Milly Whyles is LTW’s youngest writer. At 15 she has written some great perceptive pieces about new music and punk which she has a passion for. For Milly one of the key things in punk was its politics and a politic she sees reflected in a new generation of bands which she explains here…

Political ideas and ideologies have always been expressed through punk music and the culture surrounding this. As I write today I listen to a copy of ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols’ on vinyl, an album littered with political concepts. There has always been something to be angry about, especially in the era of Trump, Brexit and looming threats of war. In this article, the importance and limitations on the role of politics in punk will be discussed.

In many ways, politics serves as a base on which to make music coming from a real place of emotion and a deep sense of injustice. It’s a way for artists to project their feelings about their own situation through means of passionate and meaningful music. Furthermore, by making music about an issue the band or artist raises awareness of this issue and helps to gather a cause for or against it. Without discussion, change would never happen. Punk is a great way of creating this discussion and therefore influencing change and activism. Censorship is easily a dampener on the raw honesty of punk music – by saying politics should stay out of the movement it silences something that should never be silenced. 

In contrast, there are a few ways in which politics are a bad influence on punk. It creates riots and violence, giving punk a bad name as a subculture based on useless violence. Another example of this bad name is the association of Nazism and extreme nationalism with the punk music due to the racism that crept into the second wave of the skinhead movement. Instead of its original nature – working class solidarity- it was twisted to become a symbol of white supremacy, as Don Letts tells of in ‘The Story of Skinhead’. Again, this becomes a cause for violence and fights.

In today’s upside down world, politics holds an important place in punk. The younger generation are more involved politically than we ever have been, and we are more inclined to talk about what we believe to be wrong. This awareness and knowledge is our power for the future. We are full of frustration that the world is going backwards instead of forwards, and you don’t have to look far to find fantastic music coming from a politically charged attitude. Goat Girl are a wonderful example of this, making music about the dismal state of London and Brexit – a perfect backing soundtrack to the world that crumbles around us. The Blinders are also an incredible band making music about our political situation – take ‘brave new world’ and ‘hate song’. My vote (see what I did there) is that politics should stay intertwined with punk as an essential string that has run through the movement from the beginning. 

I’d be happy to hear other opinions, feel free to comment yours and we can get some discussion happening. 

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Deep Blue Something encapsulated the breezy longing of the 1990s with the world-reaching hit Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Over twenty years on, the Texan troupe are still going strong and making their first jaunt to the UK since their original heyday. Sam Lambeth caught up with them – though not over breakfast – to find out more.

As a band name, Deep Blue Something feels strangely fitting. Firstly, as a band they are musically far-reaching and emotionally adept, weaving wondrous tales of wounded melancholia and world-weary romance. Secondly, just like the end of their moniker, they’re a little hard to define. The Denton natives may have conquered charts across the globe with the wistful shuffle of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but in reality their music has the throbbing dream-pop of Beach House, the shoegaze riffery of My Bloody Valentine and the folk flourishes of Counting Crows.

“It’s ok not to be categorised,” says Toby Pipes, the band’s co-vocalist and guitarist, whose dreamy soundscapes provide DBS with an enchanting aura. “People that are into dream-pop and shoegaze can hopefully see the similarities, while people that are into pop can see it’s pop. As long as our music, in some small way, can make someone’s day a little easier to deal with, then I’m happy.”

While it is always unfair for a band to be tethered to a certain track, Breakfast at Tiffany’s – with its twinkling acoustic motif, irresistible hooks and chiming riffs – was always going to be hard to beat. The five-piece, led by Toby’s bassist brother Todd, would enjoy long parties before enduring radio interviews at 6am (all thanks to that ‘breakfast’ in the title). Follow-up single Josey, a gentle ode to an HIV test, struggled to replicate Tiffany’s titanic longevity. By the time the group had readied their third album, the sprawling Byzantium, they found themselves on the major label scrapheap. “(Having a big hit) has definitely had its advantages and disadvantages,” Toby mulls. “But over the years we embrace it more and more.”

It was that embracing that ultimately led to DBS reforming on a more full-time basis around 2014 (interim highlights included Todd and Toby producing a slew of heavy metal bands in their native Texas, drummer John Kirtland acquiring the rights to Bush’s back catalogue and guitarist Clay Bergus becoming a successful restauranteur). “Everyone was really into the idea and while we were looking through old show videos and cassette tapes, we found a bunch of old material we never recorded and decided to play some shows,” Toby says. That then led to 2015’s stellar Locust House EP, a strong set of songs that showcased DBS’ admirable ability to blend bittersweet balladry with blazing individuality.

2019 looks to be the band’s busiest year yet. With new material in the works – Toby hopes for the fruits of their labours to be released around spring – the quintet are returning to the UK for the first time since 1998. “I’m very excited,” Toby beams. “The plan is to play a few of the newer tracks, but mainly stick to the older material that everyone will probably want to hear this first time back. We played a lot all over Europe but never actually had a full tour in the UK.”

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, nudging the 100 million streams mark on Spotify, has enamoured Deep Blue Something’s appeal to a whole new audience. Whether it remains their eternal calling card remains to be seen, but Pipes is, as ever, positive. “We feel lucky that we have had a song that has reached so many people around the world. What could be wrong with that?”

DEEP CUTS

There’s more to Deep Blue Something than that song. Here are five tracks that really demonstrate the group’s talents.

• Josey – Toby takes lead vocal duties on this one, a gentle acoustic chug that feels a natural successor to Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Taken from the band’s most successful album, 1995’s Home, Josey has an easy-going shuffle and gentle delivery that belies its heavy subject matter.
• Cherry Lime Rickey – Byzantium may have fallen foul of major label disinterest, but it contains some of the band’s most impressive and ambitious works. This seven-minute epic is replete with blistering riffs, a stomping glam thrash of a chorus and pounding drums.
• Parkbench – An almost trance-like beat propels Parkbench, a dizzying arms-aloft anthem buoyed by Todd’s pulsating bass work and Toby’s fragmented, textured arpeggios.
• She Is – At their core, Deep Blue Something are mysterious and enigmatic, able to craft songs that burn and bathe in equal measure. She Is has the best of both worlds, Beatles-esque acoustics giving way to a crunching chorus and warped melodies.
• Out Of My Head – The pick of their 2015 return, Out Of My Head is a stirring ballad that stays on the right side of saccharine thanks to the Pipes’ dual vocal delivery, swelling strings and hazy guitars.

Deep Blue Something are on Facebook and Twitter. They tour from March.

~

Sam Lambeth is a journalist, writer and musician, born in the West Midlands but currently living in London. He performs in his own band, Quinn. He is on Twitter, and more of his work can be found on his archive.

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Single Review

The Total Rejection : Bridget (Song For Billy Childish) (Raving Pop Blast)

DL / Limited Edition 7 inch vinyl 

Out now / Nearly Sold Out

As the January blues start to kick in, you need to hear This! But you will have to be quick if you want it on vinyl…

This is the first piece of great, life-affirming, trash-garage rock’n’roll I’ve heard this year….

It will make you wanna dance… It’ll make you laugh  ( rhyming blasphemy and a blast for me! )

… and it will make you wanna hear more by the fabulously groovily named the Total Rejection….

From Bristol;  former member(s) of The Groove Farm, nothing-new but something-special…. TTR maintain that ‘Billy Childish Is God’.  A foolish notion perhaps as only one of those mentioned actually exists, or mocking the Clapton Is…bores of the Seventies?  Childish is indeed an impressive artist and his musical approach is explored by The Total Rejection as they salute the man whilst chatting up a Christian girl called Bridget.

If you too believe in “rock’n’roll and love” garage style then you will love this….

Buy from here and check out the bands album Wrapping Yourself In Silver Foil Won’t Save You From The Blast, which came out last year. 

The Total Rejection Facebook 

Raving Pop Blast Facebook

There is a brand new Billy Childish Interview in the new (print) Shindig Magazine I notice. 

All Words Ged Babey

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Manchester Meltdown 2, episode 1– live review
The Peer Hat
Manchester
02/01/2019

When you come away from an evening feeling not just a member of an audience, but part of an atmosphere powered by passion and energised by experimentation – that’s when it goes from a gig, to an event of much greater significance. Or at least that’s my take on it – and indeed, how I would describe the first in the second series of ‘Manchester Meltdown’ nights (following on from a successful run of 2018 events) which took place on the 2nd January 2019 at much-loved venue The Peer Hat. The artists featured were Four Candles, Nick Alexander, Trancendental Equation and Weimar. According to Louder Than War’s Emily Oldfield…

‘Manchester Meltdown’ is a series of music events curated by Ian ‘Moet’ Moss and Salford-based record label German Shepherd Records, typically consisting of four local acts, and at £3 for the whole evening, it is astonishingly good value for something that I maintain stretches far beyond ‘entertainment’ and into an alternative experience. It provides a place to not just not observe what is going on in Manchester and Salford’s grassroots music scene, but to be immersed within it, utilising the connection between venue and event to great effect.

Running every Wednesday evening throughout January ‘Manchester Meltdown’, emphasizes that local live music can be accessible and affordable, addressing two of the major issues affecting gig-attendance in this typically unpopular month. And the size of the crowd certainly was notable as Four Candles started up their set, smashing out a tight, bristling breed of post-punk which seethes in the ears and sets the soles of the feet alight. We were all moving within minutes.

The first track ‘Chastity Belt’ charged out with vicious emotional energy, sticking two fingers firmly in the face of the preconception that tight tracks lack depth – instead it dug right in, rolling with themes of exploitation and pain. Watching Ian ‘Moet’ Moss bring the lyrics to life was especially emotive, literally throwing himself into the lines with the type of cathartic abandon only music can offer, sweat searing like tears within the wild jam. Thundering force followed in the form of ‘Vikings’, all the time emphasized by elaborate electric guitar, gripping, gusty bass and drums which seemed to provide the power of two people… each artist on stage billowing out their own bold expression which collectively brought each piece to new heights. ‘BBC’ is a long-term audience favourite along with its repeated raucous refrain ‘I spit on the BBC’ whilst ‘Fly In My Soup’ is a track which underlines Four Candles’ beguiling ability to combine humorous observation with hard-hitting, political, gut-punching post-punk.

Nick Alexander followed in the ‘Manchester Meltdown’ line-up, inviting the audience into a solo set which soared with layers of guitar and vocals which seemed to shift and swell open in their exploration of so many emotional frequencies, stories, delicious meandering narratives. Nick began with a relaxed, conversational address to the audience, working out what to start up with whilst still on stage… a refreshing approach to experiencing live music which emphasizes the ability of the artist to intuit their sound for the moment, to amplify the existing atmosphere further, to make the room roll with feeling. Plush instrumentation and vocal volleys then seemed to take the audience by surprise as each track swept us into a swirling soundscape of lived experience and earthy, expansive landscapes – a psych-jam quality to Nick’s playing allowing each piece to unreel before easing out into a wash of emotional impact.

A particular favourite was ‘Barrington Way’ with its building guitar and reflective, resonant recollection of a visited place which can still yield great effect. Notably, throughout the set, was how layer upon layer of Nick’s vocals built in a kind of crescendo, starting off like a whispered invitation and extending to a crying, almost screaming height of passion which took each track far beyond a set time and place and allowed us all to be part of the experience. This is the type of music which unknots the tightness we carry in our chests, as underlined by the anthemic ‘Beverly Everly’, a song bringing themes of necromancy and the enigmatic influence of Syd Barrett to a billowing burst. Nick holds the rare quality of possessing not just notable musicianship but the skill that also lies beyond lyrics, a voice to tap into the emotion and crack it open.

Next were Trancendental Equation, a three-piece band performing their first live set – and skilfully so, taking the existing psych energy in the room and exploring it further through free-flowing instrumental jams of guitar, bass and drums which washed around like a weird bliss. This was kind of wordless psychedelia it seemed impossible not to dance to, utterly energetic drumming combined with a warm bass core which showed real talent and effortless flair. Also really worth noting was the expressive guitar which explored alternating patterns, heights and hot sensation with a snaking skill… always maintaining interest in the room, something that live instrumental music does not always maintain. Chemistry on stage was evident, making the fact that this was the band’s first live set actually irrelevant, their resonance taking us again beyond three musicians: it was invitation into a movement of adventure.

Weimar was the final act of ‘Manchester Meltdown’, the band consisting of Aidan Cross (The Bacillus, Black Light Mutants), Johann Kloos (The Sandells, Erick), John Armstrong (The Speed of Sound) and Anthony Edwards (The Deceased) on drums. Having had an already intense 2018 consisting of much recording as well as a number of gigs in the Manchester area, the band demonstrated a refined deftness to their style and sound, crafting shimmering art rock underpinned by artful guitar – all the time the sound swirling with experimental edges, every little trill and flair adding felt bursts of intensity. The skill and uniqueness of Weimar after all lies in their ability to express personal observation and tune into the undercurrents and untold stories of society, wielded through unabashed art pop which unfolds in layers, often linking to the past. Aidan Cross sings with electrifying intensity, on the night his intense makeup and flamboyant sleeving all adding to the aesthetic punch of band which bristle with interest.

Weimar also treated the audience to a number of new tracks ahead of the release of their debut single, the double A-side John Doe/Curse the Songs on 1st February 2019 (which will be marked with a launch gig at The Eagle Inn in Salford on the same date, with guest appearances from Dominic Carlton Jones, Sticky Pearls and Geneviève L. Walsh). A particularly memorable piece was ‘Nights in Spanish Harlem’ which enchanted with its expansive guitar hooks and lyrical charm, the band never shying away from touching on themes of insecurity, love and regret. ‘Curse The Songs’ is also another favourite, an anthemic chorus and rolling guitar buzz building on the theme of iconic musicians who seem to swing to the political right in their old age… the tune itself sending the crowd into a mix of swirling movement and singing.

Weimar sent the evening out on a high – and for more, their double A-side (produced by Simon ‘Ding’ Archer – formerly of The Fall, Pixies, PJ Harvey, Bobbie Peru), will be released physically on the 1 February by the band’s own label Marlene’s Hat, and digitally by German Shepherd Records.

I walked home with a wired warmth in my chest – and excitement for next week’s Manchester Meltdown event. Falling on Wednesday 9 January at The Peer Hat, it will feature St Lucifer, Adventures of Salvador, Four Candles and an unnerving set of poetry. Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/860606400813611/

Words by Emily Oldfield
Photography with thanks to Victoria Egan

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Watch the new trailer for upcoming Lords Of Chaos film based around the birth of black metal in Norway.

The black metal scene has been one of the most fascinating and cutting-edge music scenes in the world but its roots were intense, dark and bloody.

It shouldn’t really work but the film, starring Sky Ferreira and Rory Culkin the acclaimed true-story horror from Grammy-winning music video director Jonas Åkerlund is meant to be very good.

It tells the story of the band Mayhem – revered by as forefathers of Norwegian black metal and their bizarre story that included in 1991 then vocalist Per Yngve Ohlin (“Dead”) taking his own life, before guitarist and scene driver, a Øystein Aarseth (“Euronymous”) was murdered by former member Varg Vikernes (“Count Grishnackh”) of Burzum.

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There’s a bunch of well-known four-piece acts who have had claims of a 5^th member that was close enough to the band to receive the aforementioned esteemed accolade. The 5^th Beatle is George Martin, The 5^th Stone Rose is Cressa. With The Small Faces, their 5^th member maybe should be their fanzine fanatic John Hellier. Matt Mead interviews John for Louder Than War regarding his new book entitled Best Bits, a celebration of the esteemed bestselling fanzine The Darlings of Wapping Wharf Launderette.

You might be surprised to know the fanzine didn’t actually start with John: two other Small Faces fanatics started the love affair with issues 1–4 before John took over the reins and started to build the beast of a publication into what we knew and loved it to be, the ultimate resource of the complete work of the magic midgets. John came on board the fanzine at a time when the mere mention of the name The Small Faces would have left most music lovers scratching their heads – now with the invention of digital music downloads plus with multiple waves of Mod music revivals The Small Faces hold a lofty place in millions of music lovers hearts, and maybe that has something to do with the hefty work of John Hellier.

Just to give a little bit of background to John, he is a freelance journalist for major music monthlies Mojo, Uncut, Loaded and Record Collector, and he has also published a number of very successful books, including a collaboration with Terry Rawlings and Keith Badman called Quite Naturally, and a Steve Marriott biography All Too Beautiful co-written with Paolo Hewitt. A third book co-written with Paul Weller entitled Here Come The Nice was published in late 2005 and spent many months in the Music book best sellers. Other recent publications include a biography about original Who manager Pete Meaden entitled I’m The Face and a Ronnie Lane biography called Can You Show Me A Dream?. On the Promotions side, John’s biggest venture to date was the very successful sell-out Ronnie Lane Memorial Concert at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London in April 2004. He promoted and compered the show in front of 5500 fans. The show, entitled One For The Road, featured many of Rock and Roll’s premier league and included, amongst others, Pete Townshend, Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, Paul Weller and Ocean Colour Scene, and was filmed and available on DVD. All of these publications are available to buy via John’s own website.

What we have in the A5-sized book Best Bits is a stylish cut-and-paste job with no index – this is simply John picking and choosing the very best bits from the 40 fanzines over 400 pages, and some of the articles are from fanzines that have long since sold out. The content features a foreword by John and previously unseen pictures of the band in various guises and locations, and the interviews include heavyweight Small Faces fans Paul Weller, Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend, together with Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenny Jones and Ian McClagan.

John has really done his homework on the band here. Born in the same generation as the band, John was a Mod of the ’60s, meaning he was in prime position to see the band up close and personal. This coupled with his 30-odd years’ worth of collecting anything and everything on the band including previously unheard audio, unseen footage, plus being given exclusive access to the band members families’ personal collections, means John is simply the be all and end all of the band. He comes across as warm, caring and engaging as a fan should be of a much-loved band that produced timeless records of the ’60s that are still relevant and fresh sounding now as they were back then.

Interview with John Hellier

LTW: When did you first hear about The Small Faces?

John: Up until around early 1964 my only interest musically was American. I would hear great songs on the first Beatles and Stones albums and then go out of my way to track the original versions down. Half a century before Google that wasn’t easy. If it was British I didn’t want to know, but that was all to change. Great bands were emerging, particularly around London: bands such as the Pretty Things, the Yardbirds, the Who and of course, the Small Faces. I’d seen Steve Marriott previously in a band called The Moments and was very impressed. He was a tiny kid with a voice akin to a middle aged black man from Memphis. By following his career it obviously lead me to his next band and that was the introduction.

What was it about the band that you liked? The clothes? The Music? Everything?

Well everything, but first and foremost it was the look. Mod was and still is very much about image and they had that in abundance. They were perfection, they looked as though they were manufactured all with the same shirt size. Of course, they were not. I would buy all of the teenage pop magazines of the day just for the photos. I’d clock something Steve or Ronnie were wearing and then catch the train up West to try to buy the same. The music, pre the hit singles, was raw. All they ever wanted to be was the East End of London’s Booker T And The MGs.

Did you go to see the band live?

Lots of times, from small Soho clubs to pop package tours in cinemas and theatres.

What are your favourite five gigs?

Their first gig at the Marquee Club in London; Romford ABC with Roy Orbison; Finsbury Park Astoria with Jeff Beck; and the South Ockendon Youth Club in Essex. But the very best was a show at the Bubbles Club in Brentwood in October 1968, just before the split, in which they played as a five-piece with Peter Frampton on lead guitar. Little did I know at the time that Steve and Peter would form their own band just months later, Humble Pie.

Do you remember watching them on TV when you were younger?

Yes, all the usual shows of that era, things like Ready Steady Go, Top of the Pops and Crackerjack!

What’s your favourite TV appearance? I personally like the Morecombe And Wise appearance of I Can’t Make It – Marriott is savage on the microphone, the rest of the band give it loads miming behind the great front man. Brilliant.

Colour Me Pop in 1968 in which they performed the second side of the Ogdens Nut Gone Flake album with Stanley Unwin narrating. That was the first time I’d seen them on the telly in colour.

When did you start collecting the bands memorabilia?

As early as 1966 I was collecting the records and photographs but it wasn’t until I met and befriended Steve in the mid 1980s that I started with the serious stuff.

Where has your archive come from?

All of the good stuff such as personal items of stage clothing, signed contracts, rare acetates and rare footage has come from the band members themselves and their families.

Have you ever spent a big amount of money on any of the archive?

Some of the items are valuable but I’ve never had to buy them. I’ve done lots of favours for those guys and their mums and dads and their aunties and uncles and have been rewarded with gifts.

What is your prized possession relating to the band?

Two items of clothing from Steve. One is a floral neck-scarf that he wore on stage with the Small Faces, circa 1968, and the other is a tatty neck-scarf with numerous cigarette burns that Keith Richards gave to Steve when Steve auditioned for the Stones in the 70s. He gave it to him for good luck, it never worked as he never got the job but Steve wore it on stage whilst touring the States with Humble Pie. It now hangs in my music room.

What are your top 5 singles by the band?

A difficult question and one that would probably have a different answer every week. My number one track though is a strange choice – What’s A Matter Baby, the b-side of the first single and not even one of their own. It’s a very soulful rendition of an old Timi Yuro song. Next up Afterglow Of Your Love, a beautiful love song that deserves more air play. I keep waiting for some boy band to murder it! Add to those two the absolutely stunning Autumn Stone and their only number one hit single All Or Nothing. The fifth choice has to be Tin Soldier, a powerhouse of a song and a powerhouse of a performance.

How did you get to interview all of the band?

Well Steve was first, that was in 1985. Mac and Kenney much later, that was when I worked with them on Steve’s memorial show in 2001. My interview with Ronnie was done by way of an international phone call when he was living in Colorado. He was very sick at the time, hence a poor interview.

What’s the most memorable interview you’ve done for the fanzine so far?

I’ve interviewed many so-called ‘superstars’ but the most memorable was Eric Clapton in 1997. Eric was very close to Ronnie Lane and when Ronnie sadly died in June 1997 Eric was pursued by all of the major music magazines such as Mojo, Record Collector etc for an interview, but he declined them and chose to speak with me only for an exclusive in Wapping Wharf. To say I was honoured is the understatement of the century!

How did the fanzine first become an idea?

During the mod revival years of 1979 and early 80s the Small Faces were largely ignored. It was all about the Who and Quadrophenia. There was nothing at all on the Small Faces except for a few shabby greatest hits compilations, so when I stumbled across a very basic fanzine put together by some guy in Liverpool I was overjoyed. It was called Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette and as it was in those pre-PC days it was a cheap cut and paste job – cheap and nasty but it was all that was out there on the Small Faces. I wrote to the editor, expressed my joy and offered to write an article for issue 2, which I did. After the first four issues the guy gave up on it, so rather than see it die I took over the editorship from issue 5. I employed a good graphic designer and took the fanzine upmarket with a new glossy 40-page format.

Did you ever expect it to be as successful as it has been?

Its later success could not possibly have been envisaged at the time. Issue 5, my first one, had a print run of 100 – by issue 20 that was up to 2,000.

Do you have any well-known people who have purchased the fanzine over the years?

Lots and lots of well-known people in the music business have read the mag on a regular basis including all five Small Faces (Jimmy Winston included). Some purchased copies, others were given as freebies. Paul Weller has been the most supportive ‘star’ and has not only supplied lots of material by way of interviews but has also supplied rare Small Faces photos as well, some of which were used as front cover shots. He would always purchase the fanzine from Intoxica record shop in Portobello Road.

The fanzine has now been discontinued. Why?

The fanzine was been discontinued after 40 issues, hence the Best Bits 400-page compilation. Right until the end it was as informative as ever and still selling well, but I felt as if I needed to move on to other literary avenues.

Are you pleased to see the band’s material finally getting the love, care and attention that it should have always had with the recent box sets of the immediate material and the Ogdens? The band’s material was released left right and centre throughout the years, with seemingly every record company trying to get their piece of the action.

Yes I am, the box sets were long overdue and much care and attention has gone into them. It’s a shame that all of the ‘holy grail’ unreleased tracks that we know of were not available to be included. I guess they sadly ended up in a skip somewhere.

Lastly, what’s on your turntable at the moment?

The Phil Spector Christmas Album: well it is December.

~

You can purchase the book and further merchandise including The Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette fanzine from John’s website. You can find further info on The Small Faces via their official website

All words by Matt Mead. Further articles by Matt can be found at the Louder Than War author archive pages.

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EP Review

Various Artists – Hardkore Dokument #1 (TNS/Kibou)

7 inch

Pre-orders from 4th January
Released 1st February

Documenting UK hardcore at the close of 2018, this record shows the scene is in rude health says Nathan Brown

Well this pretty much does what it says on the tin. A snapshot of some of the best UK hardcore punk at the end of 2018, 5 labels have come together to ram 6 of the busiest bands on the scene down your throat in an unrelenting EP that clocks in at just under 9 minutes – just within the threshold above which a 7″ slab of vinyl loses quality. And you would not want to lose out on the quality that is presented.

The Domestics kick off with angry Essex man hardcore. With a full head of steam , they turn in a track that takes its name from the title of their last LP and sounds just a tad like Dutch band BGK from the 80s (side note: if you haven’t heard BGK check them out). Thrash monkeys Pizza Tramp have a touch of a US sound to their skate punk sound this time, and again I’m taking zooming back to the 80s, this time being unable to get Attitude Adjustment out of my head. They sing for many of us when they scream “The Only Good Tribute Band is a Fucking Dead One”.

The distinctive character of Grand Collapse is recognizable straight away. Intense, galloping and frantic while complex and simultaneously melodic.  I’ve heard the name Wolfbeast Destroyer a lot but not properly checked them out…something this record has convinced me was an error. D-beat of the highest order. Full on meaty Discharge delivery with some cheeky yet short wah-wah driven guitar solos over the top.

With a driving riff, crew choruses, manic changes and a tad of crossover metal crunch, Rash Decision come at ya like a pirate ship mutiny. Are ye for the captain or crew? Which leaves Guilt Police. I’ve not been aware of this lot before. Vocals that are part crying baby and part demon mesh with an up-front distorted bass.  Something of a lo-fi affair, the booming drum sound and extreme fuzz on the guitar are something I’ve not really heard since Chaos UK’s Short Sharp Shock.

So there you have it.  I will not be drawn into choosing a favourite track as they all have their own styles, taking hardcore punk off in slightly different directions. That the UK can still produce bands this varied, and garner interest from labels in Germany, New Zealand and Sweden tells you that hardcore is alive and kicking….your teeth in.

There is a “limited edition” factor which will drive pre-sales: 150 copies are on red wax with the remaining 350 on black. The tracks are all new and exclusive to this release (although Wolfbeast Destroyer’s song has been available online). Each copy comes with a download code (a must in my book, other labels please note) so you can tear it up on the bus.

Pre-orders available in the UK from Rash Decision,  TNS Records or Kibou Records.  Also available from Amok Records in Germany, Sick World Records in New Zealand and Mangel Wax Records in Sweden.

~

Words by Nathan Brown. More from Nathan can be found over at his Louder Than War Author Archive.

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One of the supreme soul divas of the 21^st century is Amy Winehouse. With a voice as distinctive and original as her 60’s and 70’s predecessors Amy was one of a kind, balancing soulful ballads as well as upbeat pop anthems, she fast became a voice to a million beehived followers. Cassell Books have produced a candid, fascinating book which looks at the early work of Amy, with a stunning picture book. Matt Mead reviews the book for Louder Than War.

One of the most distinctive and unmistakable music figures of recent times, is the soulful vocal talent and unmistakable figure of Amy Winehouse. With a life cut all too short, all we have are memories of her sultry vocal tones singing classic songs Rehab, Back To Black and Valerie, a legacy of unmistakable class from the diva from Southgate.

The book that Cassell Books have produced reveals well over 100 pictures, many seen for the first time. It includes personal stories from Amy’s Mother Janis Winehouse, plus Amy’s band members get a shout. The book celebrates her talent as she was on the cusp of fame, which is the era it focuses on. There is an innocence to many of the pictures within this collection that show Amy in natural surroundings before she hit the big time. Taken by a close friend of Amy, Charles Moriarty, many of the pictures featured show a pre-tattooed, fresh faced Amy, full of innocence of youth, exhibiting the beauty of the songstress before she captivated the world.

Originally from Dublin, Charles is a London-based photographer. He has also worked with Damon Albarn, Vice magazine, the Tate, Diesel and many more. With a foreword by Asif Kapadia, director of Academy Award-winning documentary, Amy, and containing fond memories and insights from many more of the people who knew her best, Back to Amy is a lovingly collated tribute to the enduring spirit of a truly special artist.

~

You can purchase the book from this link. Amy Winehouse can be followed via her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

All words by Matt Mead. Further articles by Matt can be found via the Louder Than War author archive pages.

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Nina Nastasia: Handmade Card

Stream/Download

Available now

The New York based singer and songwriter returns with a must listen take on the holiday season.

Christmas has passed so it might seem like an odd time to be recommending a Christmas song, but Nina Nastasia’s lament on the season is too good to put to one side. Released in December, this delicate folk song captures something of the post-Christmas lull. It doesn’t feel out of place listening in early January.

A wistful photo album of a song. Reflective without being sentimental, this is an artful and tuneful take on the holidays. Gentle to the point of almost being a lullaby, the song eases along drawing the listener into its fragile threads. Nastasia’s voice is captivating and the thrifty instrumentation leaves of space for the soothing vocal to float. A wonderfully crafted song at any time of year. Don’t treat this as a Christmas song, it calls to be listened to.

~

Find out more about Nina Nastasia here.

Words by Dave Beer. More information about his writing can be found on his website and he is also on Twitter.

The post Nina Nastasia: Handmade Card – Single Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Having just released a 30th Anniversary edition of ‘Woo-Hoo’ and with a new career retrospective compilation being readied for release, we thought it time to catch up with The 5.6.7.8’s

Japanese three-piece The 5678’s came to international prominence via their cameo appearance in Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’, playing their cover of the 50’s semi-instrumental ‘Woo Hoo’. They seemed so perfectly idiosyncratic – indeed so Tarantino-esque – that you could be forgiven for thinking they were a band created for the film. Of course, the truth is that they were an established band well before QT came across them on a trip to Japan. I recently interviewed Yoshiko Fujiyama (Guitar/Vocals), Sachiko (Drums) and Chelio Panther Omo (Bass).

I started off by asking how long they’d been together. Yoshiko: “Sachiko and I have been together for about thirty years, Chellio Panther Omo joined us on bass about five years later – so quite a long time! We’d all played in other bands before The 5678s.” I wondered what they’d been listening to and what their reference points were on putting the band together. Yoshiko confirmed what most of us probably suspected, in that the classic girl bands like The Shangri-Las and The Ronettes definitely influenced the band, but their influences also ran to “New York Dolls, The Cramps, The Ramones, The Heartbreakers, The Clash and The Rezillos – all those punk bands who covered the 50’s and the 60’s music.”

I was interested to find out how a band like The 5678’s fared in the Japanese marketplace. Sachiko “It took us about five years to get our first single ‘Mondo Girls A-Go-Go’ released. We’d built up a good live following, so it did well for us”. Was it harder for an all-female band to break through in Japan playing your kind of music? Yoshiko: ”No matter where you are, it is still hard to keep doing a band for women, especially those who are married and raising children.”

The big step up in profile for the rest of the world was obviously the Tarantino ‘Kill Bill’ connection – did it boost the band’s profile in Japan to the same degree it did for the rest of us? Sachiko’s response surprised me as she said it made very little difference to their visibility at home. Also surprisingly, ‘Woo Hoo’ wasn’t a regular feature in their set pre Tarantino! Yoshiko told me that the iconic Kill Bill club scene was actually filmed in a movie studio in Beijing in China and was modelled after ‘Yamashiro Hollywood’ – a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles!

There must have been a lot of pressure that accompanied such a massive leap in profile once Kill Bill was released, given the global success of Woo Hoo. Yoshiko “It definitely got busier for touring abroad – we could hardly find enough time to record for years after the film. For me, I felt so much pressure during the film shooting, and it took a long time to realise how well known we suddenly became.”

They’ve never had any contact with Tarantino since their time on ‘Kill Bill’.

I wondered if the band were benefitting from their longevity in their home market. Yoshiko told me that there were no real changes in sales really and that although people knew the film that didn’t really translate into ‘fame’. When I asked where their biggest fan base outside of Japan was she said that they were far more well known in America than at home. That seems to be fine by Yoshiko though. ”Yes, I think it’s OK for me, as I don’t want my daily life interfered with by great popularity.” As for that ever-present problem confronting many bands these days with regard to combatting the loss of income via free downloading Yoshiko said that they don’t really make enough to live on from the band anyway.

Assuming that the success of’ Woo Hoo’ was presumably a career highlight, what else had been significant for the band? Yoshiko “Starting tours abroad was a big event for us. Ten years before ‘Kill Bill’, we had gotten to know members of garage bands from San Francisco and New York, and then we started to do some tours together. We were really influenced by American local bands – especially The White Stripes.”

The band have a reputation for their ability to add something unique to their cover versions – they do a fantastic version of The Ramones’ ‘Howling At The Moon’. Yoshiko told me that about half their set is comprised of band penned numbers. I was curious as to why they sometimes translated the lyrics of their covers to Japanese. Yoshiko cleared that one up – it was really a case of whether the song had already been remade and released in Japanese in the 50s or 60s.

Given their range of influences, what they were listening to these days? “Recently, we were invited to the birthday party for Jello Biafra in San Francisco and met The Darts there. They are so cool and reminded me of The Pandoras in the 80’s. Plus they were accompanied by their children and I can really relate to that. There are some great Japanese acts at the moment too – such as Fujio Yamaguchi and Geno London.”

To wrap up, could they ever do a gig where they didn’t play Woo Hoo? Surprisingly and to their credit, they don’t always feel compelled to play it and they don’t feel that there’s any disappointment when they don’t. I wondered if maybe they’d come to hate the song but Omo denied that saying they’ve always thought it was a fun song to play.

The band are starting to tour a bit more extensively again and have recently played in the UK and USA. With a new career covering compilation out soon and the prospect of some new material not too far away hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more of the band outside of ‘Kill Bill’ re-runs.

A 30th Anniversary edition of ‘Woo-Hoo’ was released by Time Bomb Records in December 2018; its a 7″ limited edition of just 300 and available direct from Time Bomb.

Mark McStea Jan 2019

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Ultramarine – Signals Into Space

Les Disques du Crepuscule

CD/Double Vinyl + Digital Copy

Released 11th January 2019

New album by Ultramarine – the electronica duo of Ian Cooper and Paul Hammond. Their seventh LP, 29 years after their debut on Crepuscule, has contributions from labelmate Anna Domino, saxophonist Iain Ballamy (Loose Tubes) and vibes player Ric Elsworth. LTW’s Ian Canty drifts off into the stratosphere.

It’s been a near thirty-year-long and quite strange trip for the electronic pairing of Paul Hammond and Ian Cooper, aka Ultramarine. Over that time, the two have recorded for many different labels and worked alongside such “Canterbury Scene” luminaries as Robert Wyatt, Elton Dean, Kevin Ayers and Lol Coxhill. This in turn gently teased out underlying be-bop and psychedelic motifs buried deep in their base of electronic and dance music.

Taking in such outré influences helped to set them apart from other low-key synth practitioners and also has given their music a jazz cool and sometimes otherworldly touch. Their laidback, eclectic take on electronica has seen them release six long players to date, and now they are back at Les Disques du Crepuscule where it started for their seventh collection, Signals Into Space. This LP is as ethereal and mysterious as the title might suggest, but it is an enigma that is easy to enjoy.

The three-year gestation period for this record has left them with 12 tracks that flutter by, totally comfortable in their own time and space. Ultramarine constructed the album in a windowless industrial unit, but instead of opting for a bleak musical landscape, used it as a blank canvas on which to let their imaginations run free. The LP begins with the electro-bossanova of Elsewhere which helps sets the tone, ticking and tweeting away in a calm but purposeful manner. Guest, Anna Domino contributes vocals to following track Spark From Flint To Clay. It has a beautiful, slowly-emerging musical vista, topped off by Domino’s cool voice, the occasional clatter of percussion sounds providing contrast to the peaceful, gentle but constant movement of the backing track.

Iain Ballamy’s appealing sax line is set off by the low-key groove Ultramarine put in progress on Breathing and Anna Domino and Ballamy come together on the wonderful $10 Heel, probably my favourite piece of the whole album. Anna’s voice is a spectral echo, observing “this coffee’s gone cold” in the most heart-breaking manner imaginable, signalling the end of an affair, an era or even life itself. Touching and beautiful, I could bluster on about it being an early frontrunner for “song of the year 2019”, but really I would merely suggest you give it a listen, if just to improve the troublesome month of January for you.

Du Sud flows in after this one, a necessary rest with sustained guitar notes and Sleight Of Hand’s mournful feel is both beautiful and strange. The clip-clop of Framework goes into serene but driving dance on Cross Reference, with the album ending with the superior comedown of the title track, bringing things to a curiously hopeful climax.

Signals Into Space is very much a mood piece, in places relaxing, meditative and a bit introspective at times. But it is never dull and contains some great weird pop – witness $10 Heel. At other points, it takes you to another place entirely and sends you on a journey to the stars, or at least far away from the daily grind. I think we all probably need that once in a while and Ultramarine, through utilising their dreams, have come up with an album that may help you re-energise at the start of the new year and certainly contains many delights for the discerning listener. As cool as a cucumber in an icebox.

~

You can find Ultramarine on Facebook and Twitter, as well as via their website.

All words by Ian Canty – see his author profile here.

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In advance of the release of the new album by Ian Brown, here is a list of the top ten songs (excluding the singles) from his solo career along with a Spotify playlist.

Following the release of the tracks First World Problems and Black Roses, Ian Brown will release his new solo LP Ripples on the 1st of February. It will be his first new solo album in a decade. Back in 2014 John Robb published a list of Ian Brown’s top ten solo songs on Louder Than War; you can read that list here. In anticipation of the new album, here is a list of the ten best tracks from his solo career excluding the singles. I’ve also included a Spotify playlist of the songs below.

The chosen tracks span across his previous albums, from Unfinished Monkey Business in 1998 to My Way in 2009. These songs give a sense of the range of musical styles of those albums: from the gentle whisper of El Mundo Pequeno to the wall of sound of Gettin’ High; from the string laiden Me and You Forever and Some Folks are Hollow to the stripped back lo-fi of Nah Nah; from the tempered dubbiness of Always Remember Me to the soaring pop chorus of For The Glory (my favourite of the ten). There is quite a bit of music in Brown’s solo back catalogue, so the choices might cause a bit of debate. Let us know if you think we’ve missed anything or if your list would be different.

Here are the ten best (listed in no particular order):

El Mundo Pequeno (from Music of the Spheres)

For the Glory (from My Way)

Some Folks are Hollow (from The World is Yours)

Always Remember Me (from My Way)

Nah Nah (from Unfinished Monkey Business)

Gettin’ High (from Golden Greats)

Me and You Forever (from The Word is Yours)

Bubbles (from Music of the Spheres)

Destiny or Circumstance (from Solarized)

Lovebug (extra track on The Greatest)

~

More information about Ian Brown’s new album can be found on his official website or on Twitter.

Words by Dave Beer. More information about his writing can be found on his website and he is also on Twitter.

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Angelic Upstarts – The Albums 1983-91

Captain Oi!

6CD/DL

Released 25th January 2019

Boxset encompassing the six albums the Angelic Upstarts recorded on their return to the independent sector, with five studio LPs being joined by the Live In Yugoslavia set. Ian Canty hears the resilient North East punks’ progress through the 80s to the 90s.

After five years which saw the Angelic Upstarts score hit singles, appear on television and record some well-received albums, they found themselves surplus to requirements at EMI/Zonophone in 1982. Their album of that year, Still From The Heart was a major misfire for the band. In trying to recapture some of their fading commercial success, they went too far in the other direction with a horrible production job and the resulting effort fell between two stools. In doing so, it alienated most of their original fans and didn’t appeal to the pop crowd at all either. Naturally the LP tanked, giving EMI the excuse to send them on their way soon afterwards.

After this setback and one of their many line-up overhauls (with Brian Hayes, Tony Feedback and ex-Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson coming in), they re-emerged in 1983 with the Woman In Disguise single on Cherry Red. The irony of the LP that followed, Reason Why?, is that it was pretty much the perfect follow-up to their best record 2,000,000 Million Voices. Unfortunately Cherry Red, at that time, did not have the resources for it to reach its full potential, but it did at least make a good showing on the Indie chart. This album was a very pleasing blend of styles that built on the band’s punk roots rather than retreating from them. It was also packed with good tunes and interesting songs too. With this LP, the Upstarts successfully re-positioned themselves as elder statesmen of punk, the experience they had built up over the years making their music and words all the more powerful.

Woman In Disguise was a good example of their new direction, a step away from the thrash of their earlier efforts, more towards tuneful but still hard-hitting punk with keen pop hooks. They seasoned their up-tempo sides with the brooding Solidarity (still in their live set to this day), folk touches and spoken word. 42nd Street is like third album Clash given a North East going over and The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner gave a clue to their strengths when they stepped away from the punk template, sharing a little of the Skids’ epic vision circa The Absolute Game.

Geordie’s Wife mined the kind of unaccompanied folk singing that had gone on in pubs for decades before by the likes of the Copper Family and the title track utilised ex-Starjets vocalist Terry Sharpe on an excellent piece of punky reggae. Where We Started is a great set closer – really energetic and catchy, realistically charting the progress of the band to date. A fine album, and with that song it really did feel like an end of an era had been reached (and it had with Mond leaving soon after).

Among some smart bonuses on this disc are follow-up single, Not Just A Name, which has a winning big chorus, an excellent demo of Solidarity which almost verges on being a different song and the cool bass rumble of The Leech. They also prove they still had some good old punk rockers up their sleeves in Lust For Glory and Victory In Poland too. This makes Reason Why? very much the pick of this boxset, an excellent album plus really good extras.

By the time Last Tango In Moscow was released on the Picasso label a year later in the late summer of 1984, Mond Cowie had left the band. Despite songs that were co-written by him with Mensi (now the only original member of the band) still littering this LP, he was clearly a big loss to the Upstarts and it is fair to say that they struggled without him. Ex-Crabs guitarist Ronnie Rocka, Max Splodge and Derwent of mod band, The Rage came in, but you felt the band had lost something. Having said that, Machine Gun Kelly was a good single and this album does have some decent tracks. Even so, Last Tango… does not quite live up to what had gone before – and the break with Cowie would leave a gap that was hard to fill, a fact that became very apparent later on, as we shall see.

On the positive side, One More Day is a decent, mature punk track that harks back to the previous LP and the bitter Blackleg Miner again has more unaccompanied folk singing than spoken word. Jarrow Woman is an agreeable slice of 80s folk-punk too, though the demo version of She Don’t Cry Anymore arguably trumps it. The title track is a passable synth piece and I Think It Should Be Free (after a fairly pointless studio argument intro) is a fairly explosive punk number.

Whatever your opinion of the band/man, I think most would agree that an Angelic Upstarts record is no place for a Splodge track. Rude Boy (he also provided the single track There’s A Drink In It which is included as a bonus, another bit of a waste) does absolutely nothing to help the feeling that Last Tango In Moscow falls away badly the more it goes on, culminating in the hilarious decision to cover the Holland/Dozier/Holland Motown classic Nowhere To Run. While it is not quite as bad as it sounds on paper, Mensi just hasn’t got the kind of voice that could make a convincing stab at the song. On No News, which is more of a 60s pop thing, he struggles too.

Among the bonus tracks are seven demos cut before Mond’s departure, five of which were used in a different form on Last Tango… These demos have much more of the old Upstarts’ energy, generally knocking the new recordings for six. The harp-driven Bo Diddley beat of Living In Exile and the upbeat Box On didn’t make the album; they’re no great shakes, but you have to wonder why with Rude Boy and Nowhere To Run making the cut.

Next came very much a stop-gap live album, recorded by the same line up as Last Tango In Moscow and again on Picasso. For me, I’m afraid, Live In Yugoslavia is a little underwhelming and the guitar is too far down in the mix. Knowing the fire that the Upstarts can still capture today on stage, one can’t help feel this one was done on the cheap. To be fair, the band’s performance is pretty good and improves as it goes along, but the audience sound a mile away. It is very much a greatest hits set plus a spirited go at White Riot and One More Day from the last LP and as such, bearing in mind their previous live LP in 1981 and the Angel Dust collection, pretty inessential to all but rabid fans. In the context of this boxset though, it does add a lot of their best-known tunes though.

The Power Of The Press album followed in late 1985 and does represent a marked downturn for the band’s recorded output. Many of the problems with this record stem from the use of a drum machine – not a piece of equipment utilised much on punk recordings, with good reason. It makes some fairly good songs sound like demos, just like on the Blitz LP, The Killing Dream. On this record, the Upstarts rejig I Stand Accused and Soldier, both from Still From The Heart and they are an improvement from the original recordings. Even so, they are similarly hamstrung by the lack of life the recording techniques employed grant them. It was probably done to cut costs and I can understand that in a way, but it drains away any energy the songs might have had.

The straightforward reading of folk standard, The Green Fields Of France fares best, because it has no percussion at all on it. Brighton Bomb, the headline-grabbing single, is actually not quite the shock horror cash-in the papers would have had one believe. It is the one bonus track on this disc and again, the plodding drum machine is present. The whole disc is a definite tale of what might have been.

Blood On The Terraces made the news again for the wrong reasons and this would be their last album of the 80s. For me this is another step backwards – the dreaded drum machine is retained and the songs even further from the best that Mensi ever penned than the tracks on The Power Of The Press. The LP as a whole represents the Upstarts’ recording nadir. Nothing stands out too much; if pushed I suppose I Wanna Knighthood is ok in a mindless punk rock way – far from the direction of the more positive Reason Why? had so ably suggested. The drum machine successfully sucks the life out of the tunes, if there was any in the first place, so the overall sound is mostly as flat as a pancake.

It is not easy to say for someone like me who likes the band a lot, but Blood On The Terraces is mostly terrible, coupled with the uneasy feeling that Mensi was doing songs mostly to get a tabloid reaction, like the title track and Heroin is Good For You. An awful version of Ruby (Don’t Take Your Love To Town) mercifully brings down the curtain on the album proper. The best thing one can say of this disc is the run through of seven old chestnuts from the Angelic Upstarts’ back catalogue from the 1988 Main Event gig sounds lively enough.

Bombed Out, the final selection, thankfully brings this boxset to a conclusion on a much more positive note. Mond was back after a decade or so in good form, and with a proper drummer this time, the Upstarts managed to record an album more worthy of the name. Over ten years might have passed and times had changed immeasurably by 1991, but this LP successfully harked back to the sound of their debut, Teenage Warning. Maybe a bit of a regressive move, but it works as this record is a whole heap better than the last few platters.

Red Till Dead comes screaming out the blocks with the vim of old and Victim of Deceit has some natty bass playing propelling a good song. Still Fighting finds the Upstarts reborn with new purpose and the driving Taxi Driver referencing A Real Rain shows that Mensi can more than handle singing within logical parameters, i.e. when he’s not murdering a soul classic or overreaching his abilities, he’s a good punk singer. The guitar poem, Proud & Loud might be a little simplistic lyrically, but you can’t doubt the passion and Stone Faced Killer is a powerful set closer. A real improvement after the travesty of the last two albums.

After the previous boxset captured the band in their early prime, The Albums 1983-91 does represent a bit of a mixed bag. Reason Why? should be in the collection of any self-respecting Angelic Upstarts fan, but you would struggle to make a strong case for any of the others apart from maybe Bombed Out. Last Tango In Moscow is ok, but The Power Of The Press and especially Blood On The Terraces are best forgotten and the live LP doesn’t have anything out of the ordinary about it. Thankfully, in the 21st Century, they have recorded some much better material, culminating with the excellent Bullingdon Bastards LP in 2015. The 1979-82 collection (reviewed here) served as an excellent introduction to the band. This one, however, is for the more committed fans.

~

The Angelic Upstarts are on Facebook here

All words by Ian Canty – see his author profile here

The post Angelic Upstarts The Albums 1983-91 – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

I Am House, celebrated its powerful unveiling and release on November 30th via TRAX Records, by globally-renowned artist, Screamin’ Rachael, dubbed “Queen of House Music” by Billboard Magazine. Like a raging tsunami, Rachael remains supreme in the house style and creates an insanely-explosive presence wherever she goes. 

Born in Chicago, Rachael Cain is also the President of TRAX Records, the original home of house music, being the first label to include the DJ’s name on their releases, and changing the way in which the planet viewed the genre. Rachael was also the first house artist to sign a major-label deal. She also launched the ‘hip house’ sound with Fun with Bad Boys with Afrika Bambaataa, her friend and mentor. I spoke with Rachael in depth regarding her new single, her career, and TRAX Records.

Louder Than War: How did you become involved with TRAX Records?

I am one of the original artists at TRAX. As kids Jesse Saunders, Vince Lawrence and I met Larry Sherman at Precision Record Pressing Plant in Chicago’s legendary Bridgeport area, home of the Daley Dynasty, which ruled our city’s politics for decades. Back in those days, Chicago was racially divided and our sound of house music brought people together. We were kids with a dream and today our vision is bigger than ever! When I lived in NYC, I met Sylvia Robinson, the woman behind the famous Sugarhill label. She sang, performed, wrote songs and essentially was the original person to put hip-hop on the map. She mentored me and helped me go after my dream to bring house music to the world. So dreams do come true!

What sets TRAX apart from any other record label?

TRAX Records stands as the original home of house music. We are a small label with a huge footprint! It’s great to see how house music went from “what the hell is that?” to become a leading genre. In fact, now that house is everywhere, it has become the rock and roll of our generation.

You are about to release a brand-new song as Screamin’ Rachael. I know that song has significance, so from your point of view let’s hear it.

I’m known as Screamin’ Rachael because I’m petite but powerful! I’ve had many notable songs in my genre. These days, people like David Guetta try to take credit for bringing house music to America. When he did that on ABC Nightline, the fans went crazy with dissent. Then, of course, Kanye West has been sampling house for quite some time. He did it on Stronger, Fade and recently used the TRAX classic, Boom Boom to create Lift Yourself. So my new song, I Am House, which was written with house Godfather Joe Smooth, who brought us Promised Land, one of the most inspirational house classics, is meant to set the record straight and basically tell the story of the house music lifestyle. It’s a fun song! DJs everywhere are pumping it, even though it’s not officially released until November 30^th.

I don’t know how much you can divulge, but tell us what you can about Kanye West.

The way Kanye West came about sampling us was crazy! I was getting ready to fly out to DJ at my monthly party at the LA Ace Hotel and the news came on. There he was performing his new controversial song, Lift Yourself. I thought, “What the hell, has Kanye gone crazy?” So then I landed in LA and Vince Lawrence, with whom I started in house, gave me a call. He said an artist, whose name started with a K and whose wife’s name started with a K, wanted to use our song. He put me on the phone with John Monopoly, whom I knew from Chicago’s hip-hop scene. We met in LA and I asked him what song Kanye wanted to use. He said it was Boom Boom and when I said I had to know which song because we have two Boom Booms, he said, “That’s easy – you can hear it now, just go to kanyewest.com.” So he had released it unauthorized! On top of that, he was in a hurry to release it because he had promised Drake to use our beat together! That became a beef that made it to Rolling Stone Magazine! In fact, no-one knows the beat is from TRAX. It has a Wiki page that’s incorrect. I tried to fix it and got banned for seven months. I don’t care though, because I have a contract with Def Jam. So that’s the scoop on the poop! Or shall we say the “poopety scoop!” Even the people that hate the song say the beat is fire and the beat is TRAX.

Running a record label can’t be all work and no play. What do you love about it?  

I love being president and basically getting to work with all the music I believe in and cherish. And I’m glad to say that I stand out in a game where artists that do what I do are all men. Think about Master P and Jay Z, etc. This is a dream come true for me. I make my own music on my own terms too. I’m blessed and I thank God every day.

Are there any new projects on the horizon either for TRAX or Rachael?

So much is going on now. This is the most exciting time for the label and my life. The new Grand Theft Auto 5 is coming out with our music; the fashion brand Maison Kitsune is using our music for the upcoming Acid Collection; I’ve got a follow up song to I Am House with Space (the band that influenced Daft Punk) set to go, called Magic Fly. It will be the first vocal version of that already massive hit instrumental, Magic Fly. We signed Chris Jones, Grace Jones’s brother, who is amazing himself! Look out for his single and album, Strong. Then of course it looks like we will be working with Doctor Dre from Yo MTV Raps… I could go on and on!

Is there anything I left out that you’d like to cover?

The only thing I’ve got left to say is look out world – TRAX is Screamin’ HOT!

Check out I AM HOUSE on YouTube here:

~ 

The official website for TRAX Records may be found here.

Follow Screamin’ Rachael on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow Trax Records on Twitter and Facebook.

All words by Eileen Shapiro. More of Eileen’s writing can be found in her author’s archive.

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AZIZ & GOLDFINGER

JIMMY’S, MANCHESTER

28 December 2018

Celebrating 25 years of Ian Brown’s Unfinished Monkey Business album.

As we enter Jimmy’s and descend below street level to the basement the place is already filled with smiling faces and a few perspiring ones after DJ Lowrider has finished a set that sets the standard for the night. Time for one trip to the bar and before I can return Silver Finger Singh appears onstage and immediately takes control dropping a sweet but short set of Hip Hop tunes that flow effortlessly and reminding us all why you should get to the venue early and check out the support for the main act. If you missed it you missed a great performance.

So onto the night and whilst waiting for the headline act to appear the lights go up in the room to reveal plenty of familiar faces from Manchester and surrounding areas who have kept live music prominent in the city for over thirty years. Local musicians, clubs and gig goers across the city are here tonight not just to show support but also to revisit the classic debut album of Ian Browns Unfinished Monkey Business.

There’s a slight twist to tonight however as the set list will show as we revisit the album. There’s a few song omitted from the album such as Sunshine, Lions and Deep Pile Dreams due to the fact that these were solely written by Brown I thought, but the inclusion of Can’t See Me puts that theory to bed. What we do get is most of the music that stemmed from the partnership of Brown, Ibrahim and Goldfinger in the late nineties and the beautiful South Asian contribution to the album.

As Aziz Ibrahim and Inder Goldfinger appear on stage the applause and love in the room is clear for all to hear and see and quickly the space around me becomes less. Sensory overload kicks in and I can’t recall the intro of Under the Paving Stones: The Beach, but it was definitely there amongst us all. Before I can process it we’re are into the mantra like See the Dawn (B-side of debut single My Star) Aziz’s vocal kicks in and accompanied by Inder on percussion the song is lifted to another level of perfection with fans accompanying word for word. It’s not easy being Ian Brown and Aziz we’re informed by Aziz and applause and laughter. Ice Cold Cube is given a new structure and flows effortlessly with the audience singing along then a short gap occurs while Aziz switches guitar and dedicating the next song to his partner Carrie they move away from UMB and burst into Longsight M13 taken from Brown’s fourth album Solarized. “It’s always good to throw your postcode in a song,” he says with a smile and the response from some in the crowd is to yell out their Manchester postcode only to be drowned out by the intro.

Another guitar change and a switch of album to Gettin’ High and the first track off the album Golden Greats, Brown’s second album. “Come closer I haven’t farted, there’s loads of room here!” he informs us. There isn’t but we at the front are a lot closer and verging accompanying him on stage as we are pushed forward. Getting back to business Gettin’ High is quickly followed by a return to UMB and Can’t See Me.  A short interval of what is akin to duelling banjos but with guitar and tabla talk firing back and forth, some funky shit produced until the all too familiar intro to Fools Gold kicks in and then a shout for water from Inder Goldfinger goes out from a very warm stage. “We don’t drink alcohol can we get some water!”

One water later and we’re moving to Fools Gold again and listening to Inder and  I’m reminded of Apache by the Incredible Bongo Band as he plays effortlessly before being joined by Silver Finger who lays some rhymes over Fools Gold and rightly so gives shouts out to Aziz, Inder, Ian Brown and Stone Roses. At the end a fist bump between each other and a smile recognising each other’s contribution and skill of their respective instruments during a freestyle amidst Fools Gold.

Next up is Morrassi an excerpt of which can be heard in Gettin’ High but tonight it’s laid out in all its beauty for all to hear. You can find a video clip of Morrassi shot by our photographer, Simon Lee,  posted to Youtube as words  simply cannot do this justice.

Fan favourite Corpses is played next with pockets of the audience singing along then we’re told that My Star will be the last one of the night and as the chords open and the lyrics of Dear Prudence falls over us Aziz gives us the nod from where the chords to My Star originated before serving us with a fantastic version of My Star that only he and Inder can do so well. And that’s it or so it seems but like all Mancunians Aziz and Inder have more in their tank and shouting out “Have we time for one more?” they finish the night off with Nah, Nah and the crowd singing along.

Most artists revisit their albums after a period of time, releasing anniversary editions of reworked songs but Ian Brown has yet to do this. If he ever does I’d like to nominate Unfinished Monkey Business reworked with more of the biggest sound from South Asia;  Aziz and Inder playing the songs as beautifully as they did in tonight’s performance.

Aziz teased a return visit to Manchester for this tour. Try to catch it to see what all the fuss is about.

Aziz online – website, Facebook, Twitter

Inder on Twitter

~

Words by Dave Callacher, Photography by Simon Lee

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Gay Panic Defence / Bratakus

Benefit EP for Tribe Animal Sanctury Scotland

Screaming Babies

CD/DL

Out Now

Two Scots vegan punk bands thrashing for the animals prove there is politics in the new generation of punk.

Out of all the hardcore punk releases, why should you bother with this one?

1. What you pay for this EP will go towards a Scottish animal rescue sanctuary (Tribe Animal Sanctuary Scotland). I’m sure LTW head honcho, John Robb will join me in saying that this is reason enough.
2. This release is proof positive of the new generation of political punk bands – see recent LTW blog from Milly Whyles.
3. It sounds great.
4. It’s a great example of the DIY aesthetic done well.
5. It’s only a fiver, you tight-arse.  See 1.

So that’s the key points of the review out the way; let me backfill a little. BTW, it’s mere coincidence that I write this review in Veganuary and in the wake of the Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll media boom.

Gay Panic Defence are a fast, furious shouty racket. Somewhat elusive – I think there are three of them, but I may be wrong. They play a mash-up of chunky hardcore and blast beats with a splash (or should that be slash?) of metal with guttural vocals. There will be better comparisons, but as I’m out of the loop on this stuff (and a little lazy), I’ll say think Drop Dead meets Active Minds and Citizens Arrest. Short and as sweet as toothache, two of their five songs nearly make it to the one minute mark. They punctuate songs about sexuality and animal rights with a few well-placed samples, and open the CD with their interpretation of Bratakus’ I Know Nothing.

The band name, in case you were wondering, refers to the phenomenon of people who have attacked gay or transgender people using “gay panic” as a defence strategy when facing prosecution. From what I have read, it’s along the lines of, “I was afraid they wanted to have sex with me, so I had to attack them rather than say no thanks.” Amazingly, this can even result in reduced sentencing, as if being homophobic is some form of diminished responsibilty or temporary insanity, rather than a form of hate.

There was a time when most punks agreed that our music should be “loud, political and uncompromising,” which is how I would choose to describe Bratakus. Of course, we now have far too many old farts complaining that there is “too much politics” in punk. Bollocks to them! I’ve written about vegan riot grrrls, Bratakus for LTW in the past and for a fair few people. I know their LP was a high point of 2017. Alongside a Gay Panic Defence cover (We Are All Scum), the title of It’s Not A Real Phobia gives a fair clue as to the subject matter.

The final of the three Bratakus songs on this eight-title CD, There’s No Difference, was written and sung by the sisters’ nine-year-old brother, Darragh. Somewhat high-pitched – remember this is a nine-year-old – they still keep up the tempo, so I say fair play. The lyrics are better than you might expect. The roles of humans and animals are switched, with humans in zoos, humans hunted by foxes, and insightfully the song ends with, “You think this is a joke, but that’s the lie you tell yourself. This is really happening in the role-reversal. There’s no difference”.

Like the debut Bratakus CD, the wraparound packaging folds out into an A4 double-sided sheet. One side features information about some of the animals at the sanctuary (farmed animals such as turkeys, cows, hens, pigs and sheep rather than “pet” animals). The other side forms the front and back cover, plus lyrics for each of the songs.

Get the download from Bratakus or Gay Panic Defence

Physical copies available from the Gay Panic Defence bandcamp.

Bratakus Facebook

Gay Panic Defence Facebook

If you don’t want the music you could always just chuck some money at Tribe Animal Sanctuary Scotland directly or find out what’s happening down on the farm on Facebook.

~

Words by Nathan Brown.  You can read more of his work in his Louder Than War archive.

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Desert Mountain Tribe
O2 Brixton Academy, London
9 Dec 2018

Three-piece psychedelic rockers Desert Mountain Tribe impressed as support for Peter Murphy and David J’s 40 years of Bauhaus celebrations at Brixton back in December, filling the Academy with their own take on epic shoegaze. Naomi Dryden-Smith was there taking photos

The recently revamped and much-improved line-up of Jonty Balls (Guitar/Vocals), Matthew Holt (Bass) and Frank van der Ploeg (Drums) take to the stage at Brixton ahead of legends Peter Murphy and Daniel J undaunted, unleashing a wall of sound on a scale surprising from just three people. Formed in 2012, they’ve been carving a niche for themselves ever since, releasing critically acclaimed debut album Either That Or The Moon, mastered by The Black Angels’ sound engineer Brett Orrison, in 2016 (see Louder Than War’s 9/10 review here). Theirs is an intense sound, beautifully crafted and begging to be listened to in a darkened room through high quality headphones, possibly sitting in an armchair. Played on a Maxell tape. Ahem. Maybe.*

*Rumour has it that Jonty Balls is Peter Murphy’s nephew…

Catch them at their next gig at Rocakaway Beach Festival at Butlins Bognor on 12 January. They’ll also join the Bauhaus Ruby Tour as it continues in the States later this year, dates to be announced.

Take A Ride showing some of that Brett Orrison/The Black Angels mastery:

Full Gallery:

~

You can keep up with Desert Mountain Tribe here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | Soundcloud

All words and photos © Naomi Dryden-Smith. Naomi’s stuff is here: Louder Than War | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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Rammstein confirm their new album has been completed with Muse’s producer and plan to release 5 videos.

“You name it, everything you could argue about, we have”
Rammstein’s long-awaited new album is due in April. Their seventh studio album comes ahead of one of the fastest selling tours of the year

peaking to Kerrang, guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe explained: “We flew to Los Angeles to mix the record with Rich Costey, who has worked with Muse and a bunch of other big bands. It looks like we will have five music videos coming out this time, too. I feel really happy with the album, although a few things might still change, of course. “It’s so funny — during this recording process we’ve been like six guys in a band, arguing about each tiny fucking snare hit. That was also such an intense experience. You name it, everything you could argue about we have.”

Besides Muse, Costey has previously worked with Sigur Rós, Frank Turner, Chvrches and Biffy Clyro.

Kruspe also opened up about the recording process, saying:

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Steve Ignorant’s Slice Of Life are back this year with an as yet untitled album scheduled for Summer. I speak to Carol Hodge and Steve about the new song and video.

Carol Hodge:

“S.A.D is a song very close to Steve’s heart. Written with a definite nod towards its Seasonal Affective Disorder namesake, the lyrics plead with the listener for “some kind of love”, always indecisive as to whether such a gesture will be accepted or rejected by the sufferer.”

Steve Ignorant:

“Anyone that suffers from depression or S.A.D. will probably recognise what I’m talking about. Hope it helps people to know that they are not alone.”

Filmed in Union Mills in Bolton, home to Upender Mehra and his Beaver Of Bolton clothing line, the location echoes the dark themes of the song. If this song doesn’t touch you with it’s stark message and beautiful harmonies then you’re a tougher person than me….

Video filmed by RKid Media, 

Steve Ignorant Official Website

Slice of Life Facebook

Words by Wayne Carey who writes for Louder Than War. His author profile is here and you can catch his  website here 

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