Every Record Tells A Story
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Is Heavy Rock Guilty Of The Worst Lyrics Ever…? The Case For The Prosecution
I’m Putting Rock On Trial! Have Your Say! It is the 25th anniversary of Bon Jovi’s first UK number one album, “New Jersey” – a moment when heavy rock had confirmed its place in the mainstream, capping the momentum built by the likes of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard (number 1 in the US with “Love…
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Ten Ways To Spot A Bon Jovi Fan In Hiding
In Britain today there are nearly two million people who share a dark and (for many) shameful secret. Although these people used to be readily identifiable, out of shame they have been forced to go underground and it is no longer always easy to recognise them. They walk amongst us. They may be driving your…
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Ten Reasons Why Motörhead Should Be Inducted Into The Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame
Great news: Motörhead has a new single out, “Crying Shame”, which comes from “Aftershock” – Motorhead’s 21st studio LP. It’s yet another belter. But. It has been brought to my attention that there exists a terrible state of affairs that must be put right. No, I’m not talking about Keane’s last album. I’m talking about…
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The Day UK Rock Fans Took Thrash Metal To Their Hearts
I was there the day Thrash Metal broke into the UK’s metal mainstream…. It seems strange looking back at the divisions that thrash metal caused in the mid eighties. For some, the surprise will be that there’s any discernible difference between, say Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Megadeth and Scorpions. But for the heavy metal…
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Ten Reasons To Be Glad About Anthrax
First things first, if you are a farmer and are looking for disease control tips, look elsewhere. Wrong site. Not your fault of course. Naming a band after something that is more harmful to dumb animals than the X-Factor audition process is always going to lead to confusion. Exciting news for Anthrax fans in the…
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The Day I Appeared In An AC/DC Video
Ask a teenager now if they would stay up all night to watch TV on the off chance of seeing one of their favourite bands’ music videos and you’ll probably get as baffled a look as the one that Wayne Rooney might give you were you to ask him a tricky question such as “What…
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London Grammar – Strong First Impressions
I had an hour to kill before taking a train and a friend called to say he was going to see a band instore at Rough Trade East and did I want to join him? I said I’ll see what I can do… I’m glad I did too, because the band we saw were London…
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The Strypes – Live In London
The teenaged smart-suited boys onstage are tearing up the tiny stage with their maximum RnB sounds. Guitar, harmonica, bass, drums, no nonsense. Nods to the old blues masters and the crowd are dancing. The Rolling Stones in The Station Hotel, Richmond c1963? Dr Feelgood‘s pub rock at The Half Moon in Putney 1974? Nope. It’s…
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The Clash Pop Up in Berwick St, London
What has London ever done for us? Well, obviously there’s the literature, theatre, drainage system, architecture, trade and transport. That goes without saying… There’s the shopping, the parks, the restaurants, museums, the multi-cultural mix, the vibrant night life – I’ll give you that…* Oh yes – then there was The Clash. I’ll leave it to…
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Pete Frame’s Rock Family Trees: An Exhibition
It’s seldom a happy time when a band splits up. There are few people who really rub their hands with glee. I don’t mean Boy Bands of course. When the “talented one” leaves a boy band, generally half of the population uncorks the champagne and slays the fatted calf to celebrate not having to see…
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Drenge – Live at the St Moritz Club, Soho
The St Moritz club is named after a part of the world more normally associated with Swiss efficiency. I don’t approve. To paraphrase Orson Welles, what did 500 years of peace get Switzerland? The cuckoo clock? I can only assume the name for this venue is somewhat ironic, as the St Moritz club, Soho is…
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A Loft Discovery of 45s. Goths. Jesus And Mary Chain.
Morgan Howell’s exhibition of super-sized 7″ singles in Snap Galleries captures the magic of old 45s in a unique way. He cleverly recognises there is something quite perfect about having one song on one side of a record. It becomes the focus of attention. My brother in law just cleared out his loft and found…
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Jerks, Quirks and Twerks: A Look At MTV’s Video Music Awards
The VMA Music Awards were broadcast on MTV last night, in a rare example of music appearing on MTV. Twenty years ago the artists who cleaned up at the 1993 MTV VMA awards were Pearl Jam, En Vogue, Madonna, Peter Gabriel, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Alice In Chains and R.E.M. That’s a pretty good line up. A…
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Look Out For… MGMT’s New Video: Your Life Is A Lie
MGMT has returned with a new song “Your Life Is A Lie” with an brilliant, brilliant accompanying video which features Flipper, Hall and Oates (kind of), a chorus of skeletons and – well I won’t ruin it for you… The first single from the new self titled album, “Your Life Is A Lie” appears to…
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Cassettes: A Newbies Guide For Cassette Store Day
The exciting prospect of Cassette Store Day has got many of us very excited. Just two years after I sold all my cassettes believing the format to be as relevant as a Phil Collins greatest hits laser disc, here’s a grass-roots movement to try to ensure that, like Gordon Brown selling the UK’s Gold Reserves…
Every record tells a story 