A festive missive from Sir Thomas Phobic...

The Phobics – Deptford Calling

Formed in Deptford Fun City, south London, a few years back by a bunch of punk survivors and misfits with a love of raw rock n roll and bored with a smug and complacent music scene.

The band DNA? Well, Punk destroying the moral fabric of society and running riot the UK in 1976, NYC's rock n roll underground of the 70s, Detroit’s finest revolutionaries and dozens of 60’s and 70’s garage psychos.

As if we need to spell them out; Ramones, Pistols, Damned, Dead Boys, Heartbreakers, Dolls, Real Kids, Stooges, MC5, Motorhead. All this and more, you know the score. When sex, drugs and rock n roll meant something other than corporate rehab...

The sound? Think Ramones and the Heartbreakers kicking the crap out of each other as The Roxy burns and the Damned serve up the drinks. Sometimes tight, sometimes not. Occasionally sober but always eventful.

The Phobics have gigged and caused chaos with kindred spirits like TV Smith, Johnny Moped, The Briefs, the Vivians, The Vibrators, The Star Spangles, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, The Bermondsey Joyriders, The Plague, Menace, The Cherry Reds, The Parkinsons, The Stalkers , Chlorex Girls, Viva Las Vegas, The Meteors, Ed Tudor Pole, Johnny Throttle, Thee Graverobbers, Zombie Met Girl, The Fallen Leaves, Lone Sharks, The Bucha Effect, Monkish, The Duel, Thee Faction and John Otway amongst others.

“Deptford Calling” will be released in January 2011 on CD and later on a very limited vinyl run of 150 – watch out for some tasty album launch gigs and more, give yourself a musical kick up the arse with 12 great tunes that’ll hook you deep.

Contact details:thephobics@hotmail.com or phobics1@aol.com

TPx

"Electric Hero" by Caddy is an unassuming item. The entire album has been played, produced and assembled by Tomas Dahl who did time with T*rbonegro and now bashes them drums for the mighty Twisteroos. I was fortunate to meet him some weeks ago in Madrid and he crossed my palm with this fine selection of tunes, released on the Diner Junkie imprint out of Buford, GA. This Norwegian fella has taken extract of Redd Kross, Teenage Fanclub and Imperial State Electric and come up with a veritable power pop cracker.

Take a dusting of ELO, Beach Boys and the glammier end of Hellacopterism and I wouldn’t be sticking my neck out to suggest that regular NBT types wouldn’t LOVE this. A one man Fountains of Wayne/Weezer, fans of those bands will find solace in “This Good Feeling”. It’s chock full of that radical dynamic twist but done like The Shoes.

The cable motif on the digipak is a simple declaration of the content. Everything about Caddy is understated except for the contents of this excellent debut.

And while we’re on an “understated” kick, The Britannicas self titled set on NJ label, Kool Kat Musik peddles some of the same influences, in particular TFC. They also employ an NRBQ/Skeletons device (“The Girl from Malasaňa”). In my opinion, the “band” name is terrible and the artwork isn’t doing it for me either but the content is what counts. As it turns out, these “Brits” are three guys operating from Stockholm, the USA and Australia to put together their take on anglophile pop that always seems to shimmer better when it comes from outside this sceptic isle.

I was so relieved to find out that they didn’t sound like The L*bertines and the homemade nature of the tracks add a certain character just like “Black Vinyl Footwear” did all those years ago.

“One of these Nights” is not the Eagles song but rather a neat little number that could easily sit in a Rubinoos set. That should go some way to explaining that we’re not dealing with musical chopped liver here - even when it all goes a tad Flaming Lips.

So while we’re cruising the pop avenue, you ought to be aware to the point of having renewed your sub that there’s a new Bucketfull of Brains out. #76 includes a Chuck Prophet cover story and also a Kim Salmon interview. At 2 quid a scud, I don’t know how they do it but they do and it’s important that they can keep on doing so.

The bunker has been kind of out of commish most of this week. Normality is gradually being restored but it’s taking longer than anticipated. I’m looking at all this weather shit that’s happening “dahn sahf” and thinking about how lucky I was to have got down and back for the Bambis last weekend. I’m also mulling over how sad I am not to have gotten down to see Amy and Eric this weekend. Still this time next week it’ll be Boxing Day. I’m hoping that there won’t be too much more in the way of this snow stuff before mid-day on Christmas Eve. Then it can do whatever it chuffing wants. I’m off into Edinburgh now for a last tootle around some shops and the Friends of Filmhouse event. Complete with mince pies and mulled wine, it kicks off a little after noon. Very civilised.

RIP - Don Van Vliet

and also

RIP - Blake Edwards

This is great.

Thanks to Marc Campbell and Peter Holsapple via facebook.

... and while we're at it, the new EP is JUST back from the pressing plant. GRAB IT!

Bollocks to facebook campaigns for alternative Christmas Hits and all that pish. Support a proper seasonal effort, like Lola Dutronic.

Inflation rises unexpectedly! No shit Sherlock. Perhaps “unexpectedly” is pushing the envelope of credibility a touch too muckle. We’re being kneecapped fiscally and it’s set to get worse when 2011 comes creeping in. The bunker is in a state of flux. Disarray plus. Day one of the boiler saga has been fraught.

All the weather crap of the past couple weeks has conspired to leave everything out of whack but at least it’s happening. The aftermath is what concerns me. Much as I’d like to embrace the “everything happens for a reason” premise, the actuality gets my goat but a perspective needs to be sought. Hell a snow plough came around this lowly area this morning but I’m praying that the forecast dollup of show will give us a bodyswerve. At least until January 4th-ish.

Inspired by a posting by Dunsy on facebook...

Where to start? Did I dream London or did it actually happen??

The Luminaire is a great venue and quite unusual for das capital. For some reason, it’s about to become the latest casualty of this sick climate where cool places disappear and the stinkers flourish. There’s even a notice in there indicating that idiots that talk during a bands set will be ejected. An action that should be mandatory across the country. In keeping with the quality of the venue, the people who work there and the crowd were top notch also (hey Jasmin, hey Mr Boris) . At this point, kudos should be heaped upon Mariajane (of TPBR) who made the entire prospect possible.

The Penny Black Remedy struck me as something that could fly. An Arcade Fire meets Gogol Bordello via Strummers Mescaleros take on Joe Ely kind of deal. Their main problem is perhaps that they have to convince the people who like those bands that there’s room in their hearts for them too. A ska angle offsets their “Never mind The Balkans” folk aspect so that altered kilter might work in their favour as might an appearance on something like Jools Holland.

There was no danger of anyone being able to yap during The Bambi Molesters. Their UK debut underlined their greatness and rubber-stamped the firm belief that this isn’t a surf band. Of course they embrace elements of that but their cinematic soundscape takes the calibre of instro-mental to a whole ‘nother level of intensity. Augmented by brass and keyboards (Luka from My Buddy Moose) this is a big, big sound that ebbs and flows and utterly immerses the audience. When Lada told be that they’d play for 90 minutes I was a bit worried that might be too long. As it was, it passed in a flash and proved to confound the onset of ADD element that has come to pass in recent times. And let’s face it there are so many bands that don’t have 20 minutes worth of material let alone 90. We’ve all had to suffer them, right?

Aside from the fact that it was a gas to have them here in the scabby old UK, the dynamic of how they play is what sets them apart from the chaff. This is intenstrumental music where the dynamic underplays to maximum effect. Their control and subsequent flexibility is along the lines of Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks where the currents can be at once calm and choppy, just before the squall. It's the atmosphere.

Dalibor and Dinko’s guitars create a wash for the rhythm. Hrvoeje’s drumming seems to calibrate the balance. This guy is from the Nick Knox/Bill Bateman/Leanne Cowie style of making every hit count. No flash fills or overplaying just concise percussion with Lada’s bass completing the storm. I would hope that somehow or other they’ll be back over this way soon or hell we should just go to them. What the hell is there to stay here for anyway?

I wandered through a relatively deserted Camden just a little before 5am on Sunday morning. Pondering if what I thought happened happened. According to other witnesses it did, so a big shout out to all those that made the night crackle and pop. My recent hit and runs on “the London” have been taking their toll but I was just relieved to have gotten there given that the weather has been wreaking havoc and is said to be just about to do so again.

If it could just hold off until January 2nd or thereabouts then I’d be obliged.

Not long back from "the London" where The Bambi Molesters gave The Luminaire a right royal pasting of the cinematic instrumental variety. I need to gather my thoughts. Heck, I actually need some sleep but we'll see how that all pans out in due course.

Shocked to read about the explosions in Stockholm and hope that none of "the massive" were affected by these f*ckers.

If you're looking at this via facebook you have to select "view original post"...

It's the Seasonal Vibeke Stramash in old Oslo tomorrow night at the John Dee! Oh, to be there... but that don't mean you can't be and The Dahlmanns are playing too.

And if you can't (and really I'm not going all Derek and Clive on you) , you can still get some mulled, heart-poppin' pop stylings of a Christmas nature by my dj tag team partner from the good offices of Pop Detective.

Are you gonna be there at The Luminaire on Saturday?

Weather permitting, I sure as hell will!

Mr Tjølsen sent me this link the other day and being that it's Icelandesque outside the bunker it seems fitting somehow.

PROJ A SHOW, CHARLES DOUGLAS

Wild conditions here in Glasgow, we are open of course.

We are extremely pleased to announce this year's Project Ability show which brings colour, vibrancy and excitement to the walls of Mono. This year's show features the work of Tommy Mason, one of the founding members of the artist-led group, Artrek & Friends, who has been with Project Ability since 1990. The exhibition opens on Thursday 9 December from 7pm with performances by Alasdair Roberts and R M Hubbert and International Airport djs. There will be raffles, prizes and a small shop full of handmade original items. This is a free event.

There's a record we've been enjoying a lot since we got a promo of it back in September. Charles Douglas, The Lives Of... on small Manchester imprint, Broken Horse is a real curio. It first appeared on the No.6 label in 1999 and after selling out its pressing disappeared. Douglas is a smart, deadpan New York City kind of guy who writes hilariously about this doomed record in the sleevenotes – Mo Tucker on drums and production, Kurt Ralske (UVS) and Dean Wareham couldn't save it or the group from their own junkie fate. But what they left behind is a nugget of a record; classic, melodic scuzz in the great style of the Modern Lovers, Jim Carroll Band and inevitably, the Velvet Underground. In the end - a winner.

Monorail Film Club returns on Sunday 19 December with seminal horror, The Omen presented by filmmaker, Gregor Johnstone who will also be screening his own short, I'll Be Right Here. GFT, 7.15pm.

This weather is providing hands-on survivalist training if nothing else. My shovelling skills have improved as has the improvisation of getting the car out of stuck situations using a spade and some random cardboard. It’s all a bit Blue Peter (not rhyming slang). Should be thankful for small merci’s though because at least I’ve made it to work and back (thus far). Some folks have been stuck on the motorways overnight as the freak conditions get evermore freaky. It’s minus 15 and plummeting but that’s nothing compared to what other countries have to deal with in winter.

The people at the sharp end of the authorities are fending off a barrage of complaints and the frustration of disgruntled punters. It’s the management that’s woeful but that’s par for the course in my experience. I just completed another spell of trying to make the bunker accessible, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of a gritter/plough being sent around here anytime soon. Them’s the breaks and I hope I ain’t tempting the fates here, so far nothing is broken. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not big on disruption even though I’ve been known to cause it on occasion.

Photo by Lewis McGowan from the BBC website