Show repeated every Tuesday 10-12pm rechargedradio.com
Next new show early Feb… which’ll give you all time to download and listen to the podcasts! :-)
In case you missed it, it will be repeated next Tuesday at 10pm, or you can download it for FREE from itunes at the end of the week!
Here’s what we played, thanks to all the bands we featured for existing, you made a great show! :-)
One Eyed - intro theme by The Reverse Family:
1) The Silent Scream - The Bleeed
2) Strictly only swinging - 50ft Woman
3) Ghostified - Persian Claws
4) Alright - Dave Doll
5) London loves you - Karim Fanus
6) Vampires - Sunfiies
7) Vinyl as a manifesto - The Tuesday Club
8) The Table - do the standing still - VINYL
9) Enter my world - Tagas
10) Tea Set - Parry Thomas - VINYL
11) Long live the King - Dark Stares
12) Big noise from the jungle - Tiller Boys - VINYL
13) Fashion Wheel - Oh No Commando
14) Comsat Angels - Independence Day - VINYL
15) Fighting trousers - Professor Elemental
16) The Produkt - this ones for you - VINYL
17) Made in China- Ministers Dead
18) Vinyl stitches - I said alright
19) Spark - Disco’s out murders in
20) Blazeraids - Strange Dream - demo
21) Clive Pig and the Hopeful Chinamen - Happy Birthday Sweet 16 demo
22) Innocent Vicars - Antimatter - demo
23) Into the black - D.O.D.O. - cupboard demo
24) Turning - Model Staggs.
25) Great Adventure - The Scratch
Dear Scratchers,
Don’t bother with the telly tonight! Why not go to bed early? Grab a bottle of wine and a family bag of twiglets and tune into ‘Sound Of The Suburbs!’ The show kicks off at 10pm and is presented by our very own Andy and John. Tonight the chaps delve once more into the dim distant past and unearth vinyl gems from long forgotten local(ish) bands! Plus there’s the demo drawer, your monthly song about trousers and all their current favourite mp3’s. The show is on straight after MIke Lidskin’s excellent ‘California Diner’ at rechargedradio.com - so there’s 4 hours of your life you won’t need to plan!
x
Dear Scratchers, Happy New Year!
To all intents and purposes, we’ve been a little quiet of late? - externally at least… however behind the scenes we’ve resembled something akin to a Victorian work house fused with some kind of highly illegal far Eastern sweatshop… There’s been all sorts of planning and plotting towards the main focus of Spring 2012, namely the release of Great Adventure - The Album… Plus… Andy and John have just recorded the second of their new show - The Sounds of the Suburbs on rechargedradio.com It will be broadcast tomorrow night form 10pm and incase you miss it, repeated each Tuesday until they record the next one for February. If none of these fit into your busy lives, have no fear, as you can simply download the podcasts for free from itunes a couple of days after the broadcast.
To whet your appetites, here’s a selection of the bands and artists featured this week!
50ft Woman, Persian Claws, Dave Doll, Dark Stares, Professor elemental, Ministers Dead, Vinyl stitches, Clive Pig and the Hopeful Chinamen, Model Staggs and of course… The Scratch, with the title track of the new album Great Adventure.
We hope you like it!
x
Dear Scratchers,
We just wanted to say a Hug(h)e thanks to the mighty Hugh Davenport for having us back on his Eclectic Plectrum show at crmk.co.uk on Thursday December 15th. For those who missed it (shame on you, asleep on the sofa!)… Andy and Super visited Hugh’s new studio in uptown Milton Keynes to reprise the now ‘legendary’ Scratch show hijack!… we spoke of much, not least Wag Potential (who has and hasn’t got it!) and gave away many nuggets of exclusive info re-our plans for 2012, not least our Great Adventure album Launch.
BIG, nay HUGE thanks for all your continued support mate, see you in the new year.
Here’s the track listing - The themes we chose to feature for this show were: Christmas, Unemployment and The Future.
WAG Potential - The Scratch
Dirty Fingernails - Nite Wreckage (Huge’s pick!)
Career Opportunities - The Clash
Beautiful Future - Primal Scream
Purple snowflakes - Marvin Gaye
Na na na na na - Kaiser Chiefs
Last White Christmas - Basement 5
Step into my office - Belle and Sebastian
Christmas Bop - T.Rex
Vinyl as a manifesto - The Tuesday Club
22 Grand Job - The Rakes
Christmas Steps - Mogwai
To hell with poverty - Gang of Four
The Silent Scream - The Bleeed
A Change at Christmas (say it isn’t so) - The Flaming Lips
Oh Shit! - Buzzcocks
Wonderful World - Joey Ramone
Doledrum - The La’s
No Money - The Boys
Grievances - Daniel Johnston
The Professional - Sleater Kinney
Great Adventure - The Scratch
x
Dear Scratchers, there had been much rumour, but now, here’s the confirmation of Andy’s new monthly show for Recharged Radio, in which he aim’s to feature Predominantly but not exclusively music from the suburbs and will more than likely have some kind of Hertfordshire connection, where there isn’t one a conjuring of a dubious link will occur, like ‘We once did a gig with them and though they are all German’ We’re from Hertfordshire… get the idea? The rules is there to be broken, there shall be no barrier on great music!
The show will also feature a ‘vintage vinyl’ section where Andy and ace musical archeologist ‘Vintage’ Viney will delve into the dim distant past to unearth gems from long forgotten local(ish) bands!
On Saturday 10th December Andy recorded the first of what will hopefully become a regular monthly live show. It was first broadcast on Monday 12th December (a soft launch… “In case it was crap!”) It is available by searching itunes for Recharged Radio and then looking for Andy Scratch - Sound of the Suburbs, we hope you enjoy it!
For those who are into that kinda thang, here’s the track listing, thanks to all the bands included for their great music.
1) Strickly only swinging - 50ft Woman
2) Squeeze it ‘til I break it it - Mamajamas
3) Long live the king - Dark Stares
4) Tuxla - Probing Cranks
5) Funkatarium - Jump
6) Prosectic Limb - Licking Chocolate Jesus
7) Sex with Strangers - Exit International
8) Fashion Wheel - Oh No Commando
9) Supervillan - Dekay and D’Mans
10) She’s my food - Little Philistines
11) Valerie Leon (Queen of Neon) - The Bleeed
12) Leni - Flash Fiktion
13) Blackspot - Grand Old Dukes (The Ambush)
14) New Glamour - The Tuesday Club
15) It ain’t easy - We are White Worm
16) Tri - X - Pan - The Tea Set (on vinyl)
17) Magnetic People - Model Staggs
18) Say something - Disco Pistol (on vinyl)
19) Waiting for the walls to come down - The D.O.D.O.
20) Still living out the car crash - Restricted Hours (on vinyl)
21) I know what you did last summer - La Shark
22) I want to be somebody - The Syndicate (on vinyl)
23) Pilgrims - Brute Chorus
24) Backwards in the night - Johnny Curious (on vinyl)
25) Trousers - Clowns
26) Trigger Finger - The Scratch (on vinyl)
27) Passion - Starscream
28) ID - Toxins
29) F is For Fake - Ray On
30) Great Adventure - The Scratch
Turbulent times have left ones brain off kilter in recent weeks… So much so we missed this! Huge apologies to Simon for not thanking him.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2011 AT 2:57PM
Some of us as WAGS or so The Scratch would have us believe.
Last weekend was the launch of their new single WAG Potential at the Pioneer Club in St Albans, and as it was the wifes turn to drive I did the decent thing and paid for the tickets for us. Having seen them play a few times it is always guaranteed to be a good night, and as this was also being broadcast live onRecharged Radio I was pretty sure Andy and the guys would do their best to entertain. The Pioneer Club is where Enter Shikari practice, and is a central point for local bands to practice and play, and is a fairly sizeable venue with a decent stage set up.
A couple of local bands started the evening off, As Daylight Dies then The Vertigos and finally the Dark Stares who I had also seen before but seemed a bit harder this time round while we watched from the balcony. Having “enjoyed” a few beers with the band and also Minki of 50Ft Woman fame, Jord from Recharged thought it would be a good time for my debut on Recharged. The last few times I was on the radio was in the early days of Radio 6 (before it was 6 Music) where there were so few listeners that ringing in for any competition was almost a guarantee of winning it. There were no prizes this time, but should you want to listen to me, and all the bands as well, the link is here.
The bar emptied as the opening of the set was the showing of the video for WAG Potential on the screen and the band took to the stage. Andy wearing his trademark white jacket that must spend more time being cleaned than worn the way he throws himself off the stage. Starting with Teen Idol, which regular Recharged Radio listeners will know well, there followed a set mixing some of the old favourites with a lot from the new (yet to be released) album had all the band enjoying themselves which enthusiasm transfered itself to the crowd. A Ramones cover version slips into the middle of the set with ease and the intro to Dear Maniac saw Andy change guitar for some reason. A lively enough track at the best of times as the show closer, this one had one of those moments.
As the song came to a close, the moment of horror for whoever the guitar had been borrowed from as it came swinging overhead and crashing into the edge of the stage, leaving the local security guards in two minds as to what to do.
Andy leaped from the stage and disappeared, the guitar in pieces, the body of which is now a piece of “art” on my office wall. The rest of the band seemed a little perplexed, but he soon reappeared and the encore ended with a more than rousing version of Smell The Gas Taps. Band members in the audience, smashed equipment, ears ringing and smiles all round indicate a good night out in anyones book.
Proper indie guitar music on the DIY punk ethic, enjoyment guaranteed.
Thanks to Tom Robinson for playing our track Girl’s World on his: BBC Introducing ‘Fresh On the Net’ show on Sunday morning 11th December 2011… it’s 22 minutes 29 seconds in you fancy hearing what it sounds like on the Beeb! (you’ve got 5 days left on the iplayer :-) x
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0184r0y
oh and here’s the vid in case you forgot that beard!
http://vimeo.com/1484064
Dear Scratchers,
We write with heavy hearts to inform you all that our proposed Christmas knees up has been cancelled, well to be more accurate we have decided not to go ahead with Thursdays gig at Nambucca due to the fact that the price of the tickets has risen from a £6 advance guestlist to £10 and although some maybe could stretch to this we all felt at such short notice this was too much to ask for a short set, especially considering the current state of everyone’s finances. So big apologies to those who made plans to come to London. We hope you all agree it was too much to ask.
… Tiny Tim will have to make his own arrangements this year.
Happy Christmas.
The Scratch
x
… and here’s ‘Dear Maniac’ in action at the ‘WAG Potential’ Launch do at The Pioneer, last Friday! … Big thanks to Matt for the vid and Dave for the loan of the guitar :-/ … their conversation at the end is priceless! Sorry Dave :-)
So who has got WAG Potential? - You lot that’s who!
The Scratch ‘WAG Potential’ single launch party Friday November 18th 2011 at the Pioneer, St.Albans.
With multi generational support from ‘14+’ers’- As Daylight Dies’, ‘Uni darling Indie’ from The Vertigos and the new heavy rock incarnation of Dark Stares, The WAG Potential launch party/70th anniversary of St.Albans legendary Pioneer Youth/skatepark went smashingly well!
Looking from the balcony at the first band, the stage and room had a fantastic retro ‘Rock goes to college’ feel about it ala the classic early 80’s show that saw a BBC 2 film crew set up at a Uni somewhere around the country (usually it seemed Aylesbury?) and you’d be treated to sets by new or up and coming bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees or The Undertones…(Hurry up with that iphone time machine app!)
The Pioneer has had itself a great deal of refurbishment in the last couple years as a result of The ‘Shikari effect’ especially in the PA and stage department. At least one of The Scratch can remember the previous ramshackle set up when he last played here in the early 90’s as part of an unemployed music work shop (during the last recession…Those mothers come round quicker than Strictly come dancing repeats!). The facelift now giving the old place the look and sound of a quality mini Kentish town forum, or as Steve Filth pointed out pre-gig it is now also very remissant of the Lesser Free Trade Hall scene from the film 24 hour Party People.
As the night progressed through eccletically diverse sets from the talented supports, the room in the bar shrank to a premium as numbers swelled to near burstage, thankfully this was averted as the clock struck 10.30, for it was time for The Scratch to join the likes of St.Albans glitterati: Enter Shikari, Friendly Fires and The Zombies as Pioneer headliners.
A large crowd featuring pretty much a who’s who of The Scratch entourage suddenly surged from the upstairs bar as the opening chord of WAG Potentail sprang from the large video screen situated on the back wall of the stage. The great work of messers Teague, Viney, Honest and cast rocked at 10 feet high! Approx 2.30 later, it was then time for the live action!
Appropriately with Jordan and Jamie Recharged (radio) pumping out the feed to the universe on their Friday Forum show, it was Teen idol that kicked the set into life! Super’s beat and Johnny V’s bass rumble instantly channeling devilment up each trousers leg, however tight, however white! You could really tell from the stage that the anticipation of a (long awaited) live show (the first time since mid summer!) had ignited the throng (that and Bar 62’s cheap Prosecco and burgers deal!… We don’t just care about ourselves, we like to boost the wider community too you know, especially in such times of austerity!)
Texture to the flava, Desire to be Thin and probably the best Out Fakin the Fakers (for Lucy as ever!) since late 2007 followed, all jagged and fist tight. A breath and then it was into Narcotic Hearts, Against the Grain and a deliciously frantic Ramones cover of the classic Commando to take us up to halfway. With the ‘auderve’ duly served, the main event kicked in hard. First up all shimmering in ‘bling and malice’ - WAG Potential (newly available at www.thescratch.co.uk don’t forget!) followed by ‘progessque’ newie, No two castles are the same, then straight into Weirder than we are, the mighty 88th day of rain, a resurrected and triumphant Numbers and finally, probably The Scratch’s ‘masterpiece’ Dear Maniac, delivered on this occasion with Andy playing an unaccustomed red guitar (in truth, not before time, as his telecaster had been steadily more and more out of tune since Commando!)
The room heaved and swayed, Bez Hemingway, pushed and antagonised all in arms reach, the ladies swooned :-)… It was bliss to behold and just when you thought the crescendo of crowd noise and exaggerated last ‘E’ chord were the perfect defining moments, the previously mentioned red guitar suddenly became a legend in it’s own three minutes, as it was unceremoniously de-shouldered and smitten against the corner of the stage, three mighty blows and it went smithereening into the air, to huge howls of joy from the assemblage as Andy disappeared breathless backstage, through the massed ranks… “MOOORREEE” shouted the exhilarated crowd… “More?” shouted Steve Filth “YEEEEAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Shouted the crowd, “You’ll have to do better than that” shouted Steve “Andy’s very shy” “MMMOOOORRREEEEE!!!!!’”.. Suddenley and as if by magic almost Mr.Benn shop keeperesque, crawling between the legs of the front row, he was back… as the opening strains of Critical Mass seeped into the punch drunk psyche… it was now time for mischief…
First off (and as soon as the fivesome were reassembled) a precision foot pedal throw managed to switch off all of Grims pedalboard resulting in a customary roll of eyes to the heavens and a Steve Filth naughty school boy collapse in laughter… The on looking security guys twitched nervously, already shaken by the guitar smash, they were in two minds as to what to do as the errant singer began scalling the lighting rig on a climb to nowhere. They needn’t have feared though for he was soon cavorting, rolling and crawling back into the front row with assorted fans, friends and the frenzied, to a typically anarchic Smell the Gas Taps! Debris and bodies lay in mangled extasy as the for the final time The Scratch bid their amazing following a final goodnight… with the Pioneers mini bar laid waste by our alcholocust gang members, it was soon back to Bar at 62’s for a much needed top up!!!
How many times have we summed up our blogs with ‘that was one of the best gigs we’ve done?’ But, I think after this few who witnessed it would disagree, this had to be a top tenner at least?
In retrospect, there are so many pluses from Friday, it’d be hard not write as much again about each, but in the interests of time we’ll precis, nay, bullet point some of the main ones, plus a few extras for the diary ;-) …
1) Don’t miss the £5 Bar 62 burgers… unreal value!!!
2) Don’t forget to download the podcast at rechargedradio.com next week
3) Those who didn’t on Friday, here’s the link to the WAG potential single: http://shop.thescratch.co.uk/album/wag-potential - please purchase :-)
4) We’ll be announcing our album release date, before Xmas and our return to the Pioneer in our fanzine, so make sure you’re subscribed!!!
All that remains now is the giant list of thank-you’s… In no order, as you are all as important as each other to us!!!!
Thanks to Dave Worm! (Whose loan of one red guitar, has resulted in an urgent need of super glue… no not Super glue… Super glue!), All our Families, the Recharged radio gang, those on duty and those not, crazy Bez ‘The Catalyst’, Ms Fakers and leopardskin Lana, all those who wagged it, Andy B, Andy K, Jem and all at the Pioneer, Steve and his security team for their understanding and restraint ;-) Neil, Danielle, Rich and all at 62’s - glad the gamble paid off ;-), Robbie for his amazing sales!!!, Spurs Simon (as he shall always be to us) and Debs, John’s birthday gang (all 20 or so of them), big mentions to Kelly and Ryan, (arch participants) and the rest of the irrepressible London gang, Trev, Beaver et al, Cheadle the enigma, all our work friends (… sorry to mention the ‘W’ word Davy Niven)… Sam the ‘high priestess’ wag representative and Mr.Robson, Mrs. Super and her bum rubbers (sounds like the name of a new side project?!!), Hug(h)e Davenport and his tache, Super’s sis, The Filth gang, the Hemel two, the nephews, our Tina, Paul and assorted friends and family, Hansi (good to meet in better circumstance). And finally anyone else who doesn’t fit one of those demographics! We love you all!
Oh and just to clarify, that suspicious looking rubber thing Andy produced from his trouser after song two and threw into the front row, it really was the old handle off his amp you filthy minded lot ;-)
See you on the 8 December at Nambucca in Holloway Road, for the end of 2011 as we know it and your last chance of The Scratch until Spring 2012!!! Keep ‘um peeled and thanks again
xx
Hi all, just wanted to remind you (as if you needed it!) that tomorrow we release our new single WAG Potential!!! for those of you who can’t make the launch party at the Pioneer in St.Albans and thus purchase one of our limited edition CD’s, here’s a link to our shop for the exclusive download
http://shop.thescratch.co.uk/album/wag-potential
It’s been a great build up to tomorrow nights big do, with thanks to Chris at Verulam Radio for playing the track, to Hug(h)e Davenport for his great review and constant plugging of it on his ace www.crmk.co.uk radio show ‘Eclectic Plectrum’ and of course and not least Jord and the team at Recharged Radio for the plays, plugs and best of all their participation in tomorrow nights events, so all of you unlucky enough to be ‘washing your hair’, ‘watching repeats of strictly’ or ‘having an early night’ will still be able to hear the whole show live or via the podcast next week on www.rechargedradio.com
A quick reminder for those with a ticket that the fun starts from 5pm at Bar 62
http://www.drinkat62.co.uk/Bar_62_St_Albans_Find_Us.html
…. for a ‘Burger and Fizz’ soiree (just show your ticket at the bar and you’ll be able to order burgers for a fiver and discounted Processco and wino!!!)… before we all head up to the Pioneer http://thepioneer.musicglue.com/ for first band ‘As Daylight Dies’ at 7.45… and your chance to purchase the highly limited edition single! Watch out for stars of the video Sarah and Sam Vince, who will be mingling amongst you all extracting your £3’s … We could think of a lot worse things!!!! :-)
Can’t wait to see you all! It’s going to be GRRRRREEEAAAATTT. See you there!!!
”WAG Potential is an awesome slice of social commentary wrapped up in a great driving rhythmn and tongue-in-cheek lyrics - in less than three minutes The Scratch summarise what is sometimes “irksome” about the “I’m a Celebrity…..” culture. I’m off now to find me a footballer……” Eclectic Plectrum, CRMK Online.
Perfect… can’t wait for tomorrow night!!!
Thanks to the Herts Ad newspaper for the clipping and online plug for Friday’s launch do. See you there!
…in the lull between work :-( and the big gig :-) … here’s the perfect place to get those rock’n’roll juices flowing and get mingling with the Vincettes… The stars of our WAG Potential vid!
http://vimeo.com/27593102
See you all at 62’s after our soundcheck, I’m havin the lamb and mint burger! Plus to book your free lift up to the venue for the first band at 7.45, just buy Super a Britvic 55 :-) x
