The Fat Angel Sings

November 28th, Shame debuted tracks from their upcoming third album ‘Food For Worms’ during a raucous and sweaty gig aboard a boat on the River Thames. Aboard the Tamesis Dock in Vauxhall, the band shared previewed a number of new tracks as well as favourites from their previous two albums. They opened the set with ‘The Fall Of Paul’, a new song that packed all the trademark relentless punch of Shame but with a new, anthemic element.

This more melodic, expansive sound was also evident on recent comeback single ‘Fingers Of Steel’, as well as new cuts in the form of the slow and triumphant new ‘Adderall’ and set highlight ‘Yankees’ – which exploded into a huge chorus that swapped the band’s usual shouted vocal for melodic singing. The punk backbone of the band still shone though, most notably on new one ‘Six-Pack’, which was led by a wailing guitar riff and raucous energy.

Frontman Charlie Steen told the crowd that the band wrote ‘Food For Worms’ in a lightning fast burst at the start of this year, when their management noticed the writers’ block they had been experiencing across 2021 and set them a challenge where they would play a set of all-new music at the Brixton Windmill in a fortnight (under the pseudonym Almost Seamus). Forced to write quickly and without inhibition, the songs that make up the new album flowed easily after a while.

Back on the crammed vessel on London’s South Bank, Steen spent half the set climbing up the balcony, into the crowd, and causing all manner of chaos. While new songs from ‘Food For Worms’ formed the crux of the set, the likes of ‘Tasteless’, ‘Alphabet’ and ‘Dust On Trial’ were reminders of the band’s brilliance and perfect for this sweaty and claustrophobic environment.

“I don’t think we’ve played in London for a very long time, and it feels very nice to be back with friends and family,” Steen told the crowd before a crazed rendition of early single ‘Concrete’. By the time they closed the set with debut single ‘One Rizla’, ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ highlight ‘Snow Day’ and the seedy ‘Gold Hole’, the windows of the boat were steamed up and sweat was dripping from the ceiling. They’re due to play Brixton Academy next year, but this was Shame in their ideal setting: intimate, loud and chaotic.

The band’s new album will land on February 24th, 2023 via Dead Oceans as the follow-up to 2021’s ‘Drunk Tank Pink’. The record has been described as “a celebration of life” and “an ode to friendship”, with frontman Charlie Steen labelling it as “the Lamborghini of Shame records”.

Anna B Savage is a London singer-songwriter and musician. Her songs are stark, skeletal paintings of moods and reflection, using a palette of mainly voice and guitar. Most prominent is her voice – strong and sonorous, yet with a vulnerability that feels as if she’s in the same room as you. 

I’m ridiculously excited for you to hear it. Title track “in|FLUX” is out now for your delectation. Pre orders for the delicious vinyl and CDs are now open, a smattering of merch, and some tour dates incoming. Tickets on sale on Thursday. What immense joy.

London artist Anna B Savage will release her sophomore album, “in|FLUX”, on February 17th via City Slang. She made the album with Mike Lindsay of Tunng and Lump. who brings his expertise of mixing the organic and the electronic as you can hear on the title track.

Releases February 17th, 2023

The Christmas issue of Record Collector is in the shops this Thursday and features Pete Paphides talking to Benny from ABBA and also picking – and writing elegantly and elegiacally – about the Best 40 ABBA songs. There’s also a remarkable interview by Mike Barnes with Jeff Cotton aka Antennae Jimmy Semens of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, a Joe Strummer annotated photo gallery, we meet 60s sunshine pop family The Cowsills, New Jersey rockers Skid Row and Stax smooth operator Johnnie Taylor, Todd Rundgren talks about his new album, we showcase the wares of a fanatical Duran Duran collector, and so much more. Oh, and a 1973 / 2023 glam calendar.

Guided by the highly trusted tastemakers at Speedy Wunderground with production from the one and only Dan Carey. On “Tired Of Liberty” the Hebden Bridge risers deliver an eleven-track opus of masterful storytelling, chaotic instrumentals and addictive riffs. An energetic statement made to be played live, The Lounge Society are the new breed of post-punkers ready to rip up society with unabashed commentary and polished sonics. It’s just the beginning, yet with this debut the band cement themselves as one of the greatest emerging UK rock acts of the moment

‘Upheaval” by The Lounge Society, taken from the band’s debut album ‘Tired of Liberty’ – out 26th August 2022 on Speedy Wunderground.

Heads up y’all, this one packs a real punch. Far from the superficialities of select indie rock songs of old, ARXX‘s Hanni and Clara pen and play deeply authentic, storied songs, told through a queer lens.

In 2023, the Brighton duo arrive with a spirited debut album that boasts a killer title track, a guest appearance from excellent Irish indie rockers Pillow Queens and some seriously addictive hooks.

Produced by the band’s long-term collaborator Steve Ansell (Blood Red Shoes), and mastered by Katie Tavini  (Arlo Parks), this is an accomplished, infectious exploration of raw emotion and life experience. Released in March of next year, we could all benefit from exiting winter with a decent dollop of sonic catharsis and a kick-ass collection of songs with true heart, so look no further.

The last time the original lineup of Hanoi Rocks performed together was at the Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland on July 27th, 1982. On September. 23rd, 2022, the band got back on stage at the Helsinki Ice Hall together for a special occasion. Closing the night, celebrating singer Michael Monroe’s 60th birthday, the original five members of Hanoi Rocks—guitarists Andy McCoy and Nasty Suicide, bassist Sam Yaffa and original drummer Gyp Casino—played through a 13-song set pulled from the band’s first five albums, including “Tragedy,” “Million Miles Away,” “11th Street Kids,” “Malibu Beach Nightmare,” for the first time in more than 40 years.

Throughout the evening, Monroe played with the many pigments of his musical past, and present, from the current solo band of Yaffa, guitarists Steve Conte and Rich Jones, and drummer Karl Rosqvist and past members joining on stage for the birthday bash. Monroe also regrouped the short-lived Demolition 23, formed in 1993 with Hanoi bandmates Yaffa, Nasty, and drummer Jimmy Clark—former guitarist Jay Hening died in 1997—around the band’s recently rereleased self-titled album.

Initially recorded as a tribute to Monroe’s late friend and collaborator, Dead Boys’ and Lords of the New Church singer, Stiv Bators, Demolition 23—a name pulled from the 1973 William S. Burroughs book Exterminator—was originally recorded at the Power Station in New York City and produced by E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt.

“Demolition 23” is a collection of covers—the Dead Boys’ “Ain’t Nothing to Do,” the U.K. Subs’ “Endangered Species,” and “I Wanna Be Loved,” originally released by another one of Monroe’s late friends, Johnny Thunders (and The Heartbreakers), in 1977. Several original tracks co-written by Monroe, his late wife Jude Wilder, and Van Zandt, including “Hammersmith Palais,” “Dysfunctional” and “The Scum Lives On,” also appear in earlier demo form on the reissue, along with the Monroe- and Bators-penned “Deadtime Stories.” The reissue also features new detailed liner notes with commentary on each track.

A huge favourite of rock gods like Alice Cooper and Nikki Sixx, Crossbones Skully has a new album slated for next year. But fans can check out the music video for the album’s debut single, “Evil World Machine.” Says Cooper, “Crossbone Skully has written a galactic masterpiece about one of the most mysterious characters of the cosmos. Is he a villain or a hero? I don’t know. Maybe a little of both. All I know is don’t cross Crossbone Skully. This album rocks every galaxy out there.”

Crossbone Skully is an avenging superhero, beginning his journey to rescue humanity on “Evil World Machine.” Legendary producer Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard), emerged from retirement to serve as executive producer on the album which was written by Tommy Henriksen and Tommy Denander, the song talks about the evil currency of the world. 

Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper/Hollywood Vampires) serves as lead vocalist and bassist on the album, with additional voiceovers on “Thing #1” by Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp (The Evil Sorcerer), and an impressive list of rock royalty including Alice Cooper (The Bringer of Light), Joe Perry (The Big Bad Bone Crusher), Nikki Sixx (The Crooked Crow), Kane Roberts (The Alpha Watchman), to name a few in the short, animated film.

Rounding out the band’s line up are Tommy Denander (Alice Cooper), keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac (My Chemical Romance, John Mayer, Seal), bassist Chris Wyse (Hollywood Vampires, Ace Frehley, the Cult, Ozzy Osbourne), drummer Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires), the late UFO bassist Pete Way and producer/mixer Mike Plotnikoff (AC/DC, Cher, Aerosmith). 

This has been an amazing journey,” says Henriksen, who began the project with Denander almost four years ago. 

“Evil World Machine”, the first single from the exciting new multi-dimensional Crossbone Skully project dropped today.