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April 28. Here is the picture the street-punk world has been waiting years to see... it’s Lee Wilson of Infa Riot at the bar. Note his pained look, the strain in his face, the minute drops of sweat forming on his left temple and the general feel of harassment as the Arfur Daley of Wood Green prepares himself to actually get a round in (well okay, two pints for £5.84 – it was a Wetherspoon’s). Experts who have studied and verified the photograph claim that this scene is as rare as a seven-headed snake. “Like seeing a copy of Amazing Spiderman issue one on sale in your corner shop,” said one, after being treated for shock.
April 27. Gal recorded his brand new Sounds of the Streets podcast
today, with guests the Featherz and the debonair Lee Wilson from
the popular beat combo Infa-Riot. Tracks include brand new ditties
from The Brompton Mix, Neville Staple, The Business, City Saints,
Admiral Sir Cloudsley Shovell, Madball, King Hammond, The Q, The
Senton Bombs, The Bermondsey Joyriders, Chris Pope, and Nick Welsh.
It should be up and running by May 2nd.
Meanwhile, Scottish tattooist Ashleigh Webb has just completed
this splendid bit of ink: the 30 Years Of Oi album covered wrapped
around a discerning punter’s Scotch peg... The original was drawn
by the great French artist Alteau Salvation. Ashleigh works out
of Rebel Ink in Aberdeen.
In an unexpected serious turn The Jolly Pranksters have today
launched a campaign to erect a blue plaque on the childhood home
of the recently deceased Tony Gray, formerly of anarchic comedy
group The Alberts. An ashen-faced Effete El tells us: “The Alberts
were pioneers of surreal music, and a huge influence on Monty
Python and Prankster lore. Their gigs were full of random explosions,
trumpets, jokes and beards. They were awesome.” The campaigners
seek to erect a Heritage plaque at the home Tony grew up in, in
St Mary Abbots in West London. So mote it be.
Out now: Oi! This Is Streetpunk! Volume 4 from our mates at
Pirates Press, who have also released the latest six-track Street
Dogs/NOi!se split single...
Ravishing Wattsie Watts calls to tell us that the moon landing
was faked, adding rationally “I’m very open-minded, I believe
in ghosts but not the moon landing.” Other things Wattsie believes
in are thought to include fairies, aliens, Big Foot, life after
death, Father Christmas, record company advances, Nessie and Colin
Gannon. Things she knows aren’t real: Higgs Boson, human genomes,
quantum mechanics, atomic gasses, neutrons, and household bills...
Hey, Ska fans – have a butcher’s at the SkaGate line-up for
this July:
Hats off to hard-rocking Brummies Nightblade who played the
100 Club last night despite guitarist Dave Parrish’s work accident
- a steel box fell off a wall and opened up his leg from knee
to ankle on Wednesday night. Lesser bands would have pulled out,
but Dave soldiered on like a trooper. What a geezer!
April 26. Calling our legions of New York readers: our fraternal
muckers Maninblack are back at the notorious Double Down Saloon
in Manhattan next Wednesday (Walpurgis Night) for their annual
free performance. This year they are joined by special guest Freya
Wilcox, DJ Black Dalek and the promise of Geek Trivia with prizes
during the intermission. 8pm kick-off.
Out now: The Movement’s ‘Outrage’ ep, a caustic slice of high
energy rock drawing on such fine influences as The Jam, The Who
and The Clash. The look is Mod, the message is Marx. It’s Hallam’s
wettest dream made real. The Copenhagen three-piece ask: Why live
life like a sheep? Anyone? Fat Col had no answer but he did mumble
something about knowing a Welsh farmer who rears them.
April 25. Quick reminder. It’s Reggae Punk Monday at London’s
renowned 12 Bar Club in three days time, which promises an “insatiable
blaze of musical incitement” with DJ Segs Jennings from the Ruts,
The Duel and the Gongs and various other herberts.
April 24. Our latest album Built For Destruction is ‘strong
and varied’, according to the latest Vive Le Rock. Reviewer Shane
Baldwin notes that ‘C’mon Motherfucker’ and ‘Dogging In Dartford’
are ‘upbeat pop punk, like early Ramones’, and calls ‘Glorious’
‘an uplifting Cock Sparrer-style sing-along with surging terrace
backing vocals.’ Built For Destruction is available from our shop
page, or if you’re in Europe, from Randale Records.
Meanwhile we have decided to shoot pukka videos for a few of
our songs, so if you fancy being in one of them get in touch.
April 23. Happy St George’s Day! Pranksters attending tonight’s
big event in That Kent Place are reminded that proceedings kick
off at 7.30pm sharp. Dragons optional. Cheers!
April 22. And lo, the Punk Rock Curry Club did descend on the
mean streets of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The party included Tony
Feedback (ex-Upstarts), Animal, Mrs Animal (Sophie), Steve Whale
and his recent bride Nicole, Mandy from the Crows with hubby-to-be
Chelsea Dom, and Gal and Mrs Gonad (Leah McCaffrey). The hardcore
foodigans convened at the Ragged Trousers pub (named after Robert
Tressell's novel) in the Pantiles where they drank to absent friends
- John King, Geno Blue, Manic Esso, Fatty Lol, and the water-bomber
of old Berlin, Lee Wilson - before moving on to the Kirthon restaurant...
Next time? Euston! To order brethren... just pick something off
the menu.
April 21st. Reminder to all Punk Rock Curry Club members - the
St George's Day knees-up is TONIGHT from 7pm. You know where.
Cheers!
And to those who can't join us, if you ever needed an incentive
to carry on drinking...
Here's
a taste of the new Razorblade album. Warri-warri-ors!
April 20. The Top Ten Prankster moans heard at the Beltane Braces
event so far this weekend: 10) Beer too dear 9) Keep getting mistaken
for Fat Col 8) Wife also getting mistaken for Fat Col 7) Security
man strip-searching me at closing time 6) Finding out there is
no security man 5) 4am: Ska disco ends; 4.15am: noisy early morning
‘fracking’ starts 4) Drunken quiz team co-members insisting Bo
Diddley’s real name was Squiddly 3) Col and other fat bastards
coming down to breakfast in string vests 2) EU flags burning too
quickly 1) PM forgetting to turn up. As usual.
Out now from Six Feet Under Records: Evil Conduct’s double album,
Oi! Scorchers – their greatest hits to date, all re-mastered and
served up in a gatefold sleeve; ‘Demain’, a 7-inch ep from Hard
Times – re-recordings of four of the French bands’ oldest songs;
Oxymoron’s debut LP Fuck The Nineties... Here's Our Noize! - Oxymoron's
from 1995 re-mastered with a gatefold sleeve by Sucker, new photos
and an 18" x 24" poster.
Random news: Pete Townshend is hoping to release new Who material
with the band. He told Billboard he’ll be sifting through unreleased
songs to see if there’s enough for a new album... Jello Biafra
has appeared on Fuse TV’s Crate Diggers series talking out his
love for classic albums by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Blue
Oyster Cult, Hawkwind and The Stooges. (Wot? No Slade? No Purple?
No Lizzy? No Sabs?). It’s bound to be on-line somewhere soon.
April 19. Street Sounds have asked us to run this message for
them: ‘We will be running small ads for the first time in Street
Sounds issue 7, which will be published on May 6th. This will
give everyone - bands, promoters, labels and individuals - the
chance to advertise in the magazine for just £15. Each ad is 122mm
wide by 88 mm deep. You can pay via PayPal – we’ll forward payment
details on receipt of your artwork, which should arrive no later
than April 25th. Please send final PDF artwork to: streetsoundsissueseven@outlook.com.
Every issue of Street Sounds is seen by at least 2,000 people.
Thank you. The Street Sounds Collective.’ Fat Col’s suggestion
of a lonely hearts column (and we’ve cleaned that up) have mercifully
been ignored. Next issue is due out in early May.
April 18. Long Good Friday. Great news! We have officially started
putting together The Gonads Greater Hits Volume Three: The Complete
Cobblers. The fifteen track extravaganza will be available on
CD, vinyl and download and will come with two brand new Gal/McMighty
songs – ‘Better Land’ and ‘Let Us Rise’ - as well as the full
length version of ‘England’s Glory.’ More details to be announced.
Meantime, Gal and Clyde are likely to start recording together
again in Cyprus this Summer.
April 17. Black Flag’s Greg Ginn has settled his legal battle
with Flag. Guitarist Greg, who founded Black Flag in 1976, began
legal proceedings against his former band mates last August but
they have now reportedly settled out of court. His lawyer Evan
Cohen told Billboard: “Flag gets to be Flag, and Black Flag as
it is presently known continues to be Black Flag.” Although singer
Ron Reyes recently left BF (or was fired, according to our sources).
April 16. AC/DC have officially confirmed that Malcolm Young
is taking a break from the band due to ill-health, but state that
contrary to rumours ‘the band will continue to make music’. You’re
in our prayers, Malcolm.
April 15. The great Dave Wakeling called Nads HQ last night to
warn us of the dire consequences of the “four blood moons” coming
earth’s way – a consequence of total lunar eclipse. Speaking from
California, the English Beat star explained that many religious
sects see the phenomenon as a sign of a forthcoming “world-shaking
event.” The effect is caused as the Moon passes into the deepest
part of the Earth’s shadow (the umbra), with the sun’s rays refracting
through our atmosphere leaving only the red portion to reflect
on the Moon’s surface. Four consecutive blood moons (known as
a tetrad) are rare, and are seen as “significant” by many – including
the Pranksters. The first happened last night with no noticeable
effect (apart from WWIII about to kick off in Ukraine – Ed). Prankster
scholar Effete El tells us “There is a sense within the Brotherhood
that things are changing, and that we’ll see things mankind has
only dreamt of.” Blimey. Perhaps Scoops will get a round in, perhaps
Wattsie will write her review, or perhaps the Chosen One (Kiria
LePink) will materialise in person... we can but dream... Meanwhile, hopefully before the world ends, the new Business
e.p. is released by Randale on the 19th on vinyl and as a digital
download. The vinyl version is limited to 250 brown copies, 250
orange and 500 black. It comes in a gatefold sleeve plus lyrics.
Track listing: ‘Back In The Day’ b/w ‘Cuts Like A Shard’ and ‘Here
Is Johnny.’
We hope this is just a rumour... an Aussie radio station has
sparked fears that AC/DC are set to jack it in. 6PR radio today
reported that the legendary head-bangers are about to call it
a day due to one member being seriously ill – this was later rumoured
to be Malcolm Young. The station quoted an anonymous source saying
“AC/DC members have previously made a pact that no band members
will be replaced should someone need to leave the band. No more
is currently being said, however the particularly ill member of
AC/DC's son has stated that AC/DC may well be over.” A band spokesman
refused to comment. The band are/were due to start recording their
new album next month in Vancouver. They had also being planning
a 40-gig tour to celebrate their fortieth anniversary.
Meanwhile, in Connecticut... Tin hats on chaps – TNT is back!
End of August...
April 14. To order brethren. Next weekend’s big Pranksters Convention,
Beltane Braces, will take place at that East Sussex place. For
details of the serious aspects, brothers are instructed to consult
their Tylers. On the entertainment front, as well as Ska DJs,
a geezer rock band (Doily Lark), a scooter ride-out and the usual
bonfires, contests and side-shows, the merry brethren will also
be treated to the first public performance of the street-punk
play, Waiting for Hayes-O in which two forlorn characters sit
in the Sydney Arms waiting endlessly for the arrival of a mysterious,
some say fictional character named Terence Hayes (the Lad Himself).
Our theatre critic notes: ‘To the logical Garibaldi, the repeated
promises of Hayes to turn up each weekend “with a bottle of decent
red” is a cast-iron guarantee and he cannot understand why the
rascal never materialises. If he is the rational adult in this
existential vaudeville act, the goofy Gannon is the irrational
flatulent child who obeys his instincts and acts spontaneously.
He is Jerry Lewis, Mr Bean or South Coast Steve - the eternally
innocent child, sweetly guileless in a hostile universe where
the weak are routinely victimized by the strong. (As demonstrated
when, before last orders, the writer brings on the sadistic Sporrell
demanding pints and “chasers” with a frightening intensity.) These
cosmic clowns are two sides of the same coin, partners in the
tragicomedy we call life. Every Sunday they wait patiently but
in vain for the arrival of Hayes who despite text message assurances
and verbal confirmation never ever turns up. And although these
friends sometimes contemplate adding wrist-slashing to their witty
repertoire, they survive from one week to the next in the time-honoured
London way by trying and failing to “pull” Brenda, the barmaid.’
(‘A hoot!’ – The Stage; ‘Groundhog Day for bastards’ – Mirror;
‘I laughed until my rectum imploded’ – New Statesman) Tickets
from Brighid. Alban Arthan.
April 13. The Gonads would like to officially “refute, knock
back and kick into touch” any suggestion that this great band
are calling it a day. We can officially confirm that a new Gonads
album, the SkaNads debut album and the Clyde Ward collaboration
album are ALL still happening and that the Gonads will play gigs
after August “as long as they are interesting.” We are also up
for split singles with “nifty” (a technical term) bands around
the world. Noted physicist Professor Phil Phee-Fettler goes on:
“Just because not much appears to be happening, it doesn’t mean
nothing is happening. The Gonads are like a duck on a pond, above
the water calm and relaxed, below the water peddling like billy-o.”
Random guff: The Blades are back in the studio shortly... The
latest Maximumrocknroll (no 372) is out now including a Scottish
scene report and chats with Italy's Eu's Arse, Macedonian punks
XAXAXA, and Alert! Alert! from Poland... and finally, if you’re
coming up to Rebellion, the weekend ticket discount deal, currently
£130 for weekend ticket, runs out on 30th April. After that it
goes up a Commodore. You can buy direct from Rebellion Festivals
by cheque or postal order, with no booking fee – or by phone with
a credit card. All details here.
STOPPRESS: Fat Col’s ex-wife Janette has joined the chorus of
disapproval fuelled by his foul Facebook comments, calling him
“all mouth, no trousers.” Janette also threw in the withering
put-down: “Twelve inches? He might make that in centimetres –
when he’s excited, which isn’t often.” Ouch. You live by the pork
sword, Colin, you die by the pork sword. So mote it be.
April 12. Bad news chaps – the Gonads USA tour is now officially
postponed. It won’t be happening this Summer. Our Stateside guitar
star Jay ‘Tripod’ Letendre says: “It breaks my heart as I put
a lot of effort into this, and a lot of fans were looking forward
to it, but a couple of the band couldn’t get the time off work
without losing their jobs.” Gonads spokesberk Fat Col issued the
concise statement “Double gutted.” But New York guru and visionary
André Schlesinger put it all in perspective by simply stating:
“Mothers and fathers of children across American thank you!”
A few of you have asked whether Gal’s new book Riff-Raff Rebels
& Rock Gods will only be available as a download. We’re told that
plans are afoot for a kindle edition, a limited edition paperback
and possibly an audio CD version later this year. Full details
when we have them.
Meanwhile here’s
the link to buy ‘The Revenge of World Cup Willie’ - All together:
‘The lion lad stood next to Bobby Moore... ’
In fan art news, here’s a tasty new Rejects tatt by our favourite
ink maestro, Darryl Gates of Soho...
In Vinyl News, the Dead Kennedys’ Original Singles Collection
vinyl box-set is available again via Manifesto Records, including
the seven DK 7" singles and detailed liner notes. It costs 50
bucks or in real money, 310 Chinese Yuan. Meanwhile Fat Wreck
Chords have reissued the first three Strung Out albums, Another
Day In Paradise, Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues, and Twisted
By Design; they are also available in a 3 x CD + DVD box-set succinctly
called Volume One.
Where next for the Gonads? Who knows? For the moment, we’re
told that Gal has put The Gonads’ Greater Hits Volume Three: The
Complete Cobblers on hold and is refusing to commit to gigs beyond
August this year, stoking fears that Farmer Phil’s Festival will
be our farewell show. The SkaNads debut album is a work in progress
but the band have “no immediate plans to gig”, and all other recording
projects are in stasis. “The Septic knockback was a major blow,”
according to Martin Sporrell (aggressive Gooner). “Especially
after the Krauts fucked us about.” He goes on: “The band are at
a creative, emotional and personal crossways, well not so much
a crossways as a bleedin’ spaghetti junction.” While Gannon moans:
“We are more on hold than the Virgin switchboard.” Fat Col is
grumpier than ever at the moment having been officially reprimanded
for “cyber-stalking” Wattsie Watts. Apparently the oaf has proposed
marriage, and made comments on her Facebook page along the lines
of “If you want to be ‘Badly Done’ you know where to come”, “I’ve
got twelve inches but I don’t use it as a rule” and “Go blonde
again and you’ll have a chance with me.” His crimes, though minor,
“add up to harassment,” according to a stern-faced Waistrel –
and that’s his job.
April 8. Gal’s new audio book Riff-Raff, Rebels & Rock Gods
is on sale now. Subtitled, Confessions From The Glory Years Of
Sounds, it packs in six whole hours of memories from a time before
Simon Cowell when rock was real and pop was genuinely exciting.
The cast of characters includes Ozzy and Iron Maiden unleashed
in the USA, Hanoi Rocks in India, the Angelic Upstarts’ notorious
prison gig, Rose Tattoo on the road, the Specials in New York,
the Exploited in Berlin, The Selecter in Dallas, Ritchie Blackmore
in Finland, Twisted Sister rampaging around Covent Garden, the
Cockney Rejects in Custom House, Judge Dread in Hamburg, Max Splodge
in Texas and those legendary hell-raisers UFO – all for £7.50!
Follow this
link to download it straight to your computer
In other news, the brand new three-track e.p. from The Business
is out in about a fortnight. Called ‘Back In The Day’ it features
Steve Kent (ex Gonads!, ex Prole!) on guitar and will be released
by Randale Records. Mick and the lads play The Flag in Watford
on 19th.
Here’s
the official video for the new Louise Distras single, ‘Love
Me The Way That I Am’:
Random guff: that bloke from the Country Life butter ads is
going to star in a new stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Johnny Lydon plays King Herod in the touring show, along with
Brandon Boyd from Incubus as Judas and Destiny Child's Michelle
Williams as Mary. JC Chasez will play Pontius Pilate. It kicks
off in New Orleans in June... Peter Townshend has written a song
called ‘It Must Be Done’ for US spies and wigs TV drama the Americans...
This Is Hardcore 2014 will be at Philadelphia's Electric Factory
in late July, tickets on sale Friday from here.
April 5. Check back here next week for details on how to order
Gal’s blinding new audio book Riff-Raff, Rebels & Rock Gods...
it’s slightly delayed but well worth the wait!
Available as a download from Monday: The Revenge of World Cup
Willie by English Pride featuring Neville Staple, Gal, Wattsie,
Stief, Martin Stewart from Bad Manners, Paul SkaNad, Sarah SkaNad,
a Skarette or two, one-eyed Baz & scores of England fans. You
can see the video, shot in beautiful downtown Charlton, here.
Gary Barlow, eat our dust!
Hot News: the new SkaNads song ‘Rude Boy’s On The Rise’ was
mixed and mastered on Wednesday, it will be released as a 7inch
vinyl single by Randale in May, backed with the Girls Next Door
song ‘Too Late’, and it’s the first official taster from the SkaNads’
forthcoming debut album Carry On Skanking...
Meanwhile The Gonads US are “90% likely” to play a mini tour
of the Eastern Seaboard this summer... the new Louise Distras
single ‘Love Me The Way That I Am’ is out on vinyl on 12th May,
b/w ‘Bullets’... and Old Man Malarkey release a new 7inch single
‘Stupid Today’ b/w ‘Reeko’ (a NOFX cover) on 6th May via Fat Wreck
Chords...
The Cockney Rejects’ new live DVD is out now, called Rejects
By The Sea. It’s £14.99, the trailer is here.
To order just email rejectsdvd@btinternet.com with the heading Rejects By The Sea DVD.
April 3. R.I.P. Dave Gregg of The Real McKenzies and D.O.A.
fame – a great character and an all-round good egg. The Georgia
Straight reports guitarist Gregg was visiting his parents in White
Rock, British Columbia when he collapsed last Saturday. The Vancouver
Sun reports that he suffered ‘a massive heart attack’. He died
Sunday night in hospital, aged 54. D.O.A.’s Joe Keithlet writes
he was ‘a genuinely nice guy and a caring human being, who had
one of the most wicked senses of humour I ever came across.’ Gregg
played on six D.O.A. studio albums. Our thoughts are with Cathy.
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