23/11/2019 The Hip Priests @ The Black Heart

Out at a gig in a typical 'rock 'n roll toilet' for the second night running - actually this place has some of the worst toilets of any London music venue. However, The Black Heart seems to have become the most likely venue in London to find 'The most prolific band you've never heard of' AKA The Hip Priests when they make a raid down south from their native Nottingham.

To be honest I can't remember much about this gig over two years after it actually happened - apart from that it was very crowded and very LOUD.

Also, that The Hip Priests still sound like a mixture of The Stooges, Motörhead, and MC5. All of which obviously makes them really great.

And that they played 'Zero Fucks Given' and 'Shit Island' - a song which seems to be ever more apt for our times.

22/11/2019 The Spangles @ The Hope & Anchor

I've been trying to catch this lot for a while, but they don't often get down to London from Leeds and when they do it usually seems to clash with something else. There are only three people in the band, but they are all known on the scene from other outfits. When bassist Danny McCormack rejoined The Wildhearts the Main Grains were effectively over, but now part of that band has resurfaced with guitarist Ben Marsden and drummer Ginna forming The Spangles. I'm getting quite used to seeing Ben playing at this venue now as I've also seen him playing here a couple of times with the Warner E. Hodges Band - more about that in other posts on here...

Joining on vocals is Ginna's ex-Phluid bandmate Polly Phluid, who can also be seen singing with The Idol Dead. I didn't know he could play bass as well as sing but he's actually rather good at it.

The Spangles sound rather like you might expect them to if you were familiar with the members other current and past bands - it's punky rock 'n' roll and it's fun. They are all musicians who have 'paid their dues' over the years, and if you put the three of them together you get a pretty good band. I will definitely be looking out for them in the future.

16/11/2019 Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons @ The Dublin Castle

Back to one of London's best music venues to see Basingstoke's best band. Well probably anyway - I haven't actually seen every band in Basingstoke. Or any of them to be honest apart from this one, but I'd be very surprised if any of them are as good as Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons.

This band are a unique mixture of influences - from a singer mixing up Tank Girl with Catwoman, to a rockabilly guitarist who also likes Motörhead, and a drummer who puts disco beats into rock & roll songs. But put them all together and it works. Really well.

Oddly, they don't have a bass player - although they did the first few times I saw them. I don't know exactly what happened, but they have decided since that they can do without a bass player. They certainly seem to be managing OK without one.

Although there are some more modern influences this band are very firmly influenced by the classic rock & roll and rockabilly of the 1950's, albeit with a punk and very in your face attitude.

If you want to be highly entertained by some vintage sounding rock 'n' roll I can highly recommend catching Pussycat and The Dirty Johnsons if they head your way. And buy their albums - I picked up their latest one 'Ain't No Pussy' at the merch stall and wasn't disappointed.