The Paranoid Squirrel

Arguably there are just three bands that matter; The Ramones, Motörhead and The Damned. All subsequent Rock Bands lineage can be traced back to these three. Strangely enough my favourite single, album and live gig are from none of the above bands. For only the second time in their history Motörhead and The Damned once again became touring partners. Motörhead were always the metal band punks liked and The Damned the punk band that appealed to metalheads, with Lemmy even joining a bassless Damned (Les Punks) for a one off gig at The Electric Ballroom. This lead to the aborted Motördamned project that saw The Sweets’ “Ballroom Blitz” and Motörhead’s “Over The Top” recorded. “Spend That Money” indeed. Normally the pre-Christmas Motörhead UK Tour takes in around half a dozen dates but this year, due to Lemmy’s health concerns, it’s down to just three; Manchester, Birmingham and Wembley Arena. I braved the £46 cost of the ticket but avoided forking out for the costly Car Park opting for London Transport seeing them at Wembley. I missed the beginning of opening act The BossHoss but was suitably impressed to go out and purchase their current CD “Flames Of Fame”. The Damned’s set being only 50 minutes meant it was a super condensed fan favourite best of. As per nothing post Eloise, with the band finishing up with the singular Smash It Up, no time for Part One on this particular occasion. The sound, for a change for The Damned was spot on, better than some of their own headlining shows I’ve seen. It’s been three years since I last saw Motörhead due to clashing gigs, a Hand-Fasting and Lemmy’s hematoma. Lemmy seemed very subdued, never moving from his mic stand and no machine gunning bass. The only thing that was animated was his hands and mouth. Sonically though Motörhead, as I hoped, ruled. The set-list, as we all know for a band that have been going for as long as they have is always going to be difficult, choosing what to put in and what to leave out. “No Iron Fist”, or “Bomber”, but then I have heard them a million times before. “Rock It” and “Suicide” on the other hand from “Another Perfect Day” and “Inferno” respectively were a nice addition. I’m really glad I went, three really good bands, just about money well spent.

When two members of your band do the dirty on you and quit just before a couple of gigs there are two things that you can do; crawl off somewhere and feel sorry for yourself, saying poor old me or in the case of Pete and Christopher Coyne of The Godfathers get some shit hot replacements that make the former members look tired and redundant. They say success is the best form of revenge and never has that been more apt. After a couple of false starts on Halloween I finally managed to get to see The Godfathers live at their sold out gig at The Lexington in Islington. And boy was it worth the wait. Pete and Chris were joined by Mauro Venegas and Steve Crittall on guitar with Tim James on drums and to quote Pete they were “Red Hot”. All aspects of the band career were played with some tunes being dusted off after a long time away, obviously for me they were all the first time I’d heard them, but they most defiantly won’t be the last. Kicking the show off this week are The Kult 45s who like The Godfathers I’ve been trying and failing to see. Obviously for not as long as the aforementioned Godfathers as the said Kult 45s have only been blasting out their brand of Dirty, Filthy Punk ‘n’ Roll Blues since the beginning of the Summer, but with a reasonable stage time of 8:15 The 12 Bar beckoned. Talking about The 12 Bar; I also put in my two Denarius over the reshaping of Denmark Street and surrounding areas due to CrossRail.

On this week’s show we have Bernie Tormé and The Broken Chords recorded live at The Borderline in London, although Bernie’s Brighton encore, recorded a week earlier, does actually finish things off. I will always sight two guitarists as being hugely influential. Captain Sensible being one, the other; Bernie Tormé. Bernie really does have a real unique sound and playing style, highly distinctive. When I first heard Zakk Wylde playing with Ozzy Osbourne I immediately thought he’d grown up listening to Gillan albums and the live Ozzy bootleg recordings of when Bernie was brought in to finish off Ozzy’s touring commitments in the States after Randy Rhodes’ tragic death. 2014 has been a great year if you a Bernie Tormé fan. A fan funded double CD “Flowers and Dirt” which reached the 100% mark within 24 hours finally ending at 418% and a tour, a proper full on Bernie Tormé Tour! Two dates were penned in for myself, The Squirrel and squirrel associate Arkwright; Brighton on the 22nd and London 29th (Unfortunately Arkwright missed the London gig as he was rehearsing with his own band). Two great nights, with Bernie’s sons joining him on stage in Brighton for a run though of “Paranoid”. In London it was the turn of a guest pledger to join Berne, drummer Ian Harris and bassist Chris Heilmann for a cover of Hendrix’s “Fire”. If you’re quick off the mark you can see Bernie at The Clundy, Newcastle tonight (1st Nov) or if Scotland is where you reside he’s with you on the 13th, 14th and 15th. In other news I talk about clashing gigs; Johnny Moped versus Stonewall Noise Orchestra/Goat Leaf. Looks like the Mopeds will have my patronage as the doors don’t open until 9pm for S*N*O. The Squirrel doesn’t call me Armerella for nothing……

As it seems to be the trend for October (and from what I can tell it’s going to continue into November, well into November) it’s another all live show. Nothing Scandinavian this time around though. First up it’s The Sensible Gray Cells, but “Hold on!” I hear you cry “Their tour has just been cancelled”. True, but to illustrate my frustration at the gigs being cancelled, all four of them, due to perceived low tickets sales, the added prices to the face value, that you don’t get back in the event of a cancellation I use one of their songs from “A Postcard From Britain” and thanks to modern technology make it sound how you would’ve heard it on the tour……The first real live band on this week’s show is Goat Leaf who unfortunately I only caught the last song from their Kory Clarke support slot. Admittedly it was a good last song. The band feature former Warrior Soul guitarist Johnny H and their brand of Stoner, Punk, and Desert Session Rock was right up my street. (I did contemplate seeing them at The Unicorn Thursday but due to an extremely late night the day before seeing Bernie Tormé down in Brighton I didn’t. Thanks M23 mega diversion for adding an extra 40 minutes to the journey.) Obviously Kory Clarke (Warrior Soul, Trouble, Mob Research, etc) is this week’s main attraction with the final date of his current UK Tour, well 4 Scottish dates and 2 English which makes a change. The gig in question was at The Islington in er…Islington to promote Kory’s new Cargo released CD “Payback’s A Bitch”. Kory looked tanned and relaxed but still giving the (Stiff) Middle Finger to those deemed to have crossed him. Old classics and soon to be new classics stood up well together with the band pretty much laying waste to all and sundry.

More Scandinavian live action courtesy of Crucified Barbara and Supercharger recorded at The Boston Music Room Tufnell Park. This was the first time I’ve seen Danish Rockers Supercharger who describe themselves as “a mix of rich guitars, piano, Hammond organ, harmonica and heavy drums, stirred up with rough whiskey vocals”. No argument from me on that score. It’s been six years since I last saw Crucified Barbara when they rolled into town with The Backyard Babies. This time around they’re on a full on European Headlining Tour in support of their fourth album “In The Red”. On this week’s show I also talk about a solution to my iPod running out of space, getting out of a Parking Ticket but picking up a cracked windscreen and watching a former work colleague getting into it with Gordon Ramsay on T.V.

At the end of the 90’s you couldn’t help but fall over Swedish Garage Rock bands, The Hellacopters and The Hives being the front runners but in the background wallowing in Cult status were The Nomads and Sator. The Nomads have been with us for nigh on 33 years with Sator more or less forming around the same time in one guise or another. Officially I think the band are celebrating their Silver Jubilee this year. As for The Nomads; on their 20th Anniversary Nick Royale, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Ross The Boss, Jello Biafra, Chris Bailey, Odd Ahlgren and Wayne Kramer joined the band on stage at the Hultsfred festival. That’s how important The Nomads are. The band first made it to London in November 1984 playing The Garage on the 23rd with The Clarendon Hotel two days later. Sator’s debut London show, on the other hand, was a few days ago at The Pipeline with support coming from….You guessed it, knew it already The Nomads. Why it’s taken so long for Sator to reach our shores, I don’t know; but decent terms and condition I’m sure played a part. Amongst the Sator ranks sits one Chips Kiesbye whose production skills have graced the likes of The Hellacopters, Crucified Barbara, Bonafide and Millencolin. But Sator aren’t about just one man. The bands last album “Under The Radar” and sadly only merch on sale, came out 3 years ago so I really did feel honoured that they had graced us with their presence. There was also a heavy contingent of Swedes in the audience quite possibly outnumbering us Brits, coupled with the Pipeline being owned and run by a Swedish ex-pat we could, quite easily have been in Stockholm. Sator sight The Boys as an influence so it was great to see Boys guitarist Honest John Plain joining them for two songs. The Nomads seem to be making a yearly trip to London, let’s hope this trend rubs off on Sator. But before you hear The Nomads and Sator live at The Pipeline I play you some Paul Di’Anno from his new live album which on first listen I really had a downer on, but second time around I warmed to. Slightly

Last Saturday there was a plethora of things to do if you were in London; The Jim Jones Revue’s final gig at the Forum with the last remaining Heartbreaker, not counting Richard Hell, Walter Lure in support. Ian Hunter at the Shepherds Bush Empire, The Black Veil Brides at Brixton Academy, The Supersuckers at the Islington Academy, Finntroll up at The Dome in Tufnell Park and not forgetting the AC/DC video shoot. For me it was always going to be the self-proclaimed “Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band In The World” the Supersuckers. Having not seen them for about 3 years how could I say no? (Also I wasn’t invited to the AC/DC shoot and had already purchased my Supersuckers Ticket before Walter had been added to the JJR bill.) As for the others……. The Supersuckers delivered, coming on to ZZ Top with covers from Depeche Mode and Thin Lizzy with Van Halen as an outro I felt sorry for those who weren’t in attendance. Good job they can listen to it right here, right now.

On this, the 400 Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show, I bring you a couple of live tracks by new band The Kult 45s and the whole of the Electric Boys gig at The Camden Underworld recorded on the 26th September.

In support of their “comeback” album the Last Great Dreamers along with The Sonic Jewels, who up to this point had eluded me, played The Purple Turtle on Sunday 21st September. Obviously The Squirrel and I were in attendance and this week’s show is the recorded result.

The Boys to celebrate the release of their first new studio album, “Punk Rock Menopause”, in over 30 years played two UK dates last week. One in Newcastle and this one at The Jazz Café in London on Saturday 13th September. Joining the band for the encore was original founding member Andrew Matheson.

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 .