Featuring members of Braid, Their / Coaster and Stay Ahead of The Weather This is the third EP from LiftedBells, but rest assured, they won’t be releasing new music in bite-sized formats forever. “The EP will hopefully be a fresh introduction to the band and what we’re up to,” Nanna says. “We’re already over halfway done with a full length and are looking forward to getting out on the road. It’s going to be a fun, wild ride.”
Courtney Barnett will release her follow-up to her acclaimed debut album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit on the 18th May.
The album is titled Tell Me How You Feel, the first single from it, “Nameless, Faceless” is an infectious indie anthem that simmers with indignation and sarcasm. It examines the phenomenon of incessant and anonymous internet trolls, and every lyric is memorable as Barnett quotes one of the more creative burns she’s received in a comments section, “I could eat a bowl of alphabet soup and spit out better words than you”.
In fact, it would be pure comedy if it didn’t invariably and insidiously cross over into anxiety about ones safety in the real world… illustrated perfectly by the chorus which borrows from a famous Margaret Atwood quote “I want to walk through the park in the dark / Men are scared that women will laugh at them / I want to walk through the park in the dark / Women are scared that men will kill them / I hold my keys between my fingers”.
‘Nameless, Faceless’ is taken from Courtney Barnett’s upcoming album ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’ out on 18th May 2018. Milk Records
Last year, Nick Cave and his band, the Bad Seeds, embarked on one of the most emotional tours of his career, supporting an album recorded in the aftermath of the death of one of his sons. Now he’s releasing a film, Distant Sky, of a concert the band played in Copenhagen as a one-night only screening in movie theaters around the world.
The screening will take place April 12th. David Barnard, whose credits include films and documentaries about Radiohead, Björk, Alice Cooper and the Spice Girls, directed the film. At the Copenhagen concert, the band played a career-spanning set list that went back to the title track of their first album, 1984’sFrom Her to Eternity. Though the majority of the set focused on the moving 2016 album, Skeleton Tree, which Cave & Co. recorded in the wake of his personal tragedy. The subsequent tour was one of the most powerful and touching of his career, as he connected with audiences, even holding hands with some people in the front row. The poster for the film shows Cave holding a towel to his face as if he were weeping.
At the time of Skeleton Tree’s release, Cave declined to do interviews, opting instead to release a documentary film, One More Time With Feeling, which showed fans how he was coping with the loss at home along with footage of the group recording the album. “It wasn’t conceived as a work of entertainment,” director AndrewDominik said. “It was a practical solution to a practical problem. I think there may be a certain voyeuristic interest in what happened to him. But I think his fans are very much interested in how he and his family are doing, and that’s the subject of the film: How they are.”
Cave completed the Skeleton Treetour late last year with a pair of performances in Tel Aviv, Israel, after facing criticism from Roger Waters and Brian Eno who support a cultural boycott of the country, claiming it supports apartheid with regard to Palestine. “At the end of the day there are two reasons why I am here,” Cave said at a press conference about his decision to play Israel. “One is that I love Israel and I love Israeli people and two is to make a principled stand against anyone who wants to censor and silence musicians. So really you could say in a way that the [boycott] made me play Israel.”
Katie Toupin, formerly of the band Houndmouth, is set to release her debut EP on March 2nd. it was sad news when she parted way with Houndmouth as I thought they had something special going there a terrific live band. But based on this first track, it looks like Toupin has got a lot more to show us. Here’s how the EP came to be.
After years on the road with Houndmouth and a brief hiatus while getting settled in Los Angeles, Katie returned to writing. The resultant material became the EP Moroccan Ballroom, a totally authentic expression of Katie. The Moroccan Ballroom EP was recorded entirely live (with no overdubs or edits) in a single day at Village Studios — it was meant to be a simple shoot for some of her newly-written songs, but Katie was so enamored with the outcome that she wanted to give them a proper release.
“Danger” was filmed during the live recording of “Moroccan Ballroom” on 12/11/17 Katie Toupin’s debut EP “Moroccan Ballroom”
In 1975, the album Born to Run catapulted Bruce Springsteen from a regional critical favorite to a worldwide megastar.
But after Born to Run‘s release, a legal battle with his former manager, Mike Appel, kept Springsteen from making a follow-up album for nearly two years. Springsteen spent his time touring extensively across the U.S. with the E Street Band. When he returned to the studio, in 1977, he brought with him dozens of songs that he had written during his exile.
Those studio sessions produced Springsteen’s fourth album, 1978’s Darkness on the Edge of Town. It was musically very different from Born to Run — and drew thematically from the punk-rock movement, the Vietnam War and Springsteen’s own reflections about wanting to stay connected to his roots.
But many of the songs Springsteen wrote for that album were never released.
“Darkness on the Edge of Town came out of a huge body of work that had tons of very happy songs,” Springsteen told actor Ed Norton at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. “It was all music that we recorded, we wrote and made a very distinct decision to not use.”
Twenty-one songs Springsteen originally recorded for Darkness on the Edge of Townare now being released for the first time as part of a collection called The Promise. Here, we feature some of Springsteen’s conversation with Norton at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the two men talked about the making of Darkness,as well as a new documentary about the album, titled The Promise: The Making of ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town.’
Many of the songs cut from Darkness on the Edge of Town are being released in the box set The Promise, which comes out tomorrow. The box set also includes a remastered version of Darkness, 2 CDs of songs that were recorded but not used for the album, along with the documentary, The Promise, and DVDs of other live performances.
Bruce Springsteen performs shortly after he recordedDarkness on the Edge of Town.
Jim Pozarik/AP Photo
Interview Highlights
On Darkness In Music
“Some of the greatest blues music is some of the darkest music you’ve ever heard. And I had maps. Obviously, Dylan had come when I was 15, and obviously I listened to his music first, and his music contained a lot — I used to say when I heard ‘Highway 61,’ I was hearing the first true picture of how I felt and how my country felt. And that was exhilarating. Because I think 1960s small-town America was very Lynchian. Everything was there, but underneath, everything was rumbling. … I think what Dylan did, was he took all that dark stuff that was rumbling underneath, and I think he pushed it to the surface with irony and humor, but also tremendous courage to go places where people hadn’t gone previously. So when I heard that, I knew I liked that, and I was very ambitious, also.
On The Timing Of Darkness’ Release
“I think Darkness came out of a place where I was afraid of losing myself. I had the first taste of success [with Born to Run], so you realize it’s possible for your talent to be co-opted and for your identity to be moved and shifted in ways that you may not have been prepared for. I was the only person I’d ever met who had a record contract. None of the E Street Band, as far as I know, had been on an airplane until Columbia sent us to Los Angeles. … It was a smaller, smaller world. And we were provincial guys with no money. So there was this whole little street life in Asbury Park, and New York was a million miles away. Localism, as a movement, hadn’t occurred yet in music. So there was nobody saying, ‘I need to see what those bands in New Jersey are doing.’ It was a very different time. But the good part about it was you were very, very connected to place and you had a real sense of place. And it was unique, the place where you lived and where you grew up.”
On Where The Tracks On Darkness Originated
“No one knows anyone else who has any money. They only know you. And at the time, even though we’re making a lot of records, we’re not making much money, because we didn’t know how to make records, or because I signed a lot of bad deals and it all went away. My desire to not get disconnected from my parents and their history and a lot of the people I cared about; I said, ‘These things aren’t being written about that much. I’m not sure. And those were the topics I decided to take on for that particular record, not so much out of any social consciousness, but as a way of survival of my own inner life and soul.”
On Musical Influences
“I don’t know if I know anyone, with the exception of the early inventors of rock music [who wasn’t influenced by something]. And even then, the kind of study that had to go on — like the gospel background in Jerry Lee Lewis’ piano playing, and it’s completely informed with church and honky-tonk — and you have to study that stuff. I don’t mean study in the sense of literal schooling, but you’re drawn to things that make you seek out what they’re about. That’s studying. And whether you’re drawn to gospel music or church music or honky-tonk music, it informs your character and it informs your talent.”
On Great New Music
“If you’re good, you’re always looking over your shoulder. I mean, that’s the life — that’s the gun-slinging life. It’s like, ‘Yes, you are very fast, my friend, but there’s some kid in his garage tonight, and just about 10 minutes from now…’ You can’t make any mistake about it. The record and documentary show that [that album] was carved meticulously and consciously out of a big chunk of stone over a long period of time, with a huge amount of ego and ambition and hunger, hopefully for the right things.”
2 VERSIONS WERE RECORDED OF THIS AMAZING SONG. Recorded at The Record Plant on October 14, 1977. V1b includes a horn section (Cruz-Manion-Pender-Rosenberg-Spengler) that was recorded in 1998 (not 1977) and then added to create the end product on Tracks. However this E Street Band base recording (i.e., without the 1998 horns) was used as the base recording for Southside’s original 1978 album track, with Southside merely replacing Bruce’s vocal with his own and adding in his own horn players at the time.
DARKNESS DOSSIER DAY 3: THE OUTTAKES
According to comments by Darkness sessions recording engineer Jimmy Iovine about 30 songs were recorded to a completed state and available for inclusion on the Darkness album. There were an unknown number of additional songs not fully completed. What “not fully completed” means is uncertain. At this stage 32 songs have been officially released (the ten on the original album, four on Tracks and 18 on The Promise) but several of these have modern vocal takes, and their 1978 state remains unknown. There is also an unknown amount of not fully finished recordings. The list below contains 54 songs from the period that likely encompass all or nearly all of the 30 songs Jimmy Iovine was alluding to, as well as most of the ones never completed.
The audio from the Darkness sessions that has surfaced unofficially over the years has been of rather disappointing quality. During the late 1970s and 1980s most of it was of very weak quality. However over the past 20 years lower generation audio specimens have emerged and the CD-era boots of this audio have been a noticeable improvement over their vinyl era counterparts. Yet in many cases it has become apparent that there were flaws in the way the original source individuals taped these studio sessions. There certainly appears to have been some hidden “fly-on-the-wall” type tapings. The other problem is that much of the leaked audio is of early studio workouts of these songs, rather than later, fully realized renditions. Most of the leaked studio material emanates from the June-October 1977 period, so the later November 77-January 78 sessions may include several other songs that remain undocumented, even after the release of The Promise.
The 2010 release of The Promise is somewhat of a double-edged sword. We now have a slightly better understanding of the Darkness sessions, as well as access to several tracks that were previously unknown to us such as “Save My Love” and “Breakaway”. However, the wonderful notebook facsimile included in the box set lists titles of many songs (see Part Four below) that are totally new to us. It is unknown how many of these songs actually exist; many may not be songs at all – just titles. Jimmy Iovine mentions in the making of documentary that Springsteen wrote seventy songs for potential use on “Album IV”. It remains a possibility that even the seventy songs mentioned by Iovine is a conservative estimate of Springsteen’s true output at this time. A case of three steps forward, two steps back?
GOTTA GET THAT FEELING. 3 TAKES.
V1 recorded at Atlantic Studios in August 1977. V2 is more fully realized. Up-tempo, pop-flavored. The officially released V3 contains a modern vocal take, replacing the unfinished vocal found on the ‘Deep Down In the Vaults’ recording. V1 and V2 were bootlegged under the title “Get That Feeling”. Takes recorded at either Atlantic or Record Plant on August 11-12 and 30, 1977.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN. 2 VERSION
V1 recorded at Atlantic Studios on June 1, 1977. This is a very rough early take with an uneven mix and some seriously off-key harmony vocals by Van Zandt. V2 was recorded September 27, 1977 at The Record Plant, officially released (unmolested) on The Promise in 2010.
come on let´s go tonight. 2 version
V1 is a rough workout, probably from either July 2 or 13 at Atlantic Studios, with the melody complete but with embryonic, alternative lyrics. V2 is the final released take, titled “Come On (Let’s Go Tonight)”. Also recorded at either Atlantic or Record Plant on August 23-24 and 30, and at The Record Plant on September 8, November 2, 7-8 and December 9 and 29, 1977. The early, work-in-progress title was “Let’s Go Tonight”. Aspects of the music and lyrics can also be found in “Factory”. Bruce would return to the song in April 1981 during a break in The River Tour, recording a solo acoustic demo. Soon after, he borrowed the first two lines of Chuck Berry’s “Bye Bye Johnny”, combined it with “Come On (Let’s Go Tonight)”, and created “Johnny Bye-Bye”. The composition was premiered live in May 1981 and recorded in the studio in 1982 and 1983.
V1 apparently dates from August 1977 at Atlantic Studios, although studio logs indicate takes were only recorded on June 30, 1977. V2 likely dates from around the same time and is more developed but still features some bluffed lyrics. The logs say a song called “New Spanish” was recorded two weeks later on July 13; one assumes that is “Spanish Eyes”. The officially released V3 has a modern vocal, and potentially some modern band elements. A great song that shares several lyrics with “I’m On Fire”.
Recorded at The Record Plant, perhaps on September 27, 1977. The circulating audio is marred by the vocal being buried in the mix. The very strange working title for this was “Say Sons”. Short rocker.
BECAUSE THE NIGHT. 4 TAKES
Note: V1 is from Atlantic Studios in June 1977 with the lyrics not finished. V2 (recorded a month or so later) is less embryonic but still with some bluffed lyrics. It was soon after (late September 1977) that fellow NJ poet/rocker Patti Smith, who was also recording at The Record Plant, became aware of the tune via Jimmy Iovine (who was engineering both artists). The not-quite-finished song was handed to Smith, who fine-tuned the lyrics and released the song in March 1978, three months before the Darkness album was issued – and it was a worldwide hit. V3 was recorded September 27, 1977 at The Record Plant. This take was broadcast on Sirius / E Street Radio, is more realised but still not the finished item. The officially released V4 uses Smith’s lyrics and is a modern vocal take.
The 9 versions recorded provide a good insight into how Springsteen develops some songs through the course of numerous sessions, with all three being distinctive songs.
Candy’s Boy: V1 is a summer 1976 band rehearsal in Bruce’s house in Holmdel, NJ and is included on the Thrill Hill Vault DVD/Blu-ray on The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story box set. V2 and V3 are from Atlantic Studios in June and August 1977 respectively and contain the familiar lyrics but utilize a different melody. V4 is longer, and includes an extra instrumental section. The officially released V5 (from June 1977) bears a strong resemblance to V3. Logs show takes of “Candy’s Boy” were recorded on June 3, 6 and 27, August 24 and September 2, 1977). Early alternative title was “(I Will Forever Be) Candy’s Boy”. Included on an October 1977 album cover mock-up.
The Fast Song: V6 is the familiar “Candy’s Room” melody, with no lyrics. V7 and V8 feature nondescript, bluffed lyrics (all three from August 1977 at Atlantic). Takes of “The Fast Song” were recorded June 6, 9-10, 13-14, 20 and 24, 1977 at Atlantic, with further work undertaken on August 24 and September 1-2. Lyrics found at the beginning of “The Fast Song”, “I wish God’s angels would tear this town down / and blow it into the sea”, are also found in some performances of the “Backstreets” interlude from 1977’s Lawsuit Tour (most famously on March 25 in Boston), as well as some early versions of “Something In The Night”, e.g. February 13, 1977 in Toronto. Original or alternative title of “The Fast Song” may have been “God’s Angels”, one of the song titles found in The Promise book.
V1 is from September 1977 at The Record Plant and is a rough workout with lyrics very bluffed. V2 is more developed, with nearly finished lyrics and is likely to date from shortly after. V2 also contains phrases also found in “Frankie”, “Prove It All Night”, and “Badlands”, most notably “For the ones who once had a notion, it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive”. Takes recorded on September 26-28 and November 4 + 7, 1977. Mixed in November 1997 for the Tracks project, but not used. Also known in collector circles as “All Night Long”. The audio quality on Scorpio’s ‘Loose Ends’ is the best.
V2 officially released on The Promise, recorded October 14, 1977 at The Record Plant. Bruce’s working title was “Taxi Driver”. Also known as “Taxi Cab” and “City At Night”. Shares a line with 1988’s “All That Heaven Will Allow”.
Recorded at The Record Plant on October 14, 1977. This is fully finished take but the circulating audio is slightly marred by the vocal being buried in the mix. The working titles were “Bo Diddley Rocker” or “Bodo Rocker
At least four takes recorded at The Record Plant on September 12, 1977 and played once on the Darkness Tour on December 28, 1978 in Pittsburgh, PA. Re-recorded for The River. A song titled “Rocker” was registered with the US Copyright Office in January 2011 but information on the copyright claim suggests this is actually “Ramrod”. It was registered because a short audio snippet was included in The Promise: The Making Of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, the documentary included on the box set.
An unknown composition before the official release of The Promise. Features Jon Landau on drums, Bob Chirmside (Bruce’s road manager between ’75 and ’81) on bass and a modern horn section of Barry Danielian (trumpet), Stan Harrison (tenor sax), Dan Levine (trombone), Ed Manion (baritone sax) and Curt Ramm (trumpet). Early working title may be “Jon’s Jam”, as found in the studio logs. A lone take was recorded June 14, 1977 at Atlantic Studios. The connection is Jon Landau, who provides the drums.
someday we´ll be together. 2 version
V1 recorded at The Record Plant in September 1977. This is only the backing track – Bruce’s vocal is missing (assuming there was one). Takes recorded at The Record Plant on September 26 and 29-30, 1977. Bootlegged with the title “Someday Tonight”. V3 is officially released on “The Promise” with a probably completely modern vocal take. The track features backing vocals by the Alliance Singers (Tiffeny Andrews, Corinda Crawford, Michelle Moore, and Antoinette Savage), who contributed choir vocals on The Rising album, in addition to Patti Scialfa and Soozie Tyrell.
one way street. 2 version
V1 Recorded at Atlantic Studios on June 17, 1977. This is a complete take but it’s clearly not a final take. V2 officially released on The Promise with what appears to be a modern vocal. It is also likely that the horns were re-recorded as well. Original alternative title may have been “Dead End”.
Talk to me.
Note: Takes recorded at Atlantic Studios on July 8 and 13, either Atlantic or Record Plant on August 5, 9, 24, 26 and 30, and at the Record Plant on October 14, 1977. V1 (missing Bruce’s vocal) is from Atlantic Studios in August 1977. V2 is the officially released take from The Promise, and features some original Jukes/Miami Horns members: Rick Gazda on trumpet, Stan Harrison on tenor sax, Ed Manion on baritone sax, Bob Muckin on trumpet, and Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg on trombone. It is uncertain whether the horns are contemporary to the original recording, or a modern addition. The latter seems more likely. Bruce donated this composition (and “Hearts Of Stone”) to Southside Johnny in spring 1978 for use on his upcoming third album. According to Max Weinberg, as with “Hearts Of Stone”, the Darkness session E Street Band backing track was utilized for Southside Johnny’s album.
V1 recorded at Atlantic Studios June 1977. V2 fades in, repeats the last verse and is likely to emanate from the same time period. Takes were recorded June 24 and 27, and July 1, 1977. Premiered live during the Darkness Tour with a spoken introduction: “This was a song that we recorded live in the studio about two years ago, the beginning of the summer and it was originally gonna be on Darkness, but it was too weird so we left it off”. Re-recorded for The River album.
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, probably very early in the sessions, perhaps June 1977. The audio take is very unfinished, with bluffed lyrics. No complete take is circulating from the Darkness sessions, although this song (like several others from these sessions) was re-recorded in 1979-80 during sessions for The River and that version has been issued on Tracks.
A Darkness On The Edge Of Town outtake recorded in Oct-Dec 1977 at The Record Plant, New York City, NY. Its working title was CRAZY ROCKER, but it’s also known among collectors under the title IT’S ALRIGHT. The only circulating recording of this song is of a nearly finished take but the audio quality is not great. It’s messy and full of indecipherable, bluffed lyrics and yelled out key changes. It can be found on Deep Down In The Vaults (E Street Records), The Genuine Tracks (Scorpio), and The Definitive Remastered Darkness Outtakes (The Godfather Records) bootlegs. This is an early (but entertaining) take with bluffed lyrics and called out key changes. “Crazy Rocker” was a working title, and it has also been known under the title “It’s Alright”. Does not specifically appear in the studio logs, but it may be “New Rocker”, recorded at either Atlantic or The Record Plant on August 9, 1977.
Three slightly different mixes of the same performance. Takes recorded at either Atlantic or Record Plant on August 5 and 15, and at The Record Plant on September 12 and December 10-12, 1977. V1c is slightly faster, and officially released on The Promise, albeit as a hidden bonus track. Considered and rejected for Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Tracks and The Essential.
It is uncertain from which period of the Darkness sessions these two versions emanate from – probably from The Record Plant. V2 (which is in very weak sound quality) is sometimes listed under the alternate title of “I Wanna Be Wild” but these are clearly the same song with just alternate work-in-progress lyrics. A take of this song with the title “I Want To Be Wild” was recorded at the Record Plant on November 11, 1977. “Don’t Say No” was registered with the US Copyright Office in November 2010, suggesting that it may have been a candidate for inclusion on The Promise.
Studio logs indicate that Springsteen worked on this song at only two sessions, June 16 at Atlantic and August 24, 1977 at The Record Plant. V1 is definitely from that June session, V2 is probably also from June (an image of a tape inlay dated June 17 found in the Darkness box set book lists two takes), but could be from the August session. If V2 is from June, then the August 24 take does not currently circulate amongst collectors. V2 has a different opening and is shorter, lacking Clarence’s saxophone solo. Note that although some bootleg CDs (such as Godfather’s ‘The Unbroken Promise’) include two versions of the eight minute “Drive All Night”, it appears that they are actually the same recording. Listed on some early vinyl boots by the title “Sad Eyes”. Bruce re-recorded the vocal track during The River sessions, but apparently used the Darkness session backing music for the officially released version found on The River.
V1 dates from June 3, 1977, V2 from just over a month later, July 12, 1977. Both recorded at Atlantic. Bruce re-recorded the song five years later during the Born In The USA sessions and that later version (on Tracks) is far superior to either of these renditions.
Recorded at The Record Plant on October 27, 1977. This is a completed take and one of the few that has surfaced from the sessions with the vocals mixed correctly. Also known as “New BoDo Rocker” in the studio logs. Bruce incorporated elements of the song into the middle of “She’s The One” during the latter stages of the Darkness tour.
Recorded at Atlantic Studios on June 1, 1977. Takes also recorded on July 1 (also at Atlantic), as well as September 12 at The Record Plant. This is complete but clearly not a final take. Bruce re-recorded it during the River sessions and it’s that version which is found on Tracks.
Recorded at The Record Plant, probably September 26-27, 1977. The sound quality of this particular piece of audio is weak. Also recorded at either Atlantic or Record Plant on August 15. Further work undertaken at The Record Plant on November 4 + 11 and December 9. Short-listed for inclusion on Darkness On The Edge Of Town, included as it was on an October 1977 album cover mock-up. Bruce re-recorded this for release on The River.
The only circulating audio is apparently from Atlantic Studios in June 1977, although the only appearance in the logs is October 14 at The Record Plant. An embryonic take with very unfinished lyrics and a lovely melody. Bruce’s work-in-progress title was “The Ballad”.
Unknown composition until officially released on The Promise. Recorded at Atlantic Studios on June 1, 1977, but modern vocals have been added, along with some modern band elements. Features a modern horn section of Barry Danielian (trumpet), Stan Harrison (tenor sax), Dan Levine (trombone), Ed Manion (baritone sax) and Curt Ramm (trumpet) and backing vocals by the Alliance Singers (Tiffeny Andrews, Corinda Crawford, Michelle Moore, and Antoinette Savage), who contributed choir vocals on The Rising album, in addition to Patti Scialfa and Soozie Tyrell.
The promise: Considered for the album, but ultimately rejected due to the personal lyrics. “It was a song about defeat, and it was self-referential, which made me uncomfortable,” said Springsteen in 2010. “I didn’t want it to overtake the album, which, in the end, was not my personal story. I wanted ‘Darkness’ to be completely independent of that. So I left it off. But I remember saying to myself, ‘This is something I can sing later.’ The distance really helps it now.” Premiered live on August 3, 1976 at Red Bank’s Monmouth Arts Center in a solo piano arrangement. It would be performed that way throughout 1976 and 1977, however all circulating studio takes are with the band. V1 is from June or July 1977 (takes were recorded June 30 and July 1, 7-8 and 13, 1977). V2 is from August 1977 (takes recorded August 24 and 30 at Atlantic Studios). Both V1 and V2 feature slightly different lyrics. V3 is probably from The Record Plant in the September-October 1977 period (perhaps the September 28, 1977 performance recorded in the studio logs) and is the completed recording that Bruce rejected for Tracks. He instead opted to record a new version (issued on 18 Tracks) that pales in comparison to the stunning V3. V4 (also recorded August 1977) is the official release included on The Promise CD, featuring a string arrangement by Ken Asher. Interestingly, V4 lacks the “…dead ends in the two-bit bars” and “…backseat of a borrowed car” lyrics from the final verse, both of which are present in all other circulating studio takes. V5 is a studio rehearsal recorded at The Record Plant in (probably early) January 1978 and is included on the Thrill Hill Vault DVD/Blu-ray on The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story box set. V6 was recorded after this rehearsal, on January 12, 1978, and remains in the vaults.
Even though few have heard of Atlanta’sRazor Boys they can easily be considered trailblazers to the 80s glam rock scene. Dating back to as early as 1975 the Razor Boys were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. They recorded their debut album in 1978 but the deep south obviously wasn’t very keen on a band of boys with teazed hair, scarves and makeup playing sleazy punk rock; that was more suited to Los Angeles or New York. As for timing, well the New York Dolls had played their final show in December of 1976, and Marc Bolan was killed in a car crash in September of 1977. Glam was in trouble.
There were way too many legendary punk records released in 1978 to mention but by that time glam leaning punk rock didn’t have much of a hold. Sure the The Sweet had a huge hit in 1979 and Slade released the wicked Slade Alive 2, but the Razor Boys played way heavier and sleazier rock and roll than either of those bands. They were more MC5 and Stooges, than bubblegum.
The next wave the Razor Boys could have ridden was the hair rock scene of the early 80s had they waited about 5 years. Bands like Mötley Crüe and Hanoi Rocks managed to blast off and make it a career but again, the Razor Boys were more raw and punk than Hanoi, and less metal than Crüe – think a heavier Teenage Head (who had long hair and wore makeup too).
The Razor Boys had the look down, they had the sound down – they just couldn’t get a deal and the record was never released. It’s a similar story to the Hollywood Brats who had broken up in 1974 well before their album was finally released in 1980.
So here we are, 2018 and Chicago’s HoZac Archival Records has unearthed the Razor Boys’ debut and released it digitally and as a black vinyl pressing of 500 copies with printed inner sleeve. Only 40 years late but man is it worth the wait!
Opener “Toys” rocks with an Ace Frehley riff and a T Rex swagger, “Sweet Chablis” sounds like early Aerosmith soaked in Dixie moonshine. “Ragamuffin” is a dirty punked out Stooges/Dead Boys jam, while “Shakin’ It All the Time” is the most Teenage Head track here, Chuck Berry riffs and all. “Get Rich Quick” is a trashy rock and roll number with some wild drumming and “Needle Fever” sounds like a lost track from L.A.M.F.
Perhaps they mined their roots a little for “Shitfaced” with its southern rock strut and bastardized riff from Skynyrd’s “What’s Your Name“. “Wolf Spider” and “The Last Rocker” are trashy Electric Warrior rockers and “Highschool” cops an early Generation X feel even though the two were contemporaries.
So as you can see, the Razor Boys were there. They were knocking on the door, they could’ve been contenders. They’d even opened for the likes of the Dead Boys, the Ramones, and Bon Scott era AC/DC. It’s too bad no one answered the door because “Atlanta 1978” is the embodiment of killer trashy punk and roll.
Chaz Westbrook (vocals), Bobby Werblin (drums), Dee Minor (bass), Ronnie Razor (guitar and vocals)
Hailing from the Isle of Man via Brighton, Penelope Isles is the collaboration of brother and sister Jack and Lily Wolter.
The band mix waves of ambient delays and fuzz guitar noise, sonic dynamics and melodic pop hooks entwined with girl-boy harmonies. Their self-produced home recordings portray an honest lo-fi approach in capturing their own music. Their live set is hypnotic, captivating and moving, smeared with glistening psych, dreamlike chimes and potency that will transfix and satisfy. Penelope Isles are currently recording their debut LP at the Bella Union Studios in Brighton .
Their set is the wide-eyed optimism of youth with a knack for great pop hooks which they smear with psych fuzz. Their tracks are like your favourite sweets with shards of broken glass embedded in them, the potential of which is just screaming out for attention.
Special news report! The Killers are confirmed for Rock Werchter 2018 – the Las Vegas group will headline the festival on Friday 6 July ! Bursting onto the worldwide music scene in 2004, The Killers were put firmly on the map with their now-classic debut album, ‘Hot Fuss’, released to huge acclaim and success. The band, who have gone on to sell over twenty-five million albums worldwide, released their newest studio album “Wonderful Wonderful” in September 2017, a comeback that has seen them achieve a record-breaking fifth consecutive number 1 album in the UK. Led by their charismatic frontman BrandonFlowers, The Killers are sure to bring something very special to the festival, with a career-spanning headline set picked from an enviable back catalogue that includes Mr Brightside, Somebody Told Me, When You Were Young, Human and most recent hits, The Man and Run For Cover. Early March, The Killers will play a virtually sold out Sportpaleis in Antwerp. On Friday 6 July they headline Rock Werchter. Having previously played the festival in 2007 and 2009, it’s high time for them to return to Rock Werchter.
Already confirmed for Rock Werchter 2018 are:
Thursday 5 July: Queens Of The Stone Age, Gorillaz, The Script, Marshmello, Alice In Chains, At The Drive In, The Vaccines, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Vince Staples, Anne-Marie Friday 6 July: The Killers, London Grammar, Snow Patrol, Ben Howard, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Angus & Julia Stone, The Kooks, IAMDDB Saturday 7 July: Pearl Jam, Jack White, Jack Johnson, Fleet Foxes, Khalid, MGMT, Stereophonics, Stone Sour, Petit Biscuit, JP Cooper Sunday 8 July: Arctic Monkeys, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Nine Inch Nails, Eels, David Byrne, George Ezra, Fever Ray, Kaleo, Roméo Elvis x Le Motel, Rone, PVRIS
London Grammar is playing Rock Werchter 2018. And so Friday 6 July –festival day 2- can boast its first particularly beautiful name. London Grammar is all about inspirational electro-indie pop. Of the kind that reaches deep into the soul.
The voice of Hannah Reid is like a balm for the soul which heals, even through the radio. Hannah Reid (vocals), Dan Rotham (guitar) and Dominic ‘Dot’ Major (drums/keyboards) met at the University of Nottingham before deciding to head to London. London Grammar made their debut in December 2010, in a small pub in Camden. After James Blake, Florence + The Machine and The xx, the burgeoning London scene had found itself another great talent. In 2013 ‘Strong’ and ‘Wasting My Young Years’ are responsible for London Grammar’s breakthrough and lead to Rock Werchter and a sold out Forest National. After the lightening start and intense tours the trio returns to the peace of an everyday existence. For album number two they collaborate with a whole host of prestigious producers, including Grammy and Oscar winner Paul Epworth (Florence + The Machine, Adele). ‘Truth Is A Beautiful Thing’ (2017) is characterised by its almost cinematic nature. As usual the songs are blood-curdlingly beautiful. London Grammar promptly sells out the Antwerp Lotto Arena twice. Rock Werchter on Friday 6 July is the logical and well deserved next step in their ascension.
Five names are in at present. Queens of The Stone Age and Gorillaz will be there on Thursday 5 July, London Grammar will be performing on Friday 6 July, Pearl Jam on Saturday 7 July, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds on Sunday 8 July.
There are 11 new names to join the bill of Rock Werchter 2018. Ben Howard, James Bay, Alice In Chains, At The Drive In, The Vaccines, Stone Sour, George Ezra, Anne-Marie, PVRIS, IAMDDB and JP Cooper have been added to the line-up.
Rock Werchter Festival takes place from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 July at the Festivalpark in Werchter, which will look the same, yet different, this year. It will be more beautiful than ever with the newly-laid lanes and freshly-planted trees and shrubs. And it’s not just the Festivalpark that’s had a makeover. The festival itself has had its familiar, successful formula refined, with more music on a new stage: The Slope . The multi-functional slope that was introduced in 2017 is to be given an additional role. A stage is to be built beneath the highest point of The Slope. The picnic tables will be moved a little further along. The space created under the colourful flags will become a cosy open-air arena for the young pups, the stars of tomorrow, and the newest discoveries of the festival bookers. Herman Schueremans: ” It’s no secret that we’ve been longing for a fourth stage. There are so many bands – not yet well-known – that we would love to introduce to the Rock Werchter audience. They are internationally known for being very receptive, and artists who go down well are warmly embraced, often forever. We’ve got some treats in store for music lovers.”
That’s not the only Rock Werchter upgrade this year. The Barn will be getting larger . It’s still just as good as a concert hall, with the best acoustics and great comfort for visitors. From this summer on, up to 20,000 festival-goers will be able to enjoy the concerts in The Barn. At your service!
2018 is a vintage year for Rock Werchter. Queens Of The Stone Age, Gorillaz, The Script, James Bay, Marshmello, Alice In Chains, At The Drive In, The Vaccines, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Vince Staples and Anne-Marie have been confirmed for Thursday 5 July. Friday 6 July’s bill includes London Grammar, Snow Patrol, Ben Howard, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Angus & Julia Stone, The Kooks and IAMDDB. Pearl Jam, Jack White, Jack Johnson, Fleet Foxes, Khalid, MGMT, Stereophonics, Stone Sour, Petit Biscuit and JP Cooper play on Saturday 7 July, while Arctic Monkeys will bring the festival to a close on Sunday 8 July, joined by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Nine Inch Nails, Eels, David Byrne, George Ezra, Fever Ray, Kaleo, Roméo Elvis, Rone and PVRIS. More names will be announced soon.
