BAIL-BOND basement gig

Next weekend we are putting our new (old) UK Hardcore band into action. With various members residing at opposite ends of the country, it's both costly and difficult to get together on a regular basis...any get-together needs to be exploited to the hilt!
We organised a weekend of activity:
Saturday afternoon/evening... rehearsing and band photoshoot.
Sunday afternoon...a low-key basement gig with a small 'invite-only' crowd at a secret location.
We plan to videotape this performance and use the footage to help promote the band.
Date is Sunday 8th July from 2pm-5.30pm. ALL AGES
If  you dig Hardcore and you fancy attending, get in touch and I will forward the info you will need. Super limited capacity (30 peeps max)
Band is comprised  of former members of JAILCELL RECIPES, SLEEP, KNOW NOTHING, BURN ALL FLAGS, LIE CYCLE and MASS OF BASTARDS.

UPDATE: Just confirmed..... S.S.S. added to the bill

Viva Montesa!

Whilst trawling through old family photos at my parent's house, I found this gem.

That's my sister and me on my Dad's Montesa back in about 1973. Not a clue why we are both wearing RAF dress hats.

FRANK SIDEBOTTOM AND THE VENTURES...whats the connection?

Got a nice surprise in the mail today from my good friend Mel Bergman in California. It's a music project that himself, Deke Dickerson and friends collaborated on with Nokie Edwards.

Nokie Edwards was the lead guitarist with original instrumental surf kings THE VENTURES from 1959-1968. Tons of great tracks: 2000 lb bee, pedal pusher, swingin' creeper and their biggest hit...walk don't run.

Mel is the Guitarist in THE PHANTOM SURFERS and Deke was in THE UNTAMED YOUTH and this platter is an authentic sounding homage to the mid-60's period Ventures.

However....track Five is called DO THE FRANK SIDEBOTTOM....

How can this be? you ask.....Well, let me explain.... back in 2005, my band THE STAGS played a couple of European shows with The Phantom Surfers. One of these was at Wigan where we somehow managed to get Frank out of retirement to compere the show.....this kickstarted his career and led to me becoming Franks road manager.
Mel and the rest of the band where totally knocked out with Frank....instantly recognising the genius that it was. Frank ended up singing SHEENA IS A PUNK ROCKER with the Surfers and it brought the house down.
Frank and The Surfers stayed in touch and plans were made to record a Frank Sidebottom and the Phantom Surfers EP, for U.S. release and a west coast tour to promote it. Frank was really excited about this. Mel sent six or so instrumental tracks over but Frank being Frank....He never actually got round to finishing it. Sadly, Chris Sievey, Franks alter ego, contracted cancer and died. He did tell me he had recorded vocals on a couple of the tracks. It's possible they are tucked away somewhere on his portastudio. Problem is Chris/Frank was a disorganised, unconventional maverick. How you would even start to figure out the mystery tracks whereabouts totally beats me.

Anyways...it seems this particular song has gone full circle. Mel and the guys have paid tribute to Sidebottom by keeping its original title and having one of the all-time great surf instrumental guitarists play on it. I'm positive that Frank/Chris would be completely jazzed at this unlikely outcome....you know he would.....he really would....thankyou!

THE WIGAN INVASION

Its Soundflat Records 10th anniversary party in London very soon. Both my bands THE STAGS and THE SHOOK-UPS are on the bill.....said I'd never play in both bands on the same night.....but hey ho....hopefully it will be fun

PROJECT:ODDJOB

Whilst plebbing around on Myspace (first time in a long time) I stumbled upon this dormant page for a  band we put together for one gig only back in 2005. The recordings are intentionally crude and fizz with energy. We only recorded 4 songs: DIRTY ROBBER, I DON'T LIKE YOU, HEATSEEKER and RIP YER HEART. All covers by The Wailers, Skrewdriver and The Rip-Offs respectively.

 I don't entirely remember what we played in the set but I vividly remember a stonking version of MY BABY DOES THE HANKY PANKY with Topsy Stag on vocals.

Here is the blurb from the page:

 "FOUR TRAINED ASSASSINS....... UNDERCOVER AGENTS........... ARMED WITH GUITARS ......... PLYING THEIR DEADLY TRADE......EXECUTING CRUDE, SNARLING, UGLY GARAGE-PUNK!! "

 THIS IS PROJECT:ODDJOB ................... A SMALL BAND PUT TOGETHER FOR OUR OWN AMUSEMENT AND DISTRACTION......FEATURING EX-MEMBERS/CURRENT MEMBERS OF.........THE STAGS, DOKTOR COMBOVER, JAILCELL RECIPES, DRIVE. OUR MISSION IS TO PLAY OFF THE CUFF, THICK-NECKED, SAUSAGE-FINGERED THUG-ROCK. AMPED UP, IN THE RED, ROCK 'N' ROLL .....A TIP OF THE STEEL-BRIMMED BOWLER HAT TO THE TOUGHEST SIXTIES GARAGE BANDS AND BEST '77 ERA PUNK BANDS

Listen to the songs HERE

GOD SAVE THE KING!

Better late than never! Here's some pics from Runcorn Rich of our Royal Bash a couple of weeks back.

It was a celebration of "Britishness" with a monologue, a Crown of Trifle, Michael Fagin-the royal intruder and some British style wrestling!

RULE BRITANNIA....WITH THE STAGS

Oh Yea, Oh Yea, Oh Yea!......There's gonna be a wedding! Here's the official poster....by Royal Appointment.

RULE BRITANNIA.......with THE STAGS!

Bored rigid by the forthcoming Royal Wedding?
...Then get down to THE OCTOPUS at The British Legion for a night of over the top POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE!!!

I'm sure there are lots of things to do on this special day .....but you could do a lot worse than spend it with The Stags, celebrating WHAT MAKES BRITAIN GREAT!!
Everyone attending RULE BRITANNIA...WITH THE STAGS will receive their very own to keep, British Legion commemorative Stags ornamental plate, by Royal appointment to Dennis the Bar-Steward!
Support is from girl-fronted, power-poppers THE STACHES from Geneva, Switzerland....don't know what they will make of all the jelly eating and flag waving!

FRIDAY 29TH APRIL at The British Legion, Wigan
£3.00 ON THE DOOR (including commemorative plate)
Doors open 8.30pm

"God save the King"

Rammy the Rookie

Via the magic of Facebook, I've recently been back in touch with some old BMX buddies. I invited  Jason Ramsden and Tony Law over to the SKOOTER FARM practice track a coupla days ago.

Jason was an old ROBINSON team-mate back in 1981...and I ain't seen him since about 1982.

Both guys had a good day but Tony was struggling in pain due to 20 plus years of Freestyle MX abuse to his body.
However, Jason got into it really quickly, within minutes he was comfortably sliding the bike through the corners.
Jason was always a natural on a bike, tons of style and a total command of "Body English". He came away smiling and really stoked and can't wait to ride again next week.

 I know I said the SKOOTER FARM  team was fully subscribed but taking into account CAPTAIN HIGHSIDE is pretty much out for the season... I think there may be room for one more rookie on the team. I reckon a couple more sessions on the little track, maybe a practice session on a big track and then maybe Rammy could try a race or two......I hope so!

Long live THE SHOOK-UPS......The lentalists are dead

Just a name change.. only played 4 local shows under the old name so no harm done.
After weeks of deliberation, a list of 356 potential names and the recruitment of a new drummer....we settled on THE SHOOK-UPS!.
Now we got a name all the band members are happy with...we can now start to spread the word, book shows start to have some fun with this project.
Comprised of members from various North-West bands: MOCO, THE V.C.'S, THE STAGS, DOKTOR COMBOVER and FILTHY ROMANCE......THE SHOOK-UPS play up-beat tuff 60's Garage in the vein of BOB SEGER SYSTEM, THE SEEDS, ALARM CLOCKS
We just set up a Myspace for the new band...but there ain't a lot to look at right now, however. you can listen to a bunch of newly recorded songs like the one below.

listen to six more songs HERE

SEVENTY-SIXTIES

Had a pretty crappy day today. I came home and cheered up when I found this cool set of pics I took in 1999 when US BOMBS came to stay with us for a couple of days.I gave the prints to Duane the next time I saw him at the Blackpool punk weekender in 2000 and the shots finally see the light of day on his official website http://duanepeters.net/
There is shots of our kitchen (hasn't changed at all) my chopper, the backyard ramp, my Evel Knievel BMX and even my little Honda CM200 flat tracker being built in the workshop!!

UPDATE:
I actually did a more indepth post about the time The U.S. Bombs came to stay when I first started this blog, Almost a year to the day!
Read it HERE

MonsterChef 2010...with The Stags

 

 

Great Stags party this Halloween weekend. A cookery-themed spooky show MONSTERCHEF that was half  pantomine and half bordering on performance art!!......oh yeah, with some songs thrown in too!

Some memorable highlights were:

Satans Sausage Machine....and the two contestants Kerry and Chris.

Conways ridiculous head chefs hat.

Mobile Jones grotesque costume.

"The Replacement Hip" dance contest won by Wilky #99.

Sinderella strapped to the operating table and force fed Satans Sausage.

Mike the sax players presentation of a 5 foot tall Stags Carriage clock for services rendered.

Dennis the Barsteward stumbling off the stage and falling flat on his face, blind drunk.

Tons of friends travelled from far and wide to take part and "make the scene". and The Stags SALUTE YOU!!