Tag Archives: Garage Rock

CRAWLER.

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10 years ago I started this blog. I started it whilst in my second year at University. I’m not sure if I knew I would stick at this, or if I’d just let it fade away. Everyone has something that keeps them sane. Keeps them busy. Some draw, some play music. I write about it. 10 years is a long time. It’s not out of habit, it’s never forced. It’s been one thing I have solidly relied on, and I’m pretty happy to “celebrate” this by writing about South Korea’s finest band- Crawler.

I know nothing about them, but it doesn’t matter. What I do know is that they make brilliant music that allows you to escape time and place. We always need that, and at the right time- a band will find you that will guide you away.

Their last release, Why Did You Sleep Last Night? consists of 6 mind-blowing songs that deserve to be played as loud as humanly possible. But, if like me you are aware of your surroundings- you’ll keep noise to a minimum. Sort of. The songs will make you want to break stuff, it’ll make you want to do a whole bunch of crazy shit. Do it. Do whatever the hell you want and let Crawler be the soundtrack to it all.

Crawler make effortlessly wild music that will just make you feel, as awfully clichéd as it sounds, alive. They will give you that kick you’ve been seeking for far too long. If you’re feeling disheartened about something or someone, then they will fix you right up. They’ll unleash every ounce of fury inside of you. Songs like Phantom and Baby Doll will make you feel good. They’ll make you feel free.

Something I really love about Crawler is that they really do have such a strong Punk feel to their sound, and they really do make you want to check out their shows and just totally soak up their music and what they are about. They give off that same feeling that bands like Dusty Mush and Dr Chan do. It’s like they have all created their own little scene, and all we can do is lovingly observe it all. Which I am totally fine with. They just make you want to get lost in the music and fall into a different time and place. If music can make you feel, and do this- then surely it is one of the most powerful forces we have, right? There’s no disputing just how powerful music is.

Crawler are such a huge joy to listen to, and like all the music I write about- they have a sound that I am always looking for. A sound that I absolutely idolise and cannot get enough of. Like I mentioned earlier, I know nothing about them but I do know that they are nothing short of brilliant.

You know what to do- buy the music and play it as loud as you can handle!

FLESH PANTHERS.

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There is nothing better than easing the dullness of Sunday by listening to some obnoxiously loud music. Music that makes you feel like something has stomped on your bones, music that makes you want to quit that 9-5 (other hours are available if you wish) and music that just makes you want to do anything other than what you need to. I’m going away on Tuesday, and I’d rather listen to music than pack. I’d probably want to go to sleep more. That’s usually the case.

Flesh Panthers are Chicago’s finest band. They sound as if they have crawled out from wooden crates in dark alleyways to come out and bring some much needed rowdiness to basement bars and desolate streets. They sound as if they lurk until they find their targets to pounce upon and unleash their powerful and loud sounds. Like as panther hunting its prey, of course.

They have a wealth of songs to really get lost in. I think their last release may have been in 2016, which was the Willows Weep record. It’s a really great record that sounds like everything I want from a Garage Rock/Punk band. There’s the right amount of distortion and a brilliant amount of hypnotising guitar grooves. The drums will have you moving your body in all kinds of ways- especially the song Tuff Enuff. It’s one of their tame songs, and it makes you think of summer. It has this really cool and laid-back sound that makes you want to just laze about. It’s pretty comforting considering outside it’s either snowing or raining, again. It’s got this tropical feel to it, and I think at the moment it could be my favourite song by them, but as I delve into their earlier songs such as Bleed Black Leather- I can’t help but want to stay there. However, there’s this slight shift in sound in each record of theirs which shows just how strong they are as a band. Nervous Breakdown is such as fantastic song to let all your frustrations out to. It’s got this proper raw Punk sound going all the way through it. It makes you want to throw stuff around. It makes you want to drive far (but if like me, you can’t drive- maybe take the bus) and they make you want to make your own kind of noise.

I love how the bass has this fuzzy-like sound which goes so well with everything else that is going on. To really get the bass to come alive like this, play it through headphones and it will be the bass that leaves you in a trance. A proper feel good trance that only Flesh Panthers can put you in, and they probably don’t have any intention of dragging you out of it. I mean, why would you want to when it sounds and feels this good.

I can’t possibly pick which record is my favourite but if you are new to them, start from their first release and work on up to now. Some bands you can just start wherever, but there are some bands that you have to go on the journey with. Flesh Panthers are one of those bands, and it’s because you can truly hear how they have developed their sound and have earned their right to be one of the best bands to come out of Chicago in a long time.

They have got such a strong collection of songs and records, and they just make you want to play it all constantly and as loud as you can stand. Edge of the Knife is definitely a song that needs to be played loud as does VooDoo Shang-a-Lang.

A new record by Flesh Panthers should be coming out this year, and I cannot wait for it!

LOS TONES.

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It can be utterly criminal at times when a band you love are hardly written about. You look for past articles written about them, and you find virtually next to nothing. Maybe the odd review of a record that’s only a couple hundred words long- nothing to make you believe that someone else loves them as much as you do. Sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands. I’m going to do that with Sydney’s finest, Los Tones.

Los Tones catapult you way back in time. They make you feel like you’ve discovered The Standells, The Vagrants and The Gruesomes for the first time. They are a combination of everything amazing about Garage Rock and modern day lo-fi sounds. They’re the kind of band you play on a lazy day doing a whole load of nothing. I’m pretty sure that if you played them to someone who was around when The Standalls first came out they wouldn’t thing that Los Tones are from now.

Los Tones have a solid catalogue of music to really feast upon. It’s totally fine to over indulge in their music and shut the world off for a few days to soak it all in. With their two records and a few singles, they have definitely developed a sound that is soaked in wonderful reverb and murky vocals to get lost in. The songs are loud in all the right places. Songs like Cry have this amazing part where it just goes off, and the only reaction you can have is to just turn it up as loud as you can. Bands that can do this are great. They let loose and just go for it. This exciting energy that just bursts from their music is so good. It’s beyond being ‘so good.’ That’s a weak ass description on my part- sorry!

You can’t really compare their two records. Psychotropic came out in 2014 and What Happened came out last year. In the years past between these two records, you can hear a steady growth but you can definitely hear in both that Los Tones are a band that know exactly how they want to sound and how to make it work. There is something really beautiful about this, and both records are just out of this world. Their music is appealing to any and everyone. No need for snobs or pretentious wankers here- Los Tones has this brilliant laid-back sound that just eases the mind, body and soul. Even when some of the songs are more rowdy than others, they still have this blissful relaxed glow to them. You can easily zone out to their music, especially on songs like Ordinary Man but at the same time you can lose yourself in the likes of the glorious Battery Acid. There is something for everyone, and I’m sure your Grandma would enjoy them too.

Los Tones have such a raw and urgent. It’s almost as if they HAVE to get these songs out of their system and to create this beautiful music. They are everything I want from a band. They have every element that I just adore about music. If you’ve got no plans this weekend, spend it by listening to Los Tones. If you do have plans, maybe you should cancel them and just listen to Los Tones instead and allow yourself to be transported into a time and place that only they can take you. They’ll be your escape route and your cure for boredom.

Los Tones make you wish you could join their band or be in a band that tours the world with them. They’ve got this mesmerising energy to their music that makes you want to constantly hear it and be around it.

Some bands you just fall in love with instantly- Los Tones are one of those bands, easily.

You know what to do:

https://los-tones.bandcamp.com/music

 

WATER TRASH

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In an ideal world, everyone would get paid to do something they love. In an ideal world, I’d be paid to write about music. Nothing too over the top. Just enough to pay my rent, maybe get a dog, buy my girlfriend presents without a care and to live off food that isn’t soup. Or pasta. Being Italian, I should be okay with pasta, right? In moderation. Not because your bank account is crying at you to leave a city you have no reason to be in. I’m only working to pay my rent at the moment- that alone just fucks my head up and has set me back with this bastarding anxiety and depression I have, and cannot shake. But hey, enough of that. A slight vent from a frustrated soul. I’ll write about a band that eases the mind and mood slightly.

Ready?

Water Trash has got it going on. They’ve got this exquisite laid-back sound that makes you forget all your troubles. Every song feels like it has come from the heart, and I think that’s what makes you relate to the songs, and what allows you to let the music just take you away. It’s powerful in all the right ways, and it is done in a beautifully subtle way. I know for the most part I do like music that makes me want to flail my limbs around in a small, sweaty dive bar. Water Trash does give me that same feeling, but the only difference is that they make you feel like you’re the only one. What I mean is, if you were to catch them play live- you’d feel as if it was just you in the room. Irrespective of size, they’d make you feel it was only you in the room. Like when the person you’re besotted with looks at you and when you look at them. That’s one of the best feelings in the world, and when music can evoke this grand and gorgeous feelings- that’s when you know you have found something to truly treasure when everything else seems painfully unruly and bland.

Their debut record from last summer is stunning. It’s got a beautiful summer feel to it. Something we all need when it is bloody freezing outside. They just take you somewhere really tranquil and serene. They add the perfect amount of calm to the mind, body and soul. For me they have that similar relaxed feel that is in the likes of Warpaint and Beach House. Two bands I absolutely adore who can calm any chaotic mind right down. For me, I feel that Water Trash have got this tight sound and I think it stems from them knowing each other since they were around 12 years old. They are growing together, and you can really hear that on their debut record, which sounds effortlessly timeless.

One of the louder moments on the record is a song called Elevator which has this heavy guitar sound that reminds me of the hook in Undone-The Sweater Song by Weezer. It’s laid-back then it just gloriously smacks you right in the choppers. I love when a band spring that kind of surprise on me. I think that’s when you know just how great a band is; no matter how many times you listen to the song it still has the ability to hit you. It’s such an amazing feeling.

Water Trash is such an exciting band to listen to, and you can really pick up on how much dedication and care has gone into their music. They’re the kind of band that you just cannot get enough over.

You can buy/stream their glorious sounds here:

https://watertrashpa.bandcamp.com/releases

 

LOVERS CLUB: Empty Ballroom Blues

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One of the most exciting bands to emerge from London, Lovers Club has just released their phenomenal EP Empty Ballroom Blues. It excels everything they have done to date, and it truly shows how great they are and undoubtedly, 2018 will be their year.

There is only one criticism of the EP-it’s not long enough. I want, I need more songs. This is a band that leaves you needing more. The need is greater than the want here. Everyone seems to follow certain “buzz” bands without giving a thought to those who are making something worth listening to. Lovers Club are that band. They are massively underrated and effortlessly cool. Alec’s vocals are nothing short of eerie and gripping. They make you feel like you are being chased down a dark alleyway with no hope of survival. They fill you with this dark excitement that takes you back to hearing The Cramps and The Mummies for the first time. That might just be me, but it’s alright. Lovers Club have this sound that makes you just want to totally immerse yourself in all that they do and hope they never ever call it quits. It’s a beautifully creepy sound that takes you over in the best way imaginable.

The opener, Empty Ballroom Blues truly sets the tone for the EP. It has this grand sound to it that is found in bands that have been at it for decades, but Lovers Club have this magnetic confidence in their sound that just makes you feel and believe that this is a band who have been around for decades. It’s a proper established and powerful sound that as I’ve said, just leaves you wanting more. Needing more. Alec’s guitar skills remind you of part Poison Ivy and part Johnny Thunders. The band has this raw Rock N Roll feel to their sound that is lacking in music right now. Are they are saviours? If you want them to be.

The Barge is just under 2 minutes and again, it isn’t enough. But it is taster of what Lovers Club is capable of and what is to come. It feels completely right to just keep on hitting repeat with this EP. Nothing can touch it. I truly feel that this is going to be one of my favourite things I hear all year, and will most definitely be one of my most played. The Barge has this brilliant distorted sound to it. It feels like it could have been in a Vincent Price film- it’s got this brutality to it that comes through effortlessly in Alec’s voice. Everything about this song just goes so well together. When the chorus kicks in, you can really hear just how great Alec, Oliver and Matt are. Towards the end the song has this energy to it that makes you think it’ll go on forever. It makes you want it to go on forever. Then it ends making room for the closer, Dark Country.

Dark Country is a heavy song. It carries something quite sinister to it, and I think that’s why I really love this one. I love the whole EP but Dark Country has this really heavy feel to it which just oozes a shade of evilness that makes you want to be part of it all. The whole EP feels as if it was made for a Horror film. The atmosphere they create in their music is something which I absolutely adore, and I really cannot wait to see and hear what they do this year because they really are the best new band around. Sure it is a biased opinion, but I’m not going to waste anyone’s time by writing in a negative manner. That’s just pointless. I love finding new bands and writing about how much I love their music, and how exciting they are. Lovers Club are one of those bands that make me want to keep writing about music- and recently that love has been fading. It’s back again. I think. I hope.

Anyway, you can buy/listen to the EP right here: https://loversclub.bandcamp.com/album/empty-ballroom-blues-ep

They are playing a few dates in London over the next couple of months at:

23rd February- The Black Heart

1st March- The Lock Tavern

See you at the front!

SHADY FRANCOS

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It’s pretty hard to listen to anything else or care about anything other than The Fall right now. It’s been a few days, and it still hasn’t sunk in that the greatest and most unapologetically honest frontman is no longer with us. It sucks. It really, really sucks.

I needed something this morning to lift my mood up a little bit this morning. I found a band called Shady Francos. Proper Rock n Roll band that have this excellent psychobilly sound flowing through. If you dig The Cramps, you’ll probably love this band. I’m not sure what they’re up to right now, or if they’re still together, but it’s alright. There’s enough music for me to work on to write about them.

https://soundcloud.com/fieldtripssd/shady-francos-cant-opener

They have this effortlessly cool sound, the kind of sound you wish you could make. They’re the kind of band that if you walked past them rehearsing, it would stop you in your tracks and you’d never leave. It’s an intriguing sound that leaves you wanting more, and more. It’s a real lucid sound that you cannot shake. You can’t get enough of it. Feel free to lose your damn mind to this band. Their bio says that they are from the shady part of San Diego. They really do make you feel like you have ended up on the wrong side of town. I’ve just finished reading Digging The Vein by Tony O’Neill (if you’ve never read his work, you’re really missing out. He’s an underrated genius) and Shady Francos really do make you feel a little creeped out with their sound. They are loud, off the wall and brutal with their sound.

I love the distorted and shaky vocals. I love how you can hear this trembling in the vocals that makes you cling onto every word. I love how aggressive the drums are which go perfectly with the vocals. Everything about this band is just brilliant. They remind me a little of The Cramps and Küken. Some bands are just made to be played loud. Some bands are made to just take you some place obscure- Shady Francos do exactly that. They make you want to sit and do a load of nothing with their music blaring out.

You can imagine some kid in San Diego listening to them and just wanting to do what they do when they are older. They’re subtle heroes, and given the chance could take over the world. Things take time, so I’ll let them takeover mine. I don’t mind.

Soggy Diner Toast is so far my favourite song by them, but I’m obviously likely to change my mind as I repeatedly listen to them and find new things to love about them and more songs to claim as my favourite. If you’re looking for a band to do a whole load of nothing to, then Shady Francos are the band for you.

Play ‘em loud, piss off your neighbours and relax.

 

JADED JUICE RIDERS.

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As I am slowly approaching 10 years of writing about music, I realise I’ve got sloppy with it. I’m more likely to sit and watch crime documentaries than do what I love. Maybe it’s a distraction- but what from? Anyway, I’m going to push that aside briefly and write about a band that have given me the urge to write about them because they are THAT good. The thing is, I do want to write- but maybe I also don’t want to. I’m talking to myself.

Jaded Juice Riders are made up of two brothers, Josh and Mateo Hwang.  They have a sound that I always gravitate towards- they make me feel like I’m on a beach in California with a load of nothing to do, watching the world go by with some good music blasting in my ears. I think part of me will always want to do that, but the other part (the bigger part) hates flying and would get annoyed by the heat. I’d rather escape in my mind than physically.

What I really enjoy about Jaded Juice Riders is this playful yet distorted sound. It makes you want to dance around but they also relax you. You can be anywhere in the world when you listen to them, and for me that’s a huge thing. Their sound reflects a gorgeous summer mood. I think anyone who loves Wavves (who doesn’t!?) would really like Jaded Juice Riders. Both bands give off that same feel in their music. I can’t really put it into words, but I do know that I absolutely love it. Maybe this was the kick I needed to write again. I just want to shut off and listen to Jaded Juice Riders. It’s grim in London today, and this band have taken me to a warmer place. Year 22 is definitely one of the songs that you there.

Their last release, Bowl Cut came out in October last year and it is criminally underrated and nothing short of brilliant. It’s got the perfect mix of lo-fi/Garage with Surfer Rock tones. I guess that’s a sound? I’m not sure. I read it once when reading about a band I like. Jaded Juice Riders sound like a party I wouldn’t bail out on going to- and I’m useless at parties. They just make you want to relax and just be. Be whatever you want. Do whatever the hell you want. They are an absolute delight to listen to and to get lost in. Oh and they are huge fans of playing Fifa- something which I can relate to. They’re the perfect band to listen to whilst playing, for sure.

The slight fuzzy sound and distorted vocals are so great, and so easy to fall in love with. I love the songs Agriculture and Mr Psycho so much. The lyrics to Agriculture are my favourite- so far. They have a number of releases that are well worth investing time (and money) in.  If you’re new to them, start with Bowl Cut and work backwards. Or go in whatever order you like. Their first record (I think it is self-titled) is my favourite so far. It’s got a more raw sound, but they still keep with that in the likes of Bowl Cut. It’s a real distinctive sound that you cannot help but enjoy. They’re just a brilliant band, and I hope one day they make it over here because I reckon their live shows would be wild. They have that sound that is just made to be played in a live setting.

If you’re having a shitty day, Jaded Juice Riders will make it much better. Stick your headphones on, play it as loud as you want, shut off from your surroundings and let them take you somewhere magical and trippy.

STALLED MINDS.

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France is home to two of my great loves- Rimbaud and the Born Bad record store in Bastille. It is also home to exceptional musicians who have undoubtedly been an influence on the bands I listen to. Paris has an insanely great Punk scene. It’s enough to make you sack off all responsibilities and move there to really immerse yourself in it. Or you can live vicariously through others. It’s the cheaper option.

I’ve written about loads of bands from Paris over the past few years. I don’t seek them out on purpose, it just happens. Accidents are sometimes alright. One band I found today that have immediately won me over are Stalled Minds. Easily one of the loudest and best bands around right now- even though their self-titled release came out two years ago, they still have this exciting and new sound. They make you want to break stuff, they make you want to start a band that is part Bad Brains and part whatever the hell you want so long as it is loud. I’m currently writing this with my housemate’s cat on my bed. I’m looking after him until tomorrow evening, and he’s currently having another nap. Every so often he lets out a snore and I tell you what, he manages to fit it in time with the music. He’s got good taste.

Stalled Minds are the kind of band you want to join and trash basement bars with. You want to lob lukewarm beer over the crowd and go insane to their song, Shit City. They have this energy in their songs that you’ve never quite heard or felt before. They’re a band that you’ll wonder why on earth they aren’t huge, but you treasure them and play the music as loud as your ears can stand.

From what I’ve heard so far, and yes I am late to the party, I just absolutely love their sound. I love how the vocals are sometimes distorted. I love how furiously they play and how it feels like a collective riot. There is such a united sound, and I think that it is one of the many reasons why I love them and why they just sound so great. It’s an impeccable sound that they have crafted and they just sound so effortlessly cool.

A couple members of Stalled Minds are in the equally great Youth Avoiders. I’ll be writing about them real soon too. Both bands play with this infectious fury that sort of eases the mind but also unleashes everything you’ve pent up. Music should be a release, and Stalled Minds take good care of that notion.

If you’re looking for a band to blow your mind and eardrums then listen to Stalled Minds. Listen to them as loud as you can handle, then push yourself to go a little louder. They’ll make you want to start a band, they’ll make you want to go to every live show they ever do. But until you see them, you’ll imagine the show in your mind- covered in sweat and beer.

NIGHT SHADES: Evil Dreams.

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Some bands take a while to reach peak greatness. Others just do it immediately. Night Shades are one of those bands who have done it instantly. London’s finest band. A band that sound like they have creeped out from the underworld and have come to take our souls and gnaw at our eardrums. They possess the wonderful manic tones of The Cramps, which for me is just absolutely brilliant.

Last month they put out the remarkable Evil Dreams. It is one of the best things you will hear all year. It will make you forget all the things “critics” have told you to enjoy earlier in the year. Anything you have heard before this may well be ignored. Anything you hear after it just won’t measure up. They make every day feel like a ghoulish holiday. Darker than Halloween. Sinister, eerie and nothing short of hypnotising. For me, they are probably my favourite band in London right now.

Evil Dreams lives up to its title. It has this gloriously evil and twisted feel to it. You feel like you are in a Jack The Ripper biopic. You feel like you are in an Edgar Allen Poe poem- you feel like you are living out historical horrors. You are totally immersed in their wonderful sound. Niall makes the drums sound like gentle crashes against the soul. Clare and Shaun’s vocals are chilling. You feel a cloak of mist fall down as you listen to Golden Hair which then goes into the glorious Cara Mia which shows just how ethereal Clare’s voice is. Their songs are like haunting lullabies. Every single part of you just falls madly in love with each song on this mind-blowing body of work. It feels like you have waited decades and decades to hear something as truly brilliant as this. I am super annoyed I missed the launch of Evil Dreams. Now I just play it constantly and create my own world in my head.

As the days are getting shorter, this is the perfect record to listen to as you make your way home from work as it gets dark. You feel like you’re walking through the underbelly of evilness and possibly moonlighting as Columbo in your head. Stalking the streets to seek out evil. Maybe you’ll stomp it out, maybe you’ll be part of it. Whatever sordid tale you wish to conjure up and be part of, Night Shades have fitting songs on Evil Dreams for you to take part in.

It is easy to get caught up in something when you play it just once, then after a few listens you partially regret how you were so quick to declare something as being great. Night Shades do not make you feel that way. Evil Dreams is something you play and instantly realise you have found something nothing short of perfect, and will undoubtedly be something you keep playing in years to come. Evil Dreams has songs that remind me of hearing The Mummies and The Cramps for the first time. It’s been a while since I felt that, and Night Shades make the waiting worthwhile.

If you’re looking for something to scare you a little bit or if you’re in need of something to give you the creeps to reassure you that you’re still alive- Night Shades are the band for you. Easily. They create this amazing atmosphere on their record that makes you feel as if they are right there in front of you, extending their hand out to yours in order to grab you into this world they have created. Take their hand, don’t let go and allow yourself to delve deep, deep into this charming and creepy world they have created.

THE CRAMPS: Fiends Of Dope Island.

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So here we are, the last record by The Cramps. In 2003, The Cramps released Fiends Of Dope Island- their eight full length record. It isn’t my favourite record, but thankfully it still has THAT sound that we all knew and love. The sound that defined them. The sound that made them so important and so influential.

I thought writing about all their records would have taken me longer than this. However, from the start I knew it was something I would have to see through. Besides, what else am I going to do with my spare time?

Fiends Of Dope Island opens with Big Black Witchcraft Rock. It’s a heavy song in comparison to what they have previously done. This record is a heavy sounding record and in some parts of the record, it doesn’t completely sound like The Cramps. I know a band shouldn’t make the same sounding record over and over. The Cramps never did that, but you always knew it was them. There is no fault at all in Ivy’s raucous guitar skills- you never could fault her or Lux at all.

There are some great songs on this record such as Dr Fucker M.D (Musical Deviant), Dopefiend Boogie and She’s Got Balls. It is still a brilliant record by them, don’t get me wrong. But I had a bit of a hard time getting into this one. I mean nothing is going to beat A Date With Elvis or Stay Sick! for me but it is still a strong record that sits nicely with their lengthy list of releases.

I love the slick sounds on Taboo, and how Chopper Franklin truly adds something special to this cover. It also shows just how fantastic Lux’s voice was. He sings slightly different on this one. It doesn’t typically sound like him, and I think that’s why this cover really stands out on this record. It is one of my favourite covers they’ve ever done also. I love Hang Up. It’s got Lux sounding quite snarly, and I really love that. I love how he could do anything with his voice. The way he’d sound like every part of him was shaking as he sung. The banshee-like wails he makes on the end of the song are just excellent. It’s one of the best moments on the record for sure. I also think Oowee Baby is one of the songs on the record that sounds typically them. It’s got a sound that reminds me a little of their earlier records.

I feel that Fiends Of Dope Island is slightly darker than their previous records. This record does feel quite heavy. I don’t know if they knew this would be the last record they were going to make or not. It’s hard to tell.  The artwork to the record is creepy. Lux has this demonic look, and it kind of gives you an impression of how they wanted this record to sound. It is dark and it is menacing. I don’t know how this record sits amongst other fans of The Cramps. I’ve played it a few times in a row now prior to writing this and it has grown on me. I really love Dr Fucker M.D- there’s something brilliantly eerie about this song. It sounds like something you would hear playing in a horror film. You can imagine Dr Fucker being this wild doctor who just causes absolute mayhem.

From listening to all of The Cramps records, it has just made me love and appreciate them even more. No other band is ever going to make something as wonderfully sleazy as I Want To Get In Your Pants or something as decadent as Kizmiaz. The Cramps were one-offs. Every single record shows that, and maybe they knew with Fiends Of Dope Island it would be their last. I think they did set out what they had and needed to do. Of course we would have taken more. I wish I was one of the lucky ones who got to see The Cramps. Any line-up, I don’t care. I’d have just loved to have seen them.

So there we have it. All eight records written about. All eight records listened to more carefully than usual, and loved more than before.

Viva The Cramps!