Rudebeard - The Ginger Quiff

Singles Round Up Part 12 – December 2022

December 20, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

The final singles round up of 2022, featuring various singles, demos and tracks that have been caught in my radar in December…

Water Machine – Hot Real Estate

This band are shortly going to get a post of their own (and all being well an interview with the band after the silly season) as they have already had a big impact on me just through my seeing clips of live songs posted on Insta, specifically several clips of this song, Hot Real Estate. They now have music available through their Bandcamp page. I’ve missed all their live dates so far. I will be rectifying that at the earliest opportunity

Bandcamp

Pinkfiz – 318

Having first come across Pinkfiz with her powerful single Did I Ask?,… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 11

October 10, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Another bumper batch of singles, demoes, or tracks that have somehow made their way into my slightly detached world . I’ve been trying desperately to keep on top of all the new releases and singles that keep catching my eye/ear, evidently I am only human and there are loads I’ve missed, and some probably included here that have been out for a while but I’m only getting my lugs around them now.

As always, these are in no particular order and where available, they’ve been added to the Ginger Quiff 2021 Playlist.

First up, its a bittersweet song…

The Jazz Butcher – Time

Many of us will have been shocked and saddened by the sudden passing this week of one of independent music’s most highly respected and talented free spirits in The Jazz Butcher iconoclast himself, Pat Fish.… Read the rest

speranza and Rudebeard The Bungalow Paisley

Esperanza and Rudebeard – Live in Paisley

September 28, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

For the second time is as many weeks, I found myself in the sweatbox that is intimate venue, The Bungalow in Paisley. This time for an evening of high octane ska/ska punk courtesy of “Pirate Ska” band Rudebeard (aka Smell Yer Ska) and the now legendary Esperanza. If it was hot and sweaty when I arrived, things were going to reach furnace status when the skanking began…

You can be sure that Dr Marten and Mr Perry would have been rubbing their hands in glee at the site of their iconic products adorning probably 90% of the gathered throng. You could be mistaken for thinking they may have been sponsoring the event, along with the ever popular libation, Buckfast as favoured by both bands from the stage…

Rudebeard – “a bunch of guid cunts”

Rudebeard were first to take the stage, their first gig in aeons (since February 2020 to be precise), and with Rod having a rare Friday night off, the band were ready to party.… Read the rest

We’ll be coming, we’ll be coming…

June 1, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

…when you hear the noise of the Cundeez and Rudebeard boys, we’ll be coming down the road.

Remember the old days, remember the O’Jays… no, I’m going down the wrong cut de sac here. Remember in your youth (if you are of a certain vintage) when Scotland qualified for competitions with clockwork regularity? Only to crash out to some minnows in the group stages right enough, but qualified none the less.

Even if you weren’t a football fan, you knew we’d qualified. Who can forget being on the march wi’ Ally’s Army and Andy Cameron in 1978 when we all thought we were really going to come home from Argentina as trophy winners only for our dreams to be crushed.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up – Jan to March 2021

March 14, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Despite my realisation that I had been slowly disappearing down a black hole, and taking the prompt from Action for Happiness to have a more Mindful March, it has been difficult to get out of the rut, still finding myself lost in “busyness” much of the time and not living life in the moment.

I have managed to take several “moments” out though to listen to the plethora of quality new singles, songs or demos that have come my way by way of e-mail, social media or by pure chance. Many of these songs are due to be followed up later in the year with an album, so the future of 2021, music wise at least, is looking rosy.… Read the rest

Rudebeard – Disgrace EP – review

August 13, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Well, I didn’t expect that Rudebeard…

The latest Rudebeard EP was released at the end of July. The last of their lockdown releases. As I DID expect it is packed with their own signature brand of raucous ska that deserves its place on a live stage so you can have a wild no-holds barred skank. As usual their songs and music are a celebration of life. With a substantial injection of dry humour and their wry observations on life.

First you’ve got Disgrace. the tale of a drunken stoner ne’er-do-well, and stories of drunken escapades. Not the sort “you could take home to meet your parents”.… 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

Rudebeard – Wideos on the Rise EP review

February 10, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Live a Bit.

That is the opening mantra on the new Rudebeard EP, and I couldn’t agree more. The older I get, the more important this becomes. This declaration of intent sets up the remaining tracks perfectly. A feel-good song that will start off with you tapping your feet before just wanting to jump up and dance.

Live your own life. Thrown Away skanks along at pace bemoaning wasting the best years of your life working for The Man before you are no longer of any use and you are dumped on the scrap heap.

The feel-good ska sound continues throughout the six tracks, but a warning, Rudebeard don’t hold back on their social commentary – pick your place for blaring out the tunes.… Read the rest