Rob Clarke and The Wooltones: Putting The L in Wootones

Liverpudlian psych pop band Rob Clarke and The Wooltones are into vintage Mersey beat and early psychedelica, a genre that peaked when the Beatles released Rubber Soul in 1965. On their new album Putting The L in Wootones they honour the 3 minute single as well as the expanded tracks like Love and Haight and Free that started to make a mark as albums became more important as an artistic statement. It allowed musicains to stretch out and go through various tempos and moods within a track, something they could only get away it in a live setting before that.

Nostalgia is the backbone of their lyrics. Old fashioned rock 'n' roll gets heartfelt tributes with Statue at the Pier Head and Two Lane Blacktop - the latter could be mistaken for a long lost Eddie Cochran song. Countdown is a song about the implemenation of the decimal system for UK currency on February 15, 1971, an event that send shockwaves to the nation. Rob Clarke and The Wooltones keep the sound of the past alive, by giving it their all with original material. That is no mean feat among the countless cover bands that keep rehashing the classics, because they can't come up with something new themselves.

Sasha Bell: Social Distance Session in Missoula

Sasha Bell will be playing an online show on October 10 from the Zootown Arts Community Center in Missoula, MT as part of their Social Distance Sessions. She will play songs from her album Love Is Alright: "This is not the debut of prodigy, but the full-blown statement of a musician who knows that there is dark side to life and dealing with it can be done by music to release the tension, to remember and to wonder at the weirdness or sheer futility of it all. Baroque, intense, and with superb dynamics that will the test the outer limits of the capabilities of the listener's audio set-up".

Two Too Many: show in Katwijk

Amsterdam based hard rock band Two Too Many will be playing at The Box in Katwijk on October 18. They have released a new double A-side single, Rack of Bones b/w Sweet Punk Rockers, two songs that can rattle the rafters.

Words about music (552): John Peel

There's always the possibility that you're going to come across a record that transforms your life. And it happens weekly. It's like a leaf on the stream. There are little currents and eddies and sticks lying in the water that nudge you in a slightly different direction. And then you break loose and carry on down the current. There's nothing that actually stops you and lifts you out of the water and puts you on the bank but there are diversions and distractions and alarums and excursions which is what makes life interesting really. It's fantastic.

John Peel

Johnny Dowd: "Play That Funky Music" video

Johnny Dowd has posted a video of him deconstructing the Wild Cherry song Play That Funky Music, turning into an interpretaive dance while he was it.

» johnnydowd.com