Podstock the fantasty festival is up for DL - and worra line-up. Piley, Mondo and Lord Hastings choosing from Chuck Berry, Bowie, Elvis Presley, Iggy Pop and The Ramones all live, live, live!
Keep 'em peeled for our gig quiz, an audience that refuse to leave - and who was Bowie's forgotten guitar star?
There's a world exclusive spin of Howling Black Soul - The Memory of You, and new music from Cosmetique - on Blow Up Records DL and dig in here
As we're unable to get to gigs, live nights or festivals in these strange days -
let Podrophenia bring the the music to you - with a festival celebrating the
best live albums, rare sessions and possibly concert recordings of indeterminate
orgin ..
Tomorrow we celebrate five years of Podro live nights here
Our first being a team-up with Retro Man - featured Bif Bam Pow and the Len Price Three
Our last was Thee Cee Cees featuring Joe Strummer's drummer, Paul Weller's bass player and Billy Brentford of Thee Faction
Between both we've been visited by travelers to Southend from Yorkshire and Holland.
Had sleb punters, Mike Herbage, Paul Slattery, Wilko Johnson and Gaye Advert
And Stage invasions, three single releases and me depping on bass for one gig
If you've ever done anything Podrophonical: downloaded, appeared in, played on, contributed to, bought a single on our label, been to a live night We'd love to see you there - if you're a long time listener/first time caller - we'd love to see you there.
If you can make it come on down and dig in for a twin-fisted evening of post-punk and power-pop from Invaders and Treatment - at Peggy Sue's Leigh on Sea
If you can't - spread the word and whispers with this link
Salut...
If you grabbed, downloaded or listened live to our recent U edition of Podrophenia, with Martin McNeill and West Weston - you may recall some talk about the sweaty, stomping performance by Leo Bud Welch at The Railway
You can browse my review of this gig in the new Blues Magazine, as well as spotting my fuzzy-mug peeping out of page 7 (part of the Blues Crew). And by coincidence, there's a live write-up on the same page as LBW, of West Weston at Ronnie Scott's with Mud Morganfield...
Although 220 words I didn't quite squeeze in the nugget about: Leo making his way stage-wards, and stopping for a nifty-footed shuffle and dance to a tune I'd just spun in - the Stones version of I'm a King Bee...
It's that time of year when Southend's answer to St Ives - Leigh on Sea, puts on a parade of the finest artistic talent from in and outside of the area with its Art Trail. Taking a polite ramble around the upper regions of SS9, The Broadway, Leigh Road, or down to to the Old Town, you can tick off a list of thirty six artists displaying at twenty three venues - shops, cafes and bars. From dynamic ceramics to local musician themed coasters on sale at Micky Denny's improv Record Shop.. which, will be host to a few in-store performances on Saturday 14th June...
For earthier entertainment of a Saturday night, at Southend's most musical boozer - The Railway, there's a double fisted ding-dong of Thames Delta dynamite and London garage a go-go..
In the Essex corner:Bif Bam Pow return the The Railway for their first gig since, booming the roof off in their pre-season friendly with the Len Price 3 (match report here at The Retroman Blog).
In the Capital Corner: Londiniums Sonic Jewels head the up the bill. Described as 'Hendrix, MC5 and The Stooges whilst giving a nod of approval to 70's Glam Rock'
In between and after these two sets of tear-aways -I'll be pitching simpatico sounds into a strictly non playlisted run of whatever-fits-the-mood-tunes....
A couple roaring hits of late have included..
It all starts 8:30pm Southend Central Time. Come on down and shake whatever wobbles....
Double-decking in all senses is the menu tonight at Southend's most musical boozer - The Railway Hotel
Downstairs: the rip-roaring rootsy rocking of Barrance whitfield and The Savages, with support from the hammond-heavy Mo' Fingers. Between the two yours truly is spinning some sassy sounds.
Upstairs: in the crows nest, and SFOB HQ - Piley and Dan the Bacon Man, bring you the merry May edition of Podrophenia - themed around the Letter T, with music from Thee Faction, a world exclusive from The Mutants and - a live session from Darren Jones.
But will we able to mind-meld these two time-zones together and nip-in a Barrance/Jones team-up. Who knows?
Find out live tonight from 8 right via SFOB.
And should you fancy grabbing the April edition of Podrophenia. Dig in here avids....or via iTunes
Your recommended reading for the month of May: two issues from both the blue and dayglo ends of the musical spectrum…
Vive Le Rock: fizzing and frothing with the best in punk, new wave and ska – has a spectacular multi-pager on 1979 and the development of power-pop, post punk, two tone and new wave. Dig about the back pages and you’ll find me reviewing two Nine Below Zero albums, two from Mickey Jupp - and scoring the Dr Who/Roger-Wilko album with a perfect ten…
The Blues Magazine: spotlights the 1964 American Folk, Blues And Gospel Caravan tour of the UK, catches up with Jack Bruce, Sharon Jones, Henry Gray, introduces Bob Log III - and has some Southend based ‘erbet reviewing the Dave Higgs Memorial gig at Canvey’s legendary Oysterfleet venue..
A second (and different) review had been filed with VLR - but didn't seem to make the final edit - but nothing goes to waste round these parts - so relive the night, above and below
Dave Higgs Memorial Show: The 45s/Eddie and The Hot Rods – the Oysterfleet, Canvey February 27th
Across the tracks and Benfleet Creek to the sub-sea level flatland of Canvey Island with its
skyline of industrial angles and refinery flames to celebrate and remember Eddie and the Hot
Rods guitar whizz-kid Dave Higgs – check out the Rod’s romper-stomper ‘Ignore Them’ to hear
Dave’s full throttle fretting. It’s an all-star evening at the legendary Oysterfleet with attendees
flying in from New York and Newcastle to pay tribute. First up and firing like a snipers rifle
– Canvey’s adopted sons The 45s in an explosion of vintage riffs and sulphate tempo R ‘n’ B
with the amp-battering clang and dynamics of the Small Faces or John’s Children, and endorsed
with the Feelgoods seal of approval, when bassist Sparko joins the band for Roxette and She
Does it Right.
The Hot Rods set is double A side affair. The current line-up thundering through
heads-down Bam-a-Lama, with an unrelentingly energetic Barrie Masters coming across like a
denim-clad David Johansen, But the second set is where the action goes postal –with most of the
original Hot Rodders joined by special guests Tony Cranney, Russ Strutter, Lew Lewis, Steve Weston and Paul
Gray, gathering together for crowd-rousing encores of Woolly Bully and Get Out of Denver
Both mags are available from all in the know newsagents
Buckle up and behold seasiders and out-of-towners as the Retro Man Blog and Podrophenia have gathered together to bring you a three course menu of Thames-bred treats for your consumption this Saturday at Southend's most musical boozer - The Railway Hotel....
Starters: all the way from Memphis Canvey - Oil City rockers Bif Bam Pow, bring you the best in R 'n' B, boogaloo and estuary fed belters
Mains: imported from the Kent-side of the Thames Delta, Medway mods and power-poppers the Len Price 3, will be booming around the room with tunes from their minty new compendium Nobody Knows..
Desert(or cheese board): An aftershow in the bar with Podrophenia pals Piley and the other one, pinging in shakers and stompers until Chucking out-O-Clock...
It all starts at 8:30 Southend Central Time. But, best arrive early though - as we've got gig-goers (Miss Liz) coming all the way from Memphis Holland for this one...
TV times, Smith and Johnson - photo by Paul Hughes
We really do get the best guests, bands, boozers, dancers, photographers and audiences at our Podrophenia bashes.
Saturday the 7th, was another hat-popper of an evening with assorted Southenders coming together and mixing with London callers all collecting together for the Retroman, Southend Punk, Podrophenia team up of ...
Eight Rounds Rapid - photo by Simon Siggs
Eight Rounds Rapid: whopowered through an atom-splitting set of fan faves and new tunes (Bully Boy, I Want a Drink) like an Estuary-fed rhythm 'n' new wave groove machine.
After run of dates playing to 3000 gig-goers at Koko and similar size venues around the UK, 8RR's presence and power has bulked up Bruce Banner/Hulk style to the point where there's almost not enough stage for the band's skittering, riffs and rapid fire attack. And what a way to encore - with limited edition single (Podrophenia Records) Writeabout...
It's also the first time we've seen a press pit of photographers at any Railway gig
Punk'd TV - photo by Paul Hughes
TV Smith's: third innings at The Railway was a crowd rousing reunion at one of his favourite UK venues. A pure and practised pro, TV kept the crowd onside while working through a string break, managed to wing in a Christmas song, finished his set backed by a Southenders stage invasion and pulled in soundman Duncan Leslie for a duet on his One Chord Wonders encore.
Downstairs, post TV, Piley and self span in a selection of Podophenic mixtures. disco, funk, garage, mash ups, covers and ska eventually wrapping up at 1am with an improve sing-along to Prince Buster's Enjoy Yourself by the Rail(way)-voice choir...
Song of a preacher man - Podro a go-go
A huge thank you is due to anyone who raised a glass, shook a leg, took a pic, played a note and generally joined in with the most spectacular of Saturday Night shakedowns....
What a team-up, what a tear-up, what a two way split of Saturday night flavours are due at Southend's Railway Hotel tomorrow night. Why?
Put together and promoted by Retro Man, Southend Punk and Podrophenia - the evening's bill of events opens with Eight Rounds Rapid's returning to Southend after a snatch of London gigs and a slot supporting Wilko Johnson at Koko..
8RR have had a glowing year, gathering nods and noises from reviewers, record shops, radio presenters, and - have been voted as one of the best bands of 2013 by David Quantick.
Any remaining copies of limited seven inch Writeabout/Steve (Podrophenia Records) will be baggable on the night
Returning for a third visit to one of his favourite UK venues - TV Smith. If you’ve ever seen TV at one of his solo shows you’ll know you’re never left feeling short-changed by his performance. Every syllable is deployed at full trajectory, as is each wrenched sweat-bead and shred-throated vocal.
Confessions, observations, opinions and solutions are are delivered with sharp eyed acoustic analysis. As TV said in an interview this week with our local paper The Echo 'The industry rejected me, now I'm rejecting it, and I can tell a better story at the age of 57, than I could at 17'
Post bands Piley and I will be slinging in a mix of Podrophenia favourites and floor-fillers until 1. Come on down, it will be a belter... If your winging your way down sign up here
Steve West Weston, recently voted one of the UK's top harmonic players by Bluesmatter mag, and the handpicked harpist of Muddy Waters son (see below on Jools) brings his Bluesonics to Southend for rare hometown gig this Sunday. It will be a red-ringed wing-ding of a Sunday with a whole lotta shaking going on at The Railway Hotel. I'll be taking care of DJ duties, spinning in swingers and stompers from before the first note (about 4:30) - to the last bell...
The spiritual home of punk'... they chorused. How so?
Ian Dury: Essex boy and day tripper to Sunny Sarfend, where, he caught his polio dose, giving him a buckled bearing later aped on stage by Johnny Rotten. Following the High Roads era, Dury and The Blockheads signed to Stiff Records - see below.
Dr Feelgood: described by Joe Strummer as 'a machine' - The Feelgoods parenting of punk can't be over-estimated: snatching pub rock back from an infestation of denim-clad, pseudo Americana musos, then charging it with an amphetamine, booze fuelled, grubby-suited aggression, Anglicised angle and confrontational face-front stare... With a run of ram raiding residencies at key London venues delivering battering Estuary rhythms. Venues that would become the birthing pools of punk.
Clem Burke has gone on record saying the Feelgoods album Malpractice was a perma-play and source of sonic inspiration at New York loft parties among the gathering gutterati of the NY scene - Blondie, Talking Heads, Television.
Then there's the matter of a £400 loan from Lee Brilleaux used to setup Stiff Records - who, released the first punk single New Rose, and punk album Damned, Damned, Damned from - The Damned..
Eddie and The Hot Rods: a younger snarlier Feelgoods and Stiff label-mates to The Damned. Southender Paul Gray eventually left the Hot Rods to join The Damned. And has just recently reunited with Captain Sensible for The Sensible Gray Cells
TV Smith a Romford boy, whose Adverts One Chord Wonders single was released on Stiff (leading back to the Brilleaux loan) ..
So where does this windy theory wind it's way to - well, TV Smith is back for his third Southend visit on the 7th December. Support comes from Eight Rounds Rapid (with a Feelgood offspring hiding in the line up).. An evening of baton-handing from first generation punk to the nu-New Wave of 8RR
And there's an aftershow shindig from Piley and myself..
It's brought you by the Retro Man Blog, Southend Punk and Podrophenia - and takes place at The Railway Hotel - Wilko Johnson's favourite local, and the venue of choice for spiky tops on tour,. John Cooper Clarke, Glen Matlock and Clem Burke,
We had stage diving at the first TV gig, a stage invasion at the second - and as TV said, how are we gonna top it next time - let's found out on the 7th....
Following on from last week's record shop round-up, behold as Eight Rounds Rapid Writeabout spends a third week on Norman Records best seller chart - and goes on to Rough Trade's recommended listening list.
But don't just take the rubber stamped Rough Trade/Podrophenia seal of approval as indicator of what a slam-handed wall of sound of the single is. The collected web whispers and reviews are glowing, and gathered together below - a recommended reading list of the Eight Rounders reviews.....
Eyeplug Magazine'Not for years has complaint rock sounded this mean, this exciting, brimming over with anger. An absolutely perfect storm' Sputnik Music 'The infectious energy is absorbing on every level'
Gigslutz - 'Fantastically unique – an exciting cacophony of sound that should not pass you by'.
Eyeplug Magazine (so good they reviewed it twice) 'venomous slice of back to basics rock n roll, coupled with socially observant lyrics'
Ralph's Life'coming at you full on with post-punk ferocity, just plain nasty!'
RW/FF review and Track of the Day: 'A tune that I genuinely can't get enough of, and a must-listen for indie and punk people' Fruitbat Walton - Top Ten Track
Should you fancy a blast of Writeabout. tune into this weeks Punky! Radio - or download here
Friday night is music night: live tonight in Londinium - Eight Rounds Rapid at the Spice of Life, Soho
Swishy, sweaty and spectacular - is the answer! And where we were joined by London based label bosses, journalists, DJs - and our surprise, special guest, watching from side-stage - Mr Wilko Johnson..
Round One... Swindle.
With fourteen songs, one set list to sequence and only two evenings for me to rehearse (at home, playing along to the records) - we set up our stall of seditious and subversive standards, opening with a triple-fisted slam of Bodies, I Fought the Law, and Neat Neat Neat - exiting stage left, one plectrum-snapping, sweat-heavy, sticky-steaming hour later. - closing with a sing-a-long final lap of Pretty Vacant, Blitzkrieg Bop and Another Girl Another Planet (for the encore)
Round Two - Eight Rounds Rapid
The last time Eight Rounds stepped onto a Southend stage, prior to Wilko's Farewell tour - was for our Podrophenia/8RR/Thee Faction team-up. During the course of a sixty minute set mixing known faves and new songs (Bully Boy) 8RR took The Railway apart track by track. Of course there are shadows of the Feelgoods in the sour expressions and ruffled 'n' dusty suits, but these boys are an all-new threat, with the heavy-level menace and cocksure manner of villains at a secret speakeasy planning an international blag.
Lee Watkins jabs and batters his kit like a boxer at a sparring session. Bass player Juju prowls, grins and winks like a card sharp, while Simon Johnson is all fidgets and tics, hoovering around the stage crackling and overcharged as if he's been wired directly into to the national grid. By contrast Dave Alexander's static, crisp 'n' dry delivery, face-front manner and unblinking stare have the command and control of Michael Caine's performance in Get Carter. A game-raising display that saw the Eight Rounders literally drawing blood, sweat and tear-ups for the assembled home crowd and visiting London callers
Round Three - Podrophenia
For the after-show in bar from 11 onwards, Piley and I tag-teamed between nineties indie-bits and obscure popsters, to soul shakers, funky covers and something that's becoming a standard - passing the disco baton from K C (me) to Donna Summer (Piley).. And behold - as Mike Herbage, he of Department S, takes a breather from shaking a Podrophonic leg to our tunes… (stage right, glasses - holding a drink)
For the full glory and gallery of the evening (and until we re-group again in December) have a thumb threw Paul Hughes Flickr sets hereabouts
Break out the hats and hooters! The night has finally arrived for the wrappers to be removed from Eight Rounds Rapids vinyl debut and Podrophenia Record's first release 'Writeabout/Steve' - where live, tonight at Southend's Railway Hotel (a venue fanfared in a recent Sunday Time supplement) - we have a three way wing-ding arranged for you….
From 9 (ish) Swindle - Southend's premier ballroom-blitzkreig-bopping punk tribute band covering the sounds of the suburbs heard during the Punk Wars. And in the tradition of Podrophenia switcheroos - I'll be joing the band on bass for tonight!
From 10 (ish)Eight Rounds Rapid - estuary bred rock 'n' rollers returning their first home-town gig since….(see reason 1)
From 11 (ish) The Podrophenia Roadshow -a muti-coloured pop-swap of double-decking from Piley and the other one
Still unsure? Have a listen to 8RR's Writeabout as featured on Steve Lamacq's show last Tuesday at 47 mins in - ' I recognise that venom' says Lammo
And Eight Reasons Rapid why you should haul your boogie Railway-wards tonight
1) It's the Eight Rounders *first* hometown show since supporting Wilko on his Farewell Tour. A homecoming gig you could say...
2) Writeabout/Steve is the band's vinyl debut.
3) This limited edition single is the only place you will be able to get Writeabout. Hand-numbered copies will be on sale tonight
4) They sounded fab on Gideon Coe last week (5 mins in). They sounded fab on Steve Lamacq (see above)
5) Eight Rounds Rapid sound even more devastating live - come and check them out
6) The glowing single review by Kelly Buckley in The Echo
7) There's a hot-rocking support band (Swindle) before. There'll be a podrophonic shindig afterwards with tunes such as....
8) It's all free
So get there early and you may grab a low number edition. We'll be seeing you from 8 tonight then....?
All the info you need to know about writeabout, tonight-about is hereabouts
Behold, boys, girls and inbetweeners: as in three week's time. Friday August the 9th. Eight Rounds Rapid release their first seven inch single. A limited edition run - and our debut recording on the Podrophenia label. So what do you need to know ahead of the ninth.....
Who are Eight Rounds Rapid
Southend's rising stars and estuary bred rock ‘n’ rollers, filtering Dr Feelgood Thames-Delta grooves through post-punk punch and new wave clout.
Where might I have seen 8RR
Supporting Wilko Johnson on his Farewell Tour,
Supporting Thee Faction.
At Podrophenia live nights
Where might I have heard 8RR Previous single (Channel Swimmer) was played by…….
Mark Radcliffe (6Music and Radio 2)
Gary Crowley (BBC Radio London)
Radio Podrophenia
What do I need to know about the single.
It's a limited edition 7" vinyl release - and the only format that Writeabout will ever be available on. The flip side Steve is long-haul live crowd pleaser and fan favourite.
When can I get hold of a copy
August the 9th. The Writeabout/Steve launch night is a free 8RR gig at Southend's most Rock 'n' roll local - The Railway Hotel. With support from The Tuppenny Bunters
What label is it on
Podrophenia Records- after five years as a radio show/podcast - with exclusive appearances from The Dandy Warols, Cornershop, Marco Pirroni - and endorsement from David Bowie - Podrophenia branches out into a new format. A record Label
You can get an advance earful of Steve in this vid. Now you know where, when and how to get yourself a copy - come on down on the Ninth of August.. IN FACT SIGN UP BELOW IF YOU'RE THINKING OF BOUNCING DOWN Eight Rounds Rapid/Tupenny Bunters/Podrophenia - at The Railway
Hurrah and hats aloft for Metal's 2013 Village Green Festival. And what a compendium of mixed-mediums and musical doings are in store for Saturday's seaside shindiggery..
From out-of-towners: The Skints, Skinny Lister, DB Cohen and the mighty Mika Bomb
To local heroes: David Woodcock, Plantman, White Devil's Cause, the Lucky Strikes.
and The Wobbly Lamps with Zoë Howe on drums
To Lieghterati style music and movement: Middle Age Spread, Sundown Arts and Old Trunk…
Concluding the day on the main stage is a mystery special guest - but who? The whispers are rattling about town like washers in a charity box with names from Wilko to Bowie being bounced abou
The full fat programme of events is viewable here , downloadable as a PDF. Or keep in touch via Twitter.
Although, this year's event is still all for free it's ticketed via wristband - which I believe are all gone, excepting a limited amount released on the day for early birds, and available on the gate...
Thumb through the the Village Green previous back issues here - or review the 2012 highlights in HD below....
So what's been bubbling up over at the House of Blow Up? Long haul PM favourites Baltic Fleet were on the bill for the opening night of Yoko Ono's Meltdown last Friday. Playing two sessions - an early ambient/downtempo drift from 6pm, with a bulkier, beatier, bruiser of a do at around 9:30
A rotation of roaring performances that pulled in a playlist from both albums and had Bloomberg describing the Baltics as 'the psychedelic mid-point between Joy Division and Daft Punk'
Personally, I can't wait to see them belting out their unique brand of electrickery to a field full of festival-heads bouncing about to those Baltic beats.
On Tuesday the 18th June - Dave Woodock a Southender you may have read about on this blog first (or perhaps heard on our Podrophenia outings) released his debut single Same Things on the Blow Up label. An absolute stomper of a song, which two years back was my intro to the Boy Wonder that is - Dave Woodcock. But don't just take my word for what a walloper of a tune it is - behold the review from swish-hipsters at Brandish who claim...
Same Things reinvents Brit Pop, but in a good way, a wonderful distillation of everything that is great about quirky English pop music.
Same Things can be downloaded for free right here (and listen out for the line where this blog heading is lifted from)
Hang on a mo' - who's this ol' schmoozer hanging off of Sean Lennon
The explosive Mikabomb hit Southend's Railway Hotel this Saturday. Are they J-pop, is it J-punk?. Either way, come on down and have a J-pogo.
Parked midway between The 5.6.7.8's and The Ramones, - Mikabomb's setlist is loaded with sweet-toothed treats that explode like space dust, and power along like the Tokyo bullet train.
But don't just take my word for it - Steve Lamacq calls them the best band to come from Japan.
It's all free, and I'll be DJing in the bar before and after the band from eight. Sicknotes will be exppected for non-attandence. All the info you need to know is here....
And what's this The Railway coming to Channel 4!!!
Centred in the twelfth issue of Vive Le Rock - amongst features on The Adverts, The B52s,Tom Tom Club and The Cramps you'll find ten pages of wall-to-wall Wilkoness.
Editor Eugene Butcher offers an exclusive and emotional interview with the King of Canvey Island. While I've pulled together eight pages of features and contributions from assorted pals.
Piley brings you a Dr Feelgood biography, Wilko biographer Zoë Howe hand-picks five key tracks from his back catalogue. Barry Cain pitches in with a Lord of Oil City interview from 1977. While Dave Alexander (Eight Rounds Rapid) , Steve Hooker, Dave Dulake and Roman Jugg all give unique insights into what gives Wilko his Wilkoness.
Me, I chip in telling the tale of the day we did an improv gig together, chat with Wilk's about his hero Chuck Berry, and review his final farewell show at Koko....
And worra result to be DJing last Sunday, when Wilko dropped in to catch his favourite local band Martin McNeill - where I happened to have VLR handy for him to put his squiggle on.
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