The Paranoid Squirrel

Due to technical difficulties Episode 398 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show is temporally unavailable. In the meantime listen to these cool, should be heard on the radio but aren’t, songs.

For this week’s show I travelled up to The Boston Music Room in Tufnell Park for Amoeba Fest II that featured Peter Pan Speed Rock along with headliners Discharge. This was the first time I’ve caught Dutch band Peter Pan Speedrock but after their set it most certainly won’t be the last. Great Rock that brought out the local Turbojends. From first to third as this was the third time I’ve managed to see Discharge and each time with a different vocalist. Cal-Rat-JJ in that order, but the first time as a 5-piece as original member Tezz rejoins his brother Bones on guitar along with bassist Rainy, drummer Dave and new vocalist JJ Janiak. Yes I know basically Broken Bones with the addition of Rainy……

Welcome to this The Paranoid Squirrel Mid-Week Special. Special being the operative word as this episode features most probably the last ever Gasoline Queens gig. Recorded at the Unicorn in Camden on the 5th September with once again Chris Rockson joining them for a few choice numbers.

On this week’s show I play you something from The Generators and No Direction, covers from Enuff Z’Nuff and Tracii Guns League Of Gentlemen, new tracks from Wayne Kramer, Bernie Tormé, The Dwarves, The Meatmen, Kory Clarke, Gorilla, The Curse, The Last Great Dreamers, The Datsuns and Crucified Barbara. I also talk about the closure of music venues. Are we just being nostalgic? And why foreign touring bands are treated better in Mainland Europe than in the UK. All this whilst eating a pizza which broke three of my teeth.

This week’s show features the London debut solo gig of Nicke Borg, frontman with both Homeland and the reactivated Backyard Babies. Recorded at The Underworld in Camden on the 22nd August with just Nicke, an acoustic guitar and some choice stories, we hear an hours’ worth of songs from both the aforementioned bands along with some appropriate covers.

Thanks sadly to the cancellation of last weekends Alt-Fest I was able to see The Damned on “Home Turf” playing The Forum, Kentish Town for the wallet saving price of a Tenner. (All right £14.15 once all the unnecessary charges had been added). I know it was only in April that the band graced the self same venue for Captain’s 60th Birthday gig, but this (second) time around there was less of a party atmosphere with more of a down to business vibe. Although Captain still gives as good as he gets in the banter department. A nice long set, still nothing post “Eloise”. I still love to hear this line up tackle something from “Not Of This Earth/I’m Alright Jack”, but at the end of the day I’m just glad The Damned are still out there. New album pleeeease……..

Another live show this week recorded at a venue I’ve not been to before namely Under The Bridge which as the name suggests is under Stamford Bridge, home to Chelsea F.C. The band in question were/are Glen Matlock, Slim Jim Phantom and Earl Slick who collectively have been in The Sex Pistols, The Stray Cats and David Bowie. Obviously choice cuts from their more well know work are played albeit in a more Rock-a-Billy style, along with covers from Television, The Faces and, I kid you not, Pharrell Williams. Also joining the band for a cover of his and Earl’s former employer was Reeves Gabrels. A great band at a great venue, even if the Bar Prices reflected its location, The Wetherspoons in Fulham Broadway will be the stopping off point next time….

After a 37 year absence The Dictators NYC, that’s Handsome Dick Manitoba, Ross “The Boss”, JP Patterson with Ramones associate Daniel Rey and Dean Rispler finally return to London to play The Highbury Garage as a prelude to their Rebellion Festival appearance. The last official Dictators album came out 26 years ago in 1991 a gap of 13 years since 1978’s “Bloodbrothers” but even so none of the songs culled from them, “Go Girl Crazy” and “Manifest Destiny” sound dated. They sound just awesome as you are just about to hear along with a couple of covers thrown in for good measure in the shape and form of The Flaming Grooves “Slow Death” and with HDM reprising his Rob Tyner role with “Kick Out The Jams”.

For me, this week’s live show features 4 of the best unsigned DIY bands I’ve come across. Literally. Making their first foray into Central London it is Whitstable based band Flame Pilots, featuring friend of the show and Squirrel Associate Arkwright. Then it’s a live welcome return to The Paranoid Squirrel in the form of Cars Like Sharks. Up next is The Drej who regular listeners need no introduction to. Headlining the whole shindig is Top Buzzer warming themselves up for their Rebellion slot. A great evening with four great bands. Enjoy.

Off the back of last week’s show we have an acoustic Captain Sensible song starting things going which is swiftly followed by a new track from the up and coming Murder City Devils album “The White Ghost Has Blood On Its Hands Again”. Sad news reached the Squirrel dray on Monday regarding the health of former Heartbreaker bassist Billy Rath. As a tribute to him I play you a track from the Heartbreakers one and only studio album “L.A.M.F.” (cassette version). In the live department it’s Jettblack at The Macbeth, Hoxton in a one-off party gig to test out some of the songs from album number 3.

As Motörhead have just announced three Arena show for November with The Damned as special guests I play tracks from both with the addition of The Sensible Gray Cells (Captain, Paul Gray & Ant Thickett) as they are also playing a London date in November. Up next is another new track from The Mutants “Rhythm and Punk Review” album. For the next few tracks I seem to be in “Classic Rock” territory with The Dagger, Judas Priest, Uriah Heep and Bullet. The reformed Last Great Dreamers have the first single taken from their soon to be released “Crash Landing In Teenage Heaven” album aired. Gig of the Summer has to be The Drej, Top Buzzer, Cars Like Sharks and Flame Pilots at The Rhythm Factory on the 6th August. All my favourite unsigned bands in one place all for free! So rounding this week’s show off is a track from each.

This week’s show starts of with a tribute to Tommy Ramone who sadly passed away on the 11th July. Apart from the obvious Ramones tunes aired I also play a track from the Lords of Altamont cover album “Lords Take Altamont” followed by The Crazy Squeeze whilst discussing Downloads vs Real life Records. The best band name of the year so far goes to Spliff Witchard whose new album “Next Stop…Never” has a track aired. From now on in, or until the end of the show, I hit you with some of the finest Nordic Rock I have lying around in my hard-drive; Märvel, The Hellacopters, Bloodlights, Smoke Mohawk, Gluecifer, The Michael Monroe Band, The Flaming Sideburns, Waltari, The Nomads and Sator.

Not many bands will get me staying out late one of the exceptions to the rule will always be The Yo-Yo’s as club gigs seem to be only once a year. As a Sonisphere warm-up the band played Chris McCormack’s Jubilee Club on the 4th July. Only Tom Spencer and Danny McCormack remain from the band that produced the classic “Uppers & Downers” for Subpop but Simon Maxwell drummer from the Loyalties and Role Models along with guitarist Nick Hughes bassist with New Device fit in like a worn out boxing glove. The Yo-Yo’s were supported by The (Willie) Dowling (Random Jon) Poole who had stayed on after their PledgeMusic Pledgers only gig. A very satisfying evening even if I did get in at twenty to two.

So the run of studio episodes lasted one whole week but I think you will agree with me that 50 odd minutes of Honest John Plain who was aided and abetted by Robbie Rushton on drums, Gary Pearce on guitar and Nick Medlin on bass, recorded at The Water Rats in London is a fair exchange. Frustratingly HJP isn’t able to promote his latest solo album that sees him working with Glen Matlock, Martin Chambers, Michael Monroe, Casino Steel, Darrell Bath and Verden Allen as the only track that has seen the light of day, so far, has been “Never Listen To Rumours”. But what we do get a great cross section of Honest John Plain’s recording career. Obviously The Boys are represented along with The Crybabys, Landslide Ladies and even a collaboration with Pete Stride gets an airing. Enjoy.

After a six week break I return you to an all studio show. Kicking things off are The Ramones who are followed by a track from the new Nazareth album “Rock ‘n’ Roll Telephone”. From there on in it’s pretty much all new material from; Carnival Sun, Jackson Firebird, The New Christs, The Royal Cream, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Peter Pan Speedrock, The Mutants featuring Wilko Johnson, Wayne Kramer, Rat Scabies, Jake Burns, TV Smith, Charlie Harper, Jucy Nylon, Neville Staple, Norman Watt-Roy, Chris Constantinou and Paul Frazer. The Boys, The Bermondsey Joyriders, St Evel, Cars Like Sharks, The Buzzcocks, The Hip Priests, The Quireboys and The Backstreet Girls. I also managed to slip in a “Compare and Contrast”; The Damned Vs The Wildhearts.

Once again this week we go live with sets from the recently reactivated Role Models, The Hip Priests who are all set to release album number three “Black Denim Blitz” on August 11th and making their UK debut promoting their brand new album “Right Between The Eyes” from Sweden the Chuck Norris Experiment. Recorded at The Pipeline, London 13th June.

Even with a super backlog of CDs & mp3 I’m taking you on a trip down memory lane in the form of Adam West. For those of you who think Adam West was the actor who played Batman in the 1960’s US Television show and have no access to Wikipedia here is the lowdown. Adam West was formed in the early 1990s, when vocalist Jake Starr decided to form a garage band with a 1960s Rock n' Roll sound. They released their first single, "I Get a Sensation", on Fandango Records in 1993. Their discography consists of 35 7-inch singles, one 10-inch EP, five full-length studio albums, three outtakes/B-sides albums, and 40 appearances on compilation albums. In 2008, Adam West released their final album ESP: Extra Sexual Perception, and played their farewell tour in Europe. They concluded an almost 17-year career at a sold-out show in their hometown of Washington, DC on November 8, 2008. I only managed to see the band twice. The 1st in 2005 at Debaser and the final time a year later on 31st October at Club Sheriff, both in Stockholm, Sweden. Enjoy.

“Camden Rocks….The Squirrel Shakes” This week’s show is dedicated to The Camden Rocks Festival that was held on the 31st May. 200 bands playing at 20 venues strewn across the Borough. I only managed to take in 6½ bands whilst The Squirrel faired better with 8½. Bands featured are New Device, The Peckham Cowboys, Chris Catalyst, The Eureka Machines, Star Scream and Ginger Wildheart.

On this week’s show The Squirrel and I travelled up to The Jazz Café to see Progressive, Psychedelic Rockers Motorpsycho who hail from Trodheim, Norway. One of us came away happy, the other not so. This would have been the third time I’ve seen them in three different settings, the first was at the Borderline with the second at the Garage where the band played the whole of their “Death Defying Unicorn” album. This time around it was over two hours of career spanning Progtastic fan and band favourite songs. Enjoy.

This week’s live show was almost a studio affair no small part to my shoulder still giving me gyp. I just didn’t feel up to venturing out. Fortunately industrial strength painkillers and Jamesons dulled the pain. So off I rode up to Hoxton to see Outlaw Country Rocker Bob Wayne at The Bar & Grill, Hoxton Square, who was over here promoting his current album “Back To The Camper”. This was my first time seeing this style of music and even with a dodgy shoulder I enjoyed every cotton picking moment.

Back to an all live affair this week with Courtney Love recorded on the first night of her just finished UK tour at The Shepherds Bush Empire. Her band also just happens to feature one Ginger Wildheart.

On this week’s show I get around to playing a whole bunch of tunes that should’ve been on Episode 376 namely, a brand new track from Mother’s Children’s “Lemon” album, ditto The Peckham Cowboys, The Cry and Wonk Unit, but before all that it’s The Wildhearts that start this week’s show off. Up next it is The Germans who featured Pete Coyne, Kris Dollimore, Mark Wrangham and Rat Scabies. This week’s “Missing In Action” is Free Fall who are swiftly followed by a brand spanking new track from The Curse whose second album should be out anytime now….Looking forward to that! Still in Sweden it’s a MegaRock Demo from the Backyard Babies as it has been announced that the foursome are regrouping this Summer to make new music. The last of this week’s studio tracks comes courtesy of Cats In Boots who were a late 80’s band that at the time passed me by unnoticed. Live it is Beastmilk and Doomriders recorded at the Camden Underworld rounding things off this week.

Welcome to Episode 376 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show and for the first since 1879 I bring you an all studio episode. What a better way than starting proceedings off with some Motörhead. Which is swiftly followed by Mary’s Kids with their contribution to the AM Records split 7” with T-55. We stay in Scandinavia for a while with a track off the new Chuck Norris Experiment CD and rejoice in the news that the band will be playing over in here in the UK come June. Marvel’s latest and greatest album “Hadal Zone Express” has been a firm favourite of mine since it landed on my virtual doormat. The track I play sounds like Ian Gillan popped in for a sing-a-long. Imperial State Electric recently released a new 4 track ep. Obviously I play something off it but am I pleased with it? H.E.A.T. have a track aired from their “Tearing Down The Walls” album. My fantasy Girlfriend Karla Force’s band Crucified Barbara have just released a track from their forthcoming album which obviously I play with. The last of the Scandinavian segmentation come courtesy of The Electric Boys with a track from “Starlight United. We now move over to LA for some Smash Fashion who feature an ex members of The Quireboy, Smack and Rock City Angels. After that we travel Downunder for a track off the debut Black Heart Breakers album. In a shock move I play some Magnum as I was lead to believe one track off their new album sounded like The Wildhearts. Find out if it was a dirty trick. Up next from Kent its Whispering Shadows with a song from their/his Russian released “Compendium Of Sorrow” album. The next section is all about Pledge with tracks from Stiff Little Fingers, The DeRellas, Bernie Tormé and CJ Wildheart. The show is played out with some Wilko Johnson and Roger Daltrey as we all keep our fingers crossed that Wilko’s recent operation is a success.

Welcome to “Two Sides Of The Same Town”. On this Episode I go to two gigs on the same day that were 15 miles apart. The bands in question are The Drej, that feature one of my top three all time favourite drummers, who were playing The Garage in Highbury & Islington and Borracho, who feature a couple of ex-Adam West members who I last saw in Stockholm, Halloween 2006, who were at The Iron Horse in Sidcup. Both bands play a compatible style of music and in an ideal World they would’ve been on the same bill. So if you are into Black Sabbath, The Damned, Soundgarden, Faith No More, Hendrix, Kiss, Melvins, Kyuss, Pink Floyd and Clutch I recommended that after sitting back with this show turned to eleven you purchase The Drej’s debut album and Borracho’s first two. Twenty quid well spent .