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Scrap Metal Vol 1 – Album Review

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Various Artists – Scrap Metal Volume 1

RidingEasy Records

Release date: 12/11/221

Running time: 34 mins

Review by: Alun Jones

9/10

Recently I’ve been razzing around this rundown town in Platinum Al’s Pimp Mobile (a 1980 Chrysler Cordoba, of course), blasting out this new compilation from those hard rockin’ duderinos at RidingEasy records.  And I haven’t had this much honest-to-rockness fun in goddamn ages!

You may recall RidingEasy’s previous comps, as reviewed by yours truly, from their Brown Acid collections of long lost proto-metal/stoner rock artifacts of the late 60s/early 70s.  Well, with Scrap Metal, they’ve taken the same approach (unearthing long-forgotten rare tracks, and releasing a carefully restored sonic document of said tunes) – but this time, applied it to the age of 70s/80s classic Heavy Metal. 

Listeners will discover a variety of styles of HM here, as the genre splits into numerous offshoots.  So, we get to hear the blossoming styles of NWOBHM, thrash, doom and glam at a time when they all still share a generous amount of DNA.  It’s classic metal, folks – and to be honest, I didn’t find that much difference between the “styles” on offer.  What I did find was ten blinding tracks of fun (and slightly dumb) rock’n’roll monsters.

Witness, for example, the wonder of “Headbang” by Rapid Tears.  Fast paced, dumb ass, dingus brained heavy rock for you to race to the chippy in a Trans-Am.  It’s glorious.  Then, with barely a rest, we’re assaulted by Air Raid’s “69 in a 55”: like early Maiden (even down to the Paul Di’Anno vocals) but with a cucumber stuffed down the spandex pants.

And the surprises keep on coming.  Hades are simply brilliant, their track “Girls Will Be Girls” venturing toward speed metal.  Resless have a crap name, but “The Power” is a Priest like power-thon that is bound to excite.  “Enemy Ace” by The Beast is a definite unrefined highlight; almost in the realms of crossover, it’s a particularly aggressive track that’s totally unsuitable for polite tea parties with grandma.

The compilation isn’t perfect: Don Cappa’s “Steel City Metal” ticks all the cliché boxes, but plods.  Yet adrenaline infused, urgent rockers like “Can’t Stop” by Dead Silence, “Iron Curtain” by Czar and “Viking Queen” by Real Steel keep the fists punching the air and a grin on the face.    

As with the Brown Acid series, it’s bewildering how at least some of the bands on Scrap Metal Volume 1 didn’t get any further.  I’ve heard a lot worse.  However, careers are built on consistently great song writing and performance – we only have one (admittedly brilliant) song by each band to testify here.

The lyrics and themes may wallow in the murky depths of the tired and obvious, but I challenge any of you to not enjoy the music on offer.  Park any pretentions of sophistication you may hold, the energy to be heard on these tracks is pure pleasure.  Pull on your super tight jeans, bullet belt and patch covered battle vest, let your hair down (if you still can), and rejoice in a simpler time.  Scrap Metal Vol 1 is a full on, beer swilling triumph of an album.  HEADBANG!!!

Visit the RidingEasy Records website here.

Or check them out on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Insta or Bandcamp.

Today’s review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Hawarden Classic Car Show

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Hawarden Classic Car Show

Gladstone Playing Fields, Hawarden

Saturday 18th June 2022

Now this was pretty impressive. A classic car and motors show, right on my doorstep, in Hawarden, North Wales. Plus it was free entry! Organised by charitable organisation Deeside Round Table, with plenty to do and see.

There were vehicles on display from various places and of differing ages, all of them classic. Food and drink; music; stalls to browse; games for the kids – a nice, community, family event on a summer afternoon.

We got there late (I did warn my crew of the potential issues) and some of the cars were already leaving – including a beautiful gold Trans Am that I missed getting a phot of. A word to the wise: when it says the event is on till 4pm, don’t turn up for the last hour.

Any readers of previous Motors blogs at the Virtual Hot Tub will know that I’m a big fan of American classic cars, in particular, muscle cars from the late 60’s and 70’s. There were a few of those types of vehicles on display, plus a healthy showing of British classics from over the years (plus many other countries).

I did manage to take a few photos of the cars on display – hope you enjoy. It’s been a while since a Motors update on at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub, I’ll try harder to update more often.

Chester Comic Con 2022

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Chester Comic Con

Chester Racecourse

19 June 2022

Chester Comic Con was held recently, on a mild summer Sunday afternoon at Chester Racecourse. It was Father’s Day, and I made sure that my personal choice for the day was to attend this event for a fun filled afternoon.

I’ve not been to a comic con in Chester for a couple of years, due to the pandemic and all that kinda shiz. As previous, the racecourse hosted the event and it made for a good venue, with plenty of open outdoor space. Indoors was a bit more compact, but there were enough trader tables to fill the place without getting too manic.

There were also a few showbiz and comic book guests in attendance, though my main aim was to plunder as much action figures and comic books as possible. But have no fear, I also had my camera with me, to take some photos and hopefully provide an idea of what it was like to be there.

Here you’ll see some photos of the excellent Cosplayers, who were all very friendly and gallantly agreed to pose for pic. Thank you all.

Despite the smaller scale of Chester Comic Con – in comparison to some of the bigger events at Liverpool or the NEC for example – it’s a fantastic convention with a good family atmosphere. I had an excellent time, and bought a load of old 70s Marvel comics. Very happy indeed.

The website for Chester Comic Con is here.

Wax Mekanix/Troll Teeth – EP Review

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Wax Mekanix/Troll Teeth – Blunt (Split EP)

Electric Talon Records

Release Date: 22/10/2021

Running Time: 14.32

Review by: Alun Jones

9/10

Now the good folks at Electric Talon Records issued this split EP back in October last year, so yet again, apologies for my tardiness.  I’ll think of an excuse by the end of this review.  For now, let’s just cover some basic info: two bands, namely Troll Teeth and Wax Mekanix, with five songs split between them.  Style wise, we’re in for a journey – so stay sharp.

Wax Mekanix is an artist I’m already familiar with from his exceptional “Mobocracy” album from 2020.  That record covered a wide base genre wise, from hard rock to folky guitar and any number of surprises in between.  Wax hasn’t stood still, instead deciding to venture into yet newer fields with the three tracks shared here.  So first up we get “Head”, an enticing blend of acoustic guitar, tribal drums and percussion, and rowdy vocals.  There’s no ferocious riffage here, but the infectious rhythms and Eastern sounding chords will drag any listener along.

“Manchester Strawberry Blonde” is a short interlude, with almost Native American percussion, augmented with lyrics that recount a despairingly tragic incident.  The lyrics on all tracks are worth a read, particularly here.  Wax’s final offering is “Freak Boutique”, where the mellow acoustic guitar is embellished again with Eastern rhythms.  As a result, this is less campfire singalong and more a voyage across exotic lands.                 

Troll Teeth have the best band name I’ve heard in years.  Thankfully, they can also deliver some righteous music too.  “The Pigs are on Parade Today” has a dense, mid paced stoner rock approach that is instantly cinematic: perfectly appropriate for watching vast desert skies growing dark and the heavens lighting up.  “Barbs on a Wire” is more aggressive, but still retains a sense of melody along with the rolling, raucous riff.  It’s progressive in the best sense of the word, and also addictive with it’s relentless, undulating drive and fiery lead guitar.  If you dig Baroness, you’ll dig this.

At first listen, the two bands here seem somewhat different – but it becomes obvious that they’re tied together by their expansive, wide view of the world – and it’s sounds.  Wax Mekanix and Troll Teeth are both visionaries.  Here’s to hearing a new full length from each, soon.

What was that?  What was my excuse for this review being so late?  Well, ah… I had completed it ages ago, honest, but Ozzy Osbourne ate it.

Find Wax Mekanix doing some online stuff on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Bandcamp.

Troll Teeth are waiting to meet you on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Bandcamp.

And you can check out Electric Talon records here.

This review is a joint presentation from Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

New Skateboard 2022 – Death Benson

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OK, I get no one reads these posts about my latest skateboard, but I’m not writing this for an audience. I’m writing it for me. One day, when I’m ancient like Yoda, I’ll be able to look back and have a memento of skateboards I’ve had in the past.

Wish I had at least a photo of the decks I had when I was a kid in the 80’s. That would’ve been cool. As it is, I can’t even remember them all. Not so anymore. Now, I’ll have a permanent record of them all.

For the first time in a long time, I saved up some cash and bought a full, new set up. For a while, I’ve been recycling my trucks (and sometimes wheels) to be as economical as possible. This time, it was new everything – ordered from the very nice folks at Native Skate Store.

Here are the details:

  • Death skateboards Benson Devil Woman II 8.25″ deck (with free Jessup grip tape)
  • Independent Trucks 144 Mid Stage II
  • Death skateboards wheels 52mm
  • Independent Trucks GP-S bearings
  • Independent Trucks allen bolts 1″

The set up has been fantastic so far, deck has nice pop and the trucks turn great. I love the graphics by Liane Plant (regular readers may remember I have an 8.5″ version of this deck to go on the wall, and I’m a big fan of Death skateboards). No complaints at all.

Though I’m not going to be able to share this post on Facebook due to the “offensive” graphic…!

See you out on the streets.

The Death Skateboards website is here.

Liane Plant’s website is here.

Visit the Native Skate Store here.

Brown Acid: The Thirteenth Trip – Album Review

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Various Artists – Brown Acid: The Thirteenth Trip

RidingEasy Records

Release date: 31/10/2021

Running time: 35 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8.5/10

Back in early 1970, I was in LA working for Jim Morrison, singer of the Doors.  Morrison was a pretentious, drunken bore – but we did have a few old laughs.  This one time, Jimbo was mid-liaison with a young lady in her upstairs apartment, and I had to pick him up in his new car before the pair were interrupted by her husband.  Parked in a gleaming white Dodge Challenger under the first-floor window, there was no fire escape and Jim had to jump out of the window onto the roof of his car.  It was a hard top, not a cabriolet, and Jim’s fat arse flattened it like an egg box when he hit it.  He wasn’t in the best shape at that point.  Wrecked that beautiful car, too.  Luckily, I could still see out of the window, and drove off in hysterics, while chubby Jim tried to squeeze into his tiny leather trousers.

Great days, indeed.  And the memories of that time always come flooding back when I spin one of these Brown Acid compilations from RidingEasy Records.  Yet again, the guys have dug out some long-lost treasures of the early hard rock and proto metal variety, to return phoenix like from the netherworld.

Things get underway splendidly with “Run Run” by Max, a funky riff rocker that will light up your lava lamp straight away.  It’s probably my favourite on another strong collection.  Next is “Dark Street” by Ralph Williams and the Wright Brothers – fuzzy guitars and great vocal melodies with a faint air of menace.  Geyda provide “Third Side”, another pacey rocker, reminiscent of the MC5.

Following that, there’s Gary Del Vecchio, who’s apparently “Buzzin’”.  But then, who wasn’t in those days?!  It’s party time blues rock in the vein of early Zep.  John Kitko is suffering from “Indecision”, as proven by the psychedelic jam of the start contrasting with the speedy, aggressive main body of the song – with Alice Cooper-like vocals.   

“Hope” by Bacchus reminded me of old Jimbo’s band doing “Roadhouse Blues”.  Master Danse are up next with a very heavy blues number, “Feelin’ Dead”.  It’s a slow, ponderous song with a melancholy vibe – which I’ll swear was stolen by The Cult for their obscure B-side “Wolf Child’s Blues”.

Orchid offer up the weakest track on the album, “Go Big Red”, a fairly unexceptional garage rock number.  It’s fun and still has some charm, though.  Then you’ve got Dry Ice and “Don’t Munkey with the Funky Skunky”, a crazy fast paced number that’s like The Monkees and Jimi Hendrix jamming a Eurovision novelty song.  On drugs.  Finally, a strong final track from Good Humore, “Detroit” – a catchy tribute with a sprinkling of MC5 at their most rock’n’roll.

And there we have it: another fine collection of rock fossils unearthed and displayed for our enjoyment, never to be forgotten again.  It may be “the Thirteenth Trip”, but this ain’t unlucky for some – it’s gold all the way.

Remember that World Wide Web thing? Well, you can check out RidingEasy Records at various site webs, such as their own, Bandcamp, Facebooks, Twidder, ChewTube and Insta.

This review was presented to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Scarecrow – Album Review

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Scarecrow – Scarecrow II

Wise Blood Records

Release date: 22/10/2021

Running Time: 44 mins

Review by: Alun Jones

8.5/10

You could say I was a little confused when I first heard “The Endless Ocean Overture”, the opening track on this second album from Scarecrow.  I know the clue’s in the song title, but this really is a big, full on orchestral piece – complete with moody storm sounds and crashing waves.  I thought the Ever Metal Delivery Monkey had sent me one of those symphonic metal monstrosities by mistake – there are NO GUITARS here.  At least not on the first song.

Not that it’s a bad track – it’s actually very atmospheric and very bloody clever.  Just a bit of a surprise, that’s all.

Scarecrow are a Russian doom rock band, taking their inspirations from the classic seventies masters like Sabbath and Zeppelin.  When track 2 – “Blizzard” – kicked in, I realised my mistake.  Yes, here we have it: blues based heavy rock that could have easily been produced in 1973.  Groovy riffs, batteringly good drum breaks, high pitched wailing vocals – all the tropes are present and correct.  “Blizzard” has all these, plus relentless changes of pace which means the listener can bang their head or swing their bell bottom jeans all in one song.

“Magic Flower” has a slower, doom blues sound with some mouth organ for additional retro stylings.  There’s even a folky mid-section with some Plant-esque banshee screams.  Up next is “Spirit Seducer”, a rocker that’s more of the Iommi sound already hinted at, and some pounding rhythm. 

Scarecrow are nothing if not ambitious.  “The Moors” is a hell of an epic: warm acoustic guitar intro; doom laden heavy riff, ethereal keys: all the ingredients are here, and happily we reach another Sabbath like peak in the middle of the song.  Some of the orchestral feel of the opener makes a well-judged return here, adding to the bombast. 

When I heard the intro to “The Golden Times”, it was easy to make the comparison to Sabbath tracks like “Orchid” and “Fluff”.  This song flows along serenely, with the vocals making me think I’d started listening to a new Wolfmother recording.  Another multi part piece, best to just mellow out and enjoy the ride – till the increasing pace runs off with your ears.

The range and scope of this album really is very impressive.  “Scarecrow II” is an accurate love letter to the giants of yester year, whilst firmly placing the bands feet alongside contemporaries like Uncle Acid and Graveyard.  Scarecrow has delivered an album that features new spins on the old ideas co-existing with brave, surprising augmentations.     

Check out Scarecrow on Bandcamp and Facebook.

You can find Wise Blood Records on Bandcamp, Facebook and the interweb.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Chicken Nachos

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Welcome back to the Virtual Hot Tub, where I’ll be sharing a recipe for a dish that has become a big favourite around these parts. Inspired by one of my favourite restaurants, this Mexican style dish is simply out standing. The Food Blog has been quiet for a while, so let’s jump straight back into action!

Chicken Nachos

This is a great recipe, which you can adapt to your taste – whether that be in terms of spiciness or experimenting with ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • Chicken breast
  • Tortilla chips
  • Chipotle paste
  • Feta cheese
  • Guacamole
  • Soured cream
  1. Place the chicken breasts in an oven proof dish, and add the chipotle paste (add this to your taste). Take a table spoon of water, and add to the dish – placing around the outside of the chicken and chipotle paste, not over it.
  2. Cover with kitchen foil, and cook for approximately 35 minutes. The length of time will depend on the size – for example, smaller chicken breasts will require less.
  3. When cooked, remove from the oven and shred/cut the chicken into small pieces.
  4. Then put the chicken back in the dish and stir it into the sauce.
  5. Cover with kitchen foil again, and cook for another 5 minutes.
  6. Put the tortilla chips on a plate. We recommend cheap or own brand tortilla chips – these work better for us as they have a less over-powering flavour.
  7. Add the chicken over the top of the tortilla chips, then crumble feta over.
  8. Finally, add the soured cream and guacamole to taste.

And there you have it! A delicious Mexican style meal that’s exciting and full of flavour. I hope you enjoy it!

A big shout out to the amazing Death by Tacos in Chester, for the inspiration behind this dish. They created something similar for my daughter a while back which she loved – we’ve been back for more and had to devise a similar type of recipe!

TOOM – EP Review

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TOOM – Behold the Basilisk EP

APF Records (For The Lost PR)

Release date: 01/10/2021

Running Time: 22 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8/10

Let’s start with a history lesson.  The “Behold the Basilisk” EP by TOOM is a dug-up time capsule, having been recorded in January 2010.  The band themselves were formed in 2007, and split not long after this recording.  What could have been a long-lost curio, to be spoken of fondly by the few who had inside knowledge, has now been reanimated and set loose by APF records.

What we have is an EP consisting of four stoner doom tracks from an extinct trio.  Like those ape dudes at the start of “2001: A Space Odyssey”, Teddy-James Driscoll, Jus Smith and Jack Newnham have been enlightened by a big, Black Sabbath obelisk – the legacy of which has been excavated for our enjoyment.

“Snake Chalmers” opens things up, with an acoustic guitar intro that’s highly reminiscent of those mellow Iommi passages from “Master of Reality”.  It’s a beautiful, yet deceptive beginning to a collection of crushingly heavy music.   Play it for Granny, she’ll be surprised as fuck when the lethal riffage of “There’s Nothing Cute About Cobras” revs up and creates utter destruction.  Growling vocals and gruesome, pounding guitars are where we’re at here.

Similar approach for “Mandark”, though this track throws in some variations in riffs and tempo, with a short, but killer “quieter” section.  Here and on the final song, “Decapodiformes”, there’s a hint of influence from the likes of Sleep, High On Fire and Mastodon – with relentless, mighty riffs powering through.       

Gone but not forgotten, then: it’s introducing and welcoming back TOOM on this impressive EP.  Makes you wonder what might have been…

Check out APF Records on Bandcamp and online.

This review is presented to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Singles Night at the Virtual Hot tub #27

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I promised we’d revisit Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub for another Singles Night, so here we go! Another evening of playing 7 inch singles and having a few cocktails (or beers, or whatever you thirst for). There’s a massive pile of these 45 rpm records to get through, so prepare yourself!

As a quick recap for the uninitiated, I have a stack (or several) of singles that I haven’t played yet. Some have been gifts, some have been picked up – usually very cheaply – from record shops, record fairs, charity shops and carboot sales. The idea is to play through the stack of vinyl one at a time, A side the B side, and enjoy the tunes.

Now I present to you my latest playlist:

  1. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Taste the Pain” / “Show Me Your Soul”
  2. The Stranglers – “European Female” / “Savage Breast”
  3. The Wee Papa Girl Rappers – “We Rule” / “Rebel Rap”
  4. Salt-n-Pepa – “Shake Your Thang” / “Spinderella’s Not a Fella”
  5. Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” / “It’s a Party”
  6. Motley Crue – “Girls, Girls, Girls” / “Sumthin’ for Nothin'”
  7. Neil Pepper (Elvis) – “Stairway to Heaven” / “The Beatnix – “Stairway to Heaven”
  8. Sham 69 – “Hurry Up, Harry” / “No Entry”
  9. Kenny Everett – “Snot Rap” / “Snot Rap (Part 2)”
  10. The Turtles – “Happy Together” / “Like the Seasons”
  11. Aerosmith – “Janie’s Got a Gun” / “Voodoo Medicine Man”
  12. Don Fardon – “Indian Reservation” / “Hudson Bay”
  13. Cerrone – “Je Suis Music” / “Rocket in the Pocket”
  14. Marty Wilde – “It’s Been Nice” / “Bad Boy”
  15. Taja Seville – “Love is Contagious” / “Mama”
  16. B.A. Robertson & Maggie Bell – “Hold Me” / “Spring Greens”
  17. Fiddler’s Dram – “Daytrip to Bangor” / “The Flash Lad”
  18. Bob Geldof – “The Great Song of Indifference” / “Hotel 75”
  19. Gary Shearston – “I Get a Kick Out of You” / “Witnessing”
  20. Mr. Mister – “Kyrie” / “Kyrie (Extended)”

A note on disc number 7 above: Neil Pepper is an Elvis impersonator, and The Beatnix are a Beatles tribute band. On this record, both have covered the Led Zeppelin classic in the style of their inspirations.

The latter half of this playlist started to wander in to some strange, unknown territory – along with featuring some decidedly dodgy songs. A while back, I purchased a box of about 100 singles at a carboot sale for a fiver, quite a lot of which was quality music. Here though, some of the dregs have started to float to the surface.

It’s not all bad though, and there’s a fair spread of awesome tracks scattered through out the list to make it a fun listen. Plus a lot of variety too, from The Crue’s dumb party metal, to classic 60’s pop from the Turtles, 80’s pop with Mr. Mister and some great old school hip hop.

I’m favouring Sham 69 and The Stranglers as particularly fine songs. And of course the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which I bought because although the A side I have on an album, I wanted the B side to add to my collection.

Singles Nights are always a cool way to spend an evening. I’ll update you with another killer playlist soon.