This doesn’t need to be here, they didn’t need to do it, we don’t really want it. That much is given. So why then? For Reni’s benefit, to guarantee him bed, board and a meal a day up till Christmas? It’s not like the others haven’t seen themselves alright, with varying levels of artistic credibility (naturally we’re talking Squire’s downward spiral here – you expect him to get off scot free, even in this setting?). The blame is likely to Continue Reading
Already established as a major act by the end of the 1980’s, U2 had struck a nerve with music fans with their unique blend of spiritual and political aware lyrics. The band was tight with the Edge’s signature guitar work, Bono’s wide-ranging voice and a stout rhythm section in Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton. With the help from legendary producer Brian Eno, such records as The Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and Rattle & Hum had catapulted the four lads Continue Reading
After the release of their come-back album in 2002, ATTAK, industrial pioneers KMFDM set out on a highly anticipated and successful US tour. Approximately 30,000 loyal fans turned out to capacity filled venues as KMFDM invaded city after city. After 31 shows in 34 days, founding member Sascha Konietzko had enough material recorded to put together a comprehensive live record – their first non-bootleg live album ever. What makes this live record monumental for the influential and innovative group was Continue Reading
Whilst the rest of the not entirely knowledgeable world either lauds or laments this quiet Aylesbury boy’s vigorous likeness to Messrs Buckley and Yorke, Crud would ever so quietly like to point out that Martin Grech has managed to produce a debut album of such jaw dropping quality that you could drive a bus right down it without even the threat of it touching the sides and dislodging your fillings. It’s also as bravely original as perhaps any of the references it Continue Reading
Never mind the music, this album’s artwork is a joy in itself: kitsched up to the nines, as cheesy as Stilton, and a veritable dripping rainbow of space-era colours and disco font-types. It’s big; it’s pink and characteristically – it’s funkadelic. Although straight as a di’ funk been muted in recent years by the growing chart presence of urban, house and hip-hop, it may be fair to say it’s making a comeback. And whilst that doesn’t mean that happy go Continue Reading
With the near incomprehensible afterglow of the thirty-something soundtrack to an unremarkable life just about fading into the warm glow of just another comfortable evening in by the tele, Gray follows up ‘White Ladder’ with the equally meek and mellow ‘A New Day At Midnight’ – an album not to be confused with the similarly titled: ‘A New Album At Last’ by Ready By May. Lyrically and emotionally fuelled by the death of Gray’s father and the birth of his Continue Reading
While SOAD are currently in the process of working on their next album the band manage to buck the inevitable with the release of a 16-track compilation album of unreleased music called “Steal This Album”. Within the past year System of A Down have become metal superstars. Their sophomore album, “Toxicity” has now sold in excess of 4-million copies worldwide and they have inspired hundreds of bands with their original “schizophrenic” sound. The Los Angeles based rockers have gone from Continue Reading
There are alarmingly few bands that ever make records with a view. Songs that really graft on getting the setting right. Songs that don’t just rely on a script to escort the listener up to promised new heights. The last few years have admittedly seen some extravagant examples of intricate set design; the ‘Deserter’s Songs’ of this world, the Spriritualizeds, the Flaming Lips with their ‘Soft Bulletin’s (though the recent ‘Yoshimi Battles…’ does shift its attention away onto more concentrated Continue Reading
It’s easy to forget that the Campers’ first album emerged sometime between the birth of R.E.M. and the demise of traditional rock bands like Van Halen. This was a time when although there were no behavioural rules to break in rock n roll, there were still plenty of stylistic ones. And with the growing popularity in upbeat cynicism and back to basics approaches to playing (perhaps as a direct counterpart to the rise of electronica) along came bands like Camper Continue Reading
Little Axe may not be a household name, but themusician/performer/producer has been a well respected and significant artist for the past 30 years. His alias was Skip McDonald, a blues performer whose list of credits includes work on some of rap music’s most influential records. McDonald, besides being a member of the Disco inspired Wood, Brass & Steal in the 70’s and the heavy Industrial group Tackhead in the late 80’s and early 90’s, has been called upon by many Continue Reading