November, 2022 - The Ginger Quiff

The Carol Hodge Band & Sarah Borges live in The Glad Cafe

November 25, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I achieved a hat trick of Carol Hodge performances for 2022, covering all bases, Carol solo, Carol with Crass and finally The Carol Hodge Band. I have to say that on a dreich November Thursday, The Glad Cafe was the place to be, amongst friendly faces and a musical welcome that was like a pure shot of Serotonin.

I’ve always been an advocate for turning up to gigs early to catch the support band. You never know what you might miss. I was once lucky enough to see a fledgling Radiohead support Kingmaker in King Tuts. Tonight I was there specifically for the support band, and anything else was a bonus.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up Part 10 – October 2022

November 22, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

We’re well into the last quarter of the year now so it is time to share the third last selection of the best singles, demos and other tracks that have been earworms for The Ginger Quiff during the month of October… as usual I’ve added any that are on the evil corporate musician shafting platform that is Spotify for you to try, then go and buy music, merch and gig tickets from the bands.

Reaction – Bad Trip Express

Much like their forebears The Clash (just as long as we don’t get a Cut the Crap at some point), Lanarkshire punks Reaction have never been a band to stand still, rest on their laurels or become complacent with their sound.… Read the rest

The Countess of Fife live in The Glad Cafe

November 19, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Having had a disappointing gig experience on the previous evening, it was down to The Countess to restore my faith in the re-invigorating nature of immersing yourself in live music. I had every faith in the band to deliver, and deliver they did, a first-class performance to announce the arrival of the stunning debut album Star of the Sea (reviewed here)

The venue was the intimate setting of southside gem, The Glad Cafe, where I was delighted join a sea of friendly faces in celebrating the album’s release. Before the main attraction it was the turn of Kirsten Adamson (as a fellow Fifer, Kirsten is also a member of the headliners) to entertain.… Read the rest

Buzz Cutz Pt 1 – Ian M Bailey, The Bobby Lees, His Lordship & Poster Paints

November 18, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

In an attempt to play catch up with the many outstanding albums I have for review, I’m going for some short cuts to try to cover as many of the albums I’ve been listening to over the last few months as I can. The full quiff has not gone, just proverbially shaved it off for convenience on the short term…

Ian M Bailey – You Paint the Pictures

After their previous collaboration on the sublime Songs to Dream Along To, Ian M Bailey has teamed up with the inimitable Daniel Wylie once again to bring us another collection of retro 60s style jangle pop anthems.… Read the rest

The Countess of Fife – Star of the Sea – album review

November 16, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Those who pledged to Fay Fife & Co’s Kickstarter campaign will be delighted to finally hear the realisation of the fruits of The Countess of Fife’s labours with the release of the CD and digital versions of the album Star of the Sea*, and a launch gig in Glasgow’s Glad Cafe on Friday.

If you haven’t been fortunate to pick up on this project so far from the fireball of frantic energy who is the spirited front woman of the mighty Rezillos alongside Eugene Reynolds, The Countess of Fife is an altogether different proposition from the interstellar punk ‘n’ roll of The Rezillos.… Read the rest

Diablofurs – Dream Skies – single review

November 14, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

In my opinion one of the most overlooked bands of the late 80s/early 90s was Birdland who burst on the scene with their suicide blonde peroxide locks burning briefly but brightly and vigorously with their firebrand energetic shock of punk rock.

Fast forward to now and whatever you do, don’t let Birdland frontman Rob and the rest of his Diablofurs motley crew slip away from you. For those of you who have been unfortunate to miss out so far, or maybe you could just call yourselves lucky that you now get a chance to discover one of your new favourite bands.… Read the rest

The Hurricanes, The Jets, Sugababes, Sacred Noise and Millie Manders & the Shut Up – live in Glasgow

November 12, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve missed far too many live gigs in Glasgow I had tickets for this year. Thankfully I managed to get to three in the past week, despite nearly blowing one out but relenting at the last minute.

Last Saturday I took my brother back to a venue he hadn’t visited since I dragged him along to an eye opener for him in the form of Agnostic Front at Audio. This time around it was for a night of rock n roll and rockabilly from The Hurricanes and The Jets. Cuttin’ a Rug had been playing too, however, we only managed to arrive when The Hurricanes were already in full flow.… Read the rest

Rats From a Sinking Ship – Now Rat’s What I Call Music – review

November 9, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

When Rats From a Sinking Ship announced they were no more in March 2021, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one that read their post with a sense of disappointment. With five albums and 2 EPs under their belts, they have an impressive back catalogue, so when the band started posting teasers such as images with the legend “Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For?” the appetite was whetted for whatever was going to come…

The resultant release is a career spanning retrospective of tracks from across their fine array of albums from Rise as One in 2015 through to Glamorous Terrorists in 2020.… Read the rest

Be the Best Version of You

November 9, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m about done with 2022. In my head there is more about 2022 to say good riddance to (how polite Neil, say what you really mean) than there is to say bon voyage to – no 2022, I never want to fucking see you again. Yes, of course a lot of it is personal and a lot is to do with the way my bastard of a brain computes things, but nonetheless, 2022 can fucking do one. Let 2023 bring forth all it has, unleash the beast, loose the arrows, I am fucking ready for you (or at least I will be after another couple of CBT sessions…)

Of course not all of 2022 has been a car crash of a year, there have obviously been many highs, but my mental health has probably been on the descent more than it has on the ascent, resulting in me focussing on the negatives above all else.… Read the rest