UK Subs, Discharge, Anti-Nowhere League, Goldblade + at 100 Club, London

Photo: The Outbursts last night at Camden Calling, the George Tavern, London E1

Photo: The 4th Suit last night at Camden Calling, The George Tavern, London, E1

Video: Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate performing Led Zep's Whole Lotta Love

This is Malcolm and Ibon from Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate playing an acoustic cover of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, live at The Ballyhoo in London, earlier this month. Enjoy!

Introducing London's Mingus Elastic Band

A ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-WELCOME to London's Mingus Elastic Band. Can't find a helluva lot about them on the internet, or on their ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP profile page, but listening to them on DeadSpace they sound like are a very good acoustic blues/country band, that is led by vocalist/guitarist and songwriter, Tony Mingus. They play regularly around London, and the rest of the band lines up as follows: Dian - Vocals / Percussion. Mitch - Mandolin / Fiddle / Banjo / Guitar. Nick - Sax / Vocals. Wayne - Bass / Vocals. Rob - Guitar. Tom - Drums / Percussion.

Looking forward to hearing more about them on RTYD!

Coming soon to London and Liverpool: Los Angeles band, The Cherry Bluestorms

A ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-WELCOME to Los Angeles California based indie band, The Cherry Bluestorms.

The band is led by its founders ex-Dickies (Cool! - Ed) guitarist Glen Laughlin and A&M singer-songwriter Deborah Gee. Strongly influenced by late 60s British guitar-based pop, they released their self-produced debut album Transit of Venus, in 2007 to rave reviews, and the band is about to release their second album, Bad Penny Opera in time to play a series of gigs in Liverpool and London later this spring (check the RTYD Gig Calendar for details).

You can listen to three tracks from the Transit of Venus album on the band's RTYD music player, here.

Coming soon to London and Liverpool, new RTYD member, GuitimeDennis

A ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-WELCOME to Dyer, Arkansas based guitarist and vocalist, GuitimeDennis. Dennis is a hobbyist musician, who grew up in the Bay area of California, but whose influences include a number of British bands and artists, such as the Beatles, the Stones, Jeff Beck and Led Zep. These acts have been such an inspiration to Dennis over the 42 years he has been playing the guitar, that he is planning a trip to our shores very soon, and wants to visit London and Liverpool, in particular. He will be also be bringing his guitar so he can jam when he gets here. So, nearer the time, let's point him in the direction of some good jam sessions and open-mics in London and Liverpool, and make him feel welcome.

Dennis also has a website of his own called Guitime Studios from which he publishes videos and music in the hope of inspiring others. So check it out!

Introducing London punk covers band, The Longdicks

A big PUNK-ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP WELCOME! to London covers band, The Longdicks.

Formed in south east London in early 2007 by Mr Dickie Adams and Paul Long, the Longdicks have been 25 years in the making. The delay seems to have been caused largely by a need to get as much Fosters down their necks as younger men, which left them short of the cash they needed to buy guitars and learn to play just three chords. The whole punk soap story of their formative years - which should "never be divided" - is here on their RTYD profile page. Eat your hearts out, the Cockney Rejects!

Introducing..on the bass guitar, Nim Sadot!

 

A ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-WELCOME! to London-based bass player and bass-tutor, Nim Sadot. Nim is a professional with over 19 years of experience playing, gigging, recording, touring and teaching in the USA, UK and Israel. So if want to take up the bass, or you are a bassist and you want to improve your playing, you can contact Nim through RTYD.

Introducing new RTYD member London-based guitarist, Andy Deevy

A big ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-WELCOME! to London-based guitarist Andy Deevy. Andy performs as a solo acoustic guitarist and in covers, tribute and original bands. He is currently lead guitarist in the Apple Core Beatles and bass player in The Bitter Springs.  That said, he is always on the lookout for other musical work or projects, and he can play in a variety of styles. Here's a link to his personal website.

Now Streaming! Two New Songs by 14 Carat Grapefruit

Now streaming! Two brand new songs - 'Tamara Never Comes' and 'Let's Get Fuckin' Pissed' - from the Grapefruits' 'difficult' second album - if it ever comes! Follow this link to the ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-RECORD-SHOP to have a listen.

The band play The Dublin Castle in Camden, London, this coming Wednesday. On stage at a sensible 8pm.

New Video: 'Have I Got News For You' by Steve White & the Protest Family

The video for the new Steve White and Protest Family song Have I Got News For You is now up for all to enjoy on YouTube.  It was recorded by the London five-piece using 27 strings between them: 4 string bass, 4 string fiddle, 5 string banjo, 6 string guitar and 8 string mandolin. How about that!

Introducing new RTYD member, 'Billy'

A ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP welcome to Billy, a guitarist, based in London, who plays in a variety of blues and country styles but specialises in electric slide. He is currently looking to join a band, and is also looking for a writing partner.

Jon Owen and the Known Unknowns at the Lunar Lounge, Leytonstone, Sat 18 February

Introducing new RTYD member Laird Ken Bates

Welcome to new ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP member Laird Ken Bates from south London.

Laird plays saxophone and harmonica, and sings. He currently plays saxophone for The Wickermen who are playing the Ivy Leaf in Dartford, Kent, on Saturday 4th February. He is also available for session work.

Here's a link to Laird's own website and more about the Wickermen.

Introducing new RTYD member, professional drummer, Ali Clark

Welcome to London-based professional drummer Ali Clark.

Ali is available for deps and sessions. He has worked in many bands, done pit work and taught both privately and as a workshop leader at a Performing Arts College. He says he's happy to play pubs if his diary's clear. He has his own kit, his own car and most of own teeth!

You can hear some of Ali's drumming and read more about him on his MySpace page here,

Diced Cookin' covering Bob Dylan's All Along The Watchtower

RTYD member Ron Greenwood posted this: Diced Cookin' covering Bob Dylan's All Along The Watchtower at Jazz After Dark on 24th November 2011. The Band has a Thursday residency at the legendary Soho venue.

Cockney Rejects - East End Babylon, KOKO, Camden, 26th April 2012

I have been a fan of the Cockney Rejects since I was 14. I have my older cousin to thank for including them on a series of a dozen or so compilation cassettes he lovingly made for me from about 1980 of some of the best of his British punk collection, which included a fair amount of street punk and Oi! 

Along with Sham 69, the Cockney Rejects were one of my favourite of that second wave of punk bands. I was too young to be allowed to travel to London to see them play live, and by the time I was old enough, I had moved on to listening to and going to see more contemporary early-to-mid-80s bands that were less punk and more electronic. But I have never lost my passion for punk rock, and still listen to the first two Rejects albums regularly - albeit not quite as loudly as I once did.

Thankfully, over the years I have got to see many of the bands that I missed the first time around; I saw the Damned for the second time last month playing their 35th anniversary show at the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, and it blew me away just how good they were - just as Stiff Little Fingers, the Stranglers, and others have. I'm sure the Rejects will leave me feeling the same.

I remember driving around Godalming, where I grew up, with my cousin playing Police Car by the Rejects at full volume on his car stereo. I though it was so cool. I was a rubbish punk, though, I wasn't angry, scary or hard - I spiked up my hair, wore the drainpipes turned up, and the DMs, but I was far too sensitive to be a convincing street punk. But it didn't stop me loving the music, and if it wasn't for punk, maybe I would never have started writing songs and playing guitar. 

Since setting up ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP I have got to meet  a couple of my teen punk idols: TV Smith and Gaye Advert (I was even invited by Gaye to the private view of her art show Punk and Beyond, recently); Captain Sensible has tweeted about RTYD, and the Cockney Rejects are following me on Twitter. It might not seem like much to you, but it means a lot to me.

So say 'hello' if you're going to Koko in Camden on 26th April next year for the preview of East End Babylon, the punk-rocumentary based on singer Jeff 'Stinky' Turner’s biography 'Cockney Reject'. The film promises to tell the real story of the band, and give a true picture of the East End of London in the late 1970s; and what's more, it is followed  by a performance by the Cockney Rejects themselves.

I can't wait.

New RTYD Member: London

Welcome! to Richard Searle, bass player with London band, And Again, who is now a member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP: http://bit.ly/o0LPSe

New RTYD Member: London

A big RTYD welcome to Gavin Taylor of London band The Moonpigs who is a new member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP http://bit.ly/oqQifS