Blistering new Michael Monroe single "One Man Gang" + Press release about album.

Finally! 

We get a snippet of new Michael Monroe album "One Man Gang" in new title track single. With breakneck speed riffs and verses and a gang vocal chorus that will piss off neighbours around the world. Punk rock guitar hero Captain Sensible of The Damned beautifully guest stars on lead guitar. The lyrics "Well..  I know that I ain't no Elvis or Jesus but I got a pretty face" are among the best I've heard in a while.

This is just a taste of what's to come, 11 more songs will be released on "One Man Gang" October 19th, available for pre-order August 9th.

There's also a press release in the video's description:

Michael Monroe's dirty and dangerous new album "One Man Gang" is set for release on October 18th 2019.  The title track is the 1st single to be released.

A genuine rock star since birth, Michael Monroe innately knows exactly how to sing, swagger and walk the most glamorous and colourful of walks. One Man Gang, the former Hanoi Rocks man’s brand new offering on Silver Lining Music, is all about the fun of Friday nights, seven days a week, letting your hair down (or up!) for a dirty, dangerous, damn good time, and embracing a total escape into the rock ‘n’ roll dream.

Recorded and mixed by Petri Majuri at E-Studio in Sipoo, Finland over three weeks in March 2018, the 12-song record was mixed that following Autumn with Monroe and band-mates Rich Jones and Steve Conte on production duties. 

With stunning presence, Monroe’s vocals blaze their unique trail across catchy, low-slung guitars mixing with saxophones, harmonicas and trumpets, plus a smorgasbord of exciting hooks and melodies. One Man Gang is old-skool strut with rudely fresh vigour. 

The title-track’s bombastic bar-room blitz (featuring a guest appearance by Captain Sensible of The Damned) is a valuable reminder that even if born in the gutter, you must always look to the stars.

“It sometimes seems like everybody’s pissing on their own parade,” says Monroe, “whether that’s voting stupid people into power and then complaining about them or whatever, but I’m all about living with a P.M.A. – positive mental attitude – and I’ll never allow myself to be forced away from that.”

Then there’s “Last Train To Tokyo”, with the sort of sticky-yet-crispy riff that was designed to take over radios from Japan to Jamaica.

“In the ‘80s, Hanoi Rocks had a very special relationship with Japan,” explains Monroe, “and it will always be one of my favourite countries.  Plus, they still live for rock ‘n’ roll as it should be celebrated, they still have physical product, they still make it crazy, exhausting and really exciting every time you go there, which I am really grateful for.”

With the further electric likes of “Junk Planet”, “Hollywood Paranoia” and “Wasted Years” on board, One Man Gang is going to smash down doors and give the rock ‘n’ roll scene a swift, and necessary, kick up the ass. 

Michael Monroe will soon be striding back towards the arenas he was born to be in, and everything you see is everything you get.

“I do what I do and I’ll never change,” says Monroe, “I don’t dress any different on or off stage because this is who I am… this is the real me.”

ONE MAN GANG TRACK LISTING:

1.      One Man Gang

2.      Last Train To Tokyo

3.      Junk Planet

4.      Midsummer Nights

5.      The Pitfalls Of Being An Outsider

6.      Wasted Years

7.      In The Tall Grass

8.      Black Ties And Red Tape

9.      Hollywood Paranoia

10.    Heaven Is A Free State

11.    Helsinki Shakedown

12.    Low Life In High Places

Available on CD, Coloured Vinyl, Digital formats and as special D2C editions, pre-orders available from Aug 9th 

RECORDED AND MIXED AT: E-Studio in Sipoo, Finland 

PRODUCED BY: Michael Monroe, Rich Jones and Steve Conte. 

RECORDED, MIXED AND ENGINEERED BY: Petri Majuri 

BAND LINE-UP: 

Michael Monroe - vocals, sax and harmonica

Rich Jones - guitar and vocals 

Steve Conte - guitar and vocals 

Sami Yaffa - bass 

Karl Rockfist - drums

Guest appearances from Captain Sensible (lead guitar on “One Man Gang”), Nasty Suicide (lead guitar on “Wasted Years”), Eicca Toppinen (cello on “Low Life In High Places”) and Tero Saarti (trumpet on “Heaven Is A Free State”).

Catch 'Em While You Can - Radkey

Radkey in Paradiso 2019, Photo by Susana Martins

I want to write about a band I have very high hopes for, they’re one of my favorite bands around right now (and I’m not just saying that because as of writing this they’re my first & only twitter followers), they make great records and kick-ass & take names live.  

Radkey are three brothers from St. Joseph, Missouri who say they are on a quest to help save the world from false rock. 

They’re doing great so far.

Dee Radke (guitar and lead vocals) Isaiah Radke (bass) and Solomon Radke (drums) formed their band in 2010 and have been gradually knee-sliding and pogoing towards a bigger fanbase. They cut their teeth playing festivals & going on tour, releasing singles & E.P.’s on their own label Little Man Records. These first releases are mostly no-nonsense punk reminiscent of early Misfits and Ramones. Dee’s baritone voice and chainsaw riffs, Isaiah’s 200mph basslines and Solomon’s super-tight drumming make them a force to be reckoned with. 

In 2014 a Spotify Sessions live recording was released, it perfectly showcases Radkey’s capability and sheer energy of their live shows. What it fails to convey though is the fullness of Radkey’s sound, I’ve seen them live twice in Paradiso, Amsterdam and both times I was engulfed in the richness of their guitar & bass sound.

2015 saw the release of their first full length record “Dark Black Makeup”. Producer Ross Orton helped the band to polish their sound and, (I can’t remember where I read this) taught the band it’s okay to slow some songs down. The result is a more mature, but in no way less fun, record on which Radkey really found their own sound. Title track “Dark Black Makeup” is an instant classic for a new generation of punk kids. For “Hunger Pain” the band went out of their comfort zone & it paid off. They slowed things way down here and get groovy in the verses followed by a big chorus perfect to sing along to. There’s enough high octane tracks to be found though, “Le Song”, “Song of Solomon” & especially “Glore” will get crowds off their feet anywhere.

The following year, Another Century Records reissued the album with two bonus tracks under the titel "Delicious Rock Noise".

Last year Radkey started putting out new singles online, later combining them in the “No Strange Cats…P.A.W” E.P. The songs once again show great progress in their writing and more variety in their songs. Tracks like “Junes” and “Basement” have big hit potential. “Spiders” and “Rock & Roll Homeschool” can and will melt your face off. Opening track “P.A.W” is the perfect protest song for this age of hate-mongering politicians and the increasing gap between rich & poor. 

"'P.A.W.' is a song mostly about “Redlining” and how shitty it feels to be considered less than others. It’s about the times when you’re reminded of that fact. The feeling that you’re always being watched." - Isaiah Radke.

Radkey is a hard working band that tours non-stop their sound a breath of fresh air while not shying away from the music that inspired them, this creates their own unique sound which I’m sure a lot of people will start hearing more of sooner rather than later.   

When you see their name on a marquee or poster at your local venue I urge you to go check them out while you can because I honestly believe Radkey is one more album away from, say, opening a stadium tour for a band like Foo Fighters.

Get their records: https://radkey.merchcentral.com/

Listen to "Strange Cats...P.A.W" on Spotify (I hope there will be a physical release of this):

ShouldaWouldaCoulda #1 - Dr. Boogie

Photo: Jeremy White

To kick things off I want to write about one of the previously mentioned bands that quit before I had ever heard about them. 

The first song I heard hit me like a freight train and I instantly fell head over heels for this band. Fast & loose guitar riffs with a rhythm section tight and full of swagger, raspy vocals delivered with attitude & conviction. Hand claps, horns & honky tonk piano added for extra flavor, these guys played pure rock n’ roll.

Dr. Boogie was founded in L.A. in 2014 & released their first E.P. the same year. The self titled release consist of 3 sizzling hot tracks that wouldn’t seem misplaced on a Faces record. 

The next year saw the release of their first, and sadly only, full length record “Gotta Get Back to New York City” through Dead Beat Records. Opening with the title track, a blast of guitar violence & a chorus so infectious you can’t help wanting to yell along until your vocal-chords bleed. There’s not a dull moment on this record, every single song delivers down n’ dirty rock n’ roll in the vein of the Faces & New York Dolls.

Dr. Boogie released a couple more great singles after the album, “She’s So Tuff”, “Peanut Butter Blues” through Spaghetty Town Records, and most recently “Bad Situation/I Need a Gun” in 2018. Three months later they announced the band had quit.

This is one of those bands that would’ve been huge if only they were around a couple of decades ago. Dr. Boogie delivered quality devil-may-care rawk. I hope to find out when these guys have new bands going.

Get their records: https://shop.dead-beat-records.com/collections/dr-boogie

Gotta Get Back to New York City on Spotify: 

 

Why This Blog?

Recently I was searching the internet and Spotify for some cool new bands to listen to and found I was having a hard time finding songs to add to my playlists. Once again I was getting frustrated by inaccurate similar-to’s & horrible recommended-for-you’s.

Not giving up and jonesing to be blown away by something I hadn’t heard before, after some time I finally struck gold! My patience was rewarded and I found a couple of bands I really dug, my appetite was now being satiated by awesome singles, E.P.’s and albums. 

While listening I started doing my usual research about the artists, where are they from? How long have they been playing? What bands did they play in before this? Have they released more stuff than there’s on Spotify (the answer to that is usually yes, and I often find people’s best work isn’t on the platform) etc.

And of course the million dollar question, any new music being written or recorded? Shows or tours coming up? Sadly I found out that more than half of the bands I just discovered had already called it quits.

This was not the first time this has happened to me and it always really bums me out. And what pisses me off even more is that so little is being written about their music. This while bands & records that have been around forever keep on being praised, reviewed and played to death on the radio.

So I decided to take it upon myself to help spread the word about new bands & records and lament the ones that aren’t around anymore who I believe should’ve gotten more recognition.