Hi Fi Spitfires, Night Raid Album Review

Don't let the name confuse you with Sunderland's younger Punk band Spitfire Bullets!
the Hi Fi Spitfires are a fierce squadron coming from the North East punk scene. Formed in 2008 by Guitarist and vocalist Stephen Straughan who is now the lead guitarist of UK Subs, along with bass player Tony Taylor from First Wave and drummer Nelly who is also the drummer for Loaded 44.

Their newest album "Night raid" the title literally speaks out a theme of World war two battles, blazing machine guns, bomber aircraft and it doesn't disappoint. With its first opening track "Backfire" it gets you into the mood to head bang and pogo!

It screams out paranoia in "New Suit, and telling you to follow your dreams in the track "Battlefield of dreams". Listening to this CD at high volumes is a must, tony's bass lines stand out and so does steve's powerful guitar solos they are just slicing through the mix of rhythm guitars and hard drumming.

The album's title track "Night Raid" will never disappoint the listener with a catchy chorus a crowd could shout to and thundering drums between the verses, it has became a personal favourite of mine.
the lyrics are great to listen to and they compliment the guitar work perfectly.

Listening to each and every track there is one that stands out "Suzy Is A Sniper" now i know Suzy is or was a headbanger in the Ramones album Leave home. i guess she grew up to become a sniper, i won't spoil it for you, just give this album a listen.

Facebook HI FI Spitfires

Loaded 44 *Come on!* Album review

If you know your punk rock well and regularly go to Rebellion then you will have heard of the punk rock North East band Loaded 44 fronted by that wild cat singer Beki, along with members of Hi Fi Spitfires and the Lurkers.

Their new album recently released in 2014 "come on! isn't something for those who enjoy easy listening, but for those who love the angry guitars and that Debbie Harry style voice. 

With plenty ass-shakin' drum beats and heavy bass lines Lemmy Kilmister himself would be proud of. This album literally blows you away taking you back to 1977. 

Listening to the album i can tell it takes on inspiration from the days when Punk rock was alive and kicking with plenty of attitude, tacking you back to the time the Ramones were blasting on stage and Debbie harry was kicking someone in the ass for stepping on stage. A personal favourite track from this album is Generation Idiot just the way it's written and played making it a great track to pogo or head bang to.

Overall i give this album a 10 out of 10, it is a great album to listen to in the car, at home or seeing the band  live and loud!

Don't forget to check out loaded 44 on facebook !! >> LOADED 44

Riff Raff Guitar shop

If you lived about Sunderland and wanted to buy your

first or maybe 100th guitar you probably went to one of the many

Cash converter shops around the city or to the small weird music shop opposite the empire theatre, but if you wanted that Marshall 100-watt amp or a Gibson les Paul, you probably hopped on the metro to Newcastle to Guitar Guitar or sounds live. Or maybe sat in traffic on the A1 to get to the metro centre for JG Windows, like I did when I bought my cherry red vintage SG.

Now if you were a drummer in Sunderland you could walk down Borough Road

and walk in (if you could) to willy's drum shop to get any snare, cymbal or drum kit you wanted for a really good price as well.

Not that long ago back in the cold winter of January 2013 a new shop opened up next to willy's drum shop and wouldn't you know it, it wasn't another charity shop or Pound land but an actual Guitar shop. Yes a guitar shop in Sunderland it's a shock!!

So anyway, the owner of the business we all know as Shaun is here to stay

selling used and new guitars, amps, FX Pedals, and PA systems. However, not only does he sell the stuff that all musicians need. He does repairs too, so no more messing about on google looking for a guitar repair place thousands of miles away or on YouTube on how to wire in a pick up while burning yourself with the soldering iron. Yes, Riff Raff Guitars is a great local independent business that Sunderland badly needed. Reasonably priced equipment and repairs with a friendly service.

Walking into this little shop you will see Guitars galore and Shaun at his bench working on a customer’s guitar, or if you’re really lucky he might be going to make a cuppa and might even offer you a coffee or tea even a biscuit unless you bring them yourself.

looking about the shop's 3 walls you will see plenty of Stratocasters, les Pauls, bass guitars and maybe the odd rare collectable guitar from 1960 hanging up on display, if you look through all of that and above you will see various music memorabilia from Shaun’s personal collection though not for sale, if you fancy a laugh check out a few notices hanging from the door including not asking about black beauty les Pauls. to the front window will be a wall of various amplifiers and a constant changing of effect pedals, depending what is hot at the time, and of course hanging up is the most unusual back to front reversed Stratocaster you will ever see which everyone keeps asking is it for sale and no it's not for sale,

So from being a guitar shop it is also a store where local bands can sell their music, there’s a few CDs available to purchase. Including Fire Lady Luck, Spitfire Bullets, a few solo albums, and folk music.

Be sure to check out Riff Raff Guitars on Facebook here >> Riff Raff Guitars

Or if you’re in the town centre pop down to have a look about the shop and maybe buy a new guitar at the same time.

HOT RATS RECORDS

HOT RATS RECORDS

walking through back lanes of a old city up olive street there is a familiar sight a little shop with
a huge sign in the window. "HOT RATS"
this is the only name you need to know for everything metal, punk, rock, blues, rock n roll and local.
Ran by ex Toy Dolls Drummer Marty yule he will always greet you with a cheerful smile and "hello"
this store is the Aladdin's cave of music vinyl records from the past to the modern era, CDs, cassette tapes, band t shirts, patches,badges and all music memorabilia from any band.

looking through the CD collections all sorted from A to Z with genres, band names labelled you can find rare treasures and new music. up the road you have the bunker a music rehearsals and recording studio, many of the local bands come by here and sell their music in the shop, including my band spitfire bullets which can be found in the punk section with loaded 44 and hi fi spitfires.

Hot Rats is a great place to meet new people who share the same music interests, for bands to sell their music and if you want to, have a good chat to marty about his time in the toy dolls.

being a independent shop i wouldn't want to see this place closed down, its a piece of local history aswell as a local landmark. i have bought tons of stuff from it including vinyl records, CDs, t shirts

if you wanna check them out. go to the shop like literally get off your ass and go out side this store is not online its done the proper old fashioned way

but they are on facebook, check them out >>  HOT RATS





 

Collision Into The City EP Review

picture from Tony Houghton (collision)

Collision started out about late 1979 (way before i was about) A group of Young Punk Rockers playing mainly covers of the sex pistols - clash - Damned - ect ect.

As stated in the CD instert "Nothing lasts forever, we went our own way because kev wanted to get married and buy a capri (he did do both of these things)". After 30 + years the guys got back together to see if they still had that spark of punk youth in themselves with a new addition of Karen Khaos for some high octane vocals. They came back full throttle showing they can still cut it with a re-emergence on the 21st century punk scene they pulled in a strong following performing covers round the bars of blyth and other parts of the NE showing that "old Punks never die!!!". 

Collision released their very first EP Saturday 4th October 2014 down at the Clef and Cask in cramlington. 

The EP kicks off with *Into the City* A power full blast from the guitar and a crash of cymbols with poly styrene inspired vocals provided by Karen Khaos complimented with that signature sound of a Fender P Bass playing some nice scales up and down the neck while keeping a nice rhythm. The song itself its a perfect set list opener to get the crowds going, The song itself invites you into the full EP making you want to know whats next in this city of despair.

The next track is *Where do you go* with Tony (The Rat) with his gritty vocals and a head banging rhythm from the drums and guitar while KK adds in her own vocals into the duet with a sweet short guitar solo in between with enough time for you to open a can. the song it self puts out a point, being sick of same old faces and same old places with nothing to do, where do you go to get out of here? in the city of despair.

Track 3 *Broken Eyes* a slow tempo song with KK giving it all she's got in her very emotional voice for this track. Tales of heart break and broken dreams surround this song with powerful guitar chords and powerful bass lines of emotion painting a picture of dark clouds and rain surrounding the city of despair with a girl walking the streets with tears in her eyes with no where to go.

The final track on this EP is *This is Life (This is Living)* a big sounding reggae style song, soon as i first heard it the song gotta get away by slf came into my head. A duet song with The Rat taking the lead and kk jumping in for her part, up beat drums and casual guitar playing for the verses and a full thunderous sound into the pre-chorus with a full band backing of  "what are you looking for" building up to a blast of "This is Life This is Living"

To finish up this review, The EP is all in all is a great combination of gritty and high octance vocals, heavily overdriven guitars, a bass sound that is very familiar in the punk scene (pretty much every band used a p bass) and the pounding of anger on the drums. just like something you would hear in the 70's. And it looks like the 70's have come back once again to prove that Punk isn't dead

You can get the EP at any of Collisions shows for a fine price which is worth it than paying £££££ for a Now thats what i call shit music of the 21st century album. 

Go out, get this EP and listen to some proper music!!