Punktastic

Matt Stocks to release new book, ‘Life in the Stocks: Veracious Conversations With Musicians & Creatives (Vol 1)

Punktastic — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 15:10:20 +0000

During any normal year, Matt Stocks is a Birmingham born, London based DJ with over 15 years of live experience. Before 2020, you could have found him touring nationwide, often playing to sold out crowds at some of the UK’s most loved venues, including London favourites The Roundhouse, O2 Academy Brixton and even the massive O2 Arena.

Stocks has had experience working for Kerrang! Radio, as well as DJing the Lock Up stage at our beloved Reading and Leeds festivals, spreading the love for alternative music in an otherwise dance-driven environment, and most recently, he’s toured the UK and Europe with the likes of Sublime, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Flogging Molly, The Bronx, House Of Pain, Steel Panther and Zakk Sabbath, and opened for The Damned, The Darkness, The Wildhearts, The Ruts, The Stranglers, The Twang, Frank Turner and Andy Taylor.

It’s safe to say, then, Stocks is connected, and it’s through these connections that he’s been able to hold conversations with some of our industry’s most loved names, many of whom appeared on his podcast, ‘Life in the Stocks‘. Over lockdown, Stocks has taken to laying out these conversations in a book: ‘Life in the Stocks: Veracious Conversations with Musicians and Creatives (Vol 1)’, which is set for release on December 15th.

The book includes conversations with huge names such as Matt Caughthran from The Bronx, Frank Iero from My Chemical Romance, and Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem, to name just a few. To find out more, you’ll just have to buy a copy yourself – just in time for Christmas.

‘Life in the Stocks: Veracious Conversations with Musicians & Creatives’ will be available through independent publishers Rarebird on December 15th. Pre-order today.

IDLES Announce UK & Ireland Tour, Free Tickets for Key Workers

Fiachra Johnston — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 13:46:27 +0000

Photo credit: Paul Hudson

IDLES have announced dates for their upcoming UK & Ireland tour, and with it, free tickets for key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bristol group, who insist they are “not a f**king punk band”, announced the tour over social media, featuring eleven shows including two nights each in the Glasgow Barrowlands, Vicar Street, Dublin, and the O2 Academy Brixton.

Alongside Live Nation, they are offering the tickets on a first come, first served basis from today until Wednesday to workers in any of the eight sectors set-out by the UK Government, “Health and social care, education and childcare, key public services, local and national government, food and other necessary goods, public safety and national security, transport, and utilities, communication and financial services”.

IDLES join a litany of musicians who have touted support for workers in the healthcare sector and beyond during the pandemic. Previously, Irish act Fontaines D.C. followed a similar trend releasing tickets for their UK tour to NHS staff and key workers, while acts like Liam Gallagher & Primal Scream, Fatboy Slim, and even Rick Astley offered free shows to health workers in April in response to the spread of the virus.

Tickets go onsale to the general public on Friday 28th August. Their third album, ‘Ultra Mono’ drops 25th September.

She’s A Punk Podcast drops February 5th

Penny Bennett — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 16:37:24 +0000

She’s a Punk, a brand new podcast from host Siobhan Woodrow, comes out of the gate swinging on February 5th with a five-episode launch on all major podcast platforms. This bi-weekly interview series, features intimate portraits of radical women who are guided by a punk ethos. It aims to entertain and inform, while highlighting what makes these women extraordinary.

Each episode, Siobhan features an amazing woman — artist, musician, athlete, activist — all of whom have one thing in common: the punk attitude. With a rich history and a powerful legacy, punk music has been informing lives and attitudes for over 40 years, and as these women tell us their stories of struggles and successes, it’s all through that punk rock lens.

She’s a Punk is about community. It’s a space to share art and ideas and where punks can come to support other punks.

To listen to She’s a Punk, visit shesapunk.com or subscribe on any major podcast provider.

Taking Back Sunday reveal details for 20th anniversary compilation

Eloise Bulmer — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 14:25:09 +0000

The compilation will include 21 tracks and encompasses all of their 7 full-length albums, from 2002’s ‘Tell All Your Friends’ to 2016’s ‘Tidal Wave’.

It will also feature two new studio recordings ‘A Song for Dan’ and ‘All Ready To Go’, which point to the direction the band will be heading towards in the coming years.

The album can be pre-ordered here and is due for release on 11th January 2019 via Craft Recordings.

You Me At Six announce pop-up vegan kebab shop ‘You Me At Shish’

Yasmin Brown — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 18:24:33 +0000

Following a Twitter post requesting fans send in their favourite You Me At Six puns, one response in particular has seemingly spiralled out of control and resulted in the greatest collaboration of the 21st century. Probably.

May we present to you – You Me At Shish.

On October 5th, the release date of the band’s sixth album – aptly named ‘VI’ – You Me At Six will host an evening filled with ‘VI’ themed vegan food, an acoustic set, DJs, and a whole load of dancing.

The band’s front man, Josh Franceschi, has long since raved about his love for London’s Temple of Seitan, and so the collaboration has been a long time coming. And there’s no better excuse to make that happen than a brand new album.

The album’s release and this wonderful, delicious event come prior to a massive tour in support of both the new album and the ten-year anniversary of You Me At Six’s debut album, ‘Take Off Your Colours’.

Doors open at 6 (obviously), and spaces are offered on a first-come first-served basis.

‘You Me At Shish’ opens for one night only this October 5th at the following address:

Temple Goods Cafe
Hackney Downs Studios
17 Amhurst Terrace
E8 2BT

IDLES to raise money for Samaritans with pop-up art exhibition

Eloise Bulmer — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 17:18:06 +0000

The pop-up exhibition will be held between 30-31 August at HM Electronics Gallery, London. Open between 2-8pm each day, the exhibition will celebrate the bands upcoming album ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’ and is curated by the band themselves, with contributions from Orlando Weeks, Tao Lapsley, Beth Cater and many more. The gallery is free entry and all profits from art sales will go to the Samaritans charity.

The announcement comes with the release of lead single ‘Samaritans’. The band will also be playing a run of in-store dates throughout August and September. Full dates below.

AUGUST
30 LONDON, Banquet Records
31 BRISTOL, Rough Trade

SEPTEMBER
3 PORTSMOUTH, Pie and Vinyl
4 BRIGHTON, Resident
5 SHEFFIELD, Record Junkee
6 LEEDS, Crash Records
6 MANCHESTER, FOPP
7 CARDIFF, Spiller Records

You can pre-order the new record here.

The Cranberries vocalist Dolores O’Riordan passes away at 46

Aaron Lohan — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 11:39:46 +0000

Dolores O’Riordan, vocalist of alt rockers The Cranberries, has tragically passed away at the age of 46.

This occurred whilst she was doing a recording session in London yesterday. O’Riordan had been the band’s lead vocalist since their inception in 1989, which led them to success in the 90s with hits like ‘Zombie’ and ‘Linger’, and releasing five albums until their original break up in 2003. Following, she would go on to a solo career releasing two albums, including 2007’s ‘Are You Listening’ and ‘No Baggage’ in 2009. In that latter year the band would reform and have been active since then, releasing a further two full lengths, 2012’s ‘Roses’ and last year’s ‘Something Else’.

O’Riordan’s fellow bands members had the following to say of her passing:

We are devastated on the passing of our friend Dolores. She was an extraordinary talent and we feel very privileged to have been part of her life from 1989 when we started the Cranberries. The world has lost a true artist today.
Noel, Mike and Fergal

— The Cranberries (@The_Cranberries) January 15, 2018

Our thoughts go out to O’Riordan’s friends and family.

Former Motörhead guitarist Eddie Clarke passes away at 67

Aaron Lohan — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 22:16:41 +0000

Last week it was confirmed that former Motörhead guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke has passed away at the age of 67.

Clarke was renowned for being a part of the band’s classic line up along with bassist/vocalist Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister and drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor from 1976 to 1982 which was followed by his time in the band Fastway. Until now, he was the sole survivor of that line up as both of his former band mates passed away in 2015. Our thoughts go out to him and his loved ones.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pWB5JZRGl0U

photo: Paul Welsh

Iron Maiden and indie brewers Robinsons release new beer in aid of Help for Heroes

Aaron Lohan — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 21:01:06 +0000

Iron Maiden and independent brewers Robinsons have teamed up to create a new light ale named Light Brigade.

This golden beverage contains 4.1% ABV and will be released in aid of charity Help for Heroes. Six pence of each pint and five pence of each bottle will go towards the organisation who provide support and recovery for the Armed Forces community whose lives are affected by their service.

Later this year, Iron Maiden will be going on a UK arena tour next year with Killswitch Engage. The band will be playing a set list of fan favourite material from the 80s as well as a few cuts from their later eras. Their most recent album is their sixteenth ‘The Book of Souls’, which was released in 2015 via Parlophone (EU) and Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG (US).

The dates for the shows are as follows.

JULY
31 NEWCASTLE Metro Radio Arena
AUGUST
02 BELFAST SSE Arena
04 ABERDEEN Exhibition & Conference Centre
06 MANCHESTER MEN Arena
07 BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
10 LONDON O2 Arena

The Distillers tease reformation

Aaron Lohan — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 11:59:59 +0000

Last week The Distillers shared a video teasing their reformation on their newly formed Twitter and Instagram accounts.

The LA punk band were originally active from 1998 to 2006, where they released three studio albums, 2000’s debut self-titled, 2002’s ‘Sing Sing Death House’, and 2003’s ‘Coral Fang’, as well as an EP in 1999. Vocalist/guitarist Brody Dalle and guitarist Tony Bevilacqua would go onto form Spinnerette, who were active from 2007 to 2010.

pic.twitter.com/kicsrnMvov

— The Distillers (@thedistillers) January 3, 2018