Punk - The Ginger Quiff

Soapbox – Hawd That – EP review

May 1, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Punks no dad, no… dad’s no punk, no, my dad’s more punk than your dad. Hawd on… punk’s no deid? Or is it? Who the fuck cares anymore. Over the years the term has lost its meaning. Is it a fashion, a style, a cynical marketing ploy? The aging punk polis would argue ’til their safety pins pop, their mohawks flop and they’re ready to drop about what is and isn’t punk (how very “punk” of them), as they challenge Primark Ramones T-shirt wearing youths on their punk credentials… “Name three songs…” they’ll challenge as they close their minds to anything beyond UK82…

So let me just say this… Soapbox is PUNK as FUCK…because in the true sense of what punk stood for all those years ago, this energetic no fucks given quartet has all the credentials.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2024 – Part 3 – March

April 10, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Another month, another singles round up, and a bumper selection it is too, 61 songs in this month’s list, This month’s selection comes from a range of bands and singers from newer talent such as Dancer, Soapbox and recent BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year Bottle Rockets through to established legends such as Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, as well as home grown legends Arab Strap and the continued welcome return of James King and the Lonewolves ahead of their new album The Mortality Arcade.

The Top 25

Single of the Month

Soapbox – Fascist Bob

Several reasons for this being single of the month for March, first and foremost it’s a fucking great song cementing Soapbox as one of the best of the current crop of Scottish bands displaying a punk attitude in the true spirit of the first wave of punk, kicking against the pricks and railing against the right wing.… Read the rest

Eater/Jo Jo & the Teeth – live in Broadcast

March 26, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

For the second weekend in a row it was a Sunday visit to Broadcast that was to bring the weekend to a celebratory conclusion. This was a night bristling with expectation after waiting for what seemed like a lifetime to witness the glory of Jo Jo and the Teeth live after being wowed by their debut album in 2022. Not only that but it was a double whammy as the band also transformed into Eater with the estimable Andy Blade to create a venerable punk rock riot.

Chemicalwhiteroom

The riot started early with the arrival of support act Chemicalwhiteroom to the Broadcast stage.… Read the rest

Death Valley Girls with Junk Pups and Tanzana – Broadcast

March 19, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

The last time I caught Death Valley Girls live was on a dreich and miserable Monday night in the self same venue, but with the stage where the bar is, and vice versa. Bonnie and the band were on top form back then with local duo Run Into the Night in tow. This time around they outshone themselves with a mind-bending stellar performance.

Before the headliners took to the stage though, they already had a lot to live up to after the performances from the two support bands for the evening.

First up it was the turn of fresh faced quintet Tanzana.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2024 – Part 1 – January

February 28, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

A new year for music and (eventually) the first round up of 2024, and what a bumper crop already for January. A massive 62 songs (OK, so some might be from the end of 2023 as I posted end of year posts early…). Anyway, we’re certainly out of the traps and off running at speed, with this list containing some well-kent names, some new kids on the block, as well as the return of some legends. All told providing a wheen of top quality tunes which succeeded in lifting the January blues. If that was January, this is set to be another cracking year for music…

The hazard of deciding to do a monthly singles round up means also trying to find the time to write up the blog… I seem to be caught in a vicious circle of promising myself I’ll spend more time on writing, then disappearing in a world of work, or spending hours overthinking things and getting fuck all done…

I’ve therefore had to make an executive decision.… Read the rest

The Alleged – Don’t Hold Back – album review

February 22, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

The punk scene of the late 70’s/early 80’s was a green light and an opportunity for many to pick up a guitar or drumsticks, or make their voice heard for the first time. Inspired by the early proponents of the scene, many of these bands shone brightly as they made their mark on their local scene only to burn out as they blazed their trail before getting the chance to release an album.

One such band was The Alleged from Glasgow, forming in 1978 and becoming one of the shining stars and stalwarts of the Glasgow punk scene before splitting again only a couple of years later in 1980.… Read the rest

Bar Stool Preachers/Ultrabomb/Billy Liar – live in Stereo

December 16, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

This week has been one of those that never seems to end. Work all day, head to hotel, eat, work all evening… eat, work, sleep in perpetual motion. So when it got to Thursday it really felt like it should be Friday, I was so tired I had to stop the car for fear of falling asleep…

If I’m honest the thought of hauling my arse out again when I got home didn’t fill me with joy, but I’d been looking forward to it for an age… Time was tight, from arriving home to getting to the station (throwing some food down in between) took around 20 minutes.… Read the rest

Junk Pups, Water Machine, Brenda, Dancer… live and awesome

December 10, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Dancer, Brenda & Water Machine photos all courtesy of @Blackmagicplastic

Despite the gig year hurtling apace towards its inevitable conclusion, December still holds some diamond nuggets in its dying embers, with some of Scotland’s brightest hopes and searing hot burning talents still to perform while continuing to gather plaudits, and gearing up for more to come in 2024 with some festive frolics.

Last week I attended my first ever Queer Theory night in Nice n Sleazy, and what a welcoming night and magnificent celebration of the queer scene in Glasgow it was. Kudos to the organisers for pulling together such a slick night, a combination of comedy, poetry, drag acts, cabaret, performance art, and of course, my initial reason for buying a ticket, Junk Pups.… Read the rest

Johny & the Dead Girls – Dirty Fuckin’ Rock‘n’Roll – EP Review

December 3, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

The latest release from the king of scuzzy rock,stand up Mr Johny Skullknuckles – ex-Goldblade & aka JSK, The Kopek Millionaires & Johny Skullknuckles and the Lockdown Lovers, is the aptly titled 6 track EP Dirty Fucking Rock n Roll comes from his latest guise Johny and the Dead Girls.

Dirty Fucking Rock n Roll is just that. A celebration of the music your parents warned you against, just in case it should pervert your mind and soul, attracting you to that seedy world of rock and roll, you know the one, where everyone worshipped The Devil, took copious amounts of illicit drugs, only drank straight Jack Daniels (for breakfast, lunch and dinner) and hid satanic messages in the run out grooves of their records.… Read the rest

Tenement Trail 2023 – Walt Disco, Soapbox, Tina Sandwich, Bottle Rockets, Former Champ, Nani, Sister Madds, Big Girl’s Blouse, Junk Pups

October 13, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Saturday the 7^th of October was a big day in the gig calendar. Events transpired against me heading to London to witness Duncan Reid and a host of Big Heads say a farewell to music in The Lexington. A night that it would appear will live long in the memory of those who attended if the thoughts of good friend Alex Main are anything to go by…

Meanwhile in Glasgow, as we dodged the deluges, it was the annual Tenement Trail in Glasgow’s East End across a plethora of venues… the world famous Barrowland, Barrowland 2, St Lukes, The Winged Ox, BAad, Van Winkle, 226 Gallowgate and final stopping point, the legendary McChuills.… Read the rest