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

Terry Edwards Very Terry Edwards/Stop Trtying to Sell Me Back My Past

Terry Edwards – Very Terry Edwards/Stop Trying to Sell Me Back My Past – review

August 22, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Very Terry Edwards

I’m not sure where to start with this one, or should I say these ones, having received not one, but two Terry Edwards compilations weighing in at a mighty 80 tracks in total. Not only quite a phenomenal collection of tunes, but also a who’s who of just about every musical style you could list or comprehend.

The first, Very Terry Edwards is a career spanning collection of tracks celebrating the 60^th birthday year of this most bountifully talented multi-instrumentalist, with a track for every year of his life. This is an extraordinarily effusive body of work, even more extraordinary when you see the list of some of the bands he has recorded with that don’t appear across this 3 disc set, stand up Siouxsie, Julian Cope, Madness, Tindersticks, Hot Chip and PJ Harvey.… 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

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

Punk Fests – Old v New – Scotland Calling & Dammit-Fest 2019

April 22, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Scotland Calling

This weekend sees the return of Glasgow’s annual festival of punk, Scotland Calling. Into its 6th year now, I’ve been to them all so far and it has always been a good day out and an opportunity to catch up with friends.

Like every festival, there are bands that suit our tastes and others that give us an opportunity to take a break. Head out for a drink or something to eat in the many hostelries and eating establishments on and around Sauchiehall Street.

We have joked every year about the line-up, with some bands making several appearances.… Read the rest

DELINQUENTS – Sober on Sunday EP – review

April 20, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Dundee’s DELINQUENTS released one of my favourite albums of 2017 in the eminently listenable About Last Night, a raucous selection of punk rock tunes.

This four track E.P. is a step progression from their debut, if anything the four tracks here are a cut above, strong musically and lyrically and a sign of greater things to come. This is the sound of David Hennessey and the band making headway, and signalling their future intent. If About Last Night was Saturday, today it is Sunday, and we know what that means…

The band announce their arrival with full throttle pedal to the metal punk riffing and an ode to drinking too much.… Read the rest

Rats from a Sinking Ship – With Love and Violence EP

March 21, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

“…with loves, and hates, and passions just like mine…”

Rats from a Sinking Ship have unleashed their new 7” EP and the words I have taken “on loan” from The Smiths Cemetry Gates sum it up perfectly. Rats have a passion for a cause that shines through on the somewhat confrontational songs on this EP. “I am a pacifist, don’t take that as a sign of weakness”. Lusty makes his point clear on lead track, he won’t mince his words.

The 4-track EP is titled “With Love and Violence” handing out equal degrees of each to the pro- and antagonists in the songs in question.… Read the rest

New Year, New York

January 27, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

New York

The name conjures up so many images in my head. Granted, many are from the movies, but probably more arise from the allure the NY underground music scene holds for me, and the fascinating stories and tragic tales that surround it.

Times Square, New York Dolls, CBGBs, The Ramones, Johnny Thunders, Max’s Kansas City, Blondie, Patti Smith, Suicide, The Chelsea Hotel, Sid ‘n Nancy, Television, The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed…

“New York City is the place where they said: Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side”

Mainstream

In more recent years bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes, The Hold Steady and The National (among many others) rose to mainstream prominence having formed in, played their initial gigs or been associated with New York.… Read the rest

The DeRellas – Bellfield Tavern (Kilmarnock) Guest Review

December 3, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

The DeRellas – Bellfield Tavern (Kilmarnock)

Number two in an occasional series of guest reviews. This time its from leader of the Reservoir Droogs himself, Mr Alex “Mainy” Main.

Kilmarnock…

When you ask people if they have heard of the Scottish town of Kilmarnock the response usually starts off on a positive note and then it quickly goes downhill.

A sad but true fact. Those of us who live there are pretty much used to this reaction by now.

It normally starts with “It was home to Johnnie Walkers whisky wasn’t it?” and then we get “Robert Burns had his first book of poems printed there didn’t he?”… Read the rest

The Apparents – Singin’ Songs & Righting Wrongs

September 17, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

The Apparents

The Apparents new CD album dropped through the letterbox the other day. Having previously reviewed their earlier EP, I was looking forward to popping the CD from the box and listening to the latest offering.

Singin’ Songs & Righting Wrongs

Singin’ Songs and Righting Wrongs. The album title sums up pretty much what you can expect from listening. There is no hiding the bands political leanings given the subject matter, or should I say targets, of some of the songs. Expect passionate rants aplenty, but don’t imagine for a minute that this band are po-faced protesters without a sense of humour.… Read the rest