With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

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

Mayhem Singles Round Up Part 1 2023 February 15, 2023


It has been way too long since our last singles round-up. So here is the first for 2023, it includes twelve songs that have been passed on to me or recommended during the previous few weeks and months, there are some really classy tracks here. This is quite a Yorkshire-centric list, but I have lived in Yorkshire since 2007, so why not? Let me know what you think of them! You will find a YouTube link to each song in the title and a link to the artists website or Spotify page if you click the artist name. You can also find the link to a Spotify playlist of all these songs by clicking here.

Chu Chi Face” – Madam Misfit

Feeling down? Feeling blue? I know exactly what you need to do! Just listen to “Chu Chi Face” by the frankly incomparable and obscenely talented Madam Misfit. This tune is a 21st Century (or 19th Century) take on the song originally featured in the 60s children’s classic film ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang‘. Madam Misfit does her Electro Swing Thing with it and takes it to another funderful dimension. Watch the video and if you are not smiling by the end of it get your face muscles looked at. The only gripe I have is the dunking of chocolate covered biscuits……why?

Rebound” – Millie Manders and the Shutup

A cracking single from a cracking band, this bigs up their pop-punk chops, a song that needs to be all over the radio!

Green Eyed Ocean Smile” – Honeytrap

This has the feel of a classy chilled 80s synth track with a real 21st Century vibe. For me, this is HoneyTrap’s finest song to date. It was released as a single last year and is now a part of their recently released EP, ‘FenĂȘtre Forming’

Glue Song” – Beabadoobee

Bea gives us a truly gorgeous love song, which will be perfect for chilling in the garden, the park, or at a festival this summer

The Cvlt Song” – Astrology For Men

This is a band that includes Luca from Vaquelin (more of them later) and it is a soft loud and frankly stupendous metal anthem in waiting.

Scottish Snow” – Pennine Suite

York’s Pennine Suite are back with yet another great single. The way Nick and Louise’s vocals intertwine make this song linger in your head for ages, and I do mean that in a good way. If Bananarama did perfect jangly indie songs, this would be one of them.

By The River” – Apollo Junction

I love bands that produce great music and seem to get better with every release. This bodes incredibly well for album number three from one of Leeds’s finest bands. Instrumentally the band is on fire and Jamie’s vocal pulls out all the stops. This has left me dreaming of the finest alternative 80s hits!

On My Own” – The Kut

Possibly the hookiest, catchiest rock song in ages. I love all the “whoa whoa” backing vocals. Expect to hear your postman whistling this tune! If you love this, and why wouldn’t you, check out the earlier release “Fun When You’re Winning

Social Cyanide” – Vaquelin

Those Vaquelin boys are back with a really bluesy slab of classic rock. It has some softer-sounding moments, but even they have razor-sharp edges. The riffage is ace and can I hear strings low down in the mix or is that treated guitar. Album number two will be something very special indeed!

Hazel Frustration” – Kindelan

This is the latest release from Kindelan, following hot on the heels of the rather splendid, “The Other Side”, these tracks will eventually form an EP. “Hazel Frustration” is a song of relationships and heartbreak, Kindelan styles it in a wonderfully softer modern R & B style. I have been a fan for quite a while and she continues to get better with each release.

Reset” – Wolforna

What a fabulous slice of heavy rock this is, filled with gargantuan riffs and softer moments that evoke the less hard side of Led Zeppelin. The vocals are outstanding.

Fatal Flaw” – Thrillhouse

This opens like a skilful take on peak New Order and moves on to draw on the likes of OMD and Eccho and the Bunnymen. A tremendously good pop scented rock track which is so joyful to listen to.

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Millie Manders And The Shutup – Fulford Arms, York – Saturday 29th October 2022 January 8, 2023


Yet another fabulous show at the Fulford Arms would be the third time I have seen the beautifully boomtastic Millie Manders and the Shut Up at this very same venue. This was also a pre-Halloween fancy dress night where some rather scary costumes were on display. Personally, I donned my scary clown mask, which scared one punter immensely, although nowhere near as much as the person dressed as Michael Myers did. Incidentally, I know who dressed as Myers that night! But before I tell you what MMATSU were like I must speak about the rather stunning support acts. First up it was Eryx London, who rather weirdly are not from London, but Nottingham. Their set was, in a word, incendiary. In a few more words it was akin to the smashing of atoms using Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. “U Don’t Like Your Girlfriend” was a highlight among many highs for me. I suspect this bunch will go on to much greater things, they seem to have the talent to do it.

How do you follow a band as on fire as Eryx London, well it seems you follow them with Bristol’s own, Cosmic Ninja! This band is loud and passionate and not afraid to speak out for what is right. I love that their website has an ethos section, where among other things they mention that they are “members and allies of our LGBTQ+ community” and “We recognise our deaf community and have participated in SIGN GIGS in our local city“. The latter is something really special which I never knew had been done before. It was a funky, punky, and frenetic set with no let-up in energy. “Parasite” is an incredible song. Another great band on a magnificent bill!

But the icing on the cake for this wonderful show put together by Steve “Ska” Laurence of Northern Ska Face Promotions was an electrifying set from Millie Manders and the Shut Up. Millie is an extremely, talented and powerful frontwoman who knows her audience perfectly and displays an aura of empathy and support for every one of her fans. Millie is clearly passionate about her music, but also supremely passionate about life, injustice, mental health, the environment, and many other things. Their music has a huge social conscience. The band, as usual, were stunningly tight and well-rehearsed and Millie’s vocals at times evoked memories of Pauline Black, but Millie’s range is phenomenal. Many people might describe Millie Manders and the Shut Up as a ska punk band, that might have been true in their early days, but now they are simply a great rock band who regularly defy inclusion in any specific genre box. Highlights tonight were “Poor Man’s Show”, “Not Okay” and the mighty “Panic”. If this band is not yet in your life then give your head a big wobble and sort it out!

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Where Has Mayhem Been? November 3, 2022


There has been a lack of posting lately on With Just A Hint Of Mayhem, although I don’t like to post personal stuff here. Well very rarely anyway. This lack of posting is because I have been trying to build back my mental health resilience, I have been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. It has been a tough few months, but honestly, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I am pretty sure it isn’t a train coming in the other direction! Regular service will be resumed at some point, but in the meantime look out for a glut of reviews from the last few weeks, including; Apollo Junction, Delilah Bon, Tankus the Henge, Bodega, Millie Manders and the Shut Up, Live At Leeds and Woman to Woman (featuring Judy Tzuke, Beverly Craven, Julia Fordham, and Rumer). On top of that, there will be a Delilah Bon interview, but sadly a transcription as the audio didn’t record well. Other reviews and a catch-up of the Mayhem song and artist charts will also be posted soon for September and October. This post is accompanied by my favourite song ever, as it always helps me through bad times and adds light in a dark place! Remember, it really is ok to be not ok. If you are suffering please make sure you talk to someone.

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With Just A Hint Of Mayhem – Singles Round-Up 2022 Part 4 June 6, 2022


This is the fourth singles round-up of 2022, possibly our most eclectic yet, which includes ten great songs from a group of artists from all over the UK and the world. Liverpool (via Austria), USA, Bristol, London, Norwich, Rochester (NY), Tennessee, Durham, San Francisco (Bay Area), and Switzerland. Three of these artists have appeared on these pages before and while the rest are new to us I am 100% confident that their first appearance will not be their last appearance.

“Questionable” – MonaLisa Twins

This has shades of the Divine Comedy and some of the finest 60s style melodies and harmonies, a truly gorgeous tune. The MonaLisa Twins are in fact real twins. Mona and Lisa Wagner hail from Austria and currently reside in Liverpool. “Questionable” is an original song, but the duo have also recorded some rather wonderful cover versions too, including a great version of The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright”

“Big Momma” – Lisa G. Allen

This is proper old-school R & B, perhaps by the skillfully sampled hook from Isley Brothers’ classic “Between The Sheets”. Lisa’s voice reminds me of Millie Jackson in her softer ballad moments. This is a sublime summer soundtrack tune

“These Days” – The Undercover Hippy

This is a proper earworm that would fit nicely alongside the likes of Lily Allen, I love the video too, the telephone call part is rather funny. The tune has a lilting light reggae/ ska feel to it and refuses to leave your head long after you first hear it.

“Speechless” – Femegades

This 21st century Riot grrrl and Femegades wear their feminist badge proudly and rightly so. This is a great tune and Femegades are definitely a band to keep on your radar. Probably one of the best band names that I have encountered in a while too!

“Sweet Melody” – Millie Manders and the Shut Up featuring Christy Bullent

Millie Manders and the Shut Up covering Little Mix, that really doesn’t work on paper does it? But who cares about paper, this is a 100-mile-per-hour ska-punk masterpiece and I bloody love it! It really is difficult to recognise it as the original Little Mix tune. An absolutely banging cover version!

“The Overthrow” – A Fitting Revenge

This is a fine and incredibly heavy slab of metal that smashes straight into your cerebellum with the force of the asteroid that ended the dinosaurs. If this lot has not played at Download before then they need to!

“Shakin’ Sally” – Rick Drevet and Friends

First-class southern bluesy rock from Mr. Drevet and his pals with a song about his motorbike. This is a song that is really difficult to not like. A really great tune for a long drive or road trip.

“Please Don’t Take Me Back” – MARTHA

This is an absolutely sublime indie-pop track. Great riffage, awesome harmonies, and a chorus that many bands would kill for. This band needs to be in your life, make it happen!

“Maison” – Seal Party

Bluesy, swampy, sweaty 60s R & B, like a young Tom Waits fronting Booker T and the MGs. This is a great tune that was created to become a classic and will be! Check out their earlier single “Juvie” too.

“KID” – Yves Larock & Molie

If you like dance music you will love this. It sounds good played loud in my headphones but over a nightclub sound system this will be monumental. Molie’s vocal is a perfect first for Larock’s infectious beats!

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Millie Manders And The Shutup – Fulford Arms, York – Sunday 14th November 2021 November 24, 2021


I became a fan of Millie Manders and the Shut Up after seeing them at this same venue, Fulford Arms almost exactly two years ago, so I wasn’t going to miss another opportunity to see this great band. Did they deliver? Well you will just have to read on to find that out, because I need to tell you about the support band, JĂžra The FĂžrtuneteller. This hugely talented four-piece are based in Brighton (or possibly Norwich) and to get themselves on the road they sold loads of their stuff, including their Playstations, to buy a van to tour with. In my opinion that sacrifice and investment was well worth it for Sam, Gui, Dawid, and Josh. They have only been together for three years but it feels like they have been a band much longer. I sense the histrionics of Muse, the grandeur of Pink Floyd, and the punk attitude of the Clash. Sam’s vocals are world-class and reminiscent of the best of Steve Marriot and Kurt Cobain and Gui’s guitar skills are easily advanced enough that he could battle Matt Bellamy in a guitar duel and come out on top. It was also great to see Millie Manders showing her support at the front of the stage too. I am so looking forward to hearing more from JĂžra The FĂžrtuneteller and definitely seeing them play live again.

Regular readers will have seen Millie Manders and the Shut Up on these pages before. I had the honour of interviewing Millie back in January too, click here to listen to it. Millie is one of the most passionate performers in music right now. She is not just passionate about the music though, she is also supremely passionate about life, injustice, mental health, the environment, and many other things. All of this is encapsulated in an absolutely stunning performance from her and the Shut Up. Every tune was full of electrifying energy and there wasn’t a duff song or note in the whole set, the band and Millie were firing perfectly on all cylinders. Some people choose to badge Millie Manders and the Shut Up as ska-punk, but they are so much more than that. Highlights for me were “Poor Man’s Show” which is even more pertinent in the post-Covid world where the UK government is ripping the guts out of our fabulous National Health Service. Then “Not Okay” is a heart on the sleeve clarion call to every one of you who is suffering from depression, anxiety, and any other form of mental health issue. It really is ok to be not ok! But the pinnacle of the night for me was the astonishing, powered, anger and feeling in a mountainous performance of “Panic”. There are still a few dates left on this tour and if you can get to any of them, damned well do it! You will not be sorry!

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Podcast Mayhem! April 9, 2021


In case you missed them click here for my most recent interview podcasts, hosted on BuzzSprout!

This series features some very strong and incredibly talented female artists; Lauren Tate (a.k.a. Delilah Bon), Millie Manders (of Millie Manders & the Shutup) and Kaoro Sato (of the Dead Zoo). Keep a good eye and ear on all of them. Delilah Bon releases her first album in May, Millie Manders & the Shutup have just released a new single and the next Dead Zoo single will be out soon! All of these will be reviewed on these very pages. So to whet your appetite please give the interview podcasts a spin! New interviews will be on here soon, watch this space!

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Mayhem Virgins – Call Me Malcolm February 7, 2021


This is the tenth act that we have featured in the Mayhem Virgins series since it began in 2018. It gives us an opportunity to showcase great bands and singers that have up to now never featured on With Just A Hint Of Mayhem before. For this post it is the turn of the extremely talented, very original and one of the best ska/punk bands I have ever heard, Call Me Malcolm. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Millie Manders (click here to listen to that interview) and she told me how highly she rated Call Me Malcolm, so I had to check them out and oh boy I am glad that I did. There is an incredible energy in Call Me Malcolm’s songs which I am sure translates into something special in a live environment and gig reviews that I have read bear this out.

They released their first album “We Did This To Ourselves” in 2014 and this sets out their manifesto as a band that knows what they want, where they want to go and what the journey might be like. Like many of my favourite bands Call Me Malcolm wear their politics proudly on their sleeves. Every song that I have listened to by them makes me think that they really give a shit about life. “You’re Free To Do as We Tell You” opens the album with a crashing boom that makes you want to stay with them, give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed. They deploy all the classic traits and skills of the best ska/ punk bands and blend them into a signature Call Me Malcolm sound. I also love their use of soundbites, there is a great use of something from ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy’ on this record. “I’m Alright I Suppose” is an early sign of their willingness to confront mental health issues.

The Call Me Malcolm sophomore album “I Was Broken When You Got Here” blows that old “difficult second album” problem that hits many bands right out of the water. It is yet another great collection of sublime songs. The “Guided Meditation” speech at the start is very funny. I almost spat out my dandelion and pond weed tea out mid meditation. This album takes the band to another level and I suspect they are still a long way from their peak. I sensed influences from Madness, Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake at times and apparently Vinnie Fiorello (of Less Than Jake) said that he saw Call Me Malcolm as “a saving grace of the genre”. It is difficult not to agree with that assertion. The album was highly acclaimed and Ska Punk Daily voted it no.8 in their “Top 10 Ska Punk Albums of the Decade.” It is hard to pick a favourite track from what is a succession of banging classics. But if forced I would choose the incendiary “There Is No ‘I’ In Apocalypse”, the happy poppy tune with much darker mental breakdown related lyrics, “Restore Factory Settings” and “Show Me What You Got” which opens like a punked up Doobie Brothers track spliced with a ska punk Steely Dan jazzy vibe transported here from a weird and wonderful parallel universe.

The band released their third album “Me Myself And Something Else” last year. The spoof news broadcasts “Good Morning”, “Breaking News” and “Goodnight” showcase Call Me Malcolm’s skilful and very amusing comedic skill. Two of the singles taken from this LP are in my opinion perhaps the band’s finest songs to date. I can hardly wait to hear “Wake Up, The Monster Said” and “What You Burn” at a gig when Covid is all over. The band once again convey some powerful and heartfelt messages relating to mental health and in this current strange world they are much needed. They are among a small, but growing, number of artists prepared to talk openly about such issues and that takes courage and empathy both of which this band possess boatloads of. In addition to the previously mentioned singles my current favourites here are “Also, Spiders”, “I Met All The Beasts In Your Thoughts” and “Sleepwalk With Me”. The immaculate three part harmonies across the bands canon makes them seem like a ska/ punk Beach Boys!

Thanks to that wonderful human being Millie Manders I am now a big fan of Call Me Malcolm. This is another band on my ever growing list of gigs I want to see after Covid. I hope I have enough years left to see them all! Finally, I came across the Call Me Malcolm Christmas single from 2014, “All I Want For Christmas Is A Pony With A Jetpack”. I wished that I had discovered that before my ’12 Days Of (Mostly) Punky Christmas’ posts in December. Check this band out NOW, if you are disappointed after doing that then I will be very, very disappointed in you! Enjoy some great tunes and videos below and after that you’ll find a link to their Spotify page for even more delightful tunes from Call Me Malcolm.

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The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Millie Manders! January 25, 2021

Filed under: Interview,Podcast — justwilliam1959 @ 6:00 pm
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Last week I had the honour, privilege and pleasure of interviewing the wonderfully talented Millie Manders of Millie Manders and the ShutUp . What did I learn from interviewing Millie? Well it is clear that she is a smart, affable raconteur and frankly a first class human being! Click here to take a listen to the interview on Spotify and afterwards check out some ace Millie Manders and the ShutUp videos. Then click here to avail yourself of some rather spiffing Millie Manders merch!

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With Just A Hint Of Mayhem – Singles Round-Up 2021 Part 1 January 16, 2021


Welcome to our first singles round up of 2021, this time I am once again joined by a guest co-reviewer. This time it is the turn of one of the newer members of the With Just A Hint Of Mayhem Team, Paul Bamlett. Paul is a self confessed music nut, so he fits in well over here at Mayhem Towers. We kick off this years singles round up series with eight cracking tunes from eight supremely talented artists and bands which found their way into the world during the last few months. Elkyn and Millie Manders and the Shut Up are the only ones to have featured here at WJAHOM before, but I am confident that all eight will be back again sometime. We have artists from all over the UK; Norwich, London, North East England, Leeds, York, Sheffield and Manchester

“Panic” – Millie Manders and the Shut Up

Paul – This is great, they don’t sound like anyone else. Danceable and very current given the powerful message. This song is the perfect package topped off with Millie’s excellent voice. A very, very impressive song and performance.

Bill – A planet saving anthem that is also in possession of a brilliant earworm of a chorus. A wonderful underlay of perfectly played guitar and the use of voice clips is interesting and adds to the gravity of the message. A heavy sound full of passion, especially Millie’s vocals. This is a song that proves Millie Manders and the Shut Up are much broader than ska punk. Like Paul I bloody love Millie’s voice!

“Raison D’etre” – Stolen Dead Music

Bill – Hard, heavy, bluesy and very, very long. Vocals at times reminiscent of Kings Of Leon. Great hooks and riffs and a very 70s rock guitar breakdown at the end.

Paul – Very interesting, a very good song, a touch on Nirvana at times. Why such a long instrumental break? That said this sounds like it will be a great song played live.

“Little Cheryl” – Not Now Norman

Paul – A real old fashioned sound with an incredibly strong chorus. Good double tracking of guitars and some excellent snappy riffs.

Bill – Reminiscent of the Go-Go’s at their peak. A good pop hook and melody, a kind of subdued power pop. Taylor Mitchell has a great voice and at times the guitar underlays the tune in a Johnny Marr kind of way. I want to hear more from this lot. A great band name in my opinion, too.

“We Eat The Buffalo” – Radio Aftermath

Bill – Immense riffs coupled with a great rock vocal. Are there two drummers on this, or has John Bonham been resurrected? This is very punky metal which I think will be ace in a live environment.

Paul – This reminds me of the Misfits or the Damned or maybe early Metallica. Great vocals are definitely in the same vein as early recordings by Dave Vanian and James Hetfield. This is a great song

“Drag Me To The Light” – Miles and the Chain Gang

Paul – Some Joe Strummer style on the vocals. The horns and Dexy’s style brass were a great addition to the track. I felt that the guitar sound reminded me of A Certain Ration or Talking Heads. One of my favorites from this batch.

Bill – Nicely British with a touch of ska, while the harmonies add an almost US West Coast vibe. Funky, choppy Billy Whizz guitar and fantastic production.

“Everybody Used To Love You” – Silverjet

Bill – Tumultuous opening riffage with a classic 70s rock vocal style. I love the guitar solo and the drumming. It feels a bit post punk but heavier and will probably be awesome live.

Paul – A great opening riff with some Kiss style in there. Maybe they should have used that same riff for the chorus. Hats off to them they sound like a great band and I get the feeling that they know how to strut their stuff like Motley Crue or Hanoi Rocks.

“Message From God” – M30

Paul – Great tune, the drums come in perfectly. There were a few moments where the backing vocals made me think of the Arctic Monkeys. I like this one!

Bill – Organ intro was like some kind of religious horror film theme. Very different and understated instrumentation. A very British vocal, none of that affected American style here! I also love the backing vocals on the chorus. One of my favourites of this round up.

“If Only It Was Alright Now” – Elkyn

Bill – A soft chilled acoustic guitar track at the start which builds into a spectacular peak with a sound that emulates bells ringing. Great harmonies too

Paul – Ambient, folky and very original. I like the track but I would like to hear it in a much more basic “unplugged” style without the drums.

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Millie Manders and the Shutup – Fulford Arms, York – Saturday 30th November 2019 December 4, 2019


There was a lot of music going on in York on 30th November. I had whittled my way down to two choices; The Men They Couldn’t Hang at the Crescent or Millie Manders and the Shutup at the Fulford Arms. I chose the latter, as you will have guessed by the title of this post, but it was a tough choice indeed. I went for a band that I had never seen or heard before, why? Well, that is how I roll! Anyway, before the talented Ms. Manders appeared on stage we were treated to two fine support bands. First up were the Platitudes, eight-piece ska-punkers from Leeds. They are a really tightly honed band and Kristina’s vocals are not typical ska punk style, she has a great voice and a real pop sensibility. Their songs are all very good with some truly great tunes among them, notably “Man With A Plan” and “Bomb Song”. Cramming eight people onto such a tiny stage takes some doing, getting them to perform so well and for them to produce such an electric, exciting set is purely down to the band themselves. They prove the old adage that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” See the Platitudes once and I guarantee you will want to see them again, I damned well do!

The Platitudes

The second support act was Dead Beat At Dawn from Thirsk who almost defies putting them into a genre. But I would describe them as ska-punk with extra added punk, metal and rap. Yes, you heard me right, rap! Imagine the Beastie Boys reinvented as a 90s ska-punk band, then you might have a chance of understanding what Dead Beat At Dawn are. They are frenetically energetic, incredibly funny, self-deprecating and bloody talented musicians too. Their sampler let them down, but they didn’t lose anything by that, they just threw themselves into their set twice as hard. Their own songs are quite unique in a great way, especially “180 (The Theme From Dart Squad). They also performed an incredibly fun cover of Madness’ “Baggy Trousers”. This lot will make a stalwart festival band, I will certainly be seeing them again.

Dead Beat At Dawn

Millie Manders and the Shutup, just how good are they? Well, they’re not just good they are a true tower of greatness. Millie is a supremely talented frontwoman who empathises with and supports her audience. Their music has a conscience, which comes across very powerfully in “Right To Life” and “Lollipops”. The latter of which is one of the best politically angry songs to emerge in the last few years. “Teddy” is lovingly weird and perhaps scary at the same time. They showcased a few new songs, a couple of which dealt with mental health issues, something which Millie was very open about. Always remember people, sometimes it’s ok to be not ok! Millie Manders and the Shutup are a great ska-punk band, that is certainly where their music probably resides. However, in Millie they have a singer who at times sounds like Pauline Black or the ghost of Amy Winehouse. Then just when you relax into that kind of vibe she hits you with a nu-metal growl that would put some metal singers to shame. The band had us eating out of their hands as we sang along to “One That Got Away”. Their cover of the Jam’s “Pretty Green” was for me both unexpected and delicious. I should mention the individual talents of the band too, especially the drummer who plays like he is the Energiser Bunny with perpetual motion. I am without a doubt a committed fan of Millie Manders and the Shutup now. I spoke very briefly to Millie at the end when I bought the band’s three EPs on CD. People say that Dave Grohl is the nicest bloke in rock, well I reckon Millie is a contender for the nicest woman in rock! You might not know it yet, but you need this band in your life!

Millie Manders and the Shutup

All the photos apart from the gig flyer were taken on my cheap android phone. The videos were all found on YouTube if one of them is yours and you would like a credit or for me to remove it please let me know.

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