-Raz- has written the following articles:
I have exasperated the Pure Rock purveyed by Queens of the Stone Age countless times before. It is not, will not and can not be conceded for anything: not more sales; not more wacky shows; not more nothing. Now there is little left to convince you of - everyone’s seen the desert monsters i»
Trundle. That’s the word. There is none of the same quirk as we saw in the psychedelia of the gorgeously bleeping ‘AM 180’ and less of the of the emotion we saw in the heartbroken collection of followups. It's less than what it used to be and yet there appears to be some sort of acceptance about it. »
Jeremy Michael Ward, of The Mars Volta and Defacto fame was found dead on May 28th 2003, with cause of death allegedly a drug overdose on May 25th. A press statement from the band says: "We are very saddened to announce that our dear friend Jeremy Michael Ward passed away from an apparent drug ov»
You already feel hideously out of place. A metaller who doesn’t fit into the metal scene is trying to blend into a hiphop element. He’s getting funny looks. I think a couple of those girls weren’t looking me up and down purely out of disgust, though. He feels nervous in his tracksuit top and flares. »
Such a perfect plan…
They always start off like that. Don’t they. But don’t they also go really wrong soon after? You watch a film and start creaming over the leading lady. You’re already in a band so you think it won’t hurt to write a song about her. You start trying to get in contact with her. Eyebr»
The instant urgency of an unrestrained debut. The tailored fadingspark of a great successor. The relaxed rationale of a more timid third. A likely story - a fashion seen umpteen times previously. Naturally followed by the crises-riddled backlashing #4 – they thought they were getting old; they’ve got somethi»
So, your ears started going black a couple of years ago. Now the infection has spread all the way through. The abysmal state of affairs, that you call your music tastes, has left you lying alone in a corner of your home, desolate, despairing for your life. Fear not, for we have come with EmOtherapy»
Sometimes it all just goes to plan. Sometimes you’ll see a band performing and it all fits together. Fits like destined lovers: bodies entwined; words synchronised; moving as one. The rarity of tonight saw three such bands. Three bands flowing at a juncture clasped by their audiences in the palm»
Gah, I fucking love the Stereophonics. It was a love affair sparked by those beautiful, melody-enriched anthems which stuck to me in the way an overly-citrussed cocktail does to the tongue. Scrape and scrape, but it just hangs there; unwanted and only slightly malleable. ‘Word Gets Around’ was delightful»
Woo. Deftones are back for a mini-tour to promote their brand new album, cunningly titled 'Deftones' Already confirmed to play undoubtedly the most METAL (this must be in big ass capital letters y'unnerstan') weekend of the summer, they'll be at Castle Donington Park for »
Acrimonious screeching and wailing is apparently only an acceptable form of vocal at the beginning of your musical career. It is expected that youths manifest their aggression and frustration of all things worldly in a suitably violent manner. You’re meant to grow up though. Right? (Re-released 01/03/04)»
These guys come recommended by Hondo Maclean. Who were, in turn, recommended by Funeral for a Friend. Welsh incest strikes again. But is it just love for those close to you taken a step to far, peering through rose-tinted sunglasses, or is this a genuine tip toward another great thing? Hmmm. It’»
My favourite Icelandic people in the world, Mínus, have cancelled the remaining 4 dates of their UK tour. Bummer. Phonecalls were received by Mínus' management regarding difficulties with the venue in Manchester. This was the last straw for the band. Singer, Krummi's voice was suffering aft»
Hairy Oxfordian rock monkeys Winnebago Deal have lined up their first headlining tour and it's a big 'un, I tell thee. They kicked off a couple of nights ago I'm afraid for the people of Cambridge and Peterborough. But they've taken a bunch of Fierce Panda bands along for the ride. »
Wales is where to go to find hot hot music these days. With the recent increasing success of Funeral for a Friend and the previous explosion of LostProphets a couple of years ago still in our thoughts, it is hard to disagree. New label Mighty Atom is seemingly at the forefront of the curre»
The Blood Brothers came from the other side. They frequented many an English village and took Winnebago Deal along for the ride. Many went to visit. All across the country. Only three came back... Winnebago Deal remind me a hell of a lot of a band called C Average, who absolute»
Oh dear, oh dear. I’ve just read that Oleander share their management with Nickelback and Saliva. You know exactly how I feel about Nickelback and I agree wholeheartedly with »
Boyband. Hondo Maclean come out onstage to those pointed fingers. They’re Welsh. Like the LostProphets – the ultimate rock boyband? Oh my god. What lazy comparisons again: a Welsh band likened to LostProphets. Stop reading now. Probably. I do it every time. Don’t I? Oh well, more about them late»
Sometimes you just want a new record off a band instead of just more singles off an album they originally released way back when in early 2001, albeit in a totally different musical style. Sometimes it becomes the case that the album is so infinite that you can keep releasing singles of that one album forever.»
D:Frag MCR #10 - Manchester’s DiS guide from =RaZ= Apologies for neglecting your needs regarding this, but hey, I’m sure you survived in some shape or form. It would’ve been a rubbishly empty mailout had I sent one, anyway! And so we come to another extended week of jiggery pokery in Manchester Villa»
I’d gone off the Chilis for a while, y’know. I started hearing stuff like, “Cali-forn-i-booorrrrriiiinnng…” and a strong correlation between them and channel flicking emerged. I didn’t used to mind ‘em a while ago. They put out some great tunes n stuff and I like that. The kind of tunes that you swing a»
Whereas it used to be the case that Justin Hawkins would appear on stage clothed and then remove said garments, he has learnt better of his ways. Tonight appearing in a black and white striped leotard that unmasks his super-lean frame, he has no need for extra exposure. It’s just right. He feels comfor»
Rabid punk metal grindcore merchants (not!) Queens of the Stone Age have left the desert (yawn...) and are traipsing through the sands of the British Academies in June. It's only gonna be a shortish tour cos it's a warmup venture for their appearance at some new festival in Glastonbury. It's QotS»
And so they come again. Yet another supporting role and you can be sure this will not last. They thrust, they trust; jerking knees floundering through their desires of yestermorrow. They get in each other’s way. This surprises me. Is it their flaw in camaraderie? You finish his sentence; you are exp»
D:Frag MCR #9 - Manchester’s DiS guide from =RaZ= Well it’s been my birthday this weekend and as you’ll be expecting I indulged myself to a degree which might be less than pleasing to some areas of my internal organs but fret not for I’m not dead. You see? You care really. Battle wounds aside, there»
I have heard too much good and too much bad to go in expecting nothing. I have to hit the edge of the spectra tonight. Which end? The end that propels me to an infinity; the end that makes my skull throb; my scalp reverberate. My eyes are numb. My teeth shatter. It is bliss. Shamefully this lasts only so »
Aussie grungers-gone-a-bit-coldplay get over their flying fears and come to Europe for the first time in four years.. European tour might be pushing it, but they're doing 2 german dates and one show in England, at the mo. We're promised there will be more Silverchair dates announced soon, but here's»
I’m sitting in the backroom of a dingy basement venue in Manchester. It’s grimy and the generators that surround me are currently emitting a tuneful hum and radiating a warmth, which I reassure myself, is all perfectly healthy. It’s all gonna be ok. It really is. If you don’t believe me, all you have to do i»
Cave In take Oceansize and Düreforsög out on the road with them in February in a crazy, crazy prog-post-hardcore-rock extravaganza. Nordic avant-rockers, Düreforsög will join those Bostonian prog-post-hardcore men, Cave In for the entirety of their nationwide tour of the country. Düreforsög will al»
