Punk - The Ginger Quiff

Duncan Reid and the Big Heads Don't Blame Yourself

Duncan Reid & the Big Heads – Don’t Blame Yourself -album review

May 16, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Every now and again in your chequered and bumpy journey through life, there are special bands that come along. Ones that help you along that road, helping to smooth the bumps, to make the uphill parts of that journey a bit less exhausting and carry you across the massive potholes and dodge the unexpected sinkholes.

Duncan Reid and the Big Heads is one of those bands.

When music is such a massive part of your life, you have unbounded admiration, even love, for loads of bands, many of them holding a special place in your heart, and you attend countless gigs filling your life with the sights and sounds that bring you pleasure, it is a nigh on impossible task to pick favourites.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up

May 11, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

During lockdown, music is one of the things that is keeping many of us going, the postman has been busy delivering some fantastic new albums on CD and LP, but I’ve also been catching up on several cracking singles and EPs – both physical and online releases.

The following is a select few of the tracks and singles I’ve been enjoying, I’ve added them all to my Ginger Quiff 2020 Spotify playlist (if the’re on Spotify of course…) featuring bands and artists I’ve reviewed or featured on the blog or for Louder Than War this year.

Garlands

First Up and it is the sublime indie guitar heroes, Garlands, who have released two singles during the current lockdown period, The New Weird at the end of March and their new one Where Things Belong displaying their distinctive melodic alternative rock.… Read the rest

Smalltown Tigers – Five Things album review

May 7, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

In a time when all the reports and news coming out of the beautiful country of Italy (I’ve spent two of my best ever holidays there) is negative and tinged with sadness, I’m delighted to have something positive to report. That news is, Valli (Bass, Vocals), Monty (Guitar, Vocals) & Castel (Drums, Vocals), collectively known as Smalltown Tigers have released a mini album, Five Things. A release, in more ways than one, that is brimming with bold defiance.

Take the legacy that Currie, Jett, Ford, Fox & West started back in the mid seventies (there is perhaps a nod to them here on a track called Runaway Girl), add a bit Joey Ramone’s swagger, and a slice of sneering Lydon attitude and you’re part of the way there.… Read the rest

The Cravats – Hoorahland album review

May 5, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

If you want a crazy twisted fucked up soundtrack for the crazy fucked up twisted times we are living in you could do a lot worse than the Cravats latest offering Hoorahland. 43 years after the bands inception, they remain addictively bizarre, their jazz funk fusion combined with off the wall mind-bending lyrics.

Sinisterly unsettling is another phrase I would use to describe the tunes on this album. Hoorahland is the theme park you wouldn’t want to take your kids to. Like a Disney resort on acid to play on your kids’ deepest fears and darkest nightmares.

The Shend has a voice, and an image, that cannot be ignored.… Read the rest

Fistymuffs – We Fight EP review

April 28, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Feisty feminist Riot Grrrl/punks Fistymuffs have recently released their second EP, We Fight. And I’m delighted to say the four tracks on offer live up to the EP title. The four songs see the trio pulling no punches as they deliver their manifesto in a powerfully incisive manner.

Hey You! is typically vociferous rallying cry. Ashley’s urgent vocal pleading with the listener, over choppy dissonant post punk guitars, to give themselves a metaphorical shake, to wake up and smell the coffee and stand up for themselves. “Listen to me” she implores with increased desperation as the song reaches its climax.

Ashley and her co-vocalist Suky are both performance poets and it is Suky who takes lead vocal on Riots Not Diets.… Read the rest

Red or Dead – Anarchy is Liberty album review

April 6, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

The new album, Anarchy is Liberty, from North Wales’ acoustic punks Red or Dead is a timely comment on the current state of the planet. It proves you don’t have to scream and shout and thrash on loud electric guitars to make a point as 21^st Century anarcho punks.

I believe I made this comparison before, but the band fills the ground somewhere between Wigan folk punks The Tansads and the now legendary Levellers, with a host of ideals and influences shared with original anarcho punks, Crass and taking influence from the music of Joe Strummer and The Clash.

Zombieland

Take the first track for example, Zombieland, with Rob’s vocal delivery paying tribute to The Clash’ Magnificent Seven complete.… Read the rest

The Bikini Bottoms – Inversion/Mental Records – Graveyard Tapes Vol 2

March 9, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

If you haven’t already made yourself familiar with them, there are a couple of compilation/companion albums you need to get yer lugs round.

The Bikini Bottoms – Inversion

First up, the companion release to one of last year’s top albums, Bikiniland from The Bikini Bottoms. Inversion is available to stream and features seven tracks; demos and live versions of songs that ended up in their polished form on the final cut of Bikiniland.

I’ve been stung before with albums that purport to be a document of the bands’ roots or sold as some amazing unearthed and unheard before demoes. On listening you realise they should have remained unearthed as you vow never to listen again to the grainy tinny shite recorded on a C90 on a battered old mono tape deck.… Read the rest

Jonzip – Blueprint – album review

March 3, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Glasgow punk legend Jonzip has recently been making a name for himself as a talk show host. His genial demeanour and general display of welcoming bonhomie making him perfect for the role, talking recently to IDLES frontman Joe Talbot and Southside musical empresario Alan McGee.

Fans of Jonzip the musician needn’t fear though, following on the heels of last year’s The Zips release Huh? comes a magnificent Jonzip solo release in the shape of Blueprint.

The ten tracks on offer are culled from a variety of sources from his illustrious career, different versions of songs, some appearing before in one format or another, others appearing on CD for the first time.… Read the rest

Graveyard Bash 2020 – gig review

January 19, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

My 2020 gig duck is broken. Graveyard Bash 2020, what a way to break it.

I’ve seen all three bands on the same bill previously but this was my first Graveyard Bash. Based on tonight’s experience, it won’t be my last.

Unfortunately, the fourth band on the bill, Thee Girl Fridays, had to pull out, but to be honest (and taking nothing away from them) the night was perfectly formed despite their absence.

There was nothing not to love about the whole package on offer tonight…

McChuills

Anyone who has been to a gig in McChuills will tell you it is a fantastic wee venue.… Read the rest

Sequence 3 6 9 – Gatefever – album review

January 12, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

First review of 2020 and it is the impressive debut from Sequence 3 6 9, hotly anticipated around these quarters. The band features some well-kent faces from around the Scottish alt/punk scene featuring in its line up luminaries with backgrounds in acts such as The Media Whores and Nine Bullets among others. This album ticks all my boxes musically and lyrically, so it is a cracking way to bring in the new year

I have enjoyed many crossover bands in the last few years. Bands like Rats From a Sinking Ship, the aforementioned Nine Bullets and Glasgow’s The LaFontaines adding their own marks and twists to the genre.… Read the rest