Feature - The Ginger Quiff

Carol Hodge – Savage Purge – Interview and Review

February 28, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Roots

Ahead of the release of her latest work of genius, Savage Purge on the 30th of March, I had the privilege to catch up with fellow Hodge, Carol. I don’t often meet other Hodges, so I had to ask about her roots and whether she had ever investigated her family tree…

Yeah, well, funnily enough my mum did, she was into genealogy for a while, so she did our family tree. I was born in Greenock, we lived in Port Glasgow when I was a kid. All my family comes from around there.

Then going back far enough, from Ireland, it was maybe like the 1700s when the first Hodge came over.

… Read the rest

Caroline Flack – a reflection

February 16, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

I don’t know much about Caroline Flack. I don’t watch Love Island and I haven’t been aware of much of the fall out of recent events. This weekend’s tragic events are no less affecting despite my lack of knowledge. I’m not going to pretend I know all the ins and outs of what led to this young woman taking her own life, but I’ve read enough to know that there were probably several contributing factors.

Kind of hypocritical as I’m sharing this via social media, but a combination of vile red tops creating exaggerated salacious press stories combined with vicious trolling via several social media outlets surely would have had an impact on her state of mind.… Read the rest

Goodbye Mr MacKenzie – Live in Barrowland

December 23, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Its Monday. I’ve just about finished peeling myself off the ceiling after the festivities of Friday night. No, it wasn’t Christmas night out madness on the last Friday before Christmas, trying to avoid the once a year drinkers and unbearable queues at bars where people don’t have a clue what they are ordering. No, although there were a few beers involved, this was a far more cultured affair. It was the return of all conquering heroes, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, to the world’s greatest music venue, the legendary Glasgow Barrowland.

Who knew 12 months ago, this would be the last gig I attend in 2019.… Read the rest

What 2019 gives…

December 9, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

It is that time of year again, when we look forward to … General Elections??

Stuff the majority of those turkeys spewing forth their lies and wallowing in the glow of their own over-inflated egos, making grandiose gestures while viewing everything around them as a mere obstacle on their way to power. Sod the truth, with some notable exceptions they will say whatever it takes to get into power so they can then fuck everyone over in their own inimitable style.

I used to enjoy following the comings and goings in the world of politics, but it has become such a real-life parody that even the best comedians must struggle to lampoon certain individuals and the ridiculousness demonstrated by their lack of self-awareness.… Read the rest

Back, like a bad penny…

December 9, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

I’m back. Like a bad penny.

I’ve been away from the Ginger Quiff for a short while, but still probably longer than I had initially hoped or intended. Like many others, balancing work and life is sometimes a challenge. Occasionally, that constant juggling of commitments ends up in us dropping a ball.

At times though, it must be a conscious decision to juggle with less balls to make it easier on yourself.

Take a break

Initially, it wasn’t a conscious decision to step away from my blog, I just lacked the free time and head space to give it the quality time I wanted to.… Read the rest

Quotes of the Dead – Twist or Stick – new single

September 13, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Today sees the release of the new single and video from Glasgow’s Quotes of the Dead. The song Twist or Stick is a gloriously feisty three and a half minutes of alternative/indie guitar rock with a sinister undertone.

Seemingly telling the seedy tale of several unsavoury characters and their unconventional habits after dark… “welcome to the party where the rooms are painted red, bring a plus one and join me in my bed…” The song is both intensely dark and uncompromising while retaining an upbeat groove. Animated riffing and high-spirited melodies form the backbone to the track as the guitars soar and the resounding roll of the bass verges on ska phrasing on occasion.… Read the rest

Spotlight on Curdle

September 12, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Curdle

Curdle is a 4 piece Glasgow-based band playing their unique blend of riot grrl infused goth horror punk with lashings of 1960s trippy pop psychedelia for good meassure.

The band consists of:

Wiggy – Guitar, Bass, Theremin, Vocals
Sarah – Guitar, Bass, Synth, Vocals
Clare – Drums
Lucy – Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocals

Their mesmerising debut album is receiving a vinyl release later in the year on the wonderful Double A Side records. (I recently revisited this for a review on the site). The band kindly took some time out of their busy schedule to speak to the Ginger Quiff.… Read the rest

Carol Hodge – Hold On To That Flame – album review

September 9, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Carol Hodge (great name ) – and I make no apologies for writing about an album that came out last year. Unfortunately, I only heard it for the first time earlier this year otherwise I’m positive it would have featured in my end of year lists, as it is an album I keep coming back to time and again.

Stop the World…

From the piano of the opening bars of Stop the World in its Tracks through to the affecting close of the deeply personal and raw Bear with Me, I am overwhelmingly emotionally invested in the album. Music is nothing if it doesn’t grab you and fill you with emotion, it doesn’t matter what that emotion is – joy, anger, sadness… anything that engages you, allowing you to lose yourself in the music and feel your skin tingle with raw emotion is alright with me.… Read the rest

ElectraJets Transatlantic Tales album cover

ElectraJets & Fur Dixon – Tarbeach Records new releases

September 2, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Vox

I have just finished reading a disturbing novel, Vox by Christina Dalcher, a frighteningly dystopian view of a future America where men have taken away all women’s rights, limiting them to speaking 100 words per day in the process.

Thankfully, we are currently in a place where strong women are celebrated, a situation reflected in the latest two releases on New York’s own Tarbeach records.

Fur & Cynthia – Bass legends

Bass playing legends of the alternative music scene Fur Dixon (The Cramps, The Hollywood Hillbillys) and Cynthia Ross (The “B” Girls, New York Junk) feature front and centre and as usual both are loud and proud, Fur on a new 7” single, preceding the vinyl release of her magnificent WTFukishima/Return 2 Sender album later in the year and Cynthia on the imminent Electrajets debut album release.… Read the rest

Vore Complex – A Stranger Breed

August 29, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

I was recently sent a link to an album called A Stranger Breed by Vore Complex. A bit of further investigation reveals Vore Complex to be a former solo project by Ben Powers, with a hefty back catalogue of material (check out the bandcamp page). A Stranger Breed is a collaboration with a guitarist (Ed Rose) which in Ben’s words is “generally poppier and more accessible” than his solo projects under the same band name.

A Stranger Breed

A listen to the songs reveals penetrating industrial electronic soundscapes, with carefully selected samples adding to the darkly atmospheric nature of the songs.… Read the rest