The Paranoid Squirrel

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 465

Welcome back to an all studio Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show. It only feels like yesterday that I was talking to you………

The Damned get things going with a track from their Black Album with Paul Gray’s latest venture in the form of the Monte Dons following on. Up next is Goy Division featuring former Adam West and current Delicious Fullness throaterlist Jake “The Suit” Starr along with Dan-O Deckelman and The Rats. New music comes courtesy of former Hardcore Superstar Guitarist Thomas Silver who is swiftly followed by an as yet unreleased track from his 2011 Rockfield Sessions that features Michael Monroe, Martin Chambers, Casino Steel, Darrell Bath and Glen Matlock. The Volcanics are up next with a track from their Rob Younger produced album “Transmission”. So if you’re into The Victims, The Scientists, The Stooges, the MC5 and AC/DC you might just love this. Born Loose have a brand new album out called “Blowout” which is available on vinyl only. Do not fret it, comes with a download code for those of you whose turntable has been packed away. Obviously a track from it is aired. Not only have Psychopunch and The Carburetors just released a split 7”, booked a German tour together for March, but both are due to release new albums on the 20^th November. The albums are “Sweet Baby Octane” – Psychopunch and “Laughing In The Face Of Death” – The Carburetors. A track from each album is played. A new band to me is The Unholy Preachers from the Czech Republic. Their one album and two eps has a certain Hip Priests feel about them. Great stuff which I hope you agree with. On the 19^th and 20^th February at the Pipeline in London there is going to be the biggest Turbojugend UK party ever in the form of Deathtime Assembly, ten bands over two days who include The Parkinsons, who seem to have reformed and have a documentary about them due for release next month, The Good, The Bad and The Zugly, Bloodlights, The Hip Priests, The Sick Livers, The Chuck Norris Experiment, Flash House, Fuck Frankie, Crude Caress and Zero Zero. Sweet innocent Jesus. Will I be there? Does a Turbojugend hang around the Docks? Hell yeah. To celebrate I play you the aforementioned The Good, The Bad and The Zugly and Bloodlights. A band I think is missing from the bill are Märvel and to prove the point I play a track from their current album “The Hills Have Eyes”. CJ Wildheart has launched a brand new PledgeMusic campaign for his new solo album “The Robot”. The title track has been released as a teaser or taster depending which I share with up. As I’m still in a bit of a Professionals mood I finish this week show off with the Sham Pistols track “Natural Born Killer” from the “Complete Professionals” 3CD and “Little Boys In Blue” by Dirtbag Republic.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 464

Well it’s Friday and I’m glad we made it to the end of the week. To celebrate for your listening enjoyment I have for you The Professionals live from The 100 Club. Now for those of you who are unaware, shame on you, The Professionals were the band that Paul Cook and Steve Jones put together after the demise of the Sex Pistols. The gruesome twosome were joined by Ray McVeigh and Paul Myers for the “I Didn’t See It Coming” album. The band only lasted three years splitting up in the States in the spring of 1982 after turning down an opening spot offer from The Clash. The thought of The Professionals reforming seemed as likely as David Cameron handing out Fifty Pound notes to the homeless or Jeremy Corbyn singing the National Anthem. That was until former Yo-Yo’s and Loyalties Bassist Tom Spencer stepped in to replace the LA lifestyle loving Steve Jones and two dates were booked; The Fleece in Bristol and The 100 Club three days later. And this dear friends is the result.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 463

Welcome to Episode 463 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show which pretty much is the finale of Monday’s show. So on today’s episode it is the turn of The Michael Monroe Band to *Rock Like Fuck out of The Electric Ballroom in Camden on the last night of their UK co-headlining tour with Hardcore Superstar. The Monroes latest album “Blackout States” was only released just under week before this London date but by the amount of people who already new word perfect the new songs and welcomed them into the band’s set like classic long lost songs. Michael, Sami, Steve, Karl and Rich must surely soon be looking for wall space for a Gold Record. The band’s set Anyway Thursday’s set was a broad representation of Michael’s career to date, although I thought “Horns and Halos” was under represented however he is here to promote “Blackout States” and it would’ve been interesting to hear a Hanoi song from the rebirth days as well or instead of “Oriental Beat”, “Tragedy” and “Malibu Beach” but I was glad to hear “Up Around The Bend” a song I don’t think I’ve heard him played solo. It’s funny but on Monday’s episode with regards to the Hardcore Superstar set I said that I thought it was a tad too long and that I’m more of a “Wham, bam, thank you Arm” merchant. Not when it comes to Michael Monroe. I could’ve quite happily watched The Monroes play their entire back catalogue from start to finish. It pretty much was the perfect ending to a Thursday evening of musical entertainment. A shoe in for Download this year surely?!

*Copyright Adam Bomb 

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 462

Welcome to Episode 462 which is the first of three Podcasts this week, four if you count next Saturday. The others will be on Wednesday and Friday. But let’s concentrate on what I have on offer for you today, which is Hardcore Superstar recorded on their last date of their co-headlining UK tour with Michael Monroe, who will be the subject of Wednesday’s Podcast. It always seems that Hardcore Superstar are up for co-headlining duties having seen them with The 69 Eyes and Buck Cherry over the years. Certainly it makes financial sense. The bands current album “HCSS” which was released at the beginning of this year is a really strong album. It’s hard for me to say it’s their best album to date as the band has constantly maintained a high standard when it comes to their recording output, however I was disappointed at the lack of their earlier material live, but the band are here, once again, to promote the new album, so I can’t really complain. I did feel the bands set went on a tad too long, I know it was a co-headlining show so both bands get, quite rightly, equal stage times but in this instance I would’ve preferred the “Wham, Bam, thank you Arm” approach. Minor quibble on what was otherwise a great set as you are about to hear.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 460

All the way from Atlanta, Georgia the Biters descended on the UK at the end of last month as part of their “Warriors Worldwide” tour in support of their full length debut album “Electric Blood” which is out now on Earache Records. The tour started off at the Barfly in London on the 25^th September and ended yesterday in Sheffield. I caught them at the Borderline in London on the 6^th October and what a fine time I had watching their Ramones meets Thin Lizzy via Cheap Trick style of Rawk! Catchy songs? Tick. Huge riffs? Tick, Power Pop Heaven? Tick. The Biters certainly look to that most diverse of decades that had Prog, Rock, Glam, Disco and Punk all vying for our attention as the song “1975” encapsulates. Frontman Tuk doesn’t take himself seriously taking the mick out of himself and various audience members, all in an endearing way. With only the aforementioned “Electric Blood” and a spattering of eps to draw from the band slipped in a Thin Lizzy cover with The Squirrel claiming that the band played two Lizzy covers, the other being “The Boys Are Back In Town”. Obviously she was talking about “So Many Nights” which is an inadvertent cover……but whatever, as it was a great night for all concerned as you will hear.

The Wall Rock Radio 06-10-15

As you know The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show airs on The Wall Rock Radio for the East Midlands every Saturday for an hour at 7’o clock with a repeat Tuesday evening. As Episode 459 was nearly 1¾ hours long for The Wall listeners the show ended after “Condition Hüman” by Queensÿche. So instead of a Tuesday repeat I rerecorded the last 45 minutes, shuffling songs in the process, The BossHoss are now on first instead of last. I also added new songs like “Jet Boy, Jet Girl” by Elton Motello which was the original English version of “Ça Plane Pour Moi”, played something off Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats’ new album “Night Creeper”, swapped the Graveyard tune for anotherwith even a live Hydromatics track to end this non repeat Tuesday hour off. I did splice the original show with this new one with a view to reuploading it as it worked a whole lot better than the last 45 minutes of Saturday’s show. Towards the end I was flagging due to lack of sleep, and it shows, thanks to the Gas Board digging up the side of our house to fix a Gas leak at 12:30 in the morning. However deleting and adding again to Podbean seemed more trouble than was actually necessary. So here is the Tuesday non repeat ofThe Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show on The Wall Rock Radio in all its glory, featuring; The BossHoss, Elton Motello, Dirtbag Republic, Michael Monroe, The Shondikes, The Tartan Horde, Giuda, The Bones (Twice), Tank, Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats, Graveyard with The Hydromatics live.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 459

Well today got off to a great start with the Gas Board digging up our side path to fix a Gas leak at 12:30 this morning. No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith indeed. Consequently if I sound like I’m on speed towards the end of this nearly two hour show, you’ll know why.

On the musical front Russkaja, the Austrian equivalent to The Leningrad Cowboys, start things off, then it’s some Classic Backyard Babies in demo form who are swiftly followed by some up to date UFO. A track from Operation: Mindcrime’s debut album is aired and then it’s a live in the studio song from Bernie Torme to promote his new album, Blackheart and subsequent tour. Compare and Contrast is back with The Boys prosecuting The Towers of London. Now when I started this podcast back in 2007 I never in a million years thought I’d be playing a Prog Rock track by The Pope. Yes The Pope as in his Holiness Pope Francis, but today on this episode I do. How do you follow the Pontiff? You follow him with some Barbe-Q-Barbies and a track from their new album “Driven”. (It’s a good job I’m not Catholic, how many Hail Mary’s?). Darren Birch, Walter Lure’s European bassist, e-mailed to tell me that it was in fact Ozzie who was drumming at The Jazz Cafe and not Martin Ashston as I claimed. Darren is also in The Black Bombers who are head to head with The Hip Priests tonight in Digbeth and it’s only a Fiver to get in. So Get In!  New to The Paranoid Squirrel are Swedish Garage Merchants The Deadheads with a track off their second and new album “Loadead” On the Pledge front Mustasch’s new album arrived last week, signed. Well when I say signed the CD lid was, not the actual booklet. Obviously I play a track which for some reason had me think of Sabbath. Queensryche also fan funded their latest album “Condition Human” however I bought the regular version. The band certainly seem to have found their Mojo which has been absent for most of this century as hopefully you’ll agree on hearing it. Uber Rocks’ Dom Daley pointed me in the (one) direction of The Shondikes. Who he says and I quote “If you still have a shred of life in your rock 'n' roll heart and you want to hear a great record then take a chance on The Shondikes because if you're true to yourself then you will love this record like your first born” On that review I purchased their self-released album “Psychotic Make Out Music” CD and share a track. A band that has got me all excited is from Vancouver Dirtbag Republic featuring Sandy Hazard and Mick Wood formerly of Grandma Moses. Think Rolling Stones, Cheap Trick, NY Dolls, Sex Pistols, Aerosmith, Hanoi Rocks and The Ramones. Now you know why I’m excited. They even cover a Professionals track! Michael Monroe’s latest album “Blackout States” is released next Friday. Wanna sneaky listen to a track? Oh all right.....Joyous news reach me last week that the Bay City Rollers are to reform, well three of the classic line-up are. Pre-Christmas gigs have been booked which sold out in seconds. Hopefully a London date will be forthcoming. To mark this news from 1975, The Tartan Horde’s one and only single “Bay City Rollers – We Love You” is played. If you are scratching your head as to why.....Nick Lowe and a pre Rat Scabies Chris Miller aka Mouse Modem play on it, which leads nicely into the new single by Giuda. Up next are two tracks from The Bones, one is in Germany whilst the other is the English equivalent. Rattling towards the end of this week’s show we have new music from Tank, Graveyard who are due over here with Imperial State Electric and finally it’s The BossHoss who add the full stop to proceedings.  

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 458

Following on from The Bermondsey Joyriders Mid-Week Special comes the headlining Walter Lure; the last remaining member from the classic Heartbreakers, recorded at The Jazz Café 17^th September. Joining Mr Lure were Jez Miller, Darren Birch and Ozzie (although I mistook him for Martin Ashton) with, from The Jim Jones Revue, Jim Jones himself and Robert Orton who joined in for a couple of numbers. Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers were never renowned for their tightness live and Walter doesn’t do anything to dispel this, with Jez, Darren and Ozzie seemingly knowing the material better than the man himself and that isn’t a criticism. Obviously choice cuts from the Heartbreakers and The Waldos one and only albums are aired, that’ll be “L.A.M.F.” and “Rent Party”, with a couple of covers sneaked in. It seems that new music is on the horizon from Walter courtesy of The Last Ditches that also features Binky Philipps and Randy Pratt. I can’t wait to hear that! But in the meantime................

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 457

Welcome to Wednesday and what a better way to get over the middle of the week by listening to The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show and a live gig featuring The Bermondsey Joyriders. The band are relatively new forming around 2007 and at one time Rat Scabies was their drummer of choice. Chris Musto formerly of Johnny Thunders is now the sticksman with Gary Lamin, ex Cock Sparrer, on guitar and vocals with Martin Stacey ex Chelsea on bass. The band is quintessentially English and looks like they’ve been rummaging around in Noddy Holders dressing up box. Sound wise there’s still is a nod to Cock Sparrer, with Guitarist magazine’s Charles Shaar Murray feeling that the band had achieved a “unique spin on punk-blues”. Three albums down the line in the form of their self-titled, “Noise and Revolution” and “Flamboyant Thugs” the Joyriders are gaining quite a solid following and not only from fans of their previous outfits. The threesome are also getting some choice support slots like guests to Walter Lure at the Jazz Cafe last Thursday. Both I and friend of the show and Squirrel associate Arkwight commented on how good they were, but don’t take our word for it, have a listen for yourselves.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 456

As a tribute to Bassist Bryn Merrick who passed away last Saturday The Damned open this week’s show. Keeping it in a “Punk” mood; Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers along with The Ramones, well it would’ve been Dee Dee’s Birthday yesterday, sweep us along into Type O Negative. This week’s clashing gig situation involves The Boys at The Pipeline in November. As Honest John Plain will be back playing guitar with his temporary stand in Chips Kiesbye from Sator also rumoured to be accompanying his fellow band mate Kent over for the gig this trumped any other gig that I was supposed to be going to. As a soundtrack to this news a track from The Boys last album “Punk Rock Menopause” along with a Sator 7”are played. New music comes from Devil City Angels self titled debut album. Who as you know, if you listened to the last mid-week special, features Tracii Guns and Rudy Sarzo. The Hollywood Vampires whose core members are Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry have just released their first album with some help from Dennis Dunaway, Bob Ezrin, Perry Farrell, Dave Grohl, Brian Johnson, Charlie Judge, Robby Krieger, Abe Laboriel Jr., Paul McCartney, Orianthi, Slash, Neil Smith, Glen Sobel, Zak Starkey, Joe Walsh, Kip Winger, Bruce Witkin, Tommy Henriksen, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. The album consists of all but two covers, three if you included Sir Christopher Lee’s intro, and comes over as a cross between a classic Alice Cooper Band album and a musical, as you will hear. The Black Bullets have a new EP out later this year called “Bombshell” but to wet your musical palette I let you have a sneaky listen to one of the tracks. The Browns are a Canadian band who have been around since January 1998 but I only got to hear of them thanks to Muscle Car who championed their soon to be released new album “Return Of The Browns” on Facebook, a track of which I play. Looks like I’ll be playing “Catch Up” this weekend. The Bones new album “Flash The Leather” is now out in a standard and a limited Digi-Pack. Being the tight wad that I am I bought the standard release then discovered that the limited edition had two bonus tracks, one of which was the English version of “Die Wilden Jahre”, that I required so as I could play them back to back. Even after I bought the up-grade version I played something completely different, a cross between AC/DC and Hardcore Superstar......I then talk about two former Wildhearts members; Danny McCormack and Stidi’s new bands. That’ll be The Main Grains and Drama Club Rejects respectively. Bloodlights, who include former Gluecifer guitarist Captain Poon, new EP “Somebody Else’s Nightmare” is out on the 9^th October. So I play the title track. Also out on the 9^th is Gluecifer’s back catalogue on Vinyl. Get in! More talking from me but this time it’s important as the London date for Eddie Spaghetti’s “Give Cancer The Middle Finger” fundraiser is being finalised. As soon as I know and it’s all confirmed, I will let you know. Onto the two last songs this week which are both new. First up it’s The Cruel Intentions, who feature former Vains Of Jenna frontman Lizzy DeVine with their latest single who are swiftly followed by Reckless Love with theirs.