The Fat Angel Sings

David Thomas, who fronted the boundary-pushing rock band Pere Ubu from the late 1970s forward, died on Wednesday at age 71. The news was announced on the group’s Facebook page, where the cause of death was only given as the result of “a long illness.”The US musician became a major influence on post-punk and alt-rock scenes thanks to his spirited, chaotic style,

A statement on Pere Ubu’s Facebook page said that he died “in his home town of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest step-daughter by his side. MC5 were playing on the radio.” The statement continues: “He will ultimately be returned to his [family] home, the farm in Pennsylvania, where he insisted he was to be ‘thrown in the barn’ … We’ll leave you with his own words, which sums up who he was better than we can: ‘My name is David Fucking Thomas… and I’m the lead singer of the best fucking rock and roll band in the world.’”

That band were indeed a force to be reckoned with, channelling the raucous, raw energy of garage rock into adventurous songwriting decked out with saxophones, funky bass and Thomas’s spirited exclamations. With a post-punk spirit even before punk had properly got going, Pere Ubu were a big influence on the alt-rock that emerged in the 1980s including bands such as Pixies.

Born in Miami and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Thomas formed his first band Rocket From the Tombs in 1974, a Cleveland based group that was considered influential in proto-punk circles even though they split up before ever recording an album. The band who despite some notoriously energised live shows couldn’t find a record deal and never put out studio material. Thomas later said he was dismayed by the band’s desire to play cover versions, and “knew that Rocket From the Tombs was dead”.

His band Rocket From the Tombs had just been commemorated on Record Store Day this year with a 50th anniversary edition of a collection of rehearsal and live tracks from the band, which also included members who would go on to form the Dead Boys. A sticker on the LP included a quote from the Guardian that called Rocket From the Tombs “the most self-destructive group ever to smash a six-string.”

Thomas then formed Pere Ubu, taking their name from a character in a play by absurdist French writer Alfred Jarry. “It was a name that wouldn’t mean anything to 95% of an audience,” he later said. “I wanted to create a band that Herman Melville, William Faulkner or Raymond Chandler would have wanted to be in.”

Debut single “30 Seconds Over Tokyo” was released in 1975, and the band impressed an A&R at Mercury Records, which created a whole new imprint for their 1978 debut album “The Modern Dance”. Described as “harsh and wilfully ugly” in Rolling Stone, it contained superb vocal performances from Thomas, such as the exhilarating rant of Life Stinks, and while it wasn’t a commercial success it chimed with a growing post-punk movement.

The band broke up briefly in 1979, then for a longer period after fifth album “Song of the Bailing Man”. Thomas put out a series of records away from the group, with backing bands such as the Pedestrians and the Wooden Birds,  Thomas had began crafting his own, equally abstract but often beautifully melodic solo albums with the help of guitar wizard Richard Thompson, under the name David Thomas & the Pedestrians, with albums such as 1981’s “The Sound of the Sand & Other Songs of the Pedestrian” and 1983’s “Variations on a Theme.” before Pere Ubu reformed in 1987. This was the beginning of the band’s most commercially successful phase, with a major label behind them, prompting minor MTV hits such as “Waiting For Mary”, and appearances on British TV.

When Thomas reformed Pere Ubu to record 1988’s “The Tenement Year,” it was a softer-edged, even poppier Ubu that appeared, one that carried on as such through 1989’s “Cloudland,” the synth-filled “Worlds in Collision” from 1991, and 1993’s “Story of My Life,” an album that was followed by the departure of longtime bassist Tony Maimone and founding drummer Scott Krauss. 

They released 14 albums in the following years, with Thomas the sole founder member leading a changing line-up of more than 20 musicians. “If I called up 20 of the 21 tomorrow they’d come back. They love to work with me,” Thomas said in 2022.

Thomas also had intriguing side projects, such as an appearance in Rogue’s Gallery, a star-studded concert series performing pirate songs (he also performed “What Will We Do With a Drunken Sailor” on a 2006 album that also featured Sting, Lou Reed and Nick Cave) and a 2002 West End production of “junk opera” Shockheaded Peter.

He later lived with kidney disease. The Facebook post announcing his death stated Thomas had been recording an album that “he knew was to be his last”. The album will be completed after his death, along with an autobiography and an archival project of live concerts.

We will endeavor to continue with mixing and finalizing the new album so that his last music is available to all. Aside from that, he left instruction that the work should continue to catalog all the tapes from live shows via the official Bandcamp page. His autobiography was nearly completed and we will finish that for him. Pere Ubu’s Patreon will continue as a community, run by communex.”

This is a new limited edition 10” single from Brian Jonestown Massacre, the bands first new recordings for 2 years.

Side A includes “Makes Me Great Again“, a whimsical song rooted heavily in Psychedelic Folk Rock – the way Anton Newcombe does it best. Side B offers the up-tempo “Out Of Body”, a joyous plunge into an experimental shoegaze ode to the 60s, with multiple experiments conducted on an array of instruments. The art work is a photo taken by the talented Francis Delacroix, part of a series of photos of Anton Newcombe taken by the artist.

One More Thing: i wish people wouldn’t comment to me about how much they like a song, but rather re-post it on social media. that’s what helps the group survive and thrive and reach new listeners… thanks again,

You never know what a new Deerhoof album might sound like, except that it will always sound like Deerhoof. For a band that seems to thrive on collapse, it’s simply amazing that this U.S. / Japanese quartet are now celebrating their 31st year. Though Deerhoof long ago established itself as one of the greatest rock groups ever to stride the Earth — and if you think that’s hyperbole, you haven’t spent enough time listening to Deerhoof  — the furiously inventive quartet releases new albums on the schedule of a young band still hungry for its first break. As “Noble And Godlike In Ruin” reaffirms, each one discovers some previously unknown combination of candy-coated hard-rock riffs and free-jazz percussive freakouts, sideways J-pop hooks and fearsome dissonance, trenchant social commentary and surrealist humor.

This music is joyful and foreboding, cybernetic and deeply human, carrying an implicit note of defiant optimism in their refusal to bow to convention or received wisdom. Fronting it all is Satomi Matsuzaki’s inimitable alto, whose plainspoken calm can seem strangely outside of the band’s maelstrom. Deerhoof are defined by such paradoxes.”

The original Alice Cooper band has returned, with the shock-rock legend announcing “The Revenge of Alice Cooper”, the group’s first album in 51 years. Listed on Amazon but not currently available yet. The album Alice Cooper fans been waiting for ever since inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame. The original remaining Alice Cooper band reunion album. Although cover list Special appearance by Glen Buxton the original guitarist who passed on in ’97.

For the first time in over 50 years, Alice Cooper and his original band reunite to bring rock “n’ roll back from the shadows. “The Revenge of Alice Cooper” is a high-voltage journey into vintage horror and classic ’70s shock rock. The Bob Ezrin-produced album sees Cooper reunited with his old bandmates Michael Bruce (guitar), Dennis Dunaway (bass), and Neal Smith (drums). The track-list includes 14 songs plus two bonus tracks, including a 2025 remix of the “Easy Action” cut “Return of the Spiders.” The lead single and opening track “Black Mamba,” which features The Doors’ Robby Krieger,

Together, they’ve created an album packed with the sound, energy, and mischief that made them legendary.

This album throws you straight into the golden era of “Killer”, “Billion Dollar Babies”, “School’s Out”, and Love It To Death” packed with electrifying riffs, raw energy, and Alice’s signature storytelling. From the venomous bite of “Black Mamba” to the rebellious charge of “Wild Ones”, and the soft, haunting melodies of “See You on the Other Side”, every track feels like a lost rock ‘n’ roll classic.

Coming July 25th

“Goose are an American rock band known for their genre-blending sound, improvisational live performances and dedicated fan base. The band includes Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass) and Cotter Ellis (vocals, drums). Their music — a deft union of indie-rock hooks, sprawling improvisation, and driving rhythm — has propelled them from performing in Connecticut basements to headlining some of the most revered stages in the country. Known for their strong DIY ethos, Goose have grown organically through relentless touring and utilizing online platforms to share live performances and connect with fans.

Their fourth studio album “Everything Must Go” marks the band’s evolution since its inception in 2014. Drawing from the feel of its live performances, the album features a carnivalesque cast of characters — primarily songs written throughout the bands recent years of growth, including re-imagined live staples and songs that capture the band’s evolving, dynamic sound.”

From Goose’s Upcoming Album ‘Everything Must Go’ Out April 25th, 2025

“Rock legend Billy Idol is set for the release of his first full-length album of new music in over a decade. “Dream Into It” includes performance and co-writing contributions throughout from Idol’s long time guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens plus appearances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart of The Kills, and is produced by Tommy English. In anticipation of the record, Idol issued the single “Still Dancing”. “Still Dancing is really a reflection of my whole journey,” explains Idol. “From the punk rock period through to now. And I’m still looking towards the future, still living the life I set out to live. At the start of the song I’m recalling the early times in London, when I was living in squats or at friends’ apartments, all my belongings in a plastic bag. Everybody at home or work told you what you were doing was never going to happen. But punk rock gave me an opening.

I was surrounded by people who loved the music as deeply as I did and you were going to throw caution to the wind, believe in what you were doing and grab on for dear life. As the song says, there have been many moments along the way where I’ve been self destructive. But what’s seen me through is that unflinching belief in the music that started all those years ago. That’s been the greatest gift of all.”

American singer, songwriter, producer, artist and poet. Lana Del Rey was born on 21st June 1985 in New York City, USA. Raised in Lake Placid, she attended Kent School in Connecticut to address her alcohol abuse. After graduating high school in 2003, she spent a year in Long Island where she learned to play guitar from her uncle.

In 2004, Lana enrolled at Fordham University in New York and studied metaphysics. It was during this time that her musical journey began. From 2005 to 2009, she had various music projects under different names like May Jailer and Lizzy Grant. Finally releasing her first album “A.K.A. Lizzy Grant” (2010) as Lana Del Ray – later changed to Lana Del Rey with an ‘e’.

Throughout the years, over 100 of Lana’s songs have been leaked through different media platforms; mostly demos and songs from the early stages of her career as May Jailer/Lizzy Grant.

Lana Del Rey announced her 10th record, “The Right Person Will Stay”, in an Instagram post back in November 2024, but there isn’t much information available on it; she hasn’t yet released any singles. However, in January 2024, she said about her next album: “We’re going country!” She also said that album would be called “Lasso” and it would be released in September 2024, and neither of those things turned out to be true, so it’s not clear yet if “The Right Person Will Stay” is still going to be her country album, just with a different name, or if she’s shelved the whole country thing for now. But in her announcement post for “The Right Person Will Stay”, Del Rey promised that we’d hear some new songs before the country music festival Stagecoach, which takes place in April.

The singer shared the story behind the delicate “Bluebird” in an impromptu video filmed on her way to rehearsal on Friday. “I started humming this chorus to myself, with the words and the melody, a long time ago when I had been seeing someone for a very long time — and we hadn’t seen each other for a while, and he called,” Lana said in the clip uploaded on Instagram. “And he asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. I was kind of excited, but I didn’t think it was a very good idea.”

“All of a sudden a bird smacked in the double-pane window doors of my bedroom,” Lana recalled.

“I was shocked, and I opened the little door and I saw this little, I think it was a little sparrow, little swallow, right there, and I just was so emotional because you know when you just know that something is meant for you?” she said. “Like sometimes I feel like nature has its own way of communicating with you, especially in extremely severe situations not in a sacrificial way, just in a way just for you to know.”

As the story goes, the little bird did “eventually kind of stumble away,” and did fly away, according to Lana, who didn’t follow suit; she went on that walk anyway.

“Bluebird” is the second song to be released ahead of her upcoming 10th studio album, the first being “Henry, Come On.” presently untitled and without a firm release date. Though it was expected just weeks from now, last week Lana casually broke the news to fans that May is no longer looking likely for the follow-up to 2023’s “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” “You know it’s not going to come on time, right?”

Whether or not “Lasso” and “The Right Person Will Stay” are the same album, it seems like a safe bet that Del Rey’s new music will probably lean more country than her previous work, and we’re intrigued by what she’ll do in that space.

When Neil Young ventured back onto the stage in 2023 after a four-year break – the longest of his career – it felt tentative, as if the training wheels were back on. He promised deep cuts only (in the end, “Heart Of Gold” was aired almost nightly, as was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s classic Ohio), but the unusually atmospheric album of the tour reverts to the original script and the big hits are nowhere to be heard.

“Coastal” is a personal, behind-the-scenes documentary on Neil Young as he cruises the coast on his 2023 solo US tour. The film gives an intimate view of the maverick musician, as he navigates a return to the stage post-Covid. From his everyday observations on the bus to his candid banter with his audience. “Coastal” is a rare peek behind the curtain of this unguarded iconoclast. The film was shot and directed by Daryl Hannah.  

Instead, “I’m The Ocean“, recorded with Pearl Jam in 1995, is slowed down and played as it might have been at Carnegie Hall in 1970, Young’s lonesome harmonica wail unmistakable.

“Love Earth“, first taped with Crazy Horse in 2022, is turned into a campfire singalong, the audience as much a part of the act as Young himself. Buffalo Springfield’s originally jaunty “I Am A Child” is now sung in a surprisingly effective, almost whispered growl.

And “When I Hold You In My Arms“, a slightly lumpen filler on 2002’s “Are You Passionate?”, is tender and transfixing, with Young’s on-tour tech Bob Rice adding gently tinkling piano to his boss’s guitar.

Neil Young and Reprise Records release “Coastal: The Soundtrack“, featuring 11 live recordings from the tour film of the same name.  Neil Young songs including “Song X”, “Vampire Blues” “Expecting To Fly”, “Throw Your Hatred Down”, “I Am A Child”, and “Prime of Life”.