The Paranoid Squirrel

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 414

So that’s Christmas done and dusted 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!

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 413

As 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 50^th 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.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 411

This 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……..

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 410

This 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….

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 409

This week I’m still in the studio, even though my gig tally almost topped last weeks. Up first is some classic Suicidal Tendencies then we get into brand new music from: Mary’s Kids, Imperial State Electric, Lester Greenoski, The BrokenDolls, C.J. Ramone, Sonny Vincent, Faith No More, Johnny Thunders, Santa Cruz, Bend Sinister, Ming City Rockers, Zen Motel with The UK Subs bringing things to a close.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 408

Welcome to the first “All Studio” show for a long, long time. Musically we have three tracks from the only bands that matter; Ramones, Motörhead and The Damned. We then go old school, I mean really old school with some speed corrected Robert Johnson. New music comes from AC/DC who have been in the news over the last few weeks for the right and sometimes wrong reasons. Then I take you to Stockholm, Sweden for a track from The Curse’s brand new full length offering, “World Domination”. Guy Bailey formerly of The Quireboys and The Peckham Cowboys has a brand new project on the go in the form of Thirsty that once again reunites him with Chris Johstone. Obviously I ply a track from the bands self-titled debut CD. Ulysses, who I caught live supporting The Godfathers, make their first appearance on The Paranoid Squirrel with a track taken from their 2013 album “Kill You Again”. Into cover territory with firstly The BossHoss who I saw opening for Motӧrhead last Saturday and then The Flaming Lips featuring Miley Cyrus. I kid you not. Jake Starr and The Delicious Fullness get things back on track with a song off their just released album “Tastes Good”. Modtastic! A track from Los Pepes’, debut CD “Los Pepes for Everyone” which has been a permanent fixture in my car of late gets you Powerpopping. Compare and Contrast returns with Taylor Swift versus The Supersuckers. Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift on The Paranoid Squirrel……?! The show flows to an end courtesy of Pink Floyd.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 407

Arguably there are just three bands that matter; The Ramones, Motörhead and The Damned. All subsequent Rock Bands lineage can be traced back to these three. Strangely enough my favourite single, album and live gig are from none of the above bands. For only the second time in their history Motörhead and The Damned once again became touring partners. Motörhead were always the metal band punks liked and The Damned the punk band that appealed to metalheads, with Lemmy even joining a bassless Damned (Les Punks) for a one off gig at The Electric Ballroom. This lead to the aborted Motördamned project that saw The Sweets’ “Ballroom Blitz” and Motörhead’s “Over The Top” recorded. “Spend That Money” indeed. Normally the pre-Christmas Motörhead UK Tour takes in around half a dozen dates but this year, due to Lemmy’s health concerns, it’s down to just three; Manchester, Birmingham and Wembley Arena. I braved the £46 cost of the ticket but avoided forking out for the costly Car Park opting for London Transport seeing them at Wembley. I missed the beginning of opening act The BossHoss but was suitably impressed to go out and purchase their current CD “Flames Of Fame”. The Damned’s set being only 50 minutes meant it was a super condensed fan favourite best of. As per nothing post Eloise, with the band finishing up with the singular Smash It Up, no time for Part One on this particular occasion. The sound, for a change for The Damned was spot on, better than some of their own headlining shows I’ve seen. It’s been three years since I last saw Motörhead due to clashing gigs, a Hand-Fasting and Lemmy’s hematoma. Lemmy seemed very subdued, never moving from his mic stand and no machine gunning bass. The only thing that was animated was his hands and mouth. Sonically though Motörhead, as I hoped, ruled. The set-list, as we all know for a band that have been going for as long as they have is always going to be difficult, choosing what to put in and what to leave out. “No Iron Fist”, or “Bomber”, but then I have heard them a million times before. “Rock It” and “Suicide” on the other hand from “Another Perfect Day” and “Inferno” respectively were a nice addition. I’m really glad I went, three really good bands, just about money well spent.

 

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 406

When two members of your band do the dirty on you and quit just before a couple of gigs there are two things that you can do; crawl off somewhere and feel sorry for yourself, saying poor old me or in the case of Pete and Christopher Coyne of The Godfathers get some shit hot replacements that make the former members look tired and redundant. They say success is the best form of revenge and never has that been more apt. After a couple of false starts on Halloween I finally managed to get to see The Godfathers live at their sold out gig at The Lexington in Islington. And boy was it worth the wait. Pete and Chris were joined by Mauro Venegas and Steve Crittall on guitar with Tim James on drums and to quote Pete they were “Red Hot”. All aspects of the band career were played with some tunes being dusted off after a long time away, obviously for me they were all the first time I’d heard them, but they most defiantly won’t be the last. Kicking the show off this week are The Kult 45s who like The Godfathers I’ve been trying and failing to see. Obviously for not as long as the aforementioned Godfathers as the said Kult 45s have only been blasting out their brand of Dirty, Filthy Punk ‘n’ Roll Blues since the beginning of the Summer, but with a reasonable stage time of 8:15 The 12 Bar beckoned. Talking about The 12 Bar; I also put in my two Denarius over the reshaping of Denmark Street and surrounding areas due to CrossRail.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 405

On this week’s show we have Bernie Tormé and The Broken Chords recorded live at The Borderline in London, although Bernie’s Brighton encore, recorded a week earlier, does actually finish things off. I will always sight two guitarists as being hugely influential. Captain Sensible being one, the other; Bernie Tormé. Bernie really does have a real unique sound and playing style, highly distinctive. When I first heard Zakk Wylde playing with Ozzy Osbourne I immediately thought he’d grown up listening to Gillan albums and the live Ozzy bootleg recordings of when Bernie was brought in to finish off Ozzy’s touring commitments in the States after Randy Rhodes’ tragic death.

2014 has been a great year if you a Bernie Tormé fan. A fan funded double CD “Flowers and Dirt” which reached the 100% mark within 24 hours finally ending at 418% and a tour, a proper full on Bernie Tormé Tour! Two dates were penned in for myself, The Squirrel and squirrel associate Arkwright; Brighton on the 22^nd and London 29^th (Unfortunately Arkwright missed the London gig as he was rehearsing with his own band). Two great nights, with Bernie’s sons joining him on stage in Brighton for a run though of “Paranoid”. In London it was the turn of a guest pledger to join Berne, drummer Ian Harris and bassist Chris Heilmann for a cover of Hendrix’s “Fire”.

If you’re quick off the mark you can see Bernie at The Clundy, Newcastle tonight (1^st Nov) or if Scotland is where you reside he’s with you on the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th.

In other news I talk about clashing gigs; Johnny Moped versus Stonewall Noise Orchestra/Goat Leaf. Looks like the Mopeds will have my patronage as the doors don’t open until 9pm for S*N*O. The Squirrel doesn’t call me Armerella for nothing……

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 404

As it seems to be the trend for October (and from what I can tell it’s going to continue into November, well into November) it’s another all live show. Nothing Scandinavian this time around though. First up it’s The Sensible Gray Cells, but “Hold on!” I hear you cry “Their tour has just been cancelled”. True, but to illustrate my frustration at the gigs being cancelled, all four of them, due to perceived low tickets sales, the added prices to the face value, that you don’t get back in the event of a cancellation I use one of their songs from “A Postcard From Britain” and thanks to modern technology make it sound how you would’ve heard it on the tour……The first real live band on this week’s show is Goat Leaf who unfortunately I only caught the last song from their Kory Clarke support slot. Admittedly it was a good last song. The band feature former Warrior Soul guitarist Johnny H and their brand of Stoner, Punk, and Desert Session Rock was right up my street. (I did contemplate seeing them at The Unicorn Thursday but due to an extremely late night the day before seeing Bernie Tormé down in Brighton I didn’t. Thanks M23 mega diversion for adding an extra 40 minutes to the journey.) Obviously Kory Clarke (Warrior Soul, Trouble, Mob Research, etc) is this week’s main attraction with the final date of his current UK Tour, well 4 Scottish dates and 2 English which makes a change. The gig in question was at The Islington in er…Islington to promote Kory’s new Cargo released CD “Payback’s A Bitch”. Kory looked tanned and relaxed but still giving the (Stiff) Middle Finger to those deemed to have crossed him. Old classics and soon to be new classics stood up well together with the band pretty much laying waste to all and sundry.