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Play It Again Mayhem – “Rock-a-Doodle-Doo” – Linda Lewis | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This is the 24th song in the Play It Again Mayhem series, which began in 2020. Check out the previous entries along with this new one in the Play It Again Mayhem Spotify Playlist click here to take a listen! This is another '70s song, of which there have been 16 so far. This time…
“Evil, Hate Filled Female” – Delilah Bon | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Delilah Bon is on fire on her new single, "Evil, Hate Filled Female". When Alicia Keys sang these lines in "Girl On Fire"; "Looks like a girl, but she's a flame. So bright, she can burn your eyes. Better look the other way. You can try, but you'll never forget her name" was she predicting…
“Keep Me Breathing” – Brandon Ambrose | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Brandon Ambrose is a 23-year-old music artist from London. Based on his latest single "Keep Me Breathing" he is very much the tortured artist and most definitely for real. The lyrics deal with his own struggle with addiction and how he finally found redemption. These words are brutally honest and pull no punches. It is…
Jah Wobble and the Invaders of the Heart – Pocklington Arts Centre York – Thursday 9th May 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I first saw Jah Wobble playing his thunderous bass in the early days of Public Image Ltd at the Rainbow in London on December 26th, 1978. While I have followed his music career and prolific output with great interest I am embarrassed to say that I have not witnessed him in a live environment since…
“Come Alive” – Francesca Faye | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Francesca Faye is a talented British singer-songwriter who appears to effortlessly fuse great cloud EDM music with a pop talent that would make the likes of Madonna envious. Her voice oozes soulful emotion on her new single "Come Alive". The track builds slowly and then kicks up the gears to become an absolutely anthemic dance…
‘Sledgehammer Songs’ – Joe Solo | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Everyone knows Napoleon Solo and Han Solo, right? A lot of people also know Joe Solo, the supremely talented folk-punk troubadour, raconteur, agitator, and educator. Although, until very recently I knew hardly anything about Joe Solo until Dan Lucas a.k.a. Boss Caine introduced me to him. I was lucky enough to interview Joe a few…
‘Dark Luminosity: Memoirs of a Geezer, the expanded edition’ – Jah Wobble | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The original publication of Jah Wobble's memoirs, 'Confessions Of A Geezer' was in 2009. Sadly that release passed me by. But I am pleased to say that Mr Wobble a.k.a. John Wardle has extensively updated his work and retitled the book 'Dark Luminosity: Memoirs of a Geezer, the expanded edition'. It is a fascinating tale…
The Mayhem Charts – April 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Here is the Mayhem chart for April 2024. Regular readers know that the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month gathered together by obscurify.com. Apparently, my tastes are 99% more obscure than the rest of the UK! The chart remains contemporary-ish (but if a classic artist releases something new they…
“pray t0 god” – tiLLie | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
tiLLie's latest single "pray t0 god" now has a rather stunning video to go with it. The video imagery plays with dark fairy tales intertwined with Game Of Thrones-style imagery. The video is entertaining, humourous, and highly original. On top of that the song is an absolutely banging tune which emphasises all of tiLLie's talents…
“The Only Queer In The Van” – G.H. Francis | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Gregory Hoepffner has just released a new single from his forthcoming EP "Why Does Anyone?" He is now recording and releasing under his own "G.H. Francis" nome de plume. It is called "The Only Queer In The Van" and it documents his experience while coming out on tour with a rock band. Hoepffner has toured…
Everything After Midnight – The Crescent, York – Friday 19th April 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
It is always an exciting night when a great York band plays at a fabulous local venue in their home city. This time it was Everything After Midnight at the wonderful Crescent in York. But before I tell you about Everything After Midnight I will tell you about the two support acts. First up it…
The Blackheart Orchestra – Fulford Arms, York – Sunday 21st April 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I was initially attracted by the whole concept of the Blackheart Orchestra given the myriad of ways in which they have been described online; acoustically electronic and a duo that sounds like an eight-piece band. I was even more intrigued to discover that this gig was to be a very intimate all-seated show. So, what…
On This Day Bobby Z Released His First Recording And The Fabs Rejected The Dame! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On April 24th 1961 Bob Dylan made his first officially released recording, he earned $50 for playing harmonica on the title track of Harry Belafonte’s LP, 'The Midnight Special'. Bob made his debut recording five months previously on a record by folk singer Carolyn Hester, but this wasn’t released until after the Harry Belafonte album.…
The WJAHOM Interview Podcast – Joe Solo | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Check out my interview with one of the UK's finest solo artists. The award-winning Pope of Passionate Folk-Punk music, Joe Solo. As well as being a singer and performer he is a writer, an activist, a poet, a broadcaster, and (in his own words) a rabble-rousing Socialist big mouth! Look out for a review of…
“Finally See Me” – The Video – Delilah Bon | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I reviewed "Finally See Me" the stunning new single from Delilah Bon last week. Click here to check out what I thought of it. Yesterday Delilah launched the video to accompany the track and it is very special indeed! Delilah plays her devilish, demonic, bad-ass bitch persona perfectly with controlled anger and confidence. She lays…
“Little Hints”- Everything After Midnight | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The new single from Everything After Midnight opens like a more upbeat Cocteau Twins track and then at around 40 seconds in it expands its musical scope into something so much bigger. The guitar chops are as funky as fuck and Steph's voice is ethereal and soars heavenward with immaculate ease. The band have spoken…
Play It Again Mayhem – “Drinking In L.A.” – Bran Van 3000 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This is the 23rd song in the Play It Again Mayhem series, which began in 2020. Check out the previous entries along with this new one in the Play It Again Mayhem Spotify Playlist click here to take a listen! So far, 15 of the 23 songs are from the 1970s. But this one was…
“Cinderhaze” – Stumbleine | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
"Cinderhaze" the new track from ambient genius Stumbleine is a taster for his new studio album, his 8th, ‘Deleted Scene’. It is scheduled for release on 14th June via Monotreme Records. The song bathes you in a gorgeous mix of sound and sonic swirls that swim around your head before taking up residence in your…
Avalanche Party – Oporto, Leeds – Friday 12th April 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
It is official, I have now seen Avalanche Party more than any other act. Frank Turner is a close second with David Bowie just behind him! I haven't been to gigs at Oporto very often, the last one was an acoustic set from the Murder Capital back in 2022. But before I tell you about…
On This Day Kurt Gets Burned, Gary Does A Video, Creedence Do Albert, The Dame Laughs, And Drug-Oriented Records Are Banned! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On 14th April 1994, Kurt Cobain was cremated at the Bleitz Funeral Home, in Seattle. The death certificate listed Cobain's occupation as Poet/Musician and his type of business as Punk Rock. On that same date in 1980 Gary Numan issued 'The Touring Principle', which was apparently the first long-form rock video to be made commercially…
“Finally See Me” – Delilah Bon | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
From the fly buzzing sound that introduces this song to the weird horror vibe of the music to the deeply personal and inspirational lyrics, "Finally See Me" is Delilah Bon at her best. The song deals with Delilah/ Lauren being bullied at school and appears to be a paen of her triumphing over those who…
“Manoeuvres” – Carol Hodge | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Carol Hodge's new single has a magnificent heavy and dark feel with some incredible and relentless guitar riffs that are impossible to ignore and I believe made by Dave Draper. I love the way she uses the organ sound briefly at times during the song. Her voice oozes passion, and anger in equal amounts. Is…
Rolling Back The Years With Mayhem – 1960 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This is the second in what I hope will be a very long-running series. I have decided to look at the most popular songs from every year I have existed. There will be some artistic licence on my part as I will always seek to include at least a few of my favourites from each…
Under The Covers With Mayhem – Chapter 4 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Here is Under The Covers With Mayhem Chapter 4, this one features iconic band Sparks with their cover of the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand". This was originally released as a single in 1976 and sadly failed to chart. It got another lease of life as a bonus track on the reissue of…
The Apocalypse Disco – Fulford Arms, York – Friday 5th April 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
The original line-up for this gig included Fully Arms favourites I Tell Lies, sadly they had to pull out. What was their replacement like? They might be a late addition to the bill, but what a fucking magnificent band Safe Harbour is! Heavy, passionate, emotional songs and they didn't just play, this was a proper…
“Can I Get Off?/ Angry Side” – Millie Manders and the Shutup | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
There is not enough anger at the world in so much music these days but Millie Manders is a very welcome exception to that. Millie Manders and the Shutup has just released a new double A-side single which includes two songs in which Millie pours out her rage with unparalleled fury. The ire and outrage…
On This Day The Moptops Conquer America, A Fizzy Beverage Conquers Europe, And The Brinsleys Paid A Fortune For Some Crap Reviews! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
43 years ago on 4th April 1981 Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin for the UK with "Making Your Mind Up". It was a great pop song and the skirt-pulling part of the performance was quite a sensation at the time On 4th April 1964, the Beatles took over the US Billboard…
Soma Crew – Album Launch – Fulford Arms, York – Wednesday 3rd April 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This was a gig to kick off the launch of the new Soma Crew album 'Confused OK' which we reviewed here at Mayhem Towers a few days ago, click here to read it. But before I tell you about Soma Crew I have to speak about the two support acts. The first to take the…
“Take Time” – Mike Walsh | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Mike Walsh has a gorgeous new tune out. It is called "Take Time" and is introspective, emotional, haunting, ethereal, and has a gossamer sheen of beauty. The lyrics address that we need to be in the moment but also take time out sometimes to help ourselves to more balance, perhaps self-love. Mike is London-based but…
“Drew A Heart <3” – Past Life Romeo | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Past Life Romeo is the new solo project of Camila Djadja, a singer-songwriter who was formerly in the rock group Sugar Pills. She has also composed film soundtracks. The track "Drew A Heart <3" is the second single from her EP, 'You Look Just Like Me', scheduled for release in May. It is a haunting…
On This Day Coldplay Proved That Mainstream Music Was In Need Of Defibrillation! | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
On 2nd April 2013 BBC Radio 2 closed a series called The Golden Age Of The Album with a show that ran down the top 100 albums of all time as voted for by their listeners. Having read through the top 100 it looks like only one album per artist was allowed. But for me…
“Telephone” – Mayfire | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Mayfire have never featured on WJAHOM before, well actually they have as they used to be called City Snakes. This is their third single using the new moniker and it is a proper banger, but also a song about yearning with a pinch of sadness. It has a Tom Petty and power pop feel to…
‘Confused OK’ – Soma Crew | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
York's delightful psychedelic drone noiseniks Soma Crew release a new album 'Confused OK' on 3rd April. It is their fifth album and coincidentally the fifth time we have featured them on WJAHOM. The album will be available to purchase via Bandcamp on CD or preferred digital download. The album was written during the latter end…
The Mayhem Charts – March 2024 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Here is the Mayhem chart for March 2024. Regular readers know that the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month. The chart remains contemporary-ish, rather than just an oldies chart However, the top three "Legacy" artists are Kate Bush, David Bowie, and Steve Harley/ Cockney Rebel. David Bowie returns to…
Play It Again Mayhem – “Buck Rogers” – Feeder | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
This is the 22nd song in the Play It Again Mayhem series, which began in 2020. Check out the previous entries along with this new one in the Play It Again Mayhem Spotify Playlist click here to take a listen! So far, 15 of the 22 songs are from the 1970s. But this one was…
‘David Bowie, Enid Blyton and the sun machine’ – Nicholas Royle | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
I haven't actually counted for a while, but I believe that I own around 120 books about David Bowie. Thanks to Nicholas Royle I now own 121, or at least thereabouts. I was completely unaware that Royle's book 'David Bowie, Enid Blyton and the sun machine' existed until I took a look at the schedule…
“Life’s A Fucking Miracle” – James | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Iconic Manchester band James who formed more than 40 years ago have released a new single, "Life's A Fucking Miracle". The song is the third single to be released from their forthcoming album 'Yummy'. I listened to it a few times when reviewing the album and it really is shaping up to be a classic…
‘Yummy’ – James | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
James have a new album out on 12th April, their 18th studio record. That number makes me feel old, how about you? But one thing I love about James is that there is never a reliance on resting on tried and tested success from the past, this is not a collection of "Sit Down" clones,…
Under The Covers With Mayhem – Chapter 3 | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
After a long gap between Under The Covers With Mayhem Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 the third chapter has arrived just a few weeks later. This time I bring you a cover of the Cars 1978 hit "Just What I Needed". The original reached number 27 in the USA and 17 in the UK chart.…
“Dynamite” – Liz Davinci | With Just A Hint Of Mayhem
Liz Davinci's new single "Dynamite" showcases everything that she is good at. It is a pure slice of piano-led baroque pop with a happy melody and a dark feel in the lyrics. Vocally Liz pulls off a sound so gorgeous it not only makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end…