LORETTA LYNN: WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT

BIG NEWS: Country star Loretta Lynn announces new studio album, titled Wouldn't It Be Great.

The day before her 85th birthday, country legend Loretta Lynn has announced the release date and track list for her new studio album, titled Wouldn't It Be Great. This is the second exciting announcement today re the topic of new music from much-loved legends, following on from Elkie Brooks who released her new single this morning along with the title and album art for her forthcoming record. Loretta's new album is scheduled for release on August 18 of this year. It will be her third volume of recordings made at Cash Cabin Studios and produced by John Carter Cash and Loretta's daughter Patsy Lynn Russell, following two records last year.

Wouldn't It Be Great will be released in August.

The upcoming album is comprised entirely of songs written or co-written by Loretta. The record opens with the title track, "Wouldn't It Be Great", and features new songs such as "Ruby's Stool" and "Ain't No Time to Go" as well as classics such as "Don't Come Home a Drinkin'", her 1966 country hit. The album closes with one of Loretta's best and most famous songs, the autobiographical "Coal Miner's Daughter", which was originally released in 1970. Last year saw Loretta release two LPs, the Grammy-nominated Full Circle, her first studio album in over a decade, and White Christmas Blue, a collection of Christmas songs. Full Circle also featured brilliant re-recorded versions of old hits such as "Fist City" and "Secret Love" as well as brand new tracks. With the new record following this winning format, and a return to releasing studio records in quick succession, it seems Loretta is back on form and set for another round of success. I can tell you now that this record will feature very near the top of my best of 2017 list at the end of the year, and hopefully we'll see it top the country charts as well. The full track list for Wouldn't It Be Great is as follows:

1. Wouldn't It Be Great
2. Ruby’s Stool
3. I'm Dying for Someone to Live For
4. Another Bridge to Burn 
5. Ain't No Time to Go 
6. God Makes No Mistakes 
7. These Ole Blues 
8. My Angel Mother 
9. Don't Come Home a Drinkin'
10. The Big Man
11. Lulie Vars
12. Darkest Day
13. Coal Miner's Daughter 

Loretta’s new studio album ‘Wouldn’t It Be Great’ is coming August 18! This stunning new record is comprised entirely of songs written or co-written by Loretta, showcasing her timeless and influential songwriting.

A post shared by Loretta Lynn (@lorettalynnofficial) on Apr 13, 2017 at 7:09am PDT

ELKIE BROOKS: PEARLS – THE VERY BEST OF

PEARLS – THE VERY BEST OF: Elkie Brooks releases new single from her forthcoming greatest hits album.

Legendary singer Elkie Brooks has just released the first single from her upcoming album, Pearls – The Very Best Of, a new greatest hits collection scheduled for release on June 2 this year. The new single, "Love Ain’t Something You Can Get For Free", premiered on BBC Radio 2 this morning. It's a cover of Bobby Womack's 1975 song written by Ray Parker Jr. and Melvin Ragin, a track which suits Elkie's voice perfectly.

Rock and roll fans will remember Elkie from Vinegar Joe, the seventies band that also launched the solo career of Robert Palmer. With an unmistakable big voice which has been likened to that of Janis Joplin, Elkie shone during performances such as "Proud To Be A Honky Woman" on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973, so it's no surprise that she went on to have a successful solo career of her own.

The forthcoming record, Pearls – The Very Best Of , is a new greatest hits collection featuring 18 tracks. These include the classics "Pearl's A Singer", "Lilac Wine" and "Sunshine After The Rain" plus two brand new songs. The album will be available to pre-order from tomorrow, April 14. "Love Ain’t Something You Can Get For Free" was released this morning and was met with much excitement from fans. Check out the lyric video for the new single below.

CHUCK BERRY: CHUCK

CHUCK: Release date and track list confirmed for new Chuck Berry album, following his death last week.

The track list and release date for the forthcoming final album by rock and roll legend Chuck Berry have been confirmed today, following the musician's death last week at the age of 90. The album, titled Chuck, is set for release on June 16 and features ten new recordings, eight of which were written by Berry himself. It will be his first studio album in 38 years, since 1979's Rock It, and his last. Today also marks the release of the album's first single, "Big Boys".

Chuck is set for release on June 16 2017.

The track list for the new record is as follows:

1. Wonderful Woman
2. Big Boys
3. You Go To My Head
4. 3/4 Time (Enchiladas)
5. Darlin'
6. Lady B. Goode
7. She Still Loves You
8. Jamaica Moon
9. Dutchman
10. Eyes Of Man

Check out the new single, "Big Boys", below, or stream it on Spotify. Chuck will be released on June 16, on Dualtone Records.

Interview: Prey For Darwin

INTERVIEW: Leeds band Prey For Darwin on their first gig and musical influences.

Originally posted on Felicitas Collective.


Leeds-based band Prey For Darwin are (in reverse height order) Hannah Dixon (drums), Andy Alexander (guitar & vocals) and Andy Clark (bass). I discovered the band when I went to see Muffin play at the Fox & Newt pub in Leeds on the 24th. All the bands there were great, but for me Prey For Darwin was the one that stood out, especially as it was their first ever gig. I think they're definitely one of the most promising local bands I've seen so far! Here's a short interview I did with them afterwards.

Tell me a little bit about yourselves, how long have you been playing together and whose idea was it to form a band?
Andy A: I decided that I wanted to form a band, and so advertised it on various local musician Facebook groups.
Hannah: We are of the forum! I think it’s a good thing that we just wanted to make music and that’s what made our paths cross, and have been jamming for about a year now!

Who were some of your biggest influences starting out and who inspires you now?
Hannah: We just wanted to see what sort of stuff we could make, I remember listening to Mogwai take me somewhere nice multi-daily-style for months who i know Andy is a fan of. They’ve definitely influenced us. There’s many besides although hard to pin down. We always find ourselves listening to Jamie T and Radiohead together so there’s some possible parts of the concoction, which is quite nice. We all bring whatever the day’s shared with us I suppose!
Andy C: The music we perform has been built collaboratively within rehearsal sessions out of jams, layering and bouncing ideas around. All the songs belong to the band with no lead writers, so a lot of the inspiration comes from how we all develop ideas – or even how we are able to vent our own frustrations, sadness or joy during sessions. Musically, Mogwai, Joy Division, Alarmist, Radiohead, David Bowie spring to mind as artists that play with genre and build compositions around fluctuating focal points.
Andy A: My favourite artists include Jamie T, Frightened Rabbit and Damien Rice, tho whether any of that directly influences my music I’m not so sure.

What was it like playing your first gig? Were you nervous and, if you were, how did you overcome this?
Hannah: It was really good to play our first gig. It was a pleasure meeting the other bands, Muffin Syslak and Waterfall all make great tunes -lovely guys, all really worth a listen and great to hear them live.
Andy C: We curated the line-up, so the extra pressure was making sure the other bands were happy and the night went smoothly. I used to play in a band with Patrick from Muffin, so it was awesome to see what he’d been working on since we last played together. Leeds has a vibrant and supportive music scene, and having such a big crowd of people watching local bands really helps to ease the nerves. We’re all in this together.
Hannah: It was great to play, there were a lot more people than expected which was cool. I was laying eggs to be honest and spent most of the set staring at my right leg but the feels were good.
Andy A: Yeah I was nervous, but once I was up there it largely went away, I was concentrating too hard on what I was doing!

How would you describe your band's sound?
Andy A: I have no idea, and I like that.
Hannah: Quite loud! Chaos Bass!
Andy C: Pulled from a fuzzy oven with Joy Division oven gloves.

Can you share some of the inspirations behind your songs?
Hannah: Anything, everything, whatever could possibly be in the room really. We just jam around and see what happens. It’s always changing. Lyrically things really vary from a sense of galactic wahoo lazer quest to sweet ass love to 1984 balls to it all, so to speak.
Andy C: The music can be born from thinking about perceptions of space and responding personally to the world round us based on mood: capturing ideas which can change super quickly or slowly build from docile to euphoria… We also have a song about Game of Thrones.

What's next for you? Do you have any more gigs lined up or any plans to record?
Andy A: We haven’t discussed this, I didn’t know how the first gig would go! But more gigs I assume.
Andy C: After our first gig, we want to focus on building up more songs and jams. We only have four songs fully written but have a bulging backlog of ideas we are excited to develop. Hopefully more songs soon and maybe we can record some tracks as we go. We are new so testing the water –happy taking everything as it comes.
Hannah: It’s good to have focused on bringing the set together, now excited to continue on the cumulative quest for the new sound.


MUSIC TASTE QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS:

What bands/artists are you currently into?
Andy C: Daughter, Narcs, Three Trapped Tigers, The Xx, Trigger Thumb, Brontide, Spiro. American Football, Minor Victories…
Hannah: Electric Light Orchestra, Bowie, Submotion Orchestra, Laura Marling, Erykah Badu, Massive Attack, Chance the Rapper, Prince, Radiohead, Passion Pit, Amy Winehouse, Bjork, Quantic, Alt-J, Bob Marley, Mr Scruff, King Tubby, Hiatus, Coco Rosie… my housemates amazing tunes, I don’t know how to answer, there is so much good music everywhere and it changes every time you listen.
Andy A: I’ve been listening to a lot of Radiohead lately, trying to understand why many people don’t love The King Of Limbs like I do.

What's your favourite song right now?
Andy A: Kate Tempest - Europe is Lost.
Andy C: Courtney Barnett – Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To The Party.
Hannah: Lando Chill – Early In The Morning.

Do you remember the first record you ever bought?
Andy C: 911 – Body Shakin’.
Hannah: Now 56.
Andy A: The debut Spice Girls album.

If you had to choose, what would be your all-time favourite album?
Andy A: Jamie T – Panic Prevention.
Andy C: Mogwai – The Hawk is Howling.
Hannah: Primal Scream - Screamadelica.

Finally, what new releases are you currently looking forward to?
Hannah: The new Laura Marling! Anything Inka, anything Lucid Beans. Many people are making new sounds all the time in so many different ways, it is increasingly good.
Andy C: Post War Glamour Girls, Smith Street Band, Laura Marling, At The Drive-in, The National all have new albums due out this year, which I am hugely excited about.


Thanks Hannah, Andy and Andy for your time & good luck for the future!

Follow Prey For Darwin on Facebook and SoundCloud, and check out their video on YouTube!

Song of the Week #12 ~ Victoria Wood

"A Better Day" – Victoria Wood, Victoria Wood Live (1997)

My Song of the Week this week is another one by Victoria Wood! Performed live in 1997, "A Better Day" (also referred to as "Andrea") is one of Victoria's more serious songs, and is poignant yet inspiring and hopeful. You can watch the full live show here.

Song of the Week #11 ~ The Bad Shepherds

"White Riot" – The Bad Shepherds, By Hook Or By Crook (2010)

Founded in 2007 by comedian Adrian Edmondson, The Bad Shepherds are one of the most unique bands I've come across. They cover 70s and 80s punk songs using folk instruments. While they might initially appear to be a novelty, the brilliance of their music speaks for itself and proves that The Bad Shepherds are a band who can and should be taken seriously. Although mandolin and fiddle are not instruments that I would've previously considered capable of taking on a punk classic such as The Clash's "White Riot", it actually really does work and I loved this version instantly. Some of my other favourites on the album are "Making Plans For Nigel" and "Friday Night, Saturday Morning". Definitely a great band to check out if you haven't already!

Song of the Week #9 ~ Victoria Wood

"Bum To The World" – Victoria Wood, Live In Your Own Home (1994)

"Your food is being sprayed with germs, spat on and reheated."

This week's Song of the Week is "Bum To The World" by the wonderfully talented Victoria Wood from her 1994 live show, Live In Your Own Home, which can be found in full here. I love Victoria's songs because they're always extremely funny and very well written (with brilliant rhymes); comic poetry sung to upbeat, catchy tunes. Some of the verses in this song remind me a little of Mrs Lovett's songs in Sweeney Todd, although I'm not sure exactly why. If you liked this one, check out any of Victoria's other songs. In particular, I would recommend "Andrea (A Better Day)", "It Would Never Have Worked" and "The Ballad of Barry and Freda", which was my Song of the Week back in December.

BLONDIE: POLLINATOR

POLLINATOR: Blondie release track list and album art ahead of 11th studio album.

The album art and track list for Blondie's 11th studio album, Pollinator, have recently been revealed, and today marks the release of the album's first single, titled "Fun".

Pollinator is set for release on May 5th 2017.

Produced by John Congleton, the band's new record is notable for it's many collaborations with a range of artists including Sia, Charli XCX and Johnny Marr. The track list is as follows:

1. Doom or Destiny
2. Long Time
3. Already Naked
4. Fun
5. My Monster
6. Best Day Ever
7. Gravity
8. When I Gave Up On You
9. Love Level
10. Too Much
11. Fragments

Check out the new single below, or stream it on Spotify. Pollinator will be released on May 5th and is available for pre-order right now via blondie.net. It comes in various exciting formats; a vinyl LP (ordinary black or limited edition red), a box set of 7" singles, cassette, CD, or mp3 download.

Song of the Week #8 ~ Jesse Jo Stark

"Driftwood" – Jesse Jo Stark, Driftwood EP (2017)

This week's track is Jesse Jo Stark's brand new release, "Driftwood". American singer-songwriter and fashion designer Jesse Jo is one of this generations finest talents, not to mention effortlessly cool. I'd say she's likely to become a major star pretty soon. The Driftwood EP follows 2014's Down Your Drain EP, the title track of which was re-released as a single last year and also features on the new release. Featuring an ethereal vocal reminiscent of Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval, "Driftwood" has a far more acoustic, country sound than previous tracks "Silver Kiss", "Down Your Drain" or my personal favourite "Dance To The Cramps". Jesse Jo describes "Driftwood" as a "deadly ode to being consumed by love and then letting it go." Have a listen and check out some of her other tracks too!

Song of the Week #7 ~ ABBA

"Hey, Hey Helen" – ABBA, ABBA (1975)

This week's Song of the Week is "Hey, Hey Helen" by ABBA from their third studio album, ABBA. The self-titled LP features hits such as "Mamma Mia" and "S.O.S.", however my personal favourites on the album are "So Long" and "Hey, Hey Helen". I picked this track because it's one of ABBA's lesser-known, under-rated tunes, and also because it's a really great rock and roll song! Have a listen and let me know what you think!

Song of the Week #6 ~ Jennifer Saunders

"Holding Out For A Hero" – Jennifer Saunders, Shrek 2 Soundtrack (2004)

This week's Song of the Week is "Holding Out For A Hero" sung by comedy legend Jennifer Saunders (one of my all-time favourite comedians) as the Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2. I really love the slower intro on this version, as well as the fact that Jennifer's vocal is refreshingly clearer and higher compared to the original by Bonnie Tyler. Give this a listen and let me know what you think!

Song of the Week #5 ~ Laurel

"Maybe Baby" – Laurel, Park EP (2016)

For this week's Song of the Week, I've chosen "Maybe Baby" by Laurel from her 2016 EP, Park. It's very upbeat and modern but I think it also has a sort of classic feel to it, hope you like it!

Song of the Week #4 ~ Victoria Wood

In memory of Victoria Wood (1953-2016), a comic genius and legend.

"The Ballad of Barry and Freda" – Victoria Wood, Victoria Wood Live (1988)

This week's Song of the Week is "The Ballad of Barry and Freda" by Victoria Wood. It's a funny, witty and charming song which showcases Victoria's trademark observational comedy as well as her musical talent. This is one of my favourite pieces of music ever, and I adore the pure brilliance of the lyrics. I rarely have such admiration for a person's talent both as a writer and as a performer. I think it takes someone very special to write a song like this, yet Victoria always came across as such a humble person; I hope she knew just how good her songs really are. This version was recorded live in 1988, enjoy!

Interview: The American – Manifest Destiny

INTERVIEW: NY band The American on their new studio album and musical influences.

The American are a four-piece rock band from Binghamton NY, consisting of brothers Dan and Gavin Hardy, drummer Bird-Dog and bassist Joel Shue. I was approached by the band via instagram (which I will forever hail as the best social media platform for meeting people) and checked out their new album, Manifest Destiny. The new release is their first full-length studio album and is available now through their website. Here's a brief review followed by an interview.

Manifest Destiny opens with "Nineteen", a folk rock style song which personally makes little sense to me lyrically but has some catchy riffs. This is followed by "She's His Girl", arguably one of the best tracks on the album. The song sounds like a modern day, overdriven version of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning", with a similar riff and vocal. Give "She's His Girl" a listen here.

Other highlights of the album include the track "Death Rattle", which sounds to me vaguely similar to something Bowie might've recorded, and "Diamond Delilah" which has an almost grunge feel to it and again is a catchy tune. This is followed by "Lake Louise", a classic country song, then "Moonlight Fell", a slower track with an ending reminiscent of something in between "Martian Hop" and a car engine. The penultimate track, "Columbia St.", is a country-style ballad with a cleaner, acoustic sound. The album ends with "Go Tell Mary", a softer mix of country and 70s rock.

The CD is packaged nicely in a digipak format and the album art (front cover above) features imagery which could be interpreted as being somewhat political. While perhaps lacking a sense of who the band are as people, the images are certainly intriguing. 

Manifest Destiny combines elements of various genres, from country to blues, folk and rock. I enjoyed the country and 70s influences on the album, although at times I found it sounded a little to modern for me. I can see this CD appealing mainly to young people who have a slightly alternative style, which is why I would have to say I think it's particularly suited to today's 'hipster' market. Overall, a good listen with some interesting themes.

Dan Hardy, The American's guitarist and singer, was kind enough to answer some interview questions following the release of his band's new album, Manifest Destiny.

Tell me a little bit about yourselves, how long have you been playing together and whose idea was it to form a band? 
The band consists of myself (Dan Hardy) on guitar and vocals; my brother (Gavin Hardy) on organ, pedal steel, and vocals; Bird-dog on drums, guitar, and vocals; and Joel Shue on bass and vocals. Gavin, Birdy, and I have been playing in bands together since we were in high school. Gavin and I have been playing together since we were in diapers. The American actually started as an attempt by yours truly to make a solo record. At the time Birdy and I were (and still are) playing in an alt country band called the Woodshed Prophets. I had some songs that I wanted to record so I called Brad Morrison, a producer friend of mine, and started making arrangements. I then remembered that I had promised to play on some songs for Birdy so I said something like "hey I got some studio time with Brad, let's pool our songs". Then my brother got back from Korea where he had been teaching. I had promised him to record an album years ago so I invited him along too. At that point it was just a three piece. So, we started recording. We realized pretty quickly that there was something pretty cool happening. Brad sat us down and suggested that we take it seriously (not something that we do well). He seemed to think that we had something but needed more material. So we went back home and started writing. First me and Birdy wrote "19" then Gavin and I wrote "Go Tell Mary". It was at that point that we took the time to name the group and it ceased being a side project record. We got REALLY excited. Fast forward 6 months. At this point we had made most of the record with just the three of us. Gavin was playing the bass, organ, pedal steel, mandolin, and some guitar. This was not going to be possible in a live setting. We have always been a live band (in whatever bands we were in) and wanted a fourth guy. We decided that it would be easier to find a bass player than someone to play all the other instruments Gavin was recording. Joel Shue was (is) the bass player for a band called the Spectacular Average Boys. The Prophets and Average Boys had played a lot gigs together so I asked Joel if he would want to come to the studio for a couple of days. He did. He came up with the riff in Death Rattle. He was hired. We love him. And that's how it happened.

Who were some of your biggest influences starting out and who inspires you now? 
Going in we were listening to a lot of Big Star, Bowie, Bad Finger, and gigging (in our respective bands) Haggard, Guy Clark, and a lot of country and roots based originals. We also love The Band. Now we cover a Zeppelin tune, CSNY, and Tony Rice. We all grew up playing in our dad's backing bands playing everything from folk to Motown to acid rock. That's kinda where the name came from. Our country is sort of a undefinable mix of people and our music is sort of an undefinable mix of what we like to play. So we went with The American.

Your new album, Manifest Destiny, is out now. I'm particularly intrigued by the cover art - what's the significance of that image?
I took that picture of the producer's son at a session one night. I had purchased the helmet at a yard sale and gifted it to him. After looking at the pictures (which were meant to be cute or funny) I realized that they were more than that. I guess you can't talk about America without talking about war...it just seemed to fit. People have come up with all sorts of interpretations of what that picture means. I suppose they are entitled to that. We looked at the image and all saw something different but relevant to our lives and our music.

What are some of the themes on the album, and what was your approach to recording?
The themes of the album were also sort of mixed; addiction, love, loss, nostalgia, lots of things. Gigging in the rural parts of the US is different than a lot of other places. You are usually the only band at a bar, you are expected to play for 3+ hours a night, and you are - more often than not - surrounded by people who are there to drink and play pool not listen to original music. So when you spend 15 years playing original music in crap-hole bars and roadhouses, you meet a pretty interesting cross-section of humanity. The album is about that too. I have played so many gigs that I have a hash mark tattoo to keep track of them. I am up to ten hash marks (1=100 gigs at 3 hours a pop). That gives you plenty of time to come up with problems to write about. It's the same for the other boys too.
As far as recording goes, we went to the studio with some ideas and wrote when we were in between sessions. In the past we have gone into the studio practiced up from gigging so much. This was the first time any of us had really written in the studio. We like to do as much analog recording as possible so much of the record was recorded 16 track on one inch tape. The rest was pieced together in other studios when we could swing it.

Where did the inspiration come from for the new songs? I was surprised at the similarity between "She's His Girl" and Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning", was that intentional or a coincidence?
I would say it's a coincidence but we have been playing too many songs for too long for that to be true. I based the guitar riff on old American blues songs...Smokestack Lightning had to be in there somewhere. So I stole it from a lot of people all at once, however, I prefer to call it writing in the blues tradition. Birdy wrote the words. Any similarities there will have to be taken up with him. Although he would probably say the same thing...stealing...traditional...etc.

What's next for you? Any plans to tour?
Well, we are always writing. We definitely want to do some touring. We have also been hiring ourselves out as a studio band. We just helped cut a record for this cat in Brooklyn (straight honkey tonk) and a couple of tracks for an elementary school choir. Actually, we did a pretty haunting rendition of "Down By The Bay" for the kids. What a hoot. They weren't there when we recorded...thank god. We were payed in beer.


MUSIC TASTE QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS:

What bands/artists are you currently into? 
TV, Tom Waits, The Cramps, The Flying Burrito Bros, Smokey Robinson, Grandfunk Railroad.

Favorite song right now? 
"Song For You" by Gram Parsons, you should check it out...its perfect!

Do you remember the first record you ever bought? 
Well I would have been in middle school so it was probably either Counting Crows – Recovering The Satellites, or Oasis – Master Plan. I was 13 and there was very little internet access out in the sticks and only country and pop radio.

If you had to choose, what would be your all-time favorite album? 
That is a really hard question. Maybe The Band – The Band? It's hard to commit. But if I was only allowed one and that's what I had, I would live.

Thanks to Dan for his time, and good luck to him and the rest of the band with their career! Hope you've enjoyed this post, feel free to let me know your thoughts on the album in the comments!

Follow The American on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their website.

Manifest Destiny is available on Bandcamp, CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes now!

Song of the Week #3 ~ Brenda Lee

As it's Christmas in a couple days, I've chosen something festive this week!

"Papa Noël" – Brenda Lee (1958)

This week's track is "Papa Noël" by Brenda Lee. It was the released in 1958 as the B side of her famous Chrismas classic "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree". Merry Christmas!

Song of the Week #2 ~ Loretta Lynn

Here's the second installment of my new 'Song Of The Week' feature, enjoy!

"Black Jack David" – Loretta Lynn, Full Circle (2016)

This week's track is "Black Jack David" by Loretta Lynn. Full Circle was Loretta's first studio album in 12 years, since 2004's Van Lear Rose. It was certainly a thrill to hear the new tracks, which are as brilliant as ever, and as always I adore the story-telling in Loretta's songs. For me, this is without a doubt the best new release of 2016, and just last week the album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Album! I picked "Black Jack David", Loretta's version of a traditional folk song, because I've had this song on repeat while walking around Leeds city centre and it really makes me happy, plus I love the guitar on this song. 

To follow my Top 40 Albums list, here are some my favourite songs of 2016. I've tried to be a little more varied for the purposes of this list, otherwise it would likely consist of songs selected exclusively from a handful of albums. 2016 has been a better year than most for good songs, as evident by the fact that I can choose 40 great songs where it would usually be just three or four. Hope you enjoy this selection!

Top 40 Songs of 2016

1. "Who's Gonna Miss Me?" – Loretta Lynn
2. "Gypsy In Me" – Bonnie Raitt
3. "Hall of Fame" – Andre Williams
4. "Commit A Crime" – The Rolling Stones
5. "Go Baby Go" – John Doe featuring Debbie Harry
6. "Sunday" – Iggy Pop
7. "My Church" – Maren Morris
8. "Hands Of Time" – Margo Price
9. "Detroit (I'm So Glad I Stayed)" – Andre Williams
10. "Drum" – MØ
11. "Warrior" – AURORA
12. "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven" – Loretta Lynn
13. "Hurtin' (On The Bottle) – Margo Price
14. "Pure and Simple" – Dolly Parton
15. "Shakin' Shakin' Shakes" – Bonnie Raitt
16. "Hello Today" – Black Honey
17. "Final Song" – MØ
18. "Black Jack David" – Loretta Lynn
19. "80s Mercedes" – Maren Morris
20. "Maybe Baby" – Laurel
21. "Franci" – Martha Wainwright
22. "Hero" – Lissie
23. "Middle of the Bed (Live at Urchin Studios)" – Lucy Rose
24. "Rat Boy" – The Paranoyds
25. "Reaper" – Sia
26. "The Wheel" – PJ Harvey
27. "Psycho (Live At Easy Street)" – The Sonics
28. "Cheap Thrills" – Sia
29. "Lazarus" – David Bowie
30. "No Means No" – Alice Bag
31. "Red, White & You" – Steven Tyler
32. "Te Sigo Esperando" – Los Rakas featuring Sheila E.
33. "Walkin' After Midnight" – Cyndi Lauper
34. "Wild Thing" – Ace Frehely featuring Lita Ford
35. "Yambu" – Santana
36. "Garden" – Hinds
37. "Hey Girl" – Lady Gaga & Florence Welch
38. "Three Packs a Day" – Courtney Barnett
39. "Misery and Gin" – Heathen Apostles
40. "Macondo" – Quantic presenta Flowering Inferno

Give some of these tracks a listen if you haven't heard them before, and let me know what you think!

Record stores and music mags are all publishing their 'Best Of' lists, so here's mine too. It's certainly no understatement to say that the events of this year have been devastating. We have lost some of the best musicians and entertainers the world has ever seen, plus 2016 has seen Brexit, Trump and a whole host of other disasters. In a time marred by tragedy it is even more important to turn to music for comfort and as a uniting force, and these outstanding new releases prove that we still have a lot to be thankful for as 2016 draws to a close...

Top 40 Albums of 2016

1. Loretta Lynn – Full Circle
2. Andre Williams – I Wanna Go Back To Detroit City
3. Bonnie Raitt – Dig In Deep
4. The Rolling Stones – Blue & Lonesome
5. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression
6. Loretta Lynn – White Christmas Blue
7. Dolly Parton – Pure & Simple
8. Margo Price – Midwest Farmer's Daughter
9. Maren Morris – Hero
10. John Doe – The Westerner
11. Alice Bag – Alice Bag
12. Cyndi Lauper – Detour
13. David Bowie – ★ (Blackstar)
14. AURORA – All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend
15. The Paranoyds – After You EP
16. Laurel – Park EP
17. Los Rakas – Los Rakas
18. Martha Wainwright – Goodnight City
19. Lissie – My Wild West
20. The Sonics – Live At Easy Street
21. PJ Harvey – Hope Six Demolition Project
22. Kate Bush – Before The Dawn
23. Black Honey – Headspin EP
24. Lucy Rose – Live At Urchin Studios
25. Sunflower Bean – Human Ceremony
26. Southern Culture on the Skids – The Electric Pinecones
27. Sia – This Is Acting
28. Lita Ford – Time Capsule
29. Ace Frehley – Origins Vol. 1
30. Santana – Santana IV
31. Quantic presenta Flowering Inferno – 1000 Watts
32. The International Swingers – The International Swingers
33. Angel Olsen – My Woman
34. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker
35. Mudcrutch – 2
36. Eric Clapton – I Still Do
37. Miranda Lambert – The Weight Of These Wings
38. Steven Tyler – We're All Somebody From Somewhere
39. Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds – La Araña Es La Vida
40. The Monkees – Good Times

Honorable mentions

1. Mouses – The Mouses Album
2. Hinds –  Leave Me Alone
3. White Lung – Paradise
4. Neil Young – Peace Trail
5. Slothrust – Everyone Else
6. Lady Gaga – Joanne
7. Savages – Adore Life
8. Heathen Apostles – Requiem For A Remix
9. Heart – Beautiful Broken
10. Andre Williams – Don't Ever Give Up

What was your favourite album this year? Let me know in the comments section! Merry Xmas & Happy New Year! 

Song of the Week #1 ~ Crystal Gayle

I'm going to start a new 'Song Of The Week' feature, mostly to get me into writing more frequently as I feel like I've neglected this blog for too long. Every Friday I'll post about one song I've really enjoyed listening to during the week. Hope you enjoy the first one! As always, I'm open to music suggestions, however random, and you can contact me via any of the links in the sidebar or on social media!

"Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For" – Crystal Gayle, When I Dream (1978)

This week's Song of the Week is Crystal Gayle's "Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For", from her 1978 album When I Dream. I picked this one because last weekend I found a couple of Crystal LPs (When I Dream and Somebody Loves You) in a charity shop for £1 each (!!!) and this is the song that kept me sane while writing my first 2,000 word essay this week. My other favourites on the album are "Hello I Love You" and "Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger". Hope you love this track as much as I do!

Interview: BEHIND THE BLOG for Campus Society

I was interviewed about my blog for Campus Society's Best On Campus feature, which you can read by following this link. I've reproduced the interview here as well. Enjoy!


BEHIND THE BLOG: A conversation with Kayleigh Hinsley, author of In Good Taste: Rock & Roll Journal

Each week, join Campus Society as we dig deeper and speak with one of our growing community of bloggers.

Let's start off with an easy one and go back to the beginning. When did you start your blog and how nervous were you when you posted for the first time?
I’ve not been blogging for long, about a year or two, and I wasn't really nervous at all. I think there's a certain comfort in the beginning in knowing that nobody is reading what you write.

Many people have a number of reasons for wanting to blog. What’s yours?
My main reason for blogging is to share the music I love with others and hopefully inspire them. I think that's important particularly for young people - to hear about older music or obscure music that they perhaps wouldn't otherwise hear about.

Who would you say your blog would appeal to the most?
My blog is designed to appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds, but I suppose it's aimed at an audience who have an interest in learning about new sorts of music.

Now, there are loads of music blogs out there. How do you manage to set yours apart from someone else’s?
I try to keep my writing style very conversational. Most music blogs will write very technically about the songs or albums they review. I don't do that because I find that it's hard to understand if you don't know anything technical about music. The whole point of my blog is to make certain types of music more accessible and easier to understand for ordinary people.

If you didn’t write about rock & roll what would you write about, if at all?
Possibly art. If there is anything I want to write about outside of music, I will. I haven't set any limitations for myself on what I can write about on my own blog. Really it's just about telling people about whatever I've enjoyed, whether it's music related or otherwise, so the only thing I won't do is write about things I dislike as I don't think there's any point in spreading hatred. If you can't think of anything nice to say, say nothing!

Have you always been interested in music or is this something you’ve been influenced by in recent years?
More recently, I suppose. I was never interested in being spoon-fed chart music, so I didn't really listen to anything until I found something I liked.

Aside from rock & roll, what are your other passions in life?
I also enjoy art, record collecting and playing guitar. I used to read a lot too, which is something I want to start doing more of again.

Some of the musicians you blog about have obviously achieved one of their goals in life. If we asked you to write about your greatest achievement, what would it be?
I'm not sure that I've achieved very much yet, other than academically. I guess I would write about overcoming barriers and discrimination to become the person you want to be; doing your own thing and not caring about what anyone else thinks.

On the subject of overcoming barriers in life, have you found blogging to have benefited you in your life in any way?
I think the main benefit of blogging has been the people I've 'met' because of it. It's always fun to chat with people who read my blog and hear their views.

Let’s talk about the flip side of the coin now and the haters! How would you manage criticism or how have you managed any criticism - if any - in the past?
I haven't experienced any criticism yet in terms of blogging, but everyone is entitled to their opinion so I don't think I'd mind. To be honest, I really don't care what anyone thinks of me as a person so 'haters' wouldn't bother me, but I'd be interested to hear negative views about my writing or what I've, written about as that can be constructive. I'd also be relatively pleased that somebody took the time to read and think about what I'd written in order to criticize it!

Good answer! How does it make you feel every time you post a blog knowing so many people are reading what you have to say?
I don't tend to pay attention to whether anyone actually reads my posts, so I don't really think about it. I guess it's nice to know that someone might read it and actually check out what I'm writing about. It means I can bring attention to things that people wouldn't normally come across in everyday life or the media today, as I often write about older or more obscure music.

Are there any parts of blogging that you don’t like?
Finding the time to complete long posts can sometimes be difficult, but other than that I really enjoy it!

Finally, what’s your best piece of advice for blogger newbies?
My advice would be to just write however and whatever comes naturally to you - don't try to imitate anyone else's style, just find something that works for you. A conversational tone can be really great and make your blog accessible and inviting. Most people are not technically minded when it comes to things like music or whatever your subject matter is, so jargon never helps if you want to appeal to a wide audience. Linking your blog to instagram and being active on instagram can also be really useful as it opens up a whole new sphere of contacts and people who might be interested in what you're writing.

To check out more from @Kayleigh Hinsley, head on over to her blog channel here.


Thanks for reading! If you're a student and you're on Campus Society, you can join my blog's channel here. I'll post a few previews there of posts I'm working on before they're finished! Look out for my upcoming post featuring an interview with NY band The American, where I'll also review their new album, Manifest Destiny. Other things to look forward to include something about women in music, and my Best Of 2016 list!

Summer 2016 Favorites

Summer has officially ended and I moved into my University accommodation last weekend. I'll be studying for a BA Criminal Justice and Criminology degree at the University of Leeds for the next few years, and hopefully I'll get to do a study abroad year at Carleton University in Canada. I know I haven't written anything on here since Christmas, mostly because I ran out of time and motivation due to exams, but there are a couple of things I'll finish & publish later this month for anyone interested. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for quick posts I could write while at Uni or anything you'd like to hear about then please let me know. You're welcome to contact me on whatever social media you use, and it's been nice to hear from a few of you already so thanks for getting in touch! Just wanted to write a quick post now to let you know I'm still alive and tell you about all the great tracks I've been listening to over the summer break.

I started this summer off listening to hip-hop duo Los Rakas as their new album came out earlier this year. Their song "Te Sigo Esperando" is a collaboration with Sheila E., who notably worked with Prince, and was one of my favorites this summer. Also in my playlist are "Up The Junction" by Squeeze (I have the single on lilac coloured vinyl), and "Leave A Trace" by CHVRCHES. Both bands played at Glastonbury this year so I caught bits of their sets on TV. I've also been really into guitar instrumentals so I listened to a lot of Jan Davis, Link Wray and Duane Eddy this summer. Towards the end of the holidays I got really into Flamin' Groovies, particularly Teenage Head, as well as The A-Bones and Pearl Harbour & The Explosions.

Here's my full summer 2016 playlist for you to enjoy:

Now that summer is over, I'm really looking forward to the colder weather. Autumn and Winter are my favourite seasons; I love the colours, wearing jumpers and drinking hot chocolate, and of course Halloween and Christmas! There's loads of good music scheduled for release too* - Loretta Lynn just announced White Christmas Blue, her first Christmas album in 50 years. It's set for release on October 7 and looks to be a great follow up to Full Circle, so definitely watch out for that in the near future. I'm also really excited about going record shopping in Leeds!** Even the charity shops here have big music sections - today I bought a Little Richard compilation LP, Cher's Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves and a couple of singles by The B-52's. Hope you all had a great summer, feel free to get in touch and let me know about any new music you've discovered recently!

*Update: Kate Bush is releasing a new triple-album of live recordings in November, entitled Before the Dawn, recorded during her 2014 residency at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. The Rolling Stones have announced their new album, Blue & Lonesome, out December 2. Blondie are working on what will be their 11th studio album, which should hopefully be released in March 2017; drummer Clem Burke has said it sounds as good as anything on Parallel Lines! Elkie Brooks is also recording a new record at the moment, and Chuck Berry has just announced the release of his first album in 38 years, which should be out next year. [Updated 18/10/16].
**Update 10/10/16: I went to the Brudenell record fair on Sunday and found loads of great stuff - A Love Supreme by John Coltrane, an original press of Then Play On by Fleetwood Mac, Blondie's Eat To The Beat and Autoamerican (which I already have but the price was too good not to buy), Lionheart by Kate Bush, Too-Rye-Ay by Dexy's Midnight Runners, and a bunch of singles including "Let There Be Drums" by Sandy Nelson, "Walk Of Life" by Dire Straits, The Pogues' "Fairytale Of New York", and "Our Love" by Elkie Brooks (picture disc).

ANDRE WILLIAMS: NEW ALBUM & FREE EP DOWNLOAD

The new album from the legendary Andre Williams, famous for songs like "Bacon Fat" and "Jailbait", is an instant classic. The record opens with the title track, "I Wanna Go Back To Detroit City", which uses layers of vocals to create the perfect doo-wop sound. Throughout the album, Andre's lyrics tell deeply personal yet often universally relatable stories, set on top of a series of powerful and enchanting grooves. A particular highlight on the album is "Hall Of Fame", a song addressed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame telling them just what they can do, while smoothly running through some of Andre's achievements. With yet another great recording to add to his already impressive discography, Williams more than proves that even if he's never invited to the Hall of Fame, he's definitely still a winner.

You can download four great Andre Williams tracks right now for free, or leave a donation if you can, on noisetrade.com.

This four-song EP, titled What Now?, features two brand new tracks from Andre's most recent album, I Wanna Go Back to Detroit City, as well as two older tunes previously released on Bloodshot Records. Get your free download here.

THE SONICS: THIS IS THE SONICS

THIS IS THE SONICS: Garage rock legends release first new material in 50 years and play explosive gig at London's Forum.

This Is The Sonics is the new album by garage rock legends The Sonics. It's the band's first album of new material in almost 50 years. I knew I'd like this one before I heard it because I don't think it's possible for a band of The Sonics' calibre to make a bad album. Their first two LPs, Here Are The Sonics (1965) and Boom (1966) are among some of the greatest albums of the 60s and their music has influenced a string of bands from The Cramps to The White Stripes. Of the new material, "Bad Betty" and "Sugaree" are the stand-out tracks on a powerful and energizing record.

I bought the album on CD as soon as it came out in the UK. I would have pre-ordered the vinyl but there was an extra $20 shipping cost from the US. I'd already heard the album online via Spotify. People always ask why buy it if you can hear it online for free, but to me an album is more than just the music. It's the cover art, the liner notes on the sleeve or in the little booklet, the label on the record or the design of the compact disc. In short, I buy an album because I like to own the physical object. One thing that excited me about this album is that it's the first one I've bought that didn't come in a jewel case - not even digipak style - a proper card slip case just like a little LP! I love this style of packaging because not only is it better for the environment because it doesn't use plastic, it's also so much easier to store and there's no fiddling with getting booklets in and out, and the look and feel (and the smell of card sleeves) is so much nicer than an awkward piece of plastic.

If you want my opinion in a nutshell, I'd say This Is The Sonics is one of the best new releases in a long time, of any genre, and it's certainly refreshing to hear a new album of real rock and roll songs. I'd also just like to say, if there are any kids reading this who are hesitant about listening to an album by an apparent 'bunch of old guys', you really need to get over yourself. These guys are the original legends of garage rock, age doesn't make any difference whatsoever (well, other than confirming legendary status), and they're making music better than anything I've heard from any other band, young or old. A lot of reviews I've read have focused on the age thing throughout, but to be honest I really don't care and I'll leave it at that.

The album opens with a rockin' cover of Ray Charles' "I Don't Need No Doctor". Usually I always prefer the original to any cover, but with this one I think I like The Sonics' version better. The album certainly has some great 60s rock and roll vibes, with a couple more covers including "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover" (Bo Diddley, 1962) and "Leaving Here" (Eddie Holland, 1963), a track that's been covered by many artists - notably Motörhead - but I heard the Jimmy Hanna version first. The Sonics have managed to bring these classics right up to date, turning them into current garage rock hits while retaining the brilliant vibe of the 60s.

Of the rest of the tracks on the album, the single "Bad Betty" along with "Sugaree" and "Spend The Night" are my favorites. The whole album has a great energy; its an uplifting, energizing, feel-good record. When I first heard the album I said it made me want to play it real loud and dance all night, so fast-forward to a perfectly-timed UK tour which coincided with my 18th birthday treat and you have a cute little fulfillment-of-a-dream moment.

The Sonics, The Forum London 30-07-2015

I got into The Sonics because of The Cramps - somehow I manage to work them into everything I write. The Cramps covered "Strychnine" on Songs The Lord Taught Us and of course Lux and Ivy had mentioned The Sonics a couple times in interviews, so when I saw a Sonics CD in a charity shop I bought immediately because I knew I'd like it, and it didn't disappoint. I gotta thank whoever donated that CD to charity because they're the reason I ended up seeing The Sonics on tour a few months ago. They played The Forum, London on July 30th, and I cannot remember the setlist for the life of me. I was too busy having a good time to take notes! There's no point standing around analyzing everything that's happening just so that you can write about it later. My blog is just a collection of odd things that I write about as and when I have time; it certainly doesn't have a structure and I don't set out to do something with the thought of writing about it later. Anyway, the show was amazing, full of energy and extra special because The Forum was the first venue they played when The Sonics came to the UK for the first time in 2008. During the opening acts there was hardly anyone there, but by the time The Sonics came on the place was packed and buzzing. I also loved the fact that there were literally no phones or cameras being waved around except for the occasional quick photo, which made for a much better atmosphere. I think if you're constantly taking pictures you'll forget to enjoy the moment.

I want to give a special mention to Dusty Watson first, because in most of the stuff I've read he's only referred to as "drummer Dusty Watson" and nothing else. At the risk of sounding like a crazy fan-girl, I wanted to say that he's totally awesome and deserves way more credit than I've seen him get. He's played with Lita Ford and Davie Allan, who happen to be two of my favourite guitarists, and he's brilliant to watch live. Sometimes you forget about the drummer but not with this guy - he's kinda like the centrepiece of the band, if you know what I mean. I wasn't around to see the original Sonics line-up, but I don't think having new members has taken anything away as far as the music goes - or the 'image' for that matter. Sometimes when bands have new members they're not as good as they were before, but I think both Freddie Dennis (bass, vocals, formerly of The Kingsmen) and Dusty are fantastic musicians who fit right in with The Sonics.

Larry Parypa was awe-inspiring on guitar, and Jerry Roslie's famous howl sounded just as raw and powerful as 50 years ago. Rob Lind (saxophone and harmonica) came across as the guy who really got the crowd going, and a pretty good salesman too - I ended up buying a shirt because he mentioned them between songs. I also got a Sonics Boom LP and it was so funny trying to explain to the merch guy which record I wanted - we ended up pointing and doing the left a bit, up a bit, vinyl not CD! thing because neither of us could hear anything. It's on Norton Records too, so of course I got in the car afterwards and said to my dad, "Look it's on Norton with liner notes by Miriam Linna!" and of course he had no idea what I was talking about. "Psycho" was the last song before the encore and the one everyone was waiting for. I have no idea how to use my camera for video so I gave it to my dad and ended up with this minute and a half of awesomeness:

Like I said, completely forgot the setlist, but I remember they ended with "The Witch". You could feel the build up to the last song, everybody knew what it was gonna be, and as soon as that iconic intro kicked in the whole place went wild. A brilliant end to a perfect night, the only criticism I could possibly have is that it was over too soon!

Without a doubt, The Sonics are legends, and with an amazing new album and tour, they definitely live up to the status they've achieved. It seems like they've picked up exactly where they left off, and yet their music today sounds just as fresh and explosive as any of the newer bands around, bands who will almost certainly have been influenced by The Sonics themselves.

Bus Thoughts ~ The Detroit Cobras and Modern Music

Usually I fall asleep for the whole of the bus journey but today I did not because I was thinking. I thought enough thoughts to fill a blog post I think. Do I like any modern music? By modern I mean post-80s sort of stuff. Stuff from bands who are around today and didn't start in the 70s (or before). If someone had asked me that a couple weeks ago I would have said no. I find modern music generally pretty awful because these days anyone with minimal talent and good auto-tune can become a huge star as long as they look the part, while talented musicians are often overlooked because they don't look 'right' or fit a certain 'pop-star' image. One of the things I like most about rock and roll is that it's one of the only genres which is still relatively indiscriminate about looks or age - fans don't really care what you're wearing or how old you are, so long as you play some good music. Of course having a certain image is important, but it's not the only thing that matters in rock and roll (unlike the way the pop industry is headed). Anyway, I listened to some not-so-old things recently and I kinda liked them.

There are a couple of things to mention, firstly Black Honey - finally a current British band that I actually like! I think I found them through Antonia Marsh / Girls Only on instagram. I'd been following them for a while but I only checked the tour dates the day after they played a show near me. Oh well, maybe next time. My favorite track at the moment is "Corrine", their latest single, because the vocal kind of reminds me of Mather Louth (Heathen Apostles). Also, they're an actual band and they play proper instruments, which is always good, and their image and style is great too - they just look really cool without looking like they tried too hard. I also really love the cover art - it has a perfect vintage look which I think goes really well with the music.

Also, this morning on the radio I heard a song called "Silly Boys Breaking Hearts" by local 16 year old singer songwriter Yazzy Chamberlain. I don't know much about her and I've only heard the song once but my first impression was that it was a pretty good track, good vocal, reminiscent of older acoustic music, and from the song it sounds like this girl has talent and probably some good musical influences too - one to watch out for in the future.

That kinda brings me onto The Detroit Cobras, because when I hear a new song on the radio with a female vocalist I automatically want it to remind me of Rachel Nagy, who has an amazing, soulful voice and I think Yazzy had that quality too. I have to admit I've discovered the Detroit Cobras shamefully late, and I'm really surprised they didn't crop up sooner because they've done some brilliant versions of a lot of songs I already knew. I've had "Shout Bama Lama" (originally an Otis Redding song) on repeat for days - definitely keeps me awake on the bus and it's something that I think I could dance to, even though I very rarely dance. The original is great but the Cobras' version is harder, faster, more exciting and really drives it home. They've brought the song right up to date, making it a credible current hit without losing any of the 60s vibe, something that incidentally can also be said of the 60s covers on The Sonics' last album.
It's great to hear a female vocalist with a really good voice sing something like "Shout Bama Lama" or "Stupidity", which of course were originally sung by men, because I think it gives the songs a completely new angle and an immediate unique edge. Their spin on "Boss With The Hot Sauce" (Davis & Jones and The Fenders), renamed "Boss Lady", is a great example, and one of my favorites has to be "Down In Louisiana", a cover of Polka Dot Slim's "A Thing You Gotta Face" from 1964. Their original song "Hot Dog" is so good that you wouldn't know it wasn't a cover, and it also has some of the best suggestive lyrics I've heard since The Cramps. It's also nice to see a female-fronted band that works really well - Rachel comes across as an absolute powerhouse and with Mary on guitar, it's a winning combination.

I think it's rare to find a good band influenced by the music of the 50s or 60s who didn't begin their career in the 70s but have retained that element in their music. There are lots of (well maybe 'lots' is an exaggeration, a few) bands, The Cramps being a very good example, who started out in the 70s and continued making good music that was influenced by the 50s / 60s, and stuck to that throughout, but I think it's rare to find someone outside of that immediate time frame who actually does it really well. That's why I love The Detroit Cobras, does that make any sense at all or am I just rambling?

Lastly, I wanted to mention Jesse Jo Stark. Her new video for "Silver Kiss" has been up on YouTube for a while and recently it's been another song I've had on repeat. It reminds me of something I'm really familiar with but I can't think what it is at the moment. If I remember, I'll let you know (if anybody is still reading this). Another classic rock and roll vocal, raw and powerful, really catchy tune too, you definitely need to listen to this one:

Random footnote on the importance of radio: I don't like most of the music that radio stations play these days, but I do think that radio is still really important not only for new music, but because they need to keep playing old songs otherwise new generations won't hear them. The sort of stuff that they wouldn't find online but might hear if somebody plays it on the radio, so that older songs can continue influencing new generations.

CRAMPS FIENDS ONLY

I wrote most of this at 1 o'clock in the morning so it might be slightly incoherent... I was watching that BBC four documentary on mods and rockers and it got me thinking about what kinds of groups or tribes there are around today and if I belong to any sort of group. The closest thing I could come up with was Cramps fans. I'll try to explain what I mean. I think with the Cramps there's a definite sort of culture that stands apart from everything else and is so much more than just liking the music from a particular band. When someone says they like the Cramps I instantly feel like we've got a lot in common. I think there's a definite sense of camaraderie that I haven't felt with any other group of fans and I think it says a lot about a band to be able to unite people in that way.

To be honest I haven't met an unpleasant Cramps fan yet, I think they're the nicest people and I'm glad to be part of that community. I suppose in a way I'm like a first generation fan i.e. I didn't hear of The Cramps from my parents, like those punk kids you see on instagram wearing Cramps shirts from birth, or kids who've been lucky enough to have their dads playing Cramps records all their lives. In fact, my parents really dislike The Cramps - they think the music is awful and everything looks like a monster. I just bought a Cramps shirt with Lux on the front and my mum has nicknamed it "the Frankenstein shirt" but somehow I think Lux would be cool with that... Anyway, I guess I had to discover them myself and I'm glad I got accepted into this little online community sorta thing by people who I suppose are the 'original fans', if you know what I mean, and actually bothered to talk to me and add me on Facebook and maybe even think I'm something sorta resembling what people might call 'cool'. So thank you, because most bands' fans don't do that.

Another thing I love is the fact that the "you've got good taste" thing is thrown around so often as a little in-joke that nobody else gets. Seriously, a guy said that to me when I was buying a Cramps record and sometimes it's little things like that which make your day... It's also a very true statement; I mean, anyone who likes The Cramps generally has pretty good taste. And can I just add that you guys (I'm assuming anyone still reading this is a fan of The Cramps) are probably some of the most generous people I've ever met. Never in my life have I been offered anything. Ever. And then suddenly I meet all these really cool people with really cool stories and who offer to send me stuff - most of which I can't accept because of US to UK shipping costs WHICH SUCKS - but I really appreciate it anyway. And when I first started using instagram properly, three different people gave me download codes for Cramps albums out of nowhere and for no other reason than just being nice because they could see that I really liked The Cramps which made me really really happy! I also got some really nice birthday messages from people online too.

"What's inside a girl? Mostly Strongbow ;)"
Favorite birthday Cramps reference, thanks Carl

Since this has kinda turned into a thank you post, I just wanted to mention a couple of really great guys who I'm really grateful for. Colin, who does the Lux Lives events in Glasgow and is a really friendly, amazing person, and Kogar, who of course put together all 17 volumes of the Lux and Ivy's Favorites compilations without which I probably wouldn't have discovered half of it. Oh and also the people who run the Facebook and Yahoo groups. As for me, I run stay-sick-turn-blue.tumblr.com. I figured there were enough Cramps-related Facebook pages and personally I prefer tumblr anyway, but the blog also has an instagram account. Just my two cents - I'm British I will never use that phrase again it sounds so weird - I guess because I'd like more of my generation to know who The Cramps are.

PATTI SMITH: HORSES

I know I haven't posted in ages, I've been really busy first with exams and college, then I went on holiday and now I'm off to London after only being home three days. I have to pack in a bit, so I'll keep this short. I wanted to write about Patti Smith and poetry, but I don't know where to start. Patti's Horses was my holiday album and I listened to the same few songs continuously because I had no internet so I could only choose a couple of songs to listen to offline, but the thing with Patti Smith is that you can listen to the same songs over and over and each time you'll hear something different in them. (The songs were "Gloria", "Land", "Kimberly" and "Redondo Beach" from Horses and also "Frederick" from Wave because I really liked the live version up on Spotify at the moment).

The iconic cover of Horses, shot by Robert Mapplethorpe.

I guess I wanted to listen to Patti Smith in the first place because I caught the end of her Glastonbury set on TV. The last song was "My Generation" which completely shocked my parents, particularly when she pulled the strings off her guitar at the end. They thought she was disgusting, I thought she was brilliant. The simple fact that she was still doing what she's always done with the same energy and attitude inspired me beyond anything else. Of course I'd heard of Patti Smith before (CBGBs, "Because the Night" etc.) but I hadn't properly listened to her music yet. Shameful, I know.

So I listened to Horses. I always like to listen to an artist's first album before anything else because it reflects them as they were when they first started out, which usually tends to be more authentic (although Patti has remained authentic and true to herself throughout her career). I listened to Horses and I adored it. I can genuinely say that it changed my outlook on life. As I've mentioned here before, I've always loved writing, and also reading and literature. I fell in love with Virginia Woolf and Christina Rossetti in school. By Year 9 I was reading Mrs Dalloway and became obsessed with the English classics. Books were my first love, even before records and rock and roll. If you don't see it already, my point is that before I heard Horses it didn't occur to me that poetry and rock music could exist together, in one form. It sounds stupid now, but I guess I had drifted away from reading to focus on exams when I first got into music, and became obsessed with that instead because it's much easier to listen to music while revising than it is to read books. Recently I've been reading more, I started with Arthur Rimbaud's The Drunken Boat which has now become my favorite poem. Reading Rimbaud is also thanks to Patti; the poet's name is cleverly inserted in the lyrics of "Land" so on a whim I thought I'd check out his work... and now I'm hooked on that too.

I seriously have to go pack now, so my final thought is this, which I noted down yesterday after I woke up at 6:30am, drank three cups of coffee and listened to the song "Maria": One of the reasons I love Patti Smith is because her writing has remained so strong; the lyrics still mean something, evoke something, tell stories - beautiful and passionate.

Intro & Blondie's Ghosts Of Download Album

Hello. I'm actually going to start writing stuff here. I set up this blog because I've always liked writing and because I wanted to share my excitement about great rock and roll from any era with whoever happens to come across this. Rock and roll is not only about the music; it's a lifestyle, an attitude, a way of thinking and of living. The music is a part of that. I might be 17, but I know what I like and what I don't. I have no interest in being spoon-fed chart music. What I like is music made with real instruments by people who are doing it for the right reasons; not for the money or because they want to get famous, but because they really love doing it. I like songs that have real energy, that are about real things, songs that don't just sound like someone thought, well this sounds like a hit so I'm gonna write a hit, but wrote it because that was what they wanted to write.

"Rock and roll is an attitude, it's not a musical form of a strict sort. It's a way of doing things, of approaching things. Writing can be rock and roll, or a movie can be rock and roll. It's a way of living your life." – Lester Bangs

I think I'll use this blog to write mostly about old stuff from the 50s to the 70s, but there might be a few new things too. It'll be informal because I don't know anything technical about music, but then again neither do most people I talk to. I think it's the human element that makes something great, and how people relate to it, rather than how you describe it technically. I've set up a few other pages on here, including the Featured Album page so you can read about great albums, and also the Journal section where I'll post a list of the live shows I've seen plus photos.

I thought I'd start with a short review of one of my favorite albums, Blondie's Ghosts Of Download, which came out just under a year ago.

Blondie – Ghosts Of Download (2014)

Blondie's most recent studio album, entitled Ghosts Of Download, is truly wonderful. The title itself, along with artwork by J. H. Williams III, evokes a 'spirits in the circuits' kind of image in an increasingly digital world, so it seems appropriate that much of the album was done on computer. Combined with Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux, the new material forms the Blondie 4(0)-Ever package in celebration of the band's 40th anniversary, which looks particularly beautiful on colored vinyl.

One of the strongest tracks on the album is "Rave". Reminiscent of classic Blondie tracks such as "Heart Of Glass", "Rave" could easily have been a hit had it been released as a single. The song showcases Debbie Harry's outstanding vocal and features Miss Guy of the Toilet Boys. "Winter" is another highlight on this eclectic album, and would also have made a great single. Ghosts Of Download displays the best of contemporary music from Blondie, with collaborations from a variety of artists including Beth Ditto, Systema Solar and Los Rakas, proving once again that Blondie are a band who span genres and generations.