With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

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

Everything After Midnight – Fulford Arms, York – Friday 23rd June 2023 July 6, 2023

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:26 pm
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Everything After Midnight is a band that has grown in strength and confidence since forming four years ago. This gig was a showcase for the launch of their new single “I Guess,” and promoted by the talented Mr. P at Northern Radar. How did Everything After Midnight perform? You will need to read on to find out as there were two great support bands, neither of which I had seen before. Starting with PH7, they kicked off like the 60s Fleetwood Mac but with more of a Heather Baron-Gracie (Pale Waves) vocal sound. It would not be easy to put PH7 into a specific genre and they have some great tunes. “Botheration” was ace. Their cover of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” really kicked arse and rocked harder than Chris Martin and the lads have ever done. The PH7 guitarist was stunningly good, but sadly he is leaving the band. If you get a chance to see PH7 live, take it!

Next, it was the wonderfully named Mollie Coddled. If you can imagine Cydi Lauper fronting a jazz-funk/post-punk hybrid then you might come close to how Mollie Coddled sounded to me. The bass sound and playing was immense and skillful. Sadly, just like the PH7 guitarist the Mollie Coddled bass player is leaving, this was his final gig. “Guilt Trip” gave me some Hooray For The Riff Raff and Bran Van 3000 vibes. Meanwhile, “Lonely Bitch” was like a 60s girl group and punk crossover, like classic early Blondie.

Finally, it was time for the future legends known as Everything After Midnight. They took to the stage while the jaunty and jolly theme from The Simpsons was playing. That really had to be their walk-on music didn’t it, given the gig poster. The big question was whether Lisa Simpson might play some saxophone for them, sadly she didn’t, but maybe next time. This was a really imaginative set that bordered on epic in both style and content. The band was in top form and showed super-powered control and command of the depth and dynamics of their sound. Everything After Midnight have continued to develop a real melting pot of musical styles and influences with which they create that distinctive and idiosyncratic Everything After Midnight soundscape. They have matured relatively quickly for a band, and remain hard, or more likely, impossible to drop easily into a specific genre box. There is alt.folk, electric folk, prog, post-punk, classic rock, and even some melodies that would not be out of place in a classical music score.

Jacob’s guitar playing moves from Mick Ronson to Johnny Marr and most things in between. Then there are Steph’s soaring, confident vocals, she has grown hugely as a singer since I first saw the band back in February 2022. In this set, I felt that she had the sweetness and clarity of Sandy Denny’s voice and in the heavier moments more like Kiki Dee on steroids or Lulu fronting a metal band. The highlights were plentiful and bounteous, but among that crop of great songs “Real Estate” and new single “I Guess,” stood out for me. Check this band out NOW, that is an order!

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Summer Solstice Shenanigans – York Vaults Wednesday 21st June 2023 July 4, 2023

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 4:05 pm
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This was a fabulous free gig at the York Vaults to celebrate the summer solstice in the way that perhaps only Hawkind might have done. First up it was perhaps the time to reveal the worst-kept secret, secret set in rock history. Under the guise of Sisters Of Percy, who looked, and sounded, remarkably like West Yorkshire Super Heroes Percy! It was a fab show by the band. “What Les Said”, “Chunks” and “Greedy People” were magnificent highs from a set chocked full of them. They played a new song, I missed the title, but it bodes for an electric, weird, and rather spiffing future, it sounded like a 70s funk hoe down with some sharp post-punk vocal stylings.

Next, it was Soma Crew, whose set was sadly cut short owing to an amp malfunction. Top-class psychedelic drone-style tunes which take up residence in your head and stick around to have fun with your endorphins. Soma Crew are not only musical psychonauts, they add some other flavours too, like the occasional grunge lick. Whenever I see or listen to Soma Crew I feel a DNA route back to 60s Pink Floyd, Spiritualized, and even Tangerine Dream, but this bunch are not copyists or revivalists they are very much of our times.

Then it was time for the headliner for this celebration of Summer Solstice 2023, Spirit Of The Hawk. A kind of conglomerate of talent from Percy, Soma Crew, and the mystical elsewhere treating us to a souped-up sonic feast of what Hawkwind once was. Trippy vibes, psychedelic lights, and projection, heavy, jazzy, proggy music, and even a stand-in for the legendary naked, but body-painted dancer Stacia, with a rather talented lady gyrating to those lysergic beats in a Stacia style, but clad in a glittery jumpsuit. The rhythm section drove this not so mostly crew on like a finely tuned Rolls Royce, maybe like John Lennon’s 60s psyched version of the classic car. The lead guitar added some heavy muscular prog tones. Meanwhile, the vocals passionately evoked the classic sound of Dave Brock. Stephen Morris of New Order once said “Punk rock started because in every small town, there was somebody who liked Hawkwind.” Having been reminded of the two occasions I saw Hawkwind in the 70s by this excellent Spirit Of The Hawk gig, I believe that Stephen Morris was right! So, Space Rock begat Punk Rock and so much of what followed, we need more nights like this, let’s not limit it to the solstice either!

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This House Is Haunted – Fulford Arms, York – Sunday 18th June 2023 July 2, 2023

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:46 pm
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This would be only the third time that I had seen the magnificent and mighty This House Is Haunted. The last time was back in 2021 at this very venue, the fabulous Fulford Arms. So what was This House Is Haunted like? Read on and you’ll find out, first I need to tell you about the two rather delightful support bands. First up it was Offbeat, a band that is new to me, so therefore new to these pages. I believe they are quite a new band and, oh boy do they pack a hefty punch. They have some great punk-style licks and they know how to write a classy pop-rock tune too. They have a song about Grimsby too, how many other artists have done that? To my knowledge, there is Elton John with the song “Grimsby” from his 1974 album ‘Caribou’ and the Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu (a.k.a. the JAMs and the KLF) mention the town in “It’s Grim Up North” from 1990 and 1991. Offbeat also gave us a colossally good and supremely passionate cover of the Gossip classic “Standing In The Way Of Control”. It looked like the crowd (including some fine formation dancing from the Rosettas (more of them later) absolutely loved them, and so did I.

Next, it was the turn of the Rosettas, a band that I have seen quite a few times. On the evidence of this thunderous set, I think they have got much, much heavier in the depth of their sound with a powerful metal edge to their music. Benji has mastered the art of the guitar god pose and uses it well. Every member of the band played at 110% and was on possibly the best form I have ever seen them on. The mostly acoustic “Kisses On The Mirror” is crying out to be played at a festival and if it is could be one of those hold your lighters (or sadly, phones) in the air. “Haven’t Signed Up For This” and set closer “It Goes Off” were equal parts thunderous and titanic and came close to melting the fervent fans in the crowd.

Finally, it was time for the sumptuously, gorgeous grooves and seismic sonic sensations of This House Is Haunted. This was a band that is on top form. They were tight, talented and, perfect. They know how to do heavy and that metal beast in them is driven into overdrive by Dom’s drumming. Meanwhile, Zak has perfected the classic heavy rock vocal sound in his masterful voice. Zak’s mega riffs are something special. Then there are the deep bass sounds emanating from Jenn’s bass amp which is the classic engine that drives and powers this fine band. As a rhythm section Jenn and Dom are almost unbeatable among their peers. The new tunes hold up well and I hope we see a This House Is Haunted album one day!

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The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Everything After Midnight June 26, 2023

Filed under: Interview,Podcast — justwilliam1959 @ 9:21 pm
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I had the pleasure of visiting Everything After Midnight Mansions last week on the eve of the release of the band’s fabulous new single “I Guess,“. Hear me chew the fat and shoot the shit about all things Everything AfterMidnight and other music-related stuff with three members of this rather wonderful York band! Click here to listen to the interview and let us know if you enjoyed it! Look out for a live review of the band from the single launch gig on Friday 23rd June, that will be coming soon!

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“Thunder” – The Apocalypse Disco June 25, 2023

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 10:58 pm
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Imagine the Prodigy joining forces with the Chemical Brothers and going in a kind of glam rock direction and utilising David Bowie’s “secret” band from the ‘Earthling’ tour, the Tao Jones Index, well that is what the new track from the Apocalypse Disco sounds like to me. But it is not just homage and definitely not a facsimile, it is banging, beat-laden, and bloody bonkers. Right up my street, in fact, get this lot in your lugholes now, you will have no choice but to shake your booty and dance like nobody is watching! If this is the herald of the apocalypse, bow to your inner illegal rave soul, grab your glowsticks, and smash it until the end of the world with “Thunder” as your soundtrack! Check out the video too, it is madcap and magnificent!

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“I Guess,” – Everything After Midnight

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 6:18 pm
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Everything After Midnight are back with a huge, anthemic, banger of a tune called “I Guess,“. It opens and closes on a relatively quiet and low-key acoustic style vibe, but in between it packs more punches than Muhammad Ali did throughout his whole career. It has a massed choir of jangly guitars but that is sometimes overlaid with mountainous riffs. The drumming is pounding, incessant and insistent, and if you were wondering I do mean that in a good way. Steph’s voice is pitch perfect as she carries the tune perfectly with a real rock panache while remaining in touch with the pop elements of the track, notably the gorgeous hooks, and chorus. Lyrically it is smart, sassy, cutting, and clever, lines like “kiss me, cos’ I’m a number, cold, hotel lobby” evoke sadness, anger, sarcasm, frustration, and much more in just a few seconds. I think Steph is channeling her inner Leigh Nash (vocalist of Sixpence None The Richer) on “I Guess,”, although I suspect that this is certainly unconscious channeling given that band’s biggest hit was back in 1998, some 25 years ago. The production is of absolute quality too, nothing fails in the mixing and you can hear every member of the band playing supremely well. Everything After Midnight’s earlier releases, including 2021’s ‘Still Sleeping’ EP have all been good, but “I Guess,” takes them to a new and magnificent level entirely. Get this band in your life now, you will regret it if you don’t! Also, look out for a gig review on them and an interview with them appearing on these pages very soon!

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Play It Again Mayhem – “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – Elvin Bishop June 13, 2023

Filed under: Play It Again Mayhem — justwilliam1959 @ 11:17 pm
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This is the sixteenth song in the Play It Again Mayhem series which began back in 2020. Check out the previous entries along with this new one in the Play It Again Mayhem Spotify Playlist, click here to take a listen! It has been nearly ten months since the last one, how lazy was I? Anyway this is a song I consider an underrated classic from 1976 by legendary blues guitarist Elvin Bishop, entitled “Fooled Around And Fell In Love”. Bishop was not the vocalist on “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” though, that job fell to Mickey Thomas who many of you might know as vocalist, backing vocalist, and guitarist for Jefferson Starship and Starship from 1979. Elvin Bishop apparently felt that the tune better suited Mickey Thomas rather than the real gravelly blues sounds he created himself. It was this song and his other work with Elvin Bishop that helped Mickey Thomas get the gig with Jefferson Starship, which evolved into simply Starship.

The song’s best chart position was number three in the USA and New Zealand. It only reached number 34 in the UK, but I am proud to say I bought a copy all those years ago. The tune has been featured in many films, my favourite was its appearance in the first ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ film in 2014 as a part of the now rather famous mixtape. It was that film that made me fall in love with the song all over again. Rod Stewart covered the song in 2006, but frankly, that was not Rod’s finest moment and, for me, does not even come close to the original. The track remains one of my favourite songs of all time.

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The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Matt (Segregates & Snapblades)!

Filed under: Interview,Podcast — justwilliam1959 @ 6:17 pm
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I had an absolute blast interviewing Matt (a.k.a. Smell) of Snablades and Segregates last week. Hear us chew the fat for 80 minutes and enjoy the ace raconteur that Matt is when regaling us with some great stories of his life! Click here to listen to the interview.

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Mayhem Singles Round Up Part 5 2023

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 5:19 pm
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Here comes the fifth Mayhem Singles Round-Up for 2023, it includes eleven songs that have been passed on to me or recommended during the previous few weeks and months, there are some really brilliant tracks. It features four acts that have appeared on Mayhem’s pages before. Three of those bands are from Yorkshire, and I think one of the new to Mayhem artists is too. Let me know what you think of this great collection of tunes! You will find a YouTube link to each song in the title (or a link to the audio of the track) and a link to the artist’s website or one of their social media pages when you click the artist’s name. You can also find the link to a Spotify playlist of all these songs by clicking here.

“Endings” – Apollo Junction

Perhaps their rockiest track to date and it makes me even more excited for the new album. Harmonies and hooks made in heaven and a chorus that hangs out in your head for ages.

“M.O.W.O.” – Pennine Suite

Who would have guessed that such a stunning band would arise from the ashes of the Receivers, but Pennine Suite have released an absolute classic of a tune with “M.O.W.O.” I can’t wait to hear this at a gig. It has screaming guitars, magnificent vocals, and wonderfully weird keys at the intro and outro. I bloody love this song!

“Closer” – Babel

Like a sublime club version of the Cocteau Twins, chilled and danceable at the same time.

“Mystic Pizza” – Sheratons

A large portion of dirty, scuzzy garage rock from the Sheratons. Possibly their best single so far and there have been some classics!

“Breathe Easy” – Janita Larue

This is a song that I discovered by a great alignment of chance, my wife was out walking our dog Ziggy along the River Foss close to where we live in York and came across Janita filming a music video, for this very song! It is a fabulous slice of modern R&B with magnificent pop sensibilities and a touch of early Joan Armatrading. I know absolutely nothing about Janita, other than she is a great singer and this is a fabulous tune!

“Little By Little” – As December Falls

This lot aren’t big on writing bios for their socials, this is probably because they focus more on creating fantastic dark pop-rock songs with an old-school emo vein just like this.

“A Door That Disappears” – Endless Forms

I love the semi-chilled percussion on this track from the rather wonderful Endless Forms, it reminded me of prime-time Flaming Lips.

“Light In an Empty Room” – Monad

Monad is Tel Aviv musician Eshchar Nachmany and with this track, he has unleashed a rock-tinged slab of almost manic EDM. I bloody love this, especially the gorgeous orchestral overtones.

“Goodbye Song” – Erin K

This is a jaunty, poppy, and yet dark break-up song, following hot on the heels of the rather fantastic “Keep Her”. One listen and I was hooked, after the second listen I was addicted! Erin’s album is out later this month and I reckon it will be bloody good!

“The Way Out Is Through The Door” – Fred Abbott and The Wild Unknown (feat. Steve Llewellyn)

Fred is the former guitarist/ keyboard player from Noah and the Whale and with this tune, he shows he has a knack for producing great music. It has a sad, lament style, a 70s US West Coast vibe, and is simply a stunningly good rock ballad.

“Rolf Harris And The Sexy Kids” – Kunt and the Gang

I am quite a fan of Kunt and the Gang and all their associated outlets; the Kunts, Krown Jewels, and others. Now that Aussie Paedo Rolf Harris is dead, why not celebrate with this wonderfully irreverent little ditty from Kunt and the Gang. If you are easily offended perhaps don’t play it. If you are a Rolf Harris fan, can I simply ask what the fuck are you doing here?

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