Platinum Al’s Top 10 Rock & Metal Albums of 2022

Posted on January 12, 2023 by platinumal

2022 was a fantastic year for new music. Bands that are old favourites, and new discoveries, made my musical journey through the year a great one. Of course, reviewing albums for my compadres at Ever Metal helped in my explorations – a gig that I’m very happy and proud to continue.

I was prompted to compile this list of my Top 10 Rock and Metal albums of the year by Ever Metal. This list has already appeared on that site, but why not share it at the Virtual Hot Tub too?

So here we go, the official 2022 countdown:

10. Brant Bjork – “Bougainvillea Suite”

A laidback, trippy journey through Brant Bjork’s sixties record collection. Ideal for summer evenings.

Brant Bjork Facebook!

9. Captain Caravan/Kaiser – “Turned to Stone – Chapter 6”

Fantastic split album from Captain Caravan and Kaiser, which crept up on my unexpectedly and quickly became a favourite.

Captain Caravan Facebook! Kaiser Facebook!

8. Earthless – “Night Parade of One Hundred Demons”

Outrageously good album created by amazing musicians, Earthless are nutritious energy for the ears, mind and soul.

Earthless Facebook!

7. Stoner – “Totally…”

It’s Brant Bjork again, here with Nick Oliveri in their stoner rock super group. Does exactly what you’d expect, and features one of the best album covers I’ve seen in a long while.

Stoner Facebook!

6. MWWB – “The Harvest”

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard don’t disappoint with this heavy yet progressive album, brimming with new ideas and sci-fi experimentation.

MWWB Facebook!

5. Nebula – “Transmissions from Mother Ship Earth”

Glorious heavy psych rock from Nebula, showcasing their savage riffs and outer space vibes.

Nebula Facebook!

4. Battalions – “King of a Dead World”

A monster of an album! Heavy, sludgy – that’s all you need to know. Brutal and brilliant! They’re from Hull!

Battalions Facebook!

3. Crobot – “Feel This”

The most exciting hard rock band around deliver another energetic slab of groovy rock’n’roll. Unmissable!

Crobot Website!

2. Clutch – “Sunrise on Slaughter Beach”

It’s Clutch, what can you say? Clutch are legendary and they always come up with the goods. This latest feels slightly darker than previous releases, but has all the required Clutch-ness necessary.

Clutch Website!

Sergeant Thunderhoof – “This Sceptred Veil”

A worthy triumph at the top of my 2022 chart. An album that has it all: heavy riffs, powerful playing, melody and invention – it’s an experience that the listener can truly immerse themselves in.

Sergeant Thunderhoof Facebook!

All awesome albums and I recommend you check them out immediately. And what a winner! You can read my review of the Sergeant Thunderhoof album on Ever Metal, and I’ll re-post it here soon.

Not long after I compiled this Top 10, I received a package in the post. It was a vinyl copy of the “This Sceptred Veil” album, which was a nice surprise. What made it even more special, was an excerpt from my Ever Metal review appearing on the hype sticker plastered to the front! I was super stoked to see this – hope my words help shift a few copies of this superb record!

Honourable mentions this year for quality releases from Ghost (should’ve been a Top !0 entry?); plus my old chums The Cult and Red Hot Chili Peppers (both continuing to release great music after all this time); amongst many others.

There’s lots of more new music to look forward to in 2023. The fun thing is, I don’t even know what some of them will be yet…

Stay tuned to Ever Metal and Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot tub for the reviews that mattter!

Brown Acid: The Thirteenth Trip – Album Review

Posted on June 5, 2022 by platinumal

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.

EMQs with… Platinum Al

Posted on September 4, 2021 by platinumal

Last year, in the depths of lockdown and with no live entertainment to review, the glorious website that is Ever Metal was kind enough to open up their Ever Metal Questions series to the reviewers. As an EM contributor I was finally able to fulfil a lifelong ambition – and satisfy my enormous ego – by being interviewed for the site.

The questions were pretty much what we ask musicians, only I had the privilege of answering them myself. And now, in a move that confirms that I really have no shame, I proudly re-present the same interview here, at the Virtual Hot Tub. Well, it is my birthday this month…

Enjoy!

What is your name, what do you do, and can you tell us a little bit about how you ended up doing it?

My name’s Alun, AKA Platinum Al. I write some reviews for Ever Metal, which came about through meeting Rick and Beth at Pentre Fest a while back. “I can write!” I lied, and they’ve been too kind to bin me off ever since.

What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?

North Wales in the UK. We seem to be a bit out in the wilderness to the outsider, but thankfully there are a few venues that put good bands on in Chester and Wrexham (both nearby) and of course, the good old Tivoli in Buckley (just up the road). Liverpool and Manchester are both accessible. The big win for us though is Pentre Fest – and all the other events that North East Wales Metal Productions put on. It’s introduced me to loads of new music and it’s right on my doorstep.

What is your favourite latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

Desert Storm’s “Omens” on APF Records is album of the year so far. Beyond that, I’m still reeling from the wonder of Giant Dwarf’s self-titled master piece, my album of 2019.

Who have been your greatest influences, in music or in life?

George Lucas, for Star Wars – which influenced me more than anything since I was five years old. Stan Lee and Marvel comics have also been a big inspiration. Skateboarding in general has opened my eyes and ears to the wonder of the world since my teens.

In music, there’s dozens: Johnny Cash, Motorhead, AC/DC, Ramones, the Damned, The Misfits, Black Sabbath, The Cult, Soundgarden, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Monster Magnet, COC, Melvins, Jimi Hendrix etc etc.

What first got you into music?

I listened to the Star Wars soundtrack first of all; it still has an amazing emotional response on me even now. The next big development was seeing the film Highlander, which I loved. A friend of mine recommended the Queen album A Kind of Magic as it featured several songs from the film, and it’s been downhill from there. Thankfully, through skateboarding I was introduced to music that was a bit off the beaten track, shall we say.

Which current bands or musicians would you like to see collaborate on a record?

Good question! How about Shakin’ Stevens – the Welsh Elvis – fronting the Misfits? Danzig can write the songs.

If you could go to any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Pentre Fest!

What’s the weirdest music related thing you own?

I have some pretty weird vinyl in my collection, like Roland Rat, the Wurzels and an album called “How to Strip for Your Husband”. Oh, and a Joan Collins work out record.

If you had one message for your Ever Metal readers, what would it be?

Never ever bloody anything ever.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

So many greats to choose from (sadly). I’ll nominate my old mate Lemmy, as I probably embarrassed myself when I met him by talking bollocks.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Stop developing new formats – you lied to us about CDs when vinyl was the ultimate. There are some albums I own on vinyl, tape, CD and download – and I’ve had to buy every single one. Can we all just agree to not buy whatever new garbage format they try and lumber us with in the future?

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

Vinyl, obviously!

What’s the best gig that you have been to, and why?

Black Sabbath at Birmingham Genting Arena on their “The End” tour is up there.

What do you get up to when you’re not writing/ taking photos?

Working the day job and being a dad mostly. Then listening to music, skateboarding, riding my bike, watching old Hammer horror movies, collecting toys, drinking beer.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

Sir Christopher Lee, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, Joey Ramone and Lemmy.

If they have to be alive, then James Hetfield, Glenn Danzig, Dave Vanian, Henry Rollins and pro skateboarder Mike Vallely.

Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?

I don’t know, but I had cherry ones in Greece and they were amazing!

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Just thanks for giving me the opportunity to flaunt my massive ego by doing an interview, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do! HAHA!

Oh, and to the readers of Ever Metal: thanks for reading, and never forget that we are fans just like you and we do this for the love of the music. Never say die!

SK88: Old School Skateboard Playlist

Posted on April 18, 2020 by platinumal

Best years of my life? 15/16 years old, skateboarding all day and hanging around with my friends. It was the late 1980s, and the days of the 180 Boneless, No Comply and learning to Ollie. Back when kickflips were the raddest trick in the car park – except we called them “Ollie kickflips” back then.

This was also the time when I started to really veer off the obvious track as far as music was concerned. Skate videos and Thrasher magazine began to open up a whole new world of music. Sometimes these bands would enter the mainstream a couple of years later; sometimes they never did.

I remember hearing a great song on a Vision video. I had no idea what the song was called, but worked out from the credits that it was most likely performed by the Descendents. I recorded the song onto cassette off the TV as there was no other way to hear it. A few months later, on a skate buying trip to Manchester, I stumbled across a record shop that stocked a few records by the band. I had to buy one: taking a gamble on “All” as it featured a song called “Coolidge”, which fitted the lyrics of the track I loved. I was so stoked when I got home, played the vinyl and heard the song I was hoping for! Great album, all in all.

This practice of researching and hunting became a big feature of my relationship with music ever since.

Skating all day, then listening to music in the evening was a big part of my teenage years. This playlist is designed to reflect those days: music I enjoyed back then and became the soundtrack to that time.

Some songs featured in skate videos (McRad, Odd Man Out). Some were checked out after I saw them advertised or reviewed in Thrasher (The Cult, Misfits). Others were just part of the current soundscape, and are forever linked with those halcyon days.

Here’s the playlist I made, split into a two CD format:

Part 1

McRad – “Weakness”
Odd Man Out – “Four Thirty One”
Descendents – “Coolidge”
Sex Pistols – “Holidays in the Sun”
Devo – “That’s Good”
Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
Motorhead – “Killed by Death”
Faith No More – “We Care a Lot”
Misfits – “Astro Zombies”
Hard-Ons – “Don’t Wanna See You Cry”
The Stupids – “Skid Row”
Beastie Boys – “She’s On It”
Circle Jerks – “Wild in the Streets”
Spermbirds – “Something to Prove”
Dead Kennedys – “California Uber Alles”
Suicidal Tendencies – “Possessed to Skate”
Generation X – “One Hundred Punks”

Part 2

The Cult – “Wildflower”
The Damned – “Love Song”
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Higher Ground”
Fishbone – “Freddie’s Dead”
Iggy Pop – “Cold Metal”
GBH – “Too Much”
Mudhoney – “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”
Ramones – “I Just Wanna Have Something To Do”
The Stranglers – “Peaches”
Bad Brains – “Soul Craft”
Gang Green – “Church of Fun”
Metallica – “The Thing That Should Not Be”
Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Purple Haze”
Rolling Stones – “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Jesus Jones – “Never Enough”
The Skids – “Into the Valley”
Fugazi – “Blueprint”

Some of the above tracks I owned on vinyl or cassette back in the day; some I found in later years. There are still plenty of other bands from skate videos that I either still haven’t tracked down, or as I didn’t own them at the time I’ve omitted for now.

Instead, this is a basic playlist to represent my late 80s skateboarding days, boiled down to the bare essentials. I hope you enjoy and these bring back some memories.

And this sin’t an exhaustive list: how Anthrax and Run DMC didn’t get included is baffling. Maybe I can expand with some more for a Part 2…

Bring Your Own Vinyl Night #17

Posted on December 2, 2019 by platinumal

Bring Your Own Vinyl Night

The Queen’s Head, Mold

Friday 29th November 2019

Finally, months later, I made it to another Bring Your Own Vinyl Night. It’s been far too long, but it was great to be back. A few beers, some great food, and awesome music always makes for an entertaining evening.

Hosted by Halcyon Dreams in the Queen’s Head pub in Mold, North Wales, Bring Your Own Vinyl Night is an opportunity to be a DJ for a night. Each person has a 15 minute slot to play whatever they like, vinyl only.

It’s never an easy task, narrowing down my collection to just a handful of songs to play. I didn’t go for a theme this time, just a few tracks that I thought worthy of sharing.

Here’s what I unleashed:

Betty Davis – If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up

I decided to start the set with this funk-rock hybrid from cult soul singer and one time Mrs Miles Davis: the amazing Betty Davis. I’d heard about Betty’s work on the grapevine; after checking this album out online I knew I had to track a vinyl copy down. “If I’m in Luck…” is a raunchy number powered by hard rock guitar riffs and a phenomenally funky beat. Highly recommended!

Iggy and the Stooges – Gimme Danger

My favourite track on the third Stooges record, “Gimme Danger” is a timeless classic. The “Raw Power” album that housed it apparently fared badly on initial release, but blossomed with a cult following in later years. Every home should have a copy of this fantastic record. “Gimme Danger” lures the listener into a false sense of security with an unusually melodic guitar part, yet still weaves a web of debauchery and chaos.

The Cult – Lucifer

The Cult have been one of my favourite bands over the years, going right back to my teens with the “Love” and “Electric” albums. They’re still delivering quality music, with the album “Choice of Weapon” (from which “Lucifer” is taken) being a highlight. There’s a huge, epic riff driving this song – one of those tracks that I usually have to have on repeat, ‘cos just one play ain’t enough.

The Donnas – Who Invited You

In 2002, The Donnas released one of the best rock’n’nroll albums in years with “Spend the Night”, an energetic blend of AC/DC style hard rock and Ramones punk. Sadly it was released in the CD age, so I don’t own a vinyl copy. But I did hunt down the 7″ single of “Who Invited You” so that I can enjoy at least one magnificent song from the album on vinyl. Re-issue, somebody, please!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was that – for me at least. There were plenty of other great songs played throughout the evening which you can check out via the Halcyon Dreams links below.

In all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening – sharing the wonder of music and vinyl in a great pub. I mustn’t leave it so long till my next Vinyl Night visit.

With thanks to Halcyon Dreams and VOD Music – well done guys!

The Halcyon Dreams blogspot is here.

The Halcyon Dreams mixcloud page is here.

The Halcyon Dreams Facebook page is here.

The VOD music website is here.

Singles Night at the Virtual Hot Tub #3

Posted on September 9, 2018 by platinumal

No, not that kind of Singles Night! This is all about working through the stack of 45 rpm singles that I’ve picked up from various sources over the last few months. I play them in order, regardless of how good or bad they are, and whether I’m in the mood for a certain genre or artist or not.

And there are some stinkers in the collection. Some ripe specimens that I just had to own for some reason or other. Don’t ask me, none of it makes much sense to me either.

There are, of course, a few absolute gems in there too. Let’s see how this current session played out…

Sinitta – “Toy Boy” / “Toy Boy Instrumental”
The Jam – “Beat Surrender” / “Shopping”
Marc Bolan – “Sing Me a Song” / “Endless Sleep” / “The Lilac Hand of Menthol Dan”
Herbie Hancock – “I Thought It Was You” / “No Means Yes”
Debbie Harry – “Backfired” / “Military Rap”
The Stranglers – “European Female” / “Savage Breast”
The Cult – “Revolution (Remix)” / “All Souls Avenue” / “Judith” / “Sunrise”
Status Quo – “What You’re Proposing” / “AB Blues”
Johnny Cash – “25 Minutes To Go” / “I’m Gonna Try To Be That Way”
Tom Jones – “It’s Not Unusual” / “To Wait For Love”
All About Eve – “Martha’s Harbour” / “Another Door”
The Tornados – “Telstar” / “Globetrotter”
Dr Hook – “Sexy Eyes” / “Help Me Mama”
Kim Wilde – “Chequered Love” / “Shane”
Bow Wow Wow – “I Want Candy” / “King Kong”
Blondie – “Hanging On The Telephone” / “Will Anything Happen?”
Bananarama – “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” / “Tell Tale Signs”
Althia & Donna – “Love One Another” / “Mighty Two”

Hey, you know what? I think I acquitted myself quite well with that selection. Despite kicking off with yet more Sinitta, there were definitely some great tracks in that list. Let’s wait and see how I do next time…

Bring Your Own Vinyl Night #15

Posted on July 5, 2018 by platinumal

Bring Your Own Vinyl Night

The Queen’s Head, Mold

Friday 22nd June 2018

The mixed grill on my plate was a massive meal, and I tucked in with ravenous glee. For I knew that I would need my strength tonight; this would be Vinyl Night unlike any previous. Tonight, I would test the mettle of all of us in attendance.

Otherwise, it was business as usual for Bring Your Own Vinyl Night at the Queen’s Head in Mold. Beers, goods company and the opportunity to play whatever you liked during a fifteen minute set. Vinyl only, mind!

Although I don’t always run with a theme, this evening I had a definite plan. Ever since I’ve first attended one of these events, put on by the brilliant Halcyon Dreams and VOD Music, there was one song n my collection I really wanted to play. It would inform the rest of my set and provide a connection between all the songs. I decided to leave that track till last, and put together a collection of songs to accompany it.

The question was: How would my star track be received by the audience?

The Beatles – Here Comes the Sun

To start the set, a classic Beatles song written by George Harrison and needing no introduction. Of course it’s from “Abbey Road”, and I love it as it instantly makes me think of summer days, sitting in the sun on the beach. It’s a perfect song; beautifully written and with such an uplifting feel.

Nancy Sinatra + Lee Hazlewood – Summer Wine

Next up was this gem; a duet between Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. I have the album with this track on it, however this version was a 45rpm single that my friend Colin lent to me for the event. “Summer Wine” reminds me in some ways of a Bond theme, it has a little of that drama, but somewhat more relaxed. A wonderful song that brings back memories of holidays abroad and cocktails.

Black Sabbath – Laguna Sunrise

A brief interlude on side 2 of the absolutely essential “Volume 4 album”, here’s yet another tune that demonstrates just how versatile Black Sabbath were. A beautiful relaxing instrumental that effortlessly conjures up an appropriate image, this shows perfectly the genius of Tony Iommi. As good as any song you’ve ever heard.

The Cult – Sun King

After that, the tempo was raised with a full on turbo charge rocker from my old faves, The Cult. This was the 7″ single version, edited down from the album track. One of my preferred songs on the massively successful “Sonic Temple” album from 1989. With a title referencing French King Louis XIV, this is a great fun fists-in-the air macho rocker that reeks of burning up desert highways in a hot rod.

Johnny Griggs/Simon May – When You Go Away (Eldorado Theme – Instrumental)

Could you tell what the theme was, reader? All leading up to this final cut, I wanted to play songs related to summer and sunny days. I used to be a huge fan of hyper naff BBC soap Eldorado when I was a student – so bad it was good, and the Spanish setting used to cheer me up on dreary wet days. Sadly that amazing programme was canned, but I found the single in a Woolworths bargain bin (for 29p, I think) back in the day. Along with my VHS cassette of “The Best of Eldorado”, that’s all the merch from this class show that I have. I played the instrumental B-side here, but cocked up by playing it on 33rpm at the very start. Years of planning, bollocksed.

So there you have it – my summer sun themed set. Although I was ridiculed for the Eldorado song – and quite rightly too – I loved playing it. I managed to ruin my cool reputation with one song, though.

Never mind – as she was leaving, one old dear told me she enjoyed my set very much. I’ll take that as a win.

She must have been an Eldorado fan as well.

Nice one Halcyon Dreams and VOD Music, yet another great Vinyl Night – more soon please.

The Halcyon Dreams blogspot is here.

The Halcyon Dreams mixcloud page is here.

The Halcyon Dreams Facebook page is here.

The VOD music website is here.

Gym Playlist #1

Posted on January 30, 2018 by platinumal

Have you been hitting the gym since the start of the year? Punishing yourself with cardio and weights as you fight to shed those extra pounds that attached themselves limpet-like over the festive season?

I’ve been slaughtering the gym since the start of the year, but then I always do. Not that it seems to do any good.

Whilst I’m there, pummelling away at the flab in a vain attempt to get in shape, I need some tunes to motivate me. The music in the gym is usually dancey disco stuff, which is fine if you’re dancing, but when I’m working out I need something a bit more aggressive.

Albums by various bands get a regular spin, but I also made this iPod playlist to help me focus like a Viking ransacking a monastery. Sometimes I’m so amped I feel like I could run through the wall, rather than just plodding on the treadmill.

You could do worse than to listen to this cacophony yourself.

Rocket From The Crypt – “Pushed”
Audioslave – “Cochise”
Big Chief – “Lion’s Mouth”
Metallica – “Die Die My Darling”
Foo Fighters – “The Pretender”
Rage Against the Machine – “Guerrilla Radio”
Anthrax – “Only”
Corrosion of Conformity – “Heaven’s Not Overflowing”
Pantera – “Fucking Hostile”
The Cult – “Rise”
Probot – “Shake Your Blood”
Suicidal Tendencies – “War Inside My Head”
Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”

There you go: 47 minutes of energetic, in your face music to psyche you up and get you in the mood to destroy. GO!!!

Random Bike Ride Playlist 2017 #1

Posted on August 7, 2017 by platinumal

It’s been a long, long time since I posted a random bike ride playlist. My PC has had a few technical issues which impacted on my iTunes selection. Oh, the joys of digital music.

Anyway, I went on a big cycle ride and left the music choice up to the iPod. This is what I heard whilst on shuffle.

Amy Winehouse – “Tears Dry On Their Own”
Municipal Waste – “Lunch Hall Food Bawl”
Sex Pistols – “No One is Innocent”
Napalm Death – “Born on Your Knees”
Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash – “If I Were a Carpenter”
Nancy Sinatra featuring Lee Hazlewood – “Jackson”
PJ Harvey – “Good Fortune”
Killing Joke – “S.O.36”
Husker Du – “Wheels”
Manic Street Preachers – “Motorcycle Emptiness”
The Cult – “Wilderness Now”
John Lee Hooker – “I’m Gonna Kill That Woman”
Valient Thorr – “Problem Solver”
Rocket From The Crypt – “Ratsize”
Pearl Jam – “Footsteps”
SNFU – “Electric Chair”
Ramones – “It’s Gonna Be Alright”
Van Halen – “Where Have All the Good Times Gone?”
PJ Harvey – “Meet Ze Monster”
Social Distortion – “Writing on the Wall”
Solarized – “Chrome Shop”
Thin Lizzy – “Silver Dollar”
Beastie Boys – “Shadrach”
Johnny Cash – “Daddy Sang Bass”
Pat Benatar – “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “Love Me Two Times”
Anthrax – “I’m The Man”
The Answer – “Evil Man”
Judas Priest – “Here Come the Tears”
Fu Manchu – “Missing Link”
Jello Biafra & The Melvins – “Yuppie Cadillac”
Clutch – “Ship of Gold”
Jimmy Eat World – “Hear You Me”
Stevie Wonder – “For Once in My Life”
The Cult – “Full Tilt”
The Byrds – “The Times They Are a-Changin'”
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “Love is Pain”
Weezer – “Pork and Beans”
Manic Street Preachers – “Suicide is Painless”
Bad Company – “Seagull”
The Clash – “Jimmy Jazz”
Reverend Horton Heat – “In Your Wildest Dreams”
The Monkees – “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”
The Who – “See Me Feel Me”

Wow, I didn’t even know I had that Pat Benatar track!

There you have it – a mix of genres making a nice, eclectic mix of music. Till next time…

Scorpion Child – Gig Review

Posted on November 8, 2016 by platinumal

Scorpion Child + Jared James Nichols + The Bad Flowers

Tuesday 1st November 2016

The Live Rooms, Chester

Almost a year to the day since I last saw the mighty Scorpion Child rocking out, and in the same venue too. This time the crowd numbers are down, but hell – it was a bleak Tuesday evening. No excuse though – people should have been at the Live Rooms for this gig.

I just managed to catch the end of the first set, by UK band The Bad Flowers. This three piece were all power and chunky riffs – think Motorhead menace with some ZZ Top rock in there. Very appetising and well worth keeping an eye on.

Next up was Jared James Nichols, with his two bandmates, bringing us our second three piece of the night. This American band play a fine blend of bluesy hard rock, delivered with a confident, killer attack. Mountain were a fair comparison – they rocked out a crunching “Mississippi Queen” just to prove it. Quality entertainment with a boogie groove!

The last time I saw Scorpion Child, they were here on tour with Crobot (another superb band). Now with their second album – the extremely brilliant Acid Roulette – firmly under their belt, I was keen to witness these new rock’n’roll superstars-to-be again.

Scorpion Child deliver music that is well schooled in the classics of the past – Zeppelin, Sabbath, Purple. And like those bands they’re able to deliver monster rockers like “Liqour” and “She Sings, I Kill” along with some superbly epic moments that build beautifully (“Survives” and “Acid Roulette”).

There’s also a thinly disguised darkness about the bands sound, not exactly doomy but much more in the vein of 80’s bands like the Mission and the Sisters of Mercy. At their most bombastic, Scorpion Child are reminiscent of The Cult (from whence they claimed their name). Apologies for endless musical comparisons – but this band really have some classic style that merits a bigger fan base. Throw in some Danzig and Soundgarden and you’ve got a list of some of my favourite bands.

A great deal of the set is from the new album, showing justified confidence on the bands part. Songs like “My Woman in Black” and “I Might Be Your Man” are thundering hard rock compositions that are classics in the making.

A great gig, shame about the low attendance (and the lack of merch!) – but brilliantly infectious modern hard rock. I’m off for fish’n’chips.

The Scorpion Child website is here.

You can find Scorpion Child, Jared James Nichols and the Bad Flowers on Facebook.

The Live Rooms website is here.

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Tag Archives: The Cult