Month: June 2013

Down To Rock #9 (June 2013)

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polaroid_teddy_dtrMy name is Teddy Heavens and I’m bringing you the latest Sleaze/Glam/Punk and Trash rock and roll news from the Golden State and the streets (and gutters) of Hollywood, California! From the Valleys to the alleys, I’ll find the coolest bands to report on and let you know what’s up from the Rock and Roll capital of the world!
A lot of rock and roll has been going on in Los Angeles since last I wrote!! Live gigs galore: Prima Donna, Crash Diet, Tsar, Glamour Punks, Iggy and the Stooges, The Damned, Flag/Black Flag, the International Swingers (Punk Rock Super group www.internationalswingers.com), Michael Des Bares, The Horrors, Kyle Vincent (house concert-ex Candy Singer playing solo material), Johnny Thunders tribute show with Walter Lure, Rebel Rebel, L.A. Death Dolls, Punk Rock Museum party, Alice Cooper and M. Manson, Etc.
Check out my new Glam Punk website at www.ftwrecords.com and check out the band Wyldlife, good garage glam punk in the vein of Iggy, Sweet, Slade and Prima Donna!!!! http://wyldlife.bandcamp.com/ Also check out Rocky Shades from Wrathchild new band, Wildside Riot at http://www.wildsideriot.com/
TSAR Live- The Bootleg Theater Downtown Los Angeles
This show was the first by Tsar in Los Angeles in a long time, and the place was jammed with people singing along. This band is polished on record but very raw and powerful live and I gotta see them when they play, which is very rare, usually every 5 years. They played all the good shit from their first 2 records: Calling All Destroyers, Silver Shifter, Kathy Fong, Band-Girls-Money, and stuff off the latest CD The Dark Stuff like the catchy Police Station. Great pop band with catchy songs, you can get all their stuff off ITunes!!!
Black Star Riders CD Review-All Hell Breaks Loose
This is the new release from the band that was playing out as Thin Lizzy and have now released some original songs. This is some good 70’s style hard rock, with catchy vocals, harmony guitar lines and a surprisingly good singer in Ricky Warwick. The vocals are very Phil L., thick and full, and the production is great. This band is made up of hard rock legends and their experience shows. Fans of Lizzy will love this as well as all other hard rock fans.
War & Peace CD Review- Flesh & Blood Sessions
Blast from the past, this was a hard rock super group from back in the late 80’s featuring Jeff Pilson, Vinnie Appice, Randy Hansen and Michael Diamond. I’ve always loved Hansen’s guitar playing from back in the day with Champagne & Cocaine/Take You Higher, and Appice’s drumming is always great. Another calling card for this release is Michael Diamond from Legs Diamond, seeing he did not really do anything after this project. This material was recorded at the famous Sound City Recording Studio in the late 80’s and Thanks to Deadline Records and Tim Yasui for putting out Gems like this from hard rock and punk legends. The CD has some good hard rock songs and playing, check out “Kill for the Love of God” and “I Don’t Want To Be Lonely”, worth checking out.
Michael Des Barres CD Review- Carnaby St.
Michael self released this new batch of songs and the production is clean, clear and smooth, and the playing is great. The drums/guitar/bass and singing is spot on and this band is a must see if in Los Angeles or Austin, where they usually play. A play by play of each song goes like this:
You’re my Pain Killer-bluesy and laid back
Carnaby St.-cool glam trash track reliving the wild ass days in late 60’s London. Killer bass playing and singing/screaming, Michael going off at the end like a punky Rod Stewart.
Forgive Me– 70’s hard pop rock
Sugar-mellow Bo Diddly “I want Candy” riff with A+ bass playing and cool wah wah guitar.
Route 69– another bluesy/boozy number (70’s movie reference from Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry).
Please Stay-Michael brings us back to church! Minimal instruments, flawless performance on vocals.
Little Latin Lover– hard rocking song advocating for immigrant rights.
Hot and Sticky– The best song the Stones haven’t written in 30 years.
From Cloud 9 to Heartache-another cool pop song with a Culture Club vibe.
My Baby Saved My Ass– “from my wicked past” Michael is the rock and roll man!!! I once saw him at the Melrose swap meet in full face makeup and nail polish.
The Key of Love– cool ballad
Overall Michael has provided us with some good trashy rock and roll over the years and he still rocks better than most who are in their 20’s. I loved the Chequered Past record, and still think an artist or band could have a hit with “NO KNIFE” from that record (along with Frankie’s THE POWER OF LOVE), so support the man and get his music and go see the shows!!!!
If you want me to review your music or write about your event, send it all to:
Teddy Heavens
27750 Firebrand Dr.
Castaic, Ca. 91384
ftwrecords@aol.com

Suburbia Blends “Queens & Vagabonds” (EP)

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SuburbiaBlendsSUBURBIA BLENDS are from Sao Paulo, Brazil, but they seem to be very influenced by the 00s Scandinavian rock’n’roll scene. Opening song “Morphine & Wine” sounds as a punker BACKYARD BABIES while “Right To Know” is closer to early TURBONEGRO. Their high-energy rock’n’roll also leads us to think that SUBURBIA BLENDS are into ’77 punk and the DEAD BOYS as well.
These 4 songs sound more like a demo than a record, but SUBURBIA BLENDS manage to introduce themselves quite well in less than 10 minutes./Laurent C.

www.facebook.com/suburbiablendsoficial

Dancing Crap “Commercial Crap” (EP)

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CommercialCrap

This Italian band has chosen quite a weird name and is not afraid of flashy colours and cheap cover art, maybe not too inviting at first, but these 5 songs are worth checking. The two first songs off us some pretty rockin’ glam pop punk with a good dose of humour (“Ronnie”) and punk rock’n’roll craziness (“Broken Record Player”) that isn’t too far from what the PEPPERMINT CREEPS used to do
DANCING CRAP doesn’t seem to care much about limits, sometimes getting close to 90s fusion/crossover (“Another Crazy In The World”, “Chandra”) and bands like MORDRED (without the thrash metal parts.) This might sound like a messy description, but have a listen and you’ll see it works quite well in the end, Italian style!/Laurent C.

DANCING CRAP on Facebook

James Stevenson “The Shape Of Things To Come”

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.theshapeofthings…Whatever you may think of James Stevenson’s gorgeous wife, you have to admit he is one of the coolest guitar players in the world and plays in almost everyone of the best enduring bands. You know how drummer Danny Fury played in Lords Of The New Church, Rogue Male, Anita Chellemah, Dogs D’Amour, Sham 69, Vain, and TANGO PIRATES??? Similarly, James Stevenson’s played in Chelsea, Generation X, Gene Loves Jezebel, The Alarm, Glen Matlock & The Philistines, and the International Swingers.
He’s made a name for himself as a writer with a book and many contributions to professional guitar magazines under his belt. This E.P. is a promotional teaser designed to energize the worldwide fanbase already eagerly anticipating his forthcoming full-length, entitled, “EVERYTHING’S GETTING CLOSER TO BEING OVER”. It’s slick, world-class rocknroll reminiscent of Duran Duran, Power Station, Psychedelic Furs, or even Mick Jagger’s better solo albums.
I wish I knew someone in my hometown who still played guitar like this, I’d start a band of my own with them. It’s dark, swanky, and ripples with the esteemed talents of Stevenson and friends, an all star cast of pros including various former members of Spandau Ballet and the Sex Pistols. The guitars are awesome, in league with Mick Ronson, Billy Duffy, K Bombay, Derwood Andrews. Reminds me of living in NYC in the big 80’s, walking down 8th Street in the dawn’s early light. Beautiful vocals, he’s backed by the Sex Pistellettes-Maggi Ronson, Elizabeth Westwood, and Tracie Hunter. He’s effin great at what he does, if you like flawless, epic glam rock ala Generation X and Mott The Hoople, you’re sure to love “Suzi’s Problem” with it’s hypnotic and decadent guitar playing reminiscent of all your faves from the Cult to Billy Idol. This lot are members of the last class of real rocknroll dynamos who are still able to make a living performing and generating beautiful music for the masses. I duff my hat to all of ’em. Fantastic. I think he’s currently on tour with International Swingers. Catch ’em live when they play your town!/Anguish Young.
http://www.jamesstevenson.info/news.htm

Addiction For Destruction “Neon Light Resurrection”

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AddForDestructionWearing FASTER PUSSYCAT, and BACKYARD BABIES shirt on the cover photo, Russian sleaze rockers ADDICTION FOR DESTRUCTION have been around since 2010 and their choice of shirts isn’t random at all as the band’s music is strongly influenced by the 80s  L.A. scene and the 00s Scandinavian one. They are also fond of big female backing vocals (“On My Needle”, “Rock’n’Roll To You”) , sometimes not too far from POISON (“Native Tongue” era) or FASTER PUSSYCAT (“Whpped” era), GUNS N’ ROSES kind of solos (“Nervous Breakdown”) and sleazy guitar riffs (“Feelin’ Fine”, “My Resistance”). “Jane Is Insane” is one of the catchiest tunes on here, it even has a cool harmonica intro that adds a nice bluesy feel to the band’s music.
Maybe not the most original and personal album in the world, but if you like The PROPHETS OF ADDICTION and HARDCORE SUPERSTAR before they went too metal, then you’ll probably love “Neon Light Resurrection”./Laurent C.

Addiction For Destruction on Facebook

Vietcong Pornsürfers “We Spread Diseases”

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VpSWSDSwedish punk rock’n’rollers VIETCONG PORNSURFERS have been around since 2007. After several line-up changes, here they are back with a new high power release. As years went by, the band’s music evolved towards an early TURBONEGRO kind of rock’n’roll mixed to some MISFITS influences that can be heard mostly in Tom K’s vocals.
While The SURFERS like have a thing for speed-up punk’n’roll (“Make You Hate”, “Just Another Crime”), they also know how to add a very welcome glam rock touch in songs like “First High” or “Don’t Look Back”, and sometimes mix both sides (“Hate Your Band”) with natural ease. The raw and live production really fits with the band’s energy and emphasizes Rackarn’s powerful drum playing.
Scandinavian rock meets American punk’n’roll works quite well on this album, and I can see it being appealing to the  German audiences especially. In one of the best songs of the album (“Dead Track”), singer Tom tells us “rock and roll was dead long before I was born.” It might be true, but in this case, “We Spread Diseases” is a good way to work at its resurrection!Laurent C.

http://www.vietcongpornsurfers.com/

Dead Sexy “Rodeo Boys”

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CoverDeadSexyFrench electro-glam-punk band DEAD SEXY are back with 12 new songs wrapped in flashy pink. Now based in Berlin, the runaway boys logically added some sound influences from the capital city of Germany in their music (“Panorama”, “Plastik Emotion”…), but they also kept their love for poppy dancey rock’n’roll alive, mixing The STOOGES and BLUR in “Anyway”,rocking to dancey boogie glitter beats in “Forever High”, occasionally flirting with punk rock (“This Is Rodeo Böys (dedicated to Rob Reiner), “Just a Dog”), and Mickey Blow (Johnny Thunders band) appears as a guest on harmonica. Founding members and vocalists Emmanuelle H and Stéphane H both use English and French, and they sure know how to make their Frenchness stand out, the best example being “Lonesome Poupée”, just imagine a place somewhere in time where the Yé-yés suddenly decided to start playing electro-clash and you’ll be getting close to the idea…
Some of these songs like “Slow Motion” and “You Can Make It” will stay stuck in your mind as soon as you listen to them, and it will be hard for you to keep your feet still while listening to “Rodeo Boys”. So, get this album without further delay, put your glitter boots on, and don’t be afraid to smear some lipstick on! This is how they rock!/Laurent C.

http://www.deadsexyinc.com
http://deadsexy.espritscene.com/