PHK single, 'Rainy Town' c/w 'Our Illustrious Leaders', now streaming on all major platforms!

 

THE PURPLE HEARTS - Beat That! 45th Anniversary Tour LP (Detour)

 

Boom! We welcome the Purple Hearts back to Detour.... Absolute legends of the '79 Mod scene. The Purple Hearts weren't just a Mod band as they were Mods themselves who were in a Mod band! Their roots can be traced back before Mod was even in a full blown Mod Revival throughout the UK and then the World!

Here we have a celebration of their ground breaking album "Beat That!" with a lengthy 45th Anniversary Tour" we a selection of tracks that have been taken from several venues on this tour.

The artwork is to die for! It has been designed by the outstanding and talented designer Rik Bardsley and is a pastiche of the original 'Beat That' sleeve but brought right up to date!

This tour and album features original members Bob Manton on Vocals & Jeff Shadbolt on Bass Guitar, Also features John Wratten from Small World on Guitar and Andy Orr from Small World & The Scene on Drums. 

The vinyl version is a limited pressing and comes with double sided insert and has one less track to the CD version BUT to even this out, we are giving away FREE a download code so that you can obtain the whole album as a download along with this extra track PLUS you will also receive a further TWO extra tracks that are exclussive to the download of the album. Inside every album will be a coupon that you can redeem when you go to our site to obtain the download!

FEATURES

Jimmy 

Perfect World 

Something You Can't Have 

Beat That! 

Nothing's Left 

Frustration 

Can't Stay Here 

Can't Help Thinking About Me 

I've Been Away 

Extraordinary Sensations 

Plane Crash 

My Life's A Jigsaw 

Gun Of life 

Millions Like Us

The Crystal Teardrop release debut album, '...Is Forming', on 2nd May (Rise Above Records)

 

Side One

Colours Changing

Through With You

Borrowed Time

The Rain Parade

Two Hearts

For One More Day

Side Two   

Into The Unknown

Last Chance

Turn You Down

Stealing Suggestions

Nine Times Nine

. …Is Forming

https://riseaboverecords.com/product/is-forming/

The Risk & The Sacred Hearts 'live' this Friday 2nd & Saturday 3rd May at the Fermain Tavern

 

Mods Mayday 2025 - Final Line-up and Stage Times for this Sunday

 

PHK - 'Rainy Town' c/w 'Our Illustrious Leaders' reviewed by Scootering Magazine

 

The 7" single of 'Rainy Town' c/w/ 'Our Illustrious Leaders' is available to buy from Bandcamp at: -

https://paulhooper-keeley.bandcamp.com/

Mike Peters of Seventeen & The Alarm dies aged 66

 

Mike Peters, front man of Welsh bands Seventeen & The Alarm and a long-standing cancer campaigner and fundraiser, has died aged 66.

His band, The Alarm, was formed in 1981 in Rhyl, Denbighshire, era and had a top 20 hit, Sixty Eight Guns, two years later.

It typified an anthemic style of song but their unpretentious and down-to-earth approach earned loyal followings on both sides of the Atlantic.

Peters lived with blood cancer for 30 years, following his diagnosis of lymphoma in 1995, and later having chronic lymphocytic leukaemia twice.

He was born in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, and lived in Dyserth with his wife of 39 years, Jules - who had fought her own cancer battle - and their sons Dylan, 20 and Evan, 18.

He was awarded the MBE in 2019 for his services to cancer care.

Peters - who had worked in the computer department for Kwik Save supermarket - had started a band The Toilets in Rhyl in 1977, after seeing the Sex Pistols play in Chester.

As part of Mod band Seventeen, he released the classic 7", 'Don't Let Go' c/w 'Bank Holiday Weekend' on Vendetta Records in 1980. An album, 'A Flashing Blur Of Stripped Down Excitement' was released in 2002 by Vinyl Japan.

After various changes of line-up, notably the introduction of guitarist Dave Sharp, and changes of name, The Alarm played their first gig in Prestatyn in 1981.

They would go on to sell an estimated five million records and also become the first Welsh musicians since Tom Jones and Bonnie Tyler to crack America.

Chris Pope & The Chords UK – ‘…But Then Again’ triple album - the PHK review

One of the finest songwriters that this country has produced, Chris Pope has released his triple album ‘…But Then Again’ under his Chris Pope & The Chords UK moniker that rounds up the best of his recorded output (plus a few unreleased tracks) from the last 10-years or so. And what do we get? A humongous 44-songs of high quality, that’s what.

Starting with a reimagined version of his Chords classic, ‘British Way Of Life’, he takes us from an acoustic start quickly into a meaty retelling of the song – full of passion and ending with an Italian Job quote.

‘Brave New World’ is up next and is a good guitar led song that is very radio friendly. The wonderful ‘Get Me To Saturday Night’ features some great thumping toms and a catchy little riff that should go down really well ‘live’. ‘Love’s Still Here’ slows down the pace and highlights the passion in Chris’ voice; the song having an underlying power to it.

‘White Van Man’ tells the story of the life of the ‘cash-in-the-hand’ van man and long days of toil, with stripped back instrumentation building along with the story. It’s very engaging. Next up is ‘Mutiny On The Thames’ with its ‘There’ll always be an England’ start and brass punch-in. This is a classic that I’m sure you’re all familiar with. ‘One Happy Man’ is another choppy/brassy but catchy number – “Just give me bread and water, put a Gibson in my hand”. And then ‘Hipsters Of London’ with its opening riff and great lyric telling stories of 70s days and hearing tales of the 60s, key changes and all.

‘Man On The Northern Line’ is another of Chris’ stories, with the content doing what it says on the tin. Let’s hope it doesn’t trigger anyone about the joys of their daily commute. Next up is ‘Gentrified The Elephant’, a song about areas being regenerated but losing all the soul of what communities used to be about and pushing genuine local people out. It has a great tense guitar riff throughout. ‘Any Fool Knows’ is a bit more bouncy and piano led and had me thinking of early Madness (which is no bad thing). The first disc ends with ‘Analogy Of Life’ – a big song, full of brass, that then goes into a Ska section, with a singalong chorus. Wonderful.

Disc 2 starts with ‘Hey Kids! Come The Revolution’ and its Reggae vibe that develops into something a little harder hitting, almost a bit Glam. A great guitar break and another earworm of a song. ‘Somewhere Beyond The Rainbow’ somehow sounds like it should be on a film soundtrack – lots of damped guitar, singalong chorus and modulations. And bags of energy. 

Next up is ‘Twenty First Century Girl’ – if you don’t know this song then you should be deeply ashamed of yourself. This is a big, big song of Ska beats, an infectious chorus, and a feel-good summer vibe. This should have been a massive hit if only we had a music industry that valued and supported talent over the short-term 5-minute cash-in wonders! This great song is followed by ‘Another Thing Coming’, a self-reflective song about dashed dreams. ‘Nine To Five And Me’ starts with thunder and rain and soft, slow piano. The song questions how you can end up falling into a life and end up with a dead-end career as the years pass by before you realise it. And then you’re stuck with it.

‘Dreams Of Yesterday’ starts acoustically and reminisces about The Jam in Soho Market and The Clash in Acklam Hall. He’s “Still living for tomorrow, on dreams of yesterday”. They can take away your quality of life but they can’t take away your memories. ‘Leave It All Behind’ is a bit more upbeat with a riff that is reminiscent of Secret Affair. Another earworm. ‘World Gone Crazy’ has a lilting opening riff with the lyrics going into fake news and views and, as ever with Chris, has another memorable chorus and lead break, giving it a Britpop feel.

‘Indie Disco Friday Night’ is a big favourite of mine. Rolling the clock back 30-years to “Jesus Jones and The Wonder Stuff, Primal Scream and The House of Love”, a time before kids and mortgages. A great fun time song. ‘Eat Sleep Work Repeat’ – enjoy the weekend as it flies by quickly and we’re soon back to the start of the working week again, gives way to ‘Two Weeks In Heaven’, the time of year we all look forward to getting away from the daily grind. Appropriately, it's played in an upbeat and joyous way. ‘Land Of Milk And Honey’ is about how some people are well off whilst others have no future, underpinned by a choppy guitar and insistent riff – “So what’s so funny?” We then have the title track, ‘But Then Again’, that starts slowly and retrospectively before bursting into life. Chris concludes that he is happy, “All things considered” before adding, “But then again…” Disc 2 ends with an acoustic version of the mighty ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ – even in this stripped-down version, the quality of the song just oozes out.

Onto Disc 3 and opening track, ‘Get On In Life’, which sounds like a hit single from the days of Britpop. Powerful and with a great riff, and with a chorus that reminds me slightly of ‘In My Street’ (which itself is a great, great single). It’s followed by ‘All I Ever Wanted (Was To Be Wanted By You)’, with it’s Oasis vibe and Chris’ great guitar work. ‘Bitter Sweet’ is different again – rimshot drums, bass and just an occasion guitar phrase or riff over the top before building into a full musical piece. Very accomplished indeed. Next is ‘Heart Of The Matter’ has a driving guitar riff to start followed by a superb bassline and some keyboard picking before it drives on hard before pulling back again and then exploding with guitar buzzing all around like an angry wasp. Incredibly enjoyable.

Then it’s time for ‘Veronica Jones’ with its fabulous organ riff and chorus hinting at an Inspiral Carpets kind of sound. Great guitar work too. Love it. ‘Take On Life’ starts with a lovely acoustic chord sequence and Chris’ wonderful vocals and lyrics. The mundaneness of office life and spreadsheets is at the fore. Then the brass comes in and the song goes up a notch. Next up is ‘Three Minute Pop Song’ and, well, it is. Catchy, riffs, fun – and just for you. Drums and a tense sounding riff start ‘One Horse Town’ before the Motown beat comes in for a bouncy chorus.

We are now treated to acoustic versions of the classics that are ‘One More Minute’ and ‘Turn Away Again’ – what can I say other than sublime. And Chris’ voice sounds fantastic.

‘Twenty First Century Blues’ is a groover with another wonderful riff flowing over the song, creating the positivity of REM, The Rembrandts or The B52s at their best. A nice piano riff starts ‘Running On Dreams’ before a buzzsaw guitar riff and chopping rhythm guitar comes in and we have yet another earworm on our hands. ‘Welcome To My World’ is a song that I can really associate with – “I wrote a song to sing to get in the charts, it didn’t sell and it broke my heart”. This is one of my favourite songs on the entire collection and has a great lyric. ‘Before Elvis’ kicks in with drums and bass and sounds different again.

The collection then moves onto two ‘live’ tracks from Chris’ previous band Pope (featuring Brett ‘Buddy’ Ascott), being ‘Always Quit While Your Still Ahead’ (with its false ending) and ‘The Last Thing I Ever Do’. Both great songs and performances so a nice addition to this set.

The penultimate track is ‘Making Mountains’ with its female vocal and guitar beginning before the piano takes over along with Chris’ lead vocal. The song builds up with an organ but remains slow paced but full of feeling. The song builds further with a military snare pattern, backing vocals and then a heartfelt lead break. An amazing song – pure class.

Appropriately, the final song of the collection is called ‘Last Man Standing’, complete with yet another wonderful guitar riff played over the bass and drums and Chris’ accomplished vocal performance.

There is so much variety on this album from New Wave to Power Pop to Ska and Reggae, from Rock to Britpop, from Glam to Madchester – and everywhere in between. To write so many songs of such high quality is incredible, but to sing, perform and record them too is quite unique. 

If only we had a music industry that did what is said it did (rather than take the short cuts and cash-outs) then Chris Pope would be a highly regarded singer/songwriter/guitarist with the record sales and decades of success that his talent deserves. 

Unfortunately, we don’t have such a savvy music industry at our disposal, but thankfully for us (the true music fans) we do have Chris Pope’s ‘…But Then Again’ 3-disc set to enjoy again and again.

Images from The Prisoner Convention in Portmeirion (11-13 April)

 

The Glory Boy Mod Radio Show has moved to 'www.breezefm.es' for their 6pm-9pm radio show every Sunday evening with Alan May

 

Sky Arts are to broadcast a 2 Tone Double Bill on Wednesday 16th April

 

Wednesday 16th April will see the Sky Arts channel broadcast a 2 Tone Double Bill. 

First up at 9pm will be the television premier of the excellent 'Pauline Black: A 2 Tone Story' documentary which tells the life story of the legendary lead vocalist of The Selecter. 

This will be followed at 10.50pm by a repeat broadcast of the 'The Specials - A Message To You', a profile that traces the story of the iconic 2 Tone band.