The Paranoid Squirrel

Horror! I’m back in the studio this week with The Ramones kicking things off

then The Sonic’s whose latest album has just come out a massive 49 years after

their last remind us the 60’s weren’t just about “The British Invasion”. Up

next is a track from Punk Uberlord Brian James’ new solo album “The Guitar That

Dripped Blood” that features Dead Boy Cheetah Chrome on additional guitar.

Stinking with The Damned connection; The Deadmen Walking a band that features core

members Captain Sensible, Slim Jim Phantom, Mike Peters and newest edition

Chris Cheney from the Living End with guests  spots from Fred Armisen and some guy called

Duff McKagan who obviously wants to boost his credibility, are all set to

release their debut album “Easy Piracy” on May 7th in the meantime I

play the first single from it. The Ruts DC come crashing in next with a track

from their Book Pledge and sticking with pledging for a few more songs I play a

track from Jettblack’s third album “Disguises” and one from The Crunch’s second

album “Brand New Band” and something from The Eureka Machines latest “Brain

Waves”. Cover territory this week comes courtesy of John Dissed and The

Discontents a band that features one time American Heartbreak and Jetboy

drummer Jeff Moscone. Jesse Malin of D Generation fame has just released his

first album in over five years which is called New York Before The War”. The

track I play features Brother Wayne Kramer. In stock news I play some CrashDïet

as Simon Cruz has left the aforementioned band, then some Hornet as they have

called it a day with finally some Treatment as Matt Jones, like Simon Cruz has

left his respective band. If you are listening to The Wall Rock Radio Beat The

Drag are going to bring my hour to a close. A great band that I literally heard

only this morning. Its riffy rock as much influenced by the Backyard Babies as

it is by Fu Manchu and old Def Leppard. Some Eighties-inspired solos as well.” For

everybody else it’s The Quireboys with a track off their 4CD Box set "St

Cecilia and the Gypsy Souls" and then it’s Beat The Drag with Whitesnake Burn(ing)

things up at the end of the show

recorded live at The New Cross Inn are the subject of this week’s show. Forming

in early 1976 the band struck out along the Pub Rock route but got lumped into

the Punk Rock scene, which they semi adopted, playing the 100 Club and

supporting The Pistols and The Clash. The bassist today, Pete, I’ve known for

more years that either of us probably care to mention but have never seen him

in The Vibrators, even though he’s been with them since 2003. The only original

member is drummer Eddie Edwards with vocalist Knox, due to ill health,

consigned to the studio and the occasional gig. I hoped that Knox would be

making an appearance as the gig was in London, unfortunately this wasn't the

case with Pete handling the majority of vocal duties with Eddie and guitarist Darrell

Bath chipping in where necessary. On paper the idea of a Knoxless Vibrators

isn't feasible. However it’s obviously worked very well over the last 8 odd

years and going on this performance it will continue to do so. The fact that

Eddie, Pete and Darrell are great musicians coupled with great songs, old like

“Baby, Baby” and “Automatic Lover” and new from current album “Punk Mania –

Back To The Roots” was also helpful.  I

wasn`t the only one who thought this with an admittedly partisan crowd

demanding the threesome return for two encores even with the time well into

Sunday Morning and last trains well and truly long gone. A great evening as you

are about to hear………..

live shenanigans on this week’s show thanks to Danko Jones and support

superstars. the Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell who kicked off their European

Tour in support of their latest albums “Fire Music” and “Check ‘Em Before You

Wreck ‘Em” respectively at The Oslo in Hackney ten days ago, that was the 18th

March late e-mail and web page openers. The last time I saw the Admiral Sir

Cloudesley Shovell was in 2012, again in support mode, but this time around the

Hastings trio have the aforementioned "Check 'Em"  album to bolster their half hour set. The

band were certainly born at the wrong time with their brand of rock more associated

with the years 1972 - 1975. Sabbath, "On Parole" Motörhead with some

Status Quo old school Boogie but with enough of their own identity to make them

relevant in 2015. Shamefully I haven't seen Danko Jones since they support Motörhead

down in Brighton in 2008. Since then the band have produced a shed load of

albums going through about the same number of drummers in the manor of Spinal

Tap. They were great then and they, thankfully, are still great now. Danko

Jones ARE the band James Hetfield wishes Metallica still was. They have the

hooks, the songs and Danko, the man, is comfortable with the bands audience, so

much so he instigates the crowd to take the piss out of the band for not visiting

London sooner. Both Shovell and Jones fit perfectly together live as you are

just about to hear.........

when a band tries to take a second bite of the Cherry (Baby) they end up

looking like a pale imitation of themselves, trying too hard and end up

sullying their past. This is something Starz have managed to circumnavigate for

two reasons. Reason one; even though Kerrang! Magazine listed their first two

albums, “Starz” and “Violation”, in the most important Heavy Metal albums of

all time with Poison, and Mötley Crüe citing them as a primary influence, the

band only managed to lick the cherry. Main stream commercial success seemed to

alluded them; all right the “Cherry Baby” 7” was a State side hit but they

never managed to capitalise on it. In 2013 they finally made it over to the UK

now with Alex Kane on guitar and a guesting Ginger Wildheart on bass. Fast

forward to the 11th March 2015 and Starz rolled back into the UK for

three dates, Leamington Spa, Camden Underworld and the Hard Rock Hell Festival.

London was my port of call and I have to say it was even better than The Garage

with regular bassist George DiAna once again plucking the four stringed beast.

Even Alex Kane thinks the current incarnation is “Magical”. He’s not wrong. The

set was split into two parts as drummer Joe X. Dube needed a quick break having

only six weeks earlier been in Hospital undergoing Heart Surgery. The

Underworld was not a busy as it should’ve been under normal circumstances as

Night Ranger were playing the Islington Academy and Jettblack were having their

album listening party in Denmark Street, but for those of us who were there

knew we had made the correct choice. As you will hear……

breaking out of the studio for the next few shows and what a finer way to kick

things off with Hardcore Superstar recorded live at the Garage in Highbury at

the beginning of their “When We Touch The Sky” tour. The band will be releasing

their umpteenth album “HCSS” between April 21st and 28th

depending where you live, unless you ask Mr Merch Guy very nicely and a promo

version could be yours for a Tenner. Practically all 10 tracks were played live

which shows the band have got real confidence in the yet to be released album.

Let’s face it; normally a couple and at a stretch three new tracks are played

when a band tours to support/promote a new product. Not Hardcore Superstar with

the new songs welcomed like classics that they surely will become. A great 1¼ hours

set had me wondering why on earth they hadn’t headlined over here since January

2010 playing second fiddle to the likes of The 69 Eyes and then Buck Cherry in

the interim. Well worth the wait as you will hear!  

live break with some top quality Rock and even some Roll. Kicking things off

are The Hives with a Hellacopters cover then it’s onto Nicke Hellacopter

himself and the James Williamson (Stooges, Sony Vice President) “Re-Licked”

track that he played on. I then turn or point you in the direction of three

Classic Bands that just so happen to have released new albums. Up first it’s

The Scorpions with a track of their 18th album “Return To Forever”

that had me doing a double take as I thought they’d covered The Wildhearts “Sick

Of Drugs”. Then it’s onto two of Britain’s finest in the form of UFO and

Thunder with a track from “The Conspiracy of Stars” and “Wonder Days” respectively.

Saddling up next are Black Star Riders with album number two “Killer Instinct”,

still plenty of Thin Lizzy flavours but less former and more current if you

catch my drift. Linking a Captain Sensible story to a Beckenham Night Club and

Train Station via Status Quo is no mean feet but I manage it and to celebrate

the fact I play the Quo song that brought them all together. As rumours of the

UK premiere of The Damned Documentary “Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead” fill

my head with potential glee a John Peel session Brian James’ Tanz Der Youth

track is aired. Back onto new music with Sweden’s Blasting Fondas who had me

thinking of The Nomads and The Boys with even a hint, large hint, of The Damned

on the particular track that I play. Still in Sweden the Shemales are up next;

The Stooges meets The D4? You tell me. The Diamond Dogs have a two CD set out

in May called “Quitters and Complainers” which is going to be dedicated to

their Sax play “Magic” Gunnarsson who sadly passed away last year. The

first track from it has already been let loose on the interwebs so I naturally

play it. Diamond Dogs’ vocalist Sulo’s other band The Crunch are also all set

to release a new album, “Brand New Brand” in April via PledgeMusic. The rest of

The Crunch consist of Terry Chimes formally of The Clash, Black Sabbath and

Hanoi Rocks, Dave Tregunna, Sham 69, Lords of The New Church, Mick Geggus,

Cockney Rejects and last but no means least Idde Schultz of Docenterna. I sneak you a listen to demo that will in a finished form

appear on the aforementioned new album. Friend of the show and Squirrel associate

Arkwright tipped me off over the next band who are based in Ashford. The band

in question are called The Rash and their 4 track ep “Ashford Royalty” is so

catchy it’ll be all over you like a….Rash. Winding up things this week is a

classic, in all senses of the word, track from Gillan as The Squirrel and I

finally managed, after a 32½ year wait, to hear Mick Underwood in his Glory

Road guise play drums live once again.

week’s show is once again a live affair celebrating Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69’s

60th Birthday which was recorded at The 100 Club and was, you’ll be surprised

to learn, the first time Sham 69 had played there. The line-up comprised of

nearly all the classic members; Dave Parson, Dave Tregunna with drummer Mark

Cain’s place being filled by Robin Guy. As you’d expect the gig was sold out

and me being stupid I forgot to remove my hoodie let alone my leather jacket

and denim cut off and almost passed out due to heat exhaustion during the first

support act. Thanks 100 Club Security for coming to my rescue. What a Big Girls

Blouse. It had been 19 years since I last saw Sham 69, that was supporting The

Damned in Birmingham at an all day Punk Festival. After last nights performance

I won’t be leaving it so long!

week it’s an all live Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show courtesy of The Hip Priests

and the Bitch Queens with the first gig of their short three date English

tourette recorded at The Black Heart in Camden. The Bitch Queens, who hail from

Basel, Switzerland, come across as the perfect mix of The Dead Boys and

Hellacopters with a large smattering of Turbonegro attitude. The band consists

of Mel Quitt

(Vox/Guitar), Harry Darling (Drums/Vox), Danny Schönenberger (Guitar) and

Marcel Colomb (Bass /Vox) and have been out on the road since 2008 finding time

to record and release the “Female Shotgun”, “Suck It Up” and “Kill Your Friends”

albums along with a clutch of spit singles. The Hip Priest as I’m sure you’re

aware have been doing their brand of white trash, oversexed, inbred Rock ‘n’ Roll with

the (God) Father figures of Iggy Pop, Johnny Thunders, Lemmy and Handsome Dick

looking on with dismay since 2006. In this time the band have brought us

countless 7”s, three albums, one Japanese compilation/rarities CD all topped of

with the just released live DVD “FO IN HH”. However; live is where the band are

best viewed or in the case of this week’s show, heard.

only known recording of Black Sabbath Mkii starts things off this week with the

over looked Dexter Jones’ Circus Orchestra following with The Robot Lords Of Tokyo

in a six degrees of separation, thanks to the BBC, straight after. Danko Jones

have just released a new album called “Fire Music” naturally I air a track from

it. In this day of the internet and social media when forming a band it’s

pretty easy to see if your band name of choice has been already taken. Seattle

based instrumentalists Audrey Horne have failed in this and recorded and

released an album called “Teledidonics”. I play a track before the cease and

desist order is served. I also play a track from Los Bastardos Finlandese sixth

album “BMF Ball” which has just been released; no one can ever excuse them of

name copying!  A band I’d not heard of

until Head Glunk Recorder Dom Daley pointed me in their direction was FUKDUST4 who

feature members of Wolfsbane/Jellys, a former UK Sub and  Drongos For Europe. It seems they only have

one single out at the moment but what a great start! We pop over to Scandinavia

for some Street Punk in the form of City Saints, Sleaze; Hardcore Superstar and

emmm Dizzy Mizz Lizzy. Brighton based band Gang return us the UK, with Closer

Records Recording artists The Dark Rags, Dum Dum Boys and Three Headed Dog

ending this weeks show off.

The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show; The Worlds Longest running weekly podcast (Allegedly,

but prove me wrong) this week the very first single by AC/DC, with only Angus

and Malcolm from any AC/DC I know playing on it, is aired. Then Chris Spedding

he of “Motorbikin’” and Womble fame has a track from his very excellent “Joyland”

played. I almost play a track by The Korgis but don’t instead I fresbie the CD

over the houses opposite into the grounds of the the Psychiatric

Hospital and play a Reeves Gabrels and his Imaginary Friends track instead. I

made the correct choice! The International Swingers soon to be released single

originally recorded by The Move gets played in an attempt to get their pledge

passed 100%. Finland’s Waltari have a new album out at the end of the month so

naturally I play something from it. New to the show are Barnsley

Dark Punkers System Of Hate with a track from their very excellent “Insanity”

EP. To celebrate The Damned’s “Don’t You Wish We Were Dead” Documentary being

screened at next months SXSW festival I play a track from my favourite live

Damned album. The UK Subs have a brand new album out called “Yellow Leader” it

goes without saying that I play something from it. Then I take you over to

Boston for Watts who have been described as “They play in a band built on a

bedrock of riff-powered songs that have as much to do with swagger as they do

melody. Watts also stoke the twin-engine guitar charge of Keith Richards and

Ron Wood, although gruff-voiced singer-guitarist Dan Kopko sings better than

both, and lead axe John Blout’s tough, blistering solos are closer in spirit to

the knotty workouts of AC/DC’s Angus Young” 

Well that was me sold. Chips Enuff bassist with Enuff Z’Nuff has just

released a solo album with contributions from Steven Adler, Slash, Robin Zander

with co writing credits from Trent Reznor and Paul McCartney. The Hip Priests

cover Zodiac Mindwarp before I moan about the Jettblack listening party

clashing with Starz at The Underworld. With the whole show finishing up with “Songs

That Don’t Rock But Actually Do”.