Rain Parade - Crashing Dream on CD

Just discovered that Rain Parade's final official LP, Crashing Dream, is going to be released on CD on 23rd November 2009. Undoubtedly the best of the Paisley Underground bands, they were the first band I ever went to see. It was 14th October 1985 at The Electric Ballroom in Camden and I was just 17. They were fantastic and I think this LP came out a short while later. Needless to say it was roundly slagged by the music press and didn't fare too well. I thought it was great then and I still love it now. My only gripe was the cover which showed the band members submerged in a swimming pool. The back cover had a really cool picture of a wrecked car and I hope they have the sense to switch them around for the CD release. It's out on Lemon Records, a sub division of Cherry Red who say that it will have enhanced artwork and liner notes by some guy who seems to write about metal bands more than anything else! Sadly, former band leader Matt Piucci doesn't seem to know anything about it. Do yourself a favour and pre order now from Amazon.

Mellow Drunk - One Thousand Lights

Mellow Drunk's fabulous third album, One Thousand Lights will finally be released on 27th October 2008 by Berlin based label Vollwert Records who describe it thus:

A great new Album with rockin' and rollin' tunes and a

big touch of melancholy.

Leigh Gregory the great San Francisco Singer/Songwriter

played with his band a modern Independent Rock Sound with a great

touch of Californian coolness.

For me this is definitely the album of the year. Buy it now!

Mellow Drunk - One Thousand Lights

One Thousand Lights is the third, currently unreleased LP by Mellow Drunk. Recorded in 2005/2006, it is only available as a podcast on Podbean and Itunes. It is such a rare treat these days for me to get excited about a new record but I discovered this band towards the end of last year and this is just great. I can't believe that they don't appear to have a record deal. Looking at leader Leigh Gregory's site seems to suggest that he's moved on from Mellow Drunk but it would be a crime if this brilliant recording wasn't put out by someone.

Mellow Drunk

Mellow Drunk. What can I say about my new favourite band? Discovered purely by chance whilst searching for info about another old favourite of mine, Rain Parade. It's not entirely clear whether they still exist and their fantastic third LP, One Thousand Lights, is currently only available as a Podcast. Great tunes sung in world weary tones by Leigh Gregory (think Peter Perrett of The Only Ones) surrounded by multi layered spine tingling guitar provided by Ricky Maymi of The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Psychedelia tinged rock that recalls the best of the Paisley Underground but brings it bang up to date. They have been compared to The Church & Black Rebel Motorcycle Club amongst others but the two albums that I have heard so far surpass these bands. Searching the internet can net you at least an LP's worth of free tracks to sample but here is somewhere to start;
Powered by iSOUND.COM

That's How People Grow Up

I've just heard a stream of Morrissey's new single, That's How People Grow Up that will apparently be released on his new label Decca on 4th February 2008 and it's really rather good. It's a Morrissey/Boorer composition and getting back with his old writing partner might have a lot to do with it.
You could listen to it here; www.myspace.com/rhamphorhynchusistheone
but now it's gone! Available in multiple formats as always, but only one CD and two 7'' singles. Is vinyl the new CD?
The Greatest Hits LP follows on 11th February.

Morrissey v NME - Getting old?

I have been a fan and follower of Morrissey since 1985 or thereabouts, so over twenty years, and throughout that time he has courted controversy. In the early nineties he had a massive falling out with the NME who suggested he might be a racist. Morrissey had draped himself in a Union Jack at a Madness gig in front of a crowd of skinheads and been bottled off for his trouble. Now he has done it again, suggesting to some cub reporter that England has lost it's identity due to immigration and that you are unlikely to hear an English voice if you walk down Knightsbridge. Morrissey has made a statement in the Guardian (rock 'n' roll !) putting his case and describing NME as devious, truculent and unreliable. Hang on a moment..... Isn't that how a certain Judge described Morrissey when ruling against him in the action brought by his former rhythm section for stiffing them over their royalties?
I don't believe that Morrissey is a racist and he still inspires my admiration. He still writes a great song or two ( one or two per album in recent times) but he should really know better. He sounds like my Dad and the fact that I have sympathy with his opinions suggests I'm getting old.
He wouldn't have come out with this stuff in 1985 and I wouldn't have expected him to for a second. But then he has lived in LA and Rome for that last several years and has another Greatest Hits album coming out soon and the NME's readership is flagging.