Category: Drunk Gods

Awful Eyes, Oedipus and the Mamas Boys, Citizen Head & Vacant Pavements – live in King Tuts

January 16, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

All Photos courtesy of Dale Harvey

What should have been my third gig of 2026 turned out to be my first one, and it was a belter with four very different bands all ploughing their own furrow in their chosen genre, or indeed just by ploughing their own furrow full stop and in doing so defying pigeonholing…

The first band on the bill were a case in point, when I previously saw Vacant Pavements supporting Tanzana in McChuills I was late to the venue and only caught the last song of their set, which was more than enough to whet the appetite for more, I’m disappointed in myself that it’s taken until now to fix that.… Read the rest

The Twinsets – Peel Sessions 82-83 – Album review

January 13, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Precious Recordings of London have excelled themselves once again with the latest of their album length session releases, this time celebrating Edinburgh sisters Gaye and Rachel Bell, aka The Twinsets, in compiling all three of their Peel Sessions. This release may also attract a whole new set of fans following their inclusion in the excellent Since Yesterday documentary.

Forty odd years on from the airing of the three sessions this feels like the debut album the band never got the chance to release having only ever released one single, Heartbeat, on cassette which also included their cover of The Shangri-Las Sophisticated Boom Boom, the Peel Versions of which both appear here.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – Part 12 – December

January 7, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Perhaps unsurprisingly, December was rather barren for new release singles, I say that in numbers alone as the quality of what I did hear was high, with one of December’s singles, from Falkirk’s Static sneaking into my top 100 singles of the year. The sum total of my December round up is 10 singles. It may have been me in not being as active on social media or missing some quality songs dropping into my inbox, but 10 it is and they were a cracking wee bunch to be fair…

The Just Joans followed up Here Come the Rugby Boys with Limpet, yet another gem from the band who have a knack for creating stylish kitchen sink vignettes of life and whose lyrical tales always take you on an emotional journey, whether that be humorous, melancholic or just pure joy, the dual-vocalled, brass infused Limpet is a heart-melting slice of unbridled love and joy.… Read the rest

Tracks of the Year – The Ginger Quiff Top 100 of 2025

January 1, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

I could write and re-write this list 100 times and still not come up with a definitive 100 songs, I know I’ve missed out songs from some of my favourite albums, I’ve hummed and hawed over songs to include, and I know these lists are subjective and could change by the day depending on my mood. The list also leans heavily towards home grown talent, not an unintentional move, as I want the blog to be a platform to promote Scottish bands, but not at the exclusion of everything else… There also occasions where some bands could have had several songs in the 100, so to avoid multiple entries, I’ve limited my choices to one song per band.… Read the rest

The Ginger Quiff – Albums/EPs of the Year

December 31, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Having had a prolonged break from writing The Ginger Quiff blogs in 2025, as well as missing many of the gigs I wanted to get to, it also meant I missed reviewing some of my favourite albums of this year. That didn’t mean I wasn’t enjoying the music or using it as a form of therapy, I am one of those people who can’t get through a day without listening to music, and if I do, something is majorly wrong… any, for what it’s worth here are my 50 favourite akbums of 2025, 25 favourite EPs (actually 26) and my favourite re-releases and compilations, where I did review them, I’ve included the link to the review.… Read the rest

MILANGE – Till You Drop – EP Review

December 19, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

From the opening bars of the potent energy of  Front Row right through to the closing bars of On & On Milange had me utterly absorbed. The former, a glorious anthem celebrating live music that has you imagining you are right there front and centre, while the latter announces its arrival with a low bass rumble before forging a path of low key menace, the spoken word vocal sitting somewhere between despair and rage and the clamorous soundtrack matching it’s absorbing intensity. 

And across the five songs in between, Milange draw you in with their engaging narratives in the lyrics, and have you thrilled by the dynamic magnetism and dramatic fervour of the accompanying music.… Read the rest

Water Machine/Maz and the Phantasms/Vibrator/Junk Pups – Live Review – Palestine Red Crescent Society Benefit

December 17, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

My third from last gig in 2025… in a year when I seem to have missed more gigs than I managed to get along to for a combination of reasons not worth going into here..Let’s just say I need to resolve to ensure 2026 is much of a shit storm than 2025…

There was the potential for me to be missing this one too, but with this line up, plus the knowledge that this would be the last ever outing for Junk Pups it was a no brainer to pull out all the stops and make it by hook or crook.… Read the rest

November Singles Round Up – Final part…

December 15, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

While everyone else is publishing their end of year lists, as usual I’m bringing up the rear and finally publishing my final part of November’s singles round up… a part which throws up just as many pure gold nuggets as the rest of the month did. Rock, glam, punk, indie… from artists who have reached legendary status (in my eyes and ears at least) to those who are breaking though and creating some astonishingly good new music.

First up in this part is one of those who have reached legendary status. It’s Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe and the second single to be released form his new album Outerstellar due for release on the 20th February.… Read the rest

November Singles – Part 3

November 24, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

We’re nearing the end of November and the singles keep on coming, with another motley bunch hitting the airwaves since I out pen to paper for the last batch… once again there is sureky somethonh here for every taste, with the young Scottish crew making an impression, and another few songs vying for the title of Single of the Month for November.

First up in this part is the latest single from Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls side project Carley’s Wreck and Ruin, Jo’s familiar vocal capturing me under her spell immediately as her bewitching voice repeats the song’s title Devil’s Got The Poison.… Read the rest

Son of the Right Hand – EP launch gig – Glad Cafe

November 15, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

It had been too long since I’d been at a gig in the Glad Cafe, especially considering that it and The Rum Shack are my local venues. It was especially great to walk into the venue knowing what I was going to witness, such is the beguiling and intriguing nature of the music of Son of the Right Hand. Clearly the feeling was mutual given the hubbub and upbeat buzz around the cosy and welcoming venue right from doors open. I had a good feeling that it was going to be a gig to remember.

Before the band got to officially launch their EP, we had two support bands to entertain us, with eclectic styles to mix things up a bit.… Read the rest