Tag Archives: Punk

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.

SODA BOYS.

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When you have next to no information about a band you immediately like and feel the need to write about, you sort of make your own assumptions about them based on what you’re hearing. But to be honest with you, I don’t want to know the ins and outs. I don’t want to know favourite colours, snacks and names of their pets. That’s no use to me. Too little is better than too much if you want your mind to work. I think mine works….

Soda Boys are a relatively new band from St Louis. They sound like a REAL Punk band. By that I mean they sound like Richard Hell mixed with the Sex Pistols and the snottiness of the Dead Boys. Their obnoxious yet playful sound is addictive, and you can’t but help smack repeat at the end of every listen. Soda Boys sound like they were around in the late 70s- not 2016! I don’t know how they’ve done it, but they nailed that pure and rowdy Punk sound. They sound like they’ve just stepped out of CBGBs and right into the belly of New York City. Is this what’s happening in St Louis right now?!

https://soundcloud.com/totalpunkrecords/soda-boys-burgers-fries?in=totalpunkrecords/sets/total-punk-total-fuck-off-iii

I could be wrong here, but I think their first release (and possibly only) came out in July last year. The songs are short, full of solid Punk guitar riffs and drums born out of fury. Their songs are made to be heard live, and these are the kinds of bands that make me glad I’m not deaf. Although the levels I listen to music through headphones, I probably will be if I’m not careful. I’ve always had a slight disregard for myself, it makes the day less of a chore at times. Soda Boys songs are barely 2 minutes long, and I know some may have an issue with that. There’s always someone who wants more-but you can’t have it. The songs may be short but if they lasted any longer it would take the fun out of them. We don’t always need 7 minute symphonies. Sometimes you just need a slice of rebellion that fits in under the 2 minute mark. Soda Boys have got me head over heels for their perfect Punk style.

Their songs touch on fizzy drinks, junk food and girls. Their songs make you want to pick up a brick and smash some windows. Or maybe a baseball bats and really go to town on some fancy car- whatever you want to do! Their songs eptomise youthful crushes, being bored and general hanging around. The lust for someone whilst knowing you’ve done wrong (Doghouse) to wanting someone to be yours (Soda Girl) shows that Punk was and is romantic. It’s just not the conventional type, but who wants typical/conventional anyway? That’s boring.

It’s pretty clear I know nothing about Soda Boys, but what I do know is this- they are a middle finger to those who say Punk is dead. Punk is a state of mind, a way of life I guess. I think Soda Boys are keeping the ethos of it alive and well. There will never be another Stiv or Joey, but what they gave is in bands like Soda Boys.

You can listen to the record here:https://sodaboys1.bandcamp.com/releases and it is out via Total Punk.

 

 

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.

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.