Allusondrugs

'I Should Have Gone to Uni'  sees hotly tipped grunge rockers Allusondrugs articulating the anxieties and pressures of young adulthood as only they can.

The band, whose touring schedule alone surely puts them in the running for the title off the hardest working musicians in the UK, recorded and mixed this track as well as producing, filming and editing the video themselves, in a two day break between gigs!

With airplay from Radio KC, Radio 1, Xfm, Kerrang and playlistings across the UK, Europe and America, an appearance at Reading & Leeds Festival this summer and a September UK headline run that was immediately followed by an October tour with Marmozets & Lonely The Brave it's been hectic for Allusondrugs.

‘I Should Have Gone To Uni’ is a stomping, retro-fuelled grunge single inspired by the anxiety of growing up and moving on that will be airing on Kerrang! Radio, Kerrang! Television and with the Kerrang! website as part of their new Fresh Blood feature.  The track's available as a free download on SoundCloud and it's up for a play on Ralph's Indie Show on Radio KC on Sunday the 9th November. 












"This song was written about 3 years ago while i was at a particularly low point” explains guitarist and songwriter Damo Hughes “I was watching all the people I used to know starting up families, moving towards higher education and going on to do great things while I wasn’t really doing anything with my life." 






"It’s basically about being depressed and feeling like you’ve done all the wrong things and don’t really have a place in the world. Musically I think the song is fairly upbeat though, I’ve always really liked the juxtaposition of dark, depressing lyrics over optimistic sounding music."






The five self-confessed fuzz-junkies from Castleford, West Yorkshire formed in the autumn of 2012 and their unique sound and DIY approach to releasing music (online as-and-when they like, sometimes before it’s even finished… streaming practices live on the web… hosting debauched release parties), coupled with growing praise for their explosive live shows, has seen Allusondrugs build a rabidly loyal following locally and beyond. 






NOVEMBER 2014 (headline tour with Lyger + Forever Cult + Prom)

Tues 25th          MANCHESTER SOUND CONTROL
Wed 25th           GLASGOW 13th NOTE
Sat 29th             LEEDS THE WARDBROBE
Sun 30th           STOKE THE UNDERGROUND

DECEMBER 2014 

Mon 1st             NORWISH EPIC STUDIOS
Wed 3rd            LONDON BLACK HEART
Thur 4th           TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM
Fri 5th               CARDIFF CLWB IFOR BACH

Mono Life

Now Ralph always likes to check out a band or artist with their very own rock dog and Mono Life (aka musician/DJ/producer Mark Osborne) from Hull fits the bill with the very lovely Beryl who's looking a bit mean and moody in the picture, kind of like her old man's brand of synth based, heavy beats.  These are well represented by the 'Mono Sound' EP due to be released 11th April.

Mono Sound is a highly addictive track with it's heavy beat pulsing throughout the track, accentuating the lighter almost dance-floor electronica and it has featured recently on local BBC Introducing.  

If this taster EP with superb remixes by Endoflevelbaddie, AbeZilla, Cat Sized Panda and Sham Getz is a reflection of the debut album due out later this year, we're in for a real treat.  Jen and Ally on BBC 1 Introducing were so impressed they gave Mono Life a spin on their show recently.




Here's a fascinating collaboration with fellow east coast producer Cat Sized Panda with Mono Life doing a 'Deep Space Remix' of Panda's track 'Seraphim'.  Self-styled knob twiddler Cat Sized Panda aka John Sorensen-Jones has also been the subject of some interest BBC Intro-wise with the release of a debut single and album.







Mono Life's sound was born in the 90's with diverse influences such as Orbital, Leftfield and DJ Shadow combining to bring to you a unique and often sci-fi infused sound, well represented by a track like 'Dark Star Theory' with its 'Blade Runner'-esque narrative.  Such is the quality of the track it managed to sneak its way onto BBC Radio 6's Tom Robinson 'Extra gems' track listing last week.







There's going to be launch party for the EP in @Fruit (62-63 Humber Street, Kingston-on-Hull) 8th March with a live performance by Mono Life and DJ sets by Robbo, Pete Robinson and Sizzle Sisters.  Get in there and get on the dance floor!

After that 'The Skull' will be playing The Urban Bar in London's Whitechapel with Abezilla on the 30th March.

Haddowfest Presents - Mersault

As we all dream of sunnier days and festival time approaches here's some news from the Haddow Fest team of a new monthly club night in Edinburgh called Haddow Fest Presents and preceding the announcement of Haddow Fest 2013.





The opening night in Edinburgh's Liquid Rooms on the 26th April is headlined by none other than Scottish Alternative Music Award, Best Live Act nominees Mersault.  The night is hosted by BBC Radio 1 Introducing favourite Ally McRae and the support; chosen by Mersault, will be announced soon.

Meursault came into 2013 on somewhat of a high after 2012 saw headline shows at Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall and London’s Islington Academy Hall and widespread critical acclaim for their third album, ‘Something For The Weakend’ released in July on Song By Toad Records.  

The earlier records were very much 'lo-fi' recorded at home and holding a certain authentic charm, but this latest release is a polisheded studio album and all the better for it.  Not to be missed this will be Meursault’s first live show of 2013.

  

Tickets for Haddowfest Presents…Meursault and friends are a mere £10 (plus booking fee), available from today from :

http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/36507

http://t-s.co/meurs

http://www.rippingrecords.com/

Age restriction : 16+ (He swears a bit) Doors : 7 pm

 

The Recovery!

The Recovery! are a five piece punk/metal/core band from Glasgow who  release their new E.P ‘Wherever Nowhere Takes Us’ on 11^th February, 2013 via Indie label Cold War Legacy. 

The first single from the record ‘The Faint & Fragile’ is available now for free download!

If 'Faint and Fragile' is your first foray into their music then the first few lines of the track will lull you into a false sense of security before it kicks you squarely between the legs as it launches into a chorus of crowd inducing hysteria.  It's a barnstormer guaranteed to whip any gig into a frenzy and just as you regain consciousness they'll bludgeon you with the rest tracks on the EP 'Where Ever Nowhere Takes Us'.....oh my aching nuts.....









The Recovery! formed out of the ashes of various bands and several failed relationships which ended up in nights of alcohol fueled debauchery in a cold dingy flat in Glasgow's West End. 







The five members met just at the right time sharing experiences from hurling guitars out of smashed windows to crying tears of sheer desperation through shared experiences of love and loss.  Beanzy, the guitarist jokingly mentioned that they should call their new musical endeavour The Recovery! and that’s exactly what the band came to be – a musical vessel for each band member’s recovery from the depths of despair.

The band self-released their first E.P ‘This Ones For The Lovers’ and more recently a single titled ‘Vulture Club’ which has seen them playing to packed venues around Scotland.  More recently they supported Cancer Bats at The Slam Dunk Festival. They've also had the pleasure of playing a live session for Ally McCrae on BBC Radio 1 along with various other airplay and to critical acclaim.







"A big big slab of rock, some serious heavy riffs from Glasgow. It is brutal, the sort of thing Daniel P Carter has for his breakfast." - 

Ally McCrae BBC Radio 1.

"The Recovery!'s Scottish accents sounded odd among such an America-centric bill, but they represented the homeland well and spurned some pretty serious nodding." - Slam Dunk Scotland 2012 review. 

Fiona McKinlay, The Herald.

"The Recovery! have found an almighty sound on 'Wherever Nowhere Takes Us'" - 

Rhythm Magazine

"The Recovery fuse an uncompromising metal sound with an anarchic punk spirit...They manage to channel pure rage into their playing, guitars sound like they are being beaten, vocal chords deliberately punished, cementing the album as an expression of unfiltered self loathing, reminding us that the  greatest acts of aggression are those that we would commit to ourselves." - 

Vulture Hound Magazine.

"The Recovery! rock, ruck 'n' roll their way through an assortment of deadly, dynamic, hardcore-tinged chops off Cancer Bats' blocks." - 

Kerrang! Magazine.

Feb 23

Aces & Eights Saloon Bar **FREE SHOW!!**w/ Accidents Will H...

London, United Kingdom

Mar 15

Tunnels **BRACE EP LAUNCH**w/ Brace

Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Mar 16

Balcony Barw/ Brace

Dundee, United Kingdom

Mar 17

PJ Molloy'sw/ Brace

Dunfermline, United Kingdom

Track The Recovery!

Notify me when The Recovery! comes to town.

Andy Cannon – Vocals 
    
Alan Hind – Guitar

Jawn McClengahan – Guitar

 Fraser Henderson – Bass

Stu Reid - Drums

Fat Goth.....SAMAs Rock/Alt nominees

Fat Goth at the Beeb for a Vic Galloway Live Session

Ok so I saw that these guys were called Fat Goth and I thought erk, but turns out the only thing that's dark and heavy about this Dundee band are their sounds.  last year they played The Wickerman Festival  alongside other Ralph's Life favourites Campfires in Winter and Olympic Swimmers.

Following The Wickerman Festival they played Bar Bloc in Glasgow and a gig at The Electric Circus in Edinburgh for Born To Be Wide.  I hope you took the chance to catch their distinctive sound, darkly clever lyrics and vocal thrashings so loved by BBC Radio Scotland's Vic Galloway and BBC Radio 1's Ally McCrae  and their tracks can be downloaded at ..... fatgoth.bandcamp.com.  







Here's a snipette from their second album 'Stud' which was released in January to great acclaim.....


first up is the crazy and loveable 'Pinball Moron' with it's shades of early Lou Reed vocalising and if it wasn't for the humour you might never realise it's Fat Goth that's serenading you.....






 


This track's called 'Debbie's Dirty Harry' and it's as loud, dirty and sleazy as you've come to expect from the guys.....as for the rest...go and buy the album.


 






Following the release of the album is the news that they've been nominated for the Scottish Alternative Music Awards's Rock/Alternative section.  Now this is the third time I've had to come back and rework the blog as they keep going from strength to strength and reach new heights, so I've no doubt in a few months time I'll be back here typing away again as they release another album or get nominated for another award.

SAT09FEB	Fat GothCuddly Shark, Carson Wells	Non Zero'sDundee, UK	Find tickets
March 2013
SAT09MAR	Fat GothTango In the Attic, Discopolis, The Fridge Magnets	Tenement Trails Festival 2013Glasgow, UK	Find tickets
FRI29MAR	Fat Goth	The TunnelsAberdeen, UK	Find tickets

Check out their phat sounds and once your head stops bangin' get youself tickets for one of the guys gigs.....tell 'em Ralph sent you.....and here's a video of 'Surf's Down' at Wickerman!


               

"You'll be none the wiser by the end of it all, but much richer for stumbling into Fat Goth's odd little universe" (KKKK - Kerrang, January 2013)

"STUD is profoundly uneasy listening at its best, and weirdo freaks everywhere should love it." (8/10 - Rocksound, January 2013)

"With this as their latest calling card, Fat Goth should have no problem becoming an in-demand ticket." (4/5 - The Skinny, January 2013)

"it’s heartening to unearth some true underdog oddballs from a dark corner of Britain. Fat Goth, we salute you." (BBC Album Reviews, January 2013)

"...the most exciting thing to come out of Dundee in many a year" (Terrorizer, January 2013)

"Excellent album of thunderstruck-hardcore, hollering-pop and countrified-rock‘n’roll" (4/5 - The List, January 2013)

"This is visceral, intelligent, misanthropic, no-holds-barred rock music" (Vic Galloway, BBC Radio Scotland Album Of The Week)