Vagabong are simply stoner rock at its best. South Shields based and they provide the kinda sound if Sabbath and Pink Floyd got together for a jam party that lasted for days and days. Their lead guitarist Scott Makepeace informs me that the band formed just as Covid 19 hit us all and they have not actually met up yet in the same room!!!! All songwriting, rehearsals and recordings have taken place remotely and the results are awesome. The members of the band are Scott Makepeace on lead guitar, Kev Magnesh on guitar (and responsible for artwork/videos), Ian Eggy on keys, Jack D Smith on guitar, Dan Millwater on bass and Gavin Spotiswood on drums/percussion.

Unite has that heavy, thunderous sound of layered guitar riffs against a monstrous rhythm of bass and drums but this single also has a few surprises with changes in tempo throughout-very reminicent of some early Sabbath work and it gives an epic overall sound. If this is a short taste of the soon to be released album then bring it on. I am also reminded of the psychedelic sounds of the late 1960’s and the lyrics makes this a real anthem for the lockdown Summer which is nearly with us!!

Bring it on Vagabong we are all waiting

Peace, Love and Cowbells Bassey https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1O8xqDbq3qCoGrXqdqHyKA

From South Wales this duo of talent Ieu Llewellyn and Arron Hopkins bring you a fusion/genre blend of Pop/Indie/Dance and others thrown in to make a great recipe. I have immersed myself in their two releases, ep’s Are We Cool Yet and the more recent Seaside Fridge Magnets and I’m totally hooked. Yes it has elements of Pop and Indie but it is so much more and I can hear influences from Gorillaz, Joy Division, Sudden Sway (don’t worry no one will remember them -unfortunately) and a smattering of Grandaddy.

I’m excited that these guys are not yet truly discovered……..as I know great things will surely come their way with this sound once the lockdown horrors are over and the best is still to come. They have a sound that oozes confidence and some epic tuuuunes that made me play them several times. This is like a great book you want to re read again and again with my favourites Mauve Wednesday and Poetry Traced In Red literally on ‘play again’ meltdown. They have a confidence in their songwriting that allows them to take you on a journey full of surprises. Layer upon layer of sounds that give the journey a change in scenery on each track.

Fake Friends are the real thing. Fake Friends forever!Peace,

Peace, Love and Cowbells-Bassey

https://www.facebook.com/OurFakeFriends/?ref=br_rs

Nottingham has been waiting, waiting for the release of a new single by the multi intrumentalist Bradley Drawn Boy and I’ve been lucky to hear the early release! Out now and you gotta give this track a listen. A 5 minute 30 second track to take you away from all this madness and to a time of the 90’s house genre fused with a dash of shoegaze/alternate rock. The sound is big and epic and leaves you wanting to hear much more. I can hear rhythms of the Happy Mondays and a mood of New Order and it sounds trippy as the layers are laid on you. You gotta hear this on headphones to experience the immense sound that Bradley Drawn Boy has developed and it’s not always easy to dance with plug in headphones-I know cos I tried it!

This may be a do it yourself project but this track will do it for everyone.

Peace, Love and Cowbells,

Bassey

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Ftrack%2F2LnawrLzFz98qPX4DmC2OS%3Fsi%3DhOgkvJz-STGPusiGQ9o-XQ%26fbclid%3DIwAR2i5VTYF_NsfF12Sp3MmDm66oCbuZth8-qna3TSe0rULhhKAJZaESZB1ok&h=AT2VJXsSbJC4MHHn-3aK1Utwhq-1OCp1LesSfY5G9g14_WgHz6NSyOpw4SXLBJMHCd15iCjL9vud_UuVXGbc2r8KsVgfSdncZCR9lV8Ew69DtfJfBVEDkMCJWYN6wLvrcT8SpQ

Greenthrone are influenced by the classic Sludge/Doom rock genre but they do it so well with thunderous bass and guitar riffs and punishing rhythms from a heavy, heavy drummer. Rising from the ashes of Cincinnati Ohio’s Watchfire, founder and guitar/vocalist Danny Bays-wanting to step in the direction of Doom/Sludge/Crust formed Greenthrone in 2010 as a two piece of guitar/vocals and drums. In reaching out to Columbus, Ohio musician and multi instrumentalist of Deadsea and EYE, Lisa Bella Donna to play drums, the Greenthrone demos were recorded in a couple of sessions during 2010 and 2011. During that time another Columbus resident, Michael Sliclen, also of EYE and Tank Destroyer was brought in on bass but work as a 3 piece never materialised. There the tracks remained for 8 years, lurking underground and online. Flash forward to 2020 and yet another Columbus dweller but Conneticut native, this time drummer Charlie Taylor of Infernal Death and Cult Of Frost-approached Danny about resurrecting Greenthrone as a 3 piece. With Michael Sliclen still in the fold, the new and current lineup was formed and work begun on the follow up to these 10 year old demos.

So how have these 10 year old tracks aged?……..unbelievably good. The songs are fresh and as intense as originally laid down. Hear for yourself and prepare to be Doomed.

Peace, Love and Cowbells

Bassey

https://greenthrone.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR3bQFhwhm6hMM37mJrIlknluXj6r_V29d54x30QogkmjFvNI1gkFF0InzU

GREENTHRONE
Danny Bays: guitar/voice Michael Sliclen: bass Charlie Taylor: drums The Greenthrone demos were recorded in Columbus, Ohio during 2010-2011. The new lineup is formed and working on an official follow up as of 2020.
greenthrone.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/greenthroneofdoom/

GREENTHRONE
GREENTHRONE, Columbus, Ohio. 711 likes. The Greenthrone demos available on bandcamp were recorded in Columbus, Ohio during 2010-2011. A new lineup is formed and working on an official follow up as…
http://www.facebook.com

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Mark Filer kindly sent me a soundcloud link to his band’s new single and after one listen I just had to hear more. The band consists of John Stenning, Jordan Walker and Mark Filer and appear to have been around for a couple of years. They have released several tracks already on soundcloud, with an obvious influence for the grunge genre this band also reminded me of a much stripped back sound of Hey Colossus and a hint of Queens of the Stone Age and that’s no bad thing. A thundering bass riff imitates the guitar to give a really tight sound and heavy drumming to give a great rhythm sound which is then complimented by growling vocals. Check out this track and then give a listen to their other soundcloud postings-I particularly liked ‘In The Pocket’ live and ‘Anchovy’ and this band would be really appreciated at the annual ArcTanGent Festival which is held just outside Bristol………maybe next year guys!

Peace, Love and Cowbells,

Bassey

I must confess that I don’t know a lot about Pigeon’s Pocket but after listening to their first 2 track single I definitely want to. The band members come from all over Europe with Sylv on drums, Sam on guitar, Alex on bass and Marge main vocals. They were formed late 2019 and are based in Leeds. This single will be accompanied very soon with an ep and I can’t wait to review it’s release. The members state their influences include the American punk bands Lunachicks, The Distillers and Bikini Kill but these 2 tracks show they have developed their own sounds that are worth serious attention.

I loved both of the songs. Drinking The Tide Away has a monotonous bass riff from Alex that really builds tension and when slight variations are played you feel the impact immediately. The drumming from Sylv is so on it-she relentlessly pounds the rhythm with precision not always heard in Oi Punk and holds it all together and the guitarist moves beyond just power chording his way through the song and onto a much more experimental level…………..and finally Marge on vocals has a raw, gutsy sound that drives the message home and lyrics that have more meaning than many others in this genre. Track 2 Bossman Says at just 1 minute 20 seconds is maybe more typical of the Oi sound but this is still a great song and check it out live on youtube.

I understand that Pidgeon’s Pocket only played one gig in Leeds before the world was hit by this virus but once this lockdown is over I’m gonna go see them and so should you. https://www.facebook.com/PigeonsPocket/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

Peace, Love and Cowbells,

Oscar

I just can’t even understand why anyone would sign off on this. These letters calling for DNR’s came from actual GP’s. People supposed to protect us. The NHS is the best thing this country has to offer I’m not denying that. But in my experience they’ve been terrible when it comes to assisting people with autism. It took years of fighting just to get me diagnosed and I’ve seen no support from them since I had that diagnosis. And now they want to kill us. Innocent people whose only crime was being born.

For those who don’t know, GP’s surgeries throughout the U.K. have handed out “Do Not Resuscitate” letters to an autistic support group. This has quickly been taken back after justified outrage but the fact this even happened is beyond disgusting. It is the most heinous, horrific act of hatred I’ve seen against my people as a whole. Most autistic people receive individual discrimination for who they are from those around them. But rarely do we get attacked as a whole group. I am in shock and fury for good reason. To my fellow autists, have hope, you are not alone, we will not allow this to happen. To the ones who signed off on this, I hope you die a slow death for what you’ve done

Anger, retribution and Cowbells,

Oscar

Fatbwoi has been around for over a decade now and continues to sound great! They have previously been a 3 piece band, gigging around the Midlands but is now a solo artist project and this release demands that you give it some serious attention during this self isolating stage of your lives. The 8 track album will not disappoint and if you like to hear thundering bass, powerful guitar riffs and looping coming at you from everywhere in your music then this is the one for you.

Kicking off with the track ‘Emma’ which will also be the next single, I dare you to not move when the bass kicks in……see it can’t be done. This is how modern power pop should be going with fairly traditional chord progressions but driven by bass and drums to die for and all wrapped up in a tight 3 minute 30 package.

Fatbwoi is a really talented musician, I love the sound he has developed and I can hear the very best influences of Blur and Prodigy throughout. He has described his genre as Fluid Trash Troubadour and although I don’t know what that means, I know I love it! My personal favourites on the album include ‘Emma’,’ The Soulcalibur Song’, ‘Space (Gimme Some)’,’ According To Plan’……….in fact every track is my favourite. Just download the album and judge for yourself.

I just wish this self isolation was over now and I can rush out to see Fatbwoi perform!

Peace, Love and Cowbells,

Bassey

Andrew Brady is a singer songwriter from Dublin and released his album ‘A to B’ in February with the pretty unique approach of recording it entirely on his phone!

It is easy to hear that Andrew has been influenced by the legend Bob Dylan however he has certainly added his own style to the songs and the stripped back sound of just vocals and acoustic guitar gives us real emotion throughout the 12 tracks.

I love the simplistic construction of the songs and the album takes you back to a time when folk songs ruled, to a time before Dylan took to the electric guitar. These songs will move you and take you on an emotional and uncomfortable melancholy journey.

I love Andrew’s raw and emotional approach to his material, folksy and honest and written from the heart. Give this album a listen and I know you will be taken into Andrew’s world for a short time.

Peace, Love and Cowbells,

Bassey

Bassey https://open.spotify.com/album/0NMEw3jXxu1alHd6lJ3Pgo?si=jZ5xQbNzQ1GbTa1JQvd1lQ&fbclid=IwAR0Nf7CkdHiJnBd4N4oZxpaHVcGDAl5V1POon-YUrfG22NKlVyWHhlIgL4g