Friday, December 4, 2015

Vive Le Live


Rockers, rollers and rascals - your recommended reading is the new Vive Le Rock

A Joe Strummer special, which features in the reviews section, some scribblings from me: T Rex box set, Sharpies comp, Shandy (new Aussie rockers) and a couple moreThumb through the live pages and you'll find a thumbnail summary of Howling Black Soul supporting Barrance Whitfield at The Railway on page 103



Available at Tesco, WH Smiths and all in the know newsagents..

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Podrophenia - The Black Edition




The latest Podrophenia from Piley and the other one is now up for download. A black special (all tracks fitted around the theme of black). Suitable tunes and unsuitable chat! Including awful pun shop names, your own Scandinavian death metal band name, brand bands, eccentric top trumps, a Q and A with Tiny Piley

PLUS, an extended and exclusive live session from local volume-botherers Howling Black Soul with me now installed on bass..

Download here.

Stream hereabouts

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

I'm with the band: catch us live tomorrow and this Saturday




Eight years on from kicking off my cyberspace allotment, we've ended up doing the loop.

How so? Originally - the PM blog was setup off the back of a band I'd just finished with as way to fill out (some may say flannel) about my own solo music I'd be working on, with those tunes being hosted on Myspace (remember Myspace?).. But after an offer back in June to join Howling Black Soul (who we've been given repeat plays on Podrophenia, and were on the bill for our fifth anniversary bash last year) Huzzah - I'm the new bass cadet for the band...



Gigs have been regular to date, including head;lining The Railway's Eight Birthday Bash and a support slot for the ever-blazing Barrance Whitfield and the Savages. This Saturday we make our debut at Peggy Sue's Music Bar.. with a mix of tunes we've never played before and tunes you won't have played before and me DJing after...



Should you fancy an earful of HBS ahead of Saturday's set - tune into Podrophenia tomorrow 8pm Ship Full of Bombs where, we'll be live in session..

Hope to see you on the wireless stats tomorrow, or live on the night this Saturday.. Salut

Monday, October 5, 2015

Podrophenia - Dogtober edition


The October edition of Dogrophenia is now up for grabs. David Woodcock and Angel Melodyhorn are live with exclusive reveals of brand new tunes, While Piley and I pitch in with Bowie covers, Blow Up belters, 70s rockers and Howling Black Soul on the pooch-based playlist...



Plus all the news on two charity events Dogtober and the HARP sleep out... Dig in and dig it..

Download here


Monday, September 7, 2015

Podrophenia the Electro edition...



Was this the incident that got Dave Gahan on the long road to ruin - find out in Podrophenia.. 

The Lectro edition of Podrophenia is now up for download – with guests Lloyd Price of Massive Ego and Barry Cain ex-Record Mirror punk reporter and former Flexipop boss..

Wherein you’ll hear new tunes from Massive Ego and Barry's twin-fisted tales of Rat Scabies transatlantic raffle, Dave Gahan bothered with dead bodies and bananas (not at the same time tho), Ian McCulloch being a grumpy bunny and how Zodiac Mindwarp killed of Flexipop...



Plus a couple of exclusive  Flexipop editions of Depeche and Marc Almond tunes

For further reading you can grab the Flexipop Annual here, and buy tickets for the upcoming Flexiparty..

And check in with Massive Ego here... Download hereabouts or stream below


  


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Podrophenia Electro a go-go tonight 8pm



Plug and play tonight pals as Podrophenia brings you an electrical special...

We've got guests: Lloyd Price (Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic, Massive Ego), Barry Cain (77 Sulphate Strip and Flexipop inventor) and DJ, musician and remixer Tronik Youth.

We've got special editions of Depeche Mode and Marc Almond tracks - plus Andy Partridge on the History of Pop

Rewire your dials for 8pm tonight  www.sfob.co.uk


Monday, August 10, 2015

Podrophenia - Generation Games


Like The Who sang - the kids are alright... As Piley and I are joined by P & M Jr for our Generations edition.

There's also a phone in from Eddy Pile (Piley senior) , tunes from our uncles (The Essex Brothers. and David Morley in The Habits) Plus surprise appearances from Ruben Caruana Steve Taylor and Liz van Gorkom 'n' Hans. Along with a new Mark Vidler Go Home Productions mashup and some genius impressions of the Dad's Army cast by Tiny Piley age 7

Dig in and dig it here - Podrophenia Generations or via iTunes..

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Vive Le Rock - Looking Sharpie....




For those about to read - we salute you: rock. rollers and rumblers - fill your bovver boots with the latest Vive Le Rock - an Aussie special, featuring a piece from you know who on the Australian/NZ only Yoof Cult - Sharpies...



Dig around the back pages you'll also find me giving a critical ear to  Johnny Thunders live L.A.M.F. A couple of reviews submitted, which didn't make the final edit due to space issues were - Beat Bespoke 6 and the Memphis Dawls - but nothing goes to waste, so dig in below


Le Beat Bespoké 6 
Detour Records 
7/10 
Turn on, tune in, freak out - Underground, overground rumbling free

The essence of Beat Bespoké volume 6 straddles the 67-72 era when mods became rockers, rockers turned hippy and hippies got heavy. The mood of these freshly-picked finds is one of frizzy hair, fuggy clubs, open air freak-outs and underground festivals. From the fuzzy stoner rock of Jerry Holmes ‘I’m The Man’ and Spontaneous Generation’s ‘Purple Purple’ to Chris Rayburn’s ‘One Way Ticket’ with its thumping drums and Are You Being Served strings, to the in-kraut sound of Marian Ruxell’s ‘It’s So Much The Better’ and the galloping garage of The Tears ‘Rat Race’ - BB6 gathers together a collection of heavy mod, garage nuggets and psych pop that wouldn’t sound out of place on the Dracula AD 72 soundtrack. A new addition to an already healthy back catalogue, and where the New Untouchables begin to give Psychic Circle's Instro Hipster series a run for their money





Memphis Dawls - Rooted to the Bone 
Madjack Records 
7/10 
Hello Dawlies – potent debut from the Jack White endorsed all-girl trio

For all of its broad country trimmings and western trappings, echoing from The Carter Family and Tammy Wynette to The Handsome Family and Doc Watson, scratch beneath the surface of the Memphis Dawls Sun Studio recorded album and I wouldn’t be surprised to find a broader book of influences subtly colouring the collection that makes up Rooted to the Bone. ‘Liar’ has the soulful horns and harmonies of Aretha in Alabama for her Muscle Shoals sessions ‘Skin Like a Cage’ could be an Allen Toussaint twist on Bacharach and David standard. While the American Gothic of ‘Shadows’ shuffles with a dark-hearted gumbo groove. And ‘Please Don't Leave Me’ takes a transatlantic hop to tap up Kate Bush, Bridget St John and The Beatles. An album of folk-soaked confessionals and galloping cowgirl anthems with a pop sensibility that saddles it somewhere between Gillian Welch and Aimee Mann

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Our 100th Podrophenia with The Long Run live - download and dig in here




Worra walloper, worra wing-ding worra way to celebrate our centenary and six years of Podrophenia

Huge salutes are due to the ever-glowing Jo Mondo and Citizen Marmite for bringing in the birthday bling. To George Crockford  for the Ship Full of Bombs tech decks duties. Hubbs for the Jingles.. To the guests and chippers in Tommo and Sam (Mondo Jrs) Alan Cathouse, Drakey, Grant, Steve Swindle, Jack Gestures,. Mark Dredge, Ruben, Baz, Bob, Paul FSP – and roaring toot is due to The Long Run boys Darren Gavin and Joe for ripping the roof off the The Railway…
Sample a two tracks here - then full your boots with the full set below...
 



If you were there, or want to be hear the hi-jinx and hat-popping performance from The Long Run, download and dig it here…

100th Podrophenia

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Podrophenia - our 100th edition. Live tonight with The Long Run in session..



Is this thing on? Our first Podrophenia 2009 

One bumbly summer evening in July 2009, Piley and I parked up at his place with a few scraps of adhoc tech, borrowing Tiny Piley’s toys and trimmings as mic stands – to record our first Podrophenia podcast...

who'da thought 6 years on and 100 episodes later, Piley and would still be trundling along with our ol' Podro-biz. Or, Adam 'n' Eve some of the capers, characters and carry ons we've been involved with during the duration..

If you've ever listened, downloaded,chipped in, phoned in, been a guest, bought a single, made a jingle, played, danced or drunk at a live night, whether your an early joiner or late adopter - salut! And it would be a roaring treat if you could tune in (tell a pal) and join us for our 100th edition tonight 

We’ll be live from 8 at Ship full of Bombs. With our first ever musical session guest Darren Jones joining us for an indoor/outdoor broadcast upstairs at The Railway, Southend. And bringing his full band - the appropriately named The Long Run (and an audience of pals) with him..


Darren Jones - in our first ever Podro-session 2011...

Theme-wise, we’ll be winging in some unplayed favourites fitted around some of the 100 themes Podrophenia has rolled out over the ages. You can tune in here from 8 at SFOB – or chip in via the chat room here..


For further Podrophonic shenanigans - you can also catch us doing our tune-spining thing at Southend's biggest music festival Village Green Festival this Saturday...

Piley and I will be parked up in the games tent between 12 and 6 (ish). Then appearing on the idea13 stage between 7 - 7 30 along with some of fave band Howling Black Soul and The Ends

The VG programme, map and guide is grabbable hereabouts  




Friday, June 19, 2015

Radio Podrophenia 99 - The Ice Cream edition


Fill your boots with scoops and tunes by way of the latest Podrophenia.

Where else will you find James Last doing the Small Faces, Harry Nilsson doing Popeye, the Banana Splits getting on the good-foot and an appearance from Larry Grogan of the Funky 16 Corners soul site

It's all yours and it's all free. Dig in and dig it

Podrophenia - Ice Cream

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Podrophenia 99: Ice Cream is the scene



Our 99th Podrophenia live tonight on SFOB has a theme of 'ice cream': 12 flavours of mashups, funk, soul and psych - with a special guest Larry Grogan from Funky 16 Corners joining us from New Jersey for a lowdown on this Banana Splits twister.





We're also after any ice cream theme songs/bands/albums: Cherry Lee Lewis/Flaking Stevens/ Arctic roll monkeys/Mivvi Ripperton/Blind Lemon Sorbet/ Screwball Wizard/Another brick in the walls 

Tune in 8PM www.sfob.co.uk

Or chip in with chat and natter at Chatwing

Friday, June 5, 2015

Vive Le Rock - Q's Next and The Payoll Union...




Buckle up rockers and rollers - Issue 27 of the UK's boomiest music mag Vive Le Rock  has just hist the shelves. Featuring, The Who at 50, Brian James on his new band and life after The Damned, gig, new music and reissue reviews - including a a critical ear from me on Suzi Quatro's Greatest Hits...

One review that didn't make ish 27, is The Payroll Union's new album.. but nothing goes  to waste so dig in and taste test below...




Paris in America - The Payroll Union 

Philadelphia freedom. Virtue, liberty and independence - from South Yorkshire! 

From ‘Sgt. Pepper’ to SHAM’s ‘That’s Life’ to Beck’s Grammy winning ‘Morning Phase’ – the appeal of the concept album is format that’s never faded – certainly not for frowny-browed song-scribblers . Although Payroll Union take an unusual spin on the medium of story-arcs-expressed-through-music, aligning themselves more with Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’ than your usual long-form haul.

An album produced in collaboration with University of Sheffield, where folk ‘n’ roll meets battle re-enactment. ‘Paris in America’ takes as its source – ‘a narrative of Philadelphia in the 1840s and '50s, based on the antebellum with its tales of violence and conflict’, for an authentically academic take covering a specific time-slice of American history (with annotated sleeve notes), which could act as a metaphor for today’s current political climate.

Sonically it’s a Philadelphia experiment shifting between shades of Handsome Family meet Fleet foxes and Divine Comedy communing with Arcade Fire

Monday, May 18, 2015

Radio Podrophenia - the Letter W





Podbods: your recommended listening.for the month of May - Podrophenia with David Woodcock live in session, gliding through a set of rare, unreleased, and freshly pressed songs.

Dave even commandeered Piley, George and myself for a cover of a TV theme. There’s shouts for Flexipop, Thee Cee Cees (7” now available at Fives Records, Leigh ), salty gig tales from Steve Mills, John Devlin – and a run on nearly famous names.

Dig in and dig it....

MP3 Radio Podrophenia W

Stream


or via iTunes

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Podrophenia presents: Andy Lewis (Weller) , Adam Devlin (Bluetones), Steve 'Smiley' Barnard (Strummer) Billy Brentford ( Thee Faction) and Chris T-T - live tomorrow



If you're a fan of Joe Strummer/Paul Weller/From The Jam/ The Alarm/The Bluetones/Hoodrats Thee Faction - behold as Thee Cee Cees, a collective polling players from all of the previous, parks up at The Railway tomorrow  to officially launch their strictly limited 7" 'Have An Analysis' on Podrophenia Records.

Support comes from The Ends and Stern John, with Andy Lewis DJing til chucking out time, A bumper bundle all for free Southenders and out of towners

But, book early as for the last Podrophenia event the The Railway doors  had to be locked as we'd reached max capacity by ten pm.

So, could you click here if you're coming on Friday - so we know how many to expect .. salut..




Monday, April 20, 2015

Radio Podrophenia - veggie special, with special guest Billy Brentford...


Behold the first reveal of the third single on Podrophenia Records. The Cee Cees - Have An Analysis/Solution Songs..A limited edition of just 200..

Tune in to the latest Podrophenia for a spin of both sides of the single - book-ending a full tilt interview with Cee Cee singer Billy Brentford - who furnishes us with the album and single info, details on The Cee Cees Southend gig (book here) - and splains How Andrew Ridgeley invented Post Modernism

Fitted around Billy's blitzkreig spot - we dig up twelve of the tastiest vegetable based tunes. A medley of potatoes, peppers, peas, truffles, onions, beans,

Load up here with your listening ears.... or via iTunes..



Thursday, April 16, 2015

Podrophenia: live radio tonight. Live in-store for RSD on Saturday …




It’s a double whammy of Podrophonic what-not over the next couple of days...

Tonight: Piley and I bring you the April edition of Radio Podrophenia, with this month’s theme being ‘Veggie’ bringing together a buffet of funk, mod, pop and a special track chosen by our pals from the Funk Pen....

And behold our special guest joining us to chat, singles, LPs and upcoming gigs..Billy Brentford of The Cee Cees..whose, album Solution Songs is out today..



Tune in and get your five a day hit in one funky bundle... at Radio  SFOB - 8PM

Or chip in with the chatabouts, hereabouts... Chatwing




Saturday: Team Podrophenia will be installed at Fives Records for the 12 – 1 slot at the Record Store Day event, held at Fives, Leigh Broadway. It’s a full day celebrating vinyl - with DJ sessions from the Middle Age Spread boys, Polyvinyl Craftsman and Camel Walk massives - along with live music from Phil Burdett, Tuppenny Bunters and the Glass Brides….


Thursday, March 26, 2015

Thee Cee Cees: The Revolution starts here – at 45 rpm




Behold rockers, rollers and revolutionaries as we bring you the next single released on the Podrophenia record label.. a sizzling seven inch slab of socialist stomping pop that'a had  meeja movers 'n' shakers describing it thus...

DANNY BAKER “enough invention and energy to power three-quarters of Europe

 ZOE HOWE  “swaggering, sexy, hard-boiled rock ‘n’ roll with a conscience and a point to make

 Vive Le Rock magazine  "9/10"


But who are Thee Cee Cees: a heavy-hitting line-up of punk ‘n’ Britpop rockers, fuelled by the spirit of industrial strength Thames Delta rockers and Oil City Rollers..

Steve ‘Smiley’ Barnard on drums (Strummer/Foxton/Archive/The Alarm)

Adam Devlin (The Bluetones’s) - guitar

Billy Brentford (Thee Faction) on rhythm & polemic

Andy Lewis (Paul Weller/Spearmint/Drugstore) bass & memotron

Chris T-T (Xtra Mile recording artiste & D.I.Y. music expert ) vocals

Kerry Schultz & Darren Hayman on other vocals

Buckle up and behold side A below

Dates and details, of wheres and whens will be with you shortly. And the first Podrophnonic airing of side 2 is due soon/  Salut

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

You Write the Hits (they Write the Headlines) - and the Podrophenia Beardcast..

 

 The best window display story since that Henry the Hoover nativity scene..Southend's noisest boys The Ends send Leigh sliding down the table of 'family friendly' towns....

A piece of Leigh history was created on the 7th March, when The Ends instore at Fives Record was so boisterous and booming that some ol' crosspatch got on the grinch-line, complaining to the council about the noise - and that there were actual people dancing in the streets of Leigh. The council in turn, had to phone our favourite indie record shop to officially wag a civic finger..Fives first complaint in 37 years... So Leighsiders, seasiders and Southenders. If you were there on the day - hoist your high your hats and take pride in being part of this momentous event. If you weren't - show your support for those tarred with the rowdy brush, by buying You Write the Hits (I Write the B Sides) single from Fives....

Should you fancy more Canvey action, your recommend listening is the current Podrophenia - all beard bands on the playlist, listener beard bands and song suggestions. And for balance Mandy and Michelle of The Beard Police join us to say 'No one likes your beard'

There’s chat and tunes from Double Headed Jester, and lend an ear to the single from Thee Cee Cees – ‘Have an Analysis’ due-soon on Podrophenia Records.  James from The Ends gives advice to Southend’s newest rockers The Scores (featuring mini Mondo) on their post gig match report..




Download here, stream below or via itunes

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Podrophenia - the Beardophenia special...



Tonight's edition of Podrophenia is themed around the riff of beards and general hirsutery.

Beard bands will be on the playlist from all genres: rock, funk, country.
Beard-band puns will be on the roll-out: Pete Sideburns, David Soulpatch, Johnny Tache

For balance we have Mandy Casley chief of the Beard Police coming in with the pitch

The Beard Police are fed up with looking at fellas with a face full of fuzz. Let's change that. Get your razors out and show us your faces!

And standby for action as we announce the release of the third single on the Podrophenia label, by a band with an all star line-up, and a one off gig in Southend

There's a fruity new feature as a pals from The Funk Pen select a fatbacked tune for this month's theme (see below)




Also in for chat and natters are Canvey's newest rockers Double Headed Jester.

We go live at 8pm on Ship Full of Bombs - and feel free to chip in with chat via Chatwing

Friday, March 13, 2015

Broadway Blitz - The Ends live at Fives....




In its second week of release, The Ends You Write the Hits has sold out at both Norman Records and Rough Trade with top-ups being required at both boutiques..

Saturday (7th March) brought about the band's first in-store at Five's in Leigh Broadway - and what a stormer  with the assembled Leighsiders, seasiders and Southenders dancing in the streets, selling out the first batch of singles, and the home-town crowd, queuing for autographs...

With only one grumpy punter, being the auld boy, shuffling past the performance with his fingers knuckle-deep in his ear'oles...


Should you fancy catching some live Ends, head yourself to Soho tonight for three of our favourite Podrophonic things: Dave Woodcock, The Ends live at Blow Up....




Tuesday, March 3, 2015

The Ends - Sell Out!


Hells bells and hat's a popping - worra night of heavy volume, hi def amazingness at Southend's most musical boozer. And rammed to the point of the pub doors being locked and - one-in/one-out by ten of the clock. 'Carnage' as Ms Sadie Hasler called it

So smart work Southenders. Glowing salutes and toots are due to all the drinkers and dancers, the vinyl buyers, those that swished in from Southend, Londinium and Holland for the hi-jinx, the top rocking Canvey massive that caused a health and safety alert of hi-vol and max capacity... Double Headed Jester, Eight Rounds Rapid and The Ends.... seen below

Double Headed Jester

Eight Rounds Rapid

The Ends

And to Mark Lancaster for being the Mr Benn style costume shop merch-assistant, and of course my Podrophonic other half Piley for gritting and grinding through the back agg' - even if he did flash his Playtex girdle to anyone within peeping distance.




But fret-not, if you couldn't make (or get in to) the gig - there's no need for tears or hair-tearing, as the boys will be doing an instore at Fives, Leigh Broadway this Saturday, 8th March 11:30. Singles (and signings), stickers and badges all there for the bagging of.... There's an interweb flyer here so take one and tell a pal....


Monday, February 23, 2015

Radio Podrophenia - the Letter V. Now up for download



If you fancy something to lively up your commute and doings over the coming week - grab a take away version of our Radio Podrophenia show, featuring a mix of musical styles fitted around the theme of V recorded and broadcast live from The Railway, Southend...

Steven Hastings from Harbour Bazaar spotlights a classic Velvet Underground album with a rare take of a VU tune. Gentleman George Crockford from Box of Delights mans the Tech Decks - and our special guest is Chris Constantinou ex of Adam and the Ants talking about covering a Velvet Underground lost song and working with Tony Visconti on Adam's Vive Le Rock album and his current project The Mutants

Tune-wise we've got South African soul, Motown stompers, first-wave and now-wave punk

We also, ask what happens when you show retro children's TV shows to today's children... get listeners fancy dress confessions  (Peters and Lee, the 'hills' from The Sound of Music)...

Grab here Radio Podrophenia - the Letter V 

Stream here


Or via iTunes..

And what has this video got to do with the Letter V - find out inside..

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Podrophenia Alphabet: V is for Velvets, Visconti and Vive Le Rock




Pod-bods: tonight it’s the February issue of Podrophenia, where we’ll be thumbing through the 'V' chapter of our Podrophonic Alphabet…

Pal Piley is out of action for this edition but – but Steven Hastings from SFOB’s show Harbour Bazaar will be stepping in and bringing some of Harbour's formats and features with him - focusing on a key/classic album and introducing us to Cover/Uncover..

Roll-out wise, we’ll be after #spiritsongsorsingsers and asking - do Schpunk have a point that 'boxsets retrospectively ruin your childhood' 

And behold: as we come face to face with a real life Ant Man and Mutant when Chris Constantinou (spottable on bass below)  phones in from The Mutants HQ





Join us online, 8pm at Ship Full of Bombs or chip in with the chat and natter at Chatwing

Friday, February 6, 2015

Radio Two Times: hits, highlights, finds - and Mick Ronson remembered



Should you fancy grabbing the latest edition of Podrophenia wherein Piley and I (assisted by Weird Gear's Paul Wolf on the tech decks) run through our hits, highlights and finds of 2014 - dig in below.

There's a fistful of new tunes, threading together - blues, funk, indie and retro-disco and Southend band

For natterings -  we ask which celebs are look-a-likes for these Essex police photo fits  and #beersongs and #shoesongs... plus an appearance from James of The Ends to discuss the upcoming single


Radio Podrophenia - Best of 2014





Last Sunday (31st Jan), I was invited to take part in Steven Hastings always excellent Harbour Bazaar: The theme of this edition - Love's Forever Changes (an album new to me). - where, we were joined by Roman Jugg (The Damned, Phantom Chords, Naz Nomad)

Also on the menu were lost gems from Daniel Newman, and we discuss majesty of Mick Ronson... Who did Bowie clone his Ziggy Tone from, which local legend is also secret TV drummer - what is the Southend connection with Teddy Boys - and Roman Jugg brings you Ronno's most perfect note...all contained within this podcast. Download, dig in and groove on...

Harbour Bazaar with Steven Hastings : Love Forever Changes, Mick Ronson & Lost Gems

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Last Ramone Standing...



The latest edition of Britain's most rocking, rolling mag  - Vive Le Rock has just hit the shelves - and worra walloper it is. Going heavy on the Sex Pistols and spin off related projects...there's also Bauhaus, and Ian McLagen remembered..

You'll find tucked away in the back pages me scribbling about Bruce Joyner and Atomic Clock. One review that should have been, but never made the final print is my take on C. J. Ramone's revved up newbie Last Chance to Dance...

But, nothing goes to waste - so dig in below.....

Punk fact: Glam Rock Super-Yobs, Slade were a major influence on The Ramones. Vocalist and black-leather mantis Joey once said 'I spent most of the early 70s listening to 'Slade Alive!' - thinking this is what I want to do'. And check the Da Brudda's barnets - pure Dave Hill. Bassist CJ may have been a late addition to The Ramones’ line-up (replacing Dee Dee in 1989), but he’s kept the band’s integrity intact - backtracking to Slade's romper-stomping roots, fusing it with authentic Lower East Side slam-handed riffs and rumbling thunder. ‘Long Way to Go’, ‘Won't Stop Swinging’ and ‘Mr Kalashnikov’ are classic Gabba Gabba updated with a twenty first century clout. While ‘One More Chance’, ‘Undertand Me’, ‘Pitstop’, and ‘Last Chance to Dance’ sit alongside key period Ramones bankers and in the back catalogue. An album that will keep hardcore avids and casual fans blitzkrieg bopping







Friday, January 30, 2015

7 inches in 4 weeks


Southenders and out of towners - the irreversible countdown has begun. For in four weeks time Podophenia brings you a triple whammy wing-ding of Southend's most combustible bands.

Canvey's Double Headed Jester -  Eight Rounds Rapid making a long awaited return the their home ground and the ever-fizzing Ends heading up the event.

The freshly pressed vinyl of You Write the Hits (I Write the B Sides) will be available on the night along with some other collectibles and fancies.

Our last get together with The Ends ended up (scuse pun) with our first Podrophonic mosh-pit, so who knows what could happen with this triple fisted bill

Should you fancy placing a pre-order - give Norman Records a knock here

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Look-in: New video and sleeve art revealed for The Ends - You Write The Hits (I Write The B-Sides). On Podrophenia Records


Buckle up and behold pals: as we bring you, blasting their way out of Canvey's sea-walls- The Ends. As featured in session here on Podrophenia last year.

A live session in fact, that sowed the seed for the idea of our second release on the Podrophenia record label.

When can we get our sticky mitts on a copy they chorused. Febuary 28th...with a live night in Southend, Natch!

Tune in and and tell a pal...

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Dixieland, that's where he was born, early Lord one frosty morning


Elvis actual birth certificate - photo by me

Elvis' death was my JFK assassination moment. I remember precisely where I was when the news was first whispered around the room - at my paternal Aunt Shirley's, well her ladies hairdressing salon in Salisbury (the glamour!). It was like being caught in a morbid tornado hearing this omnipresent superstar had faded, flat-lined and was now, gone forever.

Although I was too young catch the sonic boom of his Rock 'n' Roll years - the aftershock of Elvisness was still resonating in my era - the seventies. His films were repeated in the schedules during the summer holidays, record shops and department stores had endless variations of compilation albums (Separate Ways was a standard) in the racks (including budget tribute LPs - 'insert name here' sings Elvis). Regular radio play for hits from the fifties to the seventies, while Live via Satellite gave a white-suited Elvis the aura of a rock 'n' roll astronaut.

But more than this, his influence was at the core of popular culture: from ginger quiffed, crepe-booted Teddy Boys to prime-time impressionists - whether comic (Freddy Starr) or musical (Alvin Stardust, Cliff, Les Gray) and any number of white suited popsters The Osmonds, showaddywaddy, The Rubettes. At the more respectable end of R.O.C.K  Bryan Ferry and Bowie both lent heavily on Elvis' legacy...

An indicator of Presley-power is: long before I had any real awareness of The Beatles, Stones or in fact who any of Rock's heavy-hitters were - Elvis seemed - to me anyway - like an untouchable international idol with a seemingly god-like presence and super-hero stature, revered across the world - while other rock and rollers had come, copied, gone or been forgotten. For perspective, thumb through David E. Stanley's The Elvis Encyclopedia and you'll find Clapton and Led Zeppelin desperate to get an audience with Elvis..

Should you (and you really should, as it's his 80th birthday this year) fancy coming as close as possible to The King, book yourself a trip to Elvis at the 02. It houses the largest collection of Elvis' items ever to appear in the UK, all imported from Graceland and overseen by Priscilla Presley.

Items that include.....

The Heartbreak Hotel Acetate

Dress down casual Elvis-style

 The American Eagle suit cape

Front detail 

 Suits you 


68 Special 'Trouble' outfit


A gift from Ali 

The Vegas Room

A defining performance is, of course the 68 Special - where you could lucky dip any clip for pure-brewed musical-boom. Although this medley, with Elvis in full flight, revisiting his Rock 'n' Roll back catalogue with a renewed and unrelenting energy is explosive. 

              

But for the essence of Elvis - this outtake is the key to his magic as I wrote a few years back..

' While the offstage boffins were making technical tweaks and possibly 'checking levels' between takes, Elvis asks for his guitar, kicks off the riff for 'Baby What You Want Me To Do' the orchestra jump in, start jamming and the audience go wild'


If you're a Bookfacer - you can see the full set of my Elvis 02 pics here