Month: September 2019

Hollywood Brats + The Vultz – Nell’s (London) 31st August 2019

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We’re in London, West Kensington, Nell’s ready to witness a once in a life time event. Hollywood Brats are about to get back together on stage for the first time since 1974. People from all over the world are in the house tonight: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Italy, Germany, France it’s unbelievable! Nell’s packed, totally sold out, there’s not a single spot left on te floor.

The night is opened by The Vultz, awesome ’77 act reminiscent of Buzzcocks, Heartbreakers, Vibrators totally willed to give us a good time. Their set puts a smile on everybody’s face instantly, they connect with the whole audience immediately and we all end up cheering with the band and having a great time.

After The Vultz get back to the dressing rooms the momentum starts to build up and finally here they are, the last of the rock and roll dandies, The Hollywood Brats. Matheson is dressed to kill, flamboyant and sassy as he’s about to show us how a great frontman takes care of business, Casino Steel is giving us his rock and roll royalty realness behind shades, Brady is unpredictable and ready to attack like the devilish slinger he is. Side to side with the original lineup we find Peter Baarli (Backstreet Girls) all wrapped up in a polka dot extravaganza in charge of guitar duties, Martin Hansson (Backstreet Girl, The Boys) on drums wearing his trademark skull chest t-shirt and last but not least Kent Norberg (Sator) ready to provide all the outstanding bass an occasion like this requires.

The band jumps immediately on Tumble With Me, Chez Maxime and Zurich 17, these gentlemen are not kidding, they’re taking no prisoners. They sound dangerous, sleazy remembering us this is no revival we’re witnessing, this is history in the making. Band’s classics like Nightmare, Another School Day, Courtesan fit perfectly with the brand new single Vampire Nazi as well with amphetaminic versions of Chuck Berry’s Sweet Little Sixteen, Dean Martin’s Little Ole Wine Drinker Me and The Kinks I Need You for which the band invites to join them Sir Bob Geldof (Boomtown Rats).

The audience is ecstatic, for most of the people here tonight Hollywood Brats is not only a great band but is also a statement of identity, a brick of rock’n’roll history too long neglected and ignored. A way of living music and life that’s never been fully understood. This is not punk, not metal, not blues, not glam rock, this is the way rock and roll could and should have been. This is Jagger in a pink satin suit on Top Of The Pops dancing to Brown Sugar, this is Johansen’s clumpsy pliés at Midnight Special, this is Bowie biting Ronno’s guitar, this is the cheetah sawn on the back of Iggy’s jacket, this is an invitation to the biggest party ever that the world 45 years ago dismissed. Hollywood Brats were fundamental in shaping a way of being, in shaping our tastes, our personalities and everybody here tonight is so thankful and happy to embrace the ones that opened the gates showing us there was a place we can always go back to and feel home.

Baarli, Hansson and Norbert does a wonderful job underlining and enhancing every song in the set, never trying to put their egos in front of the vibe of the compositions. The night could not finish before the band plays their anthem Sick O You on which drive Nell’s totally mental. What a night!!! A 100% once in a lifetime experience… Or maybe the first of more gigs to come? Cross your fingers mates, cheerio!

Lester Greenowski

ACTORS – They Will Come To You!

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We thought it would be interesting to send a few questions to Canadian 80s post-punk/dark rock influenced band ACTORS after seeing them at Berlin’s Lido. Bass player Jahmeel Russell tells us more…

How was your European summer tour?

It’s been fantastic. As of this writing we have three more shows to go in Spain before we finish. This tour’s been six weeks all together so we’ve had the chance to play more cities and country’s than the first time we came over.

When I saw you in Berlin, you said that it was your first time there. How many times have you toured in Europe before?

This is ACTORS second time over here. I’ve been over here previously with some other bands.

There was an encore on that night and you weren’t expected it, so you had to play songs that you have already played in the set. Did this happen anywhere else on this tour?

Berlin was the only city we played a song again in for an encore and that’s because we were physically forced back on stage by members of the crowd (Ha Ha). We’ve had encores at pretty much every show on this tour, we just haven’t played them because we play all of our songs in the set. The audiences excitement and energy at all the shows has been killer.

80s influences can be heard in your music, I’m thinking of KILLING JOKE , The CULT, The MISSION, The SISTERS OF MERCY, among others. Some would call it goth rock or dark rock. While dark genres are still quite popular nowadays, full drum/bass/guitar bands are getting rare. Did you have the idea of a dark rock band from the start?

Jason started this by himself but I don’t think there was ever a moment where he thought about doing it live without a band. For me there’s a certain power in live drums and bass that cannot be matched.

Considering the name of the band and the number of videos you have on YouTube, is cinema somthing you’re particularly interested in?

Yes. Cinema’s really important. It’s a source of inspiration and creativity.

Jahmeel, you often wear metal/black metal shirts on stage. For some reason it made me think about when bands I liked as a teenager were wearing band shirts that were different from their own music. For instance, I remember I got into SKINNY PUPPY because Slash was wearing their shirts. Do you get a lot of metal people at ACTORS shows, or people who come to you and talk about it?

We actually do. Speaking from my own experience with music growing up I was always drawn to dark music. I could jump between a Darkthrone and Depeche Mode record quite easily. The genre of music I listen to the most is black metal and I’ve found at most shows I meet fans of the band who are into what we do but are also into black/death metal. I love to talk about this music so it’s always a pleasure to meet fans who are into it.

Did you see Lords of Chaos? What did you think about it?

I did. It was ok but just entertainment, nothing more. For anyone really interested in what happened back then this is not the place to look.

5 of your favourite albums and a few words about them:

GODFLESH – Streetcleaner. 

I got this on tape in the early 90’s. At that point I had heard a lot of the other Earache bands from that time, most of which I am still a fan of but this record really spoke to me the most. That bass tone and Justin Broadrick’s guitar playing were very influential to me. Still one of the heaviest albums ever. 

Depeche Mode – Songs of Faith and Devotion. 

While I would probably say Violator is my favourite album this is the one I find myself listening to the most these days. Condemnation has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever and my favourite vocal performance from Dave Gahan. 

Bathory – Under the Sign of the Black Mark

This was the first Bathory album I heard when I was a kid and it has stuck with me ever since. The main riff in Call From the Grave still gives me chills. It’s hard to pick just one as the first four albums are all mandatory.

Katharsis -VVorldVVithoutEnd

One of my favourite black metal bands for me this is their peak. I remember buying this CD without hearing a note just because it was on the NOEVDIA label. I was not disappointed. It’s like Under a Funeral Moon x 1000. An utterly chaotic masterpiece. 

Black Cilice – Banished From Time 

Probably my current favourite black metal band. I enjoy all of their releases. The first time I heard them it had the same impact as when I first heard Xasthur in the mid-2000’s. Very raw and produced in such a way that makes it very unique. It’s haunting, aggressive, yet I also find myself falling into a trance listening to it. I have the new album “Transfixion of Spirits” on CD and LP waiting for me when I get home from this tour and I can’t wait to dive in. My most anticipated album of the year along with the new Teitanblood.

You’re a hard working band, so I guess you already have a lot of things planned after the European tour?

We have 10 days off after this tour then we head down to the USA for another run of dates that will take us to the end of October. In November we have two more shows in Vancouver and Seattle respectively and at that point we will have done about 150 dates in support of this record. More tour dates and a new album are already in the works for 2020. 

https://www.actorstheband.com
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Paradise Alley/Plastic Tears “Class of ’92” Single

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This song celebrates the friendship between these two bands. PARADISE ALLEY (England)’s frontman Steve Vincent met PLASTIC TEARS (Finland)’ frontman Miqu December in 1992 at the Hellfire club in London. These weren’t the best times for rock’n’roll, but there was still a scene and both vocalists were about to start their own bands. PARADISE ALLEY and PLASTIC TEARS have been through various up and downs and line-up changes, but the two rock’n’rollers remained friends and now share vocals on this song. We don’t often review singles on Veglam, but there are some special occasions/exceptions: The song is a mix of their HANOI ROCKS and LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH influences with an anthemic chorus and sleaze rock guitars, the kind of music we all need in 2019. Cheers to the Class of ’92! /Laurent C.

http://www.paradisealley.co.uk
https://theplastictears.wixsite.com/official