With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

“Where Flowers Grow” – ORKID August 21, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 10:17 pm
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Swedish future pop powerhouse launched a new single on the world last month and it is deeply sublime and incredibly infectious. The driving slow groove sinks its roots into you like it was always a part of your being. This deserves to be a gigantic hit it is the epitome of perfect, gorgeous summer pop! The song first came to life after ORKID visited her mother’s grave. She says of the track, “My mom’s grave is the one place where I feel closest to her and can sense her presence. Even though she’s the one lying beneath the earth, it feels like a huge part of me is also buried with her. We wanted this song to resonate with anyone who deeply misses someone. “Where flowers grow” can symbolise a person or a place, but at its heart, the song is about not being alone in that longing.” You might not know it, but you need this song in your life!

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Under The Covers With Mayhem – Chapter 6

Filed under: Under The Covers With Mayhem — justwilliam1959 @ 9:54 pm
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Here comes Under The Covers With Mayhem Chapter 6, OK I know it is only a day since the last one, but this was too good to ignore in my opinion! It is a cover of “Guns Of Brixton”, originally by one of my favourite bands, the Clash. This one is by Les Touffes Krétiennes who describe themselves as a crazy punk brass band. While Francoise Hardy sadly passed away recently, Les Touffes Krétiennes carry the torch to show that France still has some rather excellent music!

I have said before that my ideal cover version has a different slant from the original rather than just a facsimile-style cover. So the generic boy bands are probably never likely to feature, but you never know, right? Feel free to recommend any songs that you think should be included in Under The Covers With Mayhem. I want to stay clear of the mainstream ideally, but off-the-wall covers by major artists might work too 🙂 Oh, and there will, of course, be an Under The Covers With Mayhem Playlist soon!

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PJ Harvey – The Piece Hall, Halifax – Tuesday 20th August 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:30 pm
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Thanks to those marvellous people at The Modern Record I was given the opportunity to see and review PJ Harvey at the Piece Hall in Halifax. Click here to check out my review. All photographs by John Hayhurst.

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Mayhem’s Before They Were Famous – 4. Jonathan Davis (Korn)

Filed under: Before They Were Famous — justwilliam1959 @ 1:02 pm
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Many people, often for the wrong reasons cite metal bands like Korn as dark and related to horror. I don’t really see that, well maybe the dark part. But for those who do see them like that knowing what frontman Jonathan Davis’ first job will not change your opinion. He was an embalmer, albeit for a short while, after completing a mortuary studies course. Some Korn songs including “Dead Bodies Everywhere” and “Pretty.” are apparently drawn from that working experience.

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Hærtstrings Play The Soundsphere Sessions! August 20, 2024

Filed under: News,Observation — justwilliam1959 @ 11:50 am
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The magnificent and obscenely talented Hærtstrings, winners of last year’s Fulford Arms Battle Of The Bands contest recently played a live session for the rather wonderful Soundsphere. There are some great interview moments with the band too. Like many of you, I am looking forward to some music from these boys very soon! Check out the video and check out our friends at the awesome Soundsphere Mag!

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“Hot Mess” – Johnny Hunter

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:32 am
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Aussie punks Johnny Hunter smash it with their new single “Hot Mess”, this is hard-rocking 21st-century punk at its best. It draws on classic 70s punk and some of today’s heavier sounds like Frank Carter and Soft Play. It was produced by Jesse F. Keeler (Death From Above 1979, MSTRKRFT). The band has said a lot about the song’s birth throes.

“Hot Mess” was recorded above The Lord Gladstone Hotel in their Sydney hometown. Of the recording process, lead singer Nick Hutt said “Whenever we needed to go to the bathroom or for a smoke we had to push through crowds of people on their night out, from people hooking up to crying with their friends outside, to pairs of people coming out of cubicles so every time we were in the studio on the weekend we’d be flys on the wall for (and sometimes part of) this exhibition of what we could only describe as hot mess behaviour. We literally recorded the vocals whilst a massive DnB party played downstairs, I’m 95% sure that if you solo the raw stems of the vocal you can hear it in the background. This is the essence of the song, the whole feel, the drums, the lyrics, the mood all of it attested to recording music in the pub”.

the song was inspired by what bassist Dakota Fisher described as “a meth loop” which he describes as “clanging metal in a bathroom whilst dragging your teeth on the tiled floor“, the band initially explored an 808-driven beat. However, this direction felt too techno, leading them to pivot towards a more organic, LCD Soundsystem-inspired groove that producer Jesse helped refine. To capture a specific dancefloor energy, the band wrote the verse while Groove Armada’s “Shakin’ That Ass” was on repeat. Though they admit to only knowing one verse of the song, it provided the perfect foundation for their own track’s rhythmic delivery. Whilst the rest of the band then joined the party downstairs at the Lord Gladstone drummer Gerry Thompson (Gez) the band’s resident hardcore enthusiast, channelled his love of harmonics into the song’s wild energy. Instantly ripping the guitar part through a Big Muff pedal, he creates a layer of chaos that perfectly complements Dakota’s initial inspiration. Like me, you might be very pleased to learn that Johhny Hunter has permanently moved to the UK!

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“Wanna Be You” – Shehehe

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:00 am
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Shehehe have a fantastically fun new single out before their upcoming album. The song is called “Wanna Be You” and it has a magnificent late-70s punk vibe with hints of everything from Jilted John to the Ramones. Speaking of the Ramones, Shehehe was recently compared to da Bruddas in a recent review, “Shehehe, from Athens, GA, deliver a powerful sound that’s part rip-roarin’ rock ‘n’ roll, and equal part Ramones.” That wasn’t me saying it, but I agree 100%! Staying with the Ramones once again the band has said this of “Wanna Be You”, “It is a work of fiction about two characters from two great rock and roll songs, ‘Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’ by Ramones and ‘Allison Is Starting To Happen’ by The Lemonheads. If they met and became friends we think it would go a little somethin’ like this…” We need more songs bringing together characters from other songs, this is great! This really is a bouncy, tear-along feel-good hit, I love it!

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Under The Covers With Mayhem – Chapter 5

Filed under: Under The Covers With Mayhem — justwilliam1959 @ 10:25 am
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Here comes Under The Covers With Mayhem Chapter 5, this one features post-punk heroes the Raincoats with their cover of the Kinks’ “Lola”. This was released as a part of their self-titled debut album in 1979. The cover was never released as a single, but the album made it to number 5 on the indie album chart. I love that it isn’t a simple copy and that the all-female band changed the gender of the song’s protagonist.

I have said before that my ideal cover version has a different slant from the original rather than just a facsimile-style cover. So the generic boy bands are probably never likely to feature, but you never know, right? Feel free to recommend any songs that you think should be included in Under The Covers With Mayhem. I want to stay clear of the mainstream ideally, but off-the-wall covers by major artists might work too 🙂 Oh, and there will, of course, be an Under The Covers With Mayhem Playlist soon!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

Weird Music Facts From Mayhem #5 August 19, 2024

Filed under: Weird Facts — justwilliam1959 @ 10:37 pm
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David John Harman, who later became Dave Dee of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, and Tich fame was a police constable in 1960. He was one of the first people on the scene of the April 1960 car crash that resulted in the death of American rock and roller Eddie Cochran and a very serious injury to Gene Vincent. He later explained that he began learning to play the guitar using Cochran’s impounded Gretsch guitar over several nights at the police station. Dee joined Cochran in the great gig in the sky in 2009. To remember them here are a couple of videos.

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“Two Sips” – Revivalry

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 10:18 pm
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Revivalry has become the youngest band to play the Main Stage at Kendal Calling and to cement their growing power they released a classy new song, “Two Sips” last week. It is a superpowered riff fest with some great vocals and harmonies and it overflows with sublime alt.rock, pop, and punk hooks. This bunch can go all the way and on the evidence of this single, they are more than ready for the journey. Here is the band explaining how “Two Sips” came to life. “It started with a riff, as it nearly always does. Ben brings that and everything follows from there. Because we are a 3-piece we use sonics around the bass instead of a rhythm guitar so Josh builds around the riff and Lewis sets the beat – the structure of the song tends to just build from here with all 3 of us in a room together. At times it can be painful, Ben is a perfectionist, Josh is keen to keep the flow of writing going and Lewis is pretty laid back – somewhere in the middle of that triangle is the sweet spot.” One of the best singles of the year in my humble opinion.

If you want to catch them live check out the dates below

23rd August, Victorious Festival (Seaside Stage), Portsmouth TICKETS

24th August, Camper Calling Festival, Warwickshire  TICKETS

31st August, The Imperial, Mexborough TICKETS

15th September, Garristonbury, Barnsley (SOLD OUT)

27th September, The Troubadour, London (supporting A.R.T) TICKETS

2nd November, The Leadmill, Sheffield, (supporting The Denabys) TICKETS

6th December, Deaf Institute Lodge, Manchester TICKETS

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