Words by Brendan Monteiro / Photo’s by Marcus Maschwitz

If some fake pop princess trampled any hope you had that a female fronted band can work, fear not folks, Cherilyn Macneil is here to restore the faith. Who is that you might ask and a good question none the less, Cherilyn is the front women for the ever quirky Dear Reader. Hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa, Dear Reader is a band unlike anything the UK has or ever will have to offer. Their style is the epitome of uniqueness and their soulful lament laden tunes will sweep you off your feet and leave you captivated in no time at all.

Dear Reader started their epic journey a couple years ago as Harris Tweed but due to the unforeseen objective of a Scottish material company of the same name changes had to be made and thus Dear Reader was born. The driving force behind Dear Reader is Cherilyn (piano, guitar & vocals) and Darryl Torr (bass, keys, loopstation) and the duo are occasionally helped on stage by various and talented artists. Their sound is effectively a mass pile up of styles and genres, their songs know no boundaries and rummage through bluesy folk to swinging spazzy jazz lullabies, while at the same time staying well clear of the stereotypical depression that too many female singers exhume. Cherilyn has a charm to her voice, it’s like a chorus of angels when her lips part and it would not be suprising if a fair few of her fans confessed their infatuation with the singer just on the merit of her vocal prowess. If that weren’t enough she sings with an abundance of passion and feeling and her lyrics mirror those same two qualities, take the lyrics to Bend for instance:

If you do not ben you will eventually break
unless you make the wind stop blowing your way
we were like two kids blowing on each other with two straws
only I was willing to stop and listen to yours

Or the lyrics to Great White Bear:

He climbed into the belly of the great white bear
it’s very sticky and it smells a little fishy
but no one will look for him there

I know that it’s not Dante, Chaucer or T.S Eliot but Cherilyn has a certain charm in her writing and it’s the simplicity that makes it so relatable. I find myself at times singing as loud as I can “I’m wearing the heaviest boots ever made” (Way Of The World) and I’m not even a women; but I can connect to the feeling and this is their biggest selling point. She tackles personal subjects as well as bigger ideas and she does them all with class and conviction. If your musical endeavours have been lacking something a bit real and sincere then do yourself the favour and get your hands on their debut album ‘Replace Why With Funny’ (produced my Brent Knopf of Menomena fame), it’s everything you need and more.

*check out the video for Great White Bear

Words by Jamie Reynolds

Back in their native land of Canada Mother Mother have been creating a storm for quite some time now and sooner or later their jazzed out spazzy indie hooks were destined to catch the attention of the british indie hordes, that time is now. Having laid down years of touring in their homeland since back in 2005, when the band formed, has drafted Mother Mother into a machine that is a cut above the rest and leaves the audience with that tapping toe syndrome that real entertainers can induce.

Leading the pack of Mother Mother is Ryan Guldemond, his songwriting abilites prove to be a huge assest to the band, you could probably go as far as saying that he is the brainchild behind Mother Mother. His vocal approach is really interesting and his high tones work well with their jazzy hooks, furthermore they really push that envelope of “something new and interesting” with catchy riffs that will have people tapping steering wheels in rush hour traffic like they’re Jesse Sandoval. What more can a band really aspire to other than doing something different, doing something catchy and doing it all really well; and Mother Mother tick all the boxes. On top of all of that, Mother Mother invade the the mind with really in depth and thinking lyrics, lyrics for people with a thirst for something organic and real done in a really quirky and cool way. Their videos are an accompaniment to the quirkyness of Guldemond’s lyrics and it’s something that so many bands over look, with Mother Mother it feels like something that they take just as seriously as the music itself.

The wait for the latest release has been little bit sad for UK fans, with it already released almost two years ago in Canada, but there is some good in that, the wait between O My Love and their next album is all the more smaller. The band are already holed up in a studio recording their as yet untitled 3rd album and with Ryan at the helm as producer, it’s set to be a stormer. O My Love is released on May 31st through Last Gang Records, so if your after something different and infectious, get your hands on Mother Mother.

Words by Ian Dickinson / photos by Marcus Maschwitz

With heart and live grenade in hand Delica Black have the ability to serenade and lacerate your ears with equal ferocity. Get prepared to buy Two Tickets To The Gun Show cause you are not going to want to miss out on this one.

Everyone that has heard the band, including myself, has been blown away by Delica Black. Not often is there such unanimous agreement amongst peers and colleagues that a band are utterly rad. I myself am generally a sceptic when it comes to new bands. I will always take a recommendation from a friend very seriously, whilst being quick to disagree if necessary. I was instantly drawn to the Delica Black song; Two Tickets To The Gun Show, for obvious comedic reasons. Upon listening I was shocked by a voice that could create an electrical storm on a clear sunny day and slightly disappointment that I couldn’t abuse my friend and call him a fool for a poor recommendation.

It has taken a few years for the London four piece to find the ideal lineup, but now that they have it is time for the band to start their high voltage take over of the metal and heavy rock scene. Delica Black’s varied and devilish vocals are provided by Chris Watt. The shredding riff’krieg and solos are courtesy of Alix Goode, pummeling drums by Andy Patrick and ominous and brutal bass lines from Tim Corden. They play shows constantly and have garnered a reputation as an outstanding live band. Playing such London music stalwarts as The Camden Barfly, Dublin Castle, Water Rats and the Purple Turtle.

Delica Black have achieved the impossible. They have managed to combine shrill and blood curdling screams, heavy riffs with melody and sensitive song writing. Speaking exclusively to Clink, Patrick described the bands sound perfectly as “pretty and dark.” A combination like this could see them appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners. Watt howls like the Wolf Man who has been dumped on Valentine’s Day and dropped his phone in a puddle (I wonder what phone the Wolf Man would own?). It is terrifying and stirring with its tear inducing vulnerability. It sounds as though he gargles with hydrochloric acid and rusty nails. If you don’t believe me the track Hair Cuts In Vegas will be proof that this is one of the finest hard rock voices that you will here in a while.

Their blistering and infectious debut EP Haircuts In Vegas is currently available from the bands Myspace and with plans to get back in the studio and to gig none stop, 2010 should hopefully see the band increase their following. I personally can’t wait to here some new material and if I was a gambling man I would happily put money on this band making a rather raucous buzz in the music industry.

Delica Black posses a passion and love forlorn aggression that is captivating and ideal to get you in the mood for some rock n roll carnage. This is heavy emotional music that dudes with tattoos and beards can enjoy without feeling like a prepubescent American Apparel model.

Words by Heather Fitsell / Photo by Cat Garcia

Prior to Kellogg’s launching their new Krave cereal at the start of this year, there formed
something else that will appeal to not only the 16-24 year olds at whom the cereal is aimed,
but also the wider British music audience, let me introduce to you British rockers, The
Crave.

Spawned initially in the ever growing music hub that is Brighton, by lead singer/guitarist
Ryan Burnett way back in the depths of 2003, The Crave have since morphed through band
line up changes picking up lead guitarist Carlos Garcia and bassist Tom Swann along the
way, before finding that all essential band glue that made it all work, CJ Evans on drums.
CJ’s first gig with The Crave was at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas, in front of a
mere 8,000 people. Most musicians end up in Las Vegas, but for The Crave it was only the
beginning.

Three years on from that inaugural moment, The Crave have barely set foot on the Brighton
seafront, as they have been consistently touring for the better part of two years, in support of
some fantastic bands including Shinedown, Buckcherry, Theory of a Deadman, Flyleaf and
Heaven’s Basement and festival sets at Download, Sonisphere and Rock Am Ring have also
been thrown in for good measure. One of the biggest highlights however came at the end of
2009 when they played to a sold out Hammersmith Apollo in support of the legendary Deep
Purple, add to that touring on a London double decker bus for 5000 miles across the USA and
you have one very happy band. The touring does not stop there and Ryan Burnett has told
Clink that they have “some very sexy tours” in the rock pipeline for later this year, but the
man is irritatingly good and no amount of begging would get him to reveal who with.
Personally I discovered The Crave on recommendation from my gigging buddy, Big Dave,
seven months ago and in that short space of time I have seen them grow as a band and
improve considerably. They are at home on a good size stage like Oxford Academy 2 or
Islington Academy, but equally they can rock the likes of Camden Barfly like they own the
place.

They have just finished recording their debut album ‘Breaking the Silence’ and have been
teasing fans with tracks put up for a limited time on MySpace. Their track ‘High’ is a brilliant,
radio friendly rock anthem that gets you punching your fist in the air and singing along very
quickly with the chorus. Other tracks worth checking out include ‘All of You’ which
they often close their live set with, or one of my favourites ‘Cooking in the Kitchen’. The
album is in the final mixing stages and will be released later this year, but having been stuck
in the studio for a while, they are keen to get back out on the road in support of the album and
hopefully play a few summer festivals.

The overriding thing you notice about The Crave is that they thoroughly enjoy what they
are doing, they are loving every minute of it and they let you see that in many of their video
diaries which you can see online at www.youtube.com/thecrave.

They have reached a stage that many bands only dream about, but there is still so much more
left that they can achieve, this is only the first junction on the rock and roll road. To quote
a lyric from their song ‘High’, “These are the days of our lives”, they sure as hell are and I
sincerely hope that they continue not only for many more days, but many more years yet to
come.

Catch The Crave on tour next week with Vains of Jenna from 4th to 8th May, go to
http://www.myspace.com/thecraveband for more details.

Words by Ian Dickinson

It was a classic tale of musical discovery in the age of social networking. Spotting a band I had never heard or heard of on Facebook, I journeyed directly to the obligatory and vital Myspace band page. This scenario is not new. I have done this thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of times in the never ending search for a new band that, for lack of a better phrase, kick ass. There are two outcomes. Sadly the most common and dismal outcome is disappointment. On this excursion, as I listen to the tracks that are proudly displayed for the entire world to hear, I am filled with sheer pleasure and excitement. This is the feeling I got as I listened to Claw Of Panther.

They possess wildness and artistic ferocity that is comparable to the Horrors and the Birthday Party combined with the grunt of contemporary hardcore bands such as the Bronx and The Ghost Of A Thousand, whilst having the rough and ready Rock n Roll flare and leather glad swing of Gene Vincent and The Jim Jones Revue. A varied mix of artists I know, but the band’s sound is a genuine fusion of genres with spectacular results.

The band is constructed of four Suffolk gentlemen. Adam King (vocals/guitar), Richie Trigg (guitars/shouts), James Deary(bass/roars) and Gareth Trice(drums). Claw Of Panther played their first gig as recently as August 2009 and since that time they have constantly gigged, sharing stages with A, This City, Dead Formats, The Brownies and Feed The Rhino. Their strong punk rock DIY work ethic has also fuelled an electrifyingly eccentric and menacing debut EP. I have had it on constant rotation since I made my purchase.
This is well managed mayhem with an artistic flare that is sadly rare in contemporary music. The songs are hectic, which is part of the appeal, but this is deceptive. The songs are well structured. Every track posses a surprisingly memorable hook that supports the guttural riffs and tribal drums that explode all around. Hopeless Dreamer and Send The Dogs are good examples of this. As King croons and howls the lyrics; “every fucker is trying to shot me down, I am up in flames spiralling to the ground,” it is impassioning and tends to provoke me into wailing along to it myself. King’s vocal approach throughout the tracks is distinctive and versatile, sounding at times like a combination of Ian McKaye and Glenn Danzig. He can sing, scream, growl and croon. At no point failing to rebel rouse or surprise in whatever mode he selects to delivering his words.

Claw Of Panther are distinct, dangerous and utterly deranged. It is impossible to pigeon hole the band into one specific genre as they effortlessly fuse the unruliness of classic Rock n Roll, with early UK punk pace, the grandiosity of metal and the ferocity of modern hardcore into one enigmatic and untameable sound. King recently explained the motive behind the band’s sound to Clink; “we didn’t want to get too engulfed in what we thought the current popular trend in music was or should be. Rather we just wanted to mix up all the music we loved.”

It is inspiring to hear a band that is not content to float in the trendy waters of the scene ocean. Creatively they have done what they want and done it well. As they are only a very young band, it will be exciting to see how they progress with the release of their second EP. If you want something different, if you want something that will rock your face off. You want to check out Claw Of Panther, immediately.

Words by Ian Dickinson / Photo’s by Samuel Bradley

Love them or hate them, you cannot ignore London’s TRC (The Revolution Continues). TRC are crushing the cliches and causing a stir in the UK hardcore scene. They have challenged the genre’s stereotype and broken the norms with savage style. In the process they have created a sound that fuses violent arrogance, street savviness and merciless break downs that will make your head implode and your arms spin like a Dutch windmill in a force five hurricane. The reason for the controversy surrounding TRC lays within their fusion of urban consciousness, estate slang, absconding of the traditional scene uniform and their sheer cockiness all of which has offended the puritans of hardcore.

Formed in 2003, the six piece is fronted by Chris Robson and Anthony Caroll, sharing vocal duties in what has to be one of the finest duos in recent heavy rocking history. Their combination of paint stripping screams and sleazy, intimidating lyrical rhymes is varied and textured. The band is completed by Charlie Wilson and Miles Langford on Guitar, Thomas Preston on Bass and Lasselle Lewis on Drums. As a unit they are consistently brutal, outrageously fast with a venomous groove and funk that is tailor made for unadulterated dance floor destruction.

A lot has been said about the infusion of Grime and Hip Hop into the music of TRC. This could lead many to assume that this is some horrendous modern Rap Rock outfit. Nothing could be further from the truth. As Anthony Carroll barbarically screams on the track Destroy and Rebuild “this is not rap. This is hardcore.”

The only comparisons between these genres is the lyrical content and the attitude of TRC. As with Grime and Hip Hop their music is confident, honest, confrontational, macho, violent and sexual. These influences bring a vicious realism and aggression to the music that a new generation can relate to. As a young lad I grow up on a nutritious diet of Metallica, Snoop Dogg, Guns N Roses and Tupac. I am sure I am not the only one who flirted with a mixture of genres. TRC have merged the musical and cultural influences that make the UK so unique and menacing into one nose breaking sound.

This is music for a generation that has grown up with both urban and guitar based music, as well as spiraling binge drinking and violence. The band is not concerned about going against the grain, singing about nights out in clubs where windmilling and slam dancing is not appropriate and a Ralph Lauren Polo and Saville Rows finest are preferred to black band tees, beards and denim jackets. It is refreshing for a band to have the balls to admit to this and to break away from the traditional notions of hardcore that have become rather dogmatic.

Currently residing on the incomparable Thirty Days of Night Records, TRC have had three releases to date. North West Kings, Destroy and Rebuild and most recently in 2009 The Revolution Continues. TRC tracks that you should listen to are; the tense and gut wrenching Bastard. London’s Greatest Love Story that has to be one of the toughest and most touching hardcore songs to date. Destroy and Rebuild, the song that exemplifies the bands cross over style to perfection. If you can keep your head from banging with this on the stereo you are in need of some serious help. VIP (bouncer) and …Define Cocky… display the bands brutal confidence and hardcore ferocity.

Check out the band and make up your own mind. What ever your personal opinion, it can be agreed that TRC have created some double hard bastard core tunes, pissed people off, stood their ground and never risked their integrity. Isn’t this what a hardcore band should be doing?

Words by Brendan Monteiro

If your on the search for the obscure and original than look no more because Philadelphia Grand Jury is just the band for you. Hailing from down under, Philadelphia Grand Jury’s story is that of two friends, and this is where the madness begins! On one hand you have Berkfinger (Simon Berckelman) who helms the vocals and guitars and on the other end of this whacky spectrum is MC Bad Genius (Joel Beeson) who is in charge of Bass, Keys and guitar. The combination of Berkfinger and MC Bad Genius is unlike anything you would of heard before, with a arsenal of spazzed out melodies and infectious beats these guys can have you dancing in a matter of nano-seconds. The Philly Jays as they are know by their loving and adorning fans originally started out as a duo but have now moved in to the trio category with the incorporation of Calvin Welch behind their once very lonely drum set.

So before we delve into their music let’s try delve into the two masterminds of PGJ, unfortunately the fact is not much is know. According to Berkfinger’s myspace and other sources, he collects Elvis memorobilia while MC Bad Genius apparently works for a Child Protection Agency. From this little bit of info you get the feel of what they are all about, they have warmth and compassion with an abundance of quirky habits. These can be further seen in The Philly’s choice of music video’s where quirky yet warm is the standard.

There is always a stigma with country’s, other than America and the UK, that they are years behind but in recent months Australia has been a shining torch for new music and PGJ are one of the brightest new bands of the lot. Combining elements of pop, funk, jazz, indie and a punk D.I.Y attitude The Philly Jays have come up with a sound that is fresh and uplifting. Tone is a big part of The Philly’s sound and they have it nailed. Their recorded work has some really amazing organic sounding tones and these tones give them a really polished sound yet at the same time a antique and vintage feel unlike any other band. This might be down to the fact that Berkfinger is a sound engineer at Big Jesus Burger Studios and has worked on projects that include the likes of Silverchair, Temper Trap, Dappled Cities and Wolfmother. With such an impressive CV it’s no wonder that Berkfinger and PGJ came up with such an outstanding debut release with only a 3000$ budget to play around with. Hope Is For Hopers was released on the bands own label Normal People Making Hits in conjuncution with Boomtown Records. It’s an album that will go under the radar for a lot of people but if your lucky enough to own a copy you will wonder how you ever survived without it in the first place.

Philadelphia Grand Jury head out to the UK in May so be sure not to miss them and as a teaser check out the video for the song ‘The Good News’ and a cover of Jay Z’s ’99 Problems’ or check out their myspace for tour details and more. There is also a free E.P available on the official site!

Words by Michael Dickinson

We’ve never had it so good! With this wonder thing called the inter-web they seems to be a plethora of new music out there. Unsigned bands and artists all vying for our attention. Sometimes it’s difficult to wade through the reeds of creativity. There are a lot of good bands performing right now but I have found no one who I took an instant liking to as instantly as I have done with Sabatta.

Formed in South London in 2005 Yinka (vocals, guitar), Hugo (bass) and, depending what webpage your read, Oli/Matt/John Doe (drums) make up this formidable, dare I say righteous, line-up. They state some of their influences as Zeppelin, Motorhead, Metallica, Hendrix. Whilst you can hear all these bands in their music it never feels like “been there done that”. Instead Sabatta have taken these rock staples and created something fresh and wonderful. This is perfect music for driving around in the beautiful sunshine, windows down, pork-pie hats on and a crate of beer in the backseat – covered with a sheet of course! The music just makes you want to move, whether it’s stamping your feet or taking a ride in a car the music moves you, physically. In this regard they are not unlike Spy Catcher. Some tracks like “The Emperor’s New Clothes” sound like early Korn mixed with a Bad Seeds bass line, others such as “Exit Right” are what would happen if Josh Homme fell into the Funkatronic 3000 machine*. Ever wondered what Jimi Hendrix would have sounded like fronting Motorhead? You have! Just check out their version of “Ace of Spades”
If it’s the music that brings you in from the cold, it’s the lyrics that will make you stay for whiskey. Several even. These are world-weary sounding men who talk about a world that you and I live in. From the drunken night out to the botched up relationship, by way of the good old fashioned rock out Sabatta are on the same relatable level as The King Blues or Frank Turner.
Yinka’s vocals are most commonly equated with Lenny Kravitz, but in their also are flourishes of Chris Cornell and occasionally Seal (depending on your feelings toward Seal you could see this as insult, I for one think he’s a fine singer!). His higher register is the bands biggest surprise. Musically the group is hard and driven but Yinka’s voice seems to be on another level. He is also a great talent on lead guitar. Hugo’s bass line is a hard and dirty, just the way I like it. You nod your head whether you want to or not. It’s an old school post-punk sound that few bands do well these days. Tying these elements together is John Doe’s pulsating drum lines. Whilst the bass makes you tap your foot the drums make you want to rock out in the most extreme terms.

So to put this in perspective; if you like Motorhead, Jimi Hendrix, Spy Catcher, Queens of the Stone Age, Lenny Kravitz, Korn, Audioslave, Metallica, The King Blues, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Black Sabbath, Megadeath or Frank Turner, you would be some kind of jezebel… no that’s a bit harsh… fool to miss out on Sabatta. Catch whenever you can next, I will be. We’ve never had it so good!

Check out their albums “Princess Raw” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes”
*Patent pending.

Words by Heather Fitsell / photo by Tina K

The Rocket Dolls are one of my 21st Century grunge/rock weaknesses that put me at a cross roads between my teenage hankering after the likes of Nirvana, Green River and Soundgarden and my love of many of the classic rock bands that grace the pages of today’s music press. They manage to skillfully merge the two together on tracks like ‘Frame’ that has a Black Stone Cherry-esque opening but has Nikki Smash’s gravely vocals thrown on top.

Formed just over a year ago drummer Ben Knopfler ditched his skin head and bassist Steve Golder his short back and sides to bring some long haired, pronged rock blackness to the sunny Brighton seafront and they have kicked up a few pebbles along the way.

All three members were doing session work with other bands before coming together and in just a year they have matured a great deal from fresh youthful arrogance to realizing they have something really quite decent going on and giving a shit about their live shows.

They have already played with bands such as Slaves to Gravity, Zico Chain, Forever Never and Million Dollar Reload and are flattered to have been asked to play MND Rocks on 19th June, where they will be sharing the stage with Paradise Lost, Breed 77 and Gary Newman in support of Motor Neurone Disease.
During this short journey they have already entertained Mr. Jim Marshall of the Marshall Empire, when they in error, parked in his personal parking space at Marshall HQ, just before the man himself drove up. The moment was captured on camera, which Mr. Marshall has seen and found rather funny.

They have also made friends with Ace from Skunk Anansie who mastered their ‘Frame EP’, which gives us a taster of what we can expect from the first The Rocket Dolls album, which Clink Music Magazine can exclusively reveal we can expected in early 2011, with pre-production starting in April 2010. In support of this the band will be recording some music videos during 2010, so keep an eye out for those on Kerrang TV and Scuzz.

Drawing influence from bands such as The Exies, Zico Chain, Silverchair, Billy Talent and Nirvana, which is evident in tracks like ‘Delirium’, The Rocket Dolls have been upping Brighton’s rock scene a gear at The Engine Rooms and have also graced the stage London’s legendary Water Rats amongst other places. Although graceful was perhaps not the way to describe that gig, they can’t have done too badly as they have been asked to come back, so as Ben and Steve explode through the thundering musical powerhouse that is the opening to ‘Bleed’ and Nikki growls “….you’re on your own, you’re on your own…” I’m clearly not and I would happily get “…too close for comfort..” with this band in some dark venue, where my feet stick to the floor and the old men perv at my choice of apparel.

So fish out your old Nirvana t-shirt, don today’s skinny black jeans and head on down to catch these guys live at London’s iBar on 18th March and The Comedy Pub on 2nd April.

http://www.myspace.com/therocketdollsmusic
www.mndrocks.com

Words by Brendan Monteiro

Fate, chance, call it what you want but if you are reading this you have been destined to find out about Charlotte, North Carolina’s greatest export to date. The seven piece band is called Paper Tongues and they know all about divine intervention. There tale is one that is instantaneously gripping, with video’s all over the net about how they managed to attract the attention of legendary grammy award winning producer/idols judge Randy Jackson. As the story goes the band made the journey up to California doing showcases and generally attempting to get their music out there. While in a restaurant Aswan North (lead vocals) spotted Jackson and approached him with hope and chance that Jackson would actually listen to them. Well Jackson did and was so impressed that he phoned the band within hours of the first initial meeting, and the rest you can say is all history.

Their sound is not in any specific direction but instead throw’s a variety of curve balls at the listeners, fusing rock, indie, soul, funk and hip hop with a bucketload of swagger. Their first single ‘Ride To California’ is a mamoth rock anthem with slight hip hop singing style and a groove that gets your body in motion. It’s also a song that almost mirrors the bands beginnings and has the energy level of an atom being split, it’s the voice of a band that wants to be heard, that needs it as much as the air they breath. In no way do I want to sound like I am comparing Paper Tongues with the band I am about to mention as I am fully aware that everybody under the sun will have their own point of view. So if I can explain then before the mass critics slam me for my comparison, there is a fiery passionate angst in Aswan’s voice, he sings the song with every bit of his being and for me ‘Ride To California’ and most importantly Aswan’s vocals in it remind me of Queens 1977 classic ‘We Will Rock You’. It’s not the actual sound but the passion and expression that can be heard that gives me this feeling.

There is a reason why Paper Tongues have been earmarked as the next big thing, bottom line they are a breath of fresh air vital to the music scene. They fill the gap under the section of original and unique bands that music lovers constantly search for. They sing with conviction about real life and colour it up with lashings of musical diversity that never bores, leaving you with a surreal feel good sensation.