Pip Lewis is a 22 year old British singer-songwriter based in San Diego, California. She has just dropped a great single from her forthcoming album ‘Growing Pains’. Pip sees some of her key influences coming from Phoebe Bridgers and Maggie Rogers. The song has a heavenly indie pop sound with a beautifully crystal clear vocal. The flowing and sometimes stuttering musical accompaniment gives the track a soulful dreamy feel. Interwoven in this film-like sound is an occasional funky acoustic guitar riff. Pip said this of “Safe & Sound”: “This song is inspired by the idea that one can feel alone in a room full of people. It’s a cry for help into the crowd and a love letter to those who answer it.” The video gets across the image of being lonely in a crowd perfectly. I think that this gorgeous song will stay with me for a long while. I love it!
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
On 23rd January 1990, David Bowie announced his Sound And Vision world tour. This tour would run from March 4th until September 29th that year. During the tour, he invited each local audience to decide on a ‘greatest hits’ running order. This was organised through local radio stations. The tour surpassed Bowie’s previous Serious Moonlight (1983) and Glass Spider (1987) tours’ statistics. It visited 27 countries. The tour included a total of 108 performances.
At the time Bowie looked forward to retiring his old hits. He said of the tour “It’s time to put about 30 or 40 songs to bed and it’s my intention that this will be the last time I’ll ever do those songs completely, because if I want to make a break from what I’ve done up until now, I’ve got to make it concise and not have it as a habit to drop back into. It’s so easy to kind of keep going on and saying, well, you can rely on those songs, you can rely on that to have a career or something, and I’m not sure I want that.” Having seen him a few times after the Sound and Vision tour he didn’t entirely retire all of them!
Cheekily and rather amusingly the NME ran a spoof campaign, in response to the telephone poll called ‘Just Say Gnome’. This was a great attempt to have “The Laughing Gnome” included in the set-lists. Apparently Bowie had considered playing “The Laughing Gnome” in the style of The Velvet Underground until he found out the voting had been perpetrated by the NME. Hearing it played that way would have been quite interesting in my opinion. As a footnote, during his A Reality Tour, Bowie performed “The Laughing Gnome” with his band during a November 2003 soundcheck at Wembley Stadium.
I saw him on that tour at the Milton Keynes Bowl on 4th August. The set list that day was:
“Space Oddity” “Rebel Rebel” “Ashes to Ashes” “Fashion” “Life on Mars?” “Pretty Pink Rose” “Sound and Vision” “Blue Jean” “Let’s Dance” “Stay” “Ziggy Stardust” “China Girl” “Station to Station” “Young Americans” “Suffragette City” “Fame” “Heroes” The four song encore consisted of: “Changes” “The Jean Genie” “White Light/White Heat” “Modern Love”
The support acts that day were Two Way Street (whatever happened to them?), The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Gene Loves Jezebel and Kim Wilde.
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
This is a bit weird, but more of a strange tale than a weird fact. Nonetheless I think it fits in Mayhem’s weird music facts series. Michael Philip Jagger married Blanca Pérez-Mora Macías on 12th May 1971 in St. Tropez. After the wedding, a tired Bianca left the reception early. She returned to their room for a nap. Hours later, she woke up to a surprise. Keith Moon was abseiling through her sixth-floor window. He was naked except for a pair of novelty glasses. The eyeballs on the glasses bounced around on springs. He also had a pair of women’s knickers on his head. He was probably drugged up to those wacky eyeballs I reckon.
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
Antony Szmierek, Manchester based poet, producer, rather ace music maker and all round good guy has a new album out at the end of next month. It is called ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’. His new single, “Angie’s Wedding” will be the final track on the album. It brings together many of the album’s characters in a fictional wedding of the century setting. Szmierek’s rhythmic, soft spoken rap is ideal for this track. It oozes hope. Now I am even more excited for the album. Did Angie make it? Like Antony I hope she did too.
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
British hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks are Jordan “Rizzle” Stephens and Harley “Sylvester” Alexander-Sule. They first broke big back in 2011 with the rather excellent single “Down With The Trumpets”. They had a few more hits and split up for a while. Last year they announced their return. They released a few classy singles last year in advance of their forthcoming comeback album ‘Competition Is For Losers’. The album is due out in February. Their first single in 2025 is “Vice” and man is it a good ‘un. It is funky, bright, overloaded with great hooks and is full of happy vibes. This song makes me smile and dance with zero persuasion, it is an instant party. I love the mention of hip hop royalty in the lyric, “Now, I don’t pause when I say love, I feel it right in my De La Soul“. Even Sporty Spice gets a name check! The video filmed in a bowling alley with the Rizzle Kicks playing around and having a ton of fun. I loved “Down With The Trumpets” all those years ago, but this new one is even better!
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
Blue Violet have been championed by some influential radio stations including BBC 6 Music whose Steve Lamacq described them as “a cocktail of Iain Banks and Jane Austen”. I can see where Steve was coming from having witnessed Blue Violet for the first time back in November. To continue Lamacq’s literary comparison theme I would add Douglas Coupland. Their music has a dark and mysterious pop rock style and is loaded with great hooks. Their new album has arrived and what a delight it is! This sophomore release follows their debut, ‘Night Calls’, from 2022. It contains six very classy songs issued as singles across 2024 and 2025. The collection opens with the current single “Sweet Success.” It is a well-crafted slice of electro glam pop. This track draws on a diamond-studded history of some fine British bands like Depeche Mode and the Eurythmics. It has a mesmerising marching synth riff. “Imagine Me” has a darker feel which borders on Sisters Of Mercy territory and incorporates some fabulous synth riffs. Lyrically it seems to be a tale of stalking after a failed relationship. Although I could be wrong. If you like 60s influenced pop rock, then “Survival” is for you. I love the 21st century girl group feeling it has. It features a fabulous everything but the kitchen sink psych-out towards the end. The percussive opening on “Talking To You” is deeply hypnotic. Sarah McGrigor’s voice here made me think of Sarah Nixey, vocalist with cult British band Black Box Recorder. One of my favourite tracks on the album is “The Librarian”. The slow brooding vocal from Sam Gotley with a gorgeous counterpoint drew me back to those heady days in the 90s when Babybird first broke through.
Photo by Stuart J Clapp
Musically “Cold Hearts” feels a little like the Police’s “Every Breath You Take”, but it is so much more with a beautiful lamenting vocal performance from Sarah. Warped guitar riffage and crunchy synth sounds open “Boogie Shoes”. I think this should have been a huge hit when released as a single last year. Can we get it out there again? How can a lyrical refrain like “dance for pleasure, dance for pain” be ignored? Another single, “Fire” has a wonderful funk injection and is a song that it is impossible not to move your body to. “Teeth Out”, what a great title that is, oozes magnificent dark balladry. If a new take on ‘Twin Peaks’ ever materialises (RIP David Lynch) this song must be on the soundtrack. A paean to equality and being who you are is what “Barefoot On The Seine” is. It hides it’s darker moments behind some of the sweetest pop sounds imaginable. The title track, “Faux Animaux”, closes the album. It is cinematic and neo-classical in scope and ambition. It draws on the essence of later period David Bowie in its desire to be different. Of that final song Sam Otley says “The fake animals could be seen as the powers that be, leading us down paths that result in us ignoring our more natural instincts, often making decisions without our permission.” It is a great way to end such a fabulous album.
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
On January 21st 1982, American blues guitarist B.B. King made a generous contribution. He donated his entire record collection of over 20,000 records to Mississippi University’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture. King was born Riley B King in 1925 and died aged 89 in 2015. The B.B. in B.B. King’s name stands for “Blues Boy.” He acquired the name while working as a DJ in Memphis, Tennessee. In his youth, he sang gospel in church choirs. His first charting single, “3 O’clock Blues,” reached Number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts in 1951. He recorded with Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton and U2 to mention just a few!
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
On 20th January 1967 the Monkees TV show was shown for the first time in the UK. The band was created for the TV show and consisted of Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Mike Nesmith and Mickey Dolenz. They sold more than 75 million records worldwide and had international hits, including “Last Train to Clarksville”, “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, “Daydream Believer'”and my favourite “I’m a Believer”.
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
Can ALT BLK ERA get any better than they already are? On the basis of their new single “Run Rabbit” they just did. The quality of their recent singles suggests that the debut album will by vying for a strong position in many album of the year lists for 2025. The track is driven by a persistent and incessant electro riff overlaid with Nyrobi and Chaya’s urgent vocals. Lyrically it feels deliciously dark. This has the makings of a huge club banger, we need an extended remix! The video is rather spiffing too and features ALT BLK ERA running around in the dark. These girls can go from pop to punk to electro to dance. They can also combine all of these as well. ALT BLK ERA remain one of my favourite bands and 2025 better watch out because they are not just knocking on the door they are ready to smash it down!
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
When I saw this show advertised some while ago I had know idea what it would be like. But as a lifelong Bowie fan I was intrigued. Bowie’s music in a cathedral? I’ll have some of that please! This is one of a series of concerts promoted by Concerts By Candlelight across the UK’s cathedrals and similar venues. This show was presented at the magnificent Ripon Cathedral in Yorkshire. Mostly it is with some great tribute acts, including this one. The music for this show was provided by David Live, arguably the best Bowie tribute act on the circuit. I would put them at the top, closely followed by Absolute Bowie and the Bowie Contingent. Charlie Fowler is a great front man and while he has a slight resemblance to Bowie, his mannerisms, movement and voice are close to spot on. His between song conversational banter sounds like Bowie too. The band, who I believe have played together for more than ten years are supremely talented. Spencer James on keys plays with the style of Mike Garson when he needs to. The rest of the band are brothers JM Sutcliffe (guitar), JP Sutcliffe (Drums) and Raphael Sutcliffe (bass). They were all on top form, but for me Raphael shone just a little more brightly, especially when his rumbling 5 string bass guitar kicked in
The evening was split into two halves. The first set saw what might have been a show from the 1976 Thin White Duke Isolar 1 tour. Charlie wore the monochrome combo from that tour and he was on splendid form. After a brief rest where those of us in need to empty bladders had to leave the building to use a toilet (who knew Ripon Cathedral has no toilets) the band came back to another rapturous reception. This time Charlie was decked out in the striking blue suit like that worn on the ‘Reality’ tour in 2003/ 2004. The band coped with problems smoothly and easily with Charlie breaking his guitar strap and a backing track failure. There were so many highlights from the performance. The best for me were probably “Changes”, “Starman”, “Oh You Pretty Things”, “Fame”, “Space Oddity”, “All The Young Dudes”, “Ashes To Ashes”, “Little Wonder”, “Absolute Beginners” and a towering take on “Stay” from the ‘Station To Station album. the latter opened the whole show in spectacular style. But just pipping all of those were a gorgeous and emotional version of “Wild Is The Wind” and a powerful show closer with a magnificent “Heroes”. We all sang along and so many of the crowd danced throughout the whole show. Even if you don’t like tribute bands, I am not a huge fan of them, but when they are as good as David Live they deserve to be seen!
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog.You can also follow us onInstagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 