These are my top five shows of 2021. I hope to see more than 30 bands in 2022, but the future is now – so let’s get to it.
#5: Ty Segall – Psycho Music Festival – August 20th
Playing on a stage atop a wave pool, Ty Segall and his band put on one of the loudest, fiercest sets of the 2021 Psycho Music Festival. The power coming across the water was stunning.
Clutch are always a top tier live band, and this show kept their reputation intact. They played a few new cuts and a lot of stuff from early in their catalogue they hadn’t played in a long while.
I’m not sure I saw a more delighted crowd at any show in 2021. Everyone stopped caring about the heat and humidity, the overpriced food, and the terrible screamo bands on the lineup and started cheering, dancing, and singing.
This set stunned everyone at the Mandalay House of Blues. It was my first time seeing FATW live, and the first time many in the crowd had heard them. It was their first gig in two years, and they came out gunning. I heard someone in another crowd later raving about them and telling everyone he could to listen to them. I can’t put it better than that.
Holy crap. Osees closed the 2021 Psycho Music Festival’s outdoor stage on the last night of the four-night festival. They went bonkers. Yes, I know every Osees show is bonkers, but you could tell they had a lot of pent-up energy from not being able to play in front of a crowd for two years. People were charging through the wading pool in front of the stage, throwing beer buckets full of water on each other, or stumbling backwards on the beach as the wall of sound hit us like a bulldozer.
Everyone stay healthy in 2022 so we can see more shows.
In 2017 Midnight Oil returned from a long hiatus with a sweat drenched pub gig at the legendary Sydney venue, Selina’s. In the middle of that special set, frontman Peter Garrett borrowed some famous lines, exhorting “rage, rage, against the dying of the light”. And that’s exactly what they’ve done ever since. They sold out 77 shows in 16 countries on their epic “Great Circle” tour. They toured Europe again, did a memorable gig in the outback, then returned to the studio for the first time in over 18 years and recorded 20 new songs. The first batch of that material, The Makarrata Project, debuted at #1 on the same weekend that longtime bass player Bones Hillman sadly died. Despite that profound blow, and a global pandemic, the band and their First Nations Collaborators still mounted their acclaimed “Makarrata Live” shows early this year – championing the Uluru Statement and highlighting ongoing injustices suffered by First Nations people.
Today Midnight Oil announced that this chapter of their career will come to a memorable close next year with the release of the other 12 new songs they recorded with Bones and a series of big gigs. Both are aptly titled Resist.
The band also announced that this will be their final concert tour while making it clear that this does not mean the end of the Oils. Each of the members will continue their own projects over the years ahead. They remain very open to recording new music together in future and supporting causes in which they believe but this will be their last tour.
Meanwhile Resist will be a fitting, forward looking, statement for a band whose clarion call has always been “it’s better to die on your feet than live on your knees”. The tour will see them performing classic Midnight Oil songs from across their repertoire while also showcasing some urgent new works. As the title makes abundantly clear, Resist engages with the issues of today and tomorrow – like the lead single “Rising Seas” which tackles the climate crisis in typically uncompromising fashion.
The album pre-order and Australasian tickets will go on-sale from next Tuesday 30 November. Dates, venues and all other info is listed at midnightoil.com/tour. A handful of international concerts is also being considered (subject to Covid restrictions).
Rob Hirst says: “If I look back, I see a blur of familiar names and faces: Jim, Pete, Martin, Bear and me, slamming loud prog-pop in a Chatswood garage; Giffo, magnificent, rocking back and forth at his first Royal Antler gig; Bonesy, headphones on, singing, lounging on the deck learning our catalogue.
I see our managers in their offices – Gary, Zev and John; our tour managers in their cars and buses – Constance, Neil, and Willie Mac; our producers in their studios, Keith, Lez, Glyn, Nick and Warne; and our crew on countless stages, Michael, Oysters, Ozzy, Doc, Nick, Jock, Gerry – and so many more.
I see our folks-in-the-engine-room that the outside world has never seen: Stephanie, Wayne, Diana, Arlene, Jonesy, Craig, Geoff H, Chris P, Peter T, and Mel C.
I see our wives and trusted friends, and the tiny faces of the ‘Baby Oils’, watching us from side of stage, from Sydney to Sao Paulo to Saskatoon.
But mostly, blinded by stage lights, I see the first two rows of a thousand gigs: Midnight Oil fans, pumping, jumping, singing louder than the band.
But I don’t look back.”
Peter Garrett says: “We all know time refuses to stand still for anyone but after many years together the band’s spirit is deep, the music and words are strong, and our ideas and actions as bold as we can make them. We’ve reached people in ways we never could have imagined. Our desire to create and speak out is undimmed. We hope everyone who hears this album and gets to one of the shows will come away charged up about the planet’s future, saying ‘why stop now?’. Having always tackled every tour like it’s the last – this time it actually will be.”
Jim Moginie says “We’ve played intensely physical gigs since our humble beginnings back in 1977 and we never want to take even the slightest risk of compromising that. A lot has happened over the last five years. Much has been achieved and with the passing of Bones much has been lost, so it now feels like we’re at the end of a cycle.
These will be sad and beautiful gigs but luckily we’re still capable of blowing the roof off any stage and that’s what we intend to do. You could call this a farewell tour, but Midnight Oil will still continue in some form or other as we’re brothers, family. We stand as one, dependent on each other and grateful in all the important ways that make great bands great.”
Martin Rotsey says: “A huge thank you to all our fans around the world. We’ve shared so much together from the swelter of Sydney pubs to magical nights under starry skies. Your energy took us further than we could ever have dreamed.
To those down the front in the maelstrom, those at the back of the room singing their hearts out, and all of those onstage, backstage, and back home who helped make everything possible, we send our thanks.”
From the northern beaches of Sydney to the streets of Manhattan, they have stopped traffic, inflamed passions, inspired fans, challenged the concepts of “business as usual” and broken much new ground. Seeing Midnight Oil in full flight is to experience the kinetic power of live rock’n’roll. They leave you inspired to live life more passionately and to Resist.
Midnight Oil calls for governments to urgently take serious actions that reduce carbon pollution. This tour will embrace best practices for emission reductions and offsetting. A portion of proceeds will be set aside for organizations seeking to elevate the existential threat posed by the climate crisis.
Members of Midnight Oil’s mailing list will have exclusive first access to Australian tickets. Anyone who signs up by 5pm Monday November 29, will receive a dedicated email later that evening, containing the presale ticketing link and password which can be used to purchase up to 8 tickets per show. Presales are expected to sell out quickly so fans are strongly advised to make sure they are logged into the ticketing agency website prior to the onsale times. Members of the General Public, including anyone who missed out on the presale, will then have access to tickets from Wednesday December 1. See below for ticketing information, and visit midnightoil.com/tour for specific show dates and information.
In addition to these shows, the band has already announced special appearances in Tasmania for Mona Foma 2022 and at Byron Bay Bluesfest next Easter. Details about those festival events at monafoma.net.au and bluesfest.com.au
MOTÖRHEAD…a life force, an energy, an attitude and the loudest, meanest, dirtiest music to smash the 20th and 21st centuries. With a bastard sound comprising an unholy synergy of rock, punk and heavy metal, MOTÖRHEAD comes coated in relentless, ear-curdling power. They were life-changing for millions, carrying a spirit and approach to life and music which proudly said, “Honey, we’re hoooome and don’t bother cleaning because we’re here to enjoy ourselves!” The ‘off’ switch was never employed in the MOTÖRHEAD lust for life, and they became legends as a result.
Leading the charge for their entire 40 year career was the cultural icon Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister, who swashbuckled around stages, streets and overseas like a glorious Mad Max pirate truthsayer, roaring for the good and screaming at the wankers. With his propulsive sound and lyrical might leading the charge, MOTÖRHEAD released 22 studio albums over those four decades, amassing chart topping records worldwide, a Grammy award and racking up around 20 million sales. Their hit song “Ace Of Spades” became MOTÖRHEAD’s anthem, perfectly capturing their attitude for millions, and punching giant holes in stereos worldwide to this day. Nothing was harder, nothing was faster, nothing packed more raw attitude and certainly nothing was louder, making MOTÖRHEAD a cultural elixir that was regularly imbibed across all genre lines. Don’t take our word for it, look around any heavy metal, punk or alternative gig, and you’ll see the indomitable warpig logo and MOTÖRHEAD gothic script on a t-shirt, a jacket, even an arm or leg or back (MOTÖRHEAD tattoos are everywhere), all sitting on the bodies of rockers, metalheads, punks, bikers, rebels, outcasts, freethinkers and even athletes all around the world. Yeah, that’s right, MOTÖRHEAD’s cultural reach remains virtually peerless to this very day (the one you’re living right now as you read this), and it continues to span fans young and old, igniting their adrenaline and giving them both entertainment and identity.
MOTÖRHEAD are proud to announce they are teaming up with MÖVEMBER for their annual fundraising campaign this year. Supporters are encouraged to ‘shave down’ on 31st October and grow a moustache – or in this case your very own ‘Lemmy Mo’, through the month of November, to raise funds and awareness. All funds go directly toward supporting men’s health projects across mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
By joining team MOTÖRHEAD and growing your own Lemmy Mo’ you’ll be raising much needed funds for MÖVEMBER and all the great work that they do. The biggest fundraisers will have a chance to win a selection of very special MOTÖRHEAD prizes!
Everything Louder Forever This collection is the definitive assembly of MOTÖRHEAD songs which have created this cultural phenomenon, and represents the first time all eras of the band’s recorded history have been represented in one place. And we feel that if in this mad, mad world we’re living in, some aliens decide to drop by your house for tea and demand an explanation as to, “what the fuck is this ‘MOTÖRHEAD’ is that we keep hearing and feeling bits of in our extra-terrestrial houses millions of miles away,” you could happily play Everything Louder Forever and know that the question will be thoroughly answered. Buy two copies though, because you know they won’t leave without taking one themselves! Or something like that anyway…
The liner notes of Donald Fagen‘s 1982 masterpiece, The Nightfly, state, “The songs on this album represent certain fantasies that might have been entertained by a young man growing up in the remote suburbs of a northeastern city during the late fifties and early sixties, i.e., one of my general height, weight and build.”
It’s tempting to call this a Steely Dan album, since Fagen is the lead singer on the album and many of the studio musicians he assembled for it played on multiple Steely Dan records, but the album is truly all his own. After all, it’s about him growing up in that remote suburb and dreaming of a bright future, such as the one described in the instant hit “I.G.Y. (International Geophysical Year)” in lyrics like “Here at home we’ll play in the city, powered by the sun. Perfect weather for a streamlined world. There’ll be spandex jackets for everyone.” Fagen’s synths and the entire horn section (Randy Brecker, Dave Tofani, Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, and Dave Bargeron) gel so well that it makes your jaw drop.
Speaking of jaw-dropping, Chuck Rainey‘s bass work on “Green Flower Street” is a thing of wonder (and Larry Carlton‘s guitar solo is no slouch). “Ruby Baby” has Fagen professing his love for a woman who doesn’t love him, but he’s determined to win her heart. “Maxine” is a tribute to another woman Fagen knew when he was in school (“We’ve got to hold out till graduation. Try to hang on, Maxine.” The song is a sweet ballad (with jazz piano from Greg Phillinganes), with Fagen telling his paramour that one day they’ll jet to Mexico City or move to Manhattan to escape the urban sprawl…but you’re not sure if it’s just wishful thinking. Michael Brecker’s tenor sax solo is top notch on it.
“New Frontier” is a fun tribute to summer parties in the fallout shelter built by Fagen’s dad (“We’ve got provisions and lots of beer. The key word is survival on the new frontier.”), one of which is attended by a blonde who has “a touch of Tuesday Weld.” Fagen immediately tries to make time with her, claiming he’s moving to the big city “to learn design and study overseas” and that they’re both into Dave Brubeck. Starz Vanderlocket‘s percussion on the track is so hip that it’s almost criminal.
The title track is a slick ode to the late night jazz and talk radio Fagen heard growing up in the NYC suburbs. “The Goodbye Look” is a sultry tale of either a break-up or a professional hit – possibly both – as Fagen sings about “a small reception just for me behind the big casino by the sea. I know what happens. I read the book. I believe I just got the goodbye look.” The hand percussion, bass, and vibes bring in a Caribbean flair and Carlton’s guitar solo is so groovy that it makes you want to drink a cocktail with an umbrella in it. Fagen saves some of his best organ chops for the closer, “Walk Between Raindrops,” a fun, jazzy number with a killer bass line from Will Lee. The whole song sounds like it was a blast to record.
The whole album does, really, and the sound quality of it is astounding. Every note is perfect.
Keep your mind open.
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This ten-track live recording of a Buzzcocks concert in Paris, France from April 1995 clocks in at barely over half an hour and packs more punch than a show four times that length by most other bands.
Starting with Pete Shelley yelling / singing “I Don’t Know What to Do with My Life” (the theme of pretty much everyone at various stages of existence), the band tears off to a great start with hammering drums by Phil Barker that sound like they might get pounded through the floor, crazy bass from Tony Barber, and walls of guitars from Shelley and Steve Diggle falling on you.
There’s barely a moment to catch your breath before “Love You More.” Diggle’s “Autonomy” comes at you like WWII fighter planes on a strafing run. You can feel the crowd is ready to burst (pun intended) during the opening guitar hum of “Orgasm Addict” – one of the best punk tracks to ever come out of the UK. “Promises” is a great example of the way Shelley and Diggle could write punk love songs.
“When Love Turns Around” is another great example, this one of the way Buzzcocks can groove. “Ever Fallen in Love (with Someone You Shouldn’t Have Fallen in Love With)” is Shelley’s fiery rocker about heartache and sexual confusion, and they up the fuzz on this version. “What Do I Get” is a perfect follow-up, with Shelley claiming / demanding, “I just want a lover like any other. What do I get?”).
“Oh Shit!” is one of their fiercest flip-offs, and they come back on for an encore of “Fast Cars” (which, if you weren’t aware, they hate).
It’s over all too soon, but it’s still a lot of fun. Buzzcocks are still touring with Diggle in the lead since Shelley’s death. Catch them if you can.
Keep your mind open.
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Spanning several years in a little over two hours, the First Lady of Rockabilly collection of Wanda Jackson‘s material is a great compilation of her work and further cements her place in rock and music history as one of the premier voices to ever play the game.
Jackson’s influence on rock and country is massive, counting Jack White, The Cramps, and two Elvises – Presley and Costello – among her many devotees. Presley was also her paramour until he split to make movies in 1957.
The collection contains so many hits that I don’t envy whomever had to choose what to put in and what to leave out. “Let’s Have a Party,” her first big hit, was a no-brainer for inclusion, of course. “Fujiyama Mama” is a wild one about how much of a bad ass she is. “Funnel of Love” is another one of her biggest hits, and includes wild elements of exotica and monster surf rock. “Riot in Cell Block Number 9” is, if you ask me, a better tune than “Jailhouse Rock.”
“You Can’t Have My Love” is the first straight-up country track on the compilation (and her first single, which cracked the country charts Top 10 list in 1954), with Jackson strutting her stuff and shooting down a potential suitor who offers her silk and satin, but is soon frustrated by her ignoring him. “I Gotta Know” keeps up the country swing flair. “In the Middle of a Heartache,” a song she co-wrote, proves she had the vocal chops to compete with Patsy Cline when she wasn’t belting out risqué rockers.
“Right or Wrong (I’ll Be with You)” is another Jackson-penned country ballad. Jackson’s voice is so strong and fun that it’s sometimes easy to overlook how good of a songwriter she is. The compilation is loaded with songs she wrote or co-wrote, such as the not-so-subtly naughty “Savin’ My Love,” the sexy growler “Mean, Mean Man,” the swinging, floor-filler “Baby Loves Him,” the witty “Who Shot Sam?”, the solid hit “Rocky Your Baby,” and the slick as Bryl-Creem “Cool Love.”
“Hard-Headed Woman” includes a solo from legendary country performer / guitarist Roy Clark that will make your head spin. Her cover of Billy Crudup / Elvis Presley’s “My Baby Left Me” has extra bite to it considering Jackson’s relationship with the King of Rock and Roll. The drum beats on “Sticks and Stones” are hot as a griddle. Her covers of Neil Sedaka‘s “Fallin'” and “Stupid Cupid” are fun, hip-swaying rockers.
“There’s a Party Goin’ On” starts off the second half of the set with a great, rollicking floor stomper. “Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad” is a groovy story about Jackson having dalliances with other lovers to make her man appreciate him more – a story about FemDom when such a topic was taboo. Jackson’s vocals on “Cryin’ Thru the Night” would give Hank Williams a run for his money.
“It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” and “I’d Rather Have You” are lovely country ballads, and “Tears at the Grand Ole Opry” is a barely disguised tale of sexism at the iconic music venue. “Long Tall Sally” brings everyone to the dance floor and the collection closes with the appropriately titled “Man, We Had a Party.”
The whole collection is fun, and it works well as an introduction to Jackson’s work or as an addition to anyone’s collection of her records.
No, you didn’t miss three posts. I only attended day four of Chicago’s annual Riot Fest this year, and it was the first Riot Fest I’d attended. A friend scored some free tickets, and far be it from me to pass up a chance to see Devo and The Flaming Lipson the same bill.
This was the hottest music festival I’ve attended in a long while. There was little shade to be had, but sunscreen and taking frequent breaks between sets meant not suffering too much. A freshly made fruit smoothie from a vegan food vendor did me wonders.
The first set we caught was by The Gories, who opened one of the main stages. They sounded loud and dirty, and I’d love to see them in a small venue, but I’m glad I finally got to see these Detroit punk legends.
The Gories!
We walked around Douglas Park and discovered the festival was widely spread out. Food vendors were in one far corner, while a smaller fifth stage was seemingly a half-mile away in the opposite corner. You’d think they’d wheel out some portable light posts with all that room, but no.
Up next were HEALTH, and one of my friends fell in love with them upon hearing their industrial set under sun so bright that their bassist / synth player had to cover his keyboards with trash bags so he could read the digital displays on them.
The sun wasn’t healthy if you weren’t wearing sunscreen that day.
After a nice break under a tree, we trotted over to the smallest stage to see Chicago noise rockers Melkbelly, who played a fun set that included a cover of Pixies‘ “Gigantic” in an attempt to make up for Pixies cancelling their tour this summer. They were so out of practice with performing live shows due to the pandemic that they forgot their merchandise in their van.
Melkbelly playing to a lot of local fans.
I scored some chicken tenders that were average at best while my friends scored an elephant ear. Riot Fest has carnival rides on site, and I can only imagine how many drunk attendees regret getting on them over the course of the weekend.
We returned to the Rebel Stage to see Bleached perform their first set in two years (according to them, and a running theme for live shows everywhere this year), right after a guy walked by us peddling mushrooms to anyone who wanted them. They sounded great, and I would’ve liked to have stayed for the whole set, but Devo was calling…
Bleached having a fun time in the sun.
The stage was packed for Devo, complete with a mosh pit and crowd surfers. It was a fun set in which they played nearly the entire Freedom of Choice album. The whole crowd was happy and still buzzing afterwards. One guy was high-fiving people and telling them, “You just saw Devo!” It was the first time my friend, Amy, had seen them. She said she smiled so much during the set that her cheeks hurt afterwards. A delight for me and my friend (and Amy’s cousin), Brian, was getting to hear Devo’s cover of “Secret Agent Man” live for the first time. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to hear it.
De-evolution is real!
Brian and I stuck around for the Flaming Lips‘ set. Brian hadn’t seen them before, and we couldn’t get close to the stage by they started – mainly due to them starting right after Devo’s set. It was still a good set, and nearly the same as when I saw them at Psycho Music Festival. Wayne Coyne encouraged everyone to take care of each other and stay healthy so live music can continue. Amen to that.
The Flaming Lips blowing sun-baked minds.
It was a good time (and Brian’s first music festival, no less), but would I go back? The short answer is, “I don’t know.” There were a lot of bad bands on the bill on day four, and I don’t think the other three days were much better. A lot of the bands playing the various stages sounded like Rage Against the Machine rip-offs, screamo nonsense, or pop-garbage. We got the hell out of there before Slipknot and Machine Gun Kelly started their sets and laughed as we passed a guy selling nitrous oxide balloons outside the park. I might return if the lineup gets better, and they’ve already announced another Misfits reunion for 2022, but Douglas Park-area residents won’t be happy about it…
Savage Young Dü from Hüsker Dü is a four-LP / three-CD compilation by Numero Group of early tracks from the band, spanning 1979-1983. It’s jam-packed (69 tracks, 47 of which have never before been released, and there are scores more they could still put on another compilation – let’s hope so) with demos, live cuts, B-sides, and remastered cuts of their first singles and EPs. It’s essential for any fan of the band, or early 1980s punk rock, and completely bonkers. The booklet inside the set is a wealth of information, too, with interviews and stories from the band members (Grant Hart – drumsand vocals, Greg Norton – bass, Bob Mould – guitar and vocals) and many of their friends and early engineers / producers.
The first track is a demo version of “Do You Remember?” and it’s an instant classic with Norton’s chugging bass and snotty, bratty vocals from Mould while Hart tries to knock down the walls of the record store basement where they recorded it. “Sore Eyes” could’ve been a Buzzcocks track, and it’s neat to hear the band trying different musical styles and exploring multiple influences in these early tracks before settling into their “go like hell and blow out the speakers” sound. “Can’t See You Anymore” has Hart telling a girl he can’t date her anymore because she’s wants too much sex.
By the time we get to “Do the Bee” a couple tracks later, the band is already going nuts and screaming from the basement floor (while writhing around on it, according to the story listed in the booklet). Their cover of The Heartbreakers‘ “Chinese Rocks” is delightfully sludgy. A “rehearsal” version of “Data Control” has Norton’s bass tuned so heavy it could sideline for a doom metal band.
The live version of the fun “Insects Rule the World” ends with Mould proclaiming, “We’re not the most professional band in the Twin Cities,” but Hüsker Dü would go on to become one of the big three powerhouses of that area (along with Prince and The Replacements). The live cut of “Sexual Economics” has a cool post-punk edge to the rusty knife sound of it, and Mould’s solo is great.
“Statues” and “Amusement” are two early classics. The venue where the live version of “Walk within the Wounded” was recorded can barely contain the song. “I’m Tired of Doing Things Your Way” sounds like a fist fight is going to break out at any second. It probably did during “All Tensed Up” – a blistering cut. “Don’t Try to Call” goes by so fast that you barely have time to breathe before “I’m Not Interested” starts. Mould screams, “Fuck you!” to the small crowd at the end of a live version of the furious “Let’s Go Die.”
Grant’s drumming on a live recording of “Private Hell” is somewhat Devo-like, and his work on the following track, “Diane,” sounds like it inspired Dave Grohl. “In a Free Land” is one of many politically charged Hüsker Dü tracks. “What Do I Want” has so much angst that it makes you want to smash a wall with a hammer. “M.I.C.”, on the other hand, makes you want to smash the whole damn house. “Afraid of Being Wrong” is like being at the wrong end of a dodge ball game and the message is still resonant today.
Their cover of Donovan‘s “Sunshine Superman” is a fun inclusion, with Hart’s vocals and drum work both a hoot. By the time we get to “Everything Falls Apart,” we can hear hints of the future sound of the band. The collection ends with six loud, raucous live tracks, including a somehow even faster version of “Do You Remember?”, a Norton-heavy version of “It’s Not Funny Anymore,” and a version of “It’s Not Fair” that sounds like a 747 taking off in a hailstorm and closes with a minute of bass and guitar feedback before someone at the club shuts off their amps and calls them “one of the greatest hardcore bands in the country.”
This thing is a treasure trove, and not for the timid. It might flatten the unwary. In other words, it’s amazing.
MOTÖRHEAD…a life force, an energy, an attitude and the loudest, meanest, dirtiest music to smash the 20th and 21st centuries. With a bastard sound comprising an unholy synergy of rock, punk and heavy metal, MOTÖRHEAD comes coated in relentless, ear-curdling power. They were life-changing for millions, carrying a spirit and approach to life and music which proudly said, “Honey, we’re hoo-oome and don’t bother cleaning because we’re here to enjoy ourselves!” The ‘off’ switch was never employed in the MOTÖRHEAD lust for life, and they became legends as a result.
Leading the charge for their entire 40 year career was the cultural icon Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister, who swashbuckled around stages, streets and overseas like a glorious Mad Max pirate truthsayer, roaring for the good and screaming at the wankers. With his propulsive sound and lyrical might leading the charge, MOTÖRHEAD released 22 studio albums over those four decades, amassing chart topping records worldwide, a Grammy award and racking up around 20 million sales. Their hit song “Ace Of Spades” became MOTÖRHEAD’s anthem, perfectly capturing their attitude for millions, and punching giant holes in stereos worldwide to this day. Nothing was harder, nothing was faster, nothing packed more raw attitude and certainly nothing was louder, making MOTÖRHEAD a cultural elixir that was regularly imbibed across all genre lines. Don’t take our word for it, look around any heavy metal, punk or alternative gig, and you’ll see the indomitable warpig logo and MOTÖRHEAD gothic script on a t-shirt, a jacket, even an arm or leg or back (MOTÖRHEAD tattoos are everywhere), all sitting on the bodies of rockers, metalheads, punks, bikers, rebels, outcasts, freethinkers and even athletes all around the world. Yeah, that’s right, MOTÖRHEAD’s cultural reach remains virtually peerless to this very day (the one you’re living right now as you read this), and it continues to span fans young and old, igniting their adrenaline and giving them both entertainment and identity.
This collection is the definitive assembly of MOTÖRHEAD songs which have created this cultural phenomenon, and represents the first time all eras of the band’s recorded history have been represented in one place. And we feel that if in this mad, mad world we’re living in, some aliens decide to drop by your house for tea and demand an explanation as to, “what the fuck is this ‘MOTÖRHEAD’ that we keep hearing and feeling bits of in our extra-terrestrial houses millions of miles away,” you could happily play Everything Louder Forever and know that the question will be thoroughly answered. Buy two copies though, because you know they won’t leave without taking one themselves! Or something like that anyway… Everything Louder Forever will be released October 29 via BMG Records. See below for full details of the Everything Louder Forever and be sure to visit www.iMotorhead.com for news and updates!
2CD & 4LP track listing:
Overkill We Are Motörhead Snaggletooth Rock It Orgasmatron Brotherhood Of Man In The Name Of Tragedy Bomber Sacrifice The Thousand Names Of God Love For Sale Killed By Death I’m So Bad (Baby I Don’t Care) Smiling Like A Killer Sharpshooter Queen Of The Damned Keys To The Kingdom Cradle To The Grave Lost Johnny The Game
Ace Of Spades Burner Stone Dead Forever Bad Woman Just Cos You Got The Power Stay Out Of Jail No Class I Am The Sword The Chase Is Better Than The Catch God Save The Queen R.A.M.O.N.E.S. Iron Fist Rock Out Dirty Love Shine Overnight Sensation On Your Feet Or On Your Knees I Ain’t No Nice Guy Sucker 1916 Choking On Your Screams Motörhead
Also available as 2CD, 2LP, 4LP, digital download, streaming and 360 Reality Audio.
I did not expect my first live concert experience post-pandemic to be a show by rock legends ZZ Top, nor did I expect it to be at a county fairgrounds not even an hour’s drive from my house, but the pandemic taught us to expect the unexpected – so I should probably just shut up and get on with reviewing the fun show.
We got to the fair in plenty of time before the show. Our seats were folding chairs on the dirt track where the annual demolition derby is held, as well as other events. There’s also grandstand seating that was probably less crowded and and not muddy – as it had rained earlier that day.
It also rained again, to the point where the show had to be delayed an hour due to the deluge that hit the fair. ZZ Top, minus Dusty Hill, who was home in Texas recovering from a hip injury, took the stage “on time.” Hill was replaced on bass by one of their long-serving guitar techs, Elwood Francis, and he did a fine job. They opened with “Under Pressure,” which is even fuzzier live, rivaling Billy Gibbons‘ epic beard.
It’s sometimes easy to forget how good of a guitarist Gibbons is. He can play anything from blues to psychedelic rock to garage rock. Frank Beard still chops behind a massive drum kit that had an impressive amount of customization on it.
Another impressive thing was the production sound and quality of the show. ZZ Top has a top-notch crew. Most, if not all, of Gibbons’ guitar effects were done remotely off-stage by the crew of with this weird-looking thing on stage left.
Is it an effects pedal coyote?
The show was a “greatest hits” set that also included a fun version of Merle Travis‘ “Sixteen Tons.” The tour is their 50th anniversary tour, and “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs” were, of course, big hits with the crowd. I’d hoped for “TV Dinners,” but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. They did break out the monster fur guitars, however.
It was a fun night, and Dusty Hill died just a few days later. Gibbons and Beard have stated they will continue touring and making music, as it was Hill’s wish that they would.
