The Paranoid Squirrel

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 450

Welcome to the Thursday Night Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show Special. On today’s show I talk about gigs that finish late without coming to a conclusion on why. Feel free to throw in your two pennies worth. Maybe I’m too old to “Rock ‘n’ Roll”? One thing I’m too old to do is untrained Roof repairs two stories up in the rain. The main, and much more interesting, part of today’s show comes courtesy of the Diamond Dogs live gig for the release of their umpteenth CD “Quitters & Complainers”. Steve Conte of The Michael Monroe Band, who featured live on Episode 448, joined the proceedings playing four numbers with the band. The Diamond Dogs for the uninitiated were founded in the early nineties by Sören “Sulo” Karlsson (who can also be found these days in The Crunch along with Dave Tregunna, Mick Geggus, Terry Chimes & Idde Schultz) and Anders “Boba” Lindström (who later joined The Hellacopters). The current line-up features Sulo, Lars Karlsson, The Duke of Honk, Martin Tronsson and Johannes Nordell. So without further ado here’s some great Rock in the manor of The Faces/Quireboys with the help of a former New York Doll.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 449

It’s Tuesday, nowhere near the Weekend. So to cheer you up, as almost promised, here’s the Mid-Week Special, minus 1. Kicking things off are The Beatles with two tracks that you probably haven’t heard on the Radio; one old and one new. Iron Maiden have a new album out in the form of “The Book Of Souls”, naturally I air a track from said album. Imperial State Electric released their fourth album last Friday called “Honk Machine”. I’m not asking…..After careful consideration I select a choice cut for you to hear. ISE are over here in Blighty supporting Graveyard in November. Coincidently Graveyard will be releasing their new album “Innocence & Decadence” next month, so if your mind isn’t already made up about purchasing tickets to see ISE and Graveyard I play you a little taster from the band’s aforementioned new album to push you in the right direction. Black Trip are up next as Nicke Andersson was at the Production Helm for their third album “Shadowline”. In a quick “Heads Up” Ghost Highway Records will soon be putting out a new live vinyl Record from The Nomads, the label has also just released a 7” from The Dahlmanns the a-side of which I play. Another track from The Catastrophe RecordsBorn Loose/Lovesores split 7” gets played as the label has inked in a distribution deal with BootlegBooze.com and Undergroundmediciene.com. Even with Eddie Spaghetti sidelined at the moment due to his on-going Cancer TreatmentTheSupersuckers have still found time to record the new album “Holding The Bag”. Whilst listening to the title track go here and donate. The Bones have just recorded their first track in their native German language. Does it work? I play it for your own judgement. After a five year hiatus the Backyard Babies are back on Friday with “Four By Four”. Reviews are mixed. After its first play I originally thought that it would’ve made a great 4 track ep, even the name says so. However after having it on heavy rotation for the benefit of The Squirrel I found it to be a grower and I’m looking forward to hearing great swaths of it played live. In the meantime a track from said album is obviously played. Talking of The Squirrel; more out of the Country clashing gigs have befall her. Still involving Amorphis but now The Michael Monroe Bandhas gotten themselves mixed up in the proceedings. To underline The Squirrel’s dilemma I play a track from the new Amorphis album “Under The Red Cloud”. The Paranoid Squirrel resident Butterfly Keeper, yes we really do have one, gave us at The Role Models gig on the 21^st a list of bands that were most defiantly Squirrel pleasing. Unfortunately in the cold light of day I couldn’t read my own handwriting making out only two bands. The first legible band was The Prophets of Addiction. A quick Google Search had me reading that they were a) A Rock Band from Seattle and B) The press has likened them to; Guns n Roses, The Ramones, Mötley Crüe, Dead Boys, LA Guns, Hanoi Rocks and the Lords of the New Church. On that basis I purchased their second album “Reunite The Sinners” which features a guitar solo from CC DeVille however I play a track for you that doesn’t. The final song on this Tuesday Night Special comes courtesy of a solo track from former Space Age Playboy and current Tattooed Millionaire Johnny Jetson’s “The Father, The Son And The Ghost Of Rock And Roll” debut Album. See you Thursday.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 448

Yesterday was the Glunk Records Release Party for the Role Models Album “The Go To Guy”. Which was held at The Black Heart in Camden with obviously the Role Models headlining. Joining Rich Rags and the rest of the Role Models was Michael Monroe guitarist and former New York Doll Steve Conte. A hot and sweaty night was had by all, but don’t take my word for it…….

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 447

Welcome to Episode 447 of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show and on this week’s show we have another new track from the Biters’ brand new album “Electric Blood” which seems to have been a permanent fixture in my stereo at the moment, although I have found time to listen to the new Ghost album “Meliora” and play you a track from it which unfortunately skips at the beginning (poxy CD). Continuing on from last week’s first World problem of clashing gigs a new one has been added that effects The Squirrel; Amorphis up at Wembley versus Sator playing Debaser to celebrate the Anniversary of “Headquake”. My money is on The Squirrel going to Stockholm. Consequently a track by Sator from “Headquake” is played. Up next is a track from The Straight To Video project which is the Brain Child of Rob Lane sometime bassist with The Teenage Casket Company, The Bullet Boys, Let Loose and Enuff Z’nuff’s Johnny Monaco’s solo band. Rob’s idea was to record classic 80’s 90’s pop songs that featured in classic 80’s 90’s films. On the second release cleverly called “Straight 2 Video” Robin Black, formerly of The Intergalactic Rock Stars, lends his vocals to Paul Westerberg’s “Dyslexic Heart”. As it was Robin’s Birthday last week Rob made it free to Download from the projects SoundCloud site which if you missed I play. Last week I played some Octopie who I said sounded like the Eureka Machines going prog. Well I played the album to The Squirrel who could see where I was coming from but thought it was more akin to The Scaramanga Six and I have to agree but to fair to me at one time both the Eureka Machines and The Scaramanga Six sported Chris Catalyst and Steven Morricone. To underline this I play some Scaramanga Six who coincidently released a new album at the beginning of June called “The Terrifying Dream”. Staying with last week I played the wrong version of Billy Hopeless’ “Gutterball” his contribution to the Billy Hopeless verses The Hip Priests split single out on a Little T&A Records. I’m not going to go into the whys and what for. (Yes I’m an idiot). To rectify my error I play the correct version. Whilst stalking, I mean surfing FaceBook, I found myself listening to the Barreracudas album “Can Do Easy”. I was quickly won over by their ‘70’s New York Glam, Punk, Trashy, Power Pop so purchased said album a track of which I obviously air to win you over also. Operation:Mindcrime the band that features the former vocalist of Queensryche Geoff Tate are all set to release their debut album “The Key” on 18^th September. As a teaser I play you the track “Re-Inventing The Future” from the aforementioned album. This week’s show is finished off by The Black Bullets recorded live at The Birds Nest in Deptford. More sing-a-long anthems than a “Best of Zodiac Mindwarp” album.   

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 446

The Last Great Dreamers are first up this week with a brand spanking new Motörhead track from “Bad Magic” swiftly following in their wake. The Biters have a track from their just released “Electric Blood” album aired with Thundermother **erm** Thundering in afterwards interspersed with Gigs I have already booked for next year and upcoming clashing gig stories featuring The Wildhearts, Danko Jones, Biters, One Direction, Megadeth, Kavadar and Bernie Tormé. I also mention about my trip next Friday up to Team Rock Radio’s Breakfast Show. More new music comes from The Role Models’ “The Go To Guy” album and then a classic track from The Sick Livers. After only having 16 seconds of Billy Hopeless’ song “Gutterball” that I played on Episode 444, Billy himself e-mailed me asking if I wanted the full song. Obviously the answer was a resounding “Yes” which you get to hear. (The song not me saying “Yes”) Courage Best Bitter Band of The Year 1978 – Johnny Moped have the A-Side of their first single in over 37 years played then I go all Prog with King Crimson who are followed by Octopie and a track from “The Adventure of Harry and Walrus Kane” which sounds like The Eureka Machines if they were to ever record a Progressive Rock Album. I kid you not. As we head towards the end of the show I play Grave Pleasures’, the artists formally known as Beastmilk, first fruits from the “Dreamcrash” album. The final band of this week’s show is The Heavy Metal Kids with a “Classic” live track taken from their Merton Manor Club gig last Wednesday prior to their Rebellion Festival Slot.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 445

This week I ventured out of the Studio into the realms of gigland and found myself at The Forum in Kentish Town to see a band so influential that without them the Garage scene as we know it today wouldn’t exist. Who am I talking about? The Sonics of course. Influencing everybody from Bruce Springsteen through The Cramps, Nirvana, The White Stripes and The Damned.  If you’re not familiar with the band name you sure will have heard of some of their recordings. They popularised the Richard “Louie Louie” Berry “Have Love Will Travel” from which all subsequent covers have been based, with their own “Strychnine” covered by artists as diverse as The Fall, The UK Subs The Surf Trio and the aforementioned Cramps. The band formed in Tacom, Washington State in 1960 but it wasn’t until four years later that the classic line-up of Gerry Roslie on vocals and keys with Bob Bennett on drums, saxophonist Rob Lind and the Parypa Brothers of Larry and Andy on guitar and bass got together and recorded “Here Are The Sonics” and “Boom” on the Etiquette Record label in 1965 and 1966 respectively. The band sort of finished around 1968 but the name carried on featuring no original members until 1980. However three of the classic era line-up were persuaded to reform for The Cavestomp Garage Rock Festival in Brooklyn at the beginning of November 2007. At the end of January this year news broke that the band would be releasing a brand new studio album on the 31^st March, their first in over 40 years, called “This Is The Sonics”. And this is the Sonics live at The Forum, Kentish Town 30th July 2015.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 444

As Slade finished things off last week I start this week’s show with them. Continuity at its finest. The Black Bullets from Basingstoke have a tune from their new EP “Bulletproof” aired. Think Zodiac Mindwarp and classic Anti-Nowhere League. Evo/Algy from Warfare and Tank respectively have got it together and released a six track EP of three originals and three covers. The covers being R.A.M.O.N.E.S.” by Motörhead, “Know Your Product” by Algy’s pre Damned band The Saints and Status Quo’s “Tune To The Music”. However it’s one of their originals that gets played. On the split 7” front Bloodlights and Dieter Jones go head to head as do The Hip Priests and Billy Hopeless. Hear what each has to offer. Queensryche’s second album to feature Todd LaTorre “Condition Human” is all set from release on the 2^nd October, as a prelude I play a track from it. On the Pledge front this week it’s the turn of my joint all-time favourite guitarist Bernie Tormé with “Blackheart” and if you’re quick you’ve got until Monday (27^th) to grab it before the pledge ends. Eight quid for a twelve track digital album and a bonus ep? It’s a no brainer, as you’ll hear. Off the back of last week’s mention of late 90’s Scandinavian Garage bands I play you The Peepshows, The Robots and The Royal Cream and with the added edition of Cosmo Jones Beat Machine from Finland. Finishing this week’s show off are Borracho and Geezer who are the subject of the first release in the “The Second Coming of Heavy - Chapter One” series on the Ripple Music Label.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 443

This week I celebrate 8 years of The Paranoid Squirrel Rock Show. Joining in me the party are The Hydromatics, well they were the first band that I played on Episode 1. New music comes courtesy of Spam Javelin who hail from North Wales. Keeping with the innuendos, Pink Cigar’s new single also gets an airing. Next I take you back to the sixties with some Graham Bond Organisation as last week I watched the “Beware Mr. Baker” on the BBC iPlayer. On the live front I play a track from the new Boys live CD “Undercover” which was recorded in China with Sator’s Kent Norberg on bass duties. In sad related news Honest John Plain has been Hospitalised after a fall. I think you’ll be joining me in wishing him a speedy recovery. At this point I talk about what books I have lined up, one of which is “Love In Vain” the story of the Ruts and Ruts DC by Roland Link. As last week was the 35^th Anniversary of Malcolm Owen’s death I play something by them. Pledge time involves a track from The International Swingers self-titled studio album which took me a few listens to get into. The band features Glem Burke, Glen Matlock, James Stevenson and Gary Twinn. Thanks to Uber Rock reviewing The Last Throes album “Get Me Wrong” I rushed over to the band’s BandCamp site and parted with $10 (£6.60 in real money) so I could own a piece of the action. Well with a quote like “the Dead Boys with Bon Scott fronting them instead of Stiv” I’m going to. Obviously I play something from it. The Flaming Sideburns get all acoustic by covering The Who and then I hit you with a full on studio track by them. As Eddie Spaghetti’s post Cancer treatment has surpassed its $50,000 target by over five grand. I hit you with a Supersuckers song. There still are a couple of months left to run so if you’ve a few quid spare www.youcaring.com/eddie-spaghetti is the place to go. There is talk of a fundraiser over here and as soon as I have more details I will let you know. Ghost have just released another track from their forthcoming album “Meliora” album, out on the 21^st August, which you get to hear with the whole show rounded of by the band that got me into music; Slade.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 442

The Damned get things moving this week with The MC5, or to be exact The MC2, live from Helsinki in 1972 following on after. Peter Mensch has been bemoaning about the lack of great new bands, I beg to differ and to underline it I play a brand spanking new track from the Sick Livers new album “Mid Liver Crisis” and a tune from the last Chuck Norris Experiment album. Both, coincidently, just so happened to play SlugFest 8 last weekend.  To reiterate my piece on last week’s show about iTunes and streaming I let you know what the Sick Livers have on offer in the way of formats concerning their new album. For no other reason than it seems like I should I play a track from the last Hip Priests album I do. Much merriment was also had this week as Imperial State Electric have been announced as Graveyards special guests in November. I’m I going? Give me a “Hell Yeah!” So to celebrate I play a new track and the first single from ISE’s “Honk Machine” album and something off the last Graveyard CD.  More new music and as Kerrang gave Eva Plays Dead 2/5 for their debut EP I knew it was going to be good and had to play a track. What do Kerrap know anyway? Steven Tyler croons his way onto the show with the lead track off his debut (sic) and Country album. Thanks to Camden Council and the closure of The Purple Turtle I am now able to go and to the album launch gig of The Role Models’ “The Go To Guy”. To whit I play a track from it that features Sami Yaffa on bass. Up next it’s Dee Snider with his first original material in over 20 years. Hard to believe I know. South London Rollin’ Punk Rock ‘n’ Blues Merchants The Kult 45s lead us into the home stretch with me talking about how I’ve double booked myself once again with One Direction. This time it’s The Wildhearts playing the P.H.U.Q. album in full at The Shepherds Bush Empire that I’ll be missing. Anybody what a Level 1 ticket? Last band this week is the “You kept that quiet from me Jake” Go Mod Go! That amongst its 12 members is former Adam West and current main name in The Delicious Fullness throaterlist Jake Starr. Modtastic.

The Paranoid Squirrel ep 441

Iggy & The Stooges get things going this week with The Hellacopters covering the MC5 hot on their heels. Royal Acid Orchestra have track from their third album “Kingdom of Nothing” aired. The band’s new album “Never Mind The Strawberry Fields” is out any day now and features former Hellacopter Robert “Strings” Dahlqvist. Up next The Trouser from Budapest have a track from their new album “Mother of Illusion” played, their last album featured Nicke Andersson. Spit Single time and Taken By Surprise recording artists and Paranoid Squirrel favourites Mother’s Children and the Mandates have got it together. Well they’re both Canadian, both have just toured mainland Europe together and both are purveyors of top quality Power Pop. The next split is the first on Catastrophe Records and features two tracks by The Lovesores and Born Loose. One original each and one cover each. I play, in a World exclusive, both originals. Be prepared to be blown away! Much rejoicing was had by me last week, yes I Graduated but that wasn’t it. What had me punching the air was the news that Steve Jones and Paul Cook’s post Sex Pistol band The Professionals were reforming. Steve, unfortunately, won’t be joining in the fun but his replacement Tom Spencer, yes the Tom Spencer from The Yo-Yo’s and The Loyalties hasn’t ruled out Jones future involvement. Get in. A third piece of fortuitous news this week was that The Backyard Babies are playing in London the day before my 50^th Birthday, I know I only look like I’m in my thirties......If Moose from TeamRock Radio is reading this please give me a presenting job as an early present......Tank, the non Algy Ward version, are all set to release a brand new album in September called “Valley Of Tears”. Very good it is as well, as you will hear irrespective of who is or isn’t in the band. Tank by name, Tank by nature.  I lend my thoughts to Lemmy and Motörhead’s appearance at this year’s Glastonbury festival. Obviously I play a Motörhead track. I also talk about the purchasing of music, mp3 versus vinyl versus CD. The show is wrapped up by Mustasch and a track from their up and coming “Testosterone” but then I realise that I have a few minutes to spare and actually it is Nancy Boy that end this week’s show off.