Top Tens: Ricky D of The Priceduifkes' Top Ten Punk Rock Influences

Both my parents never cared about music at all and my dad in particular hates going to concerts. Nonetheless they were very supportive when I wanted to learn to play the trumpet back in grade school and, even though they didn’t like the switch to becoming a (punk rock) bass player, they have always got my back. By the way: I stumbled onto some of my all time favorite punk records because of both my grandmothers ironically. Read all about it!

1. The Ramones

Didn’t see that coming did you? I got the Ramones Anthology at age 14 from my grandmother (different granny!) at a toy store called ‘Happy Land’ in Herenthout, the hometown of this other huge Ramones fan I met soon after this, who turned out to become the Priceduifkes drummer and one of my best friends. I listened to these two CDs all the time and still consider them the bible. I was also obsessed with the booklet - great job done on this best of!

2. The Nobodys

When I first borrowed a copy of ‘Short Songs for Short Attention Spans’ as a teenager I thought it was pretty good. It soon grew on me though and I became obsessed with the Nobodys. I looked up and bought their entire discography on e-bay bit by bit and I’m still proud of my little collection. ‘Generation XXX’ was the soundtrack to every drunk night and road trip for years. It was just 5 to 10 shirtless guys standing in a circle, singing along to every single word of that record. No homo. Best of times.

3. The Cocktomail Novtales

I just had to put these local heroes in my top 3 because without them I don’t think I’d been the person I am right now. I started going to the Chiro (a youth organization comparable to boy scouting) when I was 12 and the older guys there were in a band called The Cocktomail Novtales. They dressed up like women, jesters etc. at every show and played catchy, loud, organ fueled punk rock songs. I loved them and looked up to them and still consider one of their shows in particular as the best show I’ve ever been at. It was those guys handing me Dwarves, Groovie Ghoulies, Nobodys, Rancid CDs and got me way into it. They dragged my 15 year old ass to a Queers/Supersuckers show in the Lintfabriek (Belgium’s CBGBs if you want). I hung out at their band practices and that’s what made me wanna start my own band.

4. Minor Threat

I’d been into punk rock for a couple years when most of my friends somehow got into old school hardcore. I was learning to play bass and already playing as the Priceduifkes with Mambo, so my friend Berre burned me a CD with some songs that had cool bass parts in them. There were 5 Minor Threat songs on this CD-R along with some NOFX and Satanic Surfers. But I only cared about Minor Threat from then on. While I still listened to my punk rock records, I became a hardcore kid. We started a new band called Over Time and went to hardcore shows every weekend (Belgium had an awesome hardcore scene back then with bands like Justice, Dead Stop, In Arm’s Reach, Dead Reckoning, Reproach, Sunpower…). This taught me a lot about DIY, doing shit with your band and building a scene. I put on my first show when I was 16 and there were some class bands. I still think that’s quite something.

5. The Cramps

My uncle had a copy of ‘… Off The Bone’ and had left it at my grandmother's place when he moved out. I found it when I was looking for comics and got hooked to this new, weird kind of music. I remember playing ‘Love Me’ in class when I was 13 for some school assignment. The other kids didn’t dig it. Some other records I found at my granny’s place: Dead Kennedys – In God We Trust Inc. LP, Slayer – Seasons In The Abyss, Deicide – s/t.

6. Sunpower

This Belgian hardcore punk band has been going for about 15 years now and they’re the best. The main reason I put them in my top 10 is because they asked us to tour with them when we were 19 years old. On this tour (a 4 day UK trip) we met James from Squinty Joe records who put out our first 7" shortly after that, and it got us hooked on touring and taking the band to a next level. If it wasn’t for this trip we might have never gotten into the idea of touring and we wouldn’t have been a band anymore for years, so this weekend changed our lives for sure.

7. The Apers

I picked up a second hand copy of the Apers S/T CD at Fatkat record store in Antwerp. I loved it just because of the cover – 4 guys in denim and leather jackets, jeans and chuckies. It was pretty much exactly how I looked myself back then, being a huge Ramones fan and all. The record is great and later on we became really good friends with the band ourselves and did some touring with them. Kevin has been one of my main influences as a songwriter and it was a huge honor when they asked us if they could do a cover of our song ‘Break Stuff’ on their last album.

8. Chixdiggit / The Mr T Experience

Dr. Frank and KJ have the best lyrics and I always wanted my lyrics to be as clever as theirs. I think I did an OK job and I have them to thank for it.

9. The Dopamines

They’re from Cincinatti, OH, and they made some of the best punk rock albums of the past 10 years. They have a new one coming out and I’ve seldom been more excited about a record coming out.

10. The Dwarves

One of the more violent bands. The Jesuses of Cool. I love this band so much and lose my shit every time I see them live. They are especially an influence because they’re not afraid to experiment production-wise. They can put a hip hop song on a punk record and it will be the best hip hop song you’ve ever heard – and blend in perfectly. Still not boring after 30+ years.

Stream and download The Priceduifkes new album Goathorse here: https://thepriceduifkes.bandcamp.com/

Like The Priceduifkes here: https://www.facebook.com/thepriceduifkes/

Album Review: Fyah by Easydread (by Emma Prew)

Easydread are a Bedfordshire-based 7-piece reggae-rock band. They are not really the sort of band that I would usually review – I tend to review more folk punk, Americana-influenced or pop punk bands – but having seen Easydread live three times over the last year, I know that they make great music. I’ve heard all of the songs on their recently released 5-track EP, named Fyah, and so know how good they are – or at least how good they are played live!

The first track on the EP is the title track and I’ve already got it stuck in my head just thinking about it… before I’ve actually pressed play. Fyah kicks off with a lovely bit of melodica – an instrument that I own but never play (I also own guitars that I never play but the melodica is more interesting) – and it instantly makes you want to get your groove on. From the catchy ‘Fire, fire, fire, fiiiire!’ chorus you’d think that this song was urging you to go set fire to something. I think it’s more about standing up for what you believe in and, if you want to, spreading the word – like spreading fire. Or something.

The second track is called Ode To Mandy and is soulful-sounding love song. The song starts off with a neat little guitar riff before the drums cue the rest of the band in, including frontman Steve’s impressive voice – certainly a major reason why this song sounds so soulful to me. One of the things I enjoy about Easydread, and this is perhaps more apparent at a live show, is that many of the other band members join in for some great backing vocals as well. For example, the woah-ohs in the chorus – ‘You got to know woah-oh-oh-oh, woah-oh-oh girl I ain’t trying to play ya.’

The Wake Of You is next on the EP and Easydread up the tempo for this song which really makes you want to get moving, dancing and maybe even a little skanking too. The horns in this song definitely bring to mind The Specials and their song Monkey Man (or Toots and the Maytals if you want to be pedantic) but it is by no means a copy. The horns part is catchy and the lyrics are ridiculously catchy too – ‘The water’s choppy, Oh so choppy, As I follow in the wake of you.’  This is a fine example that Easydread can do both slow, soulful songs and up-beat dance-able songs brilliantly.

The fourth track on the EP, Rebel, has quite a different sounds to begin with. The guitar is heavy and almost grungy but when the horns, keys and drums kick in the reggae undertones are back. As you might imagine from the title of this song, Rebel feels like a bit of a protest song – it certainly has a more of a thought-provoking subject matter perhaps than the previous easy-going track. As on Fyah, this is a song about standing up for what you believe in, defying the concept of borders and ‘taking the power back’.

The last track of the Fyah EP has a title that I’m a little reluctant to shout about. However, it is a song that my mama – who happens to read this blog, occasionally – has actually witnessed live so I needn’t feel to concerned about that. The song is called Scrotes and is dedicated to ‘a certain type of person’ from Luton, where the majority of the band are from. I’m sure you can probably work out what that kind of person is like, there’s probably people like that in your town too. This song has acted as Easydread’s set closer each time I’ve seen them play and for good reason – it’s epic. From the opening chorussing of ‘la, la, la’ to the energetic musical breakdown at the end of the song, it is quite simply awesome.

You can stream and download Fyah now on Bandcamp. You should also like Easydread on Facebook. And I'd highly recommend catching them live if you're in the South East of England or London.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Bad Driving by Black Volvo

The Netherlands' Black Volvo are back with a brand new album. The three piece are releasing Bad Driving on March 17th on TNS Records in England and Make-That-A-Take Records in Scotland. Two record labels that are very close to my heart.

When I think about the particular brand of punk rock TNS tend to put out I always think of loud, aggressive, in your face music that is also fun. Listening to Bad Driving I can see why Black Volvo and TNS have their connection. On Bad Driving, Black Volvo have written seventeen songs that will have you shouting and smiling in equal measure. Combining punk, rock 'n' roll and a dash of metal music, Black Volvo have crafted their own instantly recognisable sound that will get your fists in the air immediately. This is what I want in my punk rock.

When you read that there are seventeen tracks on Bad Driving you might think that this album is going to be a bit of a marathon slog when listening the whole way through. I did. But looking at the track listing there are only two songs that are over three minutes long and over half the songs are less than two minutes long. The album really flies by without stopping for any rest. What might seem like a marathon is actually a bit of a sprint with Black Volvo seemingly on a mission to have as much fun as possible in as short a time as they can. There is definitely no wasted motion here.

At seventeen songs long is there any filler? ABSOLUTELY NOT! There isn't one track on Bad Driving that I didn't fall in love with on the very first listen. Obviously I have my favourites over others but there isn't a single dud on the album. My personal favourites were Punkrock Family, Pants On Fire, Eagle Mind and Rebel Revolution Red Wine.

Punkrock Family starts out with the band screaming "I, I Got My Punk Rock Family, Family" without the backing of any instruments. This is really striking every time hear it. It's a song about not fitting in anywhere until you find your home in punk rock. I'm sure many people can relate to this message.

There is a psychobilly feel to the opening of Pants On Fire that I really loved. You don't hear enough psychobilly these days. Black Volvo's lead singer Richard's voice is on top form - there is an amazing amount of aggression and power coming from his vocal performance that can't be ignored. Pants On Fire is about not believing the stories that you're told.

Eagle Mind has a fantastic guitar riff that plays throughout the song and seems to be the backbone for the entire track. The chorus features a great back and forth section with Richard trading off vocals with Jaap and Roy, this gives the song even more energy and will allow the crowd to feel more involved in the song when played live.

Rebel Revolution Red Wine is the final track on Bad Driving. Beginning with another excellent guitar riff, the track is a powerful one. Tinged with a hint of 60s rock 'n' roll, it's a hard hitting banger about rebelling against what is safe and secure and taking a chance. There is a short moment where the music drops out and the band scream "Rebel Revolution" over and over again. This will really get, what I imagine would be an already raucous, crowd screaming as loud as they can with Black Volvo.

Bad Driving is one of those albums that, as much as I enjoy it on recording, I think can't be fully appreciated until you see Black Volvo play these songs live. The energy coming out of these songs is immense but live I can only imagine it would knock my socks off. Seeing Black Volvo play live is now on my list of things to do as soon as possible. I want my socks to be knocked off!

Pre-order Bad Driving here: https://blackvolvorockers.bandcamp.com/album/bad-driving

or from TNS here: https://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/?product_cat=tns-releases

or from MTAT here: https://makethatatakerecords.bandcamp.com/album/bad-driving-lp

Like Black Volvo here: https://www.facebook.com/blackvolvorock/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Leonard by Deforesters (by Robyn Pierce)

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I was asked to review Deforesters’ first full-length album ‘Leonard’. I’d seen some discussion online about their 2014 EP ‘Bones’, which seemed to be well-received (they also released a self-titled EP in 2016), but I can’t say that I knew the band very well. After one listen I was completely sold on this album and ashamed that past-Robyn hadn’t given Deforesters the time and attention they deserved. ‘Leonard’ could easily have the staying power to make my top ten albums for 2017. I was hooked right from the folksy opening ukulele chords of the ‘Obligatory Cutesy Intro’, which celebrates the crusty barroom singalong as much as it gently mock it, to the band’s final avowal that they ‘wouldn’t trade’ all the ‘douchebags’, ‘crackheads’, and ‘assholes’ of Toronto for anything. I also couldn’t help but be charmed by the fact that this band of slightly self-deprecating bros decided to name their first full-length the same way they’d name their first child. If ‘Leonard’ were a person, he’d probably be that kid from the down the block who offers to help the elderly with their groceries so that he can sneak some bottles from their liquor cabinets.

After the cutesy opening, the second track ‘A Song For All the Reptoids of Denver International Airport to Sing’ jolts you out of your folk reverie with soaring guitars before kicking into a super catchy chorus. It’s one of those songs you’re singing along to before it’s even reached the end, belting out ‘If you’re not sleeping, then I’m not sleeping, then I’m not sleeping at all’ (I can’t even type these lyrics without bobbing my head from side to side). It’s a great opening track (it was also the first song on last year’s EP) that immediately puts you in a party mood. The next song ‘I’ll Take the Crab Juice’ is the first track that made me want to describe this band as Americana, like I might describe The Gaslight Anthem or The Menzingers, as it has a little bit of that folk/bluegrass/country-rock fusion feel. But, Deforesters are a Toronto band. Of their Canadian brethren, they fit in best with Pkew Pkew Pkew and The Flatliners (‘Leonard’ is actually produced by Steve Rizrun, who worked on multiple records for The Flatliners), but Deforesters sound more American-esque to me. Perhaps we could label them as Canadiana? I don’t think the band would mind, since their Facebook page lists their genre as Douchecore.

The fourth track of the album, ‘Zesty Mordant’, begins with some twangy guitar picking before coming in quickly with some thicker chords and vocals. I like the heavy vocals that are brought in here; they aren’t overused and give way to a sweeter, more poppy chorus. ‘Is This a God Damn’ is another song that had me bopping. It’s a clap-along which cheerfully reminds us that ‘in the end, we all die’. If the song titles didn’t tip you off, these guys don’t take themselves too seriously and compel you to do the same. Did I think I’d be gleefully singing about human mortality and the finality of death when I started listening to this album? No, but I was glad to do it once the opportunity came around. That stuff isn’t going away, and singing fun songs about it can only help. I found myself nodding in agreement with the lyrics ‘And I might not be happy, but I’m honest and I’d rather face these painful truths than swallow an easy lie’ - an appropriate sentiment in the era of post-truth. ‘The Topiary Animals are Telling Me to Do Terrible Things’, is possibly my favourite song (it’s another EP import, coming off of ‘Bones’). It begins with a glorious drum kick and some sumptuous guitar that makes you want to jive, splitting the singing between smoother and heavier vocals. ‘Exercise in Futility’ delivers more catchy vocals but lets the bass come to forefront. By this point in the album I am in full party mode and ready to see what Deforesters have to throw at me next.

‘Air out Your Stinkables’ maintains the energy of the album, although it’s a solemn track that attempts to deal with lost love. This song and the one that follows it, ‘Clever Song Title’ (hehe), are both a little more serious (despite what that the song titles suggest) and showcase the band’s vocals. I prefer ‘Clever Song Title’ with its awesome ‘Where do we go from here?’ refrain. ‘What Do You Want on Your Tombstone’ changes tactics slightly, with some palm muting and a reverie-fuelled melody that begins with ‘I had a dream’. It’s a welcome shift that stops the album from feeling too same-y. Track 11 is called ‘This is Gibsonton not Gainesville’, which made me chuckle because this band has such a Gainesville-esque sound. Or, I suppose, they have a Fest sound and could be described as Orgcore. In this song, the band slows down and gets heavier, despite it being a very short track. I like the production on the gang vocals here, which are given a thicker resonance to fill out the sound. ‘Snow Line’ is my second pick for potential favourite song. It’s another solemn, gang vocal driven track; the sort of song that a band will pull out at the end of their set for everyone to sing along to. It’s a song, in part, about getting through the difficult times together, as friends and as a community: ‘It looks like Winter’s sticking around, can we hang on? . . . We’re all buried deep, deep down.’ I hope that if I’m ever able to see Deforester that they play this, and I can lend my emotionally-charged voice to the chorus. I mentioned the last track, ‘Municipal Geography Lesson’, at the beginning of this review. Here the guys get a little cheeky again, but it’s really a sentimental track that pays tribute to every lovable ‘asshole’ in their shared geographic area.

Deforesters are a class act, dishing out deliciously sweet melodies with one superb hook after another and gang vocals for days. This band and this album are comically charming and instantly lovable. Some albums take a few listens before you get into them, but this felt easy and immediate. I’ve learnt from my mistake. I won’t miss an opportunity to rock out to the Deforesters ever again.

Stream and download Leonard here: https://blacknumbers.bandcamp.com/album/leonard

Like Deforesters here: https://www.facebook.com/DEFORESTERS/

This review was written by Robyn Pierce.

Column: Australian Punk Rock (Part One)

Over the past couple of years I've been discovering more and more amazing punk bands coming out of Australia. Whilst being nowhere near an expert on that scene it seems to be that it's as strong as ever, so I thought it might be a fun idea to showcase some of those amazing bands on Colin's Punk Rock World. I discovered so many fantastic bands whilst doing the research for this post that I decided to split it into two parts. I'm sure if I had done even more research it could easily become a three, four or even five part post but that would be silly.

I have also decided to leave out established legends of Australian punk suck as Frenzal Rhomb, The Living End and Bodyjar, as well as acts like The Smith Street Band and The Bennies who we have already featured a lot on this blog. I've had a great time listening to all these bands so I hope that you also find some new favourites!

Alex The Kid

Alex The Kid are a five piece from Geraldton and Perth in Western Australia. Playing a brand of melodic punk rock with more of a hardcore vocal style similar to Strike Anywhere, they will get a live crowd moshing and shouting along in equal measure. Check out Vinyls from the album Speak Up which was released by Pee Records in 2016.

Blindspot

Blindspot are a four piece band that formed in 2011 in Perth. Playing fast paced skate punk, Blindspot already have six releases under their belt. Clearly drawing influences from 90s skate punk legends such as Pennywise, Millencolin and Frenzal Rhomb, Blindspot appear to be song writing machines. Check out You're So Phoney from the EP of the same name.

Burning Fiction

Another band from Perth, Burning Fiction are a five piece playing no thrills melodic punk rock. I particularly enjoy the variation in vocals, sometimes singing with a hint of pop and sometimes letting out some primal screams, it's hard to guess what's coming next with Burning Fiction. Check out Mr Frothington from the album Contrast.

Chinese Burns Unit

Chinese Burns Unit are a group from Australia that features Frenzal Rhomb's legendary frontman Jay Whalley. The five piece play a straightforward style of punk rock with pop hooks. There is a fresh and easy listening vibe to their sound that sets them apart from many of their contemporaries. Check out Thrown Into The Ocean from their self-titled LP.

Dan Cribb & The Isolated

When I was researching for this blog I discovered that Dan Cribb is the former frontman of The Decline - we're all learning in this column. Dan Cribb & The Isolated's debut album, As We Drift Apart, features Nick Diener of The Swellers and borrows from the 90s punk rock that we all love so much. Check out Return To Sender from As We Drift Apart.

Dune Rats

Brisbane's Dune Rats are a three piece band who have just released their brand new album, The Kids Will Know It's Bullshit. Playing a fun and very danceable style of indie punk this band certainly know how to write a catchy song. Check out the brilliant Bullshit from the new album.

Freak Wave

Freak Wave are a band from Melbourne featuring former members of Kill Whitey and A Death In The Family, among others. Playing fuzzy, indie pop punk there is a great rawness to their music. There is also a lot of heart and emotion poured into the songs that make it impossible not to get hooked on. Check out Cat And The Cow from 2014's Don't Let Me Down.

Hightime

Adelaide's Hightime have played shows with some of the biggest punk bands in the world since their formation in 2009, taking influence from many of them. Mixing the worlds of punk, ska and hardcore music into one potent mix that will make a party explode into life. Hightime are a band destined for massive things very soon. Check out Tear Us Apart from 2015's Mother Crab LP.

Laura Palmer

A band that have already been featured on this blog earlier the year, Laura Palmer are a three piece from Melbourne. They play punk rock in a similar style to Iron Chic - that mid-tempo, melodic sing-along style that I love so much. Check out All The Way from this year's All The Way/Blue Pills EP.

Local Resident Failure

Local Resident Failure are a band that have been making waves all other the world with their unique brand of skate punk. Having already played shows all over Europe and America, the Newcastle based four piece are picking up more fans every day. Check out Where The Bloody Hell Are Ya? from A Breath Of Stale Air.

The Meanies

The Meanies formed in Melbourne way back in 1989 and have gigged steadily ever since. They play some straight to the point, no thrills punk rock that doesn't take itself too seriously. After a break of twenty one years without putting out a new album they released Cover Their Tracks in 2014 and It's Not Me, It's You in 2015. Check out There's A Gap from It's Not Me, It's You.

Paper Arms

Paper Arms a four piece from Adelaide who formed in 2008. Playing a raw and fierce emotional punk rock music, they are a band that can cross over to many genres and still stand out. Being signed to Poison City in Australia and Uncle M in Europe, the band are already making a big name for themselves and deservedly so. Check out Wake And Run from Great Mistakes.

She's The Band

She's The Band are a five piece hardcore punk band from Adelaide signed to Pee Records. Playing fast and furious hardcore I'm reminded of UK riot girl band Petrol Girls. No prisoners are taken here as the band look to tear your face off! Check out All The While from 2013's One From The Top Shelf.

This column was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Riskee and the Ridicule's Top Ten Punk Rock Influences

1. My top inspiration is the daily struggles in life. I love pain, anger, heartache, insecurities etc. because I've learned to channel them into something positive. Whether that's music or just trying to learn, progress and make myself a better person. - Scott Picking (Vocals)

2. I have a lot of time for the people who understand what we're doing. Fans of our band are so important and being a DIY band, we have the time and freedom to talk to every single one of them - which I love. Handwriting a few hundred notes to accompany our new album Blame Culture over a few beers as a band was really cool (even if it makes you nearly lose your mind!) That's what it's all about really, investing time in the people who have time for you. It's an awesome feeling chatting to someone who has never seen you play live before yet has travelled sometimes 600 miles to catch a half hour slot. Blows my mind and I will never not be grateful to those people. - Matt Verrell (Drums)

3. Seeing other bands doing great things. Whether I listen to them or not - I like to see underground bands coming up and doing well for themselves. It shows there's hope if you work hard enough. - Scott Picking (Vocals)

4. Social media is inspirational because it has helped in waking people up. People are sourcing their own information and news and yes, it's a double-edged sword where there can be misinformation, but it's also got people thinking and questioning far more than they may have been previously. For too long the average person has been taught by the news and tabloid nonsense. This generation is going to rule the world. - Scott Picking (Vocals)

5. Local and underground scenes across the country, and world, for that matter. Seeing people putting on shows constantly for bands to play and be promoted via is incredible. These pockets of of really exciting live, underground music all around are so inspirational. - Dave Thomas (Bass)

6. Punk Rock. The first band I saw which made me wake up and want to be a part of something different were MxPx and that was at the Electric Ballroom. I was right at the front opposite Mike (Bass/Vocals) and every moment had me hooked. I started a band playing bass and singing from that moment on. These days, I love the entire spectrum from pop-punk and easycore to hardcore and oi, there's something good in all of it. I'm really proud that Riskee and the Ridicule incorporates the catchy and fun side with a serious message behind it. It covers all bases for me. - Matt Verrell (Drums)

7. Going to watch live music is a big thing for me, just as networking is too. If you don't go and watch other bands outside of what you're doing yourself, then what's the point? I like the sense of community within the scenes we're in - everyone has each other's best interests at heart and are usually really down to earth. Also, if you don't get out there and scope what's happening on the local circuit then you never fully get an idea of the sheer talent and ideals of the other musicians doing what you're doing. The people who have a low audience attendance at their shows often wonder why, this is the reason. - Matt Verrell (Drums)

8. Working in a dull, dead end job. It may sound weird and the cliché of not being able to appreciate the highs without struggling through the lows, definitely rings true. The most creative moments for me are when my mind is doing the same thing all day everyday, I find myself writing the best drum patterns in this kind of situation. It also obviously makes you want "it" so much more - you look forward to letting loose and playing with your best friends. - Matt Verrell (Drums)

9. Connor McGregor. Everyone said he couldn't do it and when he did do it, they said it was a fluke. Situations like this display how people's perceptions mean nothing and I find that incredibly liberating. - Scott Picking (Vocals)

10. I can't understand how in 2017 people are still listening to hate speech, media lies and scaremongering. We, as a band, have always been about equality, unity, peace and love for the human race. We reinforced this on the new album by including an older spoken word piece which Scott did call "Colours", highlighting the fact that the colour of a person's skin means never judging a book by its cover. In the wake of Trump's Presidency, there has been a platform given to neo-nazi's and bigots, which allows more idiots to then jump on and exact their own warped views. It's not only wrong but incredibly outdated. Anything we can do to help change people's opinion on something so important and to spread equality and love is crucial in my eyes. - Matt Verrell (Drums)

 Stream and download Riskee and the Ridicule's music here: https://riskeeandtheridicule.bandcamp.com/

Like Riskee and the Ridicule here: http://www.facebook.com/riskeeandtheridicule

Gig Review: South East Fest at The Montague Arms 26/2/17 (by Emma Prew)

The weekend of the 25th/26th of February was a busy one for the punk scene in London. As well as shows from the TNS Records Tour and Me First And The Gimme Gimmes / Masked Intruder, this weekend saw the first ever (of, hopefully, many more) South East Fest – in south east London. With Friday night and Saturday afternoon / night taking place at the wonderful DIY Space For London and Sunday taking place at Waterintobeer and The Montague Arms, South East Fest had almost thirty great acts playing across the weekend. With everything else that was going on (plus we went to a record fare at the Craufurd Arms in Milton Keynes on Sunday afternoon), we only managed to fit in the last part of the fest at The Montague Arms.

I’d never been to The Montague Arms, although Colin had been a handful of times, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Coming from Bedford, an hour north of London, it’s always tricky getting to and from gigs in south London. Trains run back to Bedford pretty much all through the night but they are really, really slow and if you have work the next day, you don’t really want to be getting home after 2am – especially when the gig finished three or more hours previously. However, given all the happenings over the weekend, I was smart and booked Monday morning off work! Setting foot in The Montague Arms for the first time, a small quirky pub with a fully functioning gig space on the side, I knew this was my sort of place – especially after being at Shepherd’s Bush the night before!

There were five bands playing on the Sunday night and first up were Liverpudlian three-piece Pardon Us. I’d only vaguely heard of Pardon Us before (I think Colin has reviewed something of theirs on this blog) but was instantly a fan when they stormed into their fast-paced pop punk set. Being the sort of event that this was – and the sorts of people that go to it don’t only turn up for the headlining act! – the room was already decently filled and there were plenty of heads nodding along to the band. I particularly enjoyed the songs where bassist, Alex, and drummer, Gabby, joined singer and guitarist, Morgan, for some great gang vocals. Who doesn’t like gang vocals? The Pardon Us set was so energetic that Morgan broke a string on his guitar during the final song – better then than at the beginning, at least.

Next up were a band that I knew absolutely nothing about, Birmingham’s Mixtape Saints. They were late additions to the bill when Hot Mass unfortunately had to drop out. Although we both like Hot Mass, I was happy to hear a new band and I was certainly not disappointed by what I heard. From the tone of their guitars to the soulful lyrics, I was instantly reminded of The Gaslight Anthem – who, by the way, are one of my favourite bands of all time. Needless to say, I was a fan of this element alone but Mixtape Saints proved themselves to be a great band in their own right too. Their set closer Hold Fast / Hold Tight, a song about dealing with mental health and not giving in to it, was a particularly standout moment. Great stuff.

With two excellent yet previously unheard bands to start the night, I was now really looking forward to the third band – one that I did know but hadn’t seen live before – The Exhausts. The Exhausts are a garage punk trio from London town who for one reason or another hadn’t played together in over a year before Sunday night – or as Tommy said ‘This morning was the first time in a year that we’ve been in the same room together.’ It certainly didn’t seem to phase them as they played a storming set and I could tell by the atmosphere in the crowd that I wasn’t the only one that thought so. Hearing Rory, Tommy and Jake talking between songs on stage to each other and the crowd I got a real sense of them being an important and much loved part of the UK, and London in particular, punk scene. I hope they don’t leave it another a year before playing together again.

I thought I recognised the drummer of The Exhausts, despite never having seen them live before, and of course that’s because Jake also plays in Doe – who were the penultimate band of the evening. Each time I see Doe play it seems like their fanbase has grown, they’ve got slicker as a band and the general buzz around them doesn’t seem to be quietening down any time soon. They are one of those bands that I enjoy much more live than on recording as their performance is so fierce and passionate. Nicola’s voice, whether she’s singing or screaming, is really something you need to hear live and raw. Their set featured a fair amount from their debut album, Some Things Last Longer Than You, but it was also great to hear Let Me In from an earlier release – one of my favourites.

The final band of the night, and indeed South East Fest 2017 altogether, were Apologies, I Have None. This is a band that Colin and I combined have seen about twenty times! BUT if you’ve seen them live even just once then you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say that they are a brilliant band to watch live. Opening with two songs from their debut album London, The 26 and Sat In Vicky Park, seemed a slightly odd choice given that their second album is still fairly fresh but it certainly did the trick in getting The Montague Arms crowd singing and shouting along. Of course, songs from Pharmacie and the EP Black Everything did make an appearance too. While some of the earlier bands had time to pause between songs for a bit of on stage banter – which is not necessarily a negative thing – Apologies’ set was a whirlwind of singalongs, headbanging and distortion pedals, with no time to pause for breath. It was a little bit exhausting but in a good way.

It was a great night of music showcasing and embracing just how awesome the UK punk scene is – and no doubt the rest of the weekend did that tenfold too. Bravo to Danny, Oliver and Tommy for organising South East Fest and here’s to it becoming an annual event!

This review was written by Emma Prew.