Wednesday 28 October 2009

HUNX AND HIS PUNX

http://www.myspace.com/hunxsolo Ive been loving this US band lately. Ever since i heard the hilarious and catchy as hell single 'You don't like rock n roll: http://www.mediafire.com/?wyqgmmqwwti
ive been hooked. Fun, cheesy, camp, party, beach boys, ramones and silly are things that come to mind when i listen to them. If that sounds like a good mix and you like music that puts a smile on your face, check em out. New LP: 'Gay Singles' just came out, you should pick it up. Its lots of fun.

Social Circkle and more, Brighton 26/10/09

This show totally lived up to expectations and was worth the ridiculous one bus and three trains, three hour journey to Brighton. I hate living in the middle of nowhere...


After the worst 'burrito' ever and mixing popping candy and coke (didnt work sam) four friends and i headed to the Greenhouse Effect in Hove. I'd been once before to see www.myspace.com/chrismurray play his unique brand of acoustic ska so i was doubley excited about this show as i knew how intimate a venue it was. As i walked in the first thing i saw was a distro and in front of it a dude was holding the Weezer Blue LP, i couldnt believe my eyes and walked home with that bad boy. Im so stoked haha.


First band to play was THE HARD WAY from Brighton: http://www.myspace.com/thehardway who i rather enjoyed. I cant describe/compare bands but check out their demo. Great guitar solo in one of the songs. No nonsense, no frills hardcore http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OPTE3J43 They said they might release a tape, here's hoping


Place was gradually filling up as TEEN SHEIKHS: http://www.myspace.com/proteensheikhs came on stage. This band were so much fun and reminded me of Lovvers http://www.myspace.com/letscommunicate which is never a bad thing. Distorted vocals, fun poppy guitars and immediately my head is bopping and my feet want to dance. Their debut tape is sold out but ill try and pick up any new releases. Check em out if you like stuff on the Fashionable Idiots label: http://www.fashionableidiots.com/


So two bands down and thumbs up. Next up were Liverpool's NOWHERE FAST: www.myspace.com/nowherefast81 who i have loved ever since i heard their demo http://www.sendspace.com/file/rp8zl5 Super fast, to the point hardcore in an SOA vein: http://www.myspace.com/stateofalert Fucking amazing. This was my third time seeing them and they get tighter each time. Top performance tonight, roll on seeing em again on friday in London. I cant help but think about VOID when i watch the guitarist. Please check out Void: http://www.mediafire.com/?z60ngnmzpel listen to that and then pick up the FAITH/VOID split 12" its essential.


Greenhouse Effect is really hot now and people await Social Circkle. Social Circkle are one of those bands i never expected to see unless i went to the US and caught them so i was stoked on this tour. They did not disappoint one bit. Fast, garagey hardcore with singalongs and stage presence to boot. Played songs from both 7"s, their demo and their new LP: City Shock and it was spot on. No one danced but the whole room was nodding its head. Im sure London is going to be a party.


Whole night was ace, nice one Ralph for putting it on. Its rare to go to a show where i enjoy every band on the bill and this happened tonight! London on Friday is going to be a lot of fun!


Listening now: THE BOYS: The Boys http://www.myspace.com/theboysuk Ralph who put this show on actually got me into this band. The Boys were a major part of the first wave of punk bands in the UK and the first UK punk band to sign an album deal in January 1977. Absolutely amazing keyboard heavy punk pop. Get their debut record, its just incredible.

Saturday 24 October 2009

Fest 8

Having been to Fest 7 in Gainesville last year and had one of the best weekends of my life i was so excited about going again this year. Alas a spontaneous trip to New York to see Streetlight Manifesto and having no job means that i wont be going this year.

I know a lot of you are so this is a special 'Fest 8' post, listing all the bands i think you should check out, the UK bands you must see and and a cheeky podcast thing at the end with one song from every band ive mentioned. Im not sure if it is happening next year but if it is you really should go. Imagine one long punk rock show with a bunch of your favourite bands, all your friends and enough pizza to eat and root beer to drink to last you forever and on top of that crazy warehouse, house, garden, parking lot shows full of covers and crowdsurfs. Fest is THE ultimate weekend.

UK BANDS:
There is a good contingent of UK bands this year and some of my favourites are playing. One being The Arteries: http://www.myspace.com/thearteries I confess that the first few times i saw the Arteries i wasnt into them and thought they were pretty weak. Over the last year they have become one of the best bands in the country, blowing any venue they play in the country apart and gaining a loyal legion of fans. Think 90's skatepunk with inspirational and sometimes positive lyrics with every song carrying a message and a long haired shouting/screaming frontman and guitar solos to die for. I can only see this band getting more and more popular. One of the most hardworking and DIY bands out there. If you arnt going to fest make sure you check em out live anyway coz they slay. Buy their debut album too: http://swfu.bigcartel.com/ definitely one of the best releases this year. Nicest dudes too.

Next up you should check out Bangers: http://www.myspace.com/bangersbangers another of my absolute favourites and again the nicest dudes. Think all the best bits of none more black and fifth hour hero with Roo's gruff as fuck vocal over the top. Band kills it every time and are yet to release a bad song. They recently released a split 10" with Brighton's Break the Habit: http://www.myspace.com/wearebreakthehabit who play Latterman-esque beats so you should definitely pick that up: http://thisonesforthecrew.bigcartel.com/product/bangers-break-the-habit-split brilliant record.

Other UK bands playing you should check out are http://www.myspace.com/apologiesihavenone two piece against me style punk rock. You wont see many bands with as much passion as these guys. http://www.myspace.com/thisiscalvinball are also bringing their two man melodic punk rock to Florida, download their latest album for free here: http://notshyofthediy.blogspot.com/2009/10/calvinball-live-fast-go-to-bed-early.html nice one Craig. More infection fist-in-air punk rock from http://www.myspace.com/okpilot Relatively new on the scene http://www.myspace.com/brothersofexeter will be bringing their own brand of None More Black punk rock too.

Bangers/Arteries/Brothers and OK Pilot conveniently released a split 7" to commemorate playing Fest so you should order that if you dig what you hear. Label has some great releases coming up: http://www.specialistsubjectrecords.co.uk/

My buddy Chaddock has started a live video blog which has videos of all the UK bands ive listed. Check it out because he is the best and the blog is the best. http://strikeachorduk.blogspot.com/

Im going to recommend you see the following bands:


Friday 23 October 2009

Social Circkle - Band of the Week



Every week im going to try and keep a 'Band of the Week' and this week it has to be massachusetts' very own SOCIAL CIRCKLE. Basically this band fucking rips. Fast, snotty american 80's hardcore revival. I suck at describing bands so i'll let their demo do the talking: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?lyzlzumnvtc Since this they have released two 7"s: 'Static eyes' and 'i've got afflictions' and just released their debut LP 'City Shock' which is one of my favourite releases this year for sure. The best thing about this band right now is starting this coming monday they are on a mini UK tour! if you like what you hear please please go and see them, i doubt you will get the chance again any time soon. They are hitting up the following places:

Monday 26th - The Greenhouse Effect, Brighton w/ Nowhere Fast, The Hard Way, Teen Sheiks
Tuesday 27th - Royal Park Cellars, Leeds w/ Nowhere Fast, Dogfight
Wednesday 28th - The 13th Note, Glasgow
Thursday 29th - Next To Nowhere, Liverpool w/ Hot Club De Paris, Nowhere Fast, Bow and Arrow
Friday 30th - "The Big Takeover III": Lower Clapton Road, London w/ The Wankys, Methodist Centre + more

Friday is basically gonna slay: Everyone should come, http://www.bigtakeover.co.uk/



Lineup is all kinds of good.

Nowhere Fast http://www.myspace.com/nowherefast81 are one of my favourite UK bands. Totally raging and fast hardcore from liverpool in an SOA vein. Download their demo for free here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/rp8zl5

Skiplickers http://www.myspace.com/skiplickers are a band ive wanted to catch for ages. Dirty D beat crust from Sheffield featuring Bry from one of the best lifetime/kid dynamite rip off bands money can buy, Cop Out http://www.myspace.com/thecwms If you have sense, buy the 7". Its ace.

Sceptres www.myspace.com/thesceptresthesceptres are fun time garage punk in an X, X Ray Spex vein and i was sad tro hear they had split up but obviously they havnt which is brilliant news. Bryony who sings for Sceptres is putting the show on so go and support an awesome all ages DIY show.

Im excited for the other supports as ive not heard either. Ill review the show and let you know how it was. Makes up for missing the Fest this year anyway!

So yeah check out Social Circkle, go catch em live, pick up their LP and support DIY shows.

Listening now: Jurassic 5 www.myspace.com/jurassic5 hip hop innit.


Bonestorm


Bonestorm are a new band from Leeds and i had the pleasure of seeing them in the summer at a fun all dayer. The band features members who have all been in/are in the following bands: Current / Ex - Closure, Cutting Class, FKAS, Grand March, Normal Man, Omerta, The Osterman Weekend, Pure Graft, Sick-Fuckin-O, UYA, Whores Whores Whores. You should check em all out.

They just recorded and have kindly put their first EP up for free download so check it out. If you dig Iron Lung stuff you will dig this. There name rules too. Download the EP here: http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=62b04e55345b95d575a4fc82078ae6c8e04e75f6e8ebb871

Listening Now: Tranzmitors http://www.myspace.com/thetranzmitors More super fun, bouncey power pop from Canada which seems to produce the best! If this doesn't put a smile on your face you have no soul

Sauna Youth

So the Steal split up last month and already Rich, the drummer and Lindsay, the guitarist have a new band called http://www.myspace.com/saunayouth and they sound awesome. Think a less raw Regulations. I have been informed they will be releasing a demo tape and want to play shows. I for one am excited. 'Vacuous idiot' is a brilliant slice of garage punk.
The name is a reference from a Black Flag tour where the band went to a sauna and were dubbed by some kids 'Sauna Youth' If you dont know who Black Flag are then download this: http://www.mediafire.com/?1ongdnmmggp and have your mind blown.

Hi

Having said that id start a blog during the summer i thought it was about time i did so hear it is. I just failed my degree and have had to move home and have a lot of spare time on my hands so im going to use this blog as a place to ramble about anything music that tickles my fancy and also review records, shows, upload some songs i think you might like and use it as a place to promote bands i love and hopefully the shows im going to start putting on when i get a job.

So yeah, this will be choc full of bad grammer, opinions, an attempt at knowing what im talking about and some rad music.

Hope you enjoy.
Oh, the name 'this music is my life' is inspired by one of my favourite bands and the band that got me into hardcore, the genre i now listen too most, The Steal http://www.thesteal.co.uk/ you can download everything they have released/done for free as they recently split up, the fuckers. Just click on 'records' on the left and enjoy. One of the most inspirational, honest and amazing bands to exist, the song Worldwide world pretty much changed my life. Who knows, i could be at law school right now heading toward a future of boredom and 9-5.

Hope you enjoy reading this as much im going to enjoy writing it and hopefully you will get something out of it.
Thanks, Stephen


Listening now: http://www.myspace.com/marvelousdarlings amazing super fun power pop fromToronto, Canada featuring Ben (Career Suicide)