The Pagans (Tim Allee, Mike Hudson, Mike Metoff & Brian Hudson) on the edge at the legendary Independence Day party on July 4th 1978 at Peter Ball’s family mansion, Bratenhal, Cleveland, which also included The Cramps and Pere Ubu, as captured by Randy Meggitt.

The bands performed on a concrete ledge built into a cliff face overlooking Lake Erie and the audience, various hippies and members of Cleveland’s underground scene, watched from the lakeside 15 feet below, while others were twisting on boats and yachts moored in the lake, later on enjoying the 4th of July fireworks.

The mighty Pagans started out as a Rolling Stones cover band became a punk powerhouse led by the formidable Mike Hudson, releasing four 45's between '77 and '79 that still influence punks.

"Mike Hudson could be a piece of shit. He could be the coolest guy you ever met. He could be the guy you wanted to be. He could sucker you out of your last nickel. He could laugh so hard he would throw up and his dental plate would ride the puke stream like the best California surfer. He could make you wanna kick his cocky drunk ass. I was lucky to know that fucker for 40 years”. Scott "Cheese" Borger, clepunk veteran.

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Who was gonna tell me that I can watch his festival gig online??? Also it’s free!!!

In C&C heaven tonight at the Riverstage

Lauri Ylönen, Tallinn, 2022

It's out on streaming and is awesome.

Now I just long for a new album

Conor Mason of Nothing But Thieves at Pure&Crafted Festival, Berlin / July 2022

shot by Nora Bruchertseifer

Live Review: Confidence Man @ O2 Institute, Birmingham

Artist: Confidence Man

Venue:  O2 Institute, Birmingham, UK

Date: 23rd November 2022

Rating: 8.0/10

After being the toast of the festival circuit this summer can Confidence Man replicate such carefree hedonism on a drizzly November night in Birmingham? Yes, yes they can! Whether it’s performing on a barmy summer’s day or the modest confines of the O2 Institute, the Australian quartet know how to unleash giddy party vibes with aplomb. The foursome’s dance-pop revelry is nothing but upbeat and brimming with silly joy as they sashay through choice cuts from their two studio albums ‘Confident Music for Confident People’ and ‘TILT’, along with a few singles and an inspired cover to close off the night.  

What can you expect from a Confidence Man show? A performance, that’s what. Tonight’s gig isn’t just four people on stage dialling it in, this is high energy pop with numerous costume changes and simple yet effective synchronised dance moves, all delivered with a poker-face as they bound around like they’re doing an aerobic workout. Taking to the stage in oversized suits, a la David Byrne in Talking Heads’ seminal documentary ‘Stop Making Sense’, front pairing Janet Planet and Sugar Bones kick off their pulse racing set with ‘Toy Boy’ and ‘Out the Window’. Utilising their props with style, their exaggerated formal wear takes on its own persona while the duo round their shoulders to the sound of thumping dance music supplied by Clarence McGuffie and Reggie Goodchild. While Planet and Bones are the main focal point, what with their flailing limbs and non-stop vitality, McGuffie and Goodchild are more discreet in their stage get-up; they’re dressed like ninja beekeepers with their faces obscured by black veils – of course!

After rattling through the first four songs of the evening, the suits are removed in favour of neon flashing shoulder pads and white trousers for Bones and a white fringed flapper dress and a Madonna-esque conical bra that strobes with all the colours of the rainbow for Planet. It’s at this point where the tempo ratchets up and the frenetic duo leap into overdrive. 90s house music infiltrates the night and a Balearic tone intoxicates the heaving Brummie contingent. Champagne is sprayed, sunglasses are donned and arms are hurled skyward; forget Birmingham, squint your eyes and this could be Ibiza and the debauchery of Manumission back in the day. The likes of ‘Does It Make You Feel Good?’, ‘Feels Like a Different Thing’ and ‘Luvin U is Easy’ go down a storm as you would want and expect. Not forgetting the tongue-in-cheek silliness of the group, there’s a healthy dollop of satire as the front pairing spell out “cool” with similar arm movements to the YMCA on ‘C.O.O.L Party’ at the heart of the main set. After another costume change, this time floaty snakeskin-like bohemian fabric billows like ship sails, the pair bring proceedings to a close with ‘Boyfriend (Repeat)’ and fan favourite ‘Holiday’. The latter is the perfect way to round off Confidence Man’s Birmingham show, with both performers and audience fused in an anthemic, rowdy union.

Wait, what’s this, surely they can’t top the flawless ‘Holiday’? Well, apparently they can and they did. A two song encore is triggered by ‘Relieve the Pressure’ which doesn’t quite match the effervescence of ‘Holiday’ but the colossal synth stabs of ‘Heaven’, a cover of DJ Sammy’s trance smash hit (which in-turn is a Bryan Adams cover) signals one last hurrah with frantic dancing from band and punters.

Striding out of festival season Confidence Man were coronated band of the summer and on the strength of tonight’s show they might need to be upgraded to band of the year.

 Word and thoughts by Adam Williams

 Photography by Naomi Abbs-Williams

When the autism gets caught on camera... Wayne family adventures at the barricade

Punk Rock Warlord Joe Strummer in spectacular photos by Lisa Haun in New York in 1981, when the Clash played a series of gigs at Bonds International Casino.

"BOND International Casino had seen better days. Initially, a New York dining club during its ’30s pomp, it had since undergone a series of low-rent makeovers. After sitting vacant for several years during the late ’70s, it reopened as a nightclub and music venue - a garish multi-storey disco located in the grit of Times Square. But during three thrilling weeks in summer 1981, Bond’s was the hottest place in New York. It was from here that The Clash pulled off their most audacious coup. “They just took over New York, which is some feat,” recalls DJ and filmmaker Don Letts. “And they did it with style. It was fucking unreal." pocketmags.com/

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This beast starts drumming and the whole stadium is instantly pregnant

Dear Seattle live in Melbourne

(Not my photo)

A short clip of Crossroads from our yesterday’s gig at the Compasses! 

james price of nothing but thieves / berlin, july 2022

shot by nora bruchertseifer

Sorry for the radio silence! I’ve been juggling the upcoming animated series, album #2, comics, as well as some additional stuff regarding the 360° Hexperience, our virtual ”live gig”, which just came out a couple of weeks back.

The response to the Hexperience has been amazing, and I want to thank all of you who've raised their horns and crabwalked with us through this painful yet rewarding journey. You rule! 🔥🤘🔥

And yes, if you’re still interested in checking it out, you’ll find the info on igg.me/at/belzebubs. Please note, though, that Indiegogo doesn’t offer an autoreply to which I could add the necessary details to, so I’m always sending out the infos out to you manually, so to speak. 🙂

Thanks again, more comics dropping later!