One way ticket #6

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Contents by

Neus Ruiz Adrian Alfonso Raissa Pardini Matthew Liam Fogg Cretin Crowley Daniel Husayn Mauro Venegas Katherine Kaftan Dr. Fishlove Kurt Baker Robert Handerson Bert Cabot Justin Crumpton Joe Rocha Chris Hicks Paul Manchester @ Dirty Water Keith Milla @ Bad Vibrations

Editing by

Raissa Pardini Neus Ruiz Matthew Liam Fogg

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Raissa Pardini @ Peter and Raissa studio, Peckham

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WHAT’S ON LONDON · by MATTHEW As festival season draws to a close and the plethora of up and coming artists are shepherded back indoors; the smaller, intimate shows become ever more appealing. Thankfully, given London’s multitude of venues showcasing endless reels of talent, it has been another great month for music in the Nation’s Capital.

Five piece Pusher left their verdant home county of Yorkshire to twice grace London with their psychedelic assault, squeezing their big, atmospheric live show onto the small stage – a setting they might not have to get used to given their instantly recognizable musicianship. In their latter performance, they fired through a handful of tracks, including impressive debut single ‘Shoot Life,’ at Camden’s bar Solo on the penultimate Sunday in September.

Sandwiched in between the aforementioned shows came the reappearance of lo-fi rockers Yuck, who, after a near two-year absence from live performances, played three sold-out shows in successive days at Hoxton’s The Macbeth. New material, as well as old, as well as a sterling cover of New Order’s Age Of Consent captivated, bringing Yuck back into relevance ahead of the release of their much anticipated impending second album Glow & Behold.

Other honourable mentions go to Dead Coast, who have also been busy in our fair city, whilst sometimes sounding like they are from nowhere near here. Their refreshing blend of uptempo surf and blues channel something of a more Californian/ West Coast vibe. No, I’ve never been there, but I’ve seen the Allah-Las live. Thankfully and fortunately for us, they are from this side of the pond however, which means there are some interesting, tellable and nostalgic British influences embedded.

Also, Spit Shake Sisters twice visited Dalston mid-month, spreading their infectious brand of garage to the easily infected inhabitants of East London. Their self-proclaimed ‘disgusting, vulgar, damn-right beautiful noise,’ rattled the halls of The Victoria and The Shacklewell Arms in two crashing performances.

News on the business side of things hasn’t been as promising, as recent reports have shed light on the fact that now fewer than 300 independent Record Stores are currently operating. Given our attitude towards new music and up and coming artists, twinned with the fact that this publication is also stocked in a few of said stores, the current state of treatment considering the ‘little guys,’ (who are still of massive importance today, musically) is undoubtedly disappointing – so go out there and

support your local store.

Some solace can be found in the fact that something of an epicenter for the independent Record Stores, Rough Trade, is still a big draw in London for music lovers. This month saw Anglo-Antipodean group Splashh bring to Rough Trade East their echoing grunge in a busy in-store performance that launched their debut offering ‘Comfort,’ amongst other events that are constantly being held there.

To end on a positive note, here’s to next month - see you down at the front.

ENGLAND · by ROB Looking out of my window during the hottest summer in living memory, I would develop lurid fantasies of a winter backdrop, a 20 foot version of myself chasing woollen scarves, thick pea coats with broad lapels, pair after pair of leather gloves until around 9pm when it was just about cool enough to leave the house and return to some form of human contact. With this daily ritual my productivity in anything was minimal, there are only so many different variations of beans and toast and Byrd’s LP’s at my immediate disposal. One rabble bunch who were not resting on their laurels during the ether were ‘Major Malfunction’, side project of Noel Anderson, Luke Tristram (both of COP) and Marta Zabala (Los Cripis). Candidly named after R Lee Ermery’s turn of phrase from Full Metal Jacket/SpongeBob Squarepants, Major Malfunction wrote the record in a day and recorded it another. Tracks such as ‘Hit’ with distorted vox and the frenzied cover of Sonic Youth’s ‘Inhuman’ shake off any lingering summer blues and stir the blood back to your knees. But like the great British Autumn, Major Malfunction are fleeting entity. Drummer Marta Zabala is headed back to Argentina with her band Los Cripis, leaving the handful of shows they have played in the last month their only appearances, which they did along with the brilliant Weird Menace and the maximum heavy Niqab. In fact, by the time this has gone to print they would have played their final show and they will be all but a memory. This was not meant to be a tease, they have cassettes, and they have a facebook page for all to hear. It is merely a lesson to not get stuck into a state of inertia, ‘Fuck Yr Structure’ and blow off those cobwebs; it only takes about a half an hour! https://www.facebook.com/whatsyrmajormalfunction?ref=pr ofile

USA · by KURT Greetings readers and rockers! As I write this, the United States Government has GONE FISHIN’. You literally can’t even visit the Statue of Liberty! Los Governmentes has been

shut down due to the constant bickering of all the assholes in Washington, D.C. I guess it doesn’t effect me to much because my record player still works and i’ve got enough money for a pouch of tobacco and a couple packs of Double-Mint gum.

Yet, I do feel bad for all the tourist visiting the stoic Lincoln Memorial, looking for that Instagram gold with old Honest Abe in the background. Maybe next year... But enough about Washington. Let’s go someplace else...

Straight out of Boston, to reinvent the modern rock n’ roll, no it’s not JONATHAN RICHMAN, it’s THE DIRTY FENCES. These guys actually ONCE lived in Boston - the college slums of Brookline to be exact, but have since uprooted to an all to familiar hotbed for up and coming indie acts, the other BROOK, that ends in the LYN. Regardless, these guys don’t sound like a stereotypical Brooklyn rock band. They sound like hell on wheels. THE DIRTY FENCES new LP is an absolute scorcher. Raw and sizzling with the raw power of the STOOGES, MC5, RAMONES.. ect. It’s got a touch of darkness to it as well, which might make sense since they recently supported TURBONEGRO at an NYC gig. Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure i’ve seen THE DIRTY FENCES play in a basement one night awhile back.. but thanks to all the glue I can kiss my memory GOODBYE! “Too High Too Kross” is the title of the LP, now out on Volcom Entertainment.

Throw it on your turntable and go surfing on lava down the inner most depths of the buzzsaw volcano, baby.

Midwest pop punkers THE JETTY BOYS just released a new LP on Dave Parasite’s imprint Kid Tested Records. The LP’s called “Let ’er Rip”, and rip it does as Sheboygan’s finest take you on a tour de force of Great Lake pogo punk! THE JETTY BOYS always mix it up from album to album, and with this release they venture further into the trenches of Lookout era 90’s Pop Punk mixed with 80’s SST Hardcore, which makes for a fluid and varied listening experience throughout! Hopefully by the time you read this, bass player ERIC MANKE will be healed of his totally fucked up broken leg, and the J-BOYS will be back on the road into 2014!

KIM WARNICK of THE FASTBACKS has been hanging out in my grand old city. We just went and saw FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE play their big hit “Stacey’s Mom” to 30 people (most left after openers SOUL ASYLUM played), but between tunes Kim got me hip to her post-FASTBACKS group called CALI GIRAFFES. They’ve got an unreleased album on the shelves and it’s a disservice to humanity, because these tracks are the most hook filled pop rock n’ roll i’ve heard in a long while.

Catchy as fuck, and much like THE FASTBACKS in their heyday. There is hope though, and we can thank Satan and technology for the world wide interwebs, where a simple Ask Jeeves search will bring up CALI GIRAFFES unreleased album on SoundCloud. Check it out!

And that just about does it for me. Anything i’ve forgotten to tell all you punx about, well, I guess you’ll just have to wait til’ next time. For me, it’s time to retreat back into wood panel adorn basement flat, make a G&T, light some incense and take a walk on the wild side of Haribo. Over and out.

BELFAST PUNK SPECIAL AN INTERVIEW WITH

Dave from PROTEX · by RAISSA

We all know how important punk was during the late 70’s in England. It was more than a musical movement. It was a cultural movement that exploded like a hand grenade. While london was living its glory days, cities like belfast pulled out a kind of punk that was much more spontaneous. Belfast was a difficult city to live in and so that the music helped to support the new generation’s difficulties. Along with Rudi and Outcasts, Protex were one of the best punk bands of the scene in Belfast. For me it is a great honor to speak with Dave, the guitarist of the band.

What happened between England, America and Australia during the late 70’s is an incredible story of how society changed the music and the music changed society. You are representing Belfast in this interview, how do you remember the scene in Belfast?

It was a dark time in Belfast, almost like a ghost town after dark. The conflict between the nationalist and loyalist factions was at its peak and the entertainment in the city centre was non existent. The Clash came over and eventually were allowed to play a gig…Belfast City Council banned the first attempt because of a UK wide fear of Punk music!! It makes you laugh now, bur the right wing UK press had the nation braced for this wave of teenage rebellion!!!!

Terri Hooley had opened Good Vibrations Record Shop with huge enthusiasm and then he started promoting local bands at the Harp Bar. There was no outlet for young bands playing their own original music before that.

The Harp bar was amazing, such a great atmosphere! It was another world. Our first gig was supporting Rudi and they were lovely, very supportive and kind…like big brothers!!

We also played support to the Undertones on their first gig in Belfast. I remember it so well because their sound was absolutely amazing. It was like a brick wall of rock n roll sound…We also supported legends like The Fall and the Nips

at the Harp Bar. Some very happy memories in what was a very troubled time for Belfast.

How different was London in comparison to Belfast in terms of the Punk scene?

Coming to London felt like being released into a normal world. Belfast felt very dangerous and restrictve then. London was a living breathing city with nightlife and a good music culture. It felt like there were so many opportunities for gigs at our level...The Marquee, Dingwalls, The Hope n Anchor, The Rock Garden (Covent Garden), The Fulham Greyhound, The Nashville...the list goes on…and when we arrived in 79 the punk scene was nice…it had merged into rock n reggae and was easy going and really fun!

The recent documentary about Terry Hooley’s Good Vibrations is a telling release, that can really inform us as to what really happened at the time. How much do you think Terry helped the whole music scene in Belfast grow?

Terri had a huge influence on the music Culture. His enthusiasm for music was infectious and he made the musicians realise that anything was possible. He created the Harp Bar as a venue for young bands at a time when Belfast was dead and on its knees. He personally funded bands to go into the studio and record their music. The Undertones was a great success but you have to remember he did the same for many bands who would never have had that opportunity...Rudi, Outcasts, Protex, Victim, the Idiots…He personally took Protex over to London (at his own expense) and put us in the BBC Maida Vale studio for John Peel / Kid Jensen sessions. This led to our Polydor record deal. Terri was never motivated by money, he wasn’t a businessman god bless him...but he was driven by the love of music. His influence can not be over stated.

Your first 45 was released in two different versions on Good Vibrations and a third through Rough Trade, containing three songs - ‘Don’t Ring Me Up,’ ‘Just Want (Your Attention) and ‘Listening In.’ How did you create ‘Don’t Ring Me Up’? I find it one of the greatest British Punk songs...

Thank you! It was written by Aidan. A girl called Julie really liked him and the band and she started phoning him constantly…Needless to say the amorous girl’s affections were not reciprocated and she became a pest. Poor wee thing I say, she was only following her heart….I have sympathy for her.

So Aidan was moved to write that song about it.

How did you find working on your record with Chas Chandler from The Animals?

It’s a difficult question because I was never convinced that Chas liked Protex. I think he took the job because of his

big connection to Polydor but to be honest I don’t think his heart was in it. It was a very workman like regime, not much creativity. It felt like…ok let’s get this job done. I don’t have fond memories of those sessions.

Two of your sessions at The Mickey Most’s Rak Stdios in London have never been released by Polydor. Do you still have that material? Is it possible it will ever be released?

I don’t know. The tapes are in a vault somewhere. I have tried (and many others have) to contact the record company, but I never get a response. As I remember, we were really happy with the RAK recordings, more so than BARN (Chas Chandler).

Ireland’s identity with regards to the United Kingdom.

At the heart of this was an emerging punk scene with Terri Hooley at the helm. Sure, you can’t be blamed if you haven’t heard of him, he’s arguably less significant than, say, Malcolm McLaren who gave us The Sex Pistols. So who is Terri Hooley? To summarise, he opened Good Vibrations, a record store on Great Victoria Street in Belfast in 1977. To a backdrop of harrowing bloodshed and bombings, Good Vibrations became a record label, persevering throughout the conflicts happening right on Hooley’s doorstep. One of Terri Hooley’s many gifts to the world was The Undertones, gaining monumental support from John Peel, who spun their hit ‘Teenage Kicks’ twice in a row, exclaiming “wasn’t that the most wonderful record you’ve heard in your life?”

Your tour with Adam and The Ants lasted only one show. What happened?

It was a transitional period. Skinheads had taken over the club level gigs and hated our sound. The first gig descended into violence and we thought discretion was the better part of valour and fucked off.

You were a part of an era when Radio was the most important medium in spreading music. Where there was the BBC1 show with Kid Jenson (on which you’ve performed), comparable now is probably the Mark Riley show on BBC How much exposure can a band get on the radio? How do you follow new bands, personally? So, the film. Simply put, it’s a biopic of Terri Hooley’s life, not I really only listen to BBC Radio 6, I love it! But I must admit I am in my own head so much I am really bad at keeping up with new bands but I love listening to all kinds of music.

You have just re-recorded some songs on a 45, do you think you’ll release new material soon?

Yes, theres a lot of new stuff written…its just a matter of the band learning it. It’s not too different…you know we love a good pop tune!!!

BELFAST PUNK SPECIAL TERRY HOOLEY’S

GOOD VIBRATIONS · by CHRIS

To many The Troubles refers to a clash of ideologies, not just over religion, but a number of factors, including Northern

exactly a rags to riches story as you’d expect, but a tale of a man who was awful with money and quite frankly, a bit bonkers.

Despite this, the film is a rousing account of Hooley’s passion for the Belfast punk scene and his unrelenting desire to show the music he loved to the world. Richard Dormer is a pleasure to watch in his portrayal as Hooley, a man who we are both inspired and infuriated by throughout the film. However, there are of course moments when the film drags, such as a drug scene that just seems to go through the motions. It undermines the tone of the film somewhat and feels a bit lazy.

In a film that is otherwise funny, sophisticated and uplifting, the ‘woohoo I’m on drugs and I’m having it’ scene just feels like it was plonked in for some cheap laughs.

Ultimately, the film is worth watching. It is an inspiring account of a man who deserves far more international recognition than he’s had. Whether or not you’ve heard of Terri Hooley and Good Vibrations, this film is a faithful account of an important, often overlooked event in music history. Musicians and music lovers alike will be inspired by Hooley’s determination to attract the world’s gaze to his small DIY label. The flaws are easy to overlook, especially when you consider this film as a little gem swamped by this year’s hordes of shitey sequels in the cinema.

FACTORY FLOOR · by DANIEL

Red Dons US East Coast tour has come and gone. It was a great success, in no small part due to our tour mates Night Birds. What can I say they are a hard act to open for, let alone follow. If you haven’t heard the new LP or the Maimed for the Masses EP do so. It’s been a month since I’ve been back and I still have “Can’t Get Clean” running through my head.

The main highlight, at least for me, was going to back to Raleigh, NC. For those of you who don’t know I had a major accident on the Red Dons 2010 tour. During our show in Raleigh I fell of a very high stage during the second song landing on my shoulder. I was knocked out and had sprang my neck, separated my shoulder, and dislocated my collar bone from my sternum (the doctors still don’t know where the end of the bone is!). Needless to say I couldn’t finish the show as I no longer had the use of my left arm, the good news though was that my bass wasn’t broken. They had to call off the show and someone drove me to the hospital. This being america the land of the free and uninsured they wouldn’t admit me until I gave them billing details. By this point I was in a wheel chair, couldn’t move the top half of my body and had to support my head with my knee. Lets just say that through the haze some other “Daniel” managed to check in with a made up address and social security number. But by far the worst part of the night was when i was wheeled into the room for x-rays. They made me stand up and lean against a wall, then proceeded to press against my shoulder to straighten it out. Such pain was the cost of the morphine I was about to receive. In a bed and hopped up on opiates it was now 4am and time to head back to the promoters house for a nap. I was given instructions to come back to the hospital the next day to continue diagnosis/ treatment. Unfortunately we had to play in Richmond.

Having said yes the to promoter that would could perform, Doug grabbed some Ace bandage and tapped my arm to my body. He set my bass on my knee and I could just barely play by moving my leg back and forth. Handful of painkillers and a couple of beers later I was perched atop my amp and I can’t remember the rest. In this state I managed to finish the rest of the tour, something like 16 more shows. Each day my band had to help me change my clothes, tie my shoes, load my gear and wrap me up for every show. The most difficult tour I have every been on. But it didn’t end there. One year without work going to the doctors each week, another year of physical therapy, at least three years recovery, and possible permanent disability.

While I was on my way to the Hospital Doug promised we would come back and play a show for free to make up for the night July 21st 2010. Well July 21st 2013 we manage to come back and play for free. A major triumph for me and a

victory over my injury. After three long hard years of work I could stand up, thank the crowd, and play the show that was promised as a thank you for their help, when it was doubtful I would ever be able to play again.

Turns out tour didn’t slow work.

Starting with home. Brighton has produced a fine group under the name of Daskinsey4. They have a firm grounding in Punk and a fine pop sensibility, “Smithsy” to say the least.

Mixed and mastered here. London brings us a new NO Lp. Excellent Hardcore if you don’t already know. DIE also have provided a great new 7”. Arms Race will have a demo cassette as well. Paper Jets will have a new 7” of killer pop punk. Leeds very own Nervous Twitch are mixing a new EP here and will be playing Garageland in October. Check them out!

Germany in fact has been very productive. This month saw records by Kick It! on AccessXDenied (Frankfurt), Kenny Kenny Oh Oh on Contraszt.Rec (Leipzig/Berlin), PUFF (Berlin, Members of Modern Pets), Roller Girls (Darmstadt).

Peng! Peng! (Freiburg).

On the heavier front for all you d-beat types Heavy Nukes have finished another EP and if you liked the last one you’ll love this one. Disconcept another hard hitting German group have also produced a fine Dis masterpiece. Ravage Fix will have a new 7”. If you like Gism and GBH and Deutschpunk then check them out. Finish punks Dead Moose have a new recording that is stellar. One of my favourites to work on this month. If you have the wherewithal listen to the track I’ve posted.

Israel’s Shifka Chiefs have a demo out now mixed here as well. Garage Punk with Hommous. Spain’s own Corrigans will have a new 7” of mod revival inspired punk. Brazil have produced a new band called Rakta who will have a record out on Nada Nada discos. If you like to experiment with your punk this is right up your alley.

The Insaniacs new LP is finished. Stalwarts of the Winnipeg punk scene, who have toured Canada and the US have returned from hiatus with a new LP coming out soon.

Hopefully I will have a preview up on my website soon.

Speaking of Canada No Problem who played in London last summer have recorded a new LP and we finished mastering it this week. The band has matured and this LP brings more depth to their hardcore sound. I can’t wait for this to come out on Deranged sometime soon.

Hey, you like Texas Punk? I mean stuff like Marked Men, or Occult Detective Club? Good and bad news. Occult Detective Club broke up. Good news, they formed a new band called Distressers and recorded at the studio (Cool Devices) founded by the Marked Men. Go and check them out now, they won’t disappoint. Speaking of Americans, Piss Test’s radio show on KBOO has been mastered and prepped

for release on Jonny Cat records. Portland’s Hellshock will be playing London October 4th. Spells have a new record and Shinning Wires, both of which hail from Colorado.

AN INTERVIEW WITH

Other bands with releases in the works: Bella Black, Rhubarb Triangle, Maniac, Smear, The Energy, Franceens, Tenement, Crimen, Red Dons, Role Models. http://hajjihusaynmastering.wordpress.com/

from WARM

MATTHEW MELTON

SODA

· by CRETIN CROWLEY

ASK DR. FISHLOVE’S · by DR FISHLOVE So, Well Seasoned Brisket zine has had a little break, hasn’t it?

Bet you’re holding this in your grubby, fat hands salivating at the mouth cursing us for being lazy. You must think we’ve spent the whole time putting on weight, sweating, putting pictures of my ex girlfriend in porridge and feeding it to dogs and writing this right now calling yourself Dr. Fishlove. But here we are, flashing into your brain like repressed memories of your Uncle’s wandering hands that time he babysat you.

I would start here by introducing my favourite album or something but, as huge, vast and remarkably popular music is with you bunch it is nowhere near as interesting as me so you’ll get a brief breakdown of my life. Consider this an aspirational suppository for your brain.

I’m viewing this week with a new found zeal as my lodger has finally packed up and left, I had Jim Davidson using my sofa for a week because he said he was in London for a interview to be poet laureate. He did very little poetry and didn’t seem to leave for a meeting - in fact all he seemed to do was drink White Ace and shout “SHIRT LIFTER!” at the television whenever Eamon Holmes’ pudgy face was on.

Personally, I have a lot of time for Eamon; he seems like he lucked himself into this TV malarkey. He doesn’t have a TV image, he looks like he should be behind a butcher’s counter at a supermarket. Anyway, I digress, so, last time you skim read or completely ignored my column I had delved into the realms of writing a gossip column and, before that, I wrote a thinly veiled cry for help disguised as an Agony Aunt column. Now what? The literary world is my oyster you might say? Perhaps it is, but it’s out of date and given me the shits because I’m spent. I was considering turning in a chapter from my upcoming ‘create - your- own - path’ erotic sci-fi novel but I quickly decided against it. I mean, look at you lot. Would’ve gone over your heads.

That’s your lot, any complaints direct them towards Raissa.

No, not her, Adrian. Yes. Adrian…

A week after returning home to Oakland, California, from what would be the Bare Wires final show in Austin, Texas, frontman Matthew Melton would find himself working on his next band- Warm Soda. After setting the tone with their debut single, “Reaction” (South Paw Records), Warm Soda combined a stripped down take on American power pop ala The Quick to Milk’n’Cookies and elements of Nick Gilder/Sweeney Todd and other assorted 70’s junk shop glam acts. Shortly thereafter, John Dwyer (frontman of San Francisco psyche trash weirdos, Thee Oh Sees) would release their first album, “Someone for You”, on his label Castle Face records. The album would prove perfect collection of power-pop hits tinged with just enough adolescent anguish to make you want to don your platform boots and run into the night. Their latest single, “Tell Me in a Whisper” (Goodbye Boozy records), was released in July this year for their European tour. Both side showcase Matthew’s ability to write a softer but also sincere pop single and their use of vintage equipment and techniques make this group sound like the real deal, sounding straight out of TOTP’s Top 40 from 1979.

Matthew Melton (vocals, guitar), Rob Good (guitar), Ian McBrayer (drums) and Chase Oren (bass) make up the current line-up.

So how was the European tour? I saw a few last minute shows were added…

Europe was awesome. A festival we were going to play in the Ukraine got cancelled so we were able to add 4 extra Netherlands shows, which was awesome because we love The Netherlands! Statistically, some of the happiest people in the world live in The Netherlands.

You’ve done a non-stop 40 show tour this year already with Warm Soda. How do you keep sane on the road, or alive even?

people, and a lot of the songs are autobiographical. Its kind of like “the person who I really am “voicing a song out towards “the way that I feel inside”.

I think I’m pretty much insane at this point, but I feel alive on tour. It’s the coming back that can test one’s sanity. It’s like going 120 kph and hitting a brick wall.

Does Rob feel more comfortable on stage or engineering and producing?

Rob Good is a wizard in the studio. He is actually a certified

Being from Memphis originally have you found that recording engineer. He also has a lot of experience touring in the early 2000s in various punk bands. We joke with him about the Oakland has toughened you up, or are you still a fact that he’s played Warped Tour a few times. Ha ha! southern gentleman?

Where do your ideas and story lines for your music Memphis is way tougher than Oakland could ever want to be. The thing is that the crazy shit that happens in Memphis videos stem from? never makes it into the news. Memphis produces way more criminals than gentlemen. Oakland can be rough also. Fuzz City Records, which is basically our headquarters and where we run our label and studio, is located in an area of east Oakland which has not been gentrified yet. It’s nice living in this area because you get a feeling of being completely off the grid. It’s rare that you will run into anyone you have ever seen before in this neighbourhood.

What is it that you miss most from Memphis?

Paynes BBQ, Wild Bills, The Buccaneer, a lot of places and people. I recently was able to locate my childhood music teacher and reconnect with her. She was a big influence on me at an early age, as she taught me to sing and play guitar. By the age of ten I was singing and performing in operas and she even got me placed in John Denver’s children’s back-up choir for a Christmas tour he did in the early 90s. I love visiting Memphis because it’s always exactly like I remember it.

I have always had this fascination with High School. I think its because I never really had the High School experience because I was such an outcast then. I didn’t really have any friends so at lunch time I would always have difficulty finding a place to sit in the cafeteria. The “Busy Lizzy” video is basically an expression of an adolescent confusion about girls. “Jeanie Loves Pop” ends up being a reflection of my adolescent fantasy of writing a song that compels an interesting girl to fall in love with me.

Is there a music video in particular from a favourite artist of yours that you feel has influenced you?

One my favourite videos of all time: Bone Thugs N Harmony - “First of the Month”. I want to make our next video pretty much exactly like that.

What do you have lined up next for the band?

Currently we are finishing up our new album and planning

What elements from the glam and pop era do you for 2014 - a USA tour in March and a European tour in favour the most that you’ve transferred them into May. We also just wrote and recorded an original Christmas song that will be coming out in the holiday season. your own music?

We listen to the production on a lot of those albums, but what stands out to me most in music is how sincere the delivery of a song is. I think that’s the magical element which can really speak to people.

Where do the influences come from for the harder sound in Warm Soda?

Thin Lizzy - MC5 - Iggy Pop - Cheap Trick

Could you tell me how you would approach writing a song? Do you set out to write music with a romantic nature with undertones of perversion disguised within a seemingly innocent pop song?

Here you have pretty accurately described my song writing formula. Its not going to be a hit unless its got those undertones of perversion in there. Most of my songs start off as an expression of a feeling that turns into talking about

Tell me about this arrest at your art show back in Memphis...

It was part of a performance piece that I staged for my final project. I photographed every high school cafeteria in Memphis and I had the police arrest me to imply that I had taken the photographs illegally. It’s really funny though because I actually did take some of the photographs by breaking in and getting janitors to let me in etc and I just lied to the police to get them to do it. The cops that I talked into it were the biggest slackers on the Memphis police force. I found them because I worked at this bar/venue at the time and they would come in and get wasted after their shift and were close with a bartender there. It took lots of pestering them and showing up at the police station to finally convince them to do it. This stunt caused quite a stir at the college and I had to write a letter of apology in order to receive my diploma.

Keep your beady eyes peeled for Matthew Melton’s and Warm Soda’s new material and tour from next spring!

GREAT FORGOTTEN ALBUM #5

URGE OVERKILLSATURATION · by MAURO

Yessss I’m back with another of these – as it happens, I had FOUR candidates for this edition’s “Great Forgotten Album”, so I resorted to doing Google searches on all four to see which one got the least results and thus was officially the most “forgotten” (you can’t beat the scientific methods).

So Urge Overkill’s “Saturation” (1993) won out. But does it follow in the honourable footsteps of the previous incumbents? OK, let’s see – had the band released “cooler”, more critically acclaimed albums previously? Check. Was this their first release on a massive label? Check. Was this a calculated, brazen attempt at mainstream success? Check.

Did it totally fail to sell and did they get subsequently dropped? Ch… Actually, no, Geffen gave them one more album, but yeah, despite some heavy promotion, this album pretty much tanked. Is it fabulous? Well, duh.

This lot aren’t messing around with their would-be hit single, either – BANG, we’re in with “Sister Havana” straight away, all fantastically familiar powerchords, cowbell … actually, listening back to it, turns out there might be no cowbell on it after all! I’ve had that wrong all these years. “When I’m watching you and Fidel Castro in the sand, kissin’…” You can rack your brains for clues as to whether the UO boys are making some wry statement on the US-Cuba embargo here, but you’d be wasting your time, and hey, we all lead busy lives. No, it’s just gloriously meaningless and tremendous fun, and if it had come out at some point in time other than 1993, might have become some kind of Rock Radio Staple.

Sadly for all concerned, this brilliantly cheeky stab at mass appeal is now only remembered (and half-remembered, at that!) in certain “alternative/indie” circles. Sigh.

Rewinding slightly, UO hailed from the Windy City, had caused some ripples with a couple of underground albums

and EPs and got signed by Geffen, which is where anyone with a loud guitar who wanted to be a superstar was in the early ‘90s.

People loved the band’s early stuff but really, it’s kind of hard work. There was production by Steve Albini and tours with Nirvana and inspiring of Liz Phair etc, but sod all that - these fellas wanted to be STARS, and you can’t say fairer than that.

Especially when your names are Nash Kato, Blackie Onassis and Eddie “King” Roeser. To that end, they already dressed and acted like dandyish rock stars as much as was humanly possible. Clearly this was an approach that had worked in the ‘70s, but at the height of the grunge era, it seemed to wind everyone up something rotten. It probably says something about UO’s sheer chutzpah that they attempted to come off as sex gods - I mean, look at ‘em. Seriously, none of these guys are lookers!

The UK music press, showing their rare knack of getting things wrong, slagged second single “Positive Bleeding” for sounding like the Cars. (Like that was a BAD thing!)

Anyway, what they meant was it sounds like Cheap Trick, circa ‘78. And as we all know, that’s a VERY GOOD thing.

The chorus goes “Come on, come on, whoo-hoo-hoo”, by the way. Irresistible. “Saturation” is essentially a “summer” album, although there are more reflective highlights too “Bottle Of Fur” (“…I’m missing the smell of her”) and the spooky “Dropout”. So far in my life, I’ve liked ALL songs called “Dropout” I’ve encountered. Has anyone ever done a shit song called “Dropout”? Answers on a postcard to Dr Fishlove, please! That reminds me - the nearest concession to their lo-fi roots comes on “The Stalker”, with its drums all panned in one speaker for some mysterious reason, and even THEN, it still manages to sound like Kiss. The album’s liveliest moment (“Woman 2 Woman”) covers similar territory to Prince’s notorious “Bambi” (“Bambi, can’t you understand? It’s better with a man!”). Provocative stuff in the Riot Grrrl days! “Baby what’s your sign, Vagittarius?” muses Kato. Yup, he says that!! Not sure how he got away with it really, but somehow he did. S’pose there’s a lot to be said for that aforementioned chutzpah.

Anyway, put “Saturation” up alongside whatever humourfree grunge-era “masterpiece” you might care to mention, and I know which one will show you more of a good time (baby). But people clearly didn’t want that much of a good time in 1993. Course, UO did get their lucky break thanks to Tarantino using their cover of “Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon” in “Pulp Fiction”, but this just saddled them with the curse of being That Band Who Had That Hit With That Cover Version (which invariably means becoming That Band Who Had No More Hits. See also: Futureheads). An unfortunate fate to befall such would-be superstars, but they probably consoled themselves by acting like they were regardless! So let’s not shed a tear for Urge Overkill. It’s not what they would have wanted.

MANCHESTER SPECIAL /OLD A CERTAIN RATIO AN INTERVIEW WITH JEZ · by RAISSA

identities. Has playing in the States changed anything for you, characteristically?

When the band went to New York the first time and recorded “To Each “ in East Orange New Jersey, we were exposed to Samba music live for the first time, also the beginnings of Hip hop were making the radio stations like WBLS, New York was and always has been a city full of musical diversity and this definitely had an influence on the band.

Replacing a support band with a DJ for your first UK tour was a step that no one had made before. How did the audience react to this?

A Certain Ratio has certainly revolutionised the perspective of making music, all that during a period and in a city in which everything that surround them was as well changing. a fundamental band that cant be classified into a specific music genre but that goes beyond the box by mixing different cultures and genre styles.

The musical history of Manchester has been much discussed, especially in recent years. However, the North’s influence on the World of Dance Music globally hasn’t been covered in as much detail. You guys mix genres such as Jazz, Latin, Northern Soul with Dance Music - how did this come about? …and how much did the city of Manchester effect what you’ve done?

Initially we were influenced by our lack of technical ability,we were inexperienced musicians but we found that together we made a decent sound. The guitars on’Taking Tiger mountain’

by Brian Eno were a big influence early on, but it was our limitations which gave us our style.

We were all aware of dance music, the North west was awash with discos and Northern Soul all nighters provided an alternative to the mainstream, so after a while we wanted to add Funky drums to our industrial sound, the addition of Donalds drumming to the band allowed us to experiment and try to play the music we were listening to, American funk and jazz, Brazilian samba etc.

Anthony H Wilson said that people in Manchester had the best record collections, i think that following the explosion of the do it yourself attitude of punk,a lot of the bands were experimenting and trying to be original rather than copy the successful punk bands. Also the grey skies and darkness of the city had an influence on the music we produced.

America and Europe have never been so close and so far away at the same time. They’ve influenced each other musically, but also try and retain their separate

I’d forgotten about that, but yes Hewen Clarke was the DJ who opened for us by playing a lot of the records we were listening to, Apart from the radio 1 and top of the pops dj’s, the dj role was just to play the tunes, the Northern soul scene changed that and people started to talk about going out to “see” a dj.

You spoke in an interview about how many modern bands are influenced by how they want to look and sound, where as back in the day everything was just spontaneously going on. Did you feel part of a scenein-changing?

I think we were very lucky in that we began as a band when the gig scene for people like us (non musicians) was really healthy, there was always new places springing up and putting bands on, the john peel show was a focus for young bands of all kinds and the “independant label/fanzine/venue” was a new thing.

I think it is much harder for bands to be noticed these days because of the environment they are dealing with. Now there a hundred gigs in each town every weekend with limited audiences at each,whereas back then there were maybe 3 or 4 gigs on any night with a fairly large audience. It’s not that the young artists have changed,it is the market they are competing with.

Now that you have your solo projects, what has changed in comparison to when you were writing music with A Certain Ratio?

I have a new band, Keo (guitarist and label owner of Higuera Records) is still with me, and i have always been trying to emulate the vibe that was and is alive in ACR, So nothing has changed really, so long as you try and do everything with real passion and belief, you will produce good work. My solo album is called Numb Mouth Eat Waste. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/numb-mouth-eat-waste/ id465438380

MANCHESTER SPECIAL /NEW TEMPLE SONGS

I like the Red Crayola), and Aldous (because I like playing with different musicians). It’s very healthy, it means that you don’t get bored.

· by RAISSA

Dealing with the world of pop has always been a bit risky, especially when we talk about quality. You were able to create simple but impressive melodies, how did you create your songs?

AN INTERVIEW WITH JOLAN

Temple songs are one of the newest bands to enclose the musical values of the Manchester scene. A great pop band which mixes the desire to play and also to experiment.

Three quick questions Jolan, the singer.

How important was your city to the band when you first started out?

It was important in as much as we could sence that there was something going on, there has been a really good feeling about Manchester for the past few years. It feels like it’s impossible to know someone who isn’t a musician or promoter or something, and as potentially depressing as that might sound, it’s great. It means that you can kind of stay in your bubble and ignore the fact that the outside world has jobs and commitments, you can just BE a musician.

However, Manchester’s musical history had nothing to do with it, and I know that the majority of groups in the city at the moment share a lack of interest in what happened in the past. It’s not to say that we don’t like The Fall or whatever, we do.. but there’s a certain mythology around Factory and Joy Division and stuff, and it has absolutely no bearing on what’s going on now.

Collaboration between artists and experimentation have always been two fundamental aspects of the music scene in Manchester. How does it effect you?

It’s extremely helpful. I think it stems from the fact that everyone in Manchester’s music scene seems to be pretty well educated in music; everyone likes too much different stuff to sit still. And it means that people get along, not necessarily because they like the same kind of music, but because they know they love music as much as each other. At the moment, I’m in 3 bands. Temple Songs (because I like pop music and The Beatles), The Pink Teens (because I hate pop music and

I don’t know, it’s a weird thing to talk about. I realised that sometimes when you hit a chord, it’s just an E. But sometimes you can hit that same chord and you immediately hear the entire song. I think it’s kind of like, you know how dreams are just all the stuff that’s happened to you recently all jumbled up? Songs are the same. When all I listened to was the Beatles, the songs came out like that. Not because I was purposely trying to (any song you write out of necessity always turns out to be complete dogshit), but just cause all those chord changes and melodies you familirise yourself with end up getting chopped up in your brain and spewing out again in a different order. I noticed that when I first got massively into country, or the Godz, the melodies and chords came out different. It’s all just finding ways to keep yourself occupied.

ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Criminal Damage - Call of Death LP The Bishops - Cross Cuts Television - Adventure Young Canadians - Hawaii EP Roxy Music - Siren Kak - Kak ESG - A South Bronx Story OFF! - First 4 EPs Rudi - You Gotta Get Out Of Here Gilberto Gil/ Astrud Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto The Boys Next Door - Door, Door

GOT TO HAVE POP!

PLACES THAT ARE GONE · by ADRIAN

I missed one issue and near enough for got how to write.. I was planning on writing about The Boyfriends, but I’m sure you were all too impatient and did some investigating of your own. Did you love them? … I thought as much and you’re welcome!

I like to keep it varied, so this month I’m actually going to take a step outside the long road of cheesey loved up pop, and fast forward a couple of years. I’m going to assume you’re all familiar with The Replacements, and if you’re not, then shame on you!

Depending on how familiar you are with Paul Westerberg’s solo career post replacements, then the name “Tommy Keene” might ring a bell, some of you will know the name well, if so then don’t bother reading this (like anyone does anyway), but if you don’t know him, then please do read on, it’s for your own good.

More than just a touring “guitar for hire”, Keene wrote some of the best Power Pop songs of the 80’s and if you just listen to them you’ll fully understand just why he fit in so well on guitar for Paul Westerberg’s live band.

From Maryland, Keene started out on drums in a adolescent band called “Blue Steel” (nothing to do with Zoolander unfortunately), the band was fairly short lived and he switched to guitar by the time he was in uni, playing with bands like “The Rage” and then “The Razz” getting to open for quite a few big names, including the Ramones. This band proving to be the best choice for him a little later in his career.

After some more failed attempts at playing with other bands, he teamed up with former Razz band mates; Ted Nicely and Dough Tull playing Bass and Guitar respectively, soon to be joined by another guitarist by the name Billy Connelly they started performing under Keene’s name.

There was no messing around once this lineup were set, With

songs in hand, they went straight to the Studio to record debut LP “Strange Alliance”. When I say no messing around, I mean NO MESSING AROUND. Rather than wait for a label to sign them, they put their money together and released it on their own Avenue label in 1982. Up until very recently you’d be pretty hard pressed to find a copy of it, but thanks to “12XU” doing a bang up job on re-releasing it, you can get your grubby little mitts on it (or you can just be a cheap bastard and steal it off a music blog)..

If you’re going to go for power pop, you have to start strong, and that’s exactly what the opening track does, it’s got everything you’d expect from a power pop song in the early 80’s, from mix of uptempo riff chord changes, to the softness of the bridge and chorus that well on it’s own wouldn’t be so special, but throughout the song you’ve got these twinkling jangly notes shimmering over the top of it all, unknowingly helping to form a sound that really wasn’t very popular til the second half of the 80’s. Oh and I hope you all like metaphors, this song is chocked full of em, try and guess what he means when he sings “I want to photograph your real estate”..

What really makes this album stands out is, well, it just feels like an overall new sound, like an evolution of the cookie cutter pop that’s been rehashed over and over again from it’s foundations back in the 50’s, and whilst other bands were still going on playing that, or resorting to whatever the latest trend, very few took the basics and made it their own this way to produce something so fresh sounding.

With such a strong debut under their belt they went right back to writing new material and found themselves being picked up by Dolphin Records, releasing (my personal favourite) the “Places that are gone” EP. from the title track opener to the unique style in which they executed Alex Chilton cover capping it off, this EP really grabs me, and should have you replaying it countless times. If you spot this EP in a record shop or online, don’t waste time in grabbing it!

Tommy Keene soon was to be signed by major label Geffen and released two albums “Songs from The Film” and “Based on Happy Times”, meeting moderate success in the u.s. but not really making it overseas. He managed to get one more e.p. out before he found himself dropped by Geffen.

Undeterred Keene spent a lot of the 90’s touring with bands as a guitarist. Towards the end of that decade releasing another album and up to this day in still heavily involved in music. Many have lost it over time (some never had it) but well, your ears wont lie to you, so if you ever find yourself the opportunity to find any of his music, or get an opportunity to see him live, go for it because I’m still kicking myself for missing my opportunity..

AN INTERVIEW WITH

THE HEX DISPENSERS · by NEUS · illustration by IKA

The original line-up was Alex, Alyse and Tom. When was the whole idea of Hex Dispensers formed? Alex and Alyse, you guys are married, did you know each other before the band started?

The three of us had been playing together in a band called This Damn Town which was winding down, and we wanted to keep playing together. I wanted to do something more fun than This Damn Town (which was kind of serious/dramatic), and really this is the kind of thing I’ve wanted to do for a long long time, and I finally got to.

Yeah - we were already engaged when the Hex Dispensers started - we were married later that year.

As a couple, does it get tough for you two being in the same band and going on tour?

Not at all. We love it! It would be a lot harder to tour if we were apart. Personally, I don’t really care for touring all that much, but having Alyse there with me makes it more bearable.

The sun had far descended, and I still sat on the shore satisfying my appetite, which had become ravenous, with a slice of pizza and a beer, when I saw a fishing-boat land close to me and one of the men brought me a packet. I was about to open it when I was interrupted by strange noises. What do these sounds portent?

I look to my watch. It is midnight… And so the dark catchy music began at the first Get Lost fest in Hamburg... It was Austin based band Hex Dispensers who were touring Europe and were storming on the stage like angry bats flying out of a cave. Their sound has been described as “Ramones meet Misfits” and “cloak-and-dagger garage punk”. I talked to Alex Cuervo, who sprung from a cabin-window, as he said this, upon the iceraft which lay close to the vessel. He was soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance…* (The Hex Dispensers current line-up: Alex Cuervo – Vocals/ Guitar, Alyse Mervosh – Drums/Vocals and Rebecca Whitley – Guitar/Vocals)

The band was formed in 2006, the first rehearsal being on 06.06.06. Was that on purpose?

Yeah. We thought it would be funny to start the band on that day. We could have practiced the week before that - but agreed to wait until the 6th of June.

How did you come up with the name Hex Dispensers?

Nothing personal, really - just an idea I had. I like the idea of vending machines where you can buy curses or hexes. It’s also kind of a play on words, as PEZ Dispensers (candy dispensers with a cartoon head on top) are popular collectibles here in the States.

Your latest release is the 7” single Parallel (which includes an awesome cover of misfits’ hybrid moments), could this be a preview of your next album? Any plans for new releases soon?

Yeah - we’re gonna start working on an LP now that we’re home for a while. We’ll re-record all of the A-sides from the singles we’ve released since Winchester Mystery House, and write about 8 or so new songs to fill it out. This is to be the final Hex Dispensers LP. We’ll probably keep playing here and there - but much less frequently. I think we’ve got one more left in us before it starts getting redundant. Released by next year hopefully.

As you mentioned before in another interview, most of the songs you write are influenced by science fiction, horror and fantasy stuff. I would say all your albums have that distinctive catchy and darkish sound but your new 7”, Parallel, is pretty much the sound of all these together and more. Personally, how do you think the sound has changed from the times of Hex dispensers (2007) and Winchester Mystery House (2009) until your latest release?

First of all, thank you. Yeah, I think the writing has evolved a little, but from where I’m standing not all that much. I’m really proud of all the stuff we’ve done but I really do wanna push the boundaries of our sound a little more. I’d like to incorporate more synthesizers - but not to the point where it starts sounding like a completely different band.

The love for horror and science fiction is also reflected in your cover albums, who does most of the illustrations / art work?

I do a lot of it, but our old bass player Dave did a good

amount too. I designed both the LP covers and a couple shirt designs. Dave did some singles, some posters and some shirt designs. He designed the axe-wielding “Hexicutioner” mascot. The Parallel 7” cover was designed by an amazing graphic designer named Karl Hebert. He actually won some awards for the design - which I think is well deserved.

Well, we had a great time just about everywhere. The Get Lost Fest in Hamburg was pretty insane and fun, and so was the Kiss & Run party at Vera in Groningen.

Besides the Hex Dispensers you’ve also been trying your hand as a composer of music for films, video games, and television. How’s that working for you?

1) I have to take fake plastic fingernails to glue on my index finger because it wears really thin from the way I play guitar.

One time it wore all the way through and a guitar string went up inside the nail - which sucked. Tremendously. So, I definitely do everything in my power to avoid that happening again.

2) Jägermeister. It helps me hang onto my voice when I start losing it.

3) Handkerchiefs - because I sweat a lot when I play!

4) A healthy appetite.

5) An unquenchable thirst.

It’s going pretty good. I write media music for a living mostly just background music for web videos & stuff like that - but I’ve written some stuff for TV commercials as well. I’ve done a couple short films and have had music placed in some TV shows and a film, but I’m still a long way from where I want to be with it. My dream would be to be scoring films/tv/games all day every day. I’m working on a feature film right now - but I’m not the primary composer on it - just helping the filmmakers fill in some gaps. I still do freelance graphic design and print production to supplement my income, but I’d prefer to just be writing music.

Is there any other jobs / aspirations you’re hiding from us?

Ha! Well, I do like to draw and paint - but I never make time for those anymore. I have a drafting table in my studio that I keep wanting to clear off so I can draw when I’m stuck writing music - but I keep procrastinating doing that.

One of my favourites songs from Winchester Mystery House is “My Love is a bat”, what’s behind the lyrics of this song?

That’s actually a love song I wrote to Alyse. When we started dating, I was living in Dallas and she was living in Austin, and I eventually moved to Austin to be with her. The “Bat” is Austin. We have a huge bat colony that lives under a bridge in downtown Austin - so some folks call this “Bat City”.

So do you write the lyrics based on personal experiences or is it more like writing fiction scenes?

A little of both. I suspect the same is true for a lot of writers.

It’s fun to combine personal experiences with ideas or fantasies. I sometimes approach a Hex Dispensers song idea as if I was writing an episode of a TV show like the Twilight Zone.

I’ve heard stories about people en route through Germany and seeing their doppelgänger, ever had any strange experiences or sightings of your double?

Every single day.

You’ve just finished your 2013 European tour, what place has been the most welcoming?

Mention 5 essential/indispensable things you always take with you on tour?

We would love you guys to play in London, can we expect that in 2014?

I’d really love to, but my impression is that it’s fairly difficult to play there because of strict work visa guidelines. Also, I don’t think our kind of music is as popular there. I saw J.C. Satan play an incredible set in London (well, Brixton) to about 20 people. 20 people! I just don’t see any way to do it without losing money. If you can make it happen where we wouldn’t, we’re all ears.

Ooooh question 13, are you superstitious?

Well, no, I’m not - but I’m really drawn to superstitions. I love numbers associated with any kind of superstition or folklore!

Thanks!

Thank you! * Extracts from Mary Shelley’s Frankestein

BALLS TO THE BACK BAR · by KAFTAN GREEN DAY If you told me you were going to see Green Day, in this day and age, I’d laugh at you. If I told you I was going to see Green Day, in this day and age, you’d laugh at me. Now we’ve got that out of the way, hands up who smoked their first joint in a suburban bedroom with tartan curtains, a ‘Take me to your Dealer’ poster on the wall and ‘Dookie’ on the CD player? Who among you swapped a mix tape with the boy or girl next door that featured ‘Time of your Life’ at the end of side B and played it on your Walkman (or Woolworths brand equivalent) until

the tape snapped? And how we rolled our eyeballs the first time ‘American Idiot’ came blundering through the freeview box and showed us just how sophisticated we’d become. The thing about Green Day, isn’t so much that they’ve sold out, although obviously they have, but their 20 year transition from mucus fuelled larkabouts to professional entertainers. You ‘eard me.

They travel with trunks full of identical stripy jumpers. They’ve got their punk jumps down tighter than Beyonce’s personal trainer’s pelvic floor muscles.

‘Country Life’ Lydon ought to claim royalties on those bugeyed stares. And there’s something…familiar about that 12 year old boy they always haul up on stage near the beginning of every show, only to send bouncing back gleefully over the pit by the end of the song. After they were done with the obligatory half hour of their new shit (it’s for the kids), they played the whole of ‘Dookie’ start to finish. it’s been a good 13 years or so since the last time ‘Basket Case’ crossed my mind, yet I couldn’t help noticing that after the first coupled of chords, my mouth was opening and shutting in time with the music, and there it was, the song coming out, word perfect.

your friends to ball ache them about how much you love this song, no I mean REALLY love it, no listen, hang on, let me play it for you…

3. Top up your greedy little snout with £50 of Gibberish Powder and ball ache each other in person, whilst playing the first 30 seconds of each song, each of which, is, naturally, your favourite.

4. Trot along to your friendly local independent record shop (as advertised in the back of this publication) and buy yourself an armful of their records and still have change for the bus home.

5. Take off all your clothes/ slip into your silkiest negilgee, crank up one of the excellent video sharing sites available on the internet, push the furniture to one side, get really, really hammered and have yourself a one person dance party.

Remember to keep enough money back the next morning for a fry up, first aid kit and apology presents for the neighbours.

BABYSHAMBLES. Gosh, he’s looking…GREASY these days, isn’t he?

RUBBER SOUL

SOUNDGARDEN. BORRRRRIIIIING! Next!

· curated by RAISSA

Bonus Feature- LEONARD COHEN at the O2

1. Tell us the history of your store in a couple of lines.

Uncle Lenny was sublime. Shame about the venue. For the time being, let’s gloss over the fact that I hauled my dumb ass all the way to Wembley in search of the ‘O2 Arena’ and found nothing but big speakers on sticks playing Bruce Springsteen to an empty carpark.

After a brief orientation phonecall to my brother, which drained him of all his reserves of condescension for years to come, I headed for the Circle of Hell Formerly Known as the Millennium Dome. Ploughing through the Inner Rings of Teetotal Teenagers, Nando’s, Frankies, Bennys, and Young Couples With No Souls, my mood darkened irretrievably. By the time I took my seat on a vertiginous slope several thousand kilometres from the stage I was in no mind to enjoy anything.

I think I texted. I became That Guy. Choking back my rage and disappointment, I counted the minutes until I could deliver my standing ovation (to the visible disgust of those around me) and bolt for the last tube.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate position where one of your most beloved artists is playing nothing but seated stadium gigs, here are 5 better ways to spend £50 on your love for them that don’t involve a single penny of your hard-earned lining the pockets of those nasty, dead eyed soul suckers (and my beloved and esteemed employers), at O2.

1. Stake out the production door at the venue and see if you can’t bribe the guest list monkey £50 to slip you a backstage pass. (Note- ought to work better on venue staff than bouncers as they are paid half as much and have no licence to lose).

2. Top up your phone with £50 of non- O2 credit and call all

Rubber Soul Records was born out of fustration nearly 10 years ago of struggling to find a collectable record shop in stoke. on.trent

RECORD SHOP OF THE MONTH

2. How is the local music scene around Stockton on Tees and how has it has changed over the years?

The local music scene around stoke is pretty strong. we organise our weekly ‘rubber soul sessions’ every wed at a local venue’the old brown jug’ which supports local/national unsigned bands some of which have gone on to play reading & leeds etc this is just a extension to the indie shop. we as though we have a duty to support new & original music.

3. What kind of music do you specialize in?

Although rubber soul records stocks new vinyl we really are a collectors shop specialising in hard to find rarities & classic clean 2nd hand stock.we dont sell on the net & everyting gets put into the shop for people to choose.we specialize in northern soul,rock,brit-pop/indie,punk,newwave,progressive rock,psych 45s,funk.

Where is Rubber Soul Records?

3 Hide St, City of Stoke-on-Trent, Stoke.on.Trent, Staffordshire ST4 1NF

TOP TRACKS

ROB BAILEY · curated by RAISSA DJ Rob Bailey/Dr Robert www.newuntouchables.com

BAD VIBRATIONS

“Bad Vibrations formed in, November, 2011 and since then we have promoted a large number of local and European garage, psych, shoegaze and post punk bands.

We work in tandem with Fuzz Club Records. We distribute records for the label as well as scouting bands for and setting up launch shows”.

He’s been lucky enough to DJ all over the World and meet a whole lot of great people on his journey.

“I turned my passion into my profession back in the mid 90’s and am the man behind The New Untouchables events like the Brighton Mod Weekender, Le Beat Bespoke festival and compilation series of the same name and co-organizer of Euro Ye Ye festival (Spain) with the Trouble & Tea. I have promoted over twenty club nights in the Capitol where I live, my current nights include Timebox, Zoo Zoo, Crossfire, and the Mousetrap allnighter which just celebrated its 23rd anniversary earlier this year”.

BAND OF THE MONTH

Here are half a dozen tracks that over many years have always stayed in my DJ play box.

Crows made their first Bad Vibes appearance back in April. Ever since then we’ve been obsessively following the guys work, in the hope that they’d release a follow up to last August’s exciting debut single, ‘Glamour of The Gods’. Luckily for us all they have. It comes in the shape of ‘Frankish Empire’. A single which marries the genius production skills of Hookworms’ MJ and the bands raw, powerful and impressive live sound.

Psychy guitars, that rhythm section, and frontman James Cox’s piercing vocals are sadistically complemented by a video that features enough gratuitous violence to keep Tyler Durden at bay.

Released on Decca originally in 1966 and has been a long time Mousetrap favourite and is the perfect record to end the allnighter. Released as the free Mousetrap 20th anniversary 45 in 2011.

Our monthly feature between One Way Ticket and Bad VIbrations

by KEITH

CROWS

1. Mike Leslie – Right or Wrong

THE TRIP We’ve got together with our friends at Lanzarote and The Quietus to let you take a trip around 6 of London’s best loved venues, as a host of top bands provide 6 days of sonic delirium.

Thursday 21st November @ The Waiting Room

GNOD | MOON GANGS | BASIC HOUSE

2. Caleb – Woman of Distinction The perfect UK psychedelic 45 in my opinion this one simply has the lot and will set you back a few bob if you want an original copy on Philips.

Friday 22nd November @ The Victoria, Dalston

Has appeared on many compilations including Chocolate Soup and Rubbles down the years.

LOOM | CROWS

3. The Paragons – Abba

Saturday 23rd November @ Electrowerkz

DEAD SKELETONS | THE KVB Sunday 24th November @ The Shacklewell Arms

THE TRIP ALL-DAYER Monday 25th November @ The Courtyard Theatre

TEETH OF THE SEA Tuesday 26th of November @ Corsica Studios

DEAD MEADOW

This rare 45 on Bobbi label has all the hallmarks of the archetypal garage band dream. The band were teenagers and made this one amazing record and disappeared back into obscurity until appearing on ‘Teenage Shutdown’ series in the mid nineties.

After finding a copy from a friend in London I started playing it at Mod and Sixties clubs and events in London and Europe.

It proved to be a great purchase as the song became a monster dancefloor filler and was compiled again on Le Beat Bespoke 3 in 2008.

4. Rebel Rousers – As I Look The perfect Blue Eyed Soul dancer released on Fontana in 1968. The Rebel Rousers were Cliff Bennett’s backing band and included the cockney duo Chas and Dave. The band had a fairly big hit with The Beatles cover ‘Got to Get You Into My Life’ but this is the track that has filled retro dance floors the World over.

5. Eddie Jefferson – Psychedelic Sally Long time Mod scene spin, I managed to bag a copy of original 45 back in the nineties and it’s never left the DJ box since. A simply brilliant piece of infectious Modernist Jazz.

Released on numerous compilations over the years.

6. Billy Hawks – Oh Baby Another long time Mod scene spin, released in 1968 on the Prestige label in the US as an album only track or so everyone thought. I got offered a copy of the super rare French 45 with picture sleeve back in 2002 and traded it for a copy of Big Daddy Rogers. That appears to have been a great deal as a few more copies have surfaced over the years and fetched between £7-800 a copy if you can find one. The record appeared on numerous compilations and a limited 45 release in the nineties.

playing there tonight, not to mention winning being such a waste of time for them.

The Factory, which used to be a Bollywood cinema back in the ‘70s, is a massive warehouse that is now a nightclub.

It’s reputation is described as “fun, games and music”. It’s becoming more and more popular, and it seems to be a perfect escape for young people to avoid real life. A place where no-one cares who you are or what you do, nor what do you want to do. A place where as soon as you approach the entrance, the massive doors made of guilt open wide, and as soon as you walk in, they close aggressively behind, punching the bright side of your conscience. Once inside there are columns everywhere not to hold the building up, but to make you see this venue is real, as otherwise your brain will convert fantasy into reality. These pillars are decorated as if they were police lines and they are one of the many messages this place has, which you will get eventually.

The Factory is always dark, the only light there flashes so hard you’re not too sure if you eyes are open or shut.

Will finally convinces Paul to attend the Battle of the Bands instead of meeting Ian. Will tells Paul about how he’s promised another friend of his he will go, as this friend who also is playing with his band is who invited them to join the Battle. Will doesn’t mention that he’s just remembered he hooked up with Ian’s girlfriend last week. All the sudden they realize they are bored so they head up the roof and after poisoning some bread, they feed it to the pigeons.

They go back downstairs to watch telly again. The time to head to the Factory approaches and they do so, they will meet their bandmates there.

DESOLATION ROW #4 “Desolation Row” narrates stories of different young aspiring artists and their own views and interpretations of an unknown tomorrow and the future youth that will come along with it.

· by BERT CABOT It’s a cold and frosty morning. Will and Paul are watching telly while discussing World War IV. They live outside the city just off where elderly people go to listen to birds singing lullabies while the rain makes sure the trees are never thirsty. They are supposed to play a gig tonight at the Factory, at the Battle of the Bands. They don’t seem that interested in playing since their friend Ian has invited them to play pool. They just don’t see how they can benefit from

Once inside the venue, they realize there’s more bands playing than people attending. Their performance doesn’t seem to impress anyone, and they end up in last position, almost ignored. The only one person they have impressed with their performance is Howard, who is to the music scene what Al Capone was to smuggling. He owns a record label and offers to be their manager to which they agree immediately. They then realize they have a manager already and decide that Howard’s first task is going to be sacking him. The relationship between the band and Howard is

interesting from the very beginning. The band sees in Howard a friendly figure who is just into making bands noticeable in a music scene that seems to go up and down all the time. He’s not interested in fame or the charts, but into making musicians recognized for what they believe in and live for. The band tell Howard they share that same view and they don’t even ask him about who he has managed before as they couldn’t care less. The band does follow the “fun, games and music” policy that Howard knows so much about, which eventually will lead to trouble for him. He’s aware of this from the very beginning but he thinks future problems are meant to be dealt with in the future.

Howard sees the world in such a unique way that noone who has crossed paths with him can comprehend his vision. His ways are based on the idea of not to own the past but to present the future. His whole life has been a statement of creativity, of creative freedom. Now his path has crossed with a collective of young men whose lives seem to depend on an awakening call that hits as hard as a stroke. That hypnotizes him and attracts him to a point beyond fascination. A place where subliminal messages fall in love with rudeness.

of been a mediocre/shaky year for mindblowing material. As always you have to just dig to find the good stuff. A few bands though have managed to break the glass wall that seems to keep garage rock from going completely mainstream. (Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, Best Coast, ect) But do you really want that? No, because it never turns out the way you want it to.

A few bands have tapped into what i refer to as the “pitchfork market” but managed to keep originality. Bad Sports nailed it. So did Terry Malts. Even Shannon and the Clams and Hunx managed to do it, and it being their 3rd record, its a difficult niche to reproduce time and time again and to keep it interesting, and original. Being in the garage scene myself for 10 years, it easy to see the potential outcome. ive done a lot of observeration. Through the eyes of the party that seemed like it would never end, More pizza than i can remember and endless amounts of PBR, each generation does it in their own way.

Being “different” becomes “same” after a few years. Below are 3 examples of bands that have managed the crossover into the accepted with flying colors, keeping all originality not flexing too much to please the labels.

n a world where guilt is confused for regrets, the weakest soul turns gold into sand and waves into clouds. The band’s future looks brighter than ever, and so close they can feel its warm breeze. They are 24 hour party people and 8 days a week gamblers. Their playground is ruthless and infinite, defined by unique believes and the satisfaction that life is short. This is a mad world and insanity seems to be the answer as convenience asks the question.

BAD SPORTS - BRAS (DIRTNAP)

NEW RECORD SECTION OF THE MONTH · by JUSTIN

Is punk dead? or just accepted?

Buzzfeed seems to think so, and i would have to agree, but only to an extent. Someone once told me that garage rock has punk rock rules, so does that mean that it has only been replaced?

This is the conclusion i have come up with. 2013 has kind

Classic in that 77-79 early 80 kinda way. I was wondering how they would approach their next release after “Kings of The Weekend”. This LP is def their best record yet, from “Get You”, to the riffage of Race to the Bottom, and thrown in the middle is that classic chorus heavy power-pop touch of “Let Me In” and “Terrible Place”. The biggest suprise was “Rich Kid City”. It’s got that New York Dolls/Dictators vibe. It has replay value and isnt disposable like a lot of what this year had to offer. Denton hasnt failed me yet in the sector for making good punk records. Small town, but so many good bands. Thats how it usually is. The small repressed towns make the best records. This one has that quality control that keeps it interesting with every listen. Big ups to these dudes for making 3 really good records and improving with each release. That is just plain tough to do .

WINDMILL BRIXTON OCTOBER LISTING Sun, 6th / THE VACCINES Wed, 9th / JONNY COLA & THE A GRADES + JELLY + THE COPTICS

TERRY MALTS - NOBODY REALIZES THIS IS NOWHERE (SLUMBERLAND) First of all, Slumberland was wise to pick these guys up. I like the fact that they are putting out punk records now.

Its a good time to do it. The first LP was a mindfuck. So i knew it was going to be tough to even come close. But, they managed to do so. Clocking in at just 34 minutes and 11 tracks, They easily cover a lot of ground. “Two Faces”, “I Was Not There”, and “Walking Without You” being the definite stand outs. Even with one filler psychadelic thing thrown in there (Comfortably Dumb) it was necessary to get a little weird on this go around. Let’s not forget the flexi disc with the Altered Images cover ! I LOVE WHEN BANDS do flexi’s. It got its hype during the C86 period, which was known for its twee pop and punk crossover into twee. Then after that, it just kind of disappeared. Also to mention the LP plays at 45 speed ? Thats the best way to preserve song quality when going from digital to analog.

Thur, 10th / SLEAZE + SLEAZE DJs Fri, 11th / LIME HEADED DOG +

RHINOCEROS + JON CRABB + ONE MORE TBC

Sat, 12th / WHEN PLANETS COLLIDE 3RD

ANNIVERSARY: TOMBSTONES (NORWAY) + WIZARD FIGHT + WIDOWS + PROSPERINA + BURDEN OF THE NOOSE + WAR WOLF + MARCH THE DESERT + MEADOWS

Sun , 13th / WONKY WACKO ACOUSTIC

NIGHT: DUNCAN REDMONDS + ALEX WONK UNIT + MARC RUVOLO (USA) + 7 DAY CONSPIRACY

Mon, 14th / FISH TANK + QUADRILLES + SCREEN WIVES

Fri, 18th / DIGNAN PORCH + JUST

HANDSHAKES + CHARLES HOWL + JULIA

Sat, 19th / OXJAM BRIXTON TAKEOVER 2013: MISTY MILLER + WHALES IN CUBICLES + PSYCHO DELIA + VODUN + MICKEY GLOSS + THE MAGNETIC MIND + ARETES + HAPPY HOOVES

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS- DREAMS IN THE RATHOUSE - (HARDLY ART) According to the clams, this record almost didnt even make the cut. At first they werent pleased with the turnout, but in the end fell in love with it. Im glad it did, because it has that right touch that they needed with their 3rd release. It’s not quite “I Wanna Go Home”, not as catchy as “Sleep Talk”.

It’s a good middle ground inbetween. Shannon and Cody’s different styles are more apparent on this release. “Red Rock” goes a more early 90’s Estrus (Mummies, Superchargeresque) while “Heads or Tails” is more that obscure AM radio late 50’s early 60’s concept that theyve worked from since the beginning. Not too overproduced or overthought. Never understimate the clams. They will hook you every time. This is why they have always been a standout among the clutter of garage rock bands here in the states. Where they shine the best is in their live shows. You just have to see it for yourself.

Wed, 23rd / EEF BARZELAY (CLEM SNIDE) +

CHRIS OTEPKA (THE HELIGOATS) + STEVEN JAMES ADAMS

Fri, 25th / “EMPLOYEE OF THE DECADE”:

KEITH TOTP + ABDOUJAPAROV + B.B. MANIK + THE WEST MIDLANDS + PLUS MORE TBA

Sat, 26th / EL TEN ELEVEN (USA) + WAKING AIDA + QUADRILLES + ONE MORE TBC

Thur, 31st / HALLOWE’EN SPECIAL: LE

JUKI + POETICAT + BIRD RADIO + WENDY SOLOMON + JOELLE TAYLOR 22 Blenheim Gardens, Brixton, London SW2 5BZ 020 8671 0700 · windmillbrixton.co.uk

DIRTY WATER

Our monthly feature between One Way Ticket and Dirty Water

· by PAUL This month’s nonsense, the Lyres edition, should achieve a higher level of maturity and professionalism than last month’s nonsense following the command decision to write it sober and spend more than 30 minutes on it.

ALL ABOUT: LYRES · by JOE If you think of Boston and the quality bands that emerged from its bowels, one that automatically spring to mind is Lyres. Some refer to this corner stone of the Boston music scene as garage ,but one has to qualify this by saying that they sound like a British Invasion garage band from America that are driven far more by soul than blues. We’ll stick to the term rock & roll for the purposes of this little write up. Now although there is such a thriving music scene coming from Boston, I am pretty confident in naming Lyres as one of the greats. This month (September 13th) we are very privileged young boys and girls as we are about to witness something special. You can all thank our friends at the Dirty Water Club for bringing them to us.

The Lyres are playing here in London at the Boston Arms (the irony) with their original line up for the first time in 29 years.

For those of you in the know, this is obviously one of the events of the year.

I can sympathise when one’s deep enthusiasm is dealt a gaping yawn of utter indifference but I guarantee this occasion is not one to stand idle to whilst music history is in the making.

If in doubt go listen to Help you Ann, that was rightly included on the Children of Nuggets fantastic “garage rock” compilation which was where I first heard of them.

Lyres was founded in 1979 and led by Jeff Connoly in consequence of the break-up of DMZ. For those of you that desire further insight on DMZ/Lyres Line ups I would recommend Pete Frames family tree of rock.

I would normally inform you of such frivolous rock events, but alas it is an extensive almost tiresome list with basically Connoly as a constant running through every incarnation.

Since it has been done by someone with a whole lot more insight on the matter than I, I’ll spare you the trouble.

Now I am actually here to point out to you a classic the Lyres self titled album released in 1985 which was their 2nd released full length album in succession to ‘On Fyre’.

As where most would point out “On Fyre” as their favourite Lyres album I claim the great record that is Lyres (there self titled release) as my personal favourite and an underrated pearl from Boston’s grandfathers of rock and roll.

The album kicks off with Not Looking Back. This songs energetic, primitive beat and haunting Fargisa organ hypnotizes your ears. It is a tale of no regrets, picking your shit up, skipping town and hopes of finding love in the big city.

She Pays the Rent is slower in tempo but damn what a tune.

There is soul in this track oozing out of every note. A down on your luck blues drenched cut with the optimistic outlook that.... well basically she pays the rent.

No Reason to Complain is mind blowing. A nice fade in and good beat. It is a cover version by The Alarm Clocks but hey, no reason to complain.

Busy Men - Just what the doctor ordered. It will put a smile on your face when you play this in your car on a hot summer day.

Sort of a surf guitar feel to the thing.

LYRES - LYRES is just a dream of an album. At its worst, I find it unrelentingly entertaining, while at its best it fills me with what I can only describe as pure joy.

Please, just go and listen to this record. You’ll quickly have your own favourites that you can’t get enough of.

NONSENSE OF THE MONTH

REVIEW OF THE MONTH The King of Madeira has graciously agreed to add his excellent review of Lyres’ second LP “Lyres Lyres” to our nonsense this

month.. Its release date was one of the best days of my life (how sad is that?)….being my favourite band, I had played “On Fyre” many hundreds of times. I left work early, bought a copy of the new LP at the Strawberries enormostore, met up with the Hammer and the King of Partying, put it on the turntable, volume to 11…and first out of the speakers came “Not Looking Back”. The entire record is perfect from start to finish, though the sleeve art isn’t all it could be.

Asking me to choose between the first two Lyres LPs is akin to asking me to choose between my two daughters, Bullwhip Jones and She Wolf. Impossible, both are brilliant, both have many characteristics that make them special. I was on YouTube the other day and the uploader of Lyres Lyres made a comment I think is exactly right: “More emotionally complex and reflective than On Fyre, this could well be one of the most mature garage rock records ever recorded. That doesn’t mean that energy and excitement are sacrificed for dour introspection -- far from it. This is a total joy from start to finish, and a great place to hang out after a thousand or so spins of On Fyre.”

Find your free copy of our fanzine at the following record shop in UK LONDON

- Flashback Records - Rough Trade - All Ages MANCHESTER

- King Bee Records - Piccadilly Records LEEDS

WANKER OF THE MONTH This month it’s Dirty Water’s great friend Josephine! The winning entry was a series of conversations at the Stitches gig: Doorman to Dirty Water: “Are those your friends over there?” Dirty Water “Yes.” Doorman: “Look, I just saw them passing some Foie Gras around. Please tell them they can’t do that here. And if they do, Jesus, at least tell them to do it less obviously.” Dirty Water to Josephine: “Dude, the doorman saw you guys passing around the foie gras and he’s being cool so at least make it less obvious.” Josephine: “Sure, no worries.” {2 goldfish minutes later} Doorman to Dirty Water: “I just saw them at the foie gras again and had to throw them out.” Dirty Water: “C’est la vie.”

- Jumbo CARDIFF

- Spillers Records NORWISH

- Soundclash Records LINCOLN

- Back to Mono Records SHEFFIELD

- Record Collector STOCKTON ON TEES

- Sound It Out STOKE-ON-TRENT

- Rubber Soul Records

Apart from being one of the dearest friends of the One Way Ticket Crew, Jalapeno spike is also a great photographer that used to live in New York. His pictures really encapsulate the old underground punk scene. It is our privilege to be able to share with you each issue from now on, a picture that Spike made back in the good old days These are the X.

PICTURAMA with VINYL LIBRARY · curated by ALBERT and RAISSA “Listening to music on vinyl is great, right? It sounds good, it looks good! A not-for-profit lending library just for vinyl records. The Vinyl Library opened just off Stoke Newington High Street last week, and has already built up a hefty stock of music”. The Times

here we go with some friends