Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Albums Not Pressed On Vinyl

A few weeks ago you might have seen a post on this website where our buddy Chris, who is also an Instagram celebrity known as Vinyl.Systems, told us ten albums he would love to see pressed onto vinyl. This, of course, got me thinking about ten album that I wish were pressed on the wax so this is what you’re about to read.

Like Chris, I figured I could give a brief history of my vinyl collecting story. I’ve always been a big collector of things. When I get an idea in my head, I often get quite locked on and obsessed by it. I used to have a ridiculous collection of DVDs. At one point my tiny box room at my mum’s looked like a tiny Blockbusters. When I started to get into punk music in the early 2000s, I started to buy CDs. At the time vinyl records weren’t anywhere near as popular as they are now and neither of the two music shops in Colchester even stocked vinyl records. After about ten years of seemingly buying every single CD I could get my hands on I amassed a collection of well over 1000. It was a bit silly, particularly because I barely listened to them. It must have been around 2014, when I noticed that more people were beginning to buy vinyl again. Initially I fought against the urge to get involved because I knew what I was like when it came to starting collections. Other than knowing how obsessed I get when starting collections, I was also aware of the space issues, the fact I didn’t own a turntable and I didn’t want to re-buy a load of music once again. Then I met my partner, Emma. She had started her own record collection. I have a distinct memory of the first time I visited her flat and checking out her record collection. I remember loving the extra detail in the artwork and the whole process of putting a record on. It felt like so much more of an event than playing a CD or digital music. This was probably the moment where my resolve and resistance about starting my own collection failed. And, good gosh, it failed in a big way. My collection grew very quickly and it continues to grow at a rate that is probably not smart. At the time of writing this, mine and Emma’s combined collection has 660 items. I’m sure by the time you’re reading this, it will have grown even more though.

This year I set myself a bit of a new year’s resolution/challenge to listen to our collection more and to post a different record each day on my Instagram page. The posting on Instagram is basically a way to hold myself accountable to keep doing it. If you want to follow my progress my Instagram handle is ColinsPRW. While doing this challenge, I’ve really fallen in love with listening to complete albums again and it’s made me listen to some albums that I’ve not listened to in years. I’ve also realised that most albums have a different memory attached to them. I’ll get a record off the shelf, usually picked by using the Discogs app’s shaky shaky feature, and I’ll instantly remember where I brought it, whether it’s from a gig, a record shop, a fair, on a holiday, something I took a punt on – all sorts of great memories. It’s nice to see Colin’s Punk Rock World thanked in the sleeve notes from some of the DIY bands we’ve helped and made friends with. Basically, I really like vinyl records and I love adding to our collection. I also love ordering them properly on the shelves – alphabetically by band and then chronologically in case you were wondering. Anyway, here are ten that I’d love to see pressed so I can add them to my collection.

Disclaimer: These are ten albums that aren’t pressed on vinyl as far as I’m aware. If they are, please let me know so I can track them down and add to the collection.

Disclaimer number two: I could have easily picked ten albums from the late 90s early 2000s era of UK punk rock as not a lot of those albums got vinyl releases. For the sake of variety, I decided to just stick with three from that era though. I’d also love to see King Prawn – Got The Thirst get a vinyl pressing, though. And the entire Captain Everything! discography.

Aerial Salad – Roach

Aerial Salad’s debut album Roach put the Manchester punks on a lot of people’s radars before Dirt Mall began to give them more attention from the entire alternative scene. With Dirt Mall and Salad’s more recent singles, they seem to be stepping further and further away from the Roach sound so I don’t know how likely a vinyl run of the album will ever be. I’d love to see it though.

Allister – Dead Ends And Girlfriends

Allister’s second album, Last Stop Suburbia, is one of my favourite pop punk albums of all time. I’m also very keen on their debut Dead Ends And Girlfriends which came out in 1999. Sixteen tracks in just thirty-two minutes says a lot of what to expect from the album. It’s certainly not as polished as Last Stop Suburbia but it’s got hooks for days as well as a wonderful cover of I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys. Some of the songs from the album got a vinyl release thanks to a best of vinyl that came out a couple of years ago but I’d much prefer the whole album with the original versions.

Chewing On Tinfoil – Get Rich Or Try Dyin’

In the past few years Chewie have released their most recent album and EP, Marrowbone Lane and Moving The Goalposts, on vinyl so here’s hoping they also find the time and – probably more importantly, money – to release their debut, Get Rich Or Try Dyin’, as well. Over the years Chewie have moved away from the ska sounds on this album. I believe the band have been working on a new album so I can’t expect getting this released on wax is anywhere near the top of their band “to do” list, but hopefully one day it’ll happen.

The Exhausts – Leave The Suburbs!

After we published Chris’ list, Tommy from The Exhausts said he would have loved to get Leave The Suburbs released on vinyl. I agreed wholeheartedly. That’s why I put it on this list. The Exhausts were a three piece based in London who played scrappy pop punk. In 2015 they released their final album Leave The Suburbs! and I absolutely fell in love with it. Ten of the catchiest pop tracks about the struggles of being in your twenties you’re ever likely to hear with some superb dual vocals.

Fletcher – My Revenge

London’s Fletcher are the first of my three picks from the early 2000s UK punk rock scene. The band only released one full length album while they were together but what an album – it was amazing. Listening back to My Revenge today, almost twenty years after it was originally released, I can’t help but think it was ten years before it’s time. It features twelve brilliantly crafted melodic gruff punk bangers that if they were released in 2013 would have been huge in the scene.

Jesse James – Punk Soul Brothers

I was absolutely obsessed with Jesse James back in the day. As one of my favourite bands when I first discovered the world of UK punk rock, I listened to Punk Soul Brothers so much that I had to buy a second copy. It was one of those albums where I could sing along to every word and probably still could now twenty years later. The album brilliantly combines punk rock and soul music with a great brass section and ridiculously catchy tunes that will find a home in your brain for absolutely ages. I could have happily picked all three Jesse James albums for this list but chose Punk Soul Brothers because it was the first I heard.

The Johnstones – Word Is Bond

In my essay of an introduction I talked about how music is like a time stamp for memories. You can remember what you were listening to at certain points in your life. This is why The Johnstones – Word Is Bond has a place on this list. The Johnstones were a ska punk band from Canada who released three albums through the brilliant Stomp Records. In the summer of 2010, I broke my leg which meant I spent a lot of time on my own at home. I listened to The Johnstones so much during that summer, I can’t help but feel as if the upbeat, fun, not taking themselves at all seriously nature of their music really helped me not get depressed. I’ll fully admit that a lot of the content on the album probably wouldn’t go down well in the more PC world that we live in today but these songs helped me a lot and I’d love to own it on vinyl.

Just Say Nay – Maximum Effort

Maximum Effort by Just Say Nay is one of the best ska punk albums released anywhere in the world during the past ten years and it’s an absolute catastrophe that it never got released on vinyl. The South London/Kent nine piece released this damn near perfect album in 2019 and it should’ve catapulted them to the very top of the ska punk tree. Combining all things ska, punk, reggae and gypsy-punk and getting stunning results, Maximum Effort is a lot of fun but it’s also full of thoughtful, poignant and smart lyrics and some top notch musicianship. It also features the epic Kuromouri – an eight minute long masterpiece that needs to be heard by everyone. Unfortunately the band decided to call it a day in November of 2021 so the likelihood of a Maximum Effort vinyl release is oh so low but I can dream.

[Spunge] – Too Little Too Late

Of course [Spunge] would be on this list. I’ve spoken about how [Spunge] are my gateway band to punk rock so many times you’re probably bored of it now. I don’t think I’ll ever feel like our vinyl collection is complete until I get the album that started it all for me on vinyl though. The Story So Far was the first [Spunge] album I ever heard and bought and I still absolutely adore it. It’s another where I could easily recite every single word even twenty years later. I do happen to have a Jump On Demand 7” single that the band released in the build up to the album that I found whilst crate digging on holiday in Japan but I NEED Too Little Too late too. Also this year is the album’s twenty year anniversary, so how about an album show at some point too?

Tens – Tens

I would guess that for regular readers of CPRW, Tens are the band you are least familiar with. They are a three piece punk rock band from Chicago. They released their only full length in 2016. I was fortunate enough to be sent an early copy thanks to the fact I do CPRW. Start a music blog folks – sometimes people send you really cool things to listen to! I really enjoyed the album. I’m a big fan of the melodic punk, gruff vocals, a big sing-along style and Tens (also the album title) is packed with it. I was also lucky enough to be able to attend The Fest in Gainesville in 2016 – Tens played and it was one of my favourite sets of the entire weekend. This album would sound great on vinyl.

There’s my list. If you enjoyed it let us know and maybe another member of the team could write their own list and we could make this a series. And, as I said previously, if one of the albums mentioned has been released without me knowing, please send me links so I can buy it!

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Vinyl Systems’ Top Ten Albums Not Pressed On Vinyl

In 1984, Poison Idea released an EP called Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes, the joke being that the cover features a picture of the band's singer Jerry A's own, vast record collection. According to Discogs, there are 19 versions of this seminal hardcore punk record and the band have released over a dozen albums and countless EPs and singles on vinyl since then including last year's latest, The Beast Goes East. It's facts like these that I truly love.

I first started collecting records when I was a kid, sometime after Poison Idea had warned me about my possible pretentiousness. I vividly remember buying Tranzophobia by Mega City Four on CD at the local record shop, only to have instant buyer's regret before taking it back the following day to exchange for a vinyl copy.

From then on, it was vinyl all the way. I wasn't bothered about how seemingly easy it was to scratch the record and tear the sleeve. I wasn't bothered about the supposedly better sound quality and undeniable convenience CDs had. I wasn't even particularly bothered about hissing, crackles or pops – as John Peel put it "somebody was trying to tell me that CDs are better than vinyl because they don't have any surface noise. I said, 'Listen, mate, life has surface noise.'"

Vinyl had a tactile quality to it that I loved and the physical size was perfect for pouring over sleeve notes which thanked other bands – vital in a pre-Internet age for discovering new artists, because, after all, not even John Peel could play everything; the NME and Melody Maker were often overly grunge and then Britpop focused and even fanzines were often too UK-centric for my increasingly punk tastes. If you bought something on SST, Cruz, Alternative Tentacles, Lookout Records et al, the sleeve notes would always enable you to discover your next favourite band.

But that's not to say I don't own any CDs. Of course I do. Pre-ipod/smartphone etc they were great for travelling/commuting etc, took up far less space which when I was younger was useful, and there are some albums that were simply never released on vinyl, some of which I'll obviously come onto.

My golden rules when buying records are: That I don't collect variants – the only duplicate copies I have are when I've mistakenly bought the same record twice! I try to buy either directly from bands or labels. I never buy a record as an "investment" – every single record I've bought is because I like (or thought I would like) the music and I've never paid more than £30 for a record.

Following these rules means that, over the years, the number has steadily grown. I've got a reasonable sized collection – not what I would call out of hand – but it's a few thousand albums and large enough that I now concede to my family that if it gets much bigger there really won't be anymore room for them. If and when that happens, I'll have to enter the horror chamber hell of selling some on Discogs. The annoying vinyl plant pressing delays have helped a lot with reducing my consumption this last year, but any vinyl collector will tell you it's a really hard habit to cut down on.

Anyway, I think that's enough of a preamble, although I must state a disclaimer here. These aren't records that are rare and therefore I wished I owned on vinyl. This is a list of albums that I *think* have never been pressed on vinyl, however I stand to be corrected. I've Googled them and can't find any reference to vinyl pressings and Discogs doesn't list any of them either, but the Internet is not always the Oracle on everything so if I've made a mistake, sorry (and also let me know if you have a copy for sale).

Finally, the list isn't in any particular order and having complied it I've realised that 1) a helluva lot of albums I thought were never on vinyl, actually have been at some point and as such 2) the list is very specific to me, my tastes and probably my age, which means a number of the bands on the list might be new to you. If this is the case, I urge you to check them out. After all, for me that's the beauty of CPRW. I was never going to tell you about the Bad Religion or NOFX album that's a classic but was only ever released on cassette (there isn't one). It was always going to be heavy on smaller and DIY bands that are brilliant, but might only be best known for supporting Jawbreaker or Green Day in front of 50 people at gig in the early 90s.

Alcohol Funnycar – Time To Make The Donuts

Formed in Seattle in the early 90s at a time when the city was exploding with successful grunge bands like Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Nirvana et al, the 1993 debut from Alcohol Funnycar didn't quite fit the city's persona. It's melodic pop-punk. Hüsker Dü meets Dinosaur Jr is how I always describe them and this was released on C/Z Records. It was followed up two years later by another CD only album (Weasels), and I assume they then broke up. I always maintain that if they'd hung on for just a bit longer, their style of punk would become much more popular and they'd almost certainly have had a better shot at success. When it was released, this CD album somehow made its way over here because I remember buying it at Selectadisc in Soho and, if I can still remember where and when I brought an album from that long ago, it tells me it has to be pretty damn good.

All Systems Go – All Systems Go!

All Systems Go were a Canadian punk "supergroup," formed in the late 90s by members of Big Drill Car, the Doughboys and the Asexuals after those bands split. Later on, alumni would also also include members of the Descendents and The Carnations. This self-titled album was their debut, released in 1999 on Coldfront Records. It was followed up three years later with the album Mon Chi Chi, but after a number of line up changes they didn't put out any subsequent albums. The pedigree is there, but like a lot of supergroups they never really hit the heights. However, this is a fun melodic punk album that I've picked for this list not least because I could never get enough of Big Drill Car and occasionally when I wish Big Drill Car had done more, I'd like to be able to spin All Systems Go to scratch that melodic 90s itch.

The Tim Version – Creating Forces That Don't Exist

A hugely underrated band! Floridian and Fest stalwarts, it's harmonic, gruff punk with a sound that is very typical of Gainesville/No Idea Records etc. They've released four albums over the years, but Creating Forces That Don't Exist was their first release in 2000, on ADD Records on CD. It's not on Spotify or Apple Music, so you should head to Bandcamp to check it out. After a couple of decades, the band are still together, but because they haven't been that prolific I don't spin them as much as I'd like. Having this on vinyl would give me a great fourth option.

Deforesters – Leonard

A recent release. Anthemic, singalong, hook-laden, super catchy bangers from start to finish – this was my album of the year in 2017. Canadian punks from Toronto, this was the only album they put out and I don't even think it came out on CD, so you'll have to listen online if you want to hear it. If you like those bands like Timeshares, Banner Pilot, Arms Aloft etc. who have albums stacked with quite similar sounding songs, but all of which are absolute bangers, this is for you. The band split when their guitarist left shortly after the album's release, but the phoenix from those ashes are the band Lizard Queens featuring former members who I think are currently recording an album. Hopefully that one will get a vinyl pressing.

Billy No Mates – We Are Legion

Duncan Edmonds is a legend of the British punk scene. Best known as the heart and soul of Snuff, but active throughout the last 30 years with numerous bands, Billy No Mates is his solo project where he recorded everything by himself (hence the band's name). We Are Legion is the debut album put out by 10 Past 12 Records, the label that released numerous Snuff records, but they didn't give this a vinyl release. It's got a very Snuff-esque feel to it, which, for me, is a great thing – such is my love for this sort of melodic British punk. Another of the albums, SF Sourdough, got a vinyl release last year so I still hold out a bit of hope that one day this will be pressed, but for now I'm listening to this on YouTube in the absence of a copy on CD.

Small Arms Dealer – A Single Unifying Theory

This was the first of two CD albums released by the band in 2006 and then 2007 (the later being the Patron Saint Of Disappointment and which could also easily be on this list), both released on Deep Elm Records. From Long Island, NY, and a precursor to Iron Chic (Jason Lubrano was the vocalist for both) there's definitely an Iron Chic/Wax Phantom/Latterman vibe to them, but you can also liken them to Hot Water Music, Dillinger Four and Smoke Or Fire. The description on the release's Bandcamp page says it best – "they play with the frenzied desperation of a band with one foot in the grave, and the vitriol that spews from vocalist Jason Lubrano, combined with the guns-blazing, take-no-prisoners attack of the guitars and rhythm section, blows the fucking lid off the proverbial rock 'n' roll coffin."

Sinkhole – Groping For Trout

Fast, melodic, catchy 90s skate-punk from Boston. Groping For Trout was the first of three albums for this band, but the only one to miss out on a vinyl release. It comes close to being Ramonescore in places but it doesn't meet that formula fully. Drummer Chris Pierce went on to play for a tonne of other bands including Doc Hopper, Drag The River, The Ergs and The Measure [sa].

China Drum – Diskin

Strictly speaking this album was by The Drum – the name that China Drum renamed themselves towards the end. The band were around throughout the entirety of 90s, plus an overlap at either end of the decade, although they only released three albums. Diskin is the last of these and was put out by Mantra Records on CD in 2000. China Drum were a UK based melodic punk band from the north east, drawing early comparisons with their local cousins Leatherface, but this album marked a different type of sound for the band and, as such, it's not up there with their brilliant Goose Fair or the follow up Self Made Maniac. Perhaps that's why they dropped the "China" bit from their name to mark a shift in style as this is more alternative rock with electronic and guitar feedback elements thrown in, some way off their punkier roots. I wouldn't buy this album now, but I'd love to have this as a vinyl release if only to complete my China Drum set.

Enemy You – Stories Never Told

A band that I consider to be pretty seminal, I'll always associate them with Red Scare Industries who put this out. It's the second of their two albums and was one of the label's very early releases. Maybe it was because the label was in its infancy that at the time in 2004 it only got a CD release, but I'm still hopeful that this fast, melodic, skate punk-ish cult classic will eventually get a vinyl pressing. In the meantime, if you want an Enemy You fix on vinyl, checkout Can Anybody Hear Me? (A Tribute to Enemy You) by The Lillingtons and put out by Red Scare last year. Alternatively, there's some joker on Discogs who wants £1,700 for their only other album – Where No One Knows My Name, released on vinyl by Lookout Records in 2000.

Articles – Better Than Me

I've selected my final pick not just because it's the most recent, but always because it's banger. One of my favourite releases from last year, I don't think Articles released either CDs or vinyl copies of this album. A very DIY punk band – the type of which I love – and a band from Gainesville playing raspy, gruff punk complete with gang vocals. It's only seven songs long, but I'd love to see those seven pressed on vinyl.

This top ten was written by Chris Bishton aka Vinyl Systems on Instagram.

Top Tens: Craig "C-Rage" Darran's Top Ten (Eleven) Bands He's Never Seen

If you're reading this, I've finally seen my thousandth band. Little did I know when I started my infamous spreadsheet back in September 2004 that I'd still be using it 17 years later to document hundreds of acts per year. Heck, in 2004 I was so green I don't think I even realised there were more than a thousand bands! It's been a long road, in the last 17 years I've seen some truly bucket list sets and musical greats, I've seen history being made and stages being destroyed. I've seen legendary bands, terrible bands, unexpected reunions, countless album shows, three "last ever" Capdown shows and six or seven different line-ups of Reel Big Fish. I've made life-long friendships, smashed three cameras, been bruised, muddied, scarred and soaked. I have, without a doubt, loved every second of it.

So, what's left to do now, I hear you ask? After 1000, who's left to see that's worth seeing? Well, I guess the short answer is, there's always more bands! But thanks to time, deaths, career changes and break-ups, my spreadsheet will never be as full as I'd like. Below are eleven bands that I really want to see but probably (and, in most cases, definitely) will never get to add to my list.

Queen (with Freddie Mercury)

Let's get the obvious ones out of the way first. Queen. Over the years I've managed to catch a few surprise appearances from Brian May and Roger Taylor but never (and obviously) the full ensemble. When I was first introduced to classic rock music by my parents as a child, I had plenty of acts to choose from – Thin Lizzy, Dire Straits, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, to name a few. In those early days, no car journey was complete without a blast of ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ or ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, but what really set Queen apart from the other classic rock bands was Freddie's powerful voice, charisma, and the sheer theatrics of his performance. Seeing videos of Freddie perform in front of the Live Aid audience and watching the crowd eat from the palm of his hand was mesmerising – this was what it was like to be in the presence of a true Rock God. I'm not normally a fan of big stadium acts but I'd have loved a chance to have experienced that for myself.

Nirvana

I think everyone of a certain age that listens to alternative music has a soft spot for Nirvana. When I was first discovering modern rock as a teenager my neighbour gave me a bootlegged copy of Nirvana's "best songs" which I listened to obsessively until the CD died. Compared to the classic rock that I'd been used to, Nirvana felt heavier and hit harder whilst also feeling more personal and intimate. The story of Kurt's life as the reluctant rock star and conspiracy theories surrounding his death only added to my intrigue. As a fellow lefty, Kurt was a big influence on my guitar playing with a DVD of MTV Unplugged becoming my go-to training resource when I first started learning – almost 20 years later I'm pretty sure I can still play all of Nevermind. My first ever music festival was Reading which was well known to have been host to the largest (and last) UK performance the band ever played back in 1992. In front of the main stage, I could only imagine what that last gig would have been like. If anyone ever figures out time travel, that'd be my first stop on my way back to the Jurassic Period.

Avril Lavigne (Early 2000s, before they replaced her with Melissa)

When I was at college between 2002–2004, I lived close enough to class to be able to spend my free periods (and sometimes lunches) at home. I used to put on the Freeview music channels like The Hits and TMF and watch what was current whilst eating instant noodles. The channels were mostly filled with terrible pop (like Atomic Kitten's awful cover of ‘The Tide Is High’) so I'd switch between them trying to find rock songs or fun music videos (like Jr Senior's Move Your Feet). It was during this time that I discovered Offspring, Muse, System of A Down, Incubus and a whole bunch of other bands that in the years following I would see at various gigs and festivals. It was also during that time that I discovered ‘Complicated’, ‘Sk8r Boi’ and eventually the album Let Go which I absolutely loved. Unfortunately, I had to keep that love a secret because back in those days it was uncool to admit to liking Avril Lavigne. Thanks to that, I never saw her live when I had the chance, which I now really regret. I haven't really kept up with many of her more recent songs or albums but whenever I hear anything from that first or second album, I'm instantly transported back to those college years.

Crush 40

I imagine this is probably the most obscure band on the list. Crush 40 play high tempo, technical hard rock. After discovering that I'd been listening to Bad Religion and Offspring for years in Crazy Taxi without realising, I decided to revisit other video game soundtracks from my childhood and discovered Crush 40 – the band responsible for all the Sonic Adventure songs. Crush 40 are a musical partnership between Jun Senoue a composer for Sega video games (as far back as Sonic the Hedgehog 3) and Johnny Gioeli, the vocalist of 90s hard rock band Hardline. They originally formed to record the main theme for Sonic Adventure but have subsequently gone on to record most of the music for all following Sonic video games and spin offs. Thanks to Sonic fandom, they've performed live on a number of occasions, and I was lucky enough to see Jun Senoue play a full band show at the Garage in late 2019 (which was amazing but it only covered their instrumental tracks). Hopefully one day I'll get to see them both together.

Ten Foot Pole

Of all the bands on this list, Ten Foot Pole probably feels like the one I'm most likely going to see at some point – I've been begging Paul Smith of BeSharp Promotions to book them for years! Back when I was first discovering punk was my favourite type of music, I spontaneously bought Punk-O-Rama Volume 3 (mostly because of the word "punk") and through it I was introduced to my first batch of Epitaph bands. I really loved the song 'A.D.D' towards the end of the comp and soon afterwards purchased the Ten Foot Pole album, Unleashed. I loved the tempo and the album's themes of loss and alienation but mostly the fact I had a new favourite band that no one else knew about. I soon tracked down more Ten Foot Pole albums but they never really grabbed me like the first, and not long afterwards I discovered the Descendents so that was the end of that. I might not listen much anymore, but they'll always be my gateway to less mainstream music and I'm surprised that after twenty years I've still not seen them.

The Weakerthans

The first Weakerthans song I heard was called ‘A Plea From A Cat Named Virtute’ on the Epitaph comp Punk-O-Rama Volume 9. A song about a person dealing with deep depression told from the perspective of their adoring but confused cat – I'm pretty sure I cried. I instantly bought two albums, Left And Leaving and Reconstruction Site but was left pretty indifferent by them. I put this down to discovering them quite early in my musical taste's evolution, at a time where all I wanted to hear were fast, overdriven guitars – The Weakethans were just a little too peaceful for me. Fast forward to my mid to late 20s, a random conversation with someone lead to me discovering that Virtute had a sequel song called ‘Virtute The Cat Explains Her Departure’ – probably the most depressing song ever told from a cat's perspective. I listened to it and cried again. Now with a more developed taste I was able to listen to Weakerthans again with fresh ears and damn, they're such a great band. ‘Aside’ from Left And leaving is absolutely one of my favourite songs ever and I'm so cross with myself that it took so long to appreciate them properly. As far as I can tell, they haven't toured since 2013 and are on indefinite hiatus. I do hope I'll get to see them one day.

Farewell Continental

To those that know me, it's no secret that Motion City Soundtrack are my favourite band. Imagine how happy I was in 2012 when I discovered that their vocalist, Justin Pierre had a lesser-known side project called Farewell Continental. A far less poppy outfit than Motion City Soundtrack, FC play a style I can only describe as experimental, sonic garage rock. Justin is joined on vocals by the band's keyboardist Kari Gray and the two duet together with lyrics far less personal but more metaphorical than MCS, covering a range of topics from dreaming to war. Farewell Continental don't seem to have performed together since February 2012 and with Justin working on his solo career and a reunion tour with Motion City Soundtrack, I don't see them reforming again soon, if at all. I was lucky enough to catch Justin perform two or three Farewell Continental songs on his solo tour a couple of years ago, but I'd love the opportunity to see them tackled by the full band.

Dance Hall Crashers

I believe the Dance Hall Crashers were one of my last CD purchases before I moved away from solid copies to streaming. I'm not really sure how I discovered them either, maybe it was an early Spotify recommendation? Either way, when I heard the dual harmonies of Karina Denike and Elyse Rogers over high energy, joyous ska punk I was sold. After a little research I also discovered that the band was started at the famous Gilman Street venue in Berkeley California by none other than Operation Ivy and Rancid members Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong. I have to admit I prefer the horn accompanied songs from their earlier albums to the more punk rock inspired songs of their later releases but as a whole their music is solid, catchy and pretty unique thanks to the aforementioned vocal harmonies. I absolutely love the song ‘Skinhead BBQ’! It makes me wonder why they never took off to the same extent as some of their Gilman contemporaries. DHC haven't performed together since 2008 with no sign of a reunion on the horizon, though you've probably heard Karina sing and play keys on some of the more recent NOFX releases.

Mixtapes

I remember back in 2014, Paul Smith was adamant that I listen to his latest musical discovery Masked Intruder, and after seeing them live at Groezrock in 2015 I was completely hooked. One of their songs, Heart Shaped Guitar, incorporates vocals from guest singer Maura Weaver whose voice I instantly loved. After a little YouTube search I discovered their band Mixtapes, and the songs 'Hope Is For People' and 'Bad Parts'. Mixtapes began in Cincinnati, Ohio, as an acoustic musical partnership between Weaver and Ryan Rockwell before expanding to a full pop punk band with acoustic elements. I enjoyed the duets between the two singers and the stream of consciousness, introspective almost conversational lyrics about all manner of subjects. Despite being quite literal, I always read the lyrics as learning to be ok with yourself whilst accepting the rut you've found yourself in, something I heavily related to in my late 20s. Mixtapes went on indefinite hiatus in 2014 (though they've definitely played some reunion shows since) with little hope of there ever being another UK performance. Ryan and Maura have since moved onto other musical projects, one of which, Ogikubo Station, I was lucky enough to catch at the New Cross Inn a few years back. If only I'd discovered Mixtapes a couple years earlier, I could have seen them play Hevy Fest 2012 (which I was at!).

Atom And His Package

During lockdown I moved in with my partner, Kate. Without gigs, or anything social happening, we spent much of our free time building Lego sets, like, a LOT of Lego sets. It was while building Lego that she began to introduce me to lots of old bands she loved. Eventually our main Lego soundtrack would become Hair:Debatable, the live album and final show by synth punk legend (and possibly the godfather of Nerdcore) Atom And His Package. Atom, also known as Adam Goren, has played in a number of punk bands over the years but is best known for his one-man-band, Atom And His Package. As Atom, Goren plays synthesisers and guitar and produces music that sounds a bit like punk played through a SNES or Megadrive. Lyrically he's clearly very intelligent but often chooses humorous subjects, like ‘I'm Downright Amazed At What I Can Destroy With Just A Hammer’ and ‘Lord It's Hard To Be Happy When You're Not Using The Metric System’. He occasionally touches on politics, and regularly highlights the faults and hypocrisies of less self-aware members of the punk and metal communities, with choruses like "Oh, I get it. Anarchy means that you litter". Atom stopped touring in 2003 and has since become a Physics and Chemistry teacher in Pennsylvania. Although he's played a couple of reunion shows at Fest, it's pretty doubtful we'll ever see him play the UK again.

Minor Threat

Thought I'd save a big one until last. Over the years I've been lucky enough to see all manner of bands from the early years of punk, The Damned, Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys to name but a few, but one band I'll never get to add to that list is Minor Threat. Forming in 1980 in Washington DC and only lasting for three years, the band built upon the emerging hardcore style pioneered by Bad Brains and Black Flag by combining the aggression and high energy of the two with an incredibly strong moral code and DIY ethic. The band produced some of the most influential hardcore songs of all time and even spawned the Straight Edge subculture thanks to singer Ian MacKaye's lyrics, in the song of the same name, about his personal abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Eventually, MacKaye's moral code would lead to the break-up of the band, citing the violence at hardcore shows (as well as disagreements in musical direction) as his major reason for disbanding. The members of the band would end up continuing their musical careers in a number of other influential bands, such as Fugazi, Bad Religion and Dag Nasty. I've seen plenty of fuzzy videos of Minor Threat playing live on YouTube, it's probably the closest I'll ever get to being in the pit – it’s probably safer that way.

Top Tens: Luke Seymoup's Top Ten Influences

I’m absolutely thrilled to be here on Colin’s Punk Rock World today! And, I’m equally thrilled to have the chance to nerd out about all the influences that have helped make the Seymoup Expanded Universe what it is today! As a musician, I’ve always been a bit of a misfit in terms of genre. I’ve always considered myself a punk musician but others haven’t always been so kind (haha). Punk music is my first and longest passion, but there were definitely a lot of different artists and styles along the way that have contributed to the way my music sounds. I’m glad to have the chance to put on paper (or screen, as it were) all the inspirations that have made me the musician I am. Narrowing down to a list of ten is always hard (there are so many artists that only just missed the cut) but, right now, these seemed like the most important to include. I just hope Brian Fallon, Mike Skinner and Kacey Musgraves can forgive me for the snub!

Alkaline Trio
Anyone who has spoken to me for any length of time since I was about 15 years old probably knows how obsessed I am with this band. Alkaline Trio is the shining example of a band that knows what they do well and sticking to it. They’ve introduced some different elements over the years (like going a bit New Wave on “Agony & Irony”) but the core mix of sweet vocal melodies with dark lyrics is always there. There are so many Alkaline Trio songs that I wish I could have written. Having played in bands with only one guitarist for decades, Skiba’s style certainly influenced how I write and play lead parts (my song ‘MulderScully’ is proof of that). I get a kick out of seeing local bands play live and finding that Skiba influence in the guitar parts. You can always tell.

The Lemonheads
I first heard The Lemonheads on a compilation I bought in high school called “All That Punk.” They’ve always had an affiliation with the punk scene but calling them a punk band is a bit of a stretch. Regardless of genre, the song on there (“Confetti”) had me instantly hooked. Evan Dando’s deep, smooth vocals over loud ringing open chords was addictive and it made me dig into whatever else I could find from them. If Skiba influenced my lead guitar playing, Evan Dando made me love layers and layers of big rhythm guitars that leave your ears ringing. Such an incredible songwriter who knows when to be funny and when to be serious and you never, ever question his sincerity.

Bruce Springsteen
I have memories of listening to the oldies station in the car when I was a kid and having my mum change channels when Bruce came on because she didn’t like his voice. Maybe falling in love with his music was a bit of rebellion for me? Bruce Springsteen was definitely an odd musician for me to become obsessed with at the peak of the emo-pop era. I was a saxophone player as well and the shrieking solos that Clarence Clemons delivered across Bruce’s discography get my blood pumping to this day. What can I possibly add about Bruce’s lyrics that everyone doesn’t already know? His songs have been so important to me for so long and, when I was first forming my band, I was pitching the idea of it to potential members as a “Punk Rock version of the E Street Band.” I think we still live up to that concept in some way.

The Distillers
I’m sure I’ve told the story in an interview before, but I discovered The Distillers by finding a printed lyric sheet for ‘Dismantle Me’ someone left behind in a classroom in high school. I was hooked on the imagery in the lyrics immediately: vultures pounding their wings; wanting to bury someone; the humidity of Swanston Street on a hot day. I had to hear the song as soon as I could. What I discovered was a howling voice from Brody Dalle and wild energy to the band that I would strive to replicate in my own music for years. Maybe Brody’s voice was my inspiration for the volume I usually sing (and speak) at.

Misfits/Samhain/Danzig

Glenn Danzig is a person who feels like he was conceived as a character in some kind of abstract gothic novel yet, somehow, he’s a real person who exists. I love that he has a vision and aesthetic for exactly what kind of music/comics/movies/whatever he wants to make and he’s stuck to it for nearly half a century. I’m not a metalhead by any stretch of the imagination, but those first three Danzig solo albums feel like some of the heaviest music ever made. Danzig doesn’t need screaming or down-tuned guitars to make his music heavy. Blues riffs in standard tuning and his demonic Elvis impression get the job done. Any record he appears on is something I need to own (yes, even Danzig Sings Elvis). His discography has classics upon classics upon classics and, if you haven’t already, you need to spend a little bit of time appreciated every era of Danzig’s career (especially Samhain who rarely get talked about).

Wu-Tang Clan
When I got my driver’s licence, I think “Enter The Wu-Tang” was the only album in my car for about 6 months straight. Consequently, I think I’ve heard that album more times in my life than I’ve heard any other. Still, even now, listening to it feels as fresh to me as when I first heard it and I constantly discover new samples, lyrics and ideas in it that I’ve never noticed before. It’s a gift that keeps on giving. The Wu-Tang Clan appeals to me because each member has their own distinct personality with their own vocal style, lyrical idiosyncrasies, and personality. They’re a cohesive unit where each member operates at the top of their game to create something that’s truly special and truly unique. The songs introduce all different kinds of concepts in their song structures and composition. No two tracks are alike on Enter The Wu-Tang or any other album. There are so many different styles across their group and solo discographies that, even if you don’t think you’ll like them all, there’s certainly something that will appeal to you. Wu-Tang Forever.

Against Me!
I have a vivid memory of playing a basement show in 2007 and having my band absolutely butcher a cover of “Baby, I’m An Anarchist.” I’m glad it happened in an age before smart phones because I wouldn’t want to let Laura down like that now. I’m a sucker for a huge chorus and Laura Jane Grace writes them like no one else can. Every Against Me! record is different from the last and they’re all classics in their own way (I won’t rest until White Crosses gets the recognition it deserves!). The one thing that ties them all together is the huge choruses that make you want to scream every word like it’s the last thing you’ll ever do. When I’m stuck for a chorus, I often find myself asking “what would Laura do?” This band is also responsible for my obsession with exclamation marks and made me insist my old band Miyazaki! never have our name spelled without one.

My Chemical Romance
I love fiction and storytelling (especially comics, more on that later). My Chemical Romance always had a vision for their music that allowed them to talk about their personal struggles through the lens of a high-concept narrative, rather than in a literal way. What kind of punk band writes a whole album about someone trying to earn their way out of hell by collecting the souls of evil men? It’s unheard of outside this band, I’m sure! Oft imitated and never equalled. And yes! I’m saying punk band despite their genre-affiliations over the years. You can’t listen to Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge and tell me that’s not pure punk rock! It’s 2021, get past their look! This band is solely responsible for any time I’ve written a song or album that told a long, in-depth narrative. I’m not sorry about it and I’m sure they’re not either.

Ramones (specifically 80s & 90s Ramones)
Look, I love those first four 70s Ramones albums as much as anyone, but there’s something truly special about the way they grew and changed through the 1980s. It’s only when you listen to their whole discography that you start to realise how much they experimented with different sounds through their career. You want straight-up punk? “Too Tough To Die” has you covered. 50s/60s pop? Check out “End Of The Century.” Want them to play with synths? They did it a whole bunch of times! There are some true musical and lyrical gems that people aren’t aware of because they insist on only spinning the first disc of that 1999 Ramones anthology compilation. That signature simplicity in the chord progressions, melodies and lyrics is still there, but they have plenty of songs on those later albums that are deep and emotionally moving. Listen to “Poison Heart” or “She Talks To Rainbows” and try not to feel something. I DARE YOU! I’ve read every book there is to read about the Ramones so, if I ever get invited onto a music quiz show, they’re going to be my specialty category.

Chris Claremont's X-Men
Finally, I’m going to end with something non-musical. My two great obsessions in life are songwriting and comic books, with the X-Men being my comic of choice. I spent most of my university years (when I should have been studying) memorising every facet of X-Men continuity from the preceding 50 years. Enter Chris Claremont. Chris Claremont wrote Uncanny X-Men for 16 years, from 1975 to 1991. Not to mention countless spin-offs through the 1980s and returns to various titles after that. Anything that you probably know or like about the X-Men is his doing. In some ways, I feel like Chris Claremont partially raised me, as a result of the literal years of my life spent with his work. Claremont was always the master of creating his own universe-within-a-universe where concepts would cross from one of his titles to another, or a small seed of story planted in the 1970s would pay off in a huge way some time in the late 80s. Building a world of continuity is what I want to do with my music. I want to be as prolific as Chris Claremont and have everything I put out matter to my discography overall. There are no throwaway songs or albums. EVERY. SINGLE. THING. is important! Welcome to the Seymoup Expanded Universe. You’re living in it.

Luke Seymoup has a brand new single out on Monday 15th November, titled Serengeti, and you can pre-save the track now.

Luke says ‘It's a ballad dedicated to all the dearly departed music venues that we've lost in Melbourne over the last few years (thanks to Covid, real estate nonsense and those awful people who move in next to a venue and complain about the noise).’

Check out Luke Seymoup’s discography on Bandcamp and like them on Facebook.

Top Tens: Dan from Vegan Punks’ top ten femxle fronted punk bands

Hey, I’m Dan! I’m one half of the team behind the food blog, Vegan Punks. I don’t get to write about music much. We spend most of our time creating and writing recipes, but you’ll find loads of awesome punk music featured on our Instagram stories. If you’re into Thai food (shameless plug), we spent some of lockdown writing the ultimate guide on cooking vegan Thai food, with virtual cooking classes coming soon!

I love CPRW and regularly check-in to make sure I’m not missing out on some incredible new album that’s passed me by. So I jumped at the opportunity to contribute an article when Colin got in touch (thanks Colin and Emma!).

Hopefully you find something you enjoy in this list. I struggled to decide on a topic, but we’ve been listening to a lot of femxle fronted punk recently. It’s great that the scene is diversifying more and more and I can’t wait until we can all go out and check out some of these bands live again. 

Against Me!

One of my favourite bands full stop. Laura is one of the best front people in the punk scene and has been for quite some time, in my opinion. Against Me! deliver everything that I want from punk music: catchy hooks, melodic vocals, a good dose of anger and a strong political message.

I’ve no doubt I’m mostly preaching to the choir here, but if Against Me! have passed you by, check them out – I can’t even call out a specific album to recommend, it’s all gold. 

Days N Daze

I have a real soft spot for folk-punk and Days N Daze are top tier. The combination of Jesse’s and Whitney’s voices is perfect – not just the mix of low and high ranges, but the way both vocalists are able to drift between a clean and rough sound.

I’m also a sucker for nihilistic lyrics and they deliver that in spades.

Folk-punk may be a bit of an acquired taste, but Days N Daze have been building a good following over the last few years, enough to earn them a deal on Fat Wreck. Check out “Show Me The Blueprints”, their first Fat Wreck release, which came out in May. It’s a shoe-in for my top 10 of 2020 list come the end of the year. 

Bad Cop/Bad Cop

Since their debut “Not Sorry” in 2015, Bad Cop/Bad Cop have released three incredible albums. In a traditionally male dominated genre, it’s rare to find an entirely female band – Bad Cop/Bad Cop are proof that we’ve been missing out.

What’s better than two-part harmonies? Three-part harmonies, obviously. Bad Cop/Bad Cop know exactly how to deliver them, nicely wrapped up in an infectious punk-rock package.

Check out “Not Sorry” and just carry on from there! 

Ramona

Ramona’s debut release, “Deals, Deals, Deals!”, evaded my discovery when it first came out. Fortunately, I stumbled across it in probably two or three different “top 10 albums of 2019” lists on CPRW. I’m really glad I did because it’s an entire album of really well written pop-punk music.

I really love bands with multiple vocalists, and Abby’s and Diego’s voices go so well together. I’m awaiting their next release with great anticipation.

Check out the aforementioned “Deals, Deals, Deals!” to see what they’re all about. 

Nervus

“Everything Dies” is such a beautiful album. You know those albums from “smaller” bands where you can’t work out why there’s not more hype? It’s one of those, for me.

Nervus’s follow up, “Tough Crowd”, didn’t let me down either and shows some really good progression. Em is such a talented songwriter, musician and vocalist.

I can’t recommend checking out “Everything Dies” enough. 

Attic Salt

I really, really like Attic Salt’s self-titled debut. I think I could listen to track two, “Passenger”, on repeat for a long time before even getting close to being bored of it.

Attic Salt are unashamed pop-punk with the kind of dual vocals other bands will be jealous of. I just love the blend of Alyssa’s and Andy’s vocals, as they switch the lead responsibilities and provide harmonies for each other.

I was worried for a while that I’d missed the party here and they weren’t still a band. However, they recently announced that a new album is due out soon.

Go check out their self-titled debut from 2017.

The Distillers

Brody was the first female vocalist I remember discovering when I started getting into punk as a teenager. Her raspy vocals are still some of the best I’ve heard.

“The Young Crazed Peeling” by The Distillers and Tsunami Bomb’s “Take The Reins” are two songs that stand out as influencing my music taste back then. The difference with The Distillers, as a band, is that they had real consistency when it came to putting out great music.

It’s difficult for me to choose between “Sing Sing Death House” or “Coral Fang”, so if you missed The Distillers the first time round, just pick one and give it a go. 

The Bombpops

A good number of the bands on this list definitely fall into the pop-punk category… that’s not changing now, because The Bombpops are unapologetically poppy. They are bringing something different to the table though, with co-frontwomen, Jen and Poli.

They know how to write really catchy songs and there’s a great dynamic between Jen and Poli. This comes across particularly well on stage – they were definitely a highlight at the Punk in Drublic stage at Slam Dunk last year.

While I do like the latest release, if you’re going to check them out, I’d recommend starting with 2017’s “Fear of Missing Out”. 

Millie Manders and the Shutup

Millie is an outrageously good performer. If you saw her at Manchester Punk Festival last year, you’ll know that not even having a foot in a cast stopped Millie from delivering one of the best performances of the weekend.

There’s a definite ska-punk revival happening right now in the UK, one which I think would’ve been unstoppable if live performances were still happening this year. With so many great new British ska-punk bands entering the fold, alongside established names and reformations of legendary bands – Millie Manders and the Shutup are holding their own amongst them all.

Just go check out the entire back catalogue before their debut album drops. 

The Interrupters

The Interrupters feel like they exploded onto the scene out of nowhere, getting huge gigs, tours and festival slots without seeming to go through that grind that bands usually go through. It makes me feel a bit like they’re manufactured, or maybe I just missed their grind? They definitely have a huge supporter in Tim Armstrong, that’s for sure.

Either way, their brand of incredibly polished, catchy ska-punk is addictive. If clean, good fun ska sounds are up your street, you’ve probably already heard of them… but, if not, give them a go. Aimee has a background as a solo pop artist, but her vocals sometimes remind me of Brody Dalle’s.

Their self-titled debut from 2014 is the perfect place to start!

Special shout out to Problem Daughter, The Lippies and RVIVR who narrowly missed out on my top 10.

Check out the Vegan Punks blog here and like them on Facebook here.

Top Tens: Emma’s Ten Favourite Not-So-Music-Based Podcasts

Last week I shared ten music-based podcasts that I have been enjoying during lockdown – check that out here if you are interested. Those alone are not really a true representation of my podcast listening habits however as I actually listen to quite a lot of others that are not music themed, let alone punk themed.

About Race With Reni Eddo-Lodge
Reni Eddo-Lodge is the author of Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race, a book that is even more of an essential read now than it was when it was first published in 2017. The nine episode podcast series, which was released in 2018, takes this important conversation a step further. Reni is joined by key voices in anti-racist activism to discuss recent history and today’s politics surrounding race. I would say this is essential listening for anyone but especially if you are white.

Listen on Spotify here.

Abroad In Japan
This is a podcast that I stumbled across while browsing the ‘culture’ category of podcasts on Spotify – other podcast platforms are available but Spotify works for me. I recognised the logo for ‘Abroad In Japan’ as being a YouTube channel, by filmmaker Chris Broad, that I made much use of when I was off work after having had my wisdom teeth removed. Being a bit of a Japanophile this kept me thoroughly entertained so discovering that there’s podcasts as well – and a lot of them too – was great. They release two new ones per week!

Listen on Spotify here.

The Bearded Vegans
This is probably my favourite of this list although I appreciate that if you’re not a vegan it might not be of interest to you personally – it’s my list though, so y’know. Bearded vegan hosts Paul and Andy discuss all things – you guessed it – vegan in this podcast, from topical news stories, activism, events, reviews and interviews. The very latest two episodes are an in-depth look at ‘Thug Kitchen’ who have profited from cultural appropriation for nearly a decade. Each episode is very well researched, informative and thought-provoking. Also, if you stick around until the very end, they sometimes have a bloopers section.

Listen on Spotify here.

The Disruptive Environmentalist
This is an oldie but a goodie in terms of when I first started listening to this podcast. Sometime last summer, during one of the UK’s ‘heatwaves’, I started to properly take notice of and, well, worry about climate change and the environment in general. It lead to me making some changes in my life – including becoming vegan – and educating myself further. The Disruptive Environmentalist is about seeking new solutions to big environmental problems – it’s an optimistic look at what innovators across the world are doing to combat climate change. There haven’t been any new episodes this year but the back catalogue is great.

Listen on Spotify here.

Ghibliotheque
This is the second Japanese themed podcast on my list – well, sort of. Ghibliotheque is about the films of Japan’s greatest animation studio, Studio Ghibli. In this podcast series, hosts Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham, who both work within the UK’s film media industries, discuss a film per episode. Michael is a big fan of Studio Ghibli and has seen all of the films but Jake had only seen a couple when the series was first born so it’s interesting to hear both opinions as they watch or re-watch each film. I’ve not quite seen all of the Ghibli films yet so I have had to skip over some episodes for now – I don’t want spoilers!

Listen on Spotify here.

Marvel’s Wolverine
Time for something a little different! There are a lot of great fiction podcasts out there – I guess it’s kind of like listening to an audiobook but with added drama and sound effects. I was instantly hooked on Marvel’s Wolverine series as soon as I heard the first episode of season one and proceeded to get through to the end of season two in just a few days. This is not a cheery superhero tale, Marvel’s Wolverine is dark and gritty with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you attentive. The first season in particular was really, really good.

Listen on Spotify here.

Off Menu
Like food? Like comedy? This could be the podcast for you! Off Menu is hosted by comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster – who actually each have their own music-themed podcasts as well (James’ was featured in last week’s post). Each episode they are joined by a special guest, often a fellow comedian, who talks through their dream meal – starter, main course, side dish, dessert and drink, alongside other amusing anecdotes. Series four has just started which features Romesh Ranganathan (a vegan, woo!) in the first episode and was very, very funny.

Listen on Spotify here.

Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe’s Lockdown Parenting Hell
From one comedy duo to another – this is a podcast that, as you can probably tell from its title, was born during lockdown. It’s also a podcast that despite not being able to relate to its theme, Colin and I have thoroughly enjoyed having a chuckle to. Sure, we might not be parents but that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to listen to funny tales of other people’s parenting woes during lockdown. Kids are funny, especially when they have no relation to you. Of course if you are a parent, however, you’ll no doubt enjoy this even more than us.

Listen on Spotify here.

Superbeast
I suppose Superbeast could have appeared in last week’s list as Blake and Burg do discuss and play punk, indie and pop music in this podcast but they also talk about current affairs, environmental issues, film and TV shows and, of course more recently, lockdown life. Compared to the others on this list, this is a smaller scale podcast with much less ‘budget’ than Marvel or YouTubers but I think that’s a big reason why I enjoy it so much. It’s two people having a friendly and interesting conversation, often discussing things they are each passionate about.

Listen on Spotify here.

Voyage To The Stars
Lastly we have an improvised sci-fi comedy podcast, from Colton Dunn, Felicia Day, Janet Varney and Steve Berg, that follows the misadventures of a group of outcasts who find themselves on a spaceship together before being sucked through a wormhole. They travel around from planet to planet, meeting new alien species and trying to find out how to make it back to Earth. This is the first podcast I listened to that really wasn’t educational in the slightest, it’s just a lot of fun. Just a warning – sometimes it gets a bit NSFW but it’s always entertaining and is a great distraction during lockdown, for sure.

Listen on Spotify here.

Colin would also like to give a shout out to Quack Attack, a Mighty Ducks themed podcast, which he was very excited to discover during lockdown – although I don’t share his enthusiasm!

How about you? What podcasts are you listening to at the moment?

This top ten was written by Emma Prew.

Top Tens: Ten Black Artists You Need To Check Out

The current Black Lives Matter movement has made a lot of people stop and think about a lot of things, myself included. It’s quite clear that most white people have a lot to learn about the oppression that people of the black community have to deal with on a daily basis. Something that I’ve heard brought up a lot is how stupid racism is, given that so much of our culture comes from black people. Black people have played a major role in shaping popular music. I’ve been looking at my own listening habits and realised that I don’t listen to many bands that have black members. This was obviously never a conscious decision – I’ve never checked out a band because of the colour of their skin – I mostly pick new bands based on whether or not I like their artwork. That said, I’ve come to the realisation that I should make a lot more effort to check out new music from black artists. And having a platform such as CPRW, I feel like I have a responsibility to showcase more diverse acts rather than just white guys.

For this top ten I took to the Internet to research and discover some bands that I’ve never listened to before. I was very strict on myself to make sure not to include bands I had listened to and enjoyed in the past. It was also very important for me to only have bands that I genuinely liked and not to include acts just because they have black members. Please check out these ten bands and spend some time checking out more bands that aren’t just four white chaps. Music is an art for everyone and comes from all walks of life. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t make the effort to discover new, different and diverse artists.

Action/Adventure
Action/Adventure are a self described “heavy pop punk” band from Chicago, Illinois. Since forming in 2014 the five piece have been super prolific with an impressive eight releases under their belt. Their most recent is the single Tuck Everlasting. This is strong single that really shows off considerable songwriting ability. It’s a melodic pop punk song that has plenty of highs and lows and really gives you the feeling that the band are taking you on a journey.

Art Sorority
Art Sorority is the acoustic project of Daoud Tyler-Ameen. When I first listened to Art Sorority I was instantly taken aback by Daoud’s brilliant voice. It’s softer than my usual tastes enjoy when listening to acoustic music but I found it absolutely captivating. Daoud isn’t the most active with Art Sorority anymore, his most recent release is an album full of demo versions. His most recent release of fresh and finished material came out in 2014 and is named Older Boys. You should definitely spend some time checking it out. Daoud also plays drums in the band Bad Moves who just put out a new EP named Cape Henlopen.

Dirty Rotten Revenge
Another band from Illinois, Dirty Rotten Revenge come from the town of Bloomington. The four piece band play intense punk rock that has taken influences of skate, hardcore and street punk to create something quite special. I really like music to fill me with energy and Dirty Rotten Revenge certainly do that. Dirty Rotten Revenge are due to play The Fest in Gainesville at the end of the year (if it goes ahead). If I manage to get out there, I will definitely be looking to check them out live.

Joncro
Joncro are a three piece garage punk/noise rock band from Canada. Something I really enjoyed listening to Joncro was their ability to surprise me, going from quiet lo-fi songs to louder, more rambunctious tracks and playing both extremely well. They appear to be a very productive band when it comes to releasing music with a number of singles and EPs released in the past few years.

Meet Me @ The Altar
I’ve seen Meet Me @ The Altar appear on a few lists promoting black musicians and after listening to them I can completely understand why. The three piece’s take on the pop punk genre is fantastic. In vocalist Edith Johnson they have an absolute star and she’s brilliant backed up by Téa Campbell (guitars) and Ada Juarez (drums). Meet Me @ The Altar clearly have all the tools to become huge stars in the future.

Rebelmatic
Rebelmatic are a New York based four piece who have been going since 2008. Mixing soulful vocals and groovy melodies with hardcore punk, the band aren’t shy when it comes to talking about their politics. They are a powerful band who I imagine put on an incredible live show. The band are getting set to release their debut album, Ghosts In The Shadow, and it couldn’t have come at a more relevant time. Rebelmatic could be one of the most important bands of 2020.

Screaming Toenail
South London four piece Screaming Toenail are a great band to listen to if you want to educate yourself on black history that hasn’t been whitewashed. Their 2015 EP Territorealities lays down some important facts that you need to know. Musically it’s hard to pigeon hole Screaming Toenail. They fall somewhere between emo/shoe-gaze and indie rock. I wish I was aware of this band years ago as I feel like they are vital to making an important change in UK culture.

Th’sheridans
London/Zurich based pop duo Th’sheridans certainly don’t fall into my usual listening tastes but their chirpy, upbeat music really won me over. Tackling subjects such as food, dating, small towns and more recently radical softness as a response to racism and sexism, Th’sheridans aren’t afraid of covering a wide range of topics. On May 1st they released a new single named I Don’t Wanna Be Dismembered that I’ve been listening to a lot since discovering it.

Undead Generation
South Africa’s Undead Generation (formerly known as The Tsotsis) describe themselves as a “punk fusion” band with the intention of creating positive change through their music. The band take classic punk and just have fun with it, adding poppy hooks, big riffs and also some brass instruments to create their own unique style. Their 2019 album Carling, My Darling: Blood, Sweat and Beers is a brilliantly varied release that certainly deserved more attention worldwide.

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Jake from Sunliner's Top Ten Stephen King Books

Hi! I’m Jake from SUNLINER. We just released our new EP ‘Structure/Average At Best’ on Lockjaw Records and Paper + Plastick Records. I have read far too many Stephen King books, here are my top 10 – enjoy!

1. 11/22/63

This was my ‘Desert Island’ book and one of the few books I’ve read more than once – SK’s time travel, political romp is one of my favourite books ever. In this he does what he does best and entwines ‘small town’ America with a big overarching plot AND lands the ending. The attention to detail of late 60s, early 70s America is incredible and, honestly, I could’ve even just stayed reading about Jake (the character, not me) being a teacher in the small town ‘Jodie’ for 700 pages. I read it just after my parents got me the first 8 Bob Dylan albums in mono for Christmas, and read the entire book listening to them – the perfect soundtrack to a perfect book, I’d recommend it!

2. The Shining

This is a really close second as it was the book that got me back into reading again. I got it in the first few months of my first year of Uni when I was having a really shit time and needed some escapism, I sat in my room for 2 days reading and making cups of tea when it got too scary and I needed a break. It kick started my love of reading again and, in turn, my love of Stephen King. If you’ve only ever watched the film, I really, really recommend reading the book as the film misses some of the book’s best scenes and the character development of Jack Torrance, who the film and Jack Nicholson make crazy from the get-go.

3. Misery

The weird thing about ‘Misery’ is that when you start reading you really don’t care about the book the in-story is writing, and by the end of it you’re just as interested in ‘Misery’s Return’ as the story itself. It’s intense and claustrophobic and genuinely great, more of a ‘thriller’ than a lot of his work and I think I’ve just convinced myself to reread it.

4. IT

IT is an everything book. It’s a horror, a comedy, a thriller and a coming of age book all in one. The character development throughout is incredible and, as much as I actually quite liked the recent adaptation, the films will just never be able to recreate that as well as a 1000+ page book can. It’s so much more than just a book about a clown.

5. The Stand

I took The Stand everywhere with me for months. I think it went on about 3 tours with me, went to my jobs, on holiday, to visit friends, it was just in my bag for ages. My copy is absolutely knackered. I’ve always been a slow reader and this is a maaaassive book that spans a whole bunch of time and a whole host of characters and stories. It’s a post-apocalyptic epic tale of good vs evil and isn’t shy of killing off your favourite characters.

6. Joyland

This is a short book published by ‘Hard Case Crime’ (opposed to his usual Scribner). I love this book. It’s a coming of age style story set in the early 70s of an early 20s student working at theme park during the summer break. It has some classic King supernatural ideas, but is far more about the story and the characters. Like Jake in 11/22/63, I could’ve just read about Devin’s summer there day by day. It’s the sorta of book that makes you feel like you’ve lost a friend once you finished it.

7. Under The Dome

Under The Dome got made into a dreadful TV show. Don’t be put off by how shit that was, the book is an awesome mix of Breaking Bad craziness and Gilmore Girls small town politics and goings on. The ending is a bit of cop out, but it’s totally worth the read for the journey. You’ll be invested in the town, trust me!

8. Pet Semetary

Another SK book with an awful adaptation. I put off reading this for ages because I thought it sounds stupid. Well, I was wrong. Probably one of SK’s scariest/most disturbing books, it has an eerie feel to the whole thing, I recommend reading at night or when it’s pissing down and grey outside for the best experience.

9. The Outsider

One of the most recent books in this list, I think two thirds of this book is some of the most effective and best things SK has ever written. The final third is still good but is far more regular King fare and therefore feels a bit King-by-numbers. Still great though, you’ll be hooked.

10. Revival

Revival is just loads of fun – a proper airport or holiday book, with classic Frankenstein-esque overtones. It’s cheesy and you can tell King had a bunch of fun writing this. And, well, I enjoyed reading it.

I chose to leave out short stories for this but a shout out to – Rita Haworth and The Shawshank Redemption, An Apt Pupil and The Body!

Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Band He's Discovered In Lockdown

Being in Lockdown has sucked. We can’t see our friends and families. We can’t go to gigs. We can’t do any of the things we love. It has provided us with plenty more free time to do other things though. I’ve enjoyed having more time to listen to our ever expanding record collection and I’ve started playing Football Manager again. I’ve also found the time to release a 155 track compilation raising money for Music Venue Trust that you should check out here. And I’ve also had loads of time to discover new bands. Here’s a top ten of bands that I’ve discovered so far.

Articles
I discovered Articles thanks to The Fest 19 playlist. The Gainesville Florida based trio play that typical Fest sound – raspy vocals, great melodies and catchy hooks. In March, Articles released a new two track single named Smoking Section / Pool Party that absolutely rips. FFO The Lawrence Arms, Ann Beretta, Smoke Or Fire.

Custody
Finnish punk rockers Custody were one of the highlights of the first Boatless Booze Cruise live stream festival for me. I think I was drawn to them as they played full band rather than acoustic like the majority of the acts. Melodic gruff punk of the highest order is what Custody do. Writing and performing songs that have you aching to throw your fists high and sing along. Check out their recently released second album on Brassneck Records now! FFO Leatherface, Hot Water Music, The Run Up.

Fail Sons
Washington D.C. punks Fail Sons were a recent Bandcamp discovery. It is still the best place to find new and exciting punk bands, especially if you can’t get to a gig. Focussing more on the fast paced pop punk side of things but never shying away from throwing in a guitar solo, Fail Sons are one of the most exciting bands in the genre I’ve discovered in some time. FFO Pinhead Gunpowder, Teenage Bottlerocket, Zatopeks.

Fine And Great
This wasn’t so much a discovery but I was told about them during the lockdown so I think they still count. Fine And Great consist of Manu of Captain Asshole (the person who told me about them), Tooney from Call It A Wasteland and Hannes from Kick Back. Fine And Great play emo pop punk and feature fantastic dual vocals from Manu and Tooney. This band are so new that they’re yet to play their first show, other than a live stream at Boatless Booze Cruise last weekend.

Grey Matter
Bad Time Records have earned a reputation for releasing quality ska punk music. When new UK distro Pookout Records got some new stock from Bad Time Records in, I took a punt on Grey Matter and was not disappointed. The Michigan based band take everything you think you know about ska punk and add so many other influences. In a genre that sometimes gets tarred as “all songs sound the same”, it’s great to see a band that proves that that’s really not the case. FFO experimental ska punk.

Kids On Fire
Much like Bad Time Records, Seattle’s Tiny Dragon Music have a reputation for only releasing quality punk rock. During the lockdown, the label had a big sale so I bought Chosen Family by Burn Burn Burn from them. I also decided to take a chance on an album named Songs In The Key Of Bummer by a band I hadn’t heard of called Kids On Fire. This turned out to be a fantastic decision as Kids On Fire are awesome. They play fast paced indie punk rock with fantastic vocals and plenty of opportunity for singing along and having a lot of fun. FFO The Loved Ones, Forever Unclean, The Drowns.

Postage
New Yorkers Postage are another band that I discovered because they are playing The Fest. Featuring Mike Moak from After The Fall, you might expect this quartet to be more of a hardcore sound. That, however, is not the case. Playing a mid-tempo pop punk with an edge, on my very first listen I knew this was a band for me. I don’t know how often they get out and play shows due to Mike’s After The Fall commitments so I’m going to make sure I take the opportunity to see them at Fest. FFO ALL, The Mr T Experience, Night Surf.

Stuck Out Here
Stuck Out Here are a four piece band from Canada. In their own words, Stuck Out Here play “party angst anthems” which I think is a perfectly accurate description. Like Postage, this is mid-tempo pop punk that will get you singing along with all the passion. Their 2019 release, Until We’re Each Someone Else, is packed with great moments and I implore you to check it out. FFO The Menzingers, Signals Midwest, The Penske File.

Swayze
Swayze are another band from Canada, a country that produces a crazy amount of brilliant punk rock music. One of the biggest kept secrets on this list, I was very surprised to see that they don’t have much of an online following. Their latest EP, St Angry (which you can expect to see a full review for on CPRW in the near future), is packed with high tempo punk rock with big gang vocals and fantastic harmonies. This is a band who seem to write songs with my tastes in mind. FFO Lagwagon, Captain Asshole, MakeWar.

Virginity
Wiretap Records have become one of my favourite record labels over the past few years. They release so many great records from bands of a variety of different punk genres. In Virginity they have another brilliant band on their hands. The three piece from Daytona Beach, Florida, are just about to release their new EP Death To The Party on June 5th and looks set to explode among fans of emo/pop punk music. FFO Expert Timing, Dikembe, Modern Baseball.

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Ten Things That Are Keeping Emma Sane During The Lockdown

I consider myself to be extremely lucky that, despite everything that’s going on at the moment, I’m still able to continue working with relatively little change – all things considered. Instead of driving for twenty minutes to get to the studio where I work as a graphic designer with around thirty other people, I have my ‘office’ set up in our living room and am connected to my design team and our clients via video calls, emails and instant messaging. I sure am grateful to still have some sort of a routine and to know what day of the week it is (as well as still having an income, even if I don’t have oodles of free time to watch Netflix (we don’t have it anyway) or take up baking (can’t get the ingredients anyway).

Obviously, it’s weird being by myself all day – Colin is still going out to work while I work from home – but there are some pros of that: I get to pick what I want to listen to. All day, everyday! Here are some of the, mostly audio-based, things that have been helping to keep me sane in these crazy times, not necessarily exclusively whilst working but also what I’m occupying myself with instead of going to gigs or the gym…

Having more time to check out new music
I’m starting with a pretty obvious one but having more hours by myself in a day means more time to listen to whatever I want – without backlash. It also means I can try something new and skip songs or switch to something else if I decide I don’t like it. Sometimes I just stick on relaxation type music with nature sounds but mostly I listen to vaguely punk music. Some new, to me at least, artists I’ve checked out over the past few weeks include Church Girls, Cosmit, Dogeyed, Ellen And The Degenerates, Follow Your Dreams, Hi Water, Menagramo, Moon Bandits, Ratboys, Shoplifters, The Special Bombs, THICK and Trash Boy. I’ve also been getting into Phoebe Bridgers, including Better Oblivion Community Center, in the last week which I realise isn’t strictly ‘punk’ but I know a lot of punks are fans.

Taking up running
If you know me then you probably know that I am a keen swimmer, by which I mean that before leisure centres closed I was swimming 5 or 6 times a week. I’ve had to fill the hole that not being able to go swimming every morning before work has left in my life with something so I’ve taken up running. I’ve just completed Week 5 of Couch to 5K (I ran a full 20 minutes without stopping!) and music has really helped me get this far. I’ve rebooted and updated an old playlist, now titled UPBEAT, that I used in previous years to get me through gym sessions and it has become the soundtrack to my running journey. I’m always open to suggestions of other songs to add to it – it is by no means complete!

Listening to Spanish Love Songs’ and Worriers’ latest albums
Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs and You Or Someone You Know by Worriers are probably my two favourite albums released in 2020 so far. They each tackle, among other subjects, huge world issues such as how the impact of climate change is making it literally feel like the end of the world is nigh. Guess what?! Both albums feel even more relevant in this weird old era of COVID-19 and are essential listening for everyone reading this. I Imagine these aren’t the only two albums that feel like a soundtrack to how things are at the moment but they are the ones that have stuck with me – and I still can’t get enough of either.

Listening to podcasts, podcasts and more podcasts
There are some days when I don’t really feel like listening to anything in particular music-wise but I need something on between video calls to ensure I’m not sitting in silence. Given that the main thing – at least, other than the coffee machine – that I’m missing about not being in the office is general chit-chat, it’s been really great to listen to podcasts. Not all of the podcasts I listen to are music themed – I’ve started listening to a sci-fi comedy called Voyage To The Stars which has 60+ episodes for me to work my way through – but a fair few are. Desert Island Punks is continuing to put out new episodes despite the lockdown and the new-ish episode with Kay of Specialist Subject Records is a great listen. Glasgow based promoter Dammit Presents has a new podcast with the first episode featuring Graham and Sean of Goodbye Blue Monday. I haven’t had a chance to listen to that yet but I’m sure it’s a time. Other good ones include: Lifers with Ed Gamble (heavy metal but it’s Ed Gamble so…), Superbeast Podcast (current affairs plus music) and The Wasting Time Podcast (pop punk/alternative music interviews).

Having more time to listen to vinyl
Over the past couple of months, Colin and I have built up quite a pile of records that were yet to have their first spin due to us not being home at the same time or because we were both out at a gig – who remembers gigs? We’ve now made our way through the pile, including those that we’ve bought since the lockdown began, as we have a lot of extra free time in the evenings. We’re not really ones for watching too much TV and would much rather put a couple of records on with dinner in the evening. In terms of choosing which record from the pile to play next, Colin uses a spinning wheel app on his phone. The Discogs app also has a great feature for choosing a random record from your whole collection simply by shaking your phone. This week we’re listening to records from bands that should have been at MPF 2020.

Watching livestream festivals
I’m sure everyone reading this has watched a livestream gig or two over the past couple of weeks. There have been so many that it’s impossible to catch up on them all, let alone tune in to them as they happen. I’ve particularly enjoyed the online festivals that hardworking folk such as the Specialist Subject Records gang (Distant Together) and the Booze Cruise Festival team (Boatless Booze Cruise) have put together on Instagram and/or Facebook. Not only do you tune in to see live sets by artists you know and love but you stick around to check out others that you’ve not heard of before – it’s great for the musicians involved and it’s great for you. There’s also a sense of community with the live comments alongside the streams, it’s nice to see familiar names pop up. Sure, it’s not the same as being at an actual festival but it’s still nice. Tune in to @mcrpunkfest on Instagram this weekend for all things Manchester Punk Festival, including yoga at midday on Saturday.

Cooking some different things
Bear with me here, I realise that this doesn’t sound particularly music related but I’ve really been enjoying trying some new recipes over the past few weeks. Obviously, I’m still working so I haven’t been baking sourdough bread every day or even making immensely difficult things on weeknights but I have whipped up homemade vegan garlic mayo, mango sorbet and vegan ‘halloumi’ (this one wasn’t such a great success but it was perfectly edible), as well as trying out several new curry and stir fry recipes. I also cooked some pretty darn good roast potatoes in my first ever attempt at a roast dinner – ask Colin. I have Vegan Punks, one of my favourite vegan food blogs, to thank for how the roast potatoes turned out. I recommend following them on Instagram. They share stories as they cook certain recipes and they always include what they’re listening to – punk rock, of course!

Doing design outside of my day job
Something I haven’t done a great deal of in the last few years is design work or any other creative pursuits beyond taking photos on my phone to upload to Instagram. When I work all day every day on my computer in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, I thought the last thing I’d want to do would be to spend my free time doing that as well. Then I got free reign to design the CPRW Records logo and subsequently each compilation’s artwork. This was all before COVID-19 really became a problem in the UK and it was a struggle to fit in but more recently I drew our beloved home-from-home and favourite music venue the New Cross Inn for CPRW Records’ brand new compilation in aid of Music Venue Trust. It’s nice to be able to do something, however small, to help the music venues and bands that we love so much. The comp is released next Friday, 1st May – please check it out on Bandcamp!

Non-screen based pastimes
It’s good to try and get away from your screens and devices as much as possible each day of lockdown. Getting your daily exercise (assuming you’re allowed to do so in your country, as we are currently in the UK) is one way to do this but when you’re stuck inside the house it can be difficult to know what to do with yourself and it’s all too easy to spend your time scrolling through social media or watching episode after episode of whatever on TV. I jumped at the chance to order a jigsaw puzzle from Stöj Snak when they announced that a limited number of ScreamerSongwriter Heart and ‘Pandemic’ Dinosaur puzzles would be available soon. I opted for the dinosaur and am eagerly awaiting its arrival from Denmark. With 1,000 pieces, it ought to keep me busy for many, many, many hours. I was also pleased to see that Specialist Subject included at ‘puzzle punx’ crossword in their latest Liner Notes newsletter – order some records from them! I’d love more punk-themed puzzles so let me know if there’s more out there.

Getting back on track with my 2020 reading challenge
Okay, this one is completely not punk rock related. I haven’t read any particularly music orientated books this year but I still can before life goes back to normality, I suppose. I was a fairly frequent reader anyway and had set myself a goal of reading 35 books this year (Goodreads) but had fallen behind schedule – probably because I went through a phase of falling asleep before even reading one chapter in bed at night! I’ve taken this having more free time opportunity to do something I’ve been meaning to do for years and have started re-reading the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. I also want to re-watch the films (extended editions, obviously) at some point but we’ve started watching the Marvel films in timeline order instead.

What things are you doing to keep sane at the moment? What would you recommend?

This top ten was written by Emma Prew.