Damage Limitation and the Junk Yard Blues Rosey R*E*P*E*A*T snatches a few minutes to do some edge of summer
listening and reading...
The Drums - Forever & Ever Amen
When I first heard this, I wasn't so sure – too fey, too limp wristed,
too flower-filled like a reject from a C86 compilation. But on hearing
it meandering out of the radio on a nearly-summer day, it's harmonic
hook noodling around like the eternal longing of a distant memory of
lost memory, well then it sounded poppy and perfect. At least until
the next summer storm, and The Drums backlash.
The Sound Of Pop Art (England in June)
I shouldn't say too much about this one as I recorded half of it in
the legendary R*E*P*E*A*T Music Shack, situated in a secret location
in darkest Arbury. However I can say that anyone who enjoys English
Pop music as practised by the likes of The Kinks, Syd Barrett and Paul
Weller will enjoy this. The songs are very strong, the instrumentation
lush, the vocals are packed with soul and the harmonies spot on (the
recording engineer was pretty good too!). In short, this mellow collection
sounds like a lost pot pourri of perfect pop gems, ideal for the summer
listening 'of Beat Bohemian Music Lovers Worldwide” A record I'm
very proud to have been involved with.
Black Velvet #64 www.blackvelvetmagazine.com
First up in a two part set of long-standing, highly admirable zines
is the thinking rockers glossy quarterly Bible, Black Velvet. This issue
is packed with reviews, features, interviews, opinions and more : You
Me At Six, Lost Prophets, Boys Like Girls, Halestorm, Mayday Parade,
Forever the Sickest Kids, Airbourne, Twenty Twenty, The Dangerous Summer
and Fireworks all receive detailed coverage, but it's the space reserved
for smaller bands, labels and zines which makes a magazine like this,
written for fans by fans, so vital. Long may it continue.
Zabadak #25 www.davedeedozybeakymickandtich.nl/index.php/zabadak-magazine Part two in our series, Zabadak is just as worthy in its
scope as Black Velvet, even if it is rather different in its conception.
Coming out about once a year, it delves beneath the frothy surface of
popular culture to investigate music of lasting quality from Britain,
Europe and around the world. Issue 25 spends a lot of time dealing with
the sad passing of Dave Dee with a thoughtful tribute article and a
selection of obituaries. There's also some more upbeat interviews, articles
and reviews featuring the likes of Fiel Garvie, Tarzen, Marianne Segal,
Pills by Post, Roger Simian (Dawn of the Replicants), Long Blondes,
Keith Hopwood (Herman's Hermits) and too many more for me to do justice
to here. Ron is a man who takes his music seriously but still likes
to have fun, and Zabadak is a fine testament to his effort, enthusiasm
and knowledge. Certainly worth checking out by anyone of a similar mind
set.
