DEATH INDEX.

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Today I was treated to a wonderful MRI scan on my spine/back. Like the letter stated, I took a CD with me to listen to, when I got there I was told due to the kind of scan I was having I wouldn’t be able to use the headphones. I thought, “Okay I’ll just take a nap.” That happened briefly. Of course leading up to today I was panicking internally-turns out it wasn’t that bad but I am rubbish with keeping still. As I lay there, all I could think was how much the scan sounded like a My Bloody Valentine/The Jesus And Mary Chain record. It was noisy and it sounded like someone letting loose with a load of reverb. I think I managed to drown it out and pretend it was a song. I don’t know. Whatever gets you through, right? Maybe Kevin Shields also went for a MRI scan and thought “This could work on a record.” I’m going with that. Anyway, from one noise to another-Death Index.

Created in the belly of Berlin via bands members from Italy (ciao bella!) and America, the Death Index record is brutal. It’s uncomfortable, it’s noisy and it is dark. Put it down as one of the loudest records of the year. Some regard the likes of Sinatra as easy listening. Bands like Death Index are my kind of easy listening. Or maybe, uneasy listening. I don’t want music to make me feel comfortable. As someone who never has, and will never settle, Death Index are the perfect band for me. Again, like most bands I go on about they are one to really invest in seeing live. I’m pretty sure you’d leave with some kind of injury. Anything less than a bloody nose is poor.

Not many people know this but Italy does have an incredible music scene. I used to think it was just Litfiba but it really goes beyond that. A lot of Garage Rock bands have come from the most beautiful country in the world (yes I’m being biased but it’s still true) and there’s some excellent Punk bands from there also. Marco’s old band La Piovra were one of Italy’s finest, and it’s pretty obvious that Death Index are going to be equally as great, right? Of course, especially when it also involves the frontman of the brilliant Merchandise; Carson Cox.

Please don’t assume that this a straight-up Punk record. It really isn’t. It oozes destruction and it confronts the end of time/the ruin of human beings in such an unconventional manner that you cannot help but want to stick two fingers up to the world. By world, I probably mean Government because they’re the problem and they can’t find a solution. Their debut record holds a wealth of angst. When you mention angst to most they immediately think stroppy 13 year olds. Not with this record. This is for adults who have had enough and can see through all the corruption and bullshit in the world.

There are brilliant moments on the record where you feel like you’re watching a Thriller, and you imagine someone lurking in a dingy alleyway in Berlin on a damp and cold night, tossing their cigarette end onto the ground as they head into the night finding someone or something to hunt down. Maybe I’ve got it wrong or maybe my mind has ran off with the music again. All I know is that the lyrics, the music and the general atmosphere on this record is nothing short of perfect. I have no idea what anyone else thinks, but I know for me that this record has everything I want from music. It has lyrics that make you think, the music makes you want to throw your body into walls and flail limbs about beating off the sweat of others and it’s a moody record.

There are many things that make me proud to be Italian, and musicians like Marco fully justify it. Carson’s’ vocals have this soothing but real brutal tone to it. You get the urgency of the words straight away and you aren’t floating off to the beach in your mind. Far from it. You see the world in all its darkness, you see through people but you get on. If you fixate on the things that fuck you up and piss you off, you’ll never get out of your mind. Music frees you. Music like Death Index frees you.

I’ve been listening to the record a few times this evening, and I wish I could give you my favourite track but that’s impossible. Each song is a body of something truly marvellous, and I’m really excited to go see these guys in May here in London. As an extra special treat for us, King of the Guitar- Charlie from Crocodiles is joining them. It’s definitely going to be worth travelling south of the river for. I’m really into Patto Con Dio, and I think it’s because it’s just over 7 minutes and I’m a sucker for long songs especially when they’re as important as this one.

Some could regard this as downer of a record because of the topics it touches on but I don’t always want something that makes me feel like I’m escaping the world. This is a record to face the world and to face daily life. It’s a brutally honest record, and you can tell it comes from a place that most want to shy away from. Many have possibly tried to make something as honest and as raw as this, but the way in which Carson and Marco have done it makes you disregard previous efforts. Death Index is where it is at. For me I don’t see this regard as a downer at all. I want music that sparks something in my brain. I want to see different sides and I want to see how others view the world. I adore the frustration and urgency in this record. It has that raw sentiment to it that captures the essence of Punk. Punk means different things to different people, and Death Index expose it all in a way that cannot be shunned.

Play this loud. Deafen yourself. Take note of the lyrics and go to one of their shows.

Their self-titled debut is out this Friday via Deathwish.

BROKEN SOUNDTRACKS

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Everyone has a type that they favour. Music, attraction, film-whatever. Sometimes it’s pointed out by others, but for the most part I guess we’re aware. I favour certain kinds of music above others. If it’s noisy and sounds like someone forgot to knock down the feedback- I’ll probably be into it. The more distorted something sounds, the more I’ll probably like it. It comes from a very early obsession with The Cure and The Jesus And Mary Chain which has stayed with me well into adulthood. Some bands however, do sound like a blatant rip-off, but others do it in a more subtle way. Some even sound like they were around when Psychocandy first came out. As time drags on, because it does, bands get louder.

Broken Soundtracks are loud. I could probably play them louder than I am but I’m a caring housemate and a decent neighbour- I don’t want to annoy anybody. Broken Soundtracks are a bloody great band based in London who fit every ideal I have of a band. They’re loud, probably influenced by bands that own pieces of my heart and they sound like they should be heard in a dirty basement bar. The best ones have this feeling about them, and Broken Soundtracks are nothing short of great.

https://soundcloud.com/broken-soundtracks/turn-your-face-to-the-wire

There’s something quite decadent and sleazey about their sound. Think New York Dolls mixed with Richard Hell, and you’ve got it. Some of their songs do have a heavy reverb sound but others have 70s New York glam about them- the fact that they can mess around with different styles and be one of the most unique bands around is what,for me, makes them so easy to love.

Without sounding like a cliched fool, the music that Broken Soundtracks make is entirely experimental. They take different elements and have made (and make) their own noise. This is a band that really don’t need to worry about who does and who doesn’t like their sound. You can tell that they make music for THEM. Those are the kind of musicians that I enjoy. The true rebels who will make it their way, on their own terms. That’s pretty much how we all should be, but very few have the guts to go along and do it. Time isn’t always your friend.

Quite a number of bands I listen to are the kind that need to be seen live to really get the sound, and I’m fairly sure that Broken Soundtracks are one of those bands. I think the sheer loudness in their sound becomes greater when you see them in a live setting.Maybe this is the kind of band Johnny Thunders would be into if he was still around. I’m not the only one who wishes he was still here, but that’s a different story.

I always have a hard time trying to work out what kind of music is typical of its genre. What is typically Pop? Or Rock? Who is to judge? We’re all guilty of it. I’m sure some would love to try work out what Broken Soundtracks are. I personally can’t, but that’s because I hate labeling whatever I listen to. I’ve got two categories- what I like and what I don’t like. It’s fairly easy. Sure I have a lot of time on my hands, but I’d never try break it down to a genre. But at the very heart of it, it will always be Punk. Broken Soundtracks have the makings of a great Rock and Roll band- sorry for the genre, but it keeps some people happy to have a label I guess. They’ve picked up where some of the greats left off. Just listen to their cover of Waiting For My Man, and you’ll know. They may be a relatively new band, but nothing about them sounds like 2016. They sound like they’ve been back in time, lived through it and created something of their own. Perhaps that’s how it should be. I don’t know. All I know is that I’m a fan. I think that’s enough, right?

You can listen to most of their music here:

And here: http://charliesundown.bandcamp.com/album/born-to-be-cruel

The band are playing the Roadkill Records launch party at the Lock Tavern on 5th March. The lineup is fantastic and I’m fairly sure it is free entry to the show. You know what to do.

GROSS NET/GIRLS NAMES. The Lexington. 19th February 2016.

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I shouldn’t have gone out last night. I’m ill, I guess. But not in a conventional “I have a cold” kind of way but in a “no one knows what’s wrong with me, I’m in pain and I want to cry” kind of me. Apparently it’s the nerves in my neck. I’m a clumsy fucker at the best of times, but I know I’ve not done anything recently to warrant doing such damage. Although, I have a slight disregard for my general well-being so who knows! Standing for a few hours was the dumbest thing I could have done, and I’ve only just managed to get out of bed. I’ve got my own playlist sorted for my MRI scan next week/week after, and as someone who can’t sit still I’ve most definitely picked the wrong kind of songs to listen to. Moving on and pain aside. Gross Net. Girls Names. Last night.

Gross Net is Phil from Girls Names making a lot of noise and probably terrifying the crowd. In certain places, I’m sure they wouldn’t “get” it. Places like London and Manchester would and did. As Gross Net, Phil pretty much seems like a young Nick Cave circa Boys Next Door/The Birthday Party. When he’s not holding his guitar, he grips the mic and flails it around as if his life depends on it. Seeing a band or singer expose themselves like this what makes them believable and it is what makes them so easy to relate to. To make his set even better, I got a song dedication. If I was in a band, I’d probably pick people out and aim songs at them. Be fruity kids, it’s fine. With a knowing point and my name spoken through the mic, Phil rips into a song that I was pretty pleased to have dedicated to me. He closed his set with a song for those on the dole. I’m fairly sure most weren’t expecting this kind of declaration on a Friday night, but who cares. I loved every minute of it, and I was immediately back in 2010-2011 when I spent too much time on the dole and having my soul crushed by the job centre every Friday for £70 a week. I coped, just about. Time changes everything to an extent. Phil ends this song screaming into the mic in the crowd, as the end of the song draws near he places the mic around the neck of a bewildered person in the crowd and walks off. The guy had no idea what to do, gave it a few minutes and removed the mic from his neck and placed it on the ground. Far too polite.

I’ve been a fan of Girls Names for ages but this was the first time seeing them live. I was immediately drawn to bassist, Claire and how she is probably one of the best bassist I’ve ever seen. Now, if I was going to list my favourite live bands I would easily put Girls Names in the top 5. Maybe it’s because they were playing one of the best venues in the country or maybe, maybe it’s because they are just so fucking(sorry) good. I firmly believe that when you go to a gig, you should leave wanting to start a band. Girls Names did more than this. I felt like I was watching The Fall or The Jesus And Mary Chain for the first time. I felt like I had gone back in time and I was anywhere but in London. Maybe I was in the depths of Berlin or maybe I was in an alleyway in Manchester; I don’t know. But I do know that gigs like this just stick in my mind for a long, long time.

What I loved about their show last night was that each person in the band got their chance to show us all what they’re made of. I loved during the encore Phil was going into Claire’s bass as if he was telling her to get out of his space. It was in a sibling kind of way- a gentle shove and neither was going to back down. Cathal was ramming his guitar into the speaker behind him giving off this excess feedback which just made you wish the show wasn’t about to end. Gib was beating the crap out of the drums with such fury. These Belfast bruisers make enough noise for anyone to go slightly deaf, and that’s part of the charm. If a band is wonderfully and obnoxiously loud, I’ll probably love them. Girls Names last night easily cemented why they are probably one of the best bands around. I could go on for ages about how great they were and hope they just sum up everything I love about music. They have a sound that I’m always looking for. They remind me of bands I love such as Bauhaus and Cold Cave but they also sound like nothing else. They are a band to be treasured and seen at any chance one gets.

On record they are noisy but I firmly believe that Girls Names are one of those bands that you just have to see, and sometimes London crowds have a rep of being a bunch of stale dicks but in this case, they really weren’t. This was one of the best crowds I’ve seen and I’m fairly sure that’s part of what made the show last night nothing short of perfect. Their dark but entirely comforting sound may be a turn off for those who want conventional and tame sounds- don’t surround yourself with people who want that. Go find those who aren’t afraid to be engulfed by sounds so dark, creepy and loud. Let the sounds rip through you and let the lyrics make you question everything, and everyone. They’re the kind of band I wish I was in. I’ve said it loads but this is the kind of music I’d probably make if I had any musical talent.

Go see them, let them deafen you and buy one of Phil’s “reasonably priced tapes.”

LITTLE DEATH MACHINE-Dreaming In Monochrome

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Music should be one of those things that takes the listener and musician out of their comfort zone. Sure we’d all like to stick to what we know, but sometimes we don’t. Owning a record that could make for uncomfortable but necessary listening is something I look for more often than not. I like loud/dark music because it’s the opposite of whatever I am. For the most part. It doesn’t have to be angry music, but it must have point to it. I want music that can be terrifying and vital at the same time. I’m pretty sure that’s what drew me to Little Death Machine ages ago. I was immediately hooked on Daniels’ powerful and raging voice. It’s loud, dark and of course, partially terrifying.

On 7th March, Little Death Machine will be releasing their debut EP, Dreaming In Monochrome. Finally, it is happening. An EP will undoubtedly make me want a full length record, but as I listen to the EP right now, I can tell that whenever they put out a full length record it will still have that subtle Little Death Machine sound that drew me in ages ago. When I listen to them I think of bands I love such as Cold Cave, Bauhaus and Nine Inch Nails. There’s hints of very early Bjork in this EP, and that alone is good enough. It’s got a wonderful creepy edge to it. Night After Night After Night would sound perfect in a really sinister Thriller film- it would be played when tensions are high and something terrible is about to happen. If this EP doesn’t give you the creeps (in the right way) then you’ve been listening to it wrong.

The lead single off the EP, Healthy is a perfect taster for what is to come from this remarkable EP. All too often I bang on about bands I listen to that make me wish I could play an instrument and make my own noise. Are Little Death Machine one of those bands? Of course they are. They bring out something that is missing in people in general and in music. They’re like a kick in the teeth and a way of self-realisation. Some bands you just listen to, and immediately get. There are some bands that, although I’m a fan of them- it took a while for me to get them. With LDM, it is instant. It was instant the first time and I knew I had to write about them. There are a handful of bands that when I listen to, I just have to write about them. It’s a good job that this is my outlet because if I had to speak to a friend about music, I’d be left alone to talk to a wall. I’m sorry for rambling, but this EP is one of the finest things we will hear all year.

Aside from every song being extremely passionate and beautifully put together, I want to talk about how the EP is going to be released. A lot of care, time and thought has evidently gone into the music but it has also gone into how it is to be presented to us fans. As mentioned, the EP is out on 7th March via Glasstone Records. Limited to only 100, the package consists of: a USB containing the songs with live videos, a screenprint which has been printed by the band and also a tote bag. I think as it comes with live videos, which were filmed at the hugely missed Power Lunches, of the songs, it will make the listener feel the songs in a different way. A live performance can change everything, and can make you hear things differently. Perhaps how it is meant to sound, and I think putting the EP out like this has to be massively respected.

Little Death Machine have played with bands such as Psychic TV and God Damn, and in the midst of all this have created a sound that is so out of this world and so courageously out there, you can’t fault it. They merge all kinds of weird and wonderful sounds together, and as a result have created one of the most impressive EPs I’ve heard in a while.

You can pre-order Dreaming In Monochrome here: http://littledeathmachine.com/product/dreaming-in-monochrome-e-p-deluxe-package/

OH,THE GUILT.

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Sometimes you hear something by a band, and you immediately want to go to the place where it was created in order to feel the music on a different level and to understands what it was born from. Bristol is home to several bands I’m obsessed with (Spectres, Candy Darling and 2:54 are originally from there also.) These 3 bands in their own right create creepy music and have a handful of songs that could terrify the meek. Bristol has always in some respects been ahead of bands in other places. The eerie sound comes naturally, and as someone who seems to only really fall for music like this- Oh,The Guilt are ideal.

Oh, The Guilt are described as “Post-Punk.” I’ve never been sure of what that means, where it came from or why it exists, but in this instance I’ll go with it. Much against my hatred of labeling things. I can forgo it here. Oh, The Guilt have a real heavy and somber feel to their music and that’s probably why I instantly loved their sound. The guitar sounds like something Rowland S Howard would be proud of. There’s something quite menacing about their music, and I hope (and believe) it comes across in their live shows. I’ve yet to see them, but if anyone wants to pay for my train fare to Bristol next month so I can see them and Candy Darling then, I’d be really grateful and I’ll make you pizza. Desire to see this band live aside, on record they sound like a band that have been around for ages. When a band can have such a perfected sound instantly, it makes you believe in them more than most. Besides, any band that supports Chelsea Wolfe is going to be nothing short of great anyway.

I like music that isn’t afraid to test the listener and to take them out of their comfort zone. There’s nothing worse than listening to something that makes you feel totally safe. I want to hear something that will probably give me nightmares and make me question everything around me. That’s what is part of the charm with Oh,the Guilt. They don’t make you feel reassured or that you aren’t being chased round a desolate building. I always go back to it, but if something can make me feel like the Seventeen Seconds record by The Cure then I know I’ve found something I’m going to love for a long, long time. Oh, The Guilt have that hypnotic and chilling sound that would make anyone want to start their own band. It’s a grand sound without being overpowering. The drums remind me of the heaviness of Sleep and the first 2:54 record. It’s full of doom and I love it. This is the kind of music you listen to when it is cold, grey and murky outside. This won’t make you feel like the summer is here, far from it. This is what you blast through your headphones and imagine yourself in some frightening forest as someone chases you around the towering trees and as branches claim parts of your clothing, you’re unsure if you are going to get out. It’s all in your mind, so that one is all on you.

I could quite happily write thousands of words about this wonderful 3-piece, but I’ll save it for when their EP comes out on 19th March.

You can pre-order it here: https://ohtheguilt.bandcamp.com/track/watch-yrself-2 and you will receive the decadent and wonderful Watch Yrself straight away. If you’re lucky enough to live in Bristol, they are doing an EP launch show on the same date with Candy Darling  and The Plainviews playing also at The Stag And Hounds. Tickets are only £5.50.

BLACK-Wonderful Life.

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“Here I go out to sea again.
The sunshine fills my hair,
And dreams hang in the air.”

With the painfully sad news that the singer Colin Vearncombe aka Black died this evening and with Wonderful Life turning 30 this year, I felt the need to write about the first song I remember hearing at a very young age and it leaving a lasting impression on me. I managed to find a copy of the record of the same title a few years ago for £1, and I think it’s signed. I was so happy to find it.

There were two songs that I remember always hearing when I was very young- Groove Is In The Heart and Wonderful Life. I can happily recite Q-Tip’s rap to you and copy the dance to the song, no problem (I might need the help of a Long Island Iced Tea or 4 before I do this.) However, Wonderful Life ended up being the song that I first felt an emotional and I guess spiritual connection with. The song felt like, and always will feel like a soulmate to me. Everything about the song oozes sadness and joy at once. The way Colin sings this song fills you with hope but also breaks your heart. I’ve said many times that I want this playing at my funeral, I just think the whole sentiment of the song is gorgeous and reassuring. I play this song when everything seems a bit too much and it’s got me through my own take om Hell numerous of times. It eases any kind of suffering a person may feel.

Wonderful Life opened me up to just how fragile life is and how delicate people can be. The chorus is simple but still feels like a philosophical phrase to live by. Maybe we should, we’d probably be happier with ourselves and what we have.

I’m fairly sure that on my first holiday I can remember to Italy to see my dad’s family, I subjected everyone in the car to this song constantly. Maybe I sang the wrong words, maybe I didn’t. In a way, it reminds me of my childhood and hearing it at such a young age made me realise the urgency of life and how easy it can come and go. I learnt a lot from this song, some of it I keep to myself but the rest is pretty obvious.

I’ve always wished I could write something as beautiful as this song, and I know it is so simply done. But maybe that’s why it is a stroke of genius and such a loved song. It can like I mentioned, break your heart entirely but some of the lyrics just fill you with joy and the hope that it all turns out alright, because for the most part it does.

I suppose you can create your own meaning with the song. Maybe it is a painfully sad song, maybe it’s about an invisible friend or maybe it’s a declaration of being alright with being on your own. I have no idea. My take on it changes all the time, but I’ll always be sure that this is one of my favourite and one of the greatest songs of all time.

“No need to run and hide,
It’s a wonderful wonderful life.”

THOMAS COHEN. Village Underground-25th January 2016.

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A few years ago I had a massive obsession with the band S.C.U.M. I thought the name was brilliant, I loved their mysterious sound and ended up with a collection of their b-sides/demos. They took you on some whirlwind and hypnotic trip. Then they broke up. My head can never get itself round a band calling time, so I sulked and played their record regardless. Quite a bit of time has passed since then, and this evening front-man Thomas Cohen took to the stage at the Village Underground for his first ever show as a solo artist.

Only a fool would compare his old band to what he is doing now. What he is doing now is ethereal, brooding and sublime. He manages to take you on this almost spiritual journey that’s hard to come by in others. There is something truly special here, maybe it’s because it’s his first ever show. Maybe he doesn’t know how great he is. Hopefully in time he will. As I gazed at the stage, I was in awe of the sound Thomas and his band were creating. This is the kind of music that HAS to be heard. Whether it be on stage like this or an intimate setting- on your own in your room, it is just a divine sound that has been born.
He has a gorgeous and delicate stage presence that almost makes you feel as if what you are watching isn’t meant to be in front you. It feels entirely precious, but you can really feel and sense what it means for Thomas to be on the stage with his band to perform these songs including the title track of his debut record, Bloom Forever which I believe was written the day his son was born. If you listen carefully to the lyrics, you can pick up on this. Whilst listening to these songs this evening, you can really feel the love in the songs and the devotion that has been poured into them. There’s no denying just how talented he is- not just as a singer and musician, but as a writer. His words are beautiful and they truly feel like poetry.
As far as debut live shows go, this is one I think a lot will remember. The songs really do take you on a mystical journey. The journey feels safe, although you don’t know where you are going. It feels familiar, but you’re still a little unsure. I’ve got every confidence that Bloom Forever will be one of my favourite records of the year and will be an utterly captivating debut record that I’ll treasure.

 

I firmly believe that when you see a band or singer live, it should leave you wanting to make something of your own or to even see things differently. Thomas Cohen did both this evening. A feeling you usually get from seeing a band you are in love with for the billionth time, Thomas has captured in an instance. This set what just a hint of what is to come. The songs make you feel like you’ve been dreaming all of your life, and you’re waking up to something better
Hopefully Thomas will tour his record, Bloom Forever which is out in May on the equally brilliant Stolen Recordings. The songs are delicate, open and simply beautiful. He allows you to take the words and make them your own. Entirely selfless and so far from indulgent, these songs will own a special place in your heart when you need to go some place tranquil and sacred.

PEACE AND LOVE BARBERSHOP MUHAMMAD ALI. Shacklewell Arms-23rd January 2016.

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The Shacklewell Arms is easily one of, if not my favourite place to watch bands. The drum kit is in a cave, it’s a small venue, it’s pretty sweaty and fortunately it is 10 minutes away from my house by bus. Oh and most of the gigs they put on are free. The night before I saw Tall Juan and last night I saw Peace And Love Barbershop Muhammad Ali.

PALBMA are one of my favourite bands to see live, and I think it’s because they make me want to start a band. I know a lot of what I listen to does make me feel that way, but it’s different with PALBMA. Maybe it’s because they make it look super easy. Besides, if Kim doesn’t leave you wishing you could play bass then you were probably watching the wrong band. I saw them live last year supporting PINS at Oslo in Hackney, but I think this set was better because of the venue. This is the kind of band you need to hear in that kind of venue. Their growling and gnarly sound matches the venue entirely.

Their split 12″ with Druggy Pizza came out late last year, and it consists of 12 songs by the bands that were clearly made to melt the faces off and fry the brains of anyone who listened to it. To get this across at a live show takes some guts, which is probably why PALBMA managed to do it so effortlessly. They were joined on drums by Sophie from PINS. If you’ve seen PINS live, you’ll know how fucking brilliant she is. But because the songs with PALBMA are completely different to PINS you get to see something else. It draws you in completely but Mark, Dale and Kim all have this about them so you’re really never sure where to look. Mark holds his guitar as if it is a machine gun and unleashes a fury upon us all. This is the kind of fury that makes you wish you could do it. Have a go.

The crowd were obviously having the time of their lives watching them, although it got a touch more rowdy when headliners Claw Marks came on. There was a lot of sweat. Sure London crowds do have a rep of being quite uptight, but this was so far from the truth last night. The crowd were delightful. PALBMA for me, are one of those bands who manage to mix everything I love about music and certain bands in particular to create something mind-blowing. Their live shows enhance the thought and care that goes into the music, and that alone sets them apart from other bands. The songs may be short but it’s enough to move bodies and deafen ears. They are gloriously loud, and it’s probably why they’re one of the best bands to watch. You kind of hope some 14 year old misfit finds this band, and is inspired to start their own band as a way of dealing with the world. The fuzzy sounds are ideally to be played as loud as possible, so your neighbour our can enjoy too. Going by their live shows alone, PALBMA deserve to be massive. Regardless of how long the band may last, I’ll probably be blasting out Pretend To Try when I’m 80 telling kids on the street, “In my day this is what we had….”

Manchester is lucky because they can see them play anytime, but I guess that’s what makes you treasure them even more. Especially when they play down here. PALBMA are supporting PINS on their UK tour and they’re also supporting the brilliant BC Camplight in April on his Manchester date.

TALL JUAN. Lock Tavern/Shacklewell Arms (21st & 22nd January 2016.)

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I’m pretty sure these are my first two shows of the year, and even though I’ve got a rubbish memory, I’m fairly sure I’m going to remember these shows in December. Certain gigs, bands, whatever just stick with you. You always know instantly when something is going to mean a great deal to you.

I wrote about Juan around Christmas time, I was bored at home and I accidentally found his music. I was hooked on his Ramones kind of sound and obviously instantly fell in love with what I was hearing. I caught his show last night at the Lock Tavern in Camden, I don’t think there was more than 30 people there. The stage was tiny. Perfect for a giant to flail about on stage, right? This evening he played the Shacklewell Arms which has a low ceiling. Fortunately Juan isn’t accident prone so no injuries occurred. You always (or you should) take something to treasure from a show. What I took from these two shows was that, Juan is more than just a guy who really digs the Ramones. He’s got a proper Punk sound, and his cover of I Wanna Be Your Dog is one of my favourite things I’ve seen at a show. He plays it in his own way but it’s a way that Iggy would be super proud to hear.

 

I’m not someone who ever takes the set list after a show but for some reason, I did tonight. I wanted to remember what was played during his first UK tour and there’s no way I could remember any other way. His set started with It’s True and went smack into Home. His cover of Chinese Rock  is played quite early on, and it’s one of those covers where you feel it is his song. You don’t feel like it is a Ramones song, and that’s when you know a cover is done right. My two favourite songs he plays (bar the covers) are Far Rockaway and Wake Up Daddy.Break It All is also a great one to watch as he seems to go a bit wild on that one

His energy on stage is what really sets him apart from most. He throws his body about on stage with his guitar firmly on him, knocking the mic stand in a way that makes you think someone is going to get a busted lip or black eye. His songs are gentle at times, and this is where you can hear just how great his voice is. He’s part Joey Ramone, part Buddy Holly. He merges two singers I absolutely adore and has created this sound that is evidently out of this world. The two shows he played in London were free, so I guess it is true what they say- the best things in life are free! The crowd were wonderful and you could tell  that the love was mutual. There’s this infectious passion that comes through when you watch him, and you cannot tear your eyes away. He’s got this way of making you wish you could make this kind of noise with an acoustic guitar. He plays as if his life depends on it, gripping the microphone in his mouth and you get lost in this whirlwind of sweat and fury. It could bring anyone to life. Metaphorically, of course.

 

On record you sometimes can’t imagine how it will come across on stage, but with Juan it is is so easy. He’s just like how you’d imagine him to be. He’s a pleasure to watch and you get a feeling that he can’t believe he’s  come all the way from Far Rockaway to London. Let’s hope it is the start of many more shows here, more people need to be turned onto this guy. I’ve got a few bands/singers I would happily watch live constantly, and Juan is most definitely one of them.

DAVID BOWIE.

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“I never done good things
I never done bad things
I never did anything out of the blue.”

Loss is something we all have to eventually deal with. It can come in different forms, but it hurts. It doesn’t matter if it is a relative, a pet or a musician you idolised. I’ve cried over musicians dying more than I can count. I cried over Aaliyah, John Peel, Amy Winehouse,Joey Ramone and Lou Rees dying. I didn’t cry when my dad died. Why? Many reasons, but the main one being that music was and is my crutch. Those mentioned have been a vital part in shaping me, helping me become whoever and whatever I am today. It can change but music is a solid.

Like anyone with ears and a heart, I’m fucking upset about David Bowie dying. Just like Lou, he was meant to outlive us all. But like Lou, he was from somewhere else that humans don’t tread. However, I feel like a fraud for being upset. I was never a big fan of Bowie’s. I don’t own any of his records but I hand on heart, regard him as a genius. I don’t know why I’m not a huge fan like everyone else. We throw around the term “genius” far too often and sometimes, we use it way out of context and in a few months time regret our choice of words. This cannot be said about David. I was never drawn to his music completely but I was fascinated with his sense of style, his face, the way he explored who he was and made it alright for us misfits to not fit in. He made it completely and utterly alright for us to be a bit odd. Why would you want to be like everyone else anyway? I’m not one for wanting children at all, that doesn’t appeal to me. Even more so now because why would you want to bring a child into the world with no Lou Reed and no David Bowie? There’s really no point.

 

Everyone has a record that changed their life and somehow made them who they are/showed them how to accept themselves. For me, Transformer by Lou Reed is that record. I listened to Satellite Of Love on my journey to work today. I just wanted to hear David’s voice on it because it is truly one of the greatest things to happen to music. The record is perfect from start to finish and the production is flawless. David’s voice on Satellite Of Love takes you further than Lou. He hits those high notes and you’re unsure of what is happening to you, so you keep on hitting repeat. It’s the one moment on that record where you take your attention away from Lou. Sorry Lou, I’m sure you understand. His work on The Idiot by Iggy Pop is phenomenal. I fell for the producer in him, he could do no wrong and he projected his genius onto others- especially in these two records. Two records that captured Berlin perfectly. Two records that made outcasts feel just fine with themselves.

 

 

We all have that one singer or band that become our piece of solitude, our safety net. For so many, David Bowie was understandably theirs. He had no boundaries with his words but you can tell a lot of thought and care went into them. He felt accessible but you knew that he was not human. He was made of something else. Something that no other has ever or will ever possess. He made you see the world in an almost innocent way. Child-like in a way. His honesty, his sensitivity and care in his words could comfort anybody. The world is better because of him but we’re all a little lost because he’s no longer here.
We don’t say goodbye to people like David Bowie. We simply wish them goodnight and a safe,peaceful journey as they make their way onto some place else. There’s another life for him, you, me, everyone. He’s just gone there before us.