The Paranoid Squirrel

to Episode 506 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show and on this week’s show I

bring you firstly The UK Subs, not the track that I was intending to play as it

hasn’t turned up in the post, yet. Over the last week, give or take, I’ve seen

three bands that were jaw droppingly good. The first was The DeRellas who I

hadn’t seen with Stevie and Bish supporting The Supersuckers last Friday, then

last Saturday I wandered up to the o2 in Greenwich to The Stone Free Festival primarily

to see The Michael Monroe Band who I knew were going to be good, but I wasn’t

prepared for them to be that good,

with Alice Cooper pretty much the icing on the weekend’s cake. Obviously I

throw in some live DeRellas, Michael Monroe and Alice Cooper. I even find time

for some studio Supersuckers. On the Pledge front Brijitte West & The

Desperate Hopefuls are front and centre with a new track from their as yet

unnamed second album. Next weekend sees Slugfest 9 at The Dolls House,

Abertillery in Wales. Three days of Glunk mayhem, to whit I play the Chuck

Norris Experiment, The Razorbats and as Baz Francis

from Magic Eight Ball is headlining Sunday’s acoustic shenanigans I play

something by them. As The Damned were recently in Abbey Road recording a 3D

(sic) version of “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today” I play the Radio Edit/Mix of the

original 1979 single. Keeping with The Damned connection I play a track from Chris

Constantinu, Paul Frazer & Judy Nylon aka The Mutants mini album “Time For

A Drink” that features Rat Scabies on drums. The Misfits have a brand new ep

out called “Friday 13th”. I did hope the line-up that recorded it

was going to be Jerry Only, Danzig and Wolfgang Von Frankenstein as they are

reuniting for a couple of Riot Fest dates. It isn’t but the ep is still good,

hence I play a track from it. Richie Ramone has a new album out in a couple of

months called “Cellophane”, but to whet our appetite has just released a single

of it which obviously I play. And that’s your lot for this week.

again I’m on the “Hurry Up” as I head towards The o2 for today’s Stonefree

Festival. However, I still manage to deliver an hour’s worth of music that you

should hear on the radio but don’t. Before I get into the music side of things

I rant on about a “Playlist” that Team Rock Radio posted on Twitter and

FaceBook prompting me to post my own. Starting things off this week on the

musical front are the Role Models and a track from their just released pledge

album “Forest Lawn”. Up next it’s The Breakdowns as a way of an apology for

missing them and the Role Models supporting Duncan Reid and The Bigheads at

Some Weird Sin #42 on the 25th which is swiftly followed by The

Phobics as I will be missing their gig also on the 25th at the New

Cross Inn as part of the 2nd HIV/Aids Charity Punk Festival. Danish

Rockers Volbeat have just released the “Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie” album

on Spinefarm Records, of course a track from it is played. We then go Country

with The New Black 7’s new single “We’ve Got Tonight”. As I was mightily

impressed with the London SS’s live shenanigans at Camden Rocks a couple of

weeks ago I went ahead and bought their 40 years in the making “No Beards, No

Beerguts, No Beginners” debut 4 track ep. Only founding member guitarist Brady

survives from the 1975 line up with others going on to form The Damned, The

Clash, Chelsea and The Boys. Still in 2016 the London SS are still relevant as

you will hear. Former Howling Mad lead guitarist Paul Elphick posted on my

FaceBook Timeline that I should play some Bend Sinister. I was hurt that he

didn’t remember that I’d ready played them on Episode 409 and saw them live

with Big Elf at The Garage in November 2014, actually come to think of it Paul

was the Merch Guy on that tour. Anyway. Bend Sinister, who are Canadian, have a

brand new follow up album to 2014’s “Animals” waiting in the wings and the

point Paul was trying to make was a new tune from it was available which

obviously I play. Following straight on after Bend Sinister is a new track from

The Watts’ new album “The Black Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll”. It’s been 8 years

since The Hellacopters released any new material and 19 since the original

line-up last put needle to vinyl. To coincide with the bands reformation to

celebrate 20 years since “Supershitty To The Max” a two track 12”,on seven

different coloured vinyl, was released earlier this month of new material that

was written “at the time” but never officially released. As I’ve already played

“My Mephistophelean Creed” I turn my attention to the b-side. Moving onto more

new music and I play a track from Ulysses’ new album “Law And Order”, then as The WitchDoktors latest album “Voodoo Eye” came

out yesterday it is only right and proper than I play something from it. As we

head into the home straight The Members give us a new musical genre in the form

of Deadpan Disco, but it’s Motörhead that finishes the hour off after I popped

up to Hammersmith Odeon on Monday for the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards. As a

tribute to Lemmy, Biff Byford and Nibbs Carter from Saxon were joined by Phil

Campbell and Mikkey Dee for a run though of “Ace of Spades”, “Born To Raise

Hell” and “Overkill”. Credit to Nibbs for not trying to sound like Lemmy but

playing the bass parts straight. I still don’t think we’ve had the fitting testimonial

to an outstanding career from an outstanding gentleman yet. If we do I will be

there.

to Episode 504 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show. On this week’s show I head

up to Camden for this year’s Camden Rocks; 200 bands spread over 20 venues and

if you bought the “Super Early Bird” ticket it would’ve only set you back £20.

The first band on my “To do/to see” list were London SS, the band who in 1976 would

give us The Damned, The Clash and Chelsea. Only guitarist and ex-Hollywood Brat

Brady survives in the band from those days. After the London SS I wandered up

the road from Dingwalls to see Alive With Eyes who were playing the downstairs

Bar at The Barfly. The band are a four piece London based band that are

stupidly young, I’m sure all of them are still at Secondary School. However for

a young band they certain know all about Power Pop. Doubling back on myself I

head for The Crowndale to see The DeRellas but never make it as I get side

tracked by classic era Quireboy and sometime Peckham Cowboy Bassist Nigel Mogg and

together we put the world to rights before watching ex Cherry Bombz vocalist Anita

Chellamah along with Timo Kalito and his son play The Cuban. Following on

straight after is the first of three sets from Ginger Wildheart who feature GWB

drummer Ai on Tambourine and Toshi on acoustic Bass. Technically difficulties

result in 15 minutes of Tambourine, Bass and vocals only with The Cuban crowd

leading the vocals. Timo and Nigel re-emerge along with Marc Eden for some

serious South London Action as The Peckham Cowboys. It’s the turn of The Dublin

Castle to acquire my feet as I see Black Foxxes who were recommended to me by

their Record label Boss and my one time employer. The Pacific Northwest meets

Devon. Reckless Love are up next at The Electric Ballroom and as much as I

think their new album “InVader” sounds like a demo/work in progress CD, live I

think the band are at the top of their game. I forgot how stupidly hot The

Proud Gallery could become as I waited for the third and final Ginger Wildheart

set. Fortunately the Kettling Policy of last year had been rescinded. This time

around Ginger had no guitar issues and even managed to get Ai to play a

cymballess drum kit for “Suckerpunch”. Former Wildheart Bassist Danny McCormack’s

new band The Main Grains were up next and hearing Danny play reminded me how

much I’ve missed seeing him live. Camden Rocks highlight of the moment? Ginger

and Danny giving each other a great big hug. My last port of call was back at

The Cuban for The Godfathers with Black Bombers and Walter Lure Bassist Darren

Birch standing in for the currently unavailable Chris Coyne. The Godfathers

were for me, thee band of this year’s Camden Rocks.     

excuse me if on this week’s show I come across like I’m in a rush, if not a

hurry. If I do it’s because as soon as I say “Thank you” and “Goodbye” even if

I don’t, I’m jumping on a Bus then a train heading for Camden to try and catch

the London SS up at the Dublin Castle at midday for the start of this year’s

Camden Rocks.

Right onto what I’m playing on this week’s show; first up it’s the Biters with

a track from “It’s All Chewed Up OK”, which is swiftly followed by Black Explosion

who count former Dollhouse member Chris Winter in their ranks with a track

taken from their new album “Atomic Zod War”. Wales is out next port of call for

some Helen Love who Classic Rock describes as the “Welsh Ramones”. But are they

right? Thanks to Billy Hopeless of The Black Halos who shared the link on

FaceBook, Dee Dee Ramone is up next with his tribute to Metallica. I kid you

not! Then Ratt Face come crashing in with a track taken from their new album

“Motorpsycho” and yes when I first got it I thought Motorpsycho had released a

new album called “Ratt Face”. Hot on the heels of last week’s outing of “Golden

Black” by The Hip Priests I play the other track on the band’s latest and in my

opinion greatest, just released 7”. Keeping it Glunk; The Razorbats from Norway

have a track from their latest three track ep “This Is High” aired before I

move over to Paris for some Iron Lizards and something from their “Red” ep. Sticking

with animals I play another new track from The Monkees new album “Good Times”.

In a Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show World Exclusive I play the first fruits from

the Fiascos. “Who are The Fiascos?” I hear you cry. Well it’s what happens when four

guys buy the cheapest, highest volume Wine know to budget supermarkets and

after just one rehearsal go and support CJ Wildheart in Hoxton at the end of

February playing all originals. The band members are nearly all familiar to this

show in the form of Richie Hudson, Keef Gibbs and Robin Guy who can also be

found in Brijitte West as her Desperate Hopefuls and previously Kitty Hudson,

with Robin also playing drums for Sham 69, Rachel Stamp, Bernie Tormé and even

Faith No More. New, as yet unmet, member is bassist Ben from Spizzenergi. The band claim to be like Motörhead

let loose in a Sweetshop…..Michael Kane from The Cheap Cassettes has just

released his second solo single with some help from fellow

Cheap Cassette Kevin Parkhurst on drums, obviously I play it. Up next it’s Petter

Baarli from The Backstreet Girls with a track from his just released his new

solo album “Frankly My Dear, I Don’t Give A Damn!”. Joining Petter are some

heavyweight helpers in the form of his

brother and original drummer in The Backstreet Girls Bjorn along with Ed

Tudorpole, Glen Matlock, Paul Rooney-Angel, Honest John Plain and Casino Steel.

In a complete mix up, I miss read a band name, discovering the Belgium band The

Backseat Angels in the process and their debut album “Saturday Night Shakes”.

Information on The Backseat Angels is scarce but I have discovered that the

band are into Sweet, Slade, The Boys, The Undertones and The Knack. On that

basis I got the album and share a track with you. Winding up this week’s show

is former Soundtrack of our Lives vocalist Ebbot Lundberg and the Indigo

Children who are playing The Half Moon in Putney on the 25th June

and a track from their debut album “For The Ages To Come”. 

the Bank Holiday Weekend which means one of two things; it’s pouring with rain

and ITV are showing a James Bond film. So to alleviate you from this, well for

an hour, for your listening pleasure I have The Damned live in session for BBC

6Music. Then The Witchdoktors unleash a new track from their soon to be

released “Voodoo Eye” album. Dom Daley from Über Rock, who I bumped into at The

Royal Albert Hall, pointed me in the direction of Mink Daggers and Rough Kids.

A track from each band is therefore aired. The Ramones debut album is getting

the “40th Anniversary Box-set” treatment so I get carried away

tripping over myself to order it from the most expensive site I could find. Of

course to illustrate this a Ramones tune is played. Staying in NYC;

D-Generation are all set to release their first new album since 1999s “Through

The Darkness”. “Nothing Is Anywhere” is due to hit the real and virtual record

stores on July 29th and features the classic line-up of Jesse Malin,

who I’ll seeing at The Borderline on the 15th July, Howie Pyro,

Richard Bacchus, Danny Sage and Michael Wildwood. 13 tracks of well, what

D-Generation do best and to prove it I play a track from said album. Swiftly

following D-Generation are The Outside Hours who hail from Barcelona and a song

from their “Devil’s Right Hand” CD. More new music and Ulysses’ “Law And Order”

LP is out next Friday which is guaranteed to keep you “Smiling”. After an

absence of maybe one or two years, sorry I mean weeks The Hip Priests have

released yet another new single. Of course I play one of the two tracks in

question and to be honest this is the finest couple of tunes the band has put

out. Adam Bomb’s gear is no longer “Stranded” in Mainland Europe having successful

crowd funded enough money to have sent back to the States. In recognition I air

an Adam Bomb track which he has just shot a video to. Back to new music and The

Claypool Lennon Delirium, who feature Les Claypool from Primus and Sean Lennon,

Neil Diamond’s Nephew have a tracked played from their debut album “Monolith of

Phobos”. Mrs A. thinks they sound like “Syd era Pink Floyd if he’d taken even

more hallucinogenic drugs.” Watts new album “The Black Heart Of Rock ‘n’ Roll” is

due out on the 10th June and to get you in the mood I play a track

from it. Wrapping this week’s show up is a track from an album that is already out

by one day which comes courtesy of the Black Bombers self-titled debut. Enjoy.

Episode 501 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show and on Friday, which was the 20th

May future listeners, The Damned played the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate 40

years of Anarchy, Chaos and Destruction. This is what happened………

O’Riley! 500 Episodes! Well this show is no different from the other 499 as

you’ll hear music from bands that you should hear on the Radio but don’t.

Getting the celebrations underway are Rumney Rock City’s most wanted The Sick

Livers who get a helping hand from Andy Cairns. Texas Terri Bombs in with song

then it’s the turn of The Main Grains featuring Danny McCormack to up the ante.

It’s then a quick trip over the pond to NYC for The Threads then we return home

to Abandon Cause and a track from their debut ep. New singles from Turbonegro

and Imperial State Electric unfortunately don’t live up to my expectations. I

play them anyway to see if it’s just me. Radio Birdman, who are over here in

Dear Olde Blighty next month, have their Record Store Day 7” aired. I recently read

that great swaths of Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor’s personal effects were being

auctioned off in the States. Surely the estates of Lemmy, Phil and even Würzel

could’ve got together for a Motörhead Museum? Obviously a Motörhead track is

played which is swiftly followed by The Hydromatics with the very first track I

played on Episode 1 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show. As Hey! Hello! have

announced Hollis replacement, I was surprised in a “I didn’t see that coming”

kind of way, I play a track from “Hey! Hello! Too!” which will soon be

re-worked, re-recorded with additional songs. The Ruts DC have a stonkingly

good new single out which I play, with the last song this week coming from Andy

Shernoff written about Joey Ramone who would’ve been 65 on the 19th

May.

celebrate I’ve got a new portable music player that has my entire iTunes

library on* I play some AntiProduct and Brides of Destruction. On the new

musical front as The Chuck Norris Experiment, King Mastino, The Hip Priests and

The Bitch Queens have a 4-way split 7” out at the moment I decide that you

should hear it. Whilst checking out Strange Magic Records I stumbled across

Swedish band CC Company who I’d not heard of before. A track of theirs is

obviously played. Johnny Hayward of über Rock notoriety post a link on Facebook

to The Lovesicks BandCamp site which I followed and thoroughly enjoyed what I

heard. To whit I share a song with you. Making a rare appearance on the show

are The Damned...who are swiftly followed by the Anti-Nowhere League and The

Living End. As Cheetah Chrome has just announced some European dates with The

Knobs as his backing band, who comprise of basically The Hydromatics (minus

Nicke and Scott), I play a track from his “Alive In Detroit” CD. Keeping in the

“Classic Punk Artist” vein, I play a track from The Last Ditches debut album “Spilt

Milk”. The Last Ditches are; Walter Lure, Binky Philips, Randy Pratt and Bobby

Rondinelli, a veritable pedigree of awesomeness. The Stonewall Orchestra impress

me with a track off their soon to be released “The Machine The Devil & The

Dope” album with this week’s show ending with a Hanoi Rocks track in tribute to

Tarzan/OldFashionEd who sadly left us this week.  

true as you will hear

Saturday another Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show and, AND the Sun is shining, well

it is at the time of writing.....The Damned get things going this week as I

talk about Captain Sensible, Monty and Jordan all in attendance for Johnny

Moped’s Brighton gig last Friday, which is more than I can say about me. Up

next from North Lanarkshire are Reaction or if you wish to find them on the

interwebs Re@ction. If you like The Damned and Johnny Thunders Reaction will

tick all the right boxes. Talking of “Boxes”; Goo Goo Dolls have just released

an album of that name, no pun intended, to me it sounds like Coldplay. I’m not

going to knock Goo Goo Dolls for their musically direction as they’ve more than

earned the right to play and record whatever they like. Unfortunately, as you

know, they stopped doing it for me after “A Boy Named Goo”, to whit I play a

track from that album. Los Pepes and Black Bombers both have new albums or in

the case of Black Bombers debut album all set for release so to get you in the

mood I play a track from each. Squirrel favourite guitarist Adam Bomb is having

to hang up Pink Gibson and return to the States to become a full-time Father.

Unfortunately all Adam’s gear is based in mainland Europe. To help with getting

all his amps and cabs back home a crowd funding campaign has been set up. https://www.gofundme.com/adambomb

$3,500 is needed with $2,900 already raised. It would be great if you could all

spare a few quid for him. Top bloke, top guitarist. The Hellacopters have

recorded a new 12”. That’s right a brand new record, well when I say new the

tracks in question were written in 1996 but never given the studio treatment.

Of course I play one of them! The Chuck Norris Experiment have just released a

limited live CD that was recorded by yours truly. However I play a studio track

by them that’s on the live album. Up next it’s The Black Halos who I think

should release a live album, Rich’s Birthday gig anyone.....? Because I missed

seeing The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell supporting Guida at The Underworld

last Wednesday (an allergic reaction to a Fir Tree, I kid you not) I play a

track form their “Check em Before You Wreck em” album. Talking of gigs I play

The Professionals as their Shepherds Bush Empire gig has been moved to the

Islington Academy from the 19th May to 23rd June. Not

that I’m going to go unless it’s on the guest list as the ticket price is

rather on the steep side. IMHO. Finishing this week’s show off is AC/DC who

have been in the spotlight regarding Axl Rose replacing Brian Johnson. I think

it’s a brilliant move but seem to be in the minority....

Another

Saturday and another Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show for you to ingest. Getting

things moving this week are The Methadones with a track from their “21st

Century Power Pop Riot” covers LP then Gorilla and Grifter take over with a

song each from their joint vs split record, Great 70s dirty(ish) Biker Rock.

Talking of bikers; Johnny Moped rides in with a track from his latest album

“It’s A Real Cool Baby”. Bernie Tormé and The Electric Gypsies are up next and

I make a tendinous link between him and the next band who are The Main Grains.

A track from their debut ep “Don’t Believe Everything You Think” is aired. The

UK Subs have just released their 26th and final album “Ziero” and

what a great way to sign off making albums. Fret not the

band will still be recording eps and singles. For the sole reason that I’ve

been humming it over the course of the last few days I play an Iron Maiden

track from their debut album. Then after I reveal how I avoided a Hospital

Waiting Queue the new single from Beat The Drag is played. Dizzy Mizz Lizzy

have just released a new album, to whit I play a “Live In The Studio” track

from it. I then turn my attention to fellow Danes D-A-D who on Wednesday played

in Islington under the “Riskin’ It All For The Pilgrims” banner. The Monkees

are about to release their first new album since 1996 “Justus”. “Good Times!” features

songs by XTC's Andy Partridge, as well as Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller.

Obviously I play something from it with Discharge and a track from their new

album “End Of Days” closing things off for this week. Where else are you going

to hear a UK Hardcore band straight after the world’s first and best

manufactured Boy Band?