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The Venus Reaction: Crashing Up / Lifetime 7" clear vinyl single (Plane Groovy)
The Venus Reaction is a project put together by David Donley,
multi-skilled musician who's performed drum duties live with Glen
Matlock's Philistines on many occasions. Glen himself lends a hand,
providing the bass on lead track Crashing Up, a song about being
bullied for looking different. The lyrics are penned by a young victim
and are poignant and heartfelt. David has seized the opportunity to
show off his prowess on guitar with some rip roaring super fast licks.
It's mightily energetic with a strong vocal by Amie Conradine.
The formula is repeated on the flip-side Lifetime, this time with
Philistine Jim Lowe providing the bass. The lyrics by David are
autobiographical which, like Crashing Up, give an authentic air to the
proceedings. Ed Graham provides the drums on both tracks adding to the
accomplished vibe of the single.
Pressed on clear vinyl in a quality card sleeve, it's a good looking
neat slice of heads down, ballsy rock 'n' roll. Plus there's a download
card if you've got rid of your deck. Limited to 500 copies.
The Venus Reaction can be purchased from www.burningshed.com & www.themerchdesk.com
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Review by Phil Singleton
(November '17)
Bored Teenagers Vol. 9: 27 Great British Punk Originals '77'-'82 (Bin Liner Records)
The reason for reviewing this CD on GSTSPs will soon become clear.
This series of compilations began way back in 1999 and
18 years later they are still finding rare and unheard cuts from
obscure punk bands.
Volume 9 includes The Crabs, Nuffin', The Toads, The
Coils, and FU-2 who feature Helen Wellington-Lloyd as guest vocalist on
all 5 of their tracks. Helen was a central character in the world
inhabited by Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols and became known to
many as 'Helen Of Troy' in The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle. So how does
she do? She's not the best vocalist in the world, but she's more than
adequate giving a Poly Styrene-esque squealing performance on some
rather catchy punk-pop songs - Maybe and Soho being the pick of the
bunch. Terry Piper, a friend of Helen's who formed FU-2 provides notes
which give context to the music. The CD includes 2 studio videos of the
band with Helen. Paul Cook's then-girlfriend also appears
in the footage. A loose Pistols connection, but worth a mention!
Aside from FU-2, there are 22 other tracks to get your
punk rock teeth into. None will make it onto a Now That's What I Call
Punk Rock hits album, but that's the whole point. This is the sound of
the back room rather than the suburbs, but it's exactly what punk was
about. Kids everywhere being inspired to give it a go. Results may
vary, but enthusiasm runs throughout, and the result is some solid punk
rock.
The Toads from Norwich steal the show with 9 DIY slices
of disaffection, Suppression/Oppression and Bank Job amongst the
standouts. The Coils from Northumberland are likewise spiky, fast and
raw, Upper Class Cretin! If you like your punk direct, these 2 bands
are for you.
The Crabs are perhaps the best known having had a track
on the Farewell To The Roxy album in '78. They recorded 4 studio tracks in total, all
included here. They are excellent, on par with many of their better
known contemporaries - there's a feeling of a missed opportunity for
this band. Nuffin' date from 1976, these guys were there at the start.
They hung around the periphery of the Roxy Club scene without
achieving much of anything, save for the 4 cuts of primate punk
included here, We're Plastic proving the most satisfying.
Whatever your reason for grabbing a copy of Vol 9, just
be warned, you may find yourself forking out for more from the Bored
Teenagers catalogue. The 20 page booklet is packed with information and
pictures - an indication of the care that's gone into the package.
Commendable, enjoyable and above all, authentic. With added Helen Wellington-Lloyd.
http://shop.detourrecords.co.uk/
Review by Phil Singleton
(September '17)
©2017
Phil Singleton / www.sex-pistols.net
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reproduced without permission.