With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

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

‘An Anarchy Of Demons’ – Charlie Harper October 11, 2025

Filed under: Book,Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:36 pm
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Punk icon Charlie Harper published a long awaited autobiography last month on Earth Island Books. The rather excellent foreword is by Lars Frederiksen (of Rancid), and the cover art is by Steve Dann. It details his long and colourful life against a supremely well put together social history of the UK music scene and the formation and development of punk rock. Even if you are not a UK Subs fan, but simply a music fan or punk fan you will love this book. Charlie regularly fires both barrels and rarely pulls his punches this memoir is often brutally honest. The details of so many UK Subs gigs are included. If there is anything missing it is perhaps more information about the UK Subs songs and how they were created, maybe he has saved that for another book.

Charlie is not a music historian but he knows his own story intimately and all the many things that were happening around him. The birth of rock ‘n’ roll, the sixties, the rise of punk (and its continued development) are all stars of the book. There are some wonderful vignettes, I particularly loved the piece on Rod Stewart giving Charlie a harmonica lesson in a London club in the sixties. Harper gives a fantastic and at times forensic insight into the UK Subs history. Studio stories, gig tales, highs and sometimes rather deep lows. The carousel of UK Subs members is extensively detailed. Charlie’s early life and memories of Britain’s cultural history starting at the tail end of World War Two help to explain to a small degree how punk came to be. I believe that Charlie being older than many of his punk peers makes him more authentic, he really does “mean it, man!”

The book includes many previously unseen photographs from Charlie’s life. This adds even more authenticity, which enhances the volume perfectly. There is no definitive or strict timeline to the UK Subs gigs that are covered, but for me this adds to the charm of the book. It stands at just shy of 480 pages, although mostly doesn’t feel too long. This is helped by having some really short chapters, there are nearly 140. Some might say it could be edited a little more, but then it wouldn’t capture the ragged edges of punk, the UK Subs and Charlie nearly so well. Treat yourself to this tale of a life well lived!

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Jamnesty – Fulford Arms, York Friday 11th July 2025 July 13, 2025

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:22 am
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On a baking hot July evening, the Fulford Arms in York was lit up with an electric mix of energy, activism, and genre-hopping joy for this year’s Jamnesty gig, a fundraiser in support of Amnesty International. (If you would like to donate, just click here) The lineup was packed with local talent and rising stars, each bringing something distinctive to the stage, a fiery combination that nearly blew the roof off. It was also great to see so many staff and students from Huntington School on the night and on the stage!

The evening opened with El & Ewan, a duo whose stripped-back acoustic set delivered a punch of raw honesty. Armed only with guitar and their voices they gave us a delightful set of gorgeously performed, mostly, sad songs. They both seemed a little nervous, but that didn’t stop them from playing a simply gorgeous cover of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know”.

Next up, the Sparrows took the stage with a richer, bluesy, dirty garage rock sound. There were covers from the 60s to the 90s from artists that included the Stone Roses, Johnny Cash, Oasis (sadly), James and the Beatles. “Sit Down” was a mega hit with the crowd as they swayed, then stomped, then whooped. A huge shout out to the drummer who was, frankly, phenomenal! A great set from a fresh band.

The tone shifted both dramatically and delightfully with The Fruity Pebbles, who brought neon energy and a funk-pop vibe that was danceable and addictive. They had the room bouncing from their first song. Beneath their wonderfully playful façade was tight musicianship and a band that clearly seemed to have rehearsed well. Their take on Abba’s “Voulez Vous” poured funk into an already funky tune and the emotion was off the scale as they closed with a powerful take on Robbie Williams’ “Angels”.

Next it was a chance for deep groove to meet grit as the Apocalypse Disco lived up to their name. This was a fusion of funk, disco, and dystopian theatrics. Think Giorgio Moroder meets Nine Inch Nails in a synthy warehouse rave, or perhaps the Prodigy on speed. Frontman Robin led a hypnotic performance of “Alive” that turned the Fulford Arms into a sweaty dance floor, the ceiling was dripping sweat too. The apocalyptic groove ran deep as the duo showed that they were easily the most danceable protest music of the night. Namaste motherfuckers!

Then came Fendry, whose headline set proved exactly why they’re one of the UK’s most talked-about rap acts right now. He gave the early part of his set to the mightily talented Rashevos (I hope I spelled that correctly).After that Fendry commanded the crowd from his first rhyme to his last cipher. He has confidence, style, skill and just the right level of arrogance. He has the talent to be as big as Skepta or even Eminem. Fendry is a rapper and grime artist originally from York, but now based in Wembley, London. His recent rise has been through the PenGame rap battle circuit and a string of energetic singles, he continues making waves in the underground scene. He is undefeated in several battles, including wins against JM and Domi Dusk. He gave the crowd a bold, beautiful end to a night of music that meant something.

Jamnesty 2025 at the Fully wasn’t just a gig, it was a statement. The Fulford Arms provided the perfect DIY venue vibe, and the acts each channeled the spirit of resistance, rebellion, and release in their own way. Whether it was acoustic melancholy or disco-punk anarchy, the message rang clear: music can, and will, fight back! Our world needs more nights like this, if you fancy organising your own Jamnesty event then click here for more information.

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Superconductors – Craven Brew Co 3rd Birthday – Skipton – Saturday 26th April 2025 May 5, 2025

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 3:18 pm
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The Craven Brew Co is a cask led brewery with a delightful taproom and award winning brewers. In April they celebrated their third birthday with a music driven mini festival which featured an array of talented covers bands; Hazjak, 1960 Four and Superconductors. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see all the bands. I was there for Superconductors to see my mate Andy play drums. This was only their second or third gig, but it seemed like they were far more of a seasoned band than that. To say that Superconductors are versatile would be an understatement. They play punk, pop, rock and glide effortlessly from one genre style to another. Their seventeen song set was vibrant and included songs from the 60s right through to the 21st Century. While some people danced, everyone else sang or tapped their feet.

“Rosalie”, the Bob Seger song that was a hit for Thin Lizzy kicked off proceedings and it set the tone for a set that never stopped rocking. There were plenty of highlights including “I Fought The Law”, “Basket Case” and “London Calling”. They even played a version of Abba’s “Does Your Mother Know”. Who knew that a song like that would work so well when played by a bunch of middle aged blokes? Covering the Barenaked Ladies classic “One Week” was a challenging and brave move which the band, particularly the singer pulled off perfectly. Apparently it took him three months of dog walks to learn the lyrics. A magnificent set was closed with a rousing romp through Leeds favourites the Kaiser Chiefs “I Predict A Riot”. My lasting memory was an authentic take on the Ruts smash from 1979, “Babylon’s Burning”.

The playing was pretty immaculate throughout, I was very impressed with the guitarist who moved effortlessly from one style to another. In my opinion a covers band has to have talent, passion, a sense of fun and skill in selecting the right tunes. Superconductors scored top marks in every one of those categories. I have seen many covers bands over the years and not many were as good as Superconductors. The band take their name from a Rush song but I also took a look at the definition of the word. A superconductor is a type of material that, when cooled to a critical temperature, can conduct electricity with no resistance or energy loss. The band are cool, hit a critical temperature from the start, were electrifying, no one resisted their entertaining show and they did not appear to lose any of their abundant energy despite playing for an hour. If you are looking for a covers band in the Leeds area or Yorkshire then look no further than Superconductors!

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“Born All Wrong” – Museum Of Light February 19, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 11:09 pm
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Photo by Scott Evans

Seattle band Museum Of Light have just released their third single of 2025, “Born All Wrong” on Spartan Records. The track follows hot on the heels of “Blunt Force Drama” and “Undone”. All three tracks will form a part of their sophomore album, ‘Diviner’, produced by Scott Evans, which will be released on March 14th. The song is full of earth shattering dark riffs that pound the song forward in a slow march forward. The vocals reminded me of Ozzy Osbourne at his peak. The music is dusted with some gorgeous prog moments, particularly in the final part of the track. There is a vast sparseness to the sound as the song reaches its conclusion. It gave me a feel of wide open wilderness. Is that the influence of being recorded at Ocean Sound Studios in Giske, Norway? The band made the most of their time there by taking a plunge into the icy Norwegian Sea each morning before starting to record.

The band’s drummer Rob Smith said, “As with much of Diviner, “Born All Wrong” is a continuation of all the things that interested us on our first record, just taken further.” he added “The song dives into some of the expanded sonic palette that sets this record apart from ‘Horizon’. The big riff that anchors the first half of the song was written several years ago when we were between bassists. So, we were leaning more on huge, monolithic ideas that sounded good with the guitar running through both guitar and bass amps at the same time. As one of the older songs on the album, we weren’t sure if if was going to make the cut, but as soon as we heard playbacks in the studio, we all had the same thought: ‘well, that’s definitely making the record.” This is a great song and makes me feel rather excited to hear the album!

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“It’s Over Now” (The 7 Inch Release) – Oli Barton October 15, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:34 pm
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When Oli Barton released his debut single “It’s Over Now” earlier this year I described it as “a raucous, rockin’ romper stomper of a tune” and went on to say “This will be the song to take the Indie Disco night to another level. Everything is absolutely bang on; music, Oli’s vocals, the song, the overall performance. It is an earworm that is more addictive than hard drugs. It is everything a great pop single should be, 3 minutes of absolute music heaven“! I stand by everything I said back then. Now it is available in 7-inch vinyl format and I am lucky enough to own a copy! What this means is that I also get to play a rather wonderful B-side track.

The B Side, “You Just Played My Mind,” is a frantic 21st-century electric blues workout. Its dark lyrics relate to what appears to be a toxic relationship, but one that is impossible to let go of. The funky guitar licks on the bridge are sublime. Actually, this is such a great song, and I reckon it could stand as a double A-side. I hear that Oli is a stunning live performer and I am looking forward to seeing him sometime soon. Click here to bag yourself a copy of this excellent slab of vinyl!

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“UNDER” – Ghost Arcadia June 13, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 3:16 pm
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London-based four-piece rock band Ghost Arcadia is back in the classy rock groove with their first single in 14 months, “UNDER” which hit the streets last month. It is an emotional-sounding, anthemic song with a huge sound to match the clearly massive ambition it carries. There are titanic guitar riffs, harmonic and guttural vocals from Reuben Beau Davies, and some cinematic synth patterns. This might seem a bit pop driven at times, but underneath it all it is as heavy as fuck! The band spoke about the inspiration for the track “It’s an exploration of the everyday battles we face within ourselves. From addiction to self-doubt, we all face battles at some point in our lives. The song conveys the message that even when you are at your lowest, there is still a way out; there is still a light left to guide you from the “Under”. Sometimes, we must dive into our darkest depths before we can finally find a way out.” The song is a great taster for their new EP ‘What We Become’ which will arrive later this year!

Click here to listen to “UNDER” on Spotify!

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‘Hot Singles In Your Area’ – SCENE QUEEN June 4, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:41 pm
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Hannah Collins a.k.a. SCENE QUEEN takes Bimbocore to a whole new level on her debut album, ‘Hot Singles In Your Area’, which hits the pink streets on 28th June via Hopeless Records. It is stacked full of good stuff including some collaborations with WARGASM, The Ready Set, and 6arelyhuman. Whatever excites you, whatever your kink is there is something on this record for you. SCENE QUEEN says this about the album “I wrote an album about growing up in the early 2000s but not exploring my sexuality until my 20s with all the messy and chaotic situations you find yourself in when you’re trying to find yourself and your own power.” She is at the vanguard of feminism and could probably bring down the patriarchy on her own given the power in her metal/ emo/ punk/ pop anthems. To look at her you might think Barbie, and yes the look is there, but the strength is so much more like G.I. Jane.

The album kicks off with “BDSM” (I told you there was something for every kink, right?) This is a full-on metal assault with nasty, dark pop vibes. This could be the Bimbocore national anthem. Her voice is so strong on this, what a way to open. The 2023 single “18+” tackles head-on the prevalence of so many bands being misogynistic and apparently happy to use underage girls. The chorus is like Gwen Stefani on steroids with a hook that Babymetal would kill for. Misogynists and predators are going to be scared shitless when they hear “Whips & Chains”, especially when they hear the lyric “gonna nail his dick to the wall of shame” It is a glorious metal pop song, which sadly won’t be heard on mainstream radio. Another totally anthemic single from last year plays next on this record, “Pink Push-Up Bra” This tune takes metal to a mountainous new level that many of SCENE QUEEN’s male peers are probably afraid to go to. These riffs are as hard as fucking hell! She showcases her signature style when she lays into circle jerkers everywhere with “Mutual Masturbation”. This chorus was hanging around in my head for days after I listened to it. WARGASM adds something to “Girls Gone Wild” but it is still full-on energetic femme fatale fury from the high priestess of Bimbocore. The guitar solo screams hard and slaps you in the face.

“POV” is another collaboration, this time with the Ready Set. It is first-class rap metal with riffs ripped straight from the early 70s glam rock peak. The title track “Hot Singles In Your Area” starts out like a cutesy country ballad, and then it rips out the beating heart of Nashville’s finest as its sonic attack throws you from one side of your padded cell to the other. Speaking of country, SCENE QUEEN goes metallic dosey doe on “MILF”. Maybe there will be a Bimbocore country album in the future, I reckon it would outclass Beyonce’s leisurely stroll in Ole Opry territory. I would love to hear Madonna tackle a SCENE QUEEN song, perhaps “Amateur” would be a good place to start. “Stuck” featuring 6arelyhuman was a single earlier this year and it encompasses everything that a song needs to top every chart in the world. Sadly this world is full of shit so that ain’t gonna happen. But an electro-dance remix of this track would be awesome. SCENE QUEEN is an ambassador for sexual freedom and that is perhaps never more clear than on “Finger” a song that extols the virtues of self-pleasure. If you like dark, dirty, sex-fuelled, dance vibes you will fucking love “PEG”. The guitar shredding on “Oral Fixation” is a DEFCON 1 event. This has the influence of PEACHES all over it. Appropriately the album closes with a song called “Climax” it is a Bimbocore power ballad that gives you just enough time to recover from the aural blitzkrieg of the album, before spinning it again! SCENE QUEEN has metaphorical balls of steel and is not afraid to question and challenge, misogynists, haters, and genre purists. She stands up and fights angrily and passionately for LGBTQ+ people and anyone unfortunate enough to have fallen through the cracks in this often vile world. Even if you don’t know it yet, you need SCENE QUEEN in your life and you need her NOW!

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