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

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

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  

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

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

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

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

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..

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..

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….