Daffodils in January now?

This seems to be happening earlier every year.😮 Now in North London we have daffodils in bloom in January - this isn't normal. And still the Global Warming deniers walk amongst us... 

 

Goodbye 2023...

 Well 2023 was certainly a year of ups & downs - mostly downs in the latter part...

I learned more about other people and how they can be a lot more complicated than they appear - and in the process I learned more about myself. Including that apparently (to quote a song written by Lemmy) "I ain't no nice guy after all"

"My shine wore off as time wore on" Ain't that the truth... ♠

That episode in the summer triggered another of my periods of self doubt and lack of confidence. It made me take a closer look at myself. Another thing I learned: On top of OCD (which I think I have had most my life without even realising it) I have now also discovered 'Imposter Syndrome' is a thing - a thing I seem to have.

For 2024: Press 'Control/Alt/Delete' to restart...

26/8/2023 Electrics, London Sewage Company, Nosebleed & Blue Carpet Band @ The Aeronaut.

I don't go to Acton very often - in fact not really at all for many years apart from the London Transport Museum Acton Depot. It's not actually that far as-the-crow-flies, but it takes bloody ages on the Piccadilly Line! The Aeronaut pub looked interesting though, so I did a bit of research into it's name and the pub's theme - there is a genuine local aeronautical connection going back to the early days of aviation. The pub's theme is a tribute to locally born aviator George Lee Temple who was later to come to grief at nearby Hendon aerodrome - but that's another story...

George Lee Temple

I was already intrigued, and then I found out some bands that I'm interested in were going to be playing there - so I had to make the trip.

Also, 'SHAKE SOME ACTON'  - brilliant play on words for an event that is actually in Acton!

Although unfortunately the Flamin' Groovies aren't actually playing here.

Due to it taking so long to get from Cockfosters to Acton on the tube I completely missed the first band, but fortunately was in time to see 🗲Electrics🗲 who are always good fun!

"It's Electrics Jim - but not as we know them"

Tonight's show is different to the band's normal performances as for one night only they are playing as a power trio instead of their usual four piece lineup.

The reduced version of the band still  works well, but it's better with Rob Jones solid rhythm guitar driving things along.

It's good seeing 🗲Electics🗲 in this rather unique venue. The Aeronaut more often hosts 'Circus' themed events and is styled accordingly - more so than it's aviator theme, but the place is well suited for more rock 'n' roll events like tonight as well. And 🗲Electrics🗲 jagged New York tinged take on punky rock 'n' roll with snotty attitude fits in well here.

Next up is a more London take on punky rock 'n' roll.

London Sewage Company has risen from the ashes of punk Elvis tribute band Viva Las Vegas, and like that band is also fronted by Mark 'Barnet' Webster - ex-manager of Denmark Street's legendary 12 Bar Club.

If you liked Mark's previous band you'll probably like this one too as the musical style is very similar - but you probably won't hear any Elvis songs!

Next is a band new to me who take things up a gear or two. Nosebleed are all the way from Leeds - they are on a mission! They arrive on stage very smartly dressed in suits - this and their very tight punchy  rock & roll sound remind me strongly of The Hives. But their jackets don't stay on for long! In fact 2/3 of the band don't stay on stage very long either - these guys believe in taking the music out to the people - so, taking their mic stands with them they stride forward into the crowd and play most of their show from there...

There is punk influence in the band's attitude and intensity, but basically this is very tight but fiercely played rock 'n' roll.

The drummer is great too - this is very important and makes the difference between a good and a great band. Unfortunately the audio from my phone camera was shit and the band sounded much better than this - and as you can see the crowd were loving it!

If The Hives came from Leeds then they might have looked and sounded like this. They don't play in London very often but Nosebleed go straight away of my list of bands I really want to see again!

Finally tonight I get to see The Blue Carpet Band - who I have been wanting to see for some time as they have built up a terrific reputation on our scene as a great live rock 'n' roll band. Circumstances always seemed to conspire against me getting to their shows for one reason or another - until now.

I was not disappointed - this band were well worth the wait. A full-on rock 'n' roll band with a great frontman.

I can see why this band have quickly gained a great reputation as a great live act. Although they are a varied bunch who look like they are from different bands they are all good musicians - but it's the singer you are most going to remember - he looks like he eats, breathes and lives rock & roll. Although young he looks like an authentic throwback to the 1950's - like Danny McCormack in his time in the Yo-Yo's. And as well as totally looking and acting the part the energy and enthusiasm he hurls into his performance totally grabs the attention of the crowd!

Like the best frontmen the stage is too small to contain him! The Blue Carpet Band are fun and highly entertaining. Tonight they and Nosebleed are straight away added to the list of bands I can't wait to see again.

As for the venue, I found The Aeronaut an interesting place and far more suitable for live bands than most pubs. It's just a pity it takes so long to get there on the tube - and home again late at night. It's not a place I would ever choose to drink in if I lived locally though as it's quite expensive, and also sadly like many other music venues I walk up to the bar and find no real ales or any other kind of beer I actually want to drink - regardless of price. Sorry Aeronaut - I didn't find you a good drinking experience and you need to do better.

5/8/2023 Electric Gasmen @ The Butchers Arms

I don't normally write about cover bands as they tend to be much of a muchness - mostly playing the same songs - usually in a competent but plodding and lifeless manner. But pub regulars don't tend to be very demanding (especially after a few drinks) and this is all the live music they've ever seen - so they lap it up. However...

This is something a bit different as far as cover bands in local pubs go. This outfit of local musicians has been thrown together to back up East Ender Gary Lammin - ex of that fine rock 'n' roll band Bermondsey Joyriders, and before that legendary underground punks Cock Sparrer. Quite what he is doing in a Barnet pub in a Hi-Vis vest is anyone's guess, but he is no stranger to the area.

The set consists mainly of rock & roll classics.

Although Gary has a strong punk pedigree he is a very good rock & roll player with a love of 1950's classics as well as stuff from the 60's and 70's - the Rolling Stones being particular favourites.

As well as familiar rock classics from the past Gary is also liable to throw in one or two Bermondsey Joyriders songs as well to keep people on their toes.

Gary is assisted on vocals and guitar by local musician Paul Morea 

who also runs a jam/open mic night at this pub.

29/7/2023 BelleFest @ The Underworld

This is a difficult one. The late Belle Star was a much loved and respected figure on our underground rock scene in  London: Drummer, mixer, producer, and DJ - he was great at all these things. His sudden loss was totally unexpected and came as a shock to our scene. Some people just knew Belle as a DJ - particularly at the Glam club Decadence, but he wore many hats. I knew him best as a musician and saw him in a quite a few different bands over the years - mostly in Lilygun and Maleficent in more recent times, and last in Bexatron. The latter band evolved into Glitter Kick who were his current musical focus and he had recently finished recording their debut album. Sadly he died before playing his first show with this new band, but he had finished recording his drum tracks. As well as his renowned skills behind the drum kit he was also an excellent sound engineer with a very good ear for getting a good mix.

Belle was a charismatic and popular figure on London's underground Glam Rock scene - and also a very glamorous figure in his own right - if he was in a room everyone would notice! He was well known for his strength and having a very loud snare drum sound, but also as a very nice and kind man - I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He will be greatly missed by many and his family and friends have arranged this event at a tribute to him.

Opening the evening were the wonderful Glitter Kick. Formed from the ashes of Bexatron. who also featured Greg and Belle later to form Glitter Kick. They were a fun band who I only saw once at the New Cross Inn but wanted to see again. Sadly they split up before I managed to as singer Bex decided she didn't want to do it any more. So the remaining members got a new singer called Roxi who I had seen a few times in the past fronting a band called The Transmitters. They rebranded as Glitter Kick and seemed to be about to step up to the next level. An album was recorded - with Belle recording and mixing as well as playing the drums. Then, before the band could play their first gig tragedy struck. And now with tragic irony Glitter Kick play their first ever live show without and as a tribute to their much loved drummer.

There is an unknown dep drummer, and no one I speak to seems to know who the extra singer is or why he is there. He seems totally superfluous and totally upstages Roxi - who is more than capable of fronting a band on her own.

Glitter Kick turn in a good performance - in spite of their extra member distracting from what they are really about. 

They are an excellent live act with a good selection of catchy pop/rock tunes and also an entertaining and engaging singer.

I very much look forward to hearing the band's completed album featuring Belle on drums - which has apparently already been recorded...

Next up are another (of many) bands of which Belle has been a part of.

Dark. Heavy. Goth. This is Nosferatu.🦇

Next things take on a different but very London vibe.

Flash Mob consist mostly of members of the infamous King Lizard and feature many faces well known from London's trashy Sleaze Rock scene of the first ten years of this century. We got a few minutes of rock mayhem and chaos - exactly as expected!

 

After the previous carnage things calm down with Anna Christina along with David Ryder Prangley of Rachel Stamp performing a touching acoustic song specially written as a tribute to their friend Belle.

Things soon get louder again when Belle's former band Killing Miranda take to the stage.

Their fearsome Goth/Industrial Metal noise blasts out into the confines of The Underworld and the band appear to be taking no prisoners.

Next on the stage it's David Ryder Prangley & Friends.

Many of whom are familiar, and some less so.

And finally DRP returns to the stage again with the band he is most associated with - Rachel Stamp.

I can think of no finer act to pay tribute to Belle - even though he wasn't actually in this band...

...but this band's drummer Robin Guy and Belle were great friends who often helped each other out with gear issues and depped for each other at gigs.

Rachel Stamp are a flamboyant and gripping live act with some banging pop/rock tunes.

I think Belle would have been proud and happy to see this big sendoff from his many friends.

A fine finale and salute to the much loved Belle Star - he will be greatly missed.

23/7/2023 Pump It Up! Powerpop weekender @ The Finsbury. Day 2

So, back on Sunday for for final day of the Pump It Up! weekender. This time I manage to see all the bands. First up are The Stayawakes.

Bouncy New Wave style powerpop from a bunch of guys who look the sort of age to be playing plodding blues in pubs, but bring something original and different to the stage instead.

Next are Spearside who look like the might be a Thin Lizzy cover band but definitely aren't. They do rock a bit harder than yer average powerpop band though.

Next up are Nervous Twitch - I think a husband and wife team who dish up the most interesting and original act so far. A bit of a rockabilly twist to bouncy pop tunes.

Things change again for the next band - all the way from Sweden. 

Psychotic Youth aren't actually very youthful and have been going for many years, but turn in by far the most powerful and energetic performance of the day.

This is by far the most full-on rock 'n' roll set of the day. Although they are from Sweden this band is so good I am surprised I can't remember ever having heard of them before. They seem to have brought quite a crowd here to see them and I would definitely like to see them again. It's very rare to see guys of this age play with such passion and commitment - like they really mean it. They leave most younger bands for dead.

Another big change for the next band. Fast Cars are another band I'm amazed I've never heard of before, although I think they have played at a previous Pump It Up! event. The guys from Some Weird Sin are incredibly good at finding 'the best bands you've never heard of' for their weekenders.

They play catchy tuneful punk inspired but more New Wave powerpop that fits in well with the theme of these events. Excellent hook filled songs that like the previous band leave me wondering how they slipped under my radar first time round...

Finishing proceedings off this weekend is another band I think have played at a previous Pump It Up event.

The #1s hail come from Ireland and seem to have brought a sizable crowd along with them. Their bouncy catchy and enthusiastically played pop/punk songs defy current fashion along with their image - things I suspect they never gave a thought to 'cos they just wanna have fun playing music for their mates.

The Undertones are an obvious influence although they play their own original material. However, they do make a basic schoolboy error when they invite one of their aforementioned mates onto the stage to sing the Undertones classic 'Teenage Kicks'. Said mate is obviously very very pissed and barely capable of standing - let alone performing a song - even one as gloriously simple as 'Teenage Kicks' which is basically just the same verse/chorus repeated. He can't remember all the words or when to come in or stop singing - chaos descends and things go downhill rapidly from there....

Apart from the shambolic 'Teenage Kicks' it's been a great day/night and all the bands have been quality acts that bring something new and different to the table - even if they may not actually be new. But all the bands have been worth watching, and as usual for a Pump It Up! weekender I have discovered new (to me) bands I would like to see again. Sadly this is almost certainly going to be the last ever of these events. Apparently it's become increasingly difficult to make these shows viable - Covid 19 and the resulting lockdowns really took the wind out of the sails of the live music scene. Many clubs and music venues have closed for good and it has been very difficult to regain the momentum the scene used to have. Prices have greatly increased and a lot of people have just got out of the habit of going to to pubs or to see live music. Also, these weekender events featuring many bands (many from abroad)  are now even more difficult to organise than before - with bands often dropping out and being difficult to replace at short notice. And Brexit hasn't helped either with getting bands in from abroad as things have now got a lot more difficult and complicated. And these events are completely organised and run by just two people! So hats off to Simon and Mauro from Some Weird Sin club nights for managing to keep things going for a long as they have over the years at various venues. But although this may be the last ever Pump It Up! weekender their club nights featuring DJs and bands still take place regularly...

22/7/2023 Pump It Up! Powerpop weekender @ The Finsbury. Day 1

I always enjoy these events put on by the guys from the Some Weird Sin club. This year their Pump It Up! powerpop weekender is taking place at The Finsbury pub in Manor House.

It's a nice little music venue almost next door to Manor House tube station - so it's easy to get to for a lot of people. There are usually some decent real ales on draught - a bit pricey, but as it can take an incredibly long time to get served at the bar you won't spend as much as you probably would if you could get served quickly... Fortunately I'm here for the music not the beer. The back room where the bands play has a decent stage, but no bar.

For reasons I can't remember (probably me being a disorganised idiot who can't get his shit together) I miss the first band Continental Quilts - but knowing this event's previous track record I'm sure they were good. But I do see some cool 1970's style punky NYC style rock 'n' roll from BBQT.

'And now for something completely different' as they used to say in Monty Python. This is Food Fight and they are from France. I had no idea what to expect from them but they were really good! I think they take their influences from the geeky side of late 1970's British punk and New Wave and have really good catchy pop songs. They reminded me of the Undertones and Buzzcocks.

Their image was pretty weird - I don't know if they were being 'ironic' or whether that sort of thing is or ever was cool in France? One thing is for sure though - it really made them stand out from the crowd. And that is important if you want to get people's attention or to be remembered. I don't think a lot of bands get this. But in this case the band's performance and songs were excellent and left me wanting to see them again.

Next up was something also rather different to anything else to be found in this current scene. I have known singer Jimmy for many years from his old band Anglo/Italian punkers The Roolettes and later GABBA so I was interested to see what he is up to now. The band name Young Francis Hi Fi is confusing and doesn't give you any clue what to expect. So I wasn't expecting what appeared to be a bunch of 1980's NWoBHM relics wearing badge and patch festooned denim cut-off battle jackets to clamber onto the stage! Double denim? Yes!

Then when they unleashed their uncompromising aural assault on us I got another surprise - they sound absolutely nothing like they look! Irony seems to be alive and well in Manor house tonight, but they sounded fantastic! Instead of 80's metal they blasted us with fast and furious tuneful punk rock. A definite Ramones influence, but I'll never have a problem with that. This was the most fun band of the day.

Then next we again get something completely different, but still something very much influenced by bands of the band. But this time it predates punk and hints at bands like The Faces and 1970's Glam rock. And also the 1980's as band leader Marc Valentine was also in Last Great Dreamers - peers of The Quireboys, but a band who never quite got they breaks they deserved at the time and disappeared into oblivion. Until 2014, but that's another story....

After reforming, touring and releasing more well received albums Last Great Dreamers went on hiatus while Marc and guitarist Slyder took time to record solo albums and tour with their own bands. Marc has been the most prolific of the pair and put an excellent band together. Although this is a rock band, Marc has a good ear for writing a catchy pop tune while also being a charismatic frontman. This is quality stuff.

Fittingly today's final band are The Speedways - a band featuring Some Weird Sin club's Mauro Venegas on guitar and were only originally put together for a one-off show as a previous Pump It Up! event. But went on to play many gigs and record some albums.

The Speedways are a really good powerpop band with excellent stage presence and a bunch of tuneful and catchy songs. Well worth catching them if you get the chance.

So that was fun! Back for more of the same tomorrow...