The Paranoid Squirrel

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 542

The Sonics are the first band up this week as it’s been announced that they are once again hitting the road. For the second week in a row I air some Acoustic Bernie Tormé, as a way of an apology as last week I got song titles mixed up. CJ Ramone has another new track played from his up and coming album “American Beauty”. The track in question also just so happens to be the title of Los Pepes’ forthcoming coming album, a track from which I obviously play. I’ve given up hope on The Hellacopters being added to this year’s Stone Free Festival which is probably a good thing as the only tickets left are right up in the Gods, right at the back. However, this doesn’t stop me from playing some Hellacopters featuring Scott Morgan, with Pelle Almgren’s first new track in about 10 years swiftly following in its wake. Not only do The Admiral Sir Cloudsley Shovell have a new drummer in the shape and form of Serra Petale but also have a brand stonking new single for me to impart and for you to enjoy. The track in question is called “Nightmare”. Moving over from Hastings to France it’s the debut appearance of Born Again and a track from their first LP “Strike With Power”. The Routes are an Anglo-Nipponese trio that are just about to released their fifth album “In This Perfect Hell” on Dirty Water Records. Like the Shovell and Born Again, The Routes, roots aren’t from this century. Theirs is buried deep in the Garageland of the 1960’s as you will hear. I was embarrassed to learn that former Soundtrack of Our Lives guitarist Ian Person has had a Pledge campaign running for nearly two years and I knew nothing about it until last week. Of course, I try and make up for my oversight by Pledging and then in turn playing something from it for you to enjoy. The King of PledgeMusic must be Ginger Wildheart who last Wednesday launched his latest offering “Ghost in The Tanglewood”, a Country album which was ready to be downloaded as soon as you and your money were parted. On the 24^th I popped along to the 100 Club for the last date of sometime Wildhearts Bassist Scott Sorry’s UK tour. Opening proceedings were The WitchDoktors, who truth be told could quite easily have been the headline act, that also goes for main support the Role Models. Even with the early start time of 7:45 and only half an hour set, the WitchDoktors, certainly played like their lives depended on it, with the Role Models playing at a frantic pace like it was already too late for them, but at least they’d got to go out in style. Scott Sorry was welcomed back like a conquering hero, if not King, that it had been thought to have been killed in Battle. From the reaction the crowd gave Scott, I hope it’s not too long before he returns.
In other news it looks like The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show will become part of http://rock-radio.co.uk/ More news as I get it.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 541

Welcome to Episode 541 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show where a familiar song by The Sweet, albeit the not often heard original album version, gets this week’s show off to a flying start. I then question the date surrounding the 40^th Anniversary of the Damned’s debut album by playing Captain’s outvoted choice of debut single. The Plastic Tears are part of ‘Alive and Kicking’s’ album “Smacked! – A Tribute to Ilari “Claude” Peltola. Their offering I of course aired. Others contributing are: Eduardo J. Martinez, The Flaming Sideburns, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Squirrel faves The Dead Furies, Danny Fury and The Anita Chellamah Band. You can pre-order it from HERE. Where you will also find the full list of artists and track listing. Dirtbag Republic release their new album “Downtown Eastside” towards at end of March, so to get you in the mood I play a track from it. I know I played The Scaramanga Six last week but as I’ve been getting down and up to “Owned pt. 1-4”, which along with “As We Take the Stage Pts 1-2” is available to download for free from their BandCamp, I decided to air that as well. Just before Christmas former Lord of Altamont Spencer Robinson released a 5-track cassette, yes cassette, of new music. Fear ye not as for the princely sum of $2 you can download all five from his Bandcamp site. The tracks are, as stated, a little darker than his previous collaborations; music for drinking, crying, driving and dying. One of which you will hear. Unless this is the first Paranoid Squirrel Podcast that you’ve listened to, you are all aware that Bernie Tormé is one of my two all-time favourite guitarists. On Monday I received my e-mail notification telling me that “Dublin Cowboy” Bernie’s latest Pledge album was ready for me to download. It’s a triple affair; Electric, Acoustic and Live. The live album was available to download as soon as you pledged and without blowing smoke up anyone’s behind; “Dublin Cowboy” is arguable Bernie’s best work to date. If you don’t believe me I play two tracks. One Electric and one Acoustic. If you want to hear him live, you can during April. Of course me being me I get the name wrong of the asousic track that I use as an example of a certain drum sound. Straight after Mr Tormé are New York’s hardest working Rock Band Dirty Fences and track from their just re-issued first ep, with the obligatory extra tracks. The Darts (US) those Garage-psych-rock grrls that make your head slam and your feet shake released in January “The Darts EP2” via Dirty Water Records. Of course, I play something from it, for your delectation. More new music and Stockholm four piece The Blasting Fondas have just released the “There Ain’t No Other Way” 7” on Beluga Records which gets an airing. Moving into the home straight and I play a track from Gary Lammin, from the Bermondsey Joyriders, debut solo album that was recorded back in 2003 with Dave Goodman Producing. It’s not what you might expect but nevertheless it is really good in a 60’s psychedelic slant with hints of the Stones “Their Satanic Majesties Request” couple with the Velvet Underground. Last but no means least it’s renowned Bad Religion frontman and acclaimed author Greg Graffin and the third track from his much-anticipated forthcoming album “Millport” which ends this week’s show. The song is called “Backroads of My Mind” and offers some energised and uplifting country rock with exquisite vocal choruses and some crisp guitar from Social Distortion guitarist Jonny “Two Bags” Wickersham.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 540

I start this week’s episode with the brand new single from the Biters’ new album “The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be” played at the right speed. Vinyl is the order of the day next with offerings from The Nomads and Sator split single which arrived on my doorstep courtesy of Ghost Highway Records and then a NY Loose 7” thanks to Andy from the Fear & Loathing Fanzine. I then get into releases and or projects that went live on the 14^th making me worry whilst I was wining and dining Mrs A. I’d miss out. I didn’t. First I ordered TV Eyes “1977-1978” vinyl LP from Easy Action Records, but as I haven’t any TV Eye to play, yet, I air Radio Birdman covering the Stooges. Can you guess which song....? Then the Role Models third album in as many years was Pledged for on...erm.. Pledge Music with an early version of “Cherry Dear” played to accompany “Dance Moves” appearance. Finally I was able to mop my fevered brow as I managed to blag the Spasm Gang Member re-issue of The Hip Priests “Full Tilt Bullshit” LP and the original unreleased Gary X-Ray version. Up next is Hanoi Rocks and some Johnny Thunders, just because, well just because. More new music comes from The Scaramanga Six, The Yorkshire Rats, Cyanide Pills, “DEMONS” (Yes, get in), Circus of Power ft. Jyrki69 and the fantastically titled King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 539

On this week’s show, for your listening pleasure I have for you new tunes from; The Dahlmanns and The Reverberations whose singles both come out on the 14^th. The Ruts DC have lifted a track from last years very excellent Pledge album “Music Must Destroy”. Adam Bomb has just set up a GoFundMe page where you can pre-order his up and coming autobiography “911 Is Disconnected …So This Is Rock And Roll”. Obviously as a soundtrack to this, I play something by him. The Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell are up next with a track off their last album “Keep It Greasy” for no other reason than its great. Poison Heart and Bomb The World released a split LP late last year with both bands picking a song to cover. Those songs I play. One by The Ramones and one by Motörhead. I then talk about clashing gigs and even worse bands you really like added to either a sold out show or the headlining band you weren’t going to go to in the first place. To illustrate this I play a track from Biters who will be supporting Blackberry Smoke next month. Julian Cope has just released a new album called “Drunken Songs”, which is forty minutes of Gnostic Drunkenness contained in six tales of belligerent alcohol related drunkenness. I think, like me, you’ve probably detected a theme. The track I air it seems to have been written to be played at the Archdruid’s funeral. Swiftly following on from Mr Cope are the Watts. Classic Rock Magazine is back so I talk about what’s in it (The Damned get a 4 page live feature. Future know how to keep me on board). I realise I only played The Godfathers last week but as I’m mightily impressed with their new album “A Big, Bad, Beautiful Noise” I play them again. Black Heart Breakers make a welcome return to the show before I finish things off with The Phobics but not before I plant the seed of thought that Tom would make an excellent 13^th Doctor…….

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 538

Sadly The Hellacopters start this week’s show off as Robert “Strings” Dahlqvist passed away yesterday at the age of 40. The Damned, who I very rarely play on the show, are up next as I apologise for making a mistake on last week’s episode with regards to The Ruts. Last  Saturday I popped up to The Dev to see Flash House and finally catch Asomvel live, two great bands in a great venue = a great night!  Obviously I play a track from both. CJ Ramone, as well as playing with Richie Ramone in be Buenos Aires this evening, will be releasing a brand new album called “American Beauty” on the 17^th March, a track from which I play. Steve Jones’ Fantasy 7 gets a look in as I’ve just purchased his autobiography. I also shelled out for the Hanoi Rocks “All Those Wasted Years” coffee table book as Amazon are currently knocking twenty quid off it. It comes with a 7” single with two unreleased tracks. One of which I air. Straight afterwards I play another track from Wyldlife’s stonkingly good new album “Out On Your Block”. Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman) and James Williamson (The Stooges) have teamed up for a 4 track “Acoustic K.O.” ep. Of course I play a sneaky song from it. Danko Jones are heading to Europe to promote their brand new album “Wild Cat” and proceeding both is a single. Grande Royale have just signed to erm.... Sign Records who will release their album “Breaking News” in August. A track has just been unleashed so we know what to expect. Following on from said Danko Jones single are Horisont and a track from their new album “About Time”.  A band who I shamefully had never heard of until the middle of last week was Psychotic Youth. After getting hold of their 30 track compilation album “Power Pop to Die For” CD I was compelled to buy their brand new album “The Voice of Summer” and play you lot a track from it. Closing this week’s show are The Godfathers and a track from their new album “A Big Bad Beautiful Noise” which comes out next Friday.   

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 537

Cor blimey Guv’nor, have I a packed show for you this week or what? The MC5 and The Damned kick things off with former Damned members Rat Scabies and Paul Gray re-uniting on the new Professor and the Madman single, then as I’m on the cusp of finishing Roland Link’s “Love in Vain – The Story of The Ruts and Ruts DC” book I naturally play some of the subject matter which is swiftly followed with some Gary Moore that was earmarked for The Ruts. Back to new music in the shape and form of QSP, the Q stand for Quatro, as in Suzi, S as in Andy Scott from the Sweet and P as in Don Powell from Slade. A quick trip to Pledge Music has me informing you that Ryan Hamilton and the Traitors album “The Devil’s In The Detail” seems to have fallen foul of the man. However Ryan has a cunning plan. TSOL, Tattooed Millionaires, Fuckdust4 and The Ringo Jets all have new products for us to enjoy in the form of an album, a single, 3 track single and an album before I go retrospective thanks to Exeter Ray and some Guy Davis. Getting back on track with new music and it’s The Royal Cream and something from their new album “Big Words, Small Talk”, then Heavy Tiger with their Nicke Andersson produced single before I head over to Seattle for some Piston Ready before setting sail to Tallin for a track from the new Dead Furies album “No Talkin’ All Action”. I go all previous with a Watts track that makes me want to pretend to be Joe Strummer (early Clash) playing at being David Bowie. This week’s final song comes from quite possibly the greatest album that’s going to be released this year. A bold statement I know. However, once you listen to Wyldlife’s “Out on your Block” LP, I think you’ll willingly agree.  

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 535

Right, let’s get straight into the first Fan Funded segmentation of 2017. I have three artists for you to choose from; Up first is The Sly Persuaders, a London based 4 piece, gnarly, garage, surf, Rockabilly band that on the track I play from their self-titled debut has the most direst bass sound since Lemmy discovered distortion. If we’re talking distortion then Ginger Wildheart and Exit International’s Scott Lee Andrews in their Mutation guise take things to a different level with “Mutation III”. The final piece of the pledge jigsaw this week is Chris Catalyst and a track from his just launched “Life is Often Brilliant” campaign. If truth be told I actually sneak in a track from Hellbound Hearts’ non pledge album “Film Noir” between “Mutation III” and Chris’ tracks. Johnny Moped get honoured by a band called Hamsters, not to be confused with The Hamsters those fine purveyors of Blues/Rock and Hendrix/ZZ Top covers and a track called “Basically, Johnny Moped” which celebrates the legendary outsider status of Johnny himself along with Slimy Toad, Dave Berk, original bassist Fred Berk with his replacement Jacko, the mysterious Rock ‘n’ Roll Robot and Xerxes. Top Riffmeister Tony Iommi has just released a Classical Choral piece that he wrote for the Birmingham City Cathedral Choir. A bit of a departure I think you’ll agree. However, after listening to it, it works really well. I can’t help but think that the icing on the cake would’ve been Ronnie James Dio adding some vocals had he been alive. A Band that you might not be familiar with is The New Piccadillys who were/are to Edinburgh what The Beatles are to Liverpool. Now you may think that they wouldn’t even warrant a foot-note in the History of anything and you’d be right but for two things; 1960’s versions of two songs that The Ramones and The Clash would record for both their debut albums. Of course, as you’re all familiar with the Punk tunes I play The New Piccadillys. As I remembered it is The Backyard Babies that are preventing me seeing The Yorkshire Rats on the 17^th March (listen to last week’s show) I play a track from their “Four By Four” album. A band that got me all in a tis were The Empire Strikes from Finland who had me contacting their record label asking for mp3s even though said Record label had sent me an e-mail with all the links I needed. Naturally I play a track from their soon to be released “High Tide” LP. The Boys round this week’s show off with a track taken from their “Punk Rock Menopause” album whilst I discuss their 100 Club appearance on the 6^th January along with the fall and rise of Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog Magazines.    

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 533

Of course this week’s show could not begin, sadly, without some Status Quo. Also Wednesday marked the first anniversary of Lemmy’s passing which has not gone unmarked with the Bitch Queens, Hip Priests, King Mastino and The Chuck Norris Experiment releasing a split 7” of their favourite Motörhead track and Zen Motel issuing a mighty fine charity tribute song called “L.E.M.M.Y.”. I couldn’t let the show go without some actual Motörhead, even if it is them doing a cover. After a brief story involving a Brewery, the Stalkers CD, the Helltrain LP, Tom from the Phobics and an eccentric on a train, I segue into Aztec Death and a track from their new album “Machines” CD which is reminiscent of early Joy Division and Warsaw. Well it is to me. Following swiftly on is Stiletto Farm who is a new band to my ears even if they did issue an album back in 2014. More new music comes from a new band called Alley Cat LV who features an ex Faster Pussycat and a Cats In Boots. Peter Black from the Hard Ons under took on the 1^st January this year to release a new song everyday for the whole of 2016. Well he did it, with some songs over. We’re not talking rough studio outtake demos but full on studio recordings. Pledgemusic time and the Vibrators let us have a listen to another track from their soon to be released “Past, Present and into the Future” album. However, rounding of this, the last show of 2016, are The Nomads and Sator with a track each taken from their Ghost Highway Recordings split 7” which is due out any second now.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 532

Happy Chrimbo one and all! As it is the season this week’s show will be littered with festive songs but not the ones that are normally played on “Normal” Radio. The Damned and Vice Squad get things off to a flying start before The Sonic Beat Explosion, thanks to a post on the Hellacopters Community Facebook Page, are the first non-seasonable band with a track from their 2014 “Electrophonic Soul” album. Hanoi Rocks are up next with the Bad Mongos, who are 100% Costa Brava Punk Rock, swiftly following in their wake with something from their “Shoot The Bullet” CD. The UK Subs return us to the festive mood before the Main Grains wish they were in Sunny climes. Playing The Greedies one and only single seems apt at this time of year. For those of you who are unaware The Greedies, or to give them their full title – The Greedy Bastards, featured from Thin Lizzy Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham and Brian Downy and from the Sex Pistols and soon The Professionals Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I air a Hey! Hello! track that was due to be played last Saturday up at the Forum as part of Ginger’s Birthday Bash but was omitted due to the Birthday Boy suffering from a serious case of up chucking. The Young Doctors in Lust debut single, a band that features various members of the Curse and the Shemales, “Christmas Song” once again gets played but this time I know all about it. Dirt Box Disco were my biggest surprise at the aforementioned Birthday Bash having previously avoided hearing them as they looked like a Poundland Insane Clown Posse. Musically though, top draw stuff as you will hear as I play a track from their “People Made of Paper” album. The brothers Davies, that’ll be The Kinks to the likes of you and me, have their Christmas song aired before the Wildhearts take us into the final quarter of this week’s show. No Christmas show would be complete without The Ramones’ take on the subject before I put my two pennies’ worth on the TeamRock administration saga. The Dollyrots have released a Christmas song but I don’t like it so instead I play their Crystals/Ramones medley as it sounds much more Christmassy. But it’s the Flame Pilots who finish this year’s Christmas show with their Seasonal offering.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 531

France’s Soggy get this week’s show underway with a track from their one and only album which has finally been released on CD. The band look and sound like a hybrid of The Stooges and the MC5 with frontman Beb sporting Rob Tyner’s hair and Iggy Pop’s stripped the waist torso, although I can also hear elements of Motörhead and Venom and in six degrees of separation The Shrine follow on who play the sort of music that would suit a fan of Black Flag, Black Sabbath and Fu Manchu. Thanks to Tom from the The Phobics I’ve been turned onto the Stalkers. A bit late in the day as the band broke up in July but still, it’s the thought that counts. As a way of saying “Cheers” I play a track from Tom’s pre Phobic band Helltrain but its Johnny Moped with a 6Music session track that actually proceeds it. The DeRellas work their way into the show with a track from their recently released “Freakshow” mini LP. Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd is making his way over to the UK next year with an as yet unnamed band, although John Proctor from the Dirty Strangers is playing bass to whit I play a song from the Sticksman’s solo album. Another new band, well to me, are The Richmond Sluts. Think of a mixture of The Stooges and Primal Scream with the occasional slide guitar putting a spanner in the works and that’s what the band’s latest album “60 Cycles of Love” sounds like to me. Of course I play a track so you can judge for yourself.  Todd Youth, formerly of The Michael Monroe Band, Danzig, D-Generation and my personal favourite The Chelsea Smiles has resurfaced in Bloodclot along with John Joseph from the Cro-Mags, Nick Oliveri and Joey Castillo formerly of Queens of the Stone Age. The band’s debut album is due out next year, the title track of which I air. It looks like three of The Frantic Four (Status Quo) are about to step into the recording studio with the possibility of a tour to promote said album. Of course I’m talking “Lancaster, Coghlan and Parfitt”. No Ice-Cream mogul..... Therefore “Caroline” gets played, but by who? As we enter the final furlong, or as The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show can now be heard on White Line Fever - Rugby League’s Rockingest 24 hour-hour Radio Station, subscribe here: http://tinyurl.com/huepgsp, we are heading for the final try, The WitchDoktors help us along with a track from “Voodoo Eye”. Even though I played some Helldivers last week, I play them again this, but it’s Dream, probably the first Norwegian supergroup and a track from their one and only 1967, just about to be re-issued LP “Get Dreamy”, that tidies things up for another week.