Punk - The Ginger Quiff

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

The Armory Show – Live: King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut – Glasgow

October 18, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Now and then a gig creeps up on you, one you have been looking forward to it, but has been slightly under your radar, life takes over and the night arrives without you really realising it. You’re expecting a good performance, but then the band strike up the first chords…

Last night was a case in point, The Armory Show (not a mis-spell) surpassed all expectations, speaking to several others after the gig, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

Mystify

It had already been a week of revelations and back stories. Having already attended a preview of Mystify, a revealing documentary about INXS frontman, the charismatic Michael Hutchence, which filled in several blanks, revealing the tragic events which subsequently led to his behaviour changes and triggered the chain of events that led to his sad and untimely death.… Read the rest

The Bikini Bottoms – Bikiniland – album review

September 20, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

What are you up to this weekend? Me? I fancy a trip to Bikiniland…

It just so happens, Bikiniland is the stonking new album from the frantic maestros that make up duo The Bikini Bottoms. The album saw its official release last Friday at the Graveyard Bash in McChuills, by all accounts a rocking great night of frenzied hellraisin’.

The Bikini Bottoms have been around for a while now, building up a cult following , honing their edgy rockabilly sound and creating the full immersive package with their furiously paced live show, trademark fringed cowboy shirts and a sideline in natty merchandise.… Read the rest

The Zips – IOU

September 14, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

The Zips , arguably the finest Scottish punk band to emerge from the first wave of punk, and definitely, and defiantly, the most vital and valid to this day, just listen to Hear Hear from Down With The Zips, a more perfect analogy for the debacle that is Westminster you will never hear. Jonzip is a prophet.

Another prophetic announcement arrived this week in the form of the artwork for The Zips new album due later in the year. The artwork is a collaboration of Strummer/Clash fans, the band and local talented artists Stephen Scott. Stephen has produced a number of paintings of The Clash over the years (a print of one of these takes pride of place on my living room wall).… Read the rest

The Kaplans – Sesiones De Primavera – EP review

August 21, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Hot on the heels of reviewing their album, Urban Elephants, for Razur Cuts (street literature magazine) the latest EP from The Kaplans dropped through my letterbox recently.

A very welcome addition to my CD collection it is too. As a recent convert to the music of the band, I find myself lapping up every new tune I hear from them. The three tracks on this EP provide me with much more to love about this band.

Yes Means No

The first track is introduced with a sample from (what I assume to be) an intro on a Mexican radio station to the playing of one of their songs – I base this purely on the words Mexico and Glasgow in the sample.… Read the rest

Friday I’m in Love… The Cure live in Glasgow

August 17, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

What follows is part social commentary, part mental health awareness and part gig review…

Life’s Rich Tapestry

Friday the 16^th of August was a stitching together of several threads of the complex tapestry that makes up life.

I’m sure I’m not alone in having a job that, for the most part you enjoy and get an element of satisfaction from what you do, however, it can be also infuriatingly frustrating and stressful. One that involves weeks where you put in hours of extra effort that involves massive inroads into your personal life. But you do it because it is who you are, you are the type of person who want to do a good job and have a dedication to doing the best you can.… Read the rest