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Wow That’s What I Call Mayhem – Volume 7 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I repeat my humblest of apologies to the creators of the iconic NOW music compilation series of tri-annual releases. Their compilations began in 1983. I posted and compiled the first WOW That's What I Call Mayhem collection back in March 2024. Volumes 2, 3 and 4 followed in August and September. Volume 5 was was…
The Mayhem Charts – May 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Here is the Mayhem chart for May 2025, rather late (just like last month) I know, but better late than never right? Regular readers know the chart is based on my streaming listening habits. These are gathered over the last month by obscurify.com. My taste in music remains 99% more obscure than the rest of…
The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Party Nails | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Back in January I reviewed the rather excellent album from uber talented LA based artist Party Nails. That record remains a contender for Mayhem's album of the year 2025. Now I have had the utmost pleasure in getting to interview Party Nails. She is not only a talented musician she is also a great raconteur.…
“Fell In Love With Godx (She Was Really Fit)” – peach|melba | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Last month I reviewed "Worst Trimester" and that was my first experience listening to LA/ Brighton duo peach|melba. In case you didn't read that piece let me recap a little. They write, record and mix everything themselves. The band have said “We swear on your mother’s life to release a new song every six weeks…
“Daytime TV” – HerOrangeCoat | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
We are huge fans of HerOrangeCoat here at Mayhem Towers, so we are always excited when she releases new material. She has just released a new single, "Daytime TV" and it is darkly gorgeous. A tale of losing your job just before Christmas and getting drawn into shitty daytime TV and the whole range of…
“Like I Need” – Lloren | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Lloren last appeared on the pages of With Just A Hint Of Mayhem when we reviewed her single "Mad Woman" last September. Back then I sensed an element of the dark side of Lana del Ray in her music. That is still there with new single "Like I Need". But this time there is a…
“Stick Up” – SUNBENDR | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
SUNBENDR from San Diego are what might be called a super group with Chris Cote (Kut U UP) on bass and vocals, Brandon Parkhurst (Kut U UP and Yovee) on guitar and Frank Dixon (Nancy and Sister Juanita) on drums. The trio are augmented on this track with backing vocals from George Perks (Mogwai and…
“Bring Me Back From The Black Beyond” – Erotic Secrets Of Pompeii | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Imagine, if you will, a mad professors laboratory in the Stygian darkness of deepest Transylvania. Then imagine that someone has captured the creative brilliance of Talking Heads, added the essence of My Chemical Romance and sprinkled that with some Mark E Smith. Are you picturing it yet? You are? Well good, but now you no…
“Princeless Princess” – Delilah Bon | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Delilah Bon is back after locking herself away in her Princess Castle and now she is out she is fucking angry. This time mostly with those misogynistic arseholes. Those kind of men really won't like her when she is angry because Delilah becomes the She-Hulk of brat metal rap and fights the fight for fairness…
Robbie Williams – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland – Saturday 31st May 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Regular readers will know that I have never been a huge Robbie Williams fan and that in fact I have been quite negative towards him over the years. That changed when I went to the cinema to see the Robbie biopic 'Better Man'. I saw him in a very different light after that. As soon…
“Cigarettes” – Kindelan | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Kindelan has a new single, called "Cigarettes" and it is once again her best yet! It is a dark tale of break up and maybe being spurned. There is anger in Laura's strong R & B style vocals which skim wonderfully over a funky, jazzy sound with some great folk injections. The lyrics are deep…
On This Day The Boss Gets Signed! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On 9th June 1972 Bruce Springsteen was signed to Columbia Records by label boss John Hammond and started to assemble the core E Street Band from various Asbury Park ex-band mates. The wonderful thing is that more than 50 years later he is still going strong. He continues to regularly attack TACO Donny and I…
“Say The Same” (The Tasting Menu)- Molly Rymer | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The wonderful and super talented singer songwriter that is Molly Rymer has a new release. It features a couple of different versions of "Say The Same" which was originally included on her 'All You Can Eat' EP from October last year. The first is a spacious and stripped back acoustic version in which every emotion…
“Should’ve Out Grew” – Drop Dead McPhee | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
York's Drop Dead McPhee are back with a delightful new single. It reminded me of a classy acoustic style indie band spliced with the Byrds. Vocally it is their best yet and shows that they have an ability to move in any style or genre. There is a bonus B Side too, "Opposite Day" which…
“Safe Bet” – Sleuth Gang | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Sleuth Gang are a fucking awesome live band and with every release they prove that they are fucking awesome in the studio too. New single "Safe Bet" is their best yet, it deserves some live festival exposure. Reading/ Leeds are you listening? It has their signature three pronged vocal attack and an incessant heavy groove…
Leo Middea – Basement, City Screen – York – Saturday 24th May 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I must confess that until my good friend and colleague introduced me to the music of Leo Middea I had no idea who he was. Eva had discovered that he was playing a gig in York and having heard some of Leo's songs on Spotify I jumped along with my wife Catherine (a.k.a. Catwoman) at…
After Midnight – The Bluebird, York – Friday 23rd May 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
It is always sad when a great band decides to go their separate ways, especially one as good as York's Everything After Midnight. But this parting last year was clearly amicable as Steph and Jacob from the band are now performing as After Midnight and the rest of the band turned up to show their…
The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Mike Batt | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I recently read and reviewed Mike Batt's autobiography 'The Closest Thing To Crazy'. Mike has had a career full of stellar highs and Stygian lows and he has come through it all and continues to produce some great music. I am sure that many casual music fans will think of Mike as the bloke behind…
‘The Closest Thing To Crazy’ – Mike Batt | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I love a good music related autobiography, but I love a great one even more. Mike Batt's autobiography, 'The Closest Thing To Crazy - My Life Of Musical Adventures', is out now in paperback and it is a truly great read. I put this up there with my favourite musical tale of life 'Rod :…
The Mayhem Charts – April 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Here is the Mayhem chart for April 2025, rather tardy I know, but better late than never right? Regular readers know the chart is based on my streaming listening habits. These are gathered over the last month by obscurify.com. My taste in music remains 99% more obscure than the rest of the UK! The chart…
‘Reflecting Light And Causing Chaos’ – Dead Rat Society | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Every so often an album comes along that grabs you by the (metaphorical) balls and doesn't let them free until you submit to its masterful musical charms. 'Reflecting Light And Causing Chaos' by Dead Rat Society is such an album. It burst into the atmosphere on 2nd May like a comet seeking to plough a…
Sleuth Gang – Fulford Arms, York – Saturday 17th May 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I have not reviewed a Sleuth Gang gig until now. Although this was the fourth time I have seen them. I was one of the judges for the Fulford Arms Battle Of The Bands contest last year so saw them in the heat, the semi final and the final. But before I talk of the…
“On My Mind” – VHS Vegas | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
VHS Vegas is a brand-new band from York, well technically I suppose they are a York supergroup drawn from the ashes of three of York’s finest bands, City Snakes, Mayfire and Hærtstrings. Their upcoming new single, “On My Mind” harks back to the finest jangly indie rock of the Britpop era reminiscent of bands like…
Holy Holy – O2 Academy, Leeds – Friday 16th May 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I first saw Holy Holy back in 2019 when they played the Barbican in York. Sadly that is now just over six years since then. But I was not going to miss this Leeds show. For those of you who are unaware Holy Holy is a band with the backbone of two David Bowie stalwarts;…
Lene Lovich – Fulford Arms, York – Friday 2nd May 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The last time I saw Lene Lovich was back in 1979, nearly 46 years ago! Then it was at the Hammersmith Palais. This time it is in one of my adopted cities finest venues, the Fulford Arms. Before I tell you about her York show I need to tell you about the two support acts.…
“Worst Trimester” -peach|melba | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
From it's sparse but powerful bass driven opening chords "Worst Trimester" grabs you by the throat and doesn't let you go until the song is over. This is the single that LA/ Brighton duo peach|melba released last month. I played it on repeat so much I still have the marks on my neck, but trust…
Matt Goss – Barbican York – Friday 25th April 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Those lovely folks at the Modern Record asked me to review Matt Goss when he came to York last month. Having not been a huge fan of Bros I was intrigued but not excited. How did Mr. Goss do? Click here to read my review on the Modern Record site, while you are their check…
Superconductors – Craven Brew Co 3rd Birthday – Skipton | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The Craven Brew Co is a cask led brewery with a delightful taproom and award winning brewers. In April they celebrated their third birthday with a music driven mini festival which featured an array of talented covers bands; Hazjak, 1960 Four and Superconductors. Unfortunately I didn't get to see all the bands. I was there…
“Don’t You Know” – The Unnamed Band | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I have been lucky enough to see young York music funsters the Unnamed Band a couple of times and each time they showed a lot of promise. Their delivery of some great classic rock cover versions were ace and their self penned songs were good but needed a bit of polish. Well they have had…
“Takedown” – Lost Trends | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
One of York's finest bands, Lost Trends, don't release new stuff very often. But when they do it is always fucking good! New single "Takedown" is no exception it explodes into action from the first note. At times it sounds like the Killer's with a harder edge. Rusty's voice is better than it has ever…
“Settle Down” – Apollo Junction (with Briana Corrigan) | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Apollo Junction seem to have an ability to up the ante with every release and there new single takes their talents up yet another notch. "Settle Down" is dripping with humongous hooks and pumped with pop passion. The AP lads are joined on this song by Briana Corrigan, formerly of the Beautiful South and a…
“BLAIR!” – Industry Standard | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
There is so much ignorance and apathy regarding climate change and environmental collapse. We should be thankful that some people are speaking up about it rather loudly. Industry Standard's new single "BLAIR!" highlights lead singer Gaby's stress, worry, fear and concern about our planet. It is a powerful call to arms as Gaby repeats the…
On This Day The Mop Tops Mopped Up The Chart! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On 17th April 1971 all four Beatles had solo singles in the UK charts, Paul McCartney with "Another Day" (no. 11), John Lennon "Power To The People" (no. 10), George Harrison "My Sweet Lord" (no. 25) and Ringo Starr "It Don't Come Easy" (no. 29). The most successful of the four was George Harrison as…
The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Abs | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
It was an absolute pleasure to interview uber talented soulful, sultry singer songwriter Abs recently. We spoke about her music roots and what is next for her. She also gave us a couple of exclusives! Take a listen. It was a really enjoyable chat. I hope that you like it too. Just a quick note.…
The Mayhem Charts – March 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Here is the Mayhem chart for March 2025. Regular readers know the chart is based on my streaming listening habits. These are gathered over the last month by obscurify.com. My taste in music remains 99% more obscure than the rest of the UK! The chart remains contemporary-ish (but if a classic artist releases something new…
The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Elizabeth Sharkey | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
It was a delight and an honour to interview of historian, author, music fanatic and actress Elizabeth Sharkey recently. We spoke mainly about her excellent book, 'Why Britain Rocked' which I reviewed recently. You can find my review of that book by clicking here. It was a really enjoyable chat. I hope that you like it…
Millie Manders and the Shutup – The Crescent, York – Sunday 30th March 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This was the fifth time that I have witnessed Millie Manders and the Shutup live. How good were they this time? I will tell you later, first you need to read about the excellent support acts. As usual Millie herself was in the audience to witness both support acts. First up was Wrex, a band…
Ruth Lyon – Fulford Arms, York – Friday 28th March 2025 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Do you remember that wonderful band Holy Moly and the Crackers? You do? Well the band are no more but front woman Ruth Lyon has now embarked on a solo career. I was lucky enough to catch her live at the fabulous Fulford Arms in York last week. But before I tell you about Ruth…
“Clickbait Reissued” – Sally Pepper featuring Millie Manders | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Sally Pepper's songs are powerful, meaningful message carriers that issue a clarion call to the masses. “Click Bait” in its original form a fabulous song. Now Sally has rerecorded it with some support from her bestie Millie Manders. The new version, entitled, "Clickbait Reissued", is as punk as fuck and rocks out like a barely…
“Speak Medieval” – Erotic Secrets Of Pompeii | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Two years ago I had an absolute blast witnessing Erotic Secrets Of Pompeii live for the first time, at the Fulford Arms in York. In my review of that night I used the opening narration from Rod Serling's original Twilight Zone TV Series to try and give some flavour and explanation of what Erotic Secrets…