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Weird Music Facts From Mayhem #8 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This is a bit weird, but more of a strange tale than a weird fact. Nonetheless I think it fits in Mayhem's weird music facts series. Michael Philip Jagger married Blanca Pérez-Mora Macías on 12th May 1971 in St. Tropez. After the wedding, a tired Bianca left the reception early. She returned to their room…
“Vice” – Rizzle Kicks | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
British hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks are Jordan "Rizzle" Stephens and Harley "Sylvester" Alexander-Sule. They first broke big back in 2011 with the rather excellent single "Down With The Trumpets". They had a few more hits and split up for a while. Last year they announced their return. They released a few classy singles last…
‘Faux Animaux’ – Blue Violet | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Blue Violet have been championed by some influential radio stations including BBC 6 Music whose Steve Lamacq described them as “a cocktail of Iain Banks and Jane Austen”. I can see where Steve was coming from having witnessed Blue Violet for the first time back in November. To continue Lamacq's literary comparison theme I would…
“Angie’s Wedding” – Antony Szmierek | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Antony Szmierek, Manchester based poet, producer, rather ace music maker and all round good guy has a new album out at the end of next month. It is called 'Service Station At The End Of The Universe'. His new single, "Angie's Wedding" will be the final track on the album. It brings together many of…
On This Day Blues Boy Gave All His Records Away! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On January 21st 1982, American blues guitarist B.B. King made a generous contribution. He donated his entire record collection of over 20,000 records to Mississippi University's Center for the Study of Southern Culture. King was born Riley B King in 1925 and died aged 89 in 2015. The B.B. in B.B. King's name stands for…
On This Day Davy, Peter, Mike And Mickey Hey Hey For The First Time In The UK! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On 20th January 1967 the Monkees TV show was shown for the first time in the UK. The band was created for the TV show and consisted of Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Mike Nesmith and Mickey Dolenz. They sold more than 75 million records worldwide and had international hits, including "Last Train to Clarksville", "Pleasant…
“Run Rabbit” – ALT BLK ERA | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Can ALT BLK ERA get any better than they already are? On the basis of their new single "Run Rabbit" they just did. The quality of their recent singles suggests that the debut album will by vying for a strong position in many album of the year lists for 2025. The track is driven by…
Bowie By Candlelight – Ripon Cathedral – Friday 17th January 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
When I saw this show advertised some while ago I had know idea what it would be like. But as a lifelong Bowie fan I was intrigued. Bowie's music in a cathedral? I'll have some of that please! This is one of a series of concerts promoted by Concerts By Candlelight across the UK's cathedrals…
“Manhattan” – Pennine Suite | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Photo by Tom Sunderland The last time I saw the magnificent Pennine Suite play live was in June last year at the Fulford Arms. They played some new tracks that night and one of those was "Manhattan". A song from a York band that was inspired by New York. What I said about it then…
On The Ropes – Fulford Arms, York – Wednesday 15th January 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
For my second gig of 2025 I was back at the Fulford Arms in York. This time with my good mate Baz. This was a charity gig with proceeds going to the York Food Bank and like everyone there I was more than happy to contribute. York's purveyors of gargantuan metal sounds, Theseus, kicked off…
‘Welcome To The Disco’ EP – The Apocalypse Disco | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The Apocalypse Disco just released their debut EP 'Welcome To The Disco'. If you need something to soundtrack the impending apocalypse (thanks America), then this is it! The EP kicks off with "Revelation". It has biblical levels of keys from Ian and an end of world impassioned vocal from Robin. Believe me, if you follow…
“Drowning The Killer” – Kindelan | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Whenever Kindelan releases something new it automatically goes to the top of my listening pile. That is exactly where Laura's new song "Drowning The Killer" has been for the past two weeks. I have listened to it a lot and once again Kindelan continues the getting better with each release run. This is, on the…
“Too Much Ain’t Enough” – Travoltas | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
"Too Much Ain't Enough" is the new release from Travoltas and it is a towering mix of mountainous riffs, punk rock energy, eighties hair rock guitars and melodies and harmonies that Brian Wilson might kill for! This bunch are from the Netherlands and have been around since 1990. Since 19-fucking-90, how the fuck have I…
Mayhem’s Before They Were Famous #9 – Simon Le Bon | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Before he became a mega successful front man for Duran Duran, Simon Le Bon was a child actor. He appeared in a Persil TV advert in the UK. Maybe the band should have cashed in on that and changed some of their song titles. How about "Persil Earth", "Is There Something I Should Wash", "Hungry…
On This Day The Dog With No Name Helped Percy Plant And The Boys Into The Chart! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On January 15th 1972 Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" made its debut on the US singles chart. It was released in December 1971 and eventually reached number 15. The band famously never released singles, certainly not in the UK anyway. Not including promotional singles this was the band's fourth single. The song's title refers to a…
Play It Again Mayhem – “The Night” – Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Here comes the 33rd track in the Play It Again Mayhem series. This time it is the turn of the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons with "The Night". This is worth it just for the incredible bass lines, which I believe were played by Joe Long. It was originally released in 1972 on a…
“Come With Me On A Spaceship” – Dead Rat Society | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I have not heard of this band before but fuck this new single is wonderfully out there. There are some influences from the likes of Soft Play. Aside from those influences, this bunch are out on their own. I think we should all get on their spaceship and zoom to Planet Dead Rat! Lyrically it…
Pedestrian – Fulford Arms, York – Friday 10th January 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Four bands in one night is how I kicked off my gig journey for 2025. All at the fabulous Fulford Arms and promoted by Northern Radar. Simon P, head honcho of Northern Radar, has never let me down with his choice of bands. Would tonight be that moment? Read on to find out dear reader.…
“IT Girl” – Jade | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This is an unusual one to feature for me, but I have to say that I love "IT Girl". It is the new single from Jade, former member of Little Mix. This is her third solo single since leaving the group with which she had five UK chart toppers. "IT Girl" tells the story of…
On This Day The White House Buys Some Records! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Trump doing his "Y M C TWAT" dance On January 12th 1981, it was reported that the White House had expanded its record library. The library added albums by Bob Dylan, Kiss, and the Sex Pistols. I think I would bet money that the incoming president a.k.a. the orange moron will not be listening to…
“Blood Curse” – FangSlinger | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I was sent the first FangSlinger's single, "The Lost Souls Saloon", for review back in October. Sadly I never got around to it. Which is a pity because it was a truly colossal track! I believe that the first single began a tale which may run for some time. The blurb for single number one…
On This Day The Kingsmen Beat The Feds! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On January 11th 1964, "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen topped the US Cash Box music chart. For a while, a handful of US radio stations banned the record. They cited indecipherable lyrics as the reason. Rumors suggested these lyrics contained some naughty words. The FBI investigated the song for two years, from February to May…
“Devil’s A Day Away” – Jellybricks | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Probably Harrisburg, PA's finest band, Jellybricks are rapidly becoming one of my favourite bands. This is the third of their singles that I have reviewed so far and every one has been high class. the other two were "That Way" and "Age Of Stupid". The new one, "Devil's A Day Away", was released on January…
On This Day Lennon Looked After The Bogs! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
John Lennon appeared on the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore TV show. 'Not Only But Also' aired in the UK on January 10th, 1965 (or possibly 1966). Lennon appeared in a sketch in which he played Dan, the doorman of a trendy nightclub. This club was situated in an underground men’s lavatory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXtWS3Wwj2U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7bKZtoTwy8 If…
“New Waves” – Used To Be Apes | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Milan rock band Used To Be Apes have just hit the streets with a new single, "New Waves". It is a classy emotive three and a half minutes of perfect pop rock. The track is fuelled by melancholy but hopeful lyrics. I can sense elements of REM, Prefab Sprout and New Order. But this band…
“Gravity” – Lacuna Coil | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Italian metal legends Lacuna Coil have just released "Gravity." It is the fifth single from their forthcoming album 'Sleepless Empire.' The album will be available via Century Media Records. I believe that the song explores the rise and fall of life, the importance of resilience and fate. I felt that it conveys hope and that…
‘Pillow Talk’ – Party Nails | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Elana Carroll from Chatham, New York is a singer-songwriter, artist, musician and producer. She goes by the name of Party Nails. She has just released her third album, 'Pillow Talk,' on Eye Knee Records. The album kicks off with "Same Old Song". It is a mid paced ballad style song. It evokes early Taylor Swift…
On This Day Linda Raised The Jolly Roger! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On 8th January 1981, Linda Ronstadt made her Broadway debut. She performed alongside Rex Smith and Kevin Kline. They starred in the revival of The Pirates of Penzance, which ran for 787 performances. Linda could clearly tackle any genre; country, rock, folk, pop, swing/ big band and light opera among many other styles. I love…
“My Lighter Weight” – Varas | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Benjamin Muñoz Varas is a self-taught producer, singer and songwriter. He uses the name Varas. With roots in Chile, Varas grew up in a small town called Götene in Sweden. When he was twelve his father introduced him to Led Zeppelin. At this time he took up the guitar. Having listened to his new single…
On This Day Bill Spied A Comet And Rocked Around It! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On January 7th 1955, "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and his Comets made its debut on the UK chart. It is often cited as the biggest-selling vinyl rock and roll single of all time with sales over 25 million. It made it to number one and has been in the charts at least…
Mayhem Gives You 12 Inches… Of Music! “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” – Santa Esmeralda Starring Leroy Gómez | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This is the sixth in the Mayhem 12 Inch single series. I apologise again for the rather smutty, Carry On, double entendre, innuendo title for this feature. Can any of you constant readers think of a better title? But I am quite obviously talking about the 12-inch vinyl single. This series is now a playlist…
On This Day The Pistols Get £40k From Electric and Musical Industries! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The Pistols on the day they signed with EMI (6th October 1976) On 6th January 1977 EMI Records decided that they couldn't handle the Sex Pistols. The company dropped them from the label and gave them a parting gift of £40,000 to cancel the contract. They were later dropped by A&M before eventually signing with…
‘Sydereal’ EP – Eugene | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Eugene is Eugenio Valente from Rome. He is described as an eclectic artist and producer with a special focus on electronic sounds. He also works as a remixer and soundtrack composer. His new EP is called 'Sydereal'. I imagine that many of you are thinking, why is it called that. Well it contains some electro…
On This Day Bruce And The Gang Brought Some Of Their Kids To The Abattoir! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On January 5th 1991, Iron Maiden went to Number 1 on the UK singles chart. They achieved this with a late period classic, "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter." It was the second single from their album 'No Prayer for the Dying'. It was the lowest selling Number 1 since 1960, with just over 42,000…
“Stanley” – Camille Schmidt | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
"Stanley" is the current single from queer Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Camille Schmidt. It kicks off with some perky metronomic percussion before bringing in some super insistent riffs. Then the piece de resistance of the song is Camille's voice. She captures the dark humour of lives observed in the lyrics. Jarvis Cocker used to do this so…
“The Crow” – Celtic Legacy | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Irish rockers Celtic Legacy are clearly fans of the Crow, the supernatural superhero. The character was first seen in a 1989 comic book series and has appeared in films in 1994 and 2024. The first saw the sad death of actor Brandon Lee. The band are such huge fans that they have a new song…
Mayhem’s Parental Advisory Playlist (The Tipper Gore Mix) Part 4 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
It has been a few months since the last entry in Mayhem's Parental Advisory Playlist (The Tipper Gore Mix). So here is another fine fucking addition. The thirteenth song. It is sometimes hard to shake off a great earworm of a song even if that song drops regular F-bombs and other profanities. The new addition…
On This Day The Boss Shared The Bill With A Manic Depressive! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Bruce Springsteen started a three-night run on 4th January 1974. It was held at Joes' Place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The support band was by Peter Johnson and The Manic Depressives (a local blues influenced band). On the ticket it stated: Due to the energy crisis, most of our outside lights will be shut off.…
“First Kiss” – Marples | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Sheffield band Marples released a new single at the tail end of last year. It is called "First Kiss" and it is rather good. It opens with almost screaming guitar from Thomas Martin. A hypnotic riff underpins it and powers the tune like a 21st century Chuck Berry. Joseph Neville's vocal is clear and reminiscent…
“Fractures” – RORO and Snapir | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Finnish producers RORO and Snapir have joined forces to put out a collaborative album. It is called 'Colors Left' and will be released on 17th January. The latest single from the album is "Fractures". It starts with some ethereal sounds. These sounds would match some of David Bowie's best work with Brian Eno on the…