• 30 days, 30 bands – #7 Oxo Foxo

      “When you have to choose between the truth and the legend, choose the legend.” –Tony Wilson 2008. September: “Last of the Summer?” “Yes, that’s the name. Anything wrong?” “Just wondering if it had anything to do with Last of the Summer wine?” “You know that show?”  “Hey, I’m from Mexico, not the moon…’sides, I…

  • 30 Days, 30 Bands – #6 The Legend of 7 Black Tentacles

    In the last few entries, I’ve mentioned bands that are “normal”, as flexible as that adjective can be. But you can stretch the definition of “normal” for so long until it snaps into 7 amorphous pieces… It’s a cold day in February and I’m freezing my arse off. Bramall Lane stadium is looking over us,…

  • Review: Skyjelly – Blank Panthers / Priest, Expert, Or Wizard

    Times are hard. Not only here in good ole Mexico, but everywhere in the world. Are albums on the top buying priority of people? I mean, I still buy albums, but I’m an outlier, so I’m statistically insignificant. Most people I know either go for streaming or, erhm, Buccaneer-approved copies. Now, two albums for the…

  • 30 days, 30 bands – #5 Black Cat White Cat

        6 years ago (!), obLong had a series of curated gigs at the ol’ drinkin’ hole, The Washington. The obLong  club nights had 3 to four bands performing live in the tiny ass (but intimate) stage at Washy. One of the best bands I saw during those gigs were Black Cat White Cat. What do they sound like? Imagine Dorothy from Wizard of Oz taking a gritty…

  • 30 days, 30 bands – #4 The Hot Soles

      Razzle Dazzle! Take The Blues Brothers vibrant stage demeanour, add the soulful vocals of a guy who is a massive Aretha Franklin / Queen fan, yank a drummer with a heart of gold and perfect beat and let them loose on the lonesome streets of Sheffield (and Rotherham, the new Berlin.) Whatchoo got? The Hot Soles. Sole Brother A.…

  • 30 Bands, 30 Days – The Payroll Union

    “Oh dear Jake, there are games in your head…” History repeats itself. History never dies. History is re-interpreted, re-imagined and re-told by countless people. Revisionism keeps our ideas on their toes, our views are challenged when lost documents resurface. And then there are the darker passages of history. Those that history classes gloss over. Yes,…

  • Crucible: In Violet, Psychic Twin, Shark Teeth, Fjord, Sylvan Esso, Mooi, Schnarff Schnarff

    Crucible is our humble offering of new music. Every Friday, we aim to bring you new stuff, instead of spamming you around with a million different posts. My name is Orestes Xistos and I’ll be helping in this Shithole of a Website (TM) with singles and videos. So send your paypal bribes and patreon donations to me, not that…

  • 30 Bands, 30 Days – #2 Firesuite

    “So, why ‘beat combo’?”  “Chris thought it was a funny way to describe ourselves. Maybe the joke got lost somewhere…” Of all the adjectives I could throw to Firesuite (and I’ve thrown quite a few praising them…), I never quite understood the “beat combo” thing, but I assumed it was an oblique joke, a Family Guy-grade cutaway…

  • The Lost Gem: Alice in Chains – Jar of Flies

    “We always wanted to do different things, we don’t want to make big waves doing it and lose people in the process, so we just put it in the stores, We didn’t really advertise it, and it was like something out for the real fans who were out looking out for it to find that’s what Jar…

  • 30 Bands, 30 Days – #1 Cats:For:Peru

    Well, it’s been seven years of writing, promoting and ranting about bands we enjoy at this Shithole of a Website (TM) and to celebrate, this time around I thought I could talk about 30 Sheffield bands that struck a chord. Why Sheffield? Because it’s where I finally decided to go solo with this writing stuff.…