the DeRELLAS - SLAM! BAM! (*A Review*)

The DeRellas stick it to the man and kick ya ass with their new album SLAM! BAM! Twelve tracks of no nonsense fuck you 'Glam Stomping, Punk Rock Pogoing Rock'n'Roll.' No difficult second album for these guys; The DeRellas are loaded with an arsenal of anthems all waiting to blow yer brains out. From start to finish SLAM! BAM! Is a no frills thrill of a ride on the Rock'n'Roller-coaster. The Heartbreakers meet The Clash in a switchblade street fight, good time Rock'n'Roll doesn't get much better, this.is real solid gold easy action Play loud and wake up the zombie nation! SLAM! BAM! is out now on Crushworld Records. You'd be a mutha fucker not to check it out!   

ELECTRIC RIVER - Calling Out

CHECK IT OUT!

SAME OLD SAME OLD....

Once again I find myself staring at a blank screen with an as yet untitled document open. I have a notebook with some words scribbled in pen that don't make much sense at the moment, they are just pointers to somewhere, dunno where, but lets get going and see where we end up. .

International Workers day of Revolution! UP THE WORKERS! Yeah, we get it shoved up us everyday of the working week! Work is a fucking pain in the arse!

A perpetual state of turmoil from one disaster to another disaster. Scandal after scandal, another cover up by those in power is exposed. These people run and control our country and our lives, and they cannot control themselves, they are responsible for so much and take responsibility for so little, they lie and cheat, pass judgement and watch our every move. Drones watch the drones you've been framed on CCTV. for Saturday night Prime time entertainment. Laughing at others misfortune makes others feel more fortunate. Watching others misery makes them feel less miserable about the useless lives that they lead.

The totalitarian democracy we are living in is an all encompassing machine that destroys the old and calls it progress. We have no real say, they talk of community as they kill it off with bedroom taxes and regeneration, when all it is is wealth creation.

The NHS is sick a slow death by statistics and internal markets, same with all the public services. No one looks at the bigger picture, they just see their little part in it. Strangled by red tape and petty bureaucracy health and safety madness that takes away any responsibility from anyone for their actions. No wonder no one takes responsibility, they don't know how to. An accident or injury? should have taken more care, no it was someone else’s fault. We learn by mistakes, no one is perfect but people want things to be perfect even in an imperfect world if we make no mistakes how do we learn The Modern World teaches us nothing it shows us and tell us everything how to think and what to think. It defines us then divides us. It keeps us in control by giving us no control. People are becoming programmed machines not human beings directed everywhere by sat nav everything controlled by a mobile phone. Blue tooth, blue ray, when I was a kid the only blue entertainment were films. Now I'm, older if I want to see a bunch of cunts on my TV screen I just turn to the BBC's parliament channel the House of Commons is full of 'em.

The pied piper plays the tune as people follow blindly to the death camps they call home, flat packed and semi detached living for those that think they are free when all they are is slaves detached from reality living in a virtual world of one click shopping same day delivery. Patience another human skill becomes lost in the then and now, now, now! Money back guarantees for people that don't have the money cos it's all on credit. Home owners, owned by their homes and chained to the machine working overtime cos they've over spent. Too blind to see past the smokescreens and illusions and too deaf to hear anything else except the Pipers Tune

The Big Lie, tell people they are free enough times because they are living in a democratic country with the right to vote and they will believe it show them military dictatorships in other countries to reinforce the believe that if you haven't got a gun held to your head you must be free. Well I've got news for you, the guns held to our head is fear. The fear of repossession, unemployment, the fear of having nothing after the bailiffs have been. People are owned by what they own, defined by what they have and motivated by what they haven't got, and what they want what they don't need, not that they know that, because they have been brainwashed into thinking that they are free because they have freedom of choice and a right to buy whatever they choose..

Dumbing down the dumb. Too blind to see / Too thick to think What is that fucking stink? I love the smell of bullshit in the morning, papers!

A-M-I Anti Meathead Inc (*A REVIEW*)

Suck on this George Bernard Shaw! Youth isn't being wasted on this bunch of Brighton youngsters.  With a combined age of 55 four piece punk rock upstarts A-M-I are a young band. At 15 years old Guitarist Marley Perez is old enough to be Charlie Harper from the UK Subs's grandson....wait up the press release says he is! Looks like punk rock is in the blood.

A-M-I first got together back in 2010, and released a single Meathead/Billy No Mates in 2012 (Co-produced with Charlie Harper.) Anti Meathead Inc is their debut album, and what a gem it is, a real blast of youthful punk rock metal exuberance with a message of what matters to them in the world today; Consumerism, Bullying, Environmentalism, Rebellion and Treachery.  The antithesis of One Direction.

A-M-I are carrying the punk rock flame deeper into the darkening years of the 21^st Century; lighting the way forward for a future generation who have had enough of being sold the shrink wrapped pre packed garbage pop that is the X-Factor and The Voice. The Kids are Alright, it's the adults that are the problem! but not in this case cos A-M-I have had the likes of the UK Subs and Captain Sensible mentoring them, which can't have been a bad thing as just one listen to their album will testify. A-M-I have a musical maturity beyond their years and have developed a sound that is not just their own but also a reflection of their influences; The Clash, Crass, The Ruts, Metallica, Slipknot. The songs are: Fast and frantic, chugging and chopping, tuneful and thoughtful. Through the crystal clear production, the Guitars thrash the drums crash the bass bashes and the vocals shout, scream and shriek, Ten tracks each one as catchy as nits in the school playground and just as hard to get out of yer head. If as another old saying goes “you are only as old as you feel” then after listening to this album several times I'm gonna be fifteen this year and not fifty.

Anti Meathead Inc is available for £5 from Time and Matter Recordings. It's a nicely packaged CD and is available in 3 different colours (Red, Orange and Green) Highly Recommended ***** 

CONTINENTAL LIAISON - A Review and *FREE DOWNLOAD*

Continental Liaison are not quite like anything I've heard for a long while; they have ripped it up and started again with a unique deconstructed post punk rock'n'roll mash up that hits you like The Human League on heroin,  a garage rock Sigue Sigue Sputnik or Throbbing Gristle play Pop. Continental Liaison have plundered the past, and made it their own, with an agitated and angular attack on the senses. A raw soulful synth throb battles with fuzzed up, frantic guitars, topped by some moody, monotonous and monotone vocals that offer words of meaning. The sound of 80's Disco-Pop fed through a 21^st Century Rock'n'Roll blender. Boy this is brilliant stuff!  
Continental Liaison's debut limited edition single Series Of Events b/w Secession is available from Rough Trade, purchasers also get a download code for a couple of further tracks Future and Hypercompress. Check it out if yer bored with the bland and banal, you wont be disappointed. More details are available on their facebook page. Here's an exclusive for you....an as yet unavailable and unreleased except here demo(scuzzy mix) of The Sonics garage rock classic Strychnine. Vocalist Bam Liaison tells me it took as much time to record and mix as it does to listen to. Take the time and feed yer mind!

JOHNNY THUNDERS - Summat To Read For Ya....

Another excellent piece of writing by Nina Antonia.

RE-LOAD!

Not a lot of Socio/Political comment of late. If words are our weapon then some times my ammunition either runs out or keeps on firing at the same targets. Unfortunately that's how it is. So whats been going on...Probably a lot more than they are telling us, they only tell us what they want us to know, and when they want us to know it.

Russian leader Puttin has stopped posturing like King Kong with a hard on, and is now negotiating, with the rest of the world over the Crimea. Russian oligarchs have had their assets frozen, which should stop 'em buying any more English football teams for the moment.

In a case of life imitating art, or at best a long running drawn out TV drama; Lost.  A plane went missing over three weeks ago, in a high tech world it disappeared when persons unknown (terrorists or a suicidal pilot) turned off the radar signal. Relatives grief and demand the truth when conspiracy theories have been the only answers, which have caused more questions. The truth is out there....two miles down at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, but we will probably never know why!

UKIP gain popularity after the EU debate on the Radio last week. If there was no UKIP where would the bigots and racists turn? Here's a thought UKIP's stance on immigration could potentially stop far right extremists from Europe coming to Britain to stir things up? Fighting fascism with fascism. Unfortunately UKIP are a necessary political evil in a democracy, they are both a pressure cooker and blender for Right Wing Anti-Immigration views. Both the Labour and Conservative parties have to address public opinion to stop it boiling over, they will use diluted policies based on UKIP's stance, in order to win next years election. The frightening thing is that a growing percentage of the British public belief all the bullshit propaganda that UKIP are peddling, even more than the bullshit broadcast by the Labour, Conservative and Liberal parties.

I heard another early shot in their battle for the hearts and minds of the electorate on the radio this morning, there are plans a foot to charge people for using the NHS. Free at the point of contact, but should someone be admitted to Hospital then there are proposals to charge people for their stay, Like it's a fucking hotel. There's also talk of raising prescription charges, how about the NHS buys the drugs from the pharmaceutical companies at a cheaper price, negotiate the deals, isn't that what a free market is all about? But no we'll make the people pay for the corporate share holders profits. How about making those that can afford to pay for their health care....pay! For example all those politicians that insist on using the NHS to show the belief they have in it and that they are the same as the people they represent....charge them, because it's those most in need that will suffer (the elderly and the poor) who no doubt will also be judged on the lifestyle choices they have made, if they had a choice!

The state can't afford the expense of the NHS, because successive governments both Left and Right have spent billions on wars and national security, all done in our name. God and Allah forbid there is another terrorist attack in the UK, but I fear that something will happen again, my faith in organised religion is the same as it is with politicians. They aint gonna save us, they're gonna kill us. So then....if there was another 7/7 bombing, would the injured be charged for their stay in one of the new Hospital Hotels?

As I type this I can hear the 10.00 clock news reporting that climate change is going to be a big problem in the future; food shortages and more extreme weather. The far right are on the rise in France, and licensing laws will change during the World Cup so England fans can drink later while they watch England play. “Here we go, Here we go, Here we go again!”

Take aim....Fire!

The DeRELLAS - SLAM! BAM!

The DeRellas are all fired up about the release of their new album SLAM! BAM!, it's due out in May, and promises to be another rifftastic piece of Punk'n'Roll just like their debut Hollywood Monsters. Here's what the band have to say about the proceedings....

“It's in the can! Slam! Bam!, the rip-roaring second album from The DeRellas (that's us), has been recorded and mixed, the artwork is done, the running order is finalised. We're ready to unshackle the beast and release it to the world like King Kong with a king-sized hangover. Building on the reprobate rock'n'roll sound of our acclaimed debut Hollywood Monsters, Slam! Bam! Could soon be powering through your speakers like an AK47.”

Slam! Bam! is available to pre-order through Pledge Music, on a variety of formats with added extras like T-Shirts, signed artwork etc. So 1, 2, 3, 4....What are yer waiting for.... click here and sign up for some solid gold DeRellas action, then why not catch 'em live in a town near you when they take to the road with  their new drummer  to promote the album.

GLM - Summer Nights (Are Never Like Movies) THE VIDEO

Here's the video to GLM's Summer Nights (Are Never Like Movies) featuring Jack Nicholson's back and Nicole Kidman alongside Esso, Pete and Nigel. Great video by eddieredblood for a great song by GLM. Summer Nights is also going to be featured on Can't Stop The Heat, a 5 track EP that GLM are releasing around April/May. The Future Is Calling also makes a return appearance, along with three new ones; Not The Real Thing ,Smiling Inside and There Goes Deborah. Pete Stride (Guitar/Vocals) reckons the new songs are of a “Pretty hard and fast style with a touch of pop at the same time.” He also went on to say that they went for an EP rather than an album, because an album would have taken to long to do, and the band like getting new stuff out as soon as possible to keep people interested. There will also be a video out at the same time as the EP,' GLM's album Chemical Landslide is currently available from their web site at the knock down recession busting price of £4.99. A bargain if you like your Rock'Roll hard, heavy and tuneful. The best songs The Lurkers didn't write!

ELECTRIC RIVER - "The cold voice of tragedy cannot defeat you!"

If any band of the last few years deserves to have their 15 Minutes, that band is Electric River. It's about time their stadium sized anthems were taken from the clubs'n'pubs in which they've been tirelessly playing  for the last four years and into larger venues. If there's any justice in an unjust world then Electric Rivers new album should see them kick the doors down and burst onto these stages with their street smart songs of hardship, hope, pain and positivity. Any one looking for a British Gaslight Anthem or to hear what a scuffle between The Clash and Big Country sounds like should look no further than Electric River.

Their new 2 track single In Your Name/32 is out on 31^st March. Its a beefy, raw, raucous but polished blast of Rock'n'Roll. The album The Faith And Patience is due out around May on Cadiz Music, and if it's anything like this single and their previous releases it will be a corker! More info on Electric River can be found on their Facebook page.

Picture of Johnny Thunders. Words by The Ramones.  

Tony Benn - R.I.P

DEADCUTS are contagious to you....yeah, yeah, yeah!

If this was the NME, and I was some trend setting music journo then I'd be proclaiming that East London's Rock'n'Roll animals Deadcuts were the best new band of 2014, and the future of Rock'n'Roll, but it isn't and I aint so....I wont, but what I will say is that they are the best band I have heard for many a year, and as for them being the future of Rock'n'Roll.... Well, does Rock'n'Roll have a future in a world of the bland, sanitised and desensitised? Well yes it does as long as there are bands like Deadcuts out there; ones that defy categorisation, playing music that challenges and confronts the senses and takes you to different places. A band that treads its own path through the debris and broken glass of the past.

Deadcuts play short sharp songs of epic proportions, full of more hooks than a butchers shop. Gruff gravely vocals, a twin guitar attack that swoops and soars above a solid rhythm section before diving and cutting into yer flesh like a rusty razor. Brutal and beautiful, sexy and sleazy stuff, music to fuck and get fucked up to. It's what guitars were built for!

Their debut album Dark Is The Night promises to be something special if the tracks I've heard from it are anything to go by. There's some Deadcuts gear  to watch on youtube and to listen to on Soundcloud or take a trip to their facebook page.

If this was the NME and I was a trend setting journo I'd also have said that Deadcuts sound like a Punked Up Psychedelic Furs for the 21st Century.

“Live to dance another night and day!”

AS THE CROW FLYS!

Cant say I was a big Bob Crow supporter; just another leader with power, yeah he did use it to support his Union members, but in turn he also used it to support himself in a manner not so working class. All power corrupts! A 'suspected heart attack' has removed a thorn from the side of those presently holding the(ir) power. A 'crazy conspiracy theorist' might say that his untimely death came at precisely the right time; In the build up to next years general election the established order isn't gonna want a charismatic lefty with power pissing on their parade, but who am I to say.

ELECTRIC RIVER - In Your Name (Official Lyric Video)

IT'S A CRIME WHAT'S GOING ON 'ERE!

RE: 'The situation' in the Ukraine.

A hundred years after the First World War, is this the start of a Third one? Who knows, watch this space.... Or a live and direct High Definition 24hr News feed! Just remember it has been said that truth is the first casualty of war!