Menudo were the biggest boy band in Puerto Rico for a long time. They had the same scattergun membership policy as the Sugababes, although rather than internal spats, most members left when their voices broke at one point. Ricky Martin (yes, THE Ricky Martin) was a member at one point too. Like most boy bands, they were also rubbish, but on drugs they might have sounded great. Davila 666 reckon they sound like “Menudo on drugs” and they’re a gnarly garage punk band.
Watch those Sharp Ends
Calgary, Alberta is a generally pretty cold city I know little about apart from that it hosted the Winter Olympics when Jamaica entered; and I only know that because Cool Runnings was my favourite film when i was a kid (I still think it’s great. And, interestingly, pint-sized gambling football substitute Michael Owen claims it’s the only film he’s ever seen). There’s something in this cold, bleak environment that must inspire dark, post-punk bands. I guess having to wear big coats and seeing steam come out of your mouth must make everyone feel a little more like Ian Curtis. Read more »
A plug for Plug
Plug are two girls, one who plays drums and one who plays bass and keyboard. They both sing. Make sure you don’t get them confused with Plugs, the distinctly average synth band formed by one member of meathead electro bores Does it Offend You, Yeah?. (I guess he decided that singing in possibly the worst band to emerge during the recent electro revival (apart from Hadouken!) wasn’t worth the meagre wage he probably received.) Read more »
A Fist in the Face of God Meets Aura Noir/Immortal’s Apollyon
Aura Noir frontman and Immortal bassist Apollyon took time out from touring, teaching kids music, and playing in six or seven different bands (he’s lost count) to come to London and meet me for an interview. Here’s some of what we talked about over a few beers (and a lot of Pantera) in The Hobgoblin in Camden last week. By the way, did you know that he played bass for Gorgoroth at the now infamous Krakow show? Well, now you do. Read more »
We all need a Super Vacation
I’m not sure what constitutes a super vacation, but my guess is it’s vacation squared – the essence of a holiday concentrated into one week of pool parties, sandcastles, romance, donkey rides, foam parties, finally reading The Corrections, finding yourself, not drinking, drinking a lot, beach sex, boating, paella, not watching any telly, and actually feeling like you’ve had a holiday at the end. An impossible dream you might think, but maybe you haven’t heard the Super Vacations yet. Read more »
Devon-o-rama
Anyone remember Osker? When I was googling the name of Devon Williams, whose music I am thinking about today, I discovered his past. It seems he was in one of the most controversial pop-punk bands of their time, who pissed off the mohawked masses with their criticisms of punk conformity, their sincere stage presence, and by not being idiots. They were also known for once supporting NOFX and taunting the crowd by telling them the headliners hadn’t released a good album in years. Yep, they were the most ‘punk’ pop-punk band out there. Read more »
The sound of DIVORCE
Coming straight outta Glasgow’s bonnie streets we have no-wave racketeers DIVORCE. Comprising of Andy Browntown, VSO, Vickie McDonald, Hillary Van Scoy and Sinead Youth, they’ve listened to Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Sonic Youth, DNA and Big Black. A lot.
I need an Eddy Current Suppression Ring
I’m in Wales at the moment and it’s wet, so, so wet, and in an attempt to counterbalance my drizzly depression I’m listening to some sunny-sounding music. Well, a band from Australia anyway, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, and specifically their record Primary Colours, the second best record called Primary Colours of the decade. Now, a lot of you clued-up blog bastards will know these Aussie punks and their two flawless long-players, but screw you, I’m obsessed with them. Read more »
A Thank you to Thank You
I know a little about Baltimore: it’s the setting for The Wire, which is, y’know, the best thing since Shakespeare, Eminem, TV on the Radio, and whatever else the middle brow loves. It’s where the much-hyped Dan Deacon got together his faux-psychedelic Wham City collective and it’s where B-more, the chopped-up hip-hop/house hybrid, originated. In this country (well, Nottingham at least), B-more seems to be mainly popular with slightly posh students at hideous bars with horrendously cheap drinks offers, but I’m willing to believe it has a different audience over there. Read more »
Vice Singles Club, 1 September 2009
We had our bi-annual Vice Singles Club meet at the weekend. It was awesome, someone baked this cake out of seven-inches and then we did a quiz. Can you name the members of Roxy Music who aren’t called Bryan? No? Then you wouldn’t have won the quiz and it’s probably lucky you didn’t come along. Read more »
