I Am Legion
‘Make Those Move’
Division Records/Par Excellence iamlegion.co.uk
If you are a Noisia fan already then there’s no point in explaining the superior production qualities that they bring to the EDM scene, and if you are into your UK Hip Hop you would have definitely bumped into the upbeat tunes of Foreign Beggars. They have worked on a couple of projects before but this week, they have announced an album project collab under the new name of I Am Legion and together, they have made a concoction of aural abuse that will blow a dance floor to pieces in seconds.
Merging a fantastic combination of rap and electronic beats, this bass-fueled filth should be illegal. It’s brash, bold and comes packed with a serious punch. Soundwise you better have decent bass bins to get the full effect as this packs such a punch when turned up loud it rattles your inner ear on 11.
In terms of the collabs between these two artists, 2009’s ‘Contact’ tune was a banger, ‘Shell Shock’ pushed it to another level, ‘Soul Purge’ opened the doors for annihilation. I Am Legion is a monster. Get on this.
Look out for live shows at ‘Electric’ in Brixton on the 26th September and UKF’s ‘In Motion’ in Bristol on the 28th.
We regret to inform you that former DEVO drummer Alan Myers (2nd in line of this photo) has passed away after a battle with cancer today. His jazz drumming skills graced their recordings and live shows for a decade between 1976 and 1986 when the band were at their peak, enjoying chart success with ‘Whip It’ and the legendary albums: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, Duty Now for the Future, Freedom of Choice.
This band are one of the best of all time. If you managed to miss this video interview with Mark Motherbough that we had the pleasure of shooting, then press play. RIP Alan Myers.
Considering Thirty Six Strategies’ brand of melodic rock pays a healthy respect to the generation of eighties US punks that spawned bands such as Dag Nasty and Husker Du, they must be pretty chuffed to be sharing a stage with the legend that is Grant Hart. And with less than five shows under their belts, their confidence is impressive but understandable because between them they feature ex-members of UK bands such as Shutdown, Decadence Within and Stamping Ground, so it’s no surprise they know their chops. Their first release is due soon on Boss Tuneage Records – check it out.
Grant Hart last played Water Rats back in December of 2011 to an audience far smaller then he deserves – this is a man who wrote some of the greatest songs to ever come out of the fertile US eighties musical underground, but his life took a very different path to that of his once song writing partner Bob Mould, who achieved enormous success in the wake of the post Nirvana underground music explosion with his band Sugar. The path that Grant took is written all over his face, but he’s survived and lived to tell the tale – stories that are contained within all of his songs.
His last set here back in 2011 was played solo, just Grant and his songs – fragile and brittle and amazing. Tonight, however, he returns with a new band, a record deal with Domino and a new album due in August. The first thing you notice as Grant and his band take the stage is just how young his supporting (Irish) musicians are. From the slightly panicked look on their faces, they’ve not played many gigs together but as the set builds and Grant leads the band through a selection of tracks from the forthcoming double album ‘The Argument’, they begin to sound more confident with each passing song. And by the time they roar through a majestic ‘She Floated Away’ – possibly the best song on the last Husker Du album ‘Warehouse Songs…’, the band hit their stride and provide simple but powerful backing to Hart’s distinctive songs. ‘Is The Sky The Limit’ is a highlight from the new album, but it’s the Husker Du songs that obviously command the biggest response and when Grant returns alone to run through acoustic versions of ‘Flexible Flyer’, ‘Never Talking To You Again’ and ‘The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill’ you know you are in the presence of a genius song-writer.
Grant Hart is the real deal, operating outside of the mainstream – an outsider with cult appeal that hopefully will finally start to get the recognition he deserves.
Dischord Records have uploaded a live show from Nottingham’s Rock City recorded back on the 23rd October back in 2002.
This is part of their live series that they have been rolling out this year, streaming every live show they recorded whilst on tour. Genius stuff, from a band that were always way ahead of everyone else.
If you were at this show, click here to download the audio. You can pay $5 for this, which is a bargain, or if you are cheap shit, pledge your own amount.
The tracklist is: 1. Intro 2. Guilford Fall 3. Cashout 4. Downed City 5. Styrofoam 6. Interlude 1 7. Full Disclosure 8. Interlude 2 9. Stacks 10. Target 11. Furniture 12. Oh 13. Reclamation 14. Give Me The Cure 15. Waiting Room 16. Lockdown 17. Recap Modotti 18. Closed Captioned 19. Rend It 20. Epic Problem 21. Number 5 22. Encore 23. Smallpox Champion 24. Argument 25. Nightshop 26. Promises.
Iggy And The Stooges
w/Savages
Royal Festival Hall
Thursday 20th June
Savages are boring. Po-faced, miserable, dull, trying so hard to be cool, icy stares. I don’t believe them. It’s not real. They are the exact polar opposite of the screaming into your face intensity and joyous life-affirming rock n’roll of The Stooges. Savages are too intent on posing. Their songs tease and build but never really explode or detonate. Savages mean nothing to me, but then I never really liked Joy Division either.
Iggy And The Stooges are everything that is important and essential about rock n’roll. Let’s forget about the last two studio albums that misfired dramatically. Men of their age (Black Sabbath included) should not be expected to, or even attempt, to try and recreate the magic ‘moments in time’ of music created from friendship bonds over youth, drugs, life, sex of their early years and it never works. Live, however, ever since they first got back into the saddle, The Stooges have always slayed. It started with those early tender steps in 2002 when brothers Scott and Ron Asheton started touring with J Mascis and Matt Watt performing those two essential first albums. It was only a matter of time before Iggy got back in on the action and when he did IT WENT OFF. Some of the best rock n’roll shows you could ever hope to see occurred and The Stooges proved they are the godfathers of fucking everything. And then in 2009 Ron Asheton went and died quite rightly everyone believed that was it. One last glorious run for The Stooges, a light put out by the tragic death of Ron.
No one could have predicted, however, that legendary Raw Power-era guitarist James Williamson would be waiting in the wings. Having been working for Sony since the Stooges originally imploded, the time was right for him to strap it back on and thank fuck he did. Tonight, James Williamson’s guitar playing and sound is utterly face-melting. Subdued and effortlessly cool, he leans back and peels off riff after riff, solo after solo of some of the most blistering guitar noise you could ever hope to hear and feel. And boy do you feel it. Every inch of your body vibrates and the sound in the Royal Festival Hall is incredible. It’s a seated venue but the whole crowd is on their feet, jolted into life by the glorious rush of noise crashing around the walls.
And then there’s Iggy. He really is an astounding man. Having seen him many times of the years, in some ways it’s sad watching him tonight. He is starting to creak around the edges. His hips are fucked, he limps and his body has taken a battering from years of hurling himself about but he still throws every inch of energy into his performance. He holds nothing back. It’s joyous to watch. He’s having a good time. Having obviously taken a knock from the critical mauling that the new album received, he’s mood is lifted by the enthusiastic reaction that a couple of the new songs received tonight.
That said, it’s the classics that detonate the best. ‘You’re Pretty Face Is Going To Hell’, ‘Johanna’, ‘Search And Destroy’, ‘No Fun’, ‘Cock In My Pocket’, ‘Gimmie Danger’, and an explosive run through ‘Open Up And Bleed’ make this one of the finest times I have ever seen The Stooges. How long Iggy can continue punishing his aging frame remains to be seen, but for now The Stooges are still GOD and God bless the Stooges.
There’s nothing like that feeling of waiting for a gig to start knowing that you’ve heard something special and the band’s debut London show is about to start. Nobody knew if Radkey would be the real deal or not. Hyped from across the pond as ones to watch from SXSW, the three Radke brothers had a lot to prove tonight. The music industry were present in droves, the band though, didn’t give a toss and just opened their set in typical unfazed teenager style, and kicked out the jams with aplomb.
These Kansas city rockers do not just have energy, the musicianship from these three boys is way advanced. Dee may look small once you can see his smiling face through his dreads, but he has a voice like Danzig on steroids! His guitar thrashing is also second to none. Smashing out three chorder’s may be simple, but it’s the melodies that make these songs set themselves alight. Eldest brother Isaiah delivers more strength to the vocal onslaught harmonising perfectly with his sibling. Youngest brother Soloman watches all of this from the back like a don. Despite him only being 15, he can hold a tight rhythm that will only get heavier as he develops. The connection this trio have live is something else.
They steamed through through tracks unknown to most in the venue alongside the five from their ‘Cat & Mouse’ EP. The packed crowd assisted with the singalong, helping these nippas turn their first London gig into a success. It’s a positive display filled with a combination of raging punk rock and driving rock and roll with a look back to the good old days of US hardcore. Lazy journalists will compare them to Bad Brains due to their ethnicity, but those in the know will be mentioning Misfits, Supersuckers, TSOL and Dwarves. Mash the meats from these classics in a blender and you will end up with Radkey’s punk rock pâté.
Between songs they discussed the fact that fish and chips and cider enlightened their stay, the latter being a highlight due to legal drinking age here being lower than in the US which must have been a treat, but it was in this gap, before the band ended the set with a sick Ramones cover of ‘Bonzo Goes To Bitburg’, that I realised that Dee actually had an open packet of Haribo’s in his pedal box. A reminder that the kids are united, as ever by sweets, regardless how punk rock you think you are.
The future for Radkey looks seriously bright. All they have to do now is avoid the sad music industry vultures who claim to be ‘in it for the right reasons’, do their own thing, and they will all probably live happily ever.
Enjoy a couple of tracks from the phone and look out for this lot in your local record shop and find them on FB.
We’ve reached that turning point in the calendar, so with six months of 2013 now behind us we thought it’s time to share some of the best tracks that have graced the Crossfire stereo so far. Here are 20 of our faves compiled by Dave Palmer and Zac. You can add yours in the comments right at the bottom if you wish. Enjoy.
#20 – Wu Tang Clan – ‘Execution in Autumn’
Brand new tunes are buzzing around the interweb and the A Better Tomorrow album is being mixed down ready for launch later this year. Overall the Wu Tang are on the hustle and raring to go in the lead up to their 20th Anniversary. Our inner Killer Bees are buzzing on this, yours should be too.
#19 METZ – ‘Get Off’
The compression levels that this band push their shit too is immense. Add the fact that they can blow a venue up in one song and you are half way to understanding the mesmerizing thump of METZ. This video is so fresh as we press the live button on this feature that the animation ink is still drying.
#18 Fidlar – ‘Wait For The Man’
This track is a poor man’s Black Lips, there’s no doubt about that, but what it does so well is draw you into the chorus and make you sing it in the shower every morning making it legit. The album has been on the stereo a fair bit in here.
#17 King Khan & The Shrines – ‘Born To Die’
If there was a feel good for the summer track for this month it’s definitely coming from King Khan’s camp. ‘Born To Die’ is the first lick from the new album ‘Idle No More’ coming in September and shakes a groove like nothing else.
#16 QOTSA – ‘My God Is The Sun’
These desert stoners are back this month with a new album and have delivered another great dose of cactus pierced rock and roll. This tune has been on repeat.
#16 Savages – ‘City’s Full’
London via France girl gang Savages won critics with their May debut ‘Silence Yourself’, highlights of which come in the form of ‘City’s Full’, a vicious post-punk anthem that howls.
#15 Milk Music – ‘No, Nothing, My Shelter’
From their debut LP, ‘Cruise Your Illusion’, this track is arguably the best on the record. A pounding bass guitar drives frontman Alex Coxen’s from the heart vocal to progress into a touching cry. It feels like homage to Hendrix, the lyrics laced with emotion.
#14 Wax Idols – Sound of a Void
If this track does not make it onto a skateboard video this year we will be surprised. Taking influence from the 80s scene, ‘Sound of a Void’ chugs along doused in a production to die for. Download it for free and look out for their ‘Discipline & Desire’ album out on Slumberland this month.
#13 – Deathfix – ‘Dali’s House’
Any band that has a Fugazi member in their line up needs to be on the stereo. Deathfix here have released a long player that oozes pop sensibility that is doused in Washington DC’s famous punk roots.
#12 Baby Sitter – ‘Holiday’
This three piece from Victoria, Canada may not be on your radar yet, but once you enter their world of fuzzed out shouty garage punk, you will not be turning back. They can rage like a blunderbuss and they can also bring the tempo right down and make you feel all gooey. Dial yourself into their album ‘Eye’, you will not regret it.
#11 Forest – ‘The Great Greens’
If there’s one UK band to keep an eye on this year it’s Cambridge based Forest who have a dynamic blend of DIY scuzz that drips shoegaze and slacker steez on every track. If the strength of their debut self produced ‘Sweetcure EP’ is anything to go by, this lot will be the talk of the town in 2014. Download ‘The Great Greens’ here for free.
#10 Destruction Unit – ‘Sonic Pearl’
‘Sonic Pearl’ is colossal from start to finish, a stampede of thrashing drums accelerate in the wake of an infectiously catchy guitar line that screams in your face, making this A side blood-boil exciting. Not to mention a faint, Bowie-like warble hiding in front man Ryan Rousseau’s vocal style.
#9 Wolf Alice – ‘Fluffy’
Tipped at the top of all ‘ones to watch’ lists at the beginning of the year, Wolf Alice come good with ‘Fluffy’, a soft vocal sits on top of jangly guitars that bite at grungey bass lines, creating something politely reminiscent of ‘Last Splash’.
#8 Big Deal – ‘Dream Machines’
Taken from Big Deal’s second and aptly named LP ‘June Gloom’, this track has a typically Big Deal, brooding boy/girl vocal harmony. However this time around it’s matched with a deep dark bass line and compact drums. Now a four piece, they’ve taken the leap into rock band territory, a step that was dying to be made ever since 2011’s ‘Lights Out’ to enhance their already gigantic guitar sound.
#7 Parquet Courts – ‘Borrowed Time’
Crossfire favourites Parquet Courts stopped everyone in their tracks back in January with the re-issue of their 2012 LP, ‘Light Up Gold’ through What’s Your Rupture? Reaching a deservedly wider audience this second time around, their fifteen tracks of D.I.Y Americana punk sting. ‘Borrowed Time’ will have you tangled in their linear riffs.
#6 Weed – ‘Set Me Back’
‘Set Me Back’ seeps into your system and takes over, a duo of guitars create a powerful wall of sound coupled with a distant vocal chant that switches up to a powerful roar in an instant. They’ve got two key ingredients to a simple recipe; loads of distortion and heavy on the crash. It all blends together into a perfect smokescreen of noise, Canada’s Weed will make you feel great.
#5 Spring King – ‘V-V-V-Vampire’
Manchester based punks Spring King bring a filthy, upbeat garage punk sound to this list. This is brand new, it spits reverb into your face, it’s jagged, out of control, dirty and raw. Just how we like it. Look them up, they ain’t no one-trick punk rock pony.
#4 The Men – ‘I See No One’
Blistering live, The Men deliver hard, fast, melodic punk. This said, their fourth album ‘New Moon’ hosts a more gentle collection of songs that build track by track back towards the noise they make best, from the harmonies and acoustic guitar steez of tracks like ‘The Seeds’ to the electric genius levels of ‘I See No One.’ This is like Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth on steroids and is one of the best tracks of 2013 by far.
#3 Fist City – ‘Boring Kids’
Canadian surf punks Fist City bring a superior blend of garage and indie in their second album “It’s 1983, Grow Up”. ‘Boring Kids’ here is just one of the mammoth tracks on display across the 27 minutes of perfection on this collection of tracks. The church once called them out as being “Satan worshipping reptilian hermaphrodites” and that alone should be enough to want to know more. Get on this.
#2 Cheatahs – ‘The Swan’
This gang need no comparisons to bands of yesteryear; (*cough* apart from Swervedriver- Z-Ed) they are standalone awesome. Fast and heavy beats laced with finger blistering riffs and a cool, sedated vocal. We cannot wait for an album.
#1 – Pissed Jeans – Teenage Adult
There’s not another band out there right now that can churn out the riot filled carnage like Pissed Jeans. This rips harder than your fucking trousers as you bend over your car bonnet begging for mercy. New album ‘Honeys’ could well be the album of the year in these parts. Let’s hope you never break down.
There were only two ways tonight could have gone: horribly awful or brilliantly spectacular. Luckily for the black leather jacket-wearing crowd it was the latter.
Most bands on their 25 Year Anniversary tours seem to lack in charisma, energy and passion but this was not the case for Danzig tonight. As soon as the 5ft 4″ King of Darkness walked on-stage, there was undoubtedly a sense of worship from all spectators present as this set was for the fans and only made up of requests.
“Do you want to hear songs from Danzig I or II?” said the Misfits legend. Goths, Punks, Metallers and psycho-billies united for an alternative hit-filled evening and called out their choices.
Playing a set consisting of Her Black Wings, Am I Demon? Twist Of Cain, She Rides, Long Way Back From Hell to name a few, Danzig and his band even threw in a few songs from III & IV. If that wasn’t enough, he then welcomed Doyle to the stage to play a full blown Misfits set. Doyle comes out like a T-Rex looking for his prey and completely dominates. Danzig and Doyle are then thrown back right where they belong, together. Changing his guitar after every song due the breakage of strings, it was Punk Rock as it’s meant to be: dark, heavy and nihilistic. At this point, fans are loosing their shit as they thrash through a set of classics that include ‘Vampira’, ‘London Dungeon’, ‘Last Caress’, ‘Skulls’ and ‘Die, Die My Darling’. Venue meltdown.
The rest of the band are completely overshadowed by Danzig and Doyle, but tonight was only ever going to be the Danzig and Doyle show, and rightly so. This is the only way to see the Misfits, not the cheap imitations that came after Danzig departed.
As they exit the stage, the crowd are chanting “We are 138, We are 138!”. They encore ‘Mother’, but the crowd are still chanting “We are 138” until Doyle returns to the stage and they give the crowd what they want. The entire audience erupts as they knew it was going to be the last time to dance. You could barely hear Danzig’s voice from everyone in the room singing along. It was a truly magnificent moment!
If there’s one anniversary show you have to go and see this year, make sure it’s Danzig’s. The dark king has returned and he is showing no mercy.
MGMT are planning to be back in the UK this October playing a bunch of shows from the 12th onwards. Expect a new album to be dropping too, we reckon it will be ready for September. Stream their latest Record SDtore Day tune called Alien Days here and read our interview with them before they were even known, the day after their first ever UK show at the Social.
10/12: Glasgow, UK – ABC1
10/13: Wolverhampton, UK – Civic
10/14: Manchester, UK – Apollo
10/16: London, UK – Forum
10/19: Dublin, Ireland – Olympia
Those who have hip hop roots will already know the genuine respect Rodney P gained throughout the years as a rapper. Starting out back in 1986 when UK hip hop in the underground was buzzing to a new tune, London Posse formed to change all of that and put it on the map with 12″ releases that made serious statements in the game.
In 1990, the crew released the legendary album ‘Gangster Chronicles’. Seen as a game-changer and still standing the test of time 23 years later, this long player is revitalised courtesy of Brighton label Tru-Thoughts who are re-releasing this classic, with unheard tracks, remixes and more as a Definitive Collection.
We tracked down legendary DJ and UK hip hop general Dave VJ at his residence in Antigua to speak to Rodney about the rap game. Press play on this documentary to get up to speed.
Did skateboarding have an influence on you back in the day Rodney?
I love skateboarding. I used to skateboard as a kid when it was all about Kryptonic wheels and people still did slaloms. Nowadays I just like watching my 8 year old son from the sidelines.
How did rap and skateboarding become such a big influence on UK street culture over the years?
Youth culture is always powerful, and both skating and Hip Hop are seen as rebellious. They’re also both a marketing mans dream!
What are your thoughts on saving Southbank from relocation then?
I think it’s fucked up. I’ve been hanging out in that spot since the 80’s. There used to be breakers there too. Building more shops in what is supposed to be a ‘cultural area’ doesn’t make sense to me.
It will be sad to see all of that history go for sure. Let’s talk London Posse. Please take us through the line up.
The original line up was: Me, Bionic, Sipho (The Humanbeat Box) and DJ Biznizz. Then it was just Bionic and myself.
What are your first memories of touring as a band, and did it make you want to stay as a rapper or give it up?
Our first experience was on tour across England with Big Audio Dynamite. I was 16 and jumped straight in the deep end. I had never really imagined a career in music before that, it seemed so out of reach, but after that I was never gonna do anything else.
When you first started rhyming, did u think I’m gonna be a star, or WTF am I doing here, or I need to do something to eat?
It all started really quickly. After the two tours with Big Audio Dynamite we had records out and were touring the World, but when times got hard, people had to really ‘want it’ to stay involved, because the industry can break your heart.
Can you remember friends and family reactions to your decision to try to make money from talking on a record? (as my Dad used to call it lol)
It was generally ‘all good’ but my Mum wasn’t impressed ’till I started working at the BBC. Lol!
Name the labels you have been on and how did each experience affect your choice in moving forward as a rapper?
Big Life: It was a learning experience. We had no clue and I’m grateful to Jazz Summers and Tim Parry for giving us our first opportunity to record.
Justice: Tim Westwood’s label. Westwood played a BIG part in our early years. He really supported us back then.
Mango/Island: The original Gangster Chronicle was released on Mango. It was a good time for us and thankfully they gave us back the rights to the album, hence the re-issue.
Bullet: This was our own label. We released a few singles including ‘How’s Life in London’. We also released ‘Pass Me The Rizla’ on XL Records.
Did you ever get gassed up when you met any of your heroes while on tour?
I can tell you from experience, it’s not always good to meet your hero’s, but I was with Neville Staples of The Specials at the Sunrise Festival once and I felt like a teenaged fan.
As the years rolled by did you think the group thing was not for you, or were you sad to move away from the band thing and go solo?
I was happy being in a group, but over the years we just started moving in different directions. I wasn’t convinced I would have a solo career. It was another skateboarding fan, ‘Dobie’, who used to produce for London Posse (and recently put out a new album on Big Dada) who put me on his album for Howie B’s ‘Pussy Foot’ label in the late 90’s. If you really wanna talk about skateboarding and the Southbank in the 80s and 90s, you should talk to him. He was there and has the photos to prove it.
Has rapping ever become a job, or do you feel lucky to get paid from doing something that comes so naturally?
Rapping is apart of my job, but I definitely feel luck to get paid off doing it. It doesn’t always pay very well, but there are a lot of perks to my lifestyle.
Have you ever looked back and thought I’m at least partly responsible (some say completely) for why we have rap music in commercials on mainstream radio and TV?
I don’t think I’m responsible at all for rap in commercials.
What is your wish for the rap game going forward?
More balance in the style of Hip Hop that gets promoted.
If you had to turn back the clock, what would you change in the rap game?
I wouldn’t turn back time, I wouldn’t want to fuck up the Time/Space continuum.
Listen to Steve Mason’s recent remix
If you won the lottery would you give up rapping? What would you do if £75m came in?
Nah, I’ll always write lyrics. I was writing poetry in primary school before Hip Hop ever came into my life. If I had £75m, I’d invest in the future without having to chase chart positions.
End this interview with one story about your time in London Posse that nobody knows…
One of the last tracks we ever recorded together as London Posse was for Mark Morrison’s album that never came out because he got arrested.
What’s next on the menu for you Rodney?
The London Posse re-issue, Sleeping Giantz and my new album, new Dub Pistols music and more touring. And I’m getting back on my acting hustle, so look out for me.
London Posse’s Gangster Chronicles: The Definitive Collection is released on June 17th on Tru-Thoughts
Savages are boring. Po-faced, miserable, dull, trying so hard to be cool, icy stares. I don’t believe them. It’s not real. They are the exact polar opposite of the screaming into your face intensity and joyous life-affirming rock n’roll of The Stooges. Savages are too intent on posing. Their songs tease and build but never really explode or detonate. Savages mean nothing to me, but then I never really liked Joy Division either.
They steamed through through tracks unknown to most in the venue alongside the five from their 
There were only two ways tonight could have gone: horribly awful or brilliantly spectacular. Luckily for the black leather jacket-wearing crowd it was the latter.
What are your first memories of touring as a band, and did it make you want to stay as a rapper or give it up?
Did you ever get gassed up when you met any of your heroes while on tour?