Tag Archives: Punk

THE STOOGES:The Stooges.

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“And I’ll lay right down in my favorite place
And now I wanna be your dog.”

1969. A year that gave us a band that would, at the start be looked down on but eventually become one of the most influential bands of all time. Fronted by one of the most charismatic and courageous human beings, ever.

On Monday I went to the cinema to see Gimme Danger. The brilliant film about The Stooges. As I watched it, every part of me wished I was born at the right time to have appreciated them at the start. Instead I came into the world a couple of decades later. I couldn’t understand how or why The Stooges were the underdogs, why they were given so much shit. Maybe it’s because they were completely misunderstood. Their debut record is one of the most remarkable and most raw records of all, and for a debut to sound like that? Shit. You can just tell that they were on the verge of creating something that would make some feel uncomfortable, but what good comes from feeling otherwise?

I was very young when I first heard The Stooges, very young. I wasn’t aware of how important they would end up being to me but I remember instantly being hooked on Iggy. He seemed like someone that nobody could touch. He was like a fictional character brought to life and this character heightened when on a stage. The way he would whirl about on stage and how he would launch himself into the crowd. It wasn’t like anything else, he’s not like anyone else. He moves on stage like a gorilla ready to attack, especially when he crouches down and moves in this way that just makes you wonder what he’s going to do next. When a band can keep you on constant edge like that, that’s when you truly connect and know you’ve got a band to love for life.

Their debut record is a collection of songs that mess with your head. I mean that intro to I Wanna Be Your Dog is probably the greatest intros of all time. As soon as I hear it my ears prick up and I’m covered in goose bumps. I can’t describe what it sounds like but every time I play it, it feels like I’m hearing it for the first time. That new sensation takes over every time I hear it. We Will Fall is 10 minutes of chanting and bliss. It doesn’t sound like anything else on the record or really anything else they’ve ever done. No Fun is 5 minutes of summing up how boring life can sometimes be if you let yourself fall into a bland routine.

This recorded guided a generation into the 70s and brought to life a movement that would establish one of the most influential styles of music ever. Maybe I’m biased in my thoughts there, but for me, Punk is the backbone of everything I love. It isn’t just a 2 minute song telling the world to go fuck itself. It’s more than you or I can describe or explain. It’s a sound, a feeling, an attitude and I’m happy it found its way to me. The more I listen to The Stooges, the more I hear things I may not have initially picked up on. I can hear just how frantic Scott’s drumming was, and I think that’s part of the charm. Scott’s drumming was out of this world and he played in a way that made you want to make your own noise. Hell, The Stooges just made you want to make your own noise.

Their first record is smutty, off the wall and just wonderfully weird. These are the traits that got me hooked on them the first time around, and it is still apparent now decades later. The songs ooze frustration, desperation and the need for something. The need to search and destroy (different record, I know) and this record everlastingly and loving grabs you by the throat and unapologetically plants one right on the kisser. It’s just a brilliant listen, from start to finish. There’s no bad song on the record and each song is a side to The Stooges that we all grew to love and admire.

It took them a long time to get the respect and admiration that they rightfully deserved, and maybe if it happened straight away this raw and urgent sound they constantly possessed may never have been there. If you’re looking for a band that define going against what people expect or a band that just don’t care what you think- The Stooges are for you. The Stooges are for everyone. Everyone deserves to feel that “oh fuck!!” feeling when they hear I Wanna Be Your Dog for the first time. It’s feeling like no other, and man…it’s so timeless.

THE CRAMPS: A Date With Elvis.

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“I know a place that’s far from here
Where the squares they won’t come near.”

Last Saturday I turned 30. Nothing feels different, and I still look about 15. Maybe I made a pact with the devil at an early age, and I don’t recall it. Anyway, as someone who isn’t really a fan of birthdays I have someone who wanted me to have a damn good day. She did just that, and more. She got me a record that I had no idea I was getting. A month earlier I ruined a surprise by attempting to buy one she had already got me. I don’t pick up on signals, I need to be told. Even if it involves me potentially ruining a surprise! This one record she got me has blown my mind and I find myself playing it every day. I either play it whilst I get ready for work or when I get home. Sometimes both. My love for The Cramps started in 1996. I was 10 years old and I was going through a cupboard in the house. I was looking for something, not sure what but I found a mixtape. I picked it up and asked my stepdad if I could listen to it- being the cool person he is, he said yes. He told me all about the band before I went upstairs to my room and fell in love with Lux’s voice.

I wish I could remember what song was on the tape, but I’m pretty sure it might have been Human Fly. There was a Sisters Of Mercy live tape that I took also. Along with The Cure. I was being exposed at a young age to the bands that would form something inside of me that is still there. It’s never going to go. Its one thing about me I won’t ever fight off.

The record I was given on my birthday last Saturday was A Date With Elvis. She had gone through their records, listened to them all and found the one she thought I’d love the most. I think this proves just how well she knows me and how bloody great she is. A Date With Elvis is such a great record, and for me to shows everything about The Cramps that I love, and fell in love with 20 years ago. I love the raw and creepy sound that is consistent on all their records but there’s something about A Date With Elvis that heightens all of this.

The record opens with one of the greatest songs by them, How Far Can Too Far Go? Alright so some may say it isn’t their greatest but it’s pretty much my favourite. I love the words and I absolutely adore Lux’s voice on this song. The record came out the year I entered the world and it was produced by the beautiful Poison Ivy. Three is the magic number, kids and The Cramps proved that so easily with this record. Everything about the wonderfully sexualised lyrics and dirty guitar makes it for pleasurable listening. It is the record you should take home with you, to meet the parents. It’s the record you play as loud as you want. It’s the one you play to take you down a road of self-discovery. For some, the lyrics may be too much- but hey, don’t surround yourself with prudes. Let it all out. Let The Cramps drag it out of you.

A Date With Elvis is the kind of record that brings you to your knees because you can’t get over how great it is.  For me it just embodies everything I love about music and everything I look for in music. It’s the right level of creepy, it’s loud and it’s in your face but not in an intrusive manner. It’s so beautifully produced and created. That brilliant Psychobilly mixed with a bit of Punk sound that they were known for comes alive on this record, maybe it is more apparent on this one. Maybe I’m just being biased because I wholeheartedly love this record, with all I have. I don’t have the best record player in the world but it is currently making Aloha From Hell sound like the masterpiece that it truly is.

There are many reasons why I am fascinated with certain bands, but I’ve never really set myself a reason for doing so with The Cramps. It just comes down to a whole bunch of reasons. Mainly that it’s completely fine to live outside of certain “norms” and to just be whoever and whatever the hell you want to be.

GIRL TEARS: Woke Against The Tide.

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Over a week ago, the doctor explained to me why my brain hasn’t been working like it should. Why I’m losing interest in things I love, why leaving the house physically hurts and is exhausting, why everything seems too much and too loud. If you’ve got a physical ailment, you do your best to take care of yourself. But when it is a mental one, the thought of trying to do anything for yourself is overwhelming. Writing about music is the one thing I have as some form of outlet. I go through stages of wanting to carry on with it. Then other days, I really don’t care. Today I care. Today I want to write about the new Girl Tears record because it’s so bloody great. Even if I didn’t want to write about it, I would force myself. It seems that’s the only way. Anyway, enough of that. The music. That is what’s important.

I fell in love with Girl Tears a few years ago and I immediately knew that they would be one of those bands I would forever obsess over. They are loud. So loud. Brutally loud. Their songs last long enough for them to grab you by the neck and yell in your ear. For me though, I want the songs to last longer because I just love them. Everything about them is just a reminder of why I love music. If I was a wealthy person, I’d fly them over here and get them to play as many shows as possible. For now, I’ll create images of their live shows in my head.

Woke Against The Tide is their new record that came out on 28th October, and although it has 18 tracks on it- it only lasts just over 20 minutes. I can play it once in full on my journey to work but it still doesn’t feel like it is enough. It’s one of those records that I am happy to have on a loop in my ear. Everything about their new record sounds tougher and braver than their first release, Tension. Tension was a kick in the teeth. Woke Against The Tide feels like you’re annihilating your soul. There’s nothing wrong with this, sometimes it just has to be done.

Trying to pick my favourite song off the record is too tough, and my current inability to make a decision without working myself into a panic attack just isn’t worth the trouble. Every song is wonderfully aggressive and to be honest, if the songs lasted longer than 2 minutes I really don’t think it would feel the song. The songs are like punches to the face. The songs are polar opposites to how Kam, Tristan and Sal are. The fury and the sheer loudness in the songs makes you want to start your own band, and make your own noise. Do it. There’s no right or wrong noise.

Girl Tears are like that cool relative that lead you gently by the arm and guide you to a world of music you may not have found on your own. Their music takes you to a world that is so decadent yet sacred. They don’t sound like any band that I know of- past or present. Sure there’s slight influences of certain bands, but all they do is entirely their own and that is even more prominent on this record than on Tension. Tension was a beautiful introduction to an equally beautiful band. But with Woke Against The Tide, what you hear is 3 people sure of their sound. 3 people sure of how they want to deafen and amaze the listener. And trust me, they do exactly that. It’s a pure Punk record from start to finish.

Kam’s vocals on Lost Love are my favourite. I love the desperation in his voice and how he makes you cling on to every single word he screams. Sal and Tristan both make me wish I could play the drums or bass. Kam is also a menace on the guitar. I am so proud of what they have done with this record and how they’ve created a gorgeous atmosphere on it. It leads wonderfully from Tension, and regardless of how many times a day I listen to it, I keep finding different parts of the record to love. It’s so easy to go back and listen to it over and over again. When you do this, you notice different things and your favourite song or your favourite moment on the record changes. Like I mentioned, I cannot pick a favourite and I’m okay with that- it just means I can keep on listening. Over and over, and finding new things to love. You notice more when you approach a record like this rather than being dead set on trying to find one song to obsess over.

Woke Against The Tide is a real tense listen, but nothing good comes from being settled and easy. Every song is a shockwave through the body. Made up of parts that will leave you feeling bruised but satisfied.

THE DAMNED: New Rose.

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“I got a feeling inside of me
It’s kind of strange like a stormy sea.”

 

I’ve always felt like I was born at the wrong time. I wasn’t made for ’86 onwards. I was made for at least a decade before, but that’s only if you have the misfortune of looking through the band shirts I own and the records on my shelves. I think my head is there also, it’s never where it is probably meant to be. Let’s go back 40 years.

22nd October 1976, The Damned released their first 7” single- New Rose. The B-side was a cover of Help! By The Beatles. The Damned very quickly became one of the most important and easily, one of the best Punk bands to have ever formed. For me, I loved how strange they were and how their sound was unlike anything I had heard before. I can’t remember how old I was or where I was when I first listened to them, but I’m pretty sure it was my stepdad that got me into them. I love the video to New Rose. I love the close ups of Dave Vanian’s face and his black lipstick. He looked like a handsome Dracula who not much wanted blood but the souls of those who were going to give themselves over to The Damned.

I love the nod to Leader of the Pack by The Shangri-Las in the intro followed by the battle cry drumming which is brought together with a collective  yelp. This iconic intro to New Rose is one of the best I’ve ever heard and any time you hear it, you cannot help but join in. It’s such an important song for Punk. They’re such an important band, and they embodied frustrations in their own way and unleashed it so well on their first record. Their first record for me, is one of the best Punk records ever made. It’s got this raw sound flowing through it that isn’t found in a lot of the Punk records that came out around that time. The Damned took it further. They made it creepy, sinister but approachable. Nothing about them was vulgar or obnoxious (by no means am I saying any of the other bands were) but they could still shock someone’s parents if they weren’t of the liberal kind. The Damned were and are brilliant misfits who gave you a sound to belong to. What I found in their debut record is something I hadn’t found elsewhere before and New Rose started all of that.

Much like the Dead Boys, The Damned were “young, loud and snotty.” The absolute best way to be, especially for a rowdy Punk band. New Rose has been labelled as the UK’s first Punk single and it immediately set a standard that only a few could reach. Whatever The Damned intended to do with New Rose, I am pretty sure they have done. They influenced a wealth of bands and I’m fairly sure that they still do. I play my copy of Damned Damned Damned on a daily basis. I put my record player on most mornings as I get ready for work and I always seem to reach for this one. There is something about it that smacks you in the particulars and gets you ready to get out the house.  A month after New Rose was released, the Sex Pistols released Anarchy In The UK. Both bands have played such a vital role not just for what they did for Punk but for music in general. Rowdy in different ways, both demanded to be heard, again in their own way. Both bands were made to be played loud and 40 years on, we are finding ways and reasons to play them louder than before.

40 years have passed since New Rose was released on Stiff Records. A song that took pretty much only a day to record holds a legacy that not much can compare to. The Damned started something with New Rose that could never, and will never be finished.

SHADY AND THE VAMP.

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Do you ever hear a band and just wish you were either friends with them, or in the band because they sound so good? Does it leave you feeling shameful of your own musical misgivings? You’re not alone. I feel this way about most of the bands I write about, some more than others. This evening I am projecting this feeling onto a band called Shady And The Vamp. Not only is their name pretty cool, they also sound it. Effortlessly brilliant and they combine my love for Garage Rock and Punk in such a way that leaves me wishing I was in the band. Yeah, this happens a fair amount but basically- Shady And The Vamp are great.

I know virtually next to nothing about the band other than there is three of them, they’re based in Switzerland and I love them. That’s all you need to know, right? They are wonderfully loud and have this angst in their sound that doesn’t come across like a stroppy teenager. More like an adult who is tired of your shit and just wants you to be quiet. We can all relate to this. They’re the ideal band to listen to whilst on your journey to work so you can block out everything and everyone around you. Play as loud as your ears can stand, let everyone enjoy the band through you. At least it isn’t Techno.

Shady And The Vamp play the kind of music that is perfect for either a house party or a dive bar. Do they make you feel as if you’re listening to a band from Switzerland? I can’t make that call as I’m not familiar with many Swiss bands, but if they all sound like this then please send me there now and take me to the next show. Their sounds are playful, rowdy and just an absolute pleasure to listen to. There’s something about them that makes you feel as if you’ve encountered a band like The Damned for the first time. It sounds a bit strange, a weird feeling hits you but you know you’ve found something pretty damn neat and nothing is going to compare to it.

I know a lot of people take comfort in music, I’m one of them. I’ve never felt at ease listening to something gentle. I have to have something quite rowdy in my ear in order to help me settle. The complete opposite of how I am- that’s the music I go for. I love their take on Piangi Con Mi (originally done by Italian greats- The Rokes.) As We Told You Earlier by Shady And The Vamp is such a great record, and it’s just full of songs that could excite the most boring of souls. I’m pretty sure that’s why I instantly fell in love with them, and wished I was in a band like theirs.

My love for Garage Rock and Punk is pretty obvious. I like how some bands can sound aggressive and gentle at once. I like the way vocals are distorted and how the music can send a body into a deep frenzy. How it all sounds like it was meant to be heard in a basement bar- that’s what I want to hear. Bands like Shady And The Vamp are perfect to listen to, and to just zone out. I’d imagine their live shows leave the crowd wanting to destroy the place. Tearing down the walls, but being kind to each other. That’s how it should be.

Shady And The Vamp have been going for a few years, and they do sound like a band who could easily have been around with The Vagrants or The Gruesomes. They’ve got an old soul burning in their sound and that’s part of the appeal, and part of their beautiful charm. They’re currently on tour in Europe, and if they ever make it to the UK I will feel like a kid at Christmas that finally got a puppy. To soften the blow for those who are yet to see their live shows, their new record The Holy Teachings Of Rock n Roll is out in October via my favourite label Bachelor Records.

Until then, check out their previous releases here: https://shadyandthevamp.bandcamp.com

GIRL TEARS: Uneasy/Sedated.

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Some bands make you feel like you are anywhere but where you are when you listen to them. I’ve always had that feeling with Girl Tears. They make me constantly feel like I’m in a sweaty dive bar in ’76- not sat on my bed in 2016. They have this exhilarating and anarchic sound that makes you want to throttle the closest person to you whilst flailing about in an unsettling manner. Think the Ramones and Fugazi coming together head first. I think it’s been 2 years since I first wrote about Girl Tears, and every time I listen to them I am left in awe of how great they sound. But also frustrated as they are one of those bands that I HAVE to see live one day.

On the 28th October Sal, Tristan and Kam will be releasing Woke Against The Tide which is obviously going to be as brilliant as 2014’s Tension. They have showed no signs of ever quietening down, which is partially why I bloody love them. The main reason? They are 3 genuinely great guys who make exceptional music. How could anyone not love them?

Uneasy smacks you in the face for one minute and 11 seconds. All of their songs feel like a smack in the face, and by no means is this a bad thing. Sometimes you need to hear something that just brutally grabs you and thrusts you into the unknown. Uneasy should make any new listeners of Girl Tears feel just that- and unsettled. For me, they are the perfect band but I know for some they would put them on edge with how bold their sound is and how aggressively loud they are. By no means is this a bad thing, and as someone who loves music that sounds like this, I consider Girl Tears to be nothing short of perfect.

Sedated is one minute and 41 seconds of unrefined noise that will do anything but put you to sleep.This is the kind of song you learn every word to and chant it right back at a Girl Tears live show, or in the comfort of your own home if you can’t make it to a show. There is something quite beautifully sinister about this song, and I think that’s why I want to have it on constant repeat. You want something that gives that unsettling feeling in your stomach to truly move you, and with Sedated and also Uneasy- Girl Tears do it perfectly. They always do.

I think when you hear certain bands you can instantly pick up on the settings in which you should be listening to them. With Girl Tears I’ve always said that the ideal setting for their music is in a live setting. In a real run down basement bar that has bodies crammed in, all throwing themselves around covered in sweat and whatever else. If we all started our day by having a Girl Tears song as our alarm in the morning, we’d probably be more alert.

Sinderlyn Records will be putting out Woke Against The Tide on the 28th October.

DIE BÖSLINGE

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Now I have a functioning record player, I can go back and listen to the 7″ I’ve acquired over the past few months. It’s pretty good to blast something pretty obnoxious and slutty as the sun starts to set. I guess most would want something romantic, but I’m more at ease with something rowdy. I don’t have much to go on about these guys, but what I do know is that they give the likes of the Dead Boys a run for their money in the tyrant, snotty league.

I was sent a copy from one of my favourite labels, Bachelor Records. Everything they stock- I want. If I won the lottery, a vast majority of my winnings would probably be sent right to them. They are the hub of all things noisy and great. They’re responsible for a large chunk of my collection. Whenever I want something louder than usual, I turn to them. Is this how problems start?

These guys are really loud and have a real rowdy Punk sound that would shock anyone’s grandma. But not mine, she’d probably be into this. She once told me she liked Nick Cave, just so you know- I’ve got the coolest family. The band recorded this 7″ release in just a day. It’s raw and energetic sound captured the hearts of rebellious Punks everywhere in ’79. You can’t get a copy of the original anywhere, and Bachelor have sold out. So why am I even telling you about them if you can’t get hold of their music? I clearly like to torment you, whoever you are. Or maybe you’ll find a way of getting a copy. Power to you if you get your grubby hands on an original copy, mind.

The three tracks on the 7″ are typical of that fast Punk sound. Do whatever you want when you listen to it, but be quick. The songs are delivered with such force and this great rush that spurs you on. How could they release this and to then be never heard of again? It’s a damn travesty. Bands like this should always be around, but I guess in some respects they still are.  All 3 songs on the EP are sung in German dialect so this is by no means a conventional or typical release. It’s a rambunctious wonder for us who like things a bit strange.

The songs sound like a spew of rage from frustrated teens/adults trapped in a world that begs them to conform. Fuck that! Conform?! Get out of town. What good ever comes from doing what others tell you to do? NADA. Nothing. Don’t do it. Do what makes you happy and get some Die Böslinge in your life. I have no idea what they’re saying, but when has that ever stopped me from enjoying music? All I know is that these 3 made just one release that’s equally as important as any other Punk record that came out around that time, or ever. It takes all the elements of Punk we know and love, and they made something of their own. And what they made was a delightful whirlwind of chaotic sounds that free the mind, body and soul.

Play it so loud your neighbours feel like you’ve moved in!

LOS VVS

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I’m attempting to write this at a “normal” hour because I’ll never sleep. 4 hours a day- no problem. Just don’t expect a functioning person in your presence. But that could be regardless of how long I have, or haven’t slept. Old routines never go, so to kill time I’ve found a band to write about.

Los VVs are an EXCELLENT Punk/Garage band from Paris. They’ve got a raw basement band sound going on, and it’s that kind of sound that brings out the frustrated drummer in me. As I listen to them, I’m using my desk as a drum kit. It’s usually a storage space for all of my books and notebooks, but right now it’s moonlighting as a drum kit. I doubt my neighbours give a shit.

Their first demo came out last year, which you can stream and purchase here: http://losvvs.bandcamp.com/releases It’s a great collection of rowdy and mischievous  tracks that encourage the listener to have the best time possible whilst blasting out these sounds as loud as possible. They’re a band to go on a road trip to, or maybe to just waste the day in your room to. They’ve got an accessible sound which could make a typical misfit kid in the middle of nowhere go start a band. If I heard them whilst in school, I probably would have started a one-person noise thing in my room. For no one to hear. Ever. Because I have a tendency to be painfully shy at times. 29 years old and I still haven’t got a grip on it.

Los VVs have got an infectious gritty sound. It feels filthy and you’ll want a shower afterwards. It’s the kind of music to throw your body about to. Highly recommended you do it in a basement bar, whilst doused in your sweat and drinks that don’t belong to you. If you leave a gig and you feel clean and pure, then you’ve done it wrong. Allow yourself to feel something a little sordid. Treat yourself to the darker, finer things in life. Their songs are like a sweet, sweet battering to the face. To the soul. All of the punches to the gut. Take the blows and devour them as they leave their marks on your delicate skin.

I’m all for bands that sound like this. It’s the kind of music that I take aim for- like a bull in a china shop. This is what makes my little heart beat faster. This is why I have this urgency to write about everything that makes its way into my ears. No time for slow, romantic love songs about the sun setting in a lovers eyes. No thanks. Give me something loud, slightly aggressive and bold. This is it for me.

The songs hit just under 3 minutes, and sometimes you need that fast and strung-out Garage sound. You need something quick and to the point. The fury in the songs and the general feel throughout just makes you want to do something like this. Go get yourself a music soulmate, and make some damn noise. Flail around on stage, bleed as your fingers hit the guitar strings, lose your voice the morning after, break some sticks as you smash out your rage on the drums. I don’t care- just let it out.

All I know about Los VVs is that I love them and they’re based in Paris

You can find out for yourself why I love them right here: http://losvvs.bandcamp.com/releases Buy the tape, it’s not that expensive.

NO DEAL.

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Every single time I find a band I love and discover they are from Italy, every part of me wishes I was fluent in Italian (I’m half Italian and it is shameful I can’t speak it that well) and packed up my stuff and moved there. I’m pretty sure the way of life is less rushed and annoying than that here in London. My main gripe is other people on public transport. I value my personal space a lot. I love hugs and things, but I really don’t want your smelly armpit or vile coffee breath on me at 7am, you know? 7am or anytime- just back off a bit. Which is probably why I blast Fugazi or Flesh Rag really loudly in my ears on the way to work so I can drown out my surroundings. This is all kept inside, then I get to work and I’m calm. Rage and longing to live some place else aside, I’m going to write about No Deal- a band from Italy.

No Deal are a proper Rock & Roll band with elements of Punk and Garage Rock. For anyone who thinks music in Italy is watered down nonsense, you might want to take back your words. There are SO many great bands from Italy, and it’s enough to make you question all that you listen to. No Deal are no exception. With the handful of songs I’ve heard, I’m confident that they are one of the most exciting bands in the country.

No Deal make music that’s made for live shows- the drums are furious. From watching a couple of live clips (they don’t have soundcloud etc) it is fair to say that their live shows is where you need to be. Right in the middle of it with all kinds of bodily fluids falling off you-even if they aren’t yours. Who cares! No Deal will make you want to launch your body into walls whilst clinging onto someone in the crowd as your sweat falls onto them, and vice versa. It’s nasty stuff to some, but for others- it is the ideal live setting. There is nothing more boring than seeing people stand still and rigid at a live show, especially when you can see the band putting their all into it. The videos I’ve seen of No Deal show how a crowd should be at a show. They aren’t afraid to move themselves in a questionable fashion. Who cares who sees!

Their songs are unruly, chaotic and fast. There’s no time for thinking about your next move when you listen to these guys, all you can do is throw your body about and take the music in. No Deal tap into the part of you that lays dormant around others, but when you’re around like-minded people who like this kind of music, then it comes out. Surround yourself around people like this and let No Deal take you wherever you want to go.

POISON BOYS.

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Today I hobbled down to my favourite record store. I say hobbled because I can’t walk like I normally do as I’ve apparently damaged the discs in my neck which is causing a nice bout of pain in my back. Migraines I can handle, but this? This is starting to piss me off. But it’s fine, it means I can justify buying records a week before pay day. It’s important to always treat yourself. I didn’t know what I was in the mood for, but I knew that as soon as I saw it-I would grab it with both hands. Wait patiently until 5pm so I could go home and play it loud.

I was flicking through some 7″ releases and all of a sudden I saw one that said it was for fans of the Dead Boys and The Stooges. One copy, in my hands- my lucky day. Poison Boys are a pretty new band who sound like a proper smutty 70s Rock & Roll band. They’ve got elements of glam (New York Dolls- Johnny Thunders esque riffs galore) and snotty Punk like Dead Boys. Their debut EP came out a couple of weeks ago, and it consists of 3 songs that were clearly made to be played loudly at a boring house party just to get a reaction out of someone. They’re the kind of songs you play when you’re at a party and you play them in the hopes of the person who takes your fancy/makes you a bit giddy inside will take a hint because you’re a bit of a social misfit. It’s alright. It’s something I would probably do but fully aware it wouldn’t work. So what if they don’t notice? At least you got to hear some great music.

I know it’s boring for me to keep saying but Poison Boys are the kind of band I’d want to sound like. They’re fearless, not afraid to be a little perverse with their words and make you feel like you’ve gone back in time. There’s no other band around that sound quite like them, and the fact that they have taken pieces of bands I love and made something like this on a 3 track release is pretty damn great. I’ve had it on repeat for the past hour or so, and I think I’ve pretty much learnt the words. They need to play a show in the UK. Even if it was in the depths of Grimsby I would find a way to be there, front row so I can flail my limbs about without acknowledging that body shouldn’t be doing it. Who cares about physical pain when music sounds this fucking excellent.

Poison Boys have this glorious and infectious sound that is so so raw- and I know people use that term so often without understanding why they’re using it. Do you remember hearing someone like Iggy Pop or Nick Cave for the first time? Maybe you heard TV Eye or something by The Birthday Party. Maybe it left this uneasy feeling inside of you but you knew you had to keep listening over and over. You knew you had to stick with it because it would turn out to be something really really phenomenal? That’s what you get….that’s what I get from Poison Boys. There’s a sense of danger but not to the point where yo fear what you’re hearing. They lure you in so wonderfully. Where the hell have they been all my life?! In some songs they remind me of The Damned. There’s the brutal energy that is in each song, like a kick in the gut. You want the blood, sweat, violence and tears. You know, sometimes I hear a band and think that Lester Bangs would have loved them- I’m pretty sure Lester would love these guys. For those who are cynics and claim Punk is dead- quiet. It’s a state of mind, a way of doing things- Poison Boys are doing it right. Take note.

If you’re lucky enough to live in the States, go see them when they come to your city. If they ever make it to the UK, I’ll see you there.

You can listen to one of Chicago’s finest bands right here: http://poisonboys.bandcamp.com

Play it loud. Then a bit louder than that.