Simon Chainsaw - Eight Times Lucky

Eight Times Lucky, Retrospective Best of 1999-2010 - Simon Chainsaw (kicking29 | Kicking Records)

Simon Chainsaw, who is he?
It's probably the question I have heard the most along the years. Well, Simon Chainsaw is Australian, played in the Australian band the Vanilla Chainsaws, played with the Cosmic Psychos, played with Sonny Vincent, and many others including Marky Ramone. He's been fed on Stooges and AC/DC.
Simon Chainsaw is hyperactive and released so many records lately that I lost count. So let's concentrate on this one.
As it says, the CD is covering over 10 years of his solo career and regroups recordings from all over the world. Cause Simon doesn't only write songs like crazy, he is also impossible to track. From Australia to Brazil, to Europe, he's all over the place.
Knowing how prolific the artist is, you can imagine that a "best of" was a really difficult thing to do. Go squeeze 15 tunes that reflect perfectly his career without missing out on a couple of classics. Though, he managed to add two videos to the CD, taken from a live performance on Brazilian TV. Including an old time favorite : "Touch The Sky".
Well, he managed to do it, and it actually sounds like a record on its own.
Think high octane power pop made in Australia, raging solos, and an unique voice.
The CD is released on the French label Kicking Records, which should allow Simon Chainsaw to reach his European audience a bit easier, especially after the successful tour he achieved this spring (with Vinz from the French band Holy Curse on bass).
It rocks, it sticks to your brain, and it fills you with positive energy for the rest of the day, and this, even when anger (the song "You Ain't Me") or melancholy ("This Time") transpire.
I've been following him for all those years and I listened again and again to his records, that's how you recognize a good songwriter. His songs stick to you for life.
So if you have never heard of him, try this one. You want the best, you get it. And go hit the road on "Born to Die". Or any other song from the CD, 'cause there is NOT one slow song on this album.


LvB

THE DT'S - Live, Hot, Nasty

Live Hot Nasty – The Dt´s (SRCD 029 | Scatter Records, 2010)

You remember a time when live albums were as exciting as live shows themselves, when you could feel the vibe, the sweat? It's been a while since I heard something like that, well it's done. The DT's are back with a killer LP and if you miss rocking the clubs, or prefer the comfort of your car or your living room to dance around, it is for you. It's written on it, it's Live, Hot and Nasty. Solid rhythm section all the way, groovy and tight, to carry the voice of Diana Young-Blanchard and the guitars of Dave Crider (Monomen).
I haven't been bored one second all along this album that I already listened many times. No filler, just what we need. 30 mins of pure rock.
Once again I started listening while smiling to Dave Crider's guitar sound. A trademark. From Monomen, to Watts, and now the DT's for several years, Dave is one of those guitar players you can instantly recognize from his style and sound. A genius, I say. It's a supercharged mix of the best blues, hard rock, Detroit sound and Australian rock influences.
Nine tracks, including two covers, "Too Much Woman" (Ike Turner) and "Trouble in Double Time" (Free).
The rest of the tracks come the previous albums, songs like "Mystified" and "Freedom", that sound already like classic of the band.
Now, when you know that no one else than Jack Endino mastered the record, you get an idea of what's gonna be the volume range you're gonna listen to that record.
And anyway you should crank it up.
There you go, one more record in your collection, and you wouldn't live without this one, I tell you. That's the only problem here, you'll get addicted. But since the band has a couple of singles on their way too, and a few LP's already released, you'll get your dose.
And who knows, you might even want to leave your sofa next time they're in town to join the party... You'll have the shakes.

LvB

Here's the interview of Rob Younger (Radio Birdman - New Race - New Christs) I made for Rock and roll Army back in 2008. It's in Spanish, sorry for the English readers, I'll try to find back the original in my files.

Interview Lorenzo, Baby Woodrose

First published in Spanish on the Rock and Roll Army website, here it is : Interview

Interview Hugo Race

Hugo race was a guitar player for the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave's band. But not only. He was also in the Australian band the Wreckery, before he started a long and brilliant career as a solo artist as Hugo Race, or Hugo Race and the True Spirit. He's been involved in the electro/avantgarde/swampblues band Sepiatone.

Most of his records are available through Glitterhouse Records.

You can read the interview published on Rock and roll Army, in Spanish : Interview

I'll search my archives for the original in English.

Why Under the Ashes?

Welcome,

I've been writing for the last 20 years, from notebooks I used to keep in the pockets of my leather jacket to fanzines and websites, which I still do, and thought this blog would be a good way to regroup all my work (past and present) in one single spot.

I've been writing on I94bar (Australia), SDZ (France), and RockandrollArmy (Spain).

You'll find links here to past reviews and interviews, and I'll use it to post the English version of my work for RockandrollArmy, as well as exclusive other posts concerning mainly music, live shows and other band related informations or tips.

Now why "Under the Ashes"?

Well, it's stolen from one of the most influencial band from Australia, Radio Birdman.

It was the name of a boxset that collectors know well.

But it's also :

Under the ashes is where the fire awaits...

Under the ashes is where the bread is cooked...

Our little rock and roll world becomes smaller and smaller. We've got better and better tools to promote, teach and learn. But it's still not enough to provide a living to artists who, thirty years ago, would have been able to live of their music. People you would have seen more often live. People who could have spread their music all over the world and concentrate on the most important : write good songs for us and the next generations.

Here's my little contribution to rock and roll.

For what it worths....