Punk - The Ginger Quiff

The Ones That Got Away… Filthy Filthy – Getting Away With It – album review

December 30, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Continuing in my attempt to get some last reviews in before we hit 2022, for some albums that I was late in getting to, or that were just too late to get into my end of year blog posts.

Next up its some old school punk rock n’ roll courtesy of Hull’s Filthy Filthy. Having noted that I hadn’t featured many albums that could be classified as “punk” in my top 25 albums of the year, I’ve been enjoying this and the debut from Year Zero which was also released in the latter stages of the year. More on Year Zero in another post though..… Read the rest

A Damaged Christmas Gift For You – Review

December 20, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

There are several Christmas albums that I would consider essential listening for this time of year. The 2000 compilation Its a Cool Cool Christmas for one, with a host of quality songs from the likes of Eels, El Vez, Drugstore no a personal family favourite, Christmas Boogaloo by Big Boss Man. Christmas by Low, whose Just Like Christmas appears on the aforementioned compilation, is another must listen at Christmas, while a modern classic, Ghost Stories fro Christmas (Aidan Moffat and RM Hubert) jumped straight into my all time favourite Christmas albums list on its release a few years ago.

Of course, one of the all time classics is A Christmas Gift for You, featuring the famous wall of sound in contributions from Darlene Love, The Ronettes, Bob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans and The Crystals.… Read the rest

Thirteen – Ego Trap – EP review

November 23, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

“We are Thirteen, punk rock and roll” yell’s Dolly Robinson on the bands theme song and literally the closing number on their new Ego Trap EP, a full frontal assault on the senses, this is a mighty head rush of exactly what the band claim to be on heir eponymous song.

Dolly Robinson is the only remaining member of the original line up. The band formed in 2013 and have so far released two EPs and two full length albums. There was a bit of an enforced hiatus when Dolly was looking to recruit new band members following the departure of original members, but I’m glad to say, this search for new members has been a more than fruitful one.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 11

October 10, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Another bumper batch of singles, demoes, or tracks that have somehow made their way into my slightly detached world . I’ve been trying desperately to keep on top of all the new releases and singles that keep catching my eye/ear, evidently I am only human and there are loads I’ve missed, and some probably included here that have been out for a while but I’m only getting my lugs around them now.

As always, these are in no particular order and where available, they’ve been added to the Ginger Quiff 2021 Playlist.

First up, its a bittersweet song…

The Jazz Butcher – Time

Many of us will have been shocked and saddened by the sudden passing this week of one of independent music’s most highly respected and talented free spirits in The Jazz Butcher iconoclast himself, Pat Fish.… Read the rest

The Muslims – Fuck These Fuckin Fascists – album review

September 15, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

As John Lydon does all he can to piss on the legacy of punk and the Sex Pistols, through wearing his MAGA hats and moving further to the right and dissing the left, the true voice of punk in the 21^st Century belongs to the likes of the visceral voice and unyielding energy of Bob Vylan, the most important UK punk act to emerge in recent years. And from the US, while musically treading a poppier punk path but with no less anger and resentment towards a countless list of deserving targets it’s the turn of THE MUSLIMS “a crunchy, kickass punk band of Black + brown queer muzzies.”… Read the rest

GIFTSHOP – Kewl With Me & More Than That

August 28, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

I recently interviewed Carol Hodge, and reviewed her new album The Crippling Space Between, for the Ginger Quiff (read it here), during our chat we talked about streaming gigs, and how over the period of lockdown, we initially religiously tuned into every stream going, but eventually got tired of doing so, longing for the real thing.

However, two of the most memorable live streams for me were the two I stayed up into the wee small hours for, both “live” from the Big Apple. One was to watch the wonderful New York Junk supported by an incredible set from Beechwood and songs from a host of other supporting acts (including Glasgow homeboy and friend of the blog, Jonzip).… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Pt 8

August 16, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

This is a singles round up of mammoth proportions. I spent some time scrolling through the wealth of e-mails I received over the last few months, and other singles I’ve been particularly enjoying. 2021 has been a treasure trove of new music across so many genres. Even though this is my biggest singles round up of the year so far, it still only scratches the surface of what is going on just now…

…and then there are all the albums, just recently, over and above the ones I’ve already featured/reviewed I’ve been enjoying the new albums from The Media Whores, monsterpop, The Hurricanes, Jackal Trades, Mickey 9s, Jeshua and The Strays to name but a few.… Read the rest

New York Junk – Live from The Bowery Electric

January 27, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

It is almost a year since I last attended a real, live gig. Let me tell you, I have missed live music terribly, and things don’t look rosy for a return to sweaty club gigs, or any other kind of gig any time soon. After we entered the first lockdown in those dim and distant days of early 2020 little would we know we would be in the same, or maybe worse situation a year down the line with no end in sight.

Online Fatigue

Over spring and summer last year I enjoyed watching a variety of online gigs, from acoustic guitars in front rooms, to full blown electric sets from bands playing to camera’s in empty clubs.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up – January 2021

January 17, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Merely two weeks into 2021 and already my inbox is inundated with e-mails – new singles, forthcoming albums, demo’s. Certainly enough to focus my attention on the music and not the ongoing shit-show that 2021 has already shown itself to be.

It is nigh on impossible to listen to everything, but there have been certain songs that captured my attention more than others for one reason or another. Here is a selection of my favourites of the singles I’ve received so far (and I make absolutely no apology for sharing the first three again).

Mark W Georgsson

Theoretically this is a 2020 single given that it was released on Hogmanay, but I’m counting it as one of the first great singles of 2021.… Read the rest

GingerQuiff – Final lists of 2020

December 31, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Following on from my albums of the year list, the following are my final lists for 2021.

I don’t have a top gigs list for 2021 as I only went to a handful at the start of the year not realising what the year had in store. Though The Wildhearts, Backyard Babies, The Interrupters, Savage Cut and Outstandifold & the Wettygrippers were a pretty good start to what should have been a great year of gigs..

Re-Releases

Bob Mould – Distortion (1989 – 2019) – what can I say, Santa was good to me this year. What a fantastic box set this is.

… Read the rest