It's A Party - The Subways Live @ The Tunnels Aberdeen

The Subways killed it at The Tunnels in Aberdeen on Friday night. Absolutely killed it. I've seen a lot of bands, and paid a lot more for tickets, and not a lot of them match the energy and talent of The Subways. They've been a favourite of mine for years, and for some reason I've never got around to actually seeing them until now. I already can't wait for the next tour.

The Tunnels is a relatively small venue, and when the dates were announced I was surprised they weren't playing somewhere bigger. But I do love a smaller gig, and to be honest they could have been playing in a pub to 10 people and still been fucking brilliant. Billy and Charlotte spent the entire set jumping and bouncing about the stage. It was obvious the band was having just as good a time as the crowd was.

The opening beats to "Oh Yeah" started and the crowd went wild. Singing along, jumping about, dancing, everyone was clearly loving life. Myself included. The set list was full of the classics, which there are a lot of, as well as including some of the songs from their up and coming album. The older material went down a total storm, and the new songs were received well.

A strange move though,"Rock & Roll Queen", one of the bands biggest and most popular songs, was played half way through the set list. Most bands save the biggest hits for the end, the encore, but then The Subways are not most bands. "Rock & Roll Queen", unsurprisingly had the crowd going mental. 

Another change from the normal gig format, there was no encore. Billy took to the mic near the end stating they think that encores are bullshit, and they were just going to play through instead. More bands should try this. It saves that whole awkward 5 minutes where everyone stands there knowing the band will be back. That and with the whole having to leave stage through the crowd in The Tunnels thing would have just been unnecessary hassle. Ending the night with "It's A Party" properly set it up for a night out after the gig, and had everyone bouncing again. 

All in all, the venue was a great choice, the crowd was decent (not the usual drunken arseholes pissing people off and that person constantly taking photos/videos of the entire thing) and The Subways were fantastic. Please come back to Aberdeen soon guys!

The new self titled album is out in February 2015, but if you pre-order it the first half is available for instant download. Head to thesubways.net for details.

And just because I love the song so much (I've been told it sounds like a description of me...) here's a video for "No Heart, No Soul."

The Best Cover Songs

So moving on from Sixx Am's Modern Vintage, there has been a lot of talk about their cover of The Cars song "Drive." I will admit I had never heard of the song before, and have no idea what the original sounds like, but I love the cover version. Ironically right now I'm sitting listening to Alice Cooper, "Poison," that I only first heard back in 2004 when Groove Coverage did a cover/remix of it. Sad but true.

This has left me thinking, there are some brilliant cover songs out there, some bizarre cover songs, and some truly terrible ones. So here goes my top cover songs.

• Seether - Careless Whisper

George Michael's "Careless Whisper" is not something you would ever find me just casually sitting chilling listening to. Ever. Pretty much I would never be voluntarily listening to it. Add in some heavier guitars, Shaun Morgan's vocals (which in my opinion sound's hotter than George Michaels...) and I'll be singing along. Find it on 2007's "Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces"

• Bullet For My Valentine - Welcome Home (Sanitarium) 

Metallica is not a band that should be covered lightly. Many people have tried, many have failed. Kerrang! managed to get it right with their "Master of Puppets Revisited" tribute album. And while the whole album was a fitting tribute to an amazing band, the only cover that has stuck with me over the years is Bullet's cover of "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". There are a lot of similarities between the two, but they've still managed to make it their own, while keeping the haunting feeling Metallica inspired all those years ago.

• Nirvana - Lake of Fire

I had no idea this was even a cover until recently. And no offence to Meat Puppets, but Nirvana have totally owned it. Listening to the original version of "Lake of Fire" it sounds like one of those totally horrendous youtube covers that people still insist on uploading. Check out the video of Nirvana and Meat Puppets playing it together at MTV Unplugged in 1993 here, or find it on Nirvana's "MTV Unplugged in New York" album.

• Aiden - Drain You

From Nirvana covering a song to a song by Nirvana covered. Seattle goth-rock band Aiden covered Drain You (I could be wrong with this) for another of Kerrang! Magazine's tribute albums, and gave the song a heavier sound, more like their own style than Nirvana's grungey chilled out vibe. The song works both ways, and I totally love both versions, depending on the mood I'm in. I can't remember which Kerrang! tribute album (if it actually was any of them) it was on, but find it on youtube here.

• Marilyn Manson - Tainted Love

I always thought that "Tainted Love" was a cover of Soft Cell, but after googling it just now, I've discovered it was actually released in the '60's... Please tell me I'm not the only one who didn't know this?! And the original... Well it's a lot more upbeat.. After years of Manson's cover it sounds strange. Good but strange. Manson's darker, heavier version is more to my style, like with Careless Whisper, I wouldn't listen to the original but the cover is great. Find it on "The Golden Age Of Grotesque"

• Metallica - Whiskey In The Jar

First of all, having to spell whisky in the (very wrong) Americanised style kills me a little on the inside. "Whiskey In The Jar" was actually a traditional Irish folk song back in the day, before being recorded by The Dubliners, released by Thin Lizzy then Metallica performed it, and people just kinda forgot about any other version. Metallica's is definitely my favourite version. Find it, with other covers, on 1998's "Garage Inc."

• Johnny Cash - Hurt

Eight years after Nine Inch Nails released an emotional "Hurt," Johnny Cash covered it. And had a lot more success with it. Cash's cover is haunting, full of pain, and quite frankly makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I hear it. It's gone from a soulful gothic rock song to a (for lack of a better word) depressing country rock song, that will never be forgotten. (And we are deliberatly going to ignore Leona Lewis butchering the song on X Factor...)

• HIM - Solitary Man

HIM have got a fair few cover songs in their discography, and I am completely biased but there all great. I am a total fan though! "Dark Light" was the first album I bought after going through that whole awkward I love dance music stage... Anyone else remember DJ Rankin? No just me then.. Neil Diamonds version is just too... cheesy for me. HIM have taken it and put their "love metal" spin on to it like they do with every other song they've covered (and created) and it just works. End of. HIM are great. 

• Faith No More - War Pigs

I am in no way a fan of Faith No More, they've got a couple of alright songs, and they were just plain fucking weird at Hyde Park. Still not sure why the hell they were dressed as ministers. Anyway moving on, War Pigs is probably my favourite Black Sabbath song. I'm not the type to take well to bands who slaughter my favourite songs in covers, so lucky for Faith No More their cover is actually pretty good. It's not Black Sabbath amazing, no one will ever be able to sound like Ozzy, but it is acceptable for an cover.

High On The Music

Sixx AM, commonly referred to as Nikki Sixx's "side project," are a ban unique in their formation. Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, producer James Michael and Guns 'n' Roses guitarist DJ Ashba got together back in 2007 to form Sixx AM, to release a one off album to accompany Sixx's heart wrenching tale, "The Heroin Diaries." Now, 7 years on the band have released their third studio album yesterday, and today announced a first headline tour. Guy's feel free to bring this to the UK please, just saying.

"The Heroin Diaries", both the book and album, is brilliant, and after hearing "Life is Beautiful" for the first time on Kerrang!'s music channel I was hooked. Years later and I still am, and can recite passages from the book, I've read it that many times. Not only does it give a pretty insane insight to drug addiction but it scares the shit out of you. A great anti-drugs tool.

Second album, "This Is Gonna Hurt," also served as an accompaniment to a book, again with the same title. This time, the book is filled with breathtaking photos taken by Sixx, with his commentary on life in general, and the stories behind the images. The lyrics from "This is Gonna Hurt" remind me a lot of the post modern culture ideals I studied at uni. Please no one ask me to explain that one, I still don't know how the hell I passed the exam.

Nikki Sixx Instagram

Now, onto "Modern Vintage," the third album, released yesterday, and I've already lost track of how many times I've actually listened to it already. Little bit obsessed maybe, but that's what I do with music. I can't actually decide on a genre that it fits into, the name itself, being an oxymoron, suggesting exactly what it sounds like. "Before It's Over" sounds like something you would have heard in decades past, or at a circus. It's not a song you'd quite expect from them but it works. A refreshing change to the usual dark and deep lyrics from Sixx AM.

"High On The Music" is the type of song that can describe the way I feel about music, that it's an addiction. The debut single from the album, "Gotta Get It Right," is an inspiring anthem that has the potential to stand the test of time. 

All in all "Modern Vintage" is a great new album from Sixx AM. It's a change in direction from their previous releases, but they still make it work for them. A lighter sound, but still with meaningful and inspiring words.

Been Far Away For Far Too Long...

It's been too long again. Between work getting crazy for a while, going on holiday again, way too many hangovers to even try to count and breaking my laptop... again.... 

The rest of my review from Hyde Park will be coming (I know it's been months...) but my poor tired ill brain just can't cope with that today.

Like I said, it's been a busy summer, with a lot of exciting things going on.... I know that's no excuse for neglecting this blog, but I'm back, and I plan on keeping it going this time... 

So a quick (and probably boring) update of my life in the last few years...

I graduated.. with a 2:1, after a very stressful few months. And I got a bit overly excited to throw the hat in the air... Cause what's the point in graduating if you can't do that? Now it's the totally depressing search for a "grown up" job. Someone please just give me a job?

I also went to Marmaris twice, not quite sure why we were allowed back into the country after the first time. Both times were pretty wild, but what happens in Marmaris stays in Marmaris so I will not be sharing any of the stories here.. Despite how hilarious my friends think some of them are.

There has been way too many nights out, some for a reason, most just for the banter or to relax after work. I feel like I may drink too much.

But that's enough about me... I'll get on with the real posts now!

British Summer Time at Hyde Park Review - Part 1 Soulfly

So as I said in my last post on Friday I sacrificed my need for sleep and got a 7am flight to London with my dad to go to British Summer Time at Hyde Park. Words honestly can't describe how amazing a day it was. The weather behaved itself for the first time in British history, with the sun being out in all it's glory (26 degrees, and I have the sun burn to prove it) and the rain stayed away until like 9pm, because even the rain couldn't miss out on seeing Black Sabbath!

There was three stages with various bands playing throughout the day, but with the above line up we stayed at the Great Oak Stage the whole day. With the timings being released via the BST phone app in the morning of the show we decided that none of the clashes were really worth missing the main stage for. And with only 30-45 minute breaks between the bands it was literally run to the toilet, get a (expensive) pint from the bar and fight back through the crowds.

First up was Soulfly. For Soulfly BST was the opening date on their current UK tour. What an opening act! I've only recently listened to a few of their songs prior to going to BST, so I didn't really know what to expect. I had a vague idea that it was one of the guys from Sepultura, but that was all. After a (quite literally) jumping performance at BST they are the latest band to be added to my ever growing Spotify playlist. 

With special guest Igor Cavalera (former Sepultura drummer and brother of vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera) for a cover of Sepultura's Roots Bloody Roots it was more than just a Soulfly set. The crowd spent as much time jumping about as the band did onstage. Despite their early stage time Soulfly are a band who could easily have headlined the event, as were the other bands playing. 

Forgive Me Father For I Have Sinned...

It's been too long! I thought finishing uni would give me more time, but I've been busy! Work, trying to catch up with friends that I hardly see, more work, 10 crazy days in Marmaris, more work and a weekend in London. It's been great.

At the start of last month I went back to Marmaris for a ten day holiday. It was far from relaxing, and it took me a good week to recover from it. From finding many creeps, near death experiences in a waterpark (I was the idiot who slipped getting into a tube on one of the slides, luckily the guy at the top caught me in time before I fell head first down it...) a lot of near falls (I am very clumsy) and a concussion. That I gave myself, after headbutting my friend nearly falling out of the fly fish watersport. Google it, it's fucking scary! But despite all my 'accidents' I had a brilliant time, drank way too much alcohol and have already booked it for August. :)

London was a lot more sober, a lot less accidents but just as brilliant a time. Friday my dad and I went to Hyde Park for Black Sabbath Time. It was indescribable. So, so good, one of the best gig's I've been to! Saturday we headed to a Rock 'n' Roll tour around London. The stories the guide told us were incredible. Things you couldn't even imagine. And of course a London music tour wouldn't be complete without a trip to Abbey Road. I'm not really a Beatles fan but when in Rome.... Stay tuned for my reviews of the bands at BST. I promise it'll be soon! 

The Webs We Weave

Continuing from my post/rant on Saturday (find it here) I've just read on Rocksound that Max Green had left Escape the Fate. And not only has he done this, he's joined up with Falling In Reverse.

Escape the Fate formed in 2004, releasing début album 'Dying Is Your Latest Fashion' in 2006, which has one of my all time favourite Escape the Fate songs, 'Situations,' a beautiful and sleazy track, so obviously I would love it. By this time the line up of the band had already changed around, something that would go on to continue through their career. 

In 2006 lead vocalist Ronnie Radke was involved in an incident resulting in a death, and following his broken probation conditions ended up in jail. The other members of the band kicked him out, and in my opinion it wasn't a malicious thing, it was for the good of their career. Which to be fair is what most bands do/have done in this situation, Vince Neil being one of the few exceptions, but he was only locked up for 15 days...

Radke was then replaced with former Blessthefall vocalist Craig Mabbit, and you can tell there is a difference in vocals on their subsequent releases but it still sounds amazing. 

Green had left the band in early 2011 due to addiction problems, but later rejoined the band, left again, came back, and finally announced on the 9th of May that he's left the band. Just days later he's joined Falling in Reverse, the band Radke formed while in prison and launched upon his release. While I've only recently started to listen to Falling In Reverse they becoming a constant feature in my daily playlists. 

But is there a conspiracy here? It's hard to believe that Green joining FIR just days after leaving EtF is a coincidence. Surely this was a planned move, and it could be said Green was looking for the best way to piss off his former band mates? Because if EtF's vision isn't what Green wanted any more then surely the best solution is to start from scratch? Or maybe the original line up will one day be back together under FIR? Who knows.

Now some may argue that the bassist of a band is not the most important feature in it, but these people have clearly not listened to Motorhead. Lemmy once, controversially, said in an interview (if I remember right, which I probably don't, it was in Kerrang!) that bassists are just failed guitarists, however this was in relation to his failed attempt to learn guitar and moved on to the bass. But jesus chirst, he plays it in his own way, many of the riffs in their music coming from him, and not just guitarist Mikkey Dee. 

However the change in bassist within Escape the Fate has not caused any noticeable changes in the music, although I'm sure it's been turmoil for the other members. Escape the Fate is no stranger to line up changes and I'm sure that this latest change will not affect the quality music they put out there. 

Escape the Fate have just released the video for 'Picture Perfect', the fourth single from their fourth studio album, 'Ungrateful.' Another hit from EtF.

Falling In Reverse have released the video for their cover of 'Gangsta's Paradise' from the Punk Goes 90's 2 album. A strange but good cover, rap meets rock, with their style thrown into the mix.

I'm looking forward to see what comes next with both bands. Although this latest change in line ups may have thrown away the peace they bands appear to have formed with each other. This is going to get interesting. If anyone has any thoughts they want to share please do, I'd love to hear them. And find me on Twitter.