking girl and then swaggers out again less than half an hour later leaving you wondering what the hell just happened. Just give "Steal Your Girl" (in its live version) a listen below for proof.
26.TONY WRIGHT - "Thoughts 'n' All" Possibly the darkest thing Tony Wright's ever put his name to, "Thoughts 'n' All" was a stripped down acoustic album which saw the former Terrorvision frontman laying his demons out on the table. It may not be as catchy as the band he made his name with but this is still an enchantingly dark set of songs for rainy day listening. As a former Bradford resident myself, "Great Horton" (video below) is my personal favourite off the album so I've put the video for that 'un below.
35.THE MUTANTS - "Rhythm & Punk Review" Looking at the cast list on this album almost reads like a who's who of the best old school punk bands around today - Neville Staple (the Specials), Jake Burns (SLF), Charlie Harper (UK Subs), TV Smith and Texas Terri to name but a few. And it keeps it simple and to the point, 12 tracks, 28 minutes of straight up punk energy with some ska and reggae influences chucked in to keep the pot well stirred. Unfortunately I couldn't find any song clips on Youtube but here's a bit of a background video to tell you a bit more.
34.TV SMITH - "I Delete" Old-skool punk in 2014 then. It's been a bit of a mixed bag to these ears if I'm honest. Some bands came back with disappointing efforts (sorry Buzzcocks), some came back with solid but unspectacular efforts (sorry SLF). And then there's TV Smith. "I Delete" was pretty much a straight continuation of his last few efforts but the difference is that there's an energy and spite to it that suggests he's doing much more than just going through the motions and makes it a good thought provoking album. Give "Replay", the opening track from the album, a listen below and see for yourself.
33.THE PIXIES - "Indie Cindy" It could have been a disaster and, no two ways about it, that album title has to be one of the worst of 2014 but Frank Black and co deserve credit for making a comeback album that, rather than a tired retread of past glories, was a welcome reminder of everything that made them such a great band in the first place. Off the wall but with energy and some great cheesewire guitar lines care of Joey Santiago (listen to "Silver Snail" below for proof), this was the return to form that everyone was hoping for. Well done guys.
32.GIUDA - "Let's Do It Again!" Technically this came out in the dying days of 2013 but given that a) I didn't get my paws on a copy until January and b) Giuda's first album was in my best of list last year, it's going in this time around. A good follow-up album for the Italian glammers which takes a bit of T-Rex, a bit of Suzy Quatro and a bit of the Sweet, gives 'em a bit of a 21st century sheen and chucks 'em at you for a half an hour of good fun foot-stomping times. Have a listen to their glamtastic footy terrace anthem "Get That Goal!" for proof.
31.AC/DC - "Rock Or Bust" Well...it sounds like AC/DC, dunnit? What were you expecting me to say? Quite simply, 40 years into their career, the veteran Aussies are very much sticking to what they know best and given how well it's worked for 'em up until now you can't really blame them. If you like it (as, let's be honest, most of us do) then "Rock Or Bust" will certainly leave you with a big smile on your face and sometimes that's all you can ask for. First single "Play Ball" below should prove that to you and then some.
40.MANIC STREET PREACHERS - "Futurology" The Manics seem to have become a bit infamous for throwing curveballs of late and "Futurology" is another one. Abandoning the mellow acoustics of last year's "Rewind The Film" which was actually recorded at the same time, "Futurology" was a weird mix of post-punk and Euro-beat influences but somehow it works and, with some of the usual quality thoughtful lyrics present, it lifts what could have been a major mis-step into a pretty good album. Personal favourite track - "The Next Jet To Leave Moscow" which you can have a listen to below.
39.THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM - "Get Hurt" A much darker album than previous efforts, the Gaslight Anthem's fourth effort saw them abandon the Springsteen references of old for a much darker sparser sound. Opener "Stay Vicious" has an almost grungy feel to it (have a listen below) while elsewhere the sound is much more sparse than before. The key though is that they've carried off a change of sound without losing any of their listenability which is what makes "Get Hurt" worth a listen.
38.AGAINST ME! - "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" Definitely not the most accessible album on this list by a long shot, it's very tempting to write Against Me! off as a band who people like more for Laura Jane Grace's background than their actual music but there's a brutal ferocity to "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" that makes it well worth a listen. The nearest thing I can really think to compare this to is the Manics' "Holy Bible" - pure white hot tirades of alienation and confusion (listen to "Black Me Out" below which sums it up pretty well). Definitely not an album you'll get on first listen but in terms of something to listen to when you need a loud primal howl of anguish to let your anger out to, this is definitely up there.
37.BILLY IDOL - "Kings And Queens Of The Underground" Largely given a poor reception in the music press, I think the main problem facing Mr Broad with this release is just how good his last effort, 2005's "Devil's Playground" was. This isn't up to the same standard and the fact that seven of the eleven tracks are ballads might be a bit much for some to stomach but if you can just accept it for what it is then it's a good solid effort with plenty of worthwhile tunes on there. Such as the title track below for example.
36.THE BLACK TAMBOURINES - "The Black Tambourines" In a year which saw the Jim Jones Revue sadly go their separate ways, at least there's the small consolation that this Falmouth trio could be their heirs to the fuzzbox-drenched garage rock throne. This debut album is incredibly raw but there's an impressive Jesus & Mary Chain style ferocity to it which suggests that they're gonna get even better with age. Definitely ones to watch in the years ahead. Have a listen to "Bodies" below and see for yourself.
So it's that time of year again when I take a look back through 2014. I'll be putting a blog up here next week about my highs and lows of 2014 but first, here's my traditional run through some of the music that's rocked my proverbial boat this year. Rather like last year, there was a lot of stuff I've listened to either in my job as a reviewer for Pure Rawk or just independently. You can read a few of the mini-reviews here on that website also but in the end the list came to 40 albums (okay, actually 41 - after much deliberation, I axed "Sonic Highways" by the Foo Fighters off the list to chop it down to a nice round number. In the extremely unlikely event that Dave Grohl's reading this, sorry dude). The criteria for this list was that the albums had to be new material so no re-recordings or live albums. This did lead to another two being disqualified but I'll give 'em a quick summation (with the customary video link) here as they're both well worth a listen. First, "Lords Take Altamont" by the Lords of Altamont. I've always liked these guys and this was a great little collection of covers of songs by bands who played at the festival which they took their name from. Trust me, it takes a hell of a lot of skill to cover a Stones song from the late '60s/early '70s (when they were at their creative peak in my opinion) and do it justice but hopefully a listen to the version of "Gimme Shelter" below should persuade you that this is well worth a listen.
Secondly, "Re-Licked" by James Williamson. This was a collection of latter era Stooges songs (ie the two years between "Raw Power" and the band's extremely messy demise) which Williamson, the band's guitarist at the time, put together an all star cast to re-work. And credit to him, he did a damn good job of it. Guest vocalists included Bobby Gillespie, Jello Biafra, Mark Lanegan, Lisa Kekaula (the Bellrays) and Alison Mosshart (the Kills). For me though, the highlight was this version of "Open Up And Bleed" featuring the vocal talents of Carolyn Wonderland. Think a soul-based Iggy cover could never work? Prepare to be amazed...
Anyway, let's get on to the main list shall we? Just click here and we'll get started...
"Live music is dead/The funeral's on Thursday/Bring a bottle and a bed" - Jackdaw 4
"You're just chokin' on your Coca-Cola/Chokin' on your dreams" - The Almighty
"Whoops, here come the assholes, they can smell the money..." - Iggy Pop
I don't normally blog about music stuff on this page but something has been bugging me of late. And believe you me, this goes way beyond music - something dark and insidious is slithering towards your favourite venue, your favourite neighbourhood pub/bar, your favourite independent fashion boutique. And it smells horribly like kulturkampf.
A few days ago, the legendary live musc and burlesque venue Madame Jo Jo's in Soho was mysteriously shut down by Westminster Council (full story here). Basically, last month there was a punch up outside involving some bouncers and a rowdy customer which turned rather nasty and the council saw this as an excuse to revoke the club's license. Never mind that the place was hardly a trouble hot spot and you could probably count the number of "incidents" there over the last decade on one hand, bang, one hint of trouble and a popular venue has gone.
I would like to say that it's an isolated incident but sadly in the five years I've been living in London it's become an all too common story. During my first year in the capital (2010), I went to exactly one hundred gigs (yes, sad as it may seem, I did actually keep a count). Many of those were at the Gaff, a great little venue in Holloway just outside the Nag's Head shopping centre. Friendly venue, great bands, cheap beer and a great atmosphere, it was everything you'd want your local live music place to be. Sadly, a few months into 2011 it was no more - the greedy scumbags at Costa coffee bought it out to turn into one of their soulless overpriced caffeine outlets (full story here) which ironically enough has now itself closed due to lack of trade.
But that was only the first of several cannonballs to hit the London live music scene. The intervening years have seen Nambucca, the Water Rats, 93 Feet East, the Bull & Gate, the Islington, the Archway Tavern and the Luminaire among others close due to falling profits. The Intrepid Fox, a staple of the drinking scene for Soho rockers (admittedly one I was never a big fan of but still, it's the principle of the thing) was forced out of its home by the new Crossrail station at Tottenham Court Road and has had to relocate five miles out of the city centre to Archway (ironically, on the same spot where the Tav used to be).
Those same Crossrail developers are now threatening to redevelop Denmark Street, home of the 12 Bar, the Alleycat, several of the best guitar shops in the capital and so much of London's musical history and turn it into another soulless yuppified area, no doubt with a Costa, a WH Smiths and several chainstores (full story here) while the Buffalo Bar, one of the best independent venues in Islington, is facing closure after the pub above it was sold off to a chain who want to redevelop the basement part of the venue (full story here). Even the legendary 100 Club narrowly avoided closure last year but is still very much hanging on by its fingernails.
There are campaigns afoot to save Denmark Street, the Buffalo and Madame Jo Jo's but given that London is cursed with having politics' answer to Mr Toad, Boris Johnson as its mayor, a man who has made no secret of his closeness with those in the financial sector, it seems that it's more likely he'll listen to the property tycoons who fund his election campaigns than some long-haired rocker plebs. Witness how in recent years places like Soho and Shoreditch have gone from being genuinely edgy and alternative places into bland yuppie paradises with all the cool independent shops and character sucked out to be replaced by hipster-staffed over priced organic restaurants and places for bankers to spend their ill-gotten gains. This is Boris' London, where money talks and common sense walks.
And so yet more of London's culture is sold off to become soulless real estate, just like how the price of housing in the capital has been forced up by greedy landlords meaning the only people who can afford to live in the nice areas anymore are greedy CEO's, slimy merchant banker spivs and Russian oil tycoons purchasing a second home to leave empty there. Meanwhile normal Londoners are forced further out of the city by the year and into residential areas where creating any kind of culture becomes nigh-on impossible thanks to the NIMBY brigade who are already there.
And it's not just London either - read this story about the proposed closure of the Star and Garter in Manchester, sound familiar? Meanwhile my old home city of Leeds has seen one venue after another go to the wall in the last decade - the Duchess (turned into an overpriced fashion boutique), the Well (now offices) and most recently the Cockpit. Bradford, the other city I spent much of my youth drinking in, has seen both of its long-established rock clubs, Rio's and the Gasworks, shut due to the live scene dying off. Across the pond, New York has seen the Lower East Side, once the home of thieves, vagabonds and musical geniuses "cleaned up" and gentrified with places such as CBGB's forced to close while on the west coast, the once infamous Sunset Strip in Los Angeles has become a watered down yuppified shell of its former self thanks to the property developers moving in.
Why is all this so important to me you may ask. Well, it's because live music has very much been my life for the last twenty years. From my first gig going to see Carter USM at an all ages gig in Bradford in 1992 through playing my first ever gig with my teenage years band at some pub in Leeds that we were only just old enough to have drinks bought for us in a couple of years later through lord only knows how many memories of gigs both as a musician and a punter. These are the memories that last a lifetime, that keep you going when life has turned to shit, that help put a smile back on your face when you're feeling down. And the smaller ones are often the best - seeing a great band in a pub or a small rock bar with a bunch of your mates and a few like minded souls is just one of those experiences that's hard to beat. And it saddens me to think that all too soon it may be an experience that very few kids out there will even get to have, let alone enjoy.
Think I'm being over-dramatic? I'm not. A recent study by BBC Radio showed that 85% of the demos they receive nowadays are from solo artists (either acoustic or electronic). If we take that as indicative of the music scene as a whole, it means that bands now account for less than a fifth of new music coming through. That's why smaller music venues are collapsing. And the reason that so few new bands are forming is that the scenes in the big cities are being destroyed by the kulturkampf that Boris and David Cameron and lord knows how many other council leaders with their elbows in the trough, be it a red, blue or yellow rosette on their lapel, are imposing. People are (understandably) coming to the conclusion that getting out there, actually getting a gig organised and putting things together is just too much hassle and it's far easier to just make your own music in your bedroom with a Pro-Tools programme and a drum machine.
And that really fucking depresses me. It's like some Orwellian future has happened while none of us were looking. "Oh, sorry, you want to have a music venue? Well trust us, we'd love to give you one but that property's been bought out by Mr Kalashnikov who's got the big empty mansion three doors up and he wants to turn it into some luxury flats full of people who'll only issue noise complaints if we put one there - plus those people need an M&S sandwich shop, a Giraffe restaurant and a stupidly overpriced baby clothes outlet you know." Soon the only places we'll be able to see music will be at big corpo-dromes sponsored by mobile phone companies who charge you £4.50 for a pint of watered down tasteless lager and get their bouncers to thump you if you try to mosh or crowd-surf or generally have fun and will oversell every show so that it becomes downright uncomfortable to watch. Meanwhile the kids coming through will have no idea what a small intimate gig is and will be raised on a diet of soulless diva warbling, crap dance music, money-grabbing hip-hop CEO's and anaemic Ed Sheeran style acoustic guitarists and simply won't know any better. It'll be like 1975 all over again. Except this time, there won't be any punk movement to come along and save us because that loophole has long since been sanitised and closed. Just a Gucci loafer stamping down on the face of independent music forever.
Welcome to the future. You are free to do as we tell you to. Live music is dead. It was good while it lasted. Last one out switch the lights off...
So on Friday I came home, like a few others out there I suspect, to find a free copy of that most hateful of publications "The Sun" on my doormat. After a quick ripping up of said paper, it's now on its way back to Wapping in a Freepost envelope with the following letter which I thought I'd reproduce here:
To: The Sun
Dear Sirs,
Thank you for sending me a free copy of your paper in the
post on Friday. However, as you have probably gathered from the ripped up
remains of said paper that accompany this letter, I have chosen not to take you
up on this offer and returned said paper via your Freepost service.
The reason for this is that frankly, I do not want to part
of a Britain that takes its values from a bunch of lowlife vermin such as
yourselves – seeing the paper headline of “This is OUR Britain” is something that
fills me with dread and I hope that this is far from the only ripped up or
defaced copy of your paper that you have received in the last few days.
Your paper purports to be a vehicle for reflecting the views
of the ordinary man in the street but the truth is that, to paraphrase an old
saying, the Sun has about as much to do with promoting what is best for the
working class of this country as Eric Pickles does with entering the World
Hang-Gliding Championships. At the moment there are a lot of angry, hurt and
confused people out there. People who have seen their futures gambled away by
greedy bankers and neglectful politicians. People who have found themselves
turfed out of previously secure jobs and now find themselves on the dole queue
with their benefits slashed by a government that doesn’t care about them.
This is surely a time where we should be asking questions
about why the banking sector was allowed to run riot with this country’s money
unchecked by anyone for so long and why the politicians (both the Tories and
Labour) did so little to stop it. We should be asking questions about why the ordinary families of Britain are being bled dry by greedy corporate fat cats running our electricity and public transport companies. We should be asking questions about why despite this government assuring us all that the country is coming out of recession, that more people are living below the poverty line than ever before. We should be asking questions about why the NHS and our free education system, once the two crown jewels in the country's welfare state, are being dismantled by stealth by this government allowing private companies, whose aim isn't to ensure that patients are treated well or that kids receive the best education possible but to make a quick buck and then get out again, to slither in via the back door.
Yet rather than asking those questions, your
paper takes a two fold approach to making sure that the working class of this
country don’t dare question those who are really responsible for the mess we’re
in. Firstly, you seek to deflect the blame on to the easiest targets in society
– benefit seekers and illegal immigrants, the sort of people without any voice
in our society who can’t fight back to defend themselves. Never mind the fact
that for every benefits “cheat” that you so gloatingly expose, there are at
least 999 other people signing on who are genuinely there for a reason, perhaps
because they suffer from a disease that really does stop them working, perhaps
because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and saw the business
they worked for (or even the business they tried to set up and run) wiped out
when the country’s economy took a downward turn and now find themselves
searching for a job when there are no jobs available. And now because of
pressure from your hateful paper, it’s harder than ever for people who need
benefits to claim them. Soon, these people abandoned at the bottom of the heap
won’t even be able to afford healthcare as this government embarks on stealth
privatisation of the NHS, again cheered on by the hack journalists you employ.
Let’s be clear here, the NHS is one of the wonders of our society and the
majority of other countries in this world would give their right arms to have
something along its lines. Yet your paper seems to believe it’s a “drain on
society” (translation – our fat cat business mates would earn even more money
if health in this country were privatised and they could make a killing by
charging people through the nose for inferior treatment to what they receive on
the NHS now). If you honestly believe that a Britain where all healthcare must
be paid for is a good idea, I recommend you watch the Michael Moore documentary
“Sicko” about the American healthcare system and then take a good long hard
look at yourselves. In the meantime, if you're really that concerned about the country losing money via benefits cheats, maybe you should do a couple of exposes on corporate tax avoidance which costs this country ten times more. Oh sorry, I forgot, most of the people doing that are probably mates of yours, aren't they?
As for your shameful diatribes against immigrants and asylum
seekers, it’s a well known fact that immigrants actually create more money for
this country’s economy than they take out of it in benefits and well over 90%
of them are safely employed and paying tax within three months of arriving in
this country but you’d never know that by reading a copy of your paper. They’re
an easy target and it’s a way to keep the working class of this country
fighting amongst each other using horrible racist stereotypes rather than concentrating on a common enemy, namely
those in the financial and political sectors who got us into this mess in the
first place. These shameful distortions of the facts that your paper publishes
on a regular basis are at least indirectly (if not directly) responsible for
the terrifying rise of quasi-fascist parties like the UKIP in this country.
Let’s not mince words here – I’m a proud Brit. England is
the country that I was born in and the country that I’m proud to call home.
Like my fellow countrymen, I observed the commemoration of the D-Day landings
this week just gone, one of the episodes in this country’s history that I feel
we should be the most proud of. I wonder how the soldiers who gave their lives
that day fighting the dark spectre of fascism would feel if they knew 70 years
later that there is a new fascist upsurgence in Europe and that this time
Britain, thanks to Nigel Farage, is one of the countries at the forefront of
it. Personally, if I was writing for your paper and saw what happened in the
European Elections a couple of weeks ago, I think I’d find it hard sleeping at
night.
The second prong of your attack to prevent the working class
of this country asking too many questions while pretending to be on their side is to brainwash those who
maybe aren’t fooled by your biased political reporting with a flood of cheap
pseudo-celebrity tittle tattle dressed up as news. Day in day out, your paper
bombards its readers with stories about so-called “celebrities” who seem to be
famous for reasons not entirely comprehensible to anyone looking at their
history. People like Katie Price, Kim Kardashian, Simon Cowell and his hateful
army of Saturday night karaoke contestants, the cast members of shows such as “The
Only Way Is Essex”. The sort of people who are, quite frankly, a waste of
flesh, bone and oxygen.
Again, there was a time many years ago when to be a “celebrity”
required work, effort, charisma and above all talent, an ability to leave the world hanging on
your every word. Celebrities to me are people like David Bowie, Richard Burton,
Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Peter O’Toole, Rod Stewart, Marilyn Monroe, Keith
Richards, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, George Best, Brian Clough, I could go on
and on but you get the idea. These people were genuinely recognised as having a
gift, as being the best in their field. I’ll concede that we do still have some
people in our society who are very worthy of being looked up to like this – the
sad loss this week of Rik Mayall, a man I consider to be a comedy genius, and
the many touching and heartfelt tributes he received from across society, shows
that people are still capable of recognising real talent when they see it. But
be honest, why should anyone care who one of those grinning mannequins from One
Direction or a reserve team player from Chelsea or Man United is “bonking”? Surely,
even as people in the pay of their PR’s to print this stuff, you must find this
sort of stuff gets a bit boring after a while?
This, then, is why you can find the remains of your free
paper included in this envelope. Again, let me say that I consider myself to be
a proud Brit. But the Britain that I love is the one that celebrates difference
(be it racial, sexual or personality based) in people, that pulls together when
it’s threatened rather than turning on each other, that supports the least able
in its society to help them make a living in this world rather than turning a
blind eye to their suffering, that knows that when everyone is working in the
same direction that we really can create something to be proud of in this
country of ours. And none of these seem to be considered as worthy values in
the Sun’s Britain unfortunately. All I can say is that if this mixture of ill-informed racism, hollow chest-beating factionism and brain-dead tittle-tattle really does represent the views of "The Man In The Street" then I can only end by quoting the late Sid Vicious - "I've met the man in the street. And he's a c**t."
Still, if you want a small crumb of comfort, at least you’re
nowhere near as evil as the Daily Mail is. But I wouldn’t say that’s anything
to be proud of.
Well, on a day when the Gagging Law (ie the one which is basically going to allow the government to restrict funding and protest right to any organisations who might, y'know, disagree with them) came one step closer to scary reality, you'd expect there to be some sort of backlash, a call to arms, a cry to get people up on to the barricades.
Instead we got this hogwash in the Daily Mirror. I really don't like taking issue with those on the same political wing (ie the left one) as me (and I'll say this, generally I think FSF is a pretty good writer) but this is shoddy lazy journalism at its worst. If you can't be bothered to scroll down the article, I'll sum it up below:
FLEET STREET FOX: Hey everybody! This country's f**ked!
MAN IN THE STREET: Yeah, we know.
FSF: No, seriously, it's in really grave danger! The government's crippling the NHS, picking on the poorest in society (and, thanks to that "Benefits Street" program on C4, getting the more idiotic members of the population to believe that this is somehow a good thing), implementing a Bedroom Tax which is going to hit ordinary people unnecessarily hard, letting poverty levels rise to the point where Food Banks are common place and all the time the bankers who caused this mess are getting away scott free.
MITS: Yeah, we know. We read the papers. It's pretty f**king bleak whichever way you look at it. Well, you've given yourself a platform which clearly indicates you feel you have something worthwhile to say. What do you suggest we do?
FSF: Well, we could make a start by getting off our arses and voting.
MITS: Absolutely. Contrary to what Russell Brand might say, if we don't make our voices heard somehow and at least attempt to make a difference then we really have no right to complain when those at the top screw us over. So pray tell, where is the party to get us out of this mess?
FSF: Well, let's be honest, the Tories are a party with all the morals of the average crocodile, the Lib Dems sold all their principles down the river as soon as they were offered a sniff of power and anyone who genuinely thinks that Labour is still the party of the working classes is pretty much living in cloud cuckoo land.
MITS: Absolutely. So what do you suggest then?
FSF: Ummm...well, you do know we need to vote for somebody right.
MITS: Yeah, no shit Sherlock, you've already said. But WHO?
FSF: Ummm...dunno.
MITS: Yeah, great, thanks for that. And someone actually pays you good money to write this bollocks and take away five minutes of my life that I'll never get back?
Jeez, it's no wonder that we can't organise any serious opposition to the status quo in this country. If anyone wants me I'll be banging my head against a wall somewhere...
Well, that was 2013 then. It had its ups and it had its downs and I could go on at quite serious length about both. But instead I thought I'd go back through some of my musical memories of the last year. I actually did a Top 10 albums for Pure Rawk a week or so ago but the trouble was that there were so many great albums that I would've loved to have given a shout out to on there but just didn't have the space to.
So here you go then, think of it as the 12" remix, these are my Top 30 albums of 2013 complete with a video track for each of 'em on here so you can have a listen yourself. And yes, I know some of 'em technically came out in late 2012 but hey, it was this year that I first heard 'em so they're going in... :)
30. UK SUBS - "XXIV"
24 albums in and the hits just keep on coming for Charlie Harper and his crew. The best they've done for a good few years - check out "Coalition Government Blues" below.
29.KILL FOR EDEN - "Kill For Eden" (Video - "Kerosene")
The prospect of a band mixing Garbage's sultry female vocals and electronica with the Cult's fuzzed-up riffs might seem like an odd combination but it definitely works - check out the video for "Kerosene" below.
28.GIVVI FLYNN - "Thieving From The Magpie's Nest"
Long-term Ginger and Jackdaw4 collaborator goes solo via the Pledgemusic route with a little help from her friends and comes up with a cracker of an album. Sadly there don't seem to be any videos up for the tracks from it but go hopefully this gag reel will give you an idea of the fun therein. 27.WARRIOR SOUL - "Stiff Middle Finger"
Technically this came out in late 2012 but it was too late to make my list last time so it's going in here. A solid rabble-rousing effort from Kory Clarke which proves he's still got plenty to say all these years later. Have a listen to "Planetary Revolution" below if you don't believe me.
26.THE HIP PRIESTS - "Full Tilt Bullshit"
The sort of Motorhead-meets-Zodiac Mindwarp rock 'n' roll scumbags that you definitely wouldn't leave anywhere near your house or your girlfriend unattended. Third album from then and it's a belter - check out the "need we say any more" titled "Wrist Action" below...
25.CYANIDE PILLS - "Still Bored"
Buzzcocks indebted pop-punk brilliance from Leeds. Second album from these guys and it's a worthy follow-up to their debut. Check out album highlight "Give It Up" below.
24.PUSSYCAT & THE DIRTY JOHNSONS - "Dirty Rock 'n' Roll"
Second album from the Basingstoke feline-fronted filth merchants. While, if I'm honest, I feel as though they've taken a bit of a hit as a live band by slimming down to a three-piece, they're still more than capable of delivering the goods on record. Again, no audio tracks available on Youtube unfortunately but give this one a listen, it's well worth your time. 23.SAN DUSKY & BRIJITTE WEST - "The Americana Dream"
Not sure if this one strictly counts as it was recorded in 2003 but has only seen the light of day this year. A more reflective sound to the erstwhile NY Loose and Desperate Hopefuls frontwoman's output and well worth your time. Again, sadly no videos on Youtube for this one but take it frmo me, it's well worth checking out.
22.KING SALAMI & THE CUMBERLAND THREE - "Cooking Up A Party"
Old-skool garage rock 'n' roll at its finest and a very worthwhile follow up to their 2011 debut "14 Blazin' Bangers". Check out "Howlin' For My Woman" below.
21.DUNCAN REID - "Little Big Head"
Long overdue return to the fray from the former Boys frontman - twelve tracks of ultra-tuneful pop-punk brilliance. Here's the video for one of the album highlights "Montevideo".
20.JD & THE FDC'S - "Recognise"
Another which came out in late 2012 but I only heard it for the first time early this year. Varied, tuneful and packing one hell of a punch, this was a confident first effort from these Nottingham upstarts. Check out the video for "From The Shadows" (featuring Lita from WWE). Which DID come out this year meaning it qualifies. So there.
19.DIAMOND DOGS - "Set Fire To It All"
Another one which came out in late 2012 but it ended up being one of the first albums I reviewed for Pure Rawk this year. Another solid effort by the retro-lovin' Swedes, check out the festive ode to spending Christmas Eve down the red light district "Sweethearts For Christmas"
18.DREGEN - "Dregen"
Excellent fan-funded effort from the former Backyard Babies six-stringer. Plenty of nods to his old group but a few new tricks thrown in there as well. Check out the video for the first single "Flat Tyre On A Muddy Road" and see for yoruself.
17.THE WONDER STUFF - "Oh No...It's The Wonder Stuff!"
Britpop veterans still going strong all these years later and probably their strongest effort since reforming a decade or so back. Check out the video for the first single and title track below.
16.OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE - "Seculo Seculorum"
Third effort from the Manchester doom rockers and a worthy follow up to 2011's "Dreams of Death and the Death of Dreams". Check out the video for lead-off single "Regurgitate" below.
15.BLACK SPIDERS - "This Savage Land"
Second album of simple dumb no-frills rock 'n' roll from these Doncaster natives. It's not breaking any new ground but when it's done this well, it doesn't have to. First single (vid below) was called "Balls". I think I need say no more.
14.GOLDBLADE - "The Terror Of Modern Life"
Bouncing back after the disappointing "Mutiny" album, this was a welcome reminder of everything that makes Goldblade such a good band, the right mix of punk attitude and a few new tricks to surprise people. Check out the furious "Someone Stole My Brain" below.
13.THE MISSION - "The Brightest Light"
An album which saw three quarters of the classic Mission line-up reunited for their heaviest album for many a year but with enough variety and killer riffs to make it a real standout. Video for the title track below.
12.SENSIBLE GRAY CELLS - "A Postcard From Britain"
A late entry to the fray, this saw Captain Sensible and Paul Gray from the classic early '80s Damned line-up team up for an album which recalled the best bits of "The Black Album" and "Strawberries" with some well-aimed alternately humourous and wistful lyrics about life in modern Britain. Check out the video for lead-off single "Tragic Roundabout" below...
11.THE QUIREBOYS - "Beautiful Curse"
Spike and co were very unlucky to miss the Top 10 but this was another solid effort from the Britrock veterans. Check out the video for the awesome "Mother Mary" below.
10.GIUDA - "Racey Roller"
Fantastic glam/new wave stuff from Italy which sounds like Rome's answer to Hanoi Rocks. Just listen to "Here Comes Saturday Night" below if you want proof. The follow-up (which is out already!) is pretty damn good as well.
9.THE NOVEMBER FIVE - "If You're Satisfied Then You Are Dead"
It's very rare that a band comes along these days who hit me with something I really wasn't expecting and do it in style but Walthamstow's November Five definitely managed it with this effort (again, technically it came out in late 2012 but I first heard it this year so in it goes). Imagine if the Sisters of Mercy had recruited Joe Strummer to write some songs for them and you wouldn't be a million miles off - one part sinister goth vibes and one part firebrand punk attitude it mixes two genres which aren't necessarily normal bedfellows to awesome effect. A follow-up is due this year apparently so get this and keep your eyes pealed for it... 8.THE CRUNCH - "Busy Making Noise"
As the saying goes, not just a supergroup but a superb group. Comprising of Diamond Dogs frontman Sulo, Cockney Rejects guitarist Mickey Geggus, Lords of the New Church bassist Dave Tregunna and Clash/Cherry Bombz drummer Terry Chimes, "Busy Making Noise" was the sound of four veterans getting together for a good old-fashioned knockabout jam session and creating something pretty damn special. Have a listen to their first single "Down By The Border" and see for yourself.
7.TEENAGE CASKET CO - "Still Standing"
I'll be honest - a couple of years ago I thought TCC were down and out after a long gap between new material, line-up changes and generally looking as though they'd fallen into reverse gear. So it was a pleasure to see 'em back with a new album in 2013 which was arguably their strongest yet with its big arena-sized choruses and leap-out-of-the-stereo-at-ya production. Here's "Without You", the second single from it.
6.STEVE CONTE - "The NYC Album"
As with a lot of my choices this year, this was a bit of a curveball from the ex-NY Dolls/current Michael Monroe guitarist - a more earnest blue collar rock album with hints of Springsteen and Jason & The Scorchers. No videos up on Youtube unfortunately but take it from me, this one is well worth listening to.
5.JONNY COLA & THE A-GRADES - "Spitfire"
Very worthy second album from these South London glammers. It takes the obvious influences (most things early '70s and a hint of Suede primarily) but adds a whole new modern twist on them to create something pretty darn awesome. If you've not heard of this lot yet then you really need to. In the meantime, have a butchers at the video to the surftastic "Tropical Beach" below.
4.EUREKA MACHINES - "Remain In Hope"
Like TCC, a band who fought back from the brink to deliver a very strong album in 2013 - by all accounts, they were very near to jacking it in a couple of years ago and leaving us with two very good but sadly underappreciated albums. However, thanks to a far more successful than they'd expected Pledge campaign they were able to deliver a third album which can happily hold its head up with the other two. And in "Pop Star" (video below) they may just have delivered their best single yet. Roll on album number four...
3.THE LOYALTIES - "Till The Death Of Rock 'n' Roll"
While the Eureka Machines album is a tale of triumph over adversity, unfortunately it seems that a storming second album wasn't enough to save the Loyalties who, at present time of writing, sadly appear to be no more. But hey, if you're gonna sign off then you might as well do it in style and this 40-minute riffathon of bruising rock 'n' roll anthems does just that as this video for the title track demonstrates.
2.MICHAEL MONROE - "Horns And Halos"
Mike and his band's first post-Hanoi Rocks album was an absolute stormer but despite losing his main co-songwriter Ginger, he managed to better it with "Horns And Halos". From heads down rock 'n' roll through glam swagger to even a spot of reggae rumblings, this was a mash-up of styles carried off with amazing panache and deserves a listen. The video below is for the lead-off single "Ballad Of The Lower East Side".
1.HEY! HELLO! - "Hey! Hello!"
Like I say, 2013 had some damn good albums but there could only really be one winner. Quite simply, this is the best set of songs that Ginger Wildheart has put his name to since "The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed!" ten years ago - simple no-nonsense rock anthems that'll stick in your brain for days at the time with a message writ large behind them as the vid for "How I Survived The Punk Wars" below demonstrates.
Well, there ya go - hope you all enjoyed that and that 2014 is treating all of you good so far. Some more deranged rantings and musings to follow soon... :)
