Here comes the 33rd track in the Play It Again Mayhem series. This time it is the turn of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons with “The Night”. This is worth it just for the incredible bass lines, which I believe were played by Joe Long. It was originally released in 1972 on a Motown offshoot label, MoWest. It failed to chart initially. Later it became a popular track on the northern soul circuit in the UK, which led to a successful UK re-release in 1975. This time it reached number 7 on the UK singles Chart. The song was included on the groups only MoWest album, ‘Chameleon’. It has been covered by Lene Lovich (1979), by Soft Cell (2002) and Klaxons (2007). Pulp have played the song live. Edinburgh Gin used the song to soundtrack a TV advertising campaign in 2019 and 2020.
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Four bands in one night is how I kicked off my gig journey for 2025. All at the fabulous Fulford Arms and promoted by Northern Radar. Simon P, head honcho of Northern Radar, has never let me down with his choice of bands. Would tonight be that moment? Read on to find out dear reader. The evening kicked off with the Unnamed Band. It’s not that they don’t have a name, the Unnamed Band is their actual name, genius! They played mostly covers, but they played them damned well. The selection of covers was gloriously eclectic. It ranged from Chuck Berry to the Killers. They also included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kaiser Chiefs, the Fratellis, and Queen along the way. The band’s original songs are good, but probably need a bit of polishing. Arthur Kay is a great frontman and I believe that this bunch have potential.
Second on stage were Sweeping Statement. I would describe their sound as Post Punk Prog. I suspect that if you used Artificial Intelligence to create a band that mixed largely unrelated genres and encouraged moshing it might well deliver Sweeping Statement. At one point I thought that this band were very good but probably wouldn’t set the world on fire. Then they did a Pixies cover and an original called “Working Man”. Those two blew me away! They also get a bunch of extra points from me for hating Reform UK and GB News. Check them out!
The penultimate band was Birdlands. I reviewed their debut album ‘Season Of Loss’ back in October. I love that album and I have an apology to make to the band. Due to a clerical error it never made it onto Mayhem’s Top 20 albums of 2024. John Peel would have loved Birdlands. They are very much post, post, post, post punk with an added pinch of funk, punk and jazz. The band were on fire. At times, their sound reminded me of David Bowie’s touring band from 1978’s Isolar 2 tour. Frontman Billie’s vocals were a little Bowieesque at times too. Evoking the Bowie of Tin Machine and ‘1: Outside’. Billie’s angular, motorik, Ian Curtis style dancing was a sight to behold. This was an almost perfect set. What would have moved it to absolute perfection? More time! Apparently they only rehearsed once for this show, now that is fucking awesome!
Finally it was time for the headliners, Pedestrian. They might be called Pedestrian but you could never describe their music or performance as such. They absolutely fucking smashed it with their delicious funky, angular art rock sounds. Flo’s vocals are truly ‘out there’ in a simply perfect way. Her performance was powered by some kind of perpetual motion. They have been a band for just over a year and this was, surprisingly, their first headline show. One of their songs gave birth to a mosh conga, I kid you not! Their is a dark funk vibe to some of their songs, particularly the slower numbers, and I love this. There was also some classy threads of Lene Lovich in Flo’s performance too. The cover of the Beatles “She Loves You” was great. Did they perform that one for Battle Of The Bands at the Fully last year? “What’s In The Box” and “Rush Hour” were two massive highlights in an awesome set. The latter turned the funk up to 11. Personally I would not have fancied following Birdlands onto the stage, but Pedestrian blew the fucking roof off. In a sad footnote Pedestrian will be bowing out as a band. (is that why the grim reaper style character was the centrepiece of the gig poster?) This was their penultimate gig. But I suspect that the individual members will go on to new musical projects. I certainly hope so!
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On January 12th 1981, it was reported that the White House had expanded its record library. The library added albums by Bob Dylan, Kiss, and the Sex Pistols. I think I would bet money that the incoming president a.k.a. the orange moron will not be listening to any of those. Although “Liar” from the Sex Pistols ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ album would be appropriate! Trump’s a “YMCA” fan, right?
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This is an unusual one to feature for me, but I have to say that I love “IT Girl”. It is the new single from Jade, former member of Little Mix. This is her third solo single since leaving the group with which she had five UK chart toppers. “IT Girl” tells the story of how extremely misogynistic the music industry still is. It has some very dark emotions: anger, frustration and perhaps hope too. The track starts of relatively subdued for a very short while then kicks into a glorious electronic dance psych out. Jade gives a great performance in the video too. Lyrically it is wonderfully venomous. I particularly like “Kitty got fangs and kitty got claws. Clause in the contract, contract gone. Gone is the girl that you could con“. This is a co-write from Jade and I suspect that this is a deeply autobiographical song from her. Maybe I am becoming more accepting of pop in my old age. I love Harry Styles. I am growing to appreciate Robbie Williams. Now, I absolutely adore the new song from a former member of Little Mix. Become less of a music snob (I am trying), accept the inevitable, songs like “IT Girl” paint the future brightly! If this does not top the charts everywhere then the world is even more broken than I thought!
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I was sent the first FangSlinger’s single, “The Lost Souls Saloon”, for review back in October. Sadly I never got around to it. Which is a pity because it was a truly colossal track! I believe that the first single began a tale which may run for some time. The blurb for single number one was “In the heart of Death Valley, an ancient evil roams. FangSlinger, once a man seeking fortune during the California Gold Rush, now leads a band of outlaws terrorising the West. The band’s lore is rich and immersive, drawing fans into a world where reality and myth blur.” This story deserves a graphic novel! Apparently each member of FangSlinger has their own dark story. They each have a reason for joining the quest. This makes their performances more than just music. It becomes a theatrical experience. FangSlinger, the lead vocalist, Hangman Frost on guitar and backing vox are joined by on backing vocals, keys and percussion by BloodRose.
I am pleased to announce that I have heard their second single “Blood Curse.” It was released a few days ago and is phenomenal. It carries the story along really well. It rocks like a beast from hell, hard enough to wake the undead! Apparently it is about a deal struck by FangSlinger with an ancient evil which led to their condemnation to eternal life and a debt of 100,000 souls to the Devil. It has metal, melody, grunge and riffs and hooks to die for. It reminded me at times of Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Alice Cooper and Evanescence to name just a few. It has some great spaghetti western horror vibes going on. If the vampire TV series ‘True Blood’ ever returns, FangSlinger should provide the soundtrack. They should at least write the theme tune. The video for “Blood Curse” directed by O. D. Collins is rather good too. I am truly hooked on this band and the ever unfolding tale. I am proper excited for the next single!
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Probably Harrisburg, PA’s finest band, Jellybricks are rapidly becoming one of my favourite bands. This is the third of their singles that I have reviewed so far and every one has been high class. the other two were “That Way” and “Age Of Stupid“. The new one, “Devil’s A Day Away”, was released on January 3rd. It is delightful pop punk with some almost Beach Boyesque harmonies. I know it is still January, but I can see this one featuring on my summer playlist. But it is not just great harmonies, musically it rocks like a motherfucker. Lyrically it might seem a little dark, but I also sense a lot of hope too. On the chorus I was reminded of Semisonic in their prime. The emotion is switched up to 11 too. Everyone needs some Jellybricks in their life. Why not build your music house out of Jellybricks?
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On January 11th 1964, “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen topped the US Cash Box music chart. For a while, a handful of US radio stations banned the record. They cited indecipherable lyrics as the reason. Rumors suggested these lyrics contained some naughty words. The FBI investigated the song for two years, from February to May 1964. They analysed the song, played it at different speeds, and even had a spy follow the band on tour. The FBI finally concluded that they could find nothing wrong. Click here to read the rather extensive FBI document about the song.
The song was written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955. The song tells a tale, in the first-person of a “lovesick sailor’s lament to a bartender about wanting to get back home to his girl“. The song is widely understood to be one of the most covered rock songs, with more than 1,600 versions registered. The Kingsmen recording of the song is seen by writers, musicians and journalists as the song that all garage rock and punk can be traced back to. That is not bad for a song that cost no more than $50 to record!
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John Lennon appeared on the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore TV show. ‘Not Only But Also’ aired in the UK on January 10th, 1965 (or possibly 1966). Lennon appeared in a sketch in which he played Dan, the doorman of a trendy nightclub. This club was situated in an underground men’s lavatory.
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Milan rock band Used To Be Apes have just hit the streets with a new single, “New Waves”. It is a classy emotive three and a half minutes of perfect pop rock. The track is fuelled by melancholy but hopeful lyrics. I can sense elements of REM, Prefab Sprout and New Order. But this band are not copyists, they are very original. I can see this song making my songs of the year list in December. In the olden days when pop charts mattered this would have been a huge hit.
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Italian metal legends Lacuna Coil have just released “Gravity.” It is the fifth single from their forthcoming album ‘Sleepless Empire.’ The album will be available via Century Media Records. I believe that the song explores the rise and fall of life, the importance of resilience and fate. I felt that it conveys hope and that things will get better if you stay strong. The band said this of the new song: ““Balance is so difficult to keep as we navigate through desperate times, feeling lost and gasping as we ask for help. How do we deal with tough times? Do we ask for a hand? Or do we isolate ourselves from everything else to recollect in our own misanthropic golden cage? I hope you will love Gravity as much as we do and that it will help you to reflect on the time we have left and how to use it wisely.” The video that accompanies the release is monumentally epic, I love it! Live your life well good people and soundtrack it with Lacuna Coil!
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