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

London Gig Wanted This Friday!!

Due to the cancellation of their gig at the Stag in Hoxton this Friday night, 3 bands, including the wonderful Outbursts, are now without a gig. Any one want to give them one? And a gig.

The Outbursts perform the Stabilisers' 'I Feel Like Jimmy White'

The Outbursts perform the Stabilisers' 'I Feel Like Jimmy White' at the Punk 4 The Homeless charity gig which took place on Saturday 20th August 2011 at Velvets Club, Anderby Creek, Skegness, Lincolnshire.

Filmed by The Lone Groover.

Video: The Outbursts at Punk 4 The Homeless, Skegness

The Outbursts perform 'Chinese Eyes' at the Punk 4 The Homeless charity gig which took place on Saturday 20th August 2011 at Velvets Club, Anderby Creek, Skegness, Lincolnshire. (Filmed by The Lone Groover)

The Outbursts @ Punk 4 The Homeless

Next Sat 20 Aug: The Outbursts @#Punk 4 The Homeless, Cheap As Chips Fest, Velvets Nightclub, Anderby Creek Skegness: http://bit.ly/nu1JS5

The Outbursts Live in London!!

RTYD-Award winning punk rock band, The Outbursts, play The Standard in Walthamstow on Thursday 16th June: http://bit.ly/ej3GHM

Photos of punk band The Outbursts

Photos of punk band The Outbursts taken by friend of the band & ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP, Philip Genochio: http://bit.ly/jVxqJU

The Outbursts at Camden Calling, The Enterprise, Chalk Farm, March 2011

The Outbursts play Punk All-Dayer in Acton

2010 RTYD AWARD winners, The Outbursts, play an all-day punk event at The Kings Arms in Acton on Saturday 9th April. The event starts at 3pm with a barbecue, which sounds rather formal for a punk gig, but I'm sure this will be just the beginning of the decent into chaos.

Entry is three quid, and the line up (at time of writing) includes:

THE DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
http://www.myspace.com/thedirtyr0ttenscoundrels

BLATOIDEA
http://www.myspace.com/blatoideapunx

THE OUTBURSTS
www.theoutbursts.com

MÜG(TBC)

GREED FORCE
http://www.myspace.com/greedforce

PROSTHETIC HEAD
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prosthetic-Head/146669638728172

HOWLING
www.myspace.com/howlinglondon

For more details: http://on.fb.me/fnbZdl

These cunting bands

Steve White and the Protest Family don't have a drummer. But they are still funny. They are angry, too. The 4th Suit have a drummer, a great new one, so they too are funny, and angry (though it's a little hard to hear just how funny and angry because the soundman can't get their sound right).  The Outbursts have the same drummer as usual, but a different guitarist, both of whom make them funny and angry at the same time.

But what ties these bands together - these and a few others in this punk-comedy genre who shan't remain nameless such as 14 Carat Grapefruit and Punks Not Dad - is not just their funny-angriness, but their use of what some people - not so much women, and especially not American women - consider the funniest-angriest word in the English language, the vulgarism that dates back to the early 13th century and is commonly used to describe politicians and female genitalia.

"Why is everyone such a cunt?", sings Steve White, which is of course a good question; Matt the singer with 4th Suit asks for a show of hands from Phil Collins fans in the house, and Matt the bassist with Outbursts raises his hand (obviously in jest), only to be told his pop idol is a "cunt!" And when Matt and his Outbursts take to the stage themselves, there are more "cunts", and at least one it would be impossible to dispute: Gary Glitter.

The promoters of this fine bill of bands, which includes a poet and a rap/funk* band called Dekay and the D'mans, are Camden Calling. They are not cunts. They help the homeless and the vulnerable access the arts and music through events like this one at The Enterprise in Chalk Farm, North London, which is run, and features performances, by homeless people. Luckily for Steve White and his Protest Family, The 4th Suit, and the Outbursts they do have homes to go to and eventually, circa 11:15pm, they all leave for them.

Sadly for Matt Russell, the local cunts have got to his car first, and have caused at least two-hundred quids worth of damage to it. Suddenly, cunt is not such a funny word.

* I have since been corrected on Facebook by rapper Dekay Ex, who prefers her music to be classified as 'LIVE RAP'. That's as opposed to the dead variety, I presume.

The Outbursts 2010 ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-AWARDS acceptance video

What a year 2010 was for the Outbursts! With all the cuts, strikes, protests and riots ahead, maybe '11 is gonna be the new '77? Or was that '76? Either way, we definitely need a soundtrack, and theirs would certainly cheer us all up a bit! Well done lads!!

Video link: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150117911353824

A ramble on the storm before the calm

November is a busy month for RTYD. We have the RTYD-SOCIALs in Surrey, Oxford and London: the first, kindly organised by Paul Santilli of the Greedies, the second by Guy Pearce, and the latter by Mark Thirkell, my London apprentice. We also have the voting for the 2010 RTYD Awards, and four gigs, including one with my band Pocket Rocket on the bill.

In December there's another couple of events, but come 2011, I'm cutting back to just the one a month at 4 Denmark St, recently renamed The Alley Cat.

The last year and a half that I have been promoting gigs has been really interesting, but I'm not sure a promoter's life is for me. Not at this level. There have however been highs, such as the PUNK-ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP night when TV Smith and Gaye Advert came out to see Punks Not Dad, and I got to meet them both and have my photo taken with them. And there have been lows like The Boileroom Disaster, Guildford, 2008.

The problem, and one of the reasons I'm knocking most of the gigs on the head, is that I never got past the point that I didn't have to rely on the bands to bring a good crowd.  I refused to hassle bands about bringing people, which of course you have to do to make any money at this level. I am just not interested in becoming an absent promoter who doesn't give a damn about which bands he puts on as long as they bring people through the door. There are enough of these. And my mission has always been to primarily help bands that struggle to develop a following, that are hobbyists and who play original material, by helping to provide them with an audience to bolster the half-a-dozen friends they do manage to get out.

I have to confess, too, that more recently, I have started to feel some complacency creeping in. I've found myself promoting bands I don't even like. I've found myself having to fill bills with bands I don't really like. Promoting more events than I can find bands I like, to play. A lot of the bands brings a handful of people, expecting a RTYD audience, and one doesn't exist. The audience is largely the other bands. Truth is, this is the only time you are going to get old gits out to watch old gits playing: when they're sharing a bill with another band.

My band has just finished getting a new drummer up to speed on eight songs, and is making its debut with its new 3-piece lineup on 20th November in support of Spirit of Play at The Alley Cat. In 2011 I need to focus on my band for a while. I need to get it some gigs, for a start.

I try to make an effort to get to as many gigs as I can, but with my band rehearsing once a week, having three gigs a month, and needing the occasional night out with friends, I'm pushing it 'indoors'.

I'd like to go to all the Outbursts gigs, they're fun, I love watching them, but it's just not possible.

In some respects I dread going out and playing live again; without a real shtick, with just a bunch of original alternative-rock songs, and no real following. It's no secret that I set RTYD up to create a scene for bands like mine. I know that there's a lot of very good bands out there, in the same boat, and in a way seeing them struggle to develop a following hasn't helped.

I don't know? Is RTYD making enough of a difference? I'm not sure. When the Outbursts play in East London, when any band that has posted there gig on the RTYD calendar, plays, I will Twitter/Facebook,etc. it. Does it make a difference. I doubt it. I need to concentrate on making it make a difference. Me putting on gigs does not make a difference. So, I have to find something that will.

I hope the RTYD-SOCIAL events are a success. But I'm sure these too will suffer from lack of interest. From members who don't see the benefit of socialising in the real world with a bunch of other musicians.

I was in two minds about going to the first of the November Socials in Guildford, but my presence has been requested, so I will go. It is my first return to Guildford since the disappointing gig there last year. I suppose if it's going to be a poor show, I should at least be there to share any disappointment.

Looking on the bright side, RTYD has a healthy following around Guildford and in Surrey now, healthier than two summers ago. So, I hope to be pleasantly surprised by the turn out.

Oh what a night! Late September back in twenty-ten.

I never got to see all my favourite punk bands. I've since seen some of them live, and although I'm sure they never sounded as good, or played quite so well, they obviously lacked the naivety, the energy, and the youthful spirit that drove them through their finest 3 minutes. They were also playing venues the size of the Forum in Kentish Town and the Astoria, once to be found on the Charing Cross Road. I can't imagine what it would have been like to see the likes of the Stranglers or the Damned at the Hope & Anchor, where last night we put on another PUNK-ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP gig, featuring some of the oldest punks acts in town that you may not have heard of yet but you should have, namely Tres Retros,The Outbursts, Live Wires and The Lone Groover.  Back in '76 it would have sounded much the same as it did last night, their just would have been more sweat, more spittle, more pogoing. Stuff, at our age, we could probably do without anyway, eh?

I had a punk band at school but we never graduated to real instruments from our cardboard ones. Last night I played electric guitar in my first proper punk band. I have to confess I was just a little nervous, mostly because I didn't want to let the Outbursts down. And it was a somewhat tentative debut when compared to the confident playing of the two guitarists that followed me in covering for the missing Neale Muldowney, but it was a start. And it was really fun.

It's not that I haven't played hard and fast before. I did in the 90s. Here's the link to proof. But we weren't technically a punk band. We certainly didn't look like one. And my guitar playing these days with Pocket Rocket is fairly clean, so sticking on all that distortion was refreshing. It was funny too not having to sing. Well, maybe funny is not the word. Different, is. I could have done some BVs too, had I been a little less worried about my C-G-Bs. Or at least, which order they came in.

Anyway, first up was stalwart of the RTYD live scene on both sides of the stage, Brian Caulfield, tonight playing punk-folk songsmith The Lone Groover, and  later playing himself, punk fan and a supporter of live music locally.

As the Lone Groover, Brian got the ball rolling and the room warmed up, delivering a bespoke set of aptly chosen and dramatically executed cover songs of 7" inch punk classics, all of which he brought along on vinyl and displayed at his feet for all to reminisce over. He is the new star of the scene.

I wanted to make it up to the Live Wires after they took to the stage at the previous PUNK-RTYD gig closer to 11 o'clock than I like to go without a duvet over my head (FYI, I've always slept with the duvet over my head) (who cares? - Ed). Anyway, I love that they come to the scene with their black shirts, their jagged guitar riffs and one-word song titles; Like it's 1979; Like things are changing; Like the black before it's over-painted gold; Like the short hair before the flicks and the highlights.

Then it's my moment with The Outbursts, as described above. Two songs later, and it's all over. Just when I was relaxing into my new position, too. Following me, though, is deputy guitarist number two Paul Warwick of Trad Arr. He takes on some of the lead playing I couldn't possibly manage, with aplomb. And looks very 1978, to boot. Don't ever ask him to borrow his guitar strap, though (I should explain that, but get down to see him play with The Outbursts again, and all will be revealed).

Andy Golding, front man of Trad Arr, and guitarist with 80s band The Wolfhounds, is guitarist 3 and Thunderbird 1 to my Thunderbird 3. Or something. He starts by turning the amp up. Good idea. And proceeds to play the guitar with Hendrix-like extension-of-the-body proficiency, his tremolo arm rarely leaving his strumming hand. He is on fire, and adds a real vitality to the Outbursts sound. Go see them soon. And Trad Arr. And the Wolfhounds, when they play their reunion show at the Lexington, N1, in November.

I was introduced to Michael Fleck of Tres Retros by Otto from 14 Carat Grapefruit. Michael's musical career began in South Africa where he played with a punk band that enjoyed some success there. He came to England in the late 70s, and the early 80s for good. He saw the Clash and Sham and went to The Roxy, and did loads of other great things that I am totally envious of. Tonight his three piece turned all the knobs, pulled out all the stops and rocked like their lives depended on it. I wasn't sure what their punk 'schtick' was from their sound check, but their headling performance revealed that they clearly come from a pre-'76 US school of punk rock. This is confirmed by a cover of Search & Destroy and contradicted by a Lady Gaga one.

(Incidentally, as one has yet to surface, I'm offering a free RTYD T-shirt to the first person to send me a photo of me playing with the Outbursts)

Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be....an Outburst.

The Outbursts guitarist Neale Muldowney is out of action so the band have been forced to employ a series of guitar deputies to fill in him for him. Steve Istvanski of the Stabilisers picked up the first gauntlet, learning the a set of songs, with Mick Taylor-virtually-over-night efficiency. However, he is unable to commit temporarily to the role. His replacement is a small army of guitarists including Andy Golding and Paul Warwick of Trad Arr. and myself...of er, Pocket Rocket.

Last night was our first and only rehearsal before the Punk Rock-Til-You-Drop gig next week, Thursday 23rd October at the Hope & Anchor in Islington (Tres Retros, Live Wires and The Lone Groover also play). I haven't played in a punk band since the Playschool Barmy Army, my school punk band split circa 1983. It was an honour to be asked, and a pleasure to play with the band, who I love dearly.

I get to play the first two songs in the set next week, Law 'n' Order (an original) and Good Guys Don't Wear White (I don't know who this is by originally, but I am familiar with the Minor Threat version). The other boys have more songs to play, and are committing to further dates with the band. I better get my own house in order, as it were. House of PocRoc.

It was funny though being in someone else's rehearsal space. It was a bit like seeing a friend's bedroom when you were a kid. It was cool. New space. New toys. New sounds. And interesting to see how other bands rehearse. It was fun for me not to have to sing a lead vocal, and play simple conventionally-tuned bar and open chords in a straight ahead fashion with a lot of fuzz. I enjoyed it. And Matt Outburst kindly gave me a lift home from Tottenham Hale to Chalk Farm, during which we talked non-stop about our experiences of being in bands that both nearly made it in the 80s and 90s.

Forgot to get someone to take a photo me, though. Bummer.

Last night's Outbursts/Stabilisers gig in Camden

Here is a Berkshire couple of photos from The Outbursts and Stabilisers gig, promoted by Sweet But Deadly, at Under Solo in Camden, last night.

It was fun to catch up with all the guys in both bands, and Matt Russell introduced me to Steve White of Steve White and The Protest Family, and his guitar/mandolin player Funky 'Lol' Ross. Both nice blokes. Check out SWATPF here: http://www.myspace.com/realstevewhite

(Brian, if you're reading, we should get you and Steve together for a gig, at some point. He's from out Walthamstow way)

The Outbursts were in fine comedic form, which they say indicates that they weren't exactly on musical form. It (hardly) noticed, and didn't matter anyway. It wouldn't be punk rock if it did, now, would it?

The Stabilisers were as entertaining as ever, and I think for the first time, I train-spotted a Dead Kennedys influence in a couple of the bass lines. They are comical rather than polemical, (The Outbursts manage to be both!) so I always tend to fixate on The Dickies-thing. One thing's for sure, if The Stabilisers realised 7"singles they'd be on coloured vinyl.

The Outbursts & Trad Arr. at Peter Parker's

On Saturday I went to support The Outbursts at Peter Parker's Rock n Roll Club in Denmark Street. Tox of 14 Carat Grapefruit did the same. I also wanted to catch the support band Trad Arr., another band of mature musicians, and to meet them.

I lost count of the amount of musicians in Trad Arr. Among others, they have a sax player, a harmonica player and violinist. They are led by Andy Golding, who used to play in mid-80s indie band The Wolfhounds, one I completely overlooked while I immersed myself in the heavy rock of the period, simultaneously working my way though both Led Zeppelin's and Alice Cooper's back catalogue.

Anyway, after their energetic set, which was punctuated by entertaining on-stage banter and sounded at times like the Velvet Underground playing The Pogues, and at others, vice-versa, Matt Russell introduced me to their singer and guitarist Andy Golding. Another nice bloke, with another great story, this one of playing with the likes of Primal Scream, and touring in the mid-80s. Andy also fronts an acoustic version of the band, which I am hoping to book at The Libertine in July.

The Outbursts took to the stage in full punk regalia. Neale Muldowney, in kilt and dog-collar, was in punk rock heaven given the opportunity to play through a 4 x 12 Marshall stack; and loud as he was, was so 'on it', it was a joy to watch him play, and control the feedback as it leaked through the fuzz.

The band introduced their new song, the necrophiliac anthem, Dig 'Em Up & Fuck 'Em, which sounded suitably obscene, and romped through all their classic tunes, including their other new original You're Dead, an anti-tribute to Neale's predecessor. Let that be a warning to you Neale!

As Tox pointed out, The Outbursts go from strength to strength. I said it myself the last time I saw them. I do hope that soon their music will be available to download from the ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-RECORD-SHOP. So watch this space.

The good thing about Saturday night gigs at Peter Parker's is that he only puts on two bands. This is because live music has to be over by 10:00 when the (night) club opens. Like the Libertine, this is perfect gig for mature musicians and music fans used to an early night.

And, as we all know, as well as careers and families, these days we all need our sleep.

Remind me to email PP, and suggest I sub-promote a Saturday a month there. 

Night night.

Big Back Garden Wanted

Went out to see The Stabilisers last night at a cool little basement venue in Denmark Street called Peter Parker's Rock 'n' Roll Club. Arranged to hook up there with Matt Russell of The Outbursts. It's always nice when RTYD members become friends.

Sandwiched between at least two early-mid-70s-style heavy rock bands - all beards and long hair, Jon Stabiliser et al sheared their way through the beardy hairy darkness with their snappy and witty punky little ditties. Bendy Head, being a stand out, not only because it has a slow verse, but also because it is simply a mad song. The night ended up at ground level outside the club socialising with the band.

In other news, my efforts to get a couple of thousand pound funding from Camden Council to begin establishing an annual Chalk Farm Rock-Til-You-Drop Street Music Festival (CFRTYDMF, for short) came to a measly 350 quid, which was disappointing. I have Stephen Denholm of The Mighty Caretakers to thank for his help in educating me about the bureaucratic process. Shame they didn't believe in the cause. So, if anyone has a big back garden available at the end of July, let me know.

The Outbursts and Midnight Purple at the Libertine

The Outbursts headlined The Libertine at short notice last Saturday night. And they saved the day, as well as the night, by playing a great gig and bringing their very own Bromley Contingent, who were suitably vociferous and punk-rock, pogoing and heckling throughout their set.

The Outbursts go from strength to strength. Their onstage antics become more and more entertaining. By day, singer and fisherman Ian Breslin works for Bromley Mencap and when he gets the chance dresses as Postman Pat to entertain children (and adults, I'm sure), but by night he dons the mohair, the bondage, and transforms and regresses to punk stereotype. Like the band and its music, his performance is funny without ever being embarassing; if Eric Morecombe had ever impersonated Johnny Rotten, this is how he would have done it.


Support came from Brazilian pop-rockers Midnight Purple who are over here for a week to play a few shows including the student union at the Institute of Education in central London on 28th and 29th January (7-8pm). Blag your way in if you can. Unphased by technical problems during soundcheck, as the room warmed up with noise and people, they were soon firing on all cylinders. Very professional.

A Rock-Til-You-Drop moment

It's never nice to have a band cancel on you ten days before a gig. But when this happened to me on Wednesday, I did the sensible thing, crossed my fingers, and sent an email out to my 'London Bands' emailing list.

And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and heartened by the eager response by a good number of bands happy fill the slot. Five! I think that's pretty good. It was, what has come to be known as, a ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-MOMENT: a situation that arises, even in the world of (usually) reliable mature musicians, which calls for the network to do its job, and to fulfill its purpose. Which it did.

To be fair to the band that cancelled, I should mention that their lead singer/guitarist was more than happy to make a solo appearance. That also says something about the spirit of many of the members of RTYD. But in the end, it wasn't necessary.

Thanks then, to The Beast, The Moths, Bang To Rights, The Gowletts, and finally The Outbursts who pipped the others to the post and will be performing once again for RTYD on Saturday 23rd January at the Libertine in Borough. KO 8pm. Free entry.

Now I'm looking forward to it again.

Punches fly as the spirit of '77 returns to the Hope & Anchor

Trouble broke out last night during The Outbursts' set at the Xmas-Punk-Rock-Til-You-Drop gig at the Hope & Anchor, recalling the days when young punk bands, such as the Stranglers and X-Ray Spex, dodged spit and beer glasses, playing in the same room to audiences of amphetamine and lager-fuelled teenagers. This, however, was grown men, mature musicians and music fans getting a little too carried away by the punk-Christmas-spirit of the occasion.

Not long into The Outbursts' set, some fairly good natured pogoing quickly developed into a bit of antagonistic argy-bargy, with members of 14 Carat Grapefruit being knocked around like pinballs by the Essex contingent who had clearly travelled to the gig to cause trouble. Where's Jimmy Pursey when you need him?

The tension built steadily during the performance but when the Outbursts' singer Ian Breslin's Persil-white bondage punk outfit was doused in red wine by one drunken member of the Trouble-Makers. This was the straw that broke The Outbursts' bass player's back. So, mid-song he calmly lifted off his bass, stepped down off the stage into the audience and made his way to the heart of the Trouble-Makers and lamped the culprit full in the face.

He then calmy returned to the business of making punk music, as if nothing had happened. Insults continued to fly between the band and the trouble-makers. Some further argy-bargy carried on, and looked like boiling over, until the Outbursts' bassman threatened to remove his instrument once again. This was enough to frighten the Trouble-Makers to retreat into a dark corner where they stood continuing to hurl harmless football terrace-style abuse, and to make jokes about red-red wine, until the end of the show.

'Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1977' declare The Outbursts on their MySpace page. They're not kidding.

More reviews and reportage from this excellent night of music, featuring The Stabilisers and 14 Carat Grapefruit, as well as news of the winners of the first ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP AWARDS 2009 in the next blogpost, coming shortly.