The Girobabies

Glasgow band the Girobabies are following up the successful release of two mini EP's with the release of a much vaunted 300 copy, translucent, milky white LP, Who Took Utopia? on the fiercely indie-pendent Grebo Records which follows its digital debut.

It seems a bit of an epiphany for the band as within the 10 tracks they're achieving a sense of 'all things to all men' and generating a more general soundscape, seemingly drawing on a number of influences ranging from The B52's SAHB and The Rezillos through shades of Velvet Underground and Talking Heads.



It's lyrically strong throughout but that's hardly surprising with the Girobabies main man Mark McGhee's previous penchant for poetic socio-political hip-hop and this release should see them expand on their intensely loyal local following and develop a far wider audience. 






The ska-infused Late Night Sketchy is tipped as the impending single from Who Took Utopia? (not my first choice possibly) which is lyrically clever and quietly infectious. 

Bring Potions would have been the single choice for me with its intense Alex Harvey-esque vocal and driving percussion overlaid with Jo D'Arc's plaintive, almost disturbing vocal.



That being said Ralph will be spinning the most excellent Equinox on his 150th anniversary Show on Radio KC, Sunday December 13th as well as Bring Potions to herald the launch of Who Took Utopia? so tune in between 5-7pm on rkc.noip.me and check them out.

Girobabies are a blend of talented musicians. As well as being the frontman with the Megaphone, McGhee is a renowned poet, writer & spoken word artist under his alias Jackal Trades. 




Guitarist Robbie Gunn (also performing solo under the guise of Sun Dogs) is a leading Glasgow producer. A drummer by trade, Gordy Duncan JR is also a well-respected solo artist (releasing his debut album in 2015). 

Recent additions of Jess on Keyboards and the Bass of renowned DJ & Producer Jo D`arc (also of the Twistettes) has refined the balance is this multi-talented band of artists. Self-funding everything they do, in the truest DIY spirit, the Girobabies have made a name for themselves by being stalwarts of the summer festival scene and gigging the length and breadth of the UK.

Catch them live on the 19th of December along with a host of other Ralph's Life favourites at the Yellow Movement Christmas Party in Glasgow's St Luke's.

Take Back Theatre

As Ralph has often been wont to say - "It's not just about the music." - So when a visit to Gullivers in Manchester was on the agenda, it wasn't for the sell-out Slow Readers Club gig on Saturday, but the (nearly sold-out) Take Back Theatre performance of Ten Takes On Hope on the Monday after.

The theatre company was created earlier this year as a response to the Tory Party Conference in Manchester and aims to produce quarterly script-in-hand performances and use theatre to make a positive change.



The evening was produced and coordinated by Grant Archer, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Becx Harrison with a view to exploring social issues and creating a springboard for debate with the audience, starting small conversations which ask big questions.

The audience was invited by Take Back Theatre to join the cast and writers in the bar after the show to achieve that very thing.



This was achieved ten-fold with some stellar script writing and performances which challenged not only what hope is, but what we can do to give hope. 

The informal setting and script-in-hand nature of the evening somehow made the stories being told all the more poignant, dramatic or added to the humour of each individual piece.





Each vignette; written by professional writers, was inspired by A Summer Of Hope and each used different themes or personal stories very evocatively to engage the audience members. 

Whether it was the humour artfully deployed in Fish (Jennifer Platt), The Hope Factor (Rebekah Harrison), Words On A Wing (Joshua Val Martin), Rock, Paper Scissors (Ian Kershaw) or Cut and Dried (Cathy Crabb), the poignancy of All Names Have Been Changed (Victoria Brazier), Marching On Stone (Gareth George) The Shoes (Louise Wallwein) and Born (Julie Hesmondhalgh) or the outstanding drama of Detention (Sandra Cole), each delivered the same thought-provoking message in its own style.

It's probably wrong to pick out individual performances however, special mentions do go to Luke Bailey, Jo Dankin and Rico Marshall.




The next event will be Take Back: Capital and will be in response to the budget and going on tonight's performance and the quality of writing and acting on display it'll be one not to be missed!

The Deadline Shakes

Ralph has given The Deadline Shakes a spin on the Radio KC Indie Show a few times now so it's no surprise he was relishing the release of their album Zealots. 

From the lead track, the bright and bouncy Bad Spot In A Bad Year to the closer Boy they've created a beautiful soundscape of sonorific light and shade.

It's like a squidgy mix of Prefab Sprout and Deacon Blue, but with a sometimes quirkier, more contemporary feel as The Deadline Shakes plough their own furrow. 

With thanks to davidbaxendale.com

The Deadline Shakes have released the album on Glasgow's Flowers In The Dustbin Records, the album's full of radio-friendly tracks, some of which have a familiar feel, like an old, favourite jumper. 

Frozen Out; which was released as a single, is a case-in-point with its uplifting chorus which seems to draw on folkier Waterboys-like themes.






The Deadline Shakes take a sharp turn with the jazzier A Little Waiting While and follow up with the funkier, heavier Don't You Be Too Cool which has a more Alt/Pop feel. 

For some, there may be too much going on throughout this album of 13 tracks, but for me each track peaks my interest anew. 

All in all, it's an accomplished blend of folky, poppy, jazzy musicality that demands to be heard.      

Joni Fuller

As the kennel is in St Helens, Ralph always likes to keep an eye on anything interesting happening locally in the North West. News just in was about the latest release by Lytham-St-Annes singer/songwriter Joni Fuller and it peaked the interest as it's a bit of poptastic musical history.

Whilst Everybody Says So is being released on all the musical suspects it's also available on Aurovine.





What's that I hear you ask? Well, it's a revolutionary platform which utilises the recently launched music industry currency AudioCoin.

Aurovine allows music fans to connect and support emerging artists by listening, rating and sharing tracks, earning AudioCoins for both parties which can be exchanged for other currencies, stored in an offline wallet to earn interest or used for transactions on Aurovine and other websites.

Through revolutionary blockchain technology, Aurovine provides super transparent and fair revenue splits to the artist, songwriter and anyone with a tangible stake in the making and promotion/distribution of a record. Even fans can become an integral part of the project with an innovative crowd revenue share feature.

Just three hundred limited edition digital copies of Joni Fuller's single will be available, featuring two extra specially recorded bonus tracks. Along with an official record of support, these three hundred backers will also get a revenue share of worldwide sales.

Born in Lancashire, Joni Fuller's first solo performance was made at the Montreux Jazz Festival when she was just twelve years old. She's performed extensively in the UK, mainland Europe and North America. 

Known for her high energy, instrument swapping solo performances, she combines sublime musicianship with groundbreaking looping techniques to build a wall of sound on stage.

This is reflected in the single which has a bouncy Alt/Folk feel that is ideally suited to a full-on live performance.

Featured as an 'inspirational teenager' by The Independent and 'one to watch' by PRS for Music, Joni Fuller is the only UK alumna of Phil Collins' Little Dreams Foundation and an unprecedented double winner of the Make it Break it Songwriting Contest, judged by Chris Martin and awarded by Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts.

Live Dates:

19th December The Waterloo - Blackpool.

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 28.11.15

OK bands you know the score .....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans ..... 

the higher you go .....

So Tweet it, Facebook it .....

Generally expose yourself .....

                                                 ralphslife.co.uk

Follow Ralph's Life Indie Music Blog on Pinterest.

Now Mr Snuggles and I have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see which band's got what place.

The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart is played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.

No 1...Jimmy & The Revolvers

Jimmy & the Revolvers have been lauded as one of the UK's most exciting emerging bands. When they're not gigging up and down the country making new friends and fans wherever they go, they're running a monthly club night in their home city of Liverpool as well as finding the time to champion up and coming talent on the scene.

No 2...Peach Trees

As an East meets West collaboration (that's Cleethorpes and Southport, not Russia and America) Peach Trees have come up with a pretty damn fine piece of get up on the floor, funky-ass disco music, made all the more listenable thanks to the soulful vocals of London-based Mr Ernie Jackson.

The release of This Is The Love by the nascent get-together of musical minds Ambrose Chappel and Dave Hubbard brings a poptastic blend of retro disco vibes and soul vocalising.

No 3...The Boston Shakers

What do you get when you mix Fun Lovin' Criminals with Tijuana Bibles and stir in a bit of John Mayall and Dr Feelgood? Liverpool six-piece The Boston Shakers of course.



They're bringing their own brand of 'in your face', blues infused rock 'n' roll to the table, heavy beats with smattering of rap and no small amount of swagger.

No 4...Patersani

Ralph is always on the scrounge, looking for new tunes to play on his Radio KC Indie Show, so when the Patersani single release Lost And Found was brought to his attention his interest was peaked and it's not left the turntable since.

Pounding percussion and a full-on driving guitar intro give this debut single a delightful alt-pop feel but with a decidedly rock-like foundation.

No 5...Snippet



Long time Ralph's Life favourite Johnno Casson, prior to releasing the third album by his alter ego Snippet has regaled us with a collection of tracks that detail the last ten years of that particular musical incarnation.


What follows is a delightful trip through his self-styled 'Wonky Pop', from the psychedelically dreamy The Digital Yes to the trippy 50 Pounds Each it makes you smile and makes you groove in equal degrees.

No 6...Silver Coast

Ralph's given tracks by Inverness-based band Silver Coast spins on his Radio KC Indie Show a few times now over the last couple of years so it was with great interest that news of the new Seasons EP (which includes the recently released single Wake Up) hit the kennel's inbox.


Wake Up is possibly Silver Coast's most 'bouncy' track to date and definitely aimed at a wider audience. Still holding onto the anthemic feel of earlier releases (big guitars and soaring vocals) but it has a more 'populist' and radio-friendly feel in a Twin Atlantic stylee.

No 7...Official Burnt Toast

Anyone that follows Ralph on Twitter will know he's partial to a bit of toast, preferably charred around the edges, so it's no surprise there was a bit of excitement here in the kennel when the soon to be released (November 2nd) Money As Debt Double A Side Single by Official Burnt Toast hit the turntable. With flip side Hi Time it's a great intro to their Tubs 'n Tongue-Fu album on Sonskrif.

No 8...Jimmy Brewer

It seems like Jimmy Brewer has been possessed by the artistic soul of James Taylor during the early Sweet Baby James years with the release of  Strangers, a follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut album As Time Stands Still two years ago.

Jimmy Brewer exudes songwriting of the highest and most emotive quality for one so young and no surprise he's supported the likes of Joan Armatrading prior to embarking on a headlining tour to promote the release of Strangers. 

No 9... Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5

Along with the 'B' Side Whisky Going Free, the tracks are from the most excellent new album Rocket Out Of London which has been receiving rave reviews from all the usual suspects and featured as a Steve Lamacq BBC6 Music Recommend. 

Lead track I Hate School is Alice Cooper meets The Stones with a soupçon of Sex Pistols and it's deeee-liciously manic rock 'n' roll by Damn Vandals.

No 10... The Society  


There's always an abundance of Manchester bands to listen to who tend to try and sound like the usual Manc suspects, however, shiny bright young things The Society are going some way to buck that trend with the release of their latest track Given Up. 

They've got a fresh sounding guitar driven sound and; (it's got a lighter, bouncier Editors feel to it in a Lottery Winners stylee) despite a relatively low on-line profile, The Society seem to be garnering a loyal following locally.