Scottish Punk - The Ginger Quiff

The Cundeez – teaser

July 10, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve been lucky this week to hear an exclusive track from The Cundeez. Hot off the presses and the latest track recorded for their up and coming album “Teckle and Hide” (due for an Autumn release). I will admit when I saw them teasing a clip of it on their Facebook page recently it was a bit of an eyebrow raiser and something I certainly wouldn’t have expected.

If you’ve heard the last few songs to come from The Cundeez camp over the last coupla years, you’ll know they’ve been on fire.

Take their split single with Texas Mod Crushers that came out on Tarbeach a while back.… Read the rest

The Godfathers – I’m Not Your Slave/Wild & Free – review

July 6, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

I’m slowly but surely picking away at the mountain of e-mails in my inbox. Despite the apparent wasteland that has seen empty streets over the last few months and kept people confined to barracks, this hasn’t meant a barren wasteland of new music being produced judging by the number of emails. 2020 has been a great year for new music so far from bands old and new.

So, I finally get round to picking up on the double A side released in mid-June by an old band, with a new line up.

Old Band, New Line Up

Releasing the first tracks since being joined by ex-Heavy Drapes/Baby’s Got a Gun pair Billy Duncanson and Richie Simpson following the tragic, untimely death of charismatic and inspiring frontman Garry Borland, The Godfathers revealed two new songs.… Read the rest

David Delinquent – Better Yourself

July 6, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

David Delinquent’s latest song Better Yourself has been available via bandcamp for a couple of weeks now. This isn’t really a review, as I feel that the song, the lyrics and David’s message speak for themselves. Suffice to say, I’m in the process of writing a piece for my blog that mirrors the sentiments contained in David’s lyrics. We can all be better people.

Please head over to Bandcamp and name your price, all proceeds from the sale of the song go to CRER (Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights) Scotland and Stop Hate.UK.

David Delinquent Bandcamp

I will leave the rest of this blog to David himself (taken from his Bandcamp page)

I chose this artwork for a couple of reasons, first and foremost to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the events currently taking place in the US and here in the UK.

… Read the rest

udebeard - As You Walk Away e.p - front cover

Rudebeard – As You Walk Away review

July 5, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

My last two blogs have been rockabilly and country focussed respectively, in the spirit of fairness and variety, next up it’s a bit of pirate ska. This time, courtesy of Rudebeard and their follow up to the Wideos on the Rise EP

Incorporating Liquidator style keyboards into the welcoming introduction to As You Walk Away, the lyrics kick in with a less welcoming message. The typical Glasweegie farewell “Don’t let the door hit you on the arse, as you walk away”. Having said that the laid-back mellow groove of the track is most relaxed and easy-going. A great wee vibe to kick-off the three tracks.… Read the rest

Ex- Ex-Tracts – The Complete EPs Collection

May 19, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

I have recently been enjoying the new EP from Meek and Mowbray (see last singles roundup I posted), The “Meek” of the duo is the never resting and highly talented CT Meek, poet, author, raconteur, lyricist, musician, entrepreneur, feel free to add your own descriptions to the list. The man seems to have an inexhaustible creative streak, judging by the copious amount of high quality material he endlessly produces. Countless of his own books and now into editing the 14^th volume of collaborative book of poems and shorts stories, For the Many, Not the Few.

This work rate is also reflected in the output of the band Ex-, with 7 EPs and an album to their name.… Read the rest

The Countess of Fife – Live EP – review

May 17, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

The quality lockdown releases are coming thick and fast. With the lack of ability to go crate digging in these times, I’m relying on one of my favourite people just now, the postman, to bring me my regular fix.

This week has seen a few quality releases drop on the doormat including the new 4 track live EP from The Countess of Fife. The EP dropped hot on the heels of their debut online live performance, and arrived with me just shy of last nights second such event. This was one of the best online sets I’ve seen since I started attending remote gigs…

Powerful rich vocal

I first heard the band when they supported Goodbye Mr MacKenzie on their triumphant return to Glasgow’s Garage last May when I wrote: “The Countess of Fife, the band fronted by Fay Fife of Rezillos fame, still drew a substantial crowd.… 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

David Delinquent – You’re So Boring You Make Me Wanna Die

April 26, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Despite not being able to go out anywhere, the bucketloads of time I seemingly should have to catch up on my ever-growing list of tasks doesn’t seem to have transpired. I’m fortunate that work is keeping me busy Monday to Friday, in actual fact, busier than ever. At the weekend, my usual weekend chores keep me busy. To be honest, apart from not having to commute to work and not being able to go to gigs, life hasn’t changed that much. Gigs though…

Online Gigs

I doubt any of us will be getting to any gigs anytime soon, but that hasn’t stopped me enjoying live music.… 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

Garlands Outstandifold Savage Cut Nice N Sleazy

Ones That Got Away – Outstandifold & the Wettygrippers & Garlands

January 29, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

First (maybe even last) in a random series of albums that got away. Ones from last year that I maybe didn’t get around to writing about or that for whatever reason never really got to listen to properly.

Bit of a double whammy this one – and it may, or may not, have something to do with both bands appearing on the same bill in Glasgow at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy this Saturday (1^st February).

Outstandifold & the Wettygrippers

The unusually monikered Outstandifold followed up their last (and rather good) album Box with their (who would have guessed) fourth album. Go Fourth, sees them metaphorically do just that.… Read the rest