The Paranoid Squirrel

week we return to the studio with some pre fame Motӧrhead who are swiftly

followed by The Ramones who are in turn just before that “other” great New York

band The New York Dolls. Which leads us nicely into a track by Dolls and Heartbreakers

drummer Jerry Nolan in the form of Jerry Nolan and the Profilers. Bay City

Rollers?! Why not, come on Dee Dee was into them and wasn’t Rat Scabies once

Mouse Modem in the Tartan Hordes? On the new music front David Ryder Prangley

of Rachel Stamp fame treats us to a present to mark his Birthday in the form of

the blink and you missed it “Birthday Suite”. The Prima Donnas third album “Nine

Lives and Forty Fives” is out on the 10th, so to get you in the mood

I obviously play a track off it. The Godfathers of Trash Venom (no Venom no

Slayer) have just released a brand new album called “From The Very Depths” and

prove that they still have plenty to offer, as you will hear. A band with a lot

to prove are Jettblack, third full length album “Disguises” due for a Spring

release, tour in February, listening party in March. Lead single “Explode” does

just that. Expect the unexpected. The Hip Priests have just released their

debut live DVD along with a brand spanking new 7”. Naturally the 7” gets a

spin. At this point I talk about clashing gigs, which I avert whilst my

daughter shoves a note under the studio door, putting me straight on two

things, one of which involves Olly Murs and Social Distortion. Both the Von

Hertzen Brothers and VLY, who sport Tormé and former Shark Island bassist Chris

Heilmann have new albums out in the coming months. I guess it goes without

saying that a track from each is aired. 

again it’s an all live affair courtesy of former Girl, Tormé vocalist Phil

Lewis. Obviously since 1988 Phil has been plying his trade in LA Guns and is

just about to complete a short, low key solo UK tour. The show was recorded at

the Camden Underworld during the midway point and covers most of his musical

catalogue; plenty of LA Guns, naturally, some Girl, a couple of covers, London

Cowboys and The Heavy Metal Kids. Sadly no Tormé even if Tormé bassist Chris

Heilmann was in attendance. A great evening from a great singer.   

it only took a few weeks before the first all live Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show

presented itself and what three great bands I have in store for you. First up

its Cretin 77 who hail from Corby, Northamptonshire. The band formed in the

middle of 2011 and have so far only have one album under their belt in the form

of “Cretin City Terminal”. Imagine GBH fronted

by Jello Biafra. Second on the bill were, all the way from Welsh Wales, The

Sick Livers, whose brand of Glunk Rock makes them one of my favourite bands to

see live and I’ve only seen them twice. The Sick Livers really turned it on with vocalist Ginge

either in the crowd or dragging various Turbojugends that were present on

stage. Tidy. Headlining the whole shebang were Norwegian Punksters Honningbarna.

I knew less than nothing about this band as their Facebook page is mostly in

Norwegian, well it would be and I didn’t understand how to work out the game

that let you into their official web-site. All I knew was that a cello was

involved…….

Who get things going this week then it’s The Claytown Troupe before we get into

new music courtesy of Captain Powers and Mourning Birds. I also talk about

finally getting my iTunes and iPod to work together before a pledge only track

from The International Swingers, that’ll be Glem Burke, Glen Matlock, James

Stevenson and Gary Twinn is aired. As I’ve also pledged on Marky Ramones

autobiography I play a Motӧrhead cover from The Chuck Norris Experiment. More

new music from one time David Bowie and John Lennon guitarist Earl Slick before

I regale the story of locking out friend of the show and Squirrel Associate

Arkwight at ten to one in the morning as he returned from seeing Paul Raymond

at The Borderline. Naturally I play some UFO. A new segment this week is “Songs

That Rock, That Shouldn’t” featuring Ella Henderson. With the show rounded off

by some 30% slower Slayer!

Union Carbide Productions get the ball rolling after which I moan about iTunes

12 seemingly refusing to sync new albums on my iPod. Steve Conte cheers things

up with a track from his critically acclaimed “NYC” album. Whilst in between

the aforementioned Steve Conte and D-A-D I tell a hypothetical (sic) story

about the perils of not owning an Oyster Card. The Whocares have a track off their

overlooked, by me, album “Now In Full Stereo” aired before the first “Compare

& Contrast” of 2015 comes into court. Prosecuting are the Lightning Seeds

whilst the defendants are The Damned. The title track of Calabrese soon to be

released 6th album “Lust For Sacrilege” gets The Rock Show treatment

before I tell you of the fantasy festival that was to be held in Stockholm on

three impossible days at the end of next month. Underpinned by The last ever Gluecifer

studio track. I moan about the TV being so dire over the Festive Period, the

only high points being the non-Christmas films that are shown. Not forgetting the

Clash Documentary that was shown on New Year’s Day on BBC Four. Obviously I

play a song by them, which is swiftly followed by The Hellacopters. As we reach

the home straight Thee Imperial Royales, with their

second album of Surf, Goth ‘n’ Roll in 10 years are played and then it’s the

turn of The

Dime Store Haloes, oh the interconnectiveness. Rounding the show off are; The

Drej, who have decided to call it a day and Motӧrhead who remind us of their

roots.

and on the last show of 2014 Metallica get things underway. Don’t forget kids

you only need to own the first three Metallica albums. Hot from last week’s

show are the returning Flame Pilots with another track from their latest

offering. The Disconnects whose album “Wake Up Dead” is just about to be released

have a track aired for your consideration. As do The Keefs whose debut album “Better

Late Than Never” was released to coincide with them splitting up. Shame! TV

Smith has just released his latest album called “I Delete” and it is a corker,

as you’ll hear. For the last time this year, thanks to Andy P of Fear and

Loathing Fanzine, “Compare and Contrast” rears its litigating head with Devo up

against Led Zeppelin. To celebrate Ginger Wildheart’s “Songs and Words” pledge (Coffee

Table Book and DVD, drool, drool) I play Bi-Polar Baby ft Yolanda Quartey. The

show is rounded off by Devil City Angels who sport Tracii Guns, Rikki Rockett and Brandon

Gibbs. See you next year!

it’s coming up to Christmas I kick this week’s show off with Flame Pilots “St

Nick’s Lament” and if that doesn’t have you reaching for a bottle of something

strong I don’t know what will. The Sonic’s Rendezvous Band come crashing in

next with a choice cover before I start to tell you why this week’s show is

about 4 hours late in being uploaded (now six thanks to podbean). New music

comes courtesy Low Impact Records and Bo-Dogs who sport Chips and Kent from

Sator and The Maharajas. Prior to Glunk Record recording artists Crazy &

The Brains, (this band have a lead Glockenspiel) and The Sick Livers I share my

daughter’s X Factor story combined with a new trip to the Dentist. Up next,

thanks to Dom Daley, it’s from LA the Ex-Gentlemen and from Seattle The Cheap

Cassettes. I was hoping that Sparks were going to make a guest appearance at

Ginger Wildheart’s 50th Birthday Bash, they didn’t which was shame.

Once again though it seems hard to imagine how Ginger will be able top this

year’s. However I still play a Sparks tune as a “What if…?” moment. As we speed

towards the end of this week’s show I play a track from Motorpsycho’s  “Motorpnakotic Fragments” double 7” package. The last song goes to Sin

City Sinners and I mistaking think that there won’t be another show until next

year completely forgetting that Episode 414 is actually the last show of 2014.

week on the Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show I start things off by regaling my woes

at the beginning of the week. Fortunately the second half was top draw stuff

with gigs from Reckless Love and the subject of this week’s show; Richie Ramone

at The Boiler Room in Guildford. Richie is over here to promote his debut CD “Entitled”

with his band comprising of friends of the show Alex Kane and Clare Misstake

both, as you should know, from the currently on hiatus AntiProduct and…..once upon

a time the other surviving drumming Ramone’s ‘Blitzkrieg Band’. During the

course of the band’s set Richie flits from drum kit to mic with rhythm guitarist

Ben Reagan picking up the sticks when necessary. Obviously choice cuts from “Entitled”

are played along with tracks from the three Ramones albums that Richie drummed

on. However Richie doesn’t overlook the early classic Ramones albums. Yes he

didn’t appear on those studio albums, that would be Tommy and Marky, but he did

play them live for over 500 shows over the course of five years. So he is, as

his album says, “Entitled”. In past interviews Richie has voiced his concerns

that he didn’t want to see his band viewed as a Ramones tribute. He hasn’t got

anything to worry about; Alex, Clare and Ben aren’t all dressed up in jeans and

leather jackets. Alex live still scares the shit out of me with his “I’m going

to kill you” facial expressions, off stage he is one of the most genuine people

you could meet. Sound wise? Probably the closest you’ll get to hearing The

Ramones. Admittedly Richie doesn’t sound like Joey, but why would he, who does?

The Ramones were a totally unique band as were all the individual ‘brothers’.

Not a tribute just continuing the legacy. 

week I start off by stressing about my teeth, or lack of, and ordering One

Direction tickets potentially at the same time as I’m sitting in the Dentist’s

chair. Musically Jake Starr and the Delicious Fullness get things going with

another track from their “Tastes Good” album. Then I complain about Facebook’s “Real

Name” Policy and to underline how stupid it is I play a duet by David Walls and

Courtney Harrison. You know who I’m talking about. Swedish Street Punks Bombshell

Rocks, who I thought had split up in 2001, have just released a brand new album

called “Generation Tranquilized”. Naturally I play a track off it. Then as

Radio Birdman have a fantastic, fan friendly six CD/1 DVD Boxset out I play

something by them. Well you would, wouldn’t you? Staying Downunder; The Hard

Ons treat us to something from “Peel Me Like An Egg” which I link to winning,

but not winning a two foot tall R2D2 cake. The last Australian band I play this

week came recommended from Bobby-Lou Hellacopter in the form of Uptown Ace and

their free to download “1850” album. Top stuff. Just before I play some Hanoi

Rocks I mention about being offered a weekly two hour DAB radio show and why I

turned it down. No pun intended. The Prisoners Of Millbank are up next as their

bassist told me to “Play my band.” The “Twisted Disco For Strange Men” quote on

their Facebook page never seemed so apt. I finally got around to getting former

Enuff Z’Nuff vocalist Donnie Vie’s new double White Album. Very good it is to,

as you will hear. Mixing it up a bit I play an 1988 Demo of a Discharge tune by

Broken Bones and then getting things right up to date I play a new track from

their “Dead & Gone” ep. Gig wise this week saw me up at The Shacklewell

Arms in East London to bear witness to the mega star, the legend that is Johnny

Moped. I also after twenty odd years of being it’s Guardian delivered to Dave

Berk the 2” Instrumental Master Tape of “Honey Bun”, “I Believed Her Lies” and

“Hiawatha” featuring Dave, Slimey and the sadly deceased Fred. As a tribute to

Fred I play the Radio 1 Session of “Darling Let’s Have Another Baby” by Kirsty

MacColl and Billy Bragg. The show is rounded off by the B-52s and a song that should

segue nicely, or strike the fear, into the show that follows this on The Wall

Rock Radio……..

week’s hour long studio effort turns out to be an hour and twenty minutes

instead. I start things off with an apology to St Evel who I played on last

week’s show but failed to mention in my show notes. I also said on last week’s

show that this week it was going to be all live with Bend Sinister and Big Elf

at the helm. It’s not and they aren’t. The Sex Pistols and The Damned kick the

music this week off with a shared song titled before Hardcore Superstar get all

sticky. Whilst taking my daughter to see Olly Murs at HMV in Oxford Street I consoled

myself with iPod and Psychopunch’s back catalogue, one of which I share with

you. I’ve just Pledged for the Eureka Machines forth album “Brain

Waves” and as soon as you do an 80’s 4 track covers ep becomes yours. As one of

those tracks is currently up on YouTube so I give it an airing. The “Demons”

have announced that they are returning to business and to celebrate a track

from the bands last CD “Scarcity Rocks” gets played. Donnie Vie, formally of

Enuff Z’Nuff, is releasing a brand new solo album called “The White Album” on

Cargo Records. I play a demo track that didn’t make it onto the album due to a

Hard Drive failure. A band that are brand new to me are Bitch Queens from

Switzerland who have been at it since 2008. They sound like The Stooges and the Backyard Babies, whilst next door the Dead Boys are

drinking beer with Turbonegro. Can’t wait to see them supporting The Hip

Priests in February. Consequently the next three songs come from the Bitch

Queens, The Hip Priests and Turbonegro. Up next it’s The Lovesores with the

title track of their just released ep on HoundDawg Records. Hastings based band

and Squirrel favourites Hornet are up next with the first fruits from their

recent trip to the studio. AC/DC and then Status Quo’s latest offerings are

played with Spike and a track from his “100% Pure Frankie Miller” finishing the

hour at which point Wall Rock Radio listeners leave us but not before I thank everyone

for my Birthday wishes and regale the beer spilling Boiler breaking incident.

The last twenty minutes is taken up with The Vibrators, Vive Finto, who only

ever officially released one track on a compilation CD. Fortunately I have the

unreleased album and delve into it for your pleasure. The last two tracks come courtesy

of Swedish NWoBM worshipping rockers Hypnos and Susan Boyle. Yes that Susan Boyle. Come on admit it, no

other Radio Station would play Turbonegro and a Britain’s Got Talent contestant.

And I wonder why I still have a day job….