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Return of the Space Man

2009-09-17T13:43:00.003+01:00

After the release of Chinese Democracy, giving an album the build up of “Twenty Years In The Making” is no longer something to get excited about. After all, it is also a good twenty plus years since the likes of Aerosmith and Motley Crue have made a note of music worth listening too, whilst Kiss are coming up on the 30th Anniversary of their last credible album. So when news arrived that Ace Frehely, the world’s coolest living guitarist (OK, joint coolest with Joe Perry) was about to release an album, I must admit to being a little concerned. Despite being on the payroll of the $immon$tanley empire for so many years, Ace never stuck me as being in it for the money (in it for the sex, drugs and booze, but not the cash) so it was safe to assume it was not going to be a cliché laden cash-in on the hype for the forthcoming Kiss release, but since his last outing and given Ace’s gloriously eccentric persona I must confess to expecting something either seriously weird or self indulgent. And what did we get? Thankfully neither. What we got was “Anomaly”, a great, honest classic rock album.

The fact that on ‘Anomaly’ Ace delivers more than just a few moments of classic era Kiss only ever stands as a huge fun filled testament to Ace’s importance to the likes of Rock & Roll Over and Destroyer than any stale attempt to rehash the past. But make an effort get past the inevitable comparisons with his own history and after a couple of listens you are rewarded when Ace’s real influences start to emerge – not least in his frequent trips to the sounds of his native New York. Ace comes on like a smiling incarnation of Lou Reed on a number of occasions, not least on “Change The World” which sounds like Reed on the Prozac jamming with XTC. The ghost of Johnny Thunders drifts around “A Little Below the Angels”, a song about Ace’s rocky past, that in the hands of just about any other 12 Stepping rock star would have been unbearably cloying, yet Ace delivers it with a charm and sense of humour that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy rather than nauseous and preached at.

Had the riff and chorus of “Too Many Faces” appeared on a Foo Fighters album the world’s music press would be proclaiming is as a master at work. The opening bars to “Pain In The Neck” sound like something Billy Duffy could have stolen from Alice Cooper, but far from sounding dated or overtly influenced, emanating from Ace’s smoking Les Paul, it all sounds real, fresh and like a true pioneer reminding the world that rather than being inspired by, he has done more than his fair share of inspiring.

“Fox on the Run” though is nothing short of a classic. Covers are always a tricky thing to pull off, but Ace does it by evoking his Space Ace past, gives it the 3 minute pop edge that could just have easily been delivered by Cheap Trick, before throwing in that sing along chorus that if you didn’t know any better you’d swear was The Sweet themselves and the result is a truly glorious radio friendly smasher that in a perfect world would signal a full scale 70s glam revival.

OK, so there is a little weirdness (“Return of the Space Bear”) but nothing remotely self-indulgent. It is as if for the last 20 years Ace has been happy to leave the music to the kids to do for themselves, but having seen them try and fail as well as watching many of his contemporaries embarrass themselves, he has said “enough is enough” and decided to step back onto the stage to show them just how it should be done –

20 years is a long time to wait, but for once such a wait was well worth it, just please don’t leave it so long next time Ace.

As a side note, given that the super deluxe space pyramid CD case version of Anomaly is only going to be available over here in the UK on import for £25 ($40) it is either a trip to iTunes or a call to any friend you might have in the States for them to pop along to Best Buy (apparently their version is better than the Wall*Mart one)

The legacy of Les Paul

2009-09-08T15:31:00.002+01:00

The legacy of Les Paul
The world of rock n roll is not the most natural for giving plaudits and platitudes out to the deserving yet unsung characters but with the passing of one of the most influential heroes you could ever come across. The name of Lester William Polsfuss may not sound like the type of name that will have a stadium audience rocking and rolling but when you shorten it to Les Paul you will probably start to grasp why the world of music is a quieter place this week. Although a musician in his own right, the solid body guitar is what the man was most famously known for and you can guarantee that some of your heroes have rocked the stage using his instrument. Quite simply, the Les Paul guitar is one of the most important weapons a rock and roll act can have in their arsenal. Don’t get us wrong, the Stratocaster, the Telecaster and even the Flying V Guitar have the right to be cherished but the Les Paul is so iconic that it stands out from the rest.
A large part of the reason for its enduring popularity is the number of famous guitar players who regularly play the instrument. This creates a massive demand in their fan base to pick up the instrument as all the inspirational fans pick up the same guitar as their hero. This has seen the Les Paul be the instrument of choice for a whole army of budding musicians and local bands.
One of the most famous players of the Les Paul has been Slash and in the past few days the legendary guitarist has been paying tribute to the man behind his machine. Its hard to think of so many of the great Guns N Roses or Velvet Revolver songs without picturing the Les Paul guitar playing its part. Axl Rose may believe that he was the only focal point for the crowd but with Slash’s guitar playing and Duff McKagan keeping the bottom end together, the music was top notch throughout. And that’s what the Les Paul offered, quality and constancy in an electric guitar and if you were to examine even a partial list of guitarists who used it, it would read like a who’s who of rock n roll.
Classic guitarists like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Mick Ronson, Joe Perry and Zakk Wylde have all been spotted playing the Les Paul. Given the influence of these musicians, it is easy to see why so many future generations have chosen to use the instrument and it has played its part throughout the years.
Punk rock may have stood itself apart from the generations that went before but Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols and Mick Jones from The Clash were more than happy to be play the Les Paul and the legacy doesn’t stop there. Modern guitarists like Noel Gallagher have ensured that a new generation of budding musicians and music fans have been introduced to the Les Paul and you can guarantee that the musical legacy and influence of Lester William Polsfuss will live on for many generations to come.

New Rock Star APPROVED Rock Star Academy T-shirts

2009-09-03T18:54:00.004+01:00

New T-shirts are up on the site:
First up we have Tommy & Pamela's Honeymoon Home Movies. Then we have a new AC/DC design with "Welcome To Rosie's Place". Then we have one of my new favourite T-shirts... inspired by and in tribute to my favourite guitarist (along with Johnny Thunders, Marco Peroni and Izzy Stradlin).... the one and only Kiss Spaceman, Ace Frehley. No doubt you have noticed that when Ace wore one of our Dr Keith's Rock N' Roll Pharmacy T-shirts I shat my spleen with sheer delight and uncontrollable pride and joy. Anyway, this tribute is Ace's Space Academy. I just hope you lot love it as much as I do.

Finally though.... how could I possibly top an Ace Frehley T-shirt? Only by Ginger from my favourite band, the Wildhearts seeing AND LIKING our new T-shirt of him. The story goes that we have been the T-shirt supplier of choice for bass superstar and friend to the stars Michael Butler of Rock & Roll Geek fame for some time. Well, Michael was asked to be Ginger's bass player for his recent batch of shows in LA at the El Ray and more importantly at the Viper Room (where DJ, fixer and resident rock chick supreme Chelsea is our now officially the finest of all LA residents). As Michael usually does (because he is an obvious man of taste) he was wearing one of our shirts each time Ginger saw him at rehearsals and at the gig itself. Ginger liked them and asked if he could have one to wear to the Kerrang! Awards (where the Wildhearts went on to collect the Spirit of Independence Award). When we sent him a stack of T-shirts he took a look at the site, said some nice things before wanting to know why we didn't have a Wildhearts one. Obviously the Greetings From Shitsville lyric one was not enough and he wanted an image one. So when your favourite frontman says that, you kinda have to act. The T-shirt went up and I waited for the response.... then it came... GINGER APPROVED

Chuffed? you bet your life I am.

PS - oh yeah, talking of Marco Peroni and Izzy Stradlin, both will be available on our T-shirts VERY SOON.

Reading and Leeds don’t rock like they used to!

2009-08-25T17:05:00.002+01:00

Reading and Leeds don’t rock like they used to!
It used to be that the Reading festival (and latterly the Leeds festival) was a good hard rocking festival where you would get a great number of bands who would fill the moshpit. Even a quick look at this year’s line-up would indicate that this is not going to be the case in 2009. That’s not to say that there is a lack of great bands on the bill but there is just not the same if you wanted to headbang your little heart out. There is also a feel of familiarity with some of the other big festivals this summer although they have managed to keep one or two exclusives up their sleeve with the headliners.
Radiohead are still a band that thrill and bore many people and the thought of Thom Yorke singing splits a crowd like very few others. There is no doubt that songs like “Paranoid Android”, “Just” and “Creep” are bona fide festival classics but the band has lost their way commercially in their last few records. Artistic expression is one but thing but heading down a prog rock route is not for everyone. Radiohead are the band that Muse would like to be but it is fair to say that Muse are further down the prog-rock like the sons of Queen , Rush and Pink Floyd.
The other headliner Arctic Monkeys have changed their sound with third album ‘Humbug’ and the influence of producer Josh Homme looms large. The Queens of the Stone Age front-man has worked with the band in hardening up their sound and broadened the musical output of the band. The change in the bands sound can also be seen in the clothes with press photos showing band members to be wearing Black Sabbath t-shirts. Alex Turner has a better lyrical turn of phrase than Ozzy Osbourne but whether he will be as famous for as long as the Prince of Darkness remains to be seen.
It can only be hoped that this weekends headliners have better luck than Oasis who were the listed headliners at V festival. The simmering tension between Noel Gallagher and his little brother Liam Gallagher appears to be peaking again and many believe that the singers drop-out to laryngitis was a cover for another explosive bust-up between the brothers. What must really gall the Gallaghers is that old sparring partners Blur have managed to rebound and wowed festival audiences earlier this summer. At this moment in time, there is no doubt that Blur appear to be the better bet for having a long-term future than Oasis, which may have sounded out of place over a year ago. The biggest downside is that any fan who was singing “where were you while we were getting high?” would have been directing their lyrics to the band as opposed to joyfully singing ‘Champagne Supernova’ in front of the stage. It may well be the final chapter in the turbulent history of the boys from Manchester.
There probably wont be a classic Reading moment like the time Kurt Cobain was wheeled onstage for Nirvana’s seminal set but it must be hoped that the fans who attend get some memorable moments to enjoy.

Could we finally have a cool supergroup again?

2009-08-07T08:00:00.002+01:00

It sounds as though it cant be a bad thing but how many times have you heard the word supergroup only to be let down by what was eventually offered to the fans? It seems simple enough to take a bunch of talented musicians and have them make some music that everyone will love but somewhere along the way, supergroups stopped becoming fun. Back in the 1960s, Neil Young would be popping up everywhere and the tapes of John Lennon jamming with Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Mitch Mitchell as Dirty Mac are still revered today. At the time, that band pulled members from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience but the era of the supergroup hasn’t been as exciting since then but that may be changing sometime soon.
Even jaded rock fans would have raised an eyebrow at the news that Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones are going to work together in a group called Them Crooked Vultures. There hasn’t been much music working its way from the band yet but there has been a promise to not suck and if they achieve that, then they will probably be a bigger success than many peoples previous attempts to pull together a supergroup.
Dave Grohl certainly needs no introduction having been in two of the biggest bands of the last two decades. When Kurt Cobain took his own life and ended the career of Nirvana, you would not have put too much money on the drummer going off to become the biggest success of all the group. That is exactly what has transpired with Grohl dropping the drum sticks and picking up guitar and forming the Foo Fighters. The first Foo Fighters record was practically a solo lp in all but name but since then they have evolved into stadium rockers extraordinaire. That has kept Grohl rather busy but he has found time to hook up with some other bands with one of the most popular being with the Queens of The Stone Age.
Grohl joined with Homme and Nick Oliveri, and Mark Lanegan on a few numbers, for the phenomenal ‘Songs For The Deaf’ record so there is a previous working relationship between the two as well. Grohl also provides the link to the other member of the new group as rumours persisted that he would be the man to complete a reunion of another well revered rock n roll band.
When the Led Zeppelin reunion tour rumours were starting to build, the talk was about who would replace John Bonham on drums and Dave Grohl was heavily tipped to take on the mammoth role. We all know that Bonhams son eventually took the chair but perhaps something stuck with John Paul Jones. Grohl may not be playing with Robert Plant or Jimmy Page but he will get the chance to play behind their bass player, which is much more than most rock n roll fans will ever get to do.
Who knows if Them Crooked Vultures will be a success but it can only be hoped they do because with the talent at their disposal, they could be just what the genre needs.

Wildhearts win Kerrang Spirit of Independence Award wearing BathroomWall

2009-08-05T02:08:00.003+01:00

Wildhearts win Spirit of Independence Kerrang! Award and Ginger collects the gong whilst wearing a Rock & Roll Geek "Who The Fuck Is Michael Butler?" T-shirt from BathroomWall

Respect to Michael for getting his name splashed across one of his musical idols and of course a HUGE thanks to Chelsea at The Viper Room / High Voltage Magazine for making it happen

Ace Frehely wears BathroomWall - a better picture

2009-08-03T12:39:00.003+01:00

A better picture of Ace Frehley wearing his Dr Keith T-shirt

Ace Frehley... Yes, THE Ace Frehley wears BathroomWall

2009-08-03T08:38:00.005+01:00

ACE FUCKING FREHLEY is wearing a BathroomWall T-shirt. One of the guys that made me fall in love with rock n' roll is standing centre stage as guest of all-star rock n' roll jam band, Camp Freddy and he, the man that gave Kiss a heart and soul; the man that set an entirely new standard for stage craft and performance; the guitarist 100% responsible for all of Kiss' finest moments (Love It Loud excepted); the space man that influenced a whole generation of guitarists is WEARING a Keith Richards Dr Keith's Rock N' Roll Pharmacy T-shirt that I designed. Rock N' Roll All Nite. Do You Love Me? Too right I do Ace.... YOU RULE.

On stage with Ace are Camp Freddy, which tonight are Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver, The Cult & Guns N' Roses), Steve Stevens (loads of people, but most famous as Billy Idol's guitarist), Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction), Billy Morrisson (The Cult, Ginger Wildheart's solo band).

Rock stars wear BathroomWall T-shirts

2009-08-02T22:46:00.005+01:00

Last night (Saturday 1st August) former Darkness front man and current Hot Leg mainman, Justin Hawkins took to the stage for a secret private show at an un-named Californian venue wearing T-shirts from www.BathroomWall.co.uk. This photo shows Justin in his Sleazy Guitars T-shirt.

Ian Brown, Stone Roses, Madchester and some monkeys

2009-07-31T07:43:00.003+01:00

Ian Brown is the Mancunian King of the Monkeys
There was a lot of talk before the summer that the latest band to jump on the reunion bandwagon was going to be The Stone Roses but to the disappointment of many of their fans was the rebuttal from guitarist John Squire. Squire was quick off the mark with his announcement but to be honest, it has been bassist Mani and lead singer Ian Brown who have been the more creative in recent years.
Fans of the band have at least been pleased by the news that Ian Brown has announced that his next album will be released in September and is entitled ‘My Way’. The singer has managed to split opinion throughout his career with many considering him to be a poor singer but his influence stretched far and wide.
It is very easy to the influence that Ian Brown has had on Oasis frontman, Liam Gallagher. Everything from the swagger to the nasal-led delivery of the ‘Champagne Supernova’ singer can be linked back to the man who brought ‘Fools Gold’ to the world. There is no doubt that The Stone Roses were a massive influence on so many of the indie bands who have came since but they weren’t the only major act to have come from the Madchester era.
Some people considered The Stone Roses to be a bit too serious and much preferred the more humorous output of Happy Monday. With lyrics along the lines of “Son, I’m thirty, I only went with your mother cos shes dirty” from ‘Kinky Afro’, it’s hard to argue that Shaun Ryder, Bez and the rest of the boys knew how to party. The early 1990s were a great time to be alive for Manchester music but there have been many fantastic generations for music in one of England’s major cities.
A prior boom period for Manchester music came in the late 1970s when the punk scene was sweeping the United Kingdom with Joy Division forging their own musical path and laying the building blocks for future generations. The lyrics of front man Ian Curtis are remembered to this day with the bands most successful track ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ still being loved and covered to this day. Tragedy struck the band when on the eve of an American tour, Curtis committed suicide, derailing the band and devastating music fans all over the world. Curtis may have joined the club of music stars dying before their time but much like Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones and Bon Scott, his music lives on and continues to inspire musicians and music lovers everywhere.
The next popular wave of Mancunian music came in the early to mid 1980s when The Smiths were the band that all the indie kids loved, with focus falling on the bands dynamic duo. Guitarist Johnny Marr unleashed classic line after line but much of the focus fell on ‘The Charming Man’, Morrissey who was the poster boy for flower waving intellectualists everywhere. Morrissey may have appealed to a completely different market that Ian Brown managed to win over a few years later but both of these singers have captivated audiences everywhere.

New York Dolls still rock

2009-07-23T12:05:00.001+01:00

The summer of 2009 has definitely been the time for former heroes to get on the road and wow a new audience but it is not always about the artists who have been away for years. Sometimes an older artist or act finds a new lease of life and manages to stay on the road for a period of years. What their shows lose in the novelty excitement of their first shows back, gain in the experience and comfort that comes from playing regularly and getting a partnership together again. This is a good way to describe many of the acts performing this summer but one of the best ones under this banner is definitely the New York Dolls. They may be close to their fortieth year together but they are still more than capable of putting on a show, even though they may be down to two original members. David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain are more than capable of putting on a show and anyone who has the pleasure of seeing the boys on their current tour will be more than satisfied.
They may have developed their own sound from bands like MC5 and The Stooges but the New York Dolls had a far wider influence than just on punk bands. Yes, their impact on the New York New Wave and punk scene is well documented with even acts like Blondie taking a lot from the band but there have been a number of big names artists professing their love who you may not think of as big Dolls fans. Morrissey, formerly of The Smiths and now a solo artist of much fame, was such a big fan that he was president of the fan club. It doesn’t get much bigger than that and Morrissey played a huge role in the bands reformation in 2004. Another really big fan of the band is Michael Stipe from R.E.M. Yes, the man who crooned “that’s me in the corner” on ‘Losing My Religion’ has regularly stated his love of the New York Dolls, even if the influence does not come shining through in his own bands music.
Johnny Thunders managed to carve out a career after the band went their separate ways and the maverick guitarist and front-man was one of the most recognisable heroes of the punk legend. Tracks like ‘You Cant Put Your Arms Around A Memory’ or ‘One Track Mind’ stand the test of time and are as much a blue print for punk rock as anything by The Ramones or the Sex Pistols. As well as touring the Sex Pistols and The Clash, Thunders later worked with Steve Jones and Paul Cook on his ‘So Alone’ album, putting him firmly at the heart of all things punk on both sides of the Atlantic. There will always be a level of debate and discussion over which brand of punk rock was better but Thunders was one of the boys that managed to straddle both sides convincingly.
In the end, Johnny Thunders went the same way as Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix and Sid Vicious in the fact that his death is still shrouded in mystery. He may be missing from the New York Doll’s current tour and new found popularity but his legacy lives on and still managing to influence new generations of fans.

Its holiday time

2009-07-17T14:08:00.002+01:00

Given that we are now in the middle of July, it is obvious that many people will start to turn their attention to getting away and enjoying the summer sun if possible. The credit crunch may be holding some people back and if you find yourself unable to get away, why don’t you turn up your amps to 11 and let your classic rock and heavy metal heroes transport you to a different time and place?
One of the things about a great summer is that it allows you to get away from your everyday life and experience new things. One thing that many people would choose to do is “Run To The Hills” and what better way to do this than by taking the advice of Iron Maiden. Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson may not have had a summer holiday on their mind when they unleash this song at gigs, and we all know its an unlikely thought for Eddie to have but if it gets you in the mood, then why try to fight it? It may surprise you but Iron Maiden have a lot more holiday advice for any metal head who wishes to soak up the sun. A rallying cry of “Scream for me Long Beach” from the ‘Live After Death’ release may not necessarily be about finding the sun but with a bit of lateral thinking, who can fail to find their mind wandering to the beach and sand.
And when it comes to sand, who better to guide you than Metallica and their 1990s smash hit, ‘Enter Sandman’. This was one of the songs that launched James Hetfield , Kirk Hammett and Lars to a truly worldwide and mainstream audience but although the days of Cliff Burton may have been behind them, Metallica still knew how to rock out and have fun.
Former touring partners and more often than not enemies, Guns N Roses also knew how to throw in a holiday style lyric to their back catalogue and who can overlook the classic ‘Paradise City’? Any location where “the grass is green and the girls are pretty” would be an almost perfect holiday destination and with Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan as your tour guides, who could fail to have a great time? The Jack D may flow freely but you can bet that the amount of girls hanging around would be akin to Led Zeppelin and their Starship days. Great weather and girls really would be the ‘Stairway to Heaven ‘of all holiday hot spots. And if you cant get a lot of girls, get one big one and if you need any advice about how to do just that, who better to ask than AC/DC, who will tell you about ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ and the ways you can have fun on holiday.
So whether you want to spend your holiday in a ‘Purple Haze’ or you just want some quiet ‘Satisfaction’, following your classic rock stars advice when it comes to getting away from it all will ensure you make the very most of your time off.

women in music

2009-07-16T17:28:00.002+01:00

Even a casual observer of the music press would have noticed a lot of column inches given over to Florence and the Machine, who are due to release their debut album this week. Female vocalists and kooky front women have been all the rave this year with Lady Gaga, La Roux and Little Boots all being ranked highly but Florence offers something different, notably the fact that there is no L at the start of her name. However, she also sings in a very ethereal manner and is quite happy to show her pants at every occasion, making her a big hit with the boys. This may sound slightly similar to an act who has gone before and it has to be said that Florence just seems like a modern version of Kate Bush.
Who can forget Kate Bush bursting onto the scene with ‘Wuthering Heights’ with the tremendous lyrics of “You had a temper like my jealousy” and it has to be said that young Florence cannot hold a candle to Kate Bush. There may be a level of hype around Florence but it has to be remembered that Kate Bush had a helping hand at the start of her career with Dave Gilmour being a key influence on her early days. Yes, that is Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame, friend of Syd Barrett and adversary of Roger Waters who helped Ms Bush break into the music scene.
Of course, with strange dance moves, unpredictable vocal range and flowery dresses, many fans may think there is a similarity between Florence and Stevie Nicks. The music of Fleetwood Mac may be far more commercial than the material released by Florence and the Machine but it does indicate that modern bands and artists wear their influences very openly.
This means that fans who weren’t even born when some of the greatest musicians were tearing up the stage can be a fan of their material and love it as much as fans at the time did. Sure, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan are all still touring and wowing live audiences but not every artist was this lucky but this hasn’t done their level of fame or fan base any difficulties.
Brian Jones’ death may still be a cause of debate and conjecture but there are many fans who insist that Keith Richards and Mick Jagger just haven’t been as potent without him. Similarly, who knows what other riffs and leads Jimi Hendrix may have conjured up if he wasn’t taken from us and even mods were robbed of a full Small Faces reunion when Steve Marriott passed away. The thing is, all of these classic rock artists are as loved today as they ever were which means that death is no barrier to commercial success or developing a strong following. In fact, in some cases, it probably helps!
In ten years time, it is hard to say if anyone will even raise an eyebrow at the mention of Florence and the Machine or recall their music but there is no doubt that the passing of some artists leaves many fans with a heavy heart.

40 Years since the Death of Brian Jones

2009-07-11T16:06:00.007+01:00

Guest post from The History of Rock Music

40 years ago saw the first of many rock and roll deaths in the shape of The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones. Sure there had been other musicians that had died, but he was the first to really die a rock and roll death and was the founder member of the 27 club. Within a few years he would be joined by several more.

The Night of Brian Jones Death

Brian Jones died sometime just before midnight on July, 2nd 1969 after drowning in his pool at Cotchford Farm (the former home of A A Milne, creator of Winnie The Pooh) The coroners report was accidental drowning and many assumed he simply drowned having been either drunk or stoned.

Subsequently many people have come forward and made many claims about the death of Brian Jones, but the most believable are those that he was killed, accidentally or otherwise, by his builder, Frank Thorogood. They had fallen out over payment and workmanship.

Both Anna Wohlin (Brian's girlfriend at the time) and Janet Lawson (the mistress of Rolling Stones tour manager, Tom Keylock) were known to have been at the house when Brian died and have both made claims that he and Brian were alone in the pool and the acted very strangely when the body was discovered. Tom Keylock, in an interview in 2004, said that Frank Thorogood even confessed as much on his deathbed in 1993.

The Police Investigation

More disturbing are the issues surrounding the police investigation following the death. There is lots of evidence of leads that were not followed up, issues with the interviews of the people at the house, the information provided to the coroner and even a case of attempted murder that was known to have been connected to the death of Brian Jones, but was not investigated as such (at least not publicly)

The police found Frank Thorogood with unprescribed Durophet ("black bombers") but only warned him, something that was rare in the 1960s. They also did not pass this information onto the Coroner. The Coroner stated that Brian had the equivalent of a 3-4 pints of beer in his system and low levels of some kind of stimulant.

The police also suspected and had some evidence that there were more people at Cotchford Farm than the four that were officially acknowledged, however they did not follow these up properly.

There were also reports that a taxi was seen leaving the farm before the police or ambulance arrived. The time taken for the ambulance to arrive would not have been enough for a taxi to be called, get to the farm and leave again. But what if a taxi was already there?

A few weeks after Brian Jones death, on July 26, 1969, Joan Fitzsimons was the victim of a vicious assault near Chichester which left her in a coma with a fractured skull and blinded for life. Her boyfriend, Jordanian Michael Ziyadeh, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and spent four years in Broadmoor Prison before being deported. Despite his guilty plea, Ziyadeh always claimed he did not carry out the attack. The police case against him concluded, "The motive for this is a mystery"

However Fitzsimmons was the some-time mistress of Frank Thorogood and worked for her family's taxi firm in Chichester, only about 40 miles from Cotchford Farm. She was also a friend of Suki Poitier, a former girlfriend of Brian Jones. In fact in the days following Brian Jones death, both Poitier and Fitzsimmons stayed at Cotchford Farm.

Joan Fitzsimmons died in 2002 and since then certain information has become available under the freedom of information act. One of these pieces of information was a statement made to police by her brother claiming she was scared of Frank Thorogood. Irene Russell, Joan Fitzsimmons mother even made a statement to police stating she was at Cotchford Farm the night of Brian's death and that Frank Thorogood had been making her life awkward.

A newspaper at the time made a claim that the police were looking to find out whether she was at Cotchford Farm was strenuously denied by police, but the information we now have shows that they knew there was a connection between herself and Thorogood and that they had a claim from another witness that she was there.

So if the police were not interviewing people about this connection, then they should be asked for the reason why? There are so many obvious holes in the investigation that it would seem an investigation into these events is well overdue.

Where are they now?

After seeing Joan Fitzsimmon's injuries, Janet Lawson vanished from public view and changed her name. She only resurfaced a few years ago, many years after Thorogood's death, when traced by a reporter. She has since died from cancer.

Anna Wohlin, Brian's Swedish girlfriend found herself back in Sweden, claiming she had been spirited away by the Rolling Stones management. She was not able to attend his funeral and miscarried the child that neither she or Brian Jones knew she was carrying when he died. In the 1990s she wrote a book on her time with Brian Jones and was a consultant on the film Stoned, the film on the life and death of Brian Jones.

Tom Keylock died on July 2nd, 2009, exactly 40 years after Brain Jones died. He was 82.

This is the link to the full story on the events surrounding the death of Brian Jones on The History of Rock Music.

More thoughts on UK Music Festivals and live tours

2009-07-10T10:13:00.001+01:00

Why isn’t T rocking?

Most of the major UK music festivals so far have shown a leaning to classic and hard rock that would have even the most cynical rocker impressed but Scotland’s premier festival, T in The Park, appears to be letting the side down. Its common knowledge that the Scots like to have a drink and a party, with Angus Young from AC/DC one of the few Scottish adults who doesn’t take a drink but perhaps the schoolboy uniform has something to do with that, so this omission is puzzling. Yes, there is a recession on and the festival has no doubt tried to go for as mainstream and punter-pulling line-up as possible but the success of so many other festivals with classic guitarists and legendary front-men on their main stage indicates that rock can be a winner.

So whilst Neil Young rocked out on the Isle of Wight and Glastonbury and Sonisphere can look forward to Metallica, T in the Park can welcome Lady Gaga, Snow Patrol and
The Saturdays. Yes, as a manufactured girl group with a large fan base they have their place in society but is it really in front of a baying audience who wants to hear their music? We can only hope the girls make it out alive but perhaps a little bit of defiance may persuade the T in the Park promoters that there is room for a little rock n roll in Balado.

The Manic Street Preachers are a headliner in a tent on Saturday so it is not all shiny pop or thumping techno and with the band playing new material featuring lyrics from Richey Edwards, it may be a throwback to their early days when they rocked with a vengeance. Another blast from the past headlining over the weekend are Blur but as was so often the case, their set will be compared with the Oasis shows that are taking place at Wembley Stadium. These two are always going to be inter-linked although some find it funny that Daman Albarn is the brains behind the Gorillaz given that Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher and their army of fans are likened to shaved apes by a number of observers.

Of course, T in The Park has had many classic and vibrant rock stars before so perhaps the omission this year is a one off. Those who witnessed it will not forget the sight of Iggy Pop bouncing about the main stage inviting the kids up to party with him or Dave Grohl wowing a capacity crowd with the Foo Fighters but making most people secretly wish they were watching Nirvana.

The thing is though, the hard rocking acts may be missing from the stage but you can bet there will be lot of Ramones, Sex Pistols, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin t-shirts being worn but the crowd and riffs rolling around the camp site. DF Concerts and (bald) head honcho Geoff Ellis may have lost touch with what the people want from a music festival but you can bet your life that the people who turn up at T in The Park 2009 will be rocking out from start to finish.

Someone famous has died

2009-07-06T08:07:00.004+01:00

In the immortal words of Spitting Image.... "someone famous has died" (other than the tragic loss of Farah Fawcett and Sky Saxon of course.)

Anyway, never ones to not want to pay our respects, here at BathroomWall we would like to remember the high points of famous people's lives. And for us the high point of the career of any entertainer must be when they get mooned on stage at the Brit Awards.... so here we pay tribute to the genius that is Jarvis Cocker.... Jarvis, we salute you.

For those about to rock...

2009-07-01T18:40:00.002+01:00

Yes, its time to salute all of those people that are about to rock as AC/DC’s latest trip to the UK is coming to a close after wowing fans all over the UK. Some people may not be aware but the Young brothers owe a large part of their success to the Scottish upbringing they had and there are some who claim the band to be another graduate from the Glasgow music scene. It is more likely to say that the band are Australian due to the massive impact shown by original lead singer Bon Scott but Malcolm Young and Angus Young will always carry a little bit of Scottishness where every they go.
And one place they are going to is the ‘Highway To Hell’ but their legions of followers will go anywhere the band heads to, so there is sure to be a warm welcome waiting for them. AC/DC may lack the class or finesse of some acts like Radiohead or REM but when it comes to giving the people what they want, nobody does it better.
Bon Scott may be the original livewire and a major reason why so many fans fell in love with this tight rock n roil outfit but Brian Johnston hasn’t served the band and the fans too badly either. Johnston stepped into the breach bravely, after the untimely death of Scott, who left the world too early like Hendrix, Cobain and Joplin. In fact, when you consider how many fantastic singers have been taking from the world of music at a young age, you cannot help but feel anger at the fact that James Blunt appears to be allowed to live on without any issue or concern. It would certainly be beautiful if someone was to end James Blunt reign of misery. No matter the song, Blunt is always moaning and whinging, which is not something that could be said about Brian Johnston.
Simply put, Johnston is a mans man, who likes to drink and knows how to treat women. Led Zeppelin may have raised the bar with their Groupie antics and turns on the Starship in the 1970s but when it comes down to working class no-nonsense boogie, Johnston reigns supreme.
Of course, rumours are growing that AC/DC will bow out next year, never to return. With artists like the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen seemingly able to tour for ever, there is some doubt cast over whether next year will finally see Young hang up his schoolboy uniform for the very last time but if he does, the world will become a much sadder place. Any band who conjured up songs like ‘Highway To Hell’ or ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ deserve to be remembered fondly and even if Angus and the boys are heading for their final hurrah, it can only be hoped they go out with an almighty bang. And as the band never appears to be too far away from their trusty cannon, causing a bang is not something that AC/DC tend to struggle with.

Congratulations to Eddie Van Halen

2009-06-30T14:11:00.002+01:00

Congrats to Eddie Van Halen for allegedly cracking a smile and enjoying himself by getting married. Brother Alex is an ordained minister (really? not exactly rock n' roll now is it?) and the Pilsbury Dough Boy was best man. No, hang on a minute, I am just hearing that it wasn't actually the real Pilsbury Dough Boy, but Eddie's kid, Wolfgang Van Halen doing the best man duties.

Given that Sammy Hager owns his own Tequila distillery, you would have thought that after a couple of apologies he would have been a far better choice. You can hardly ask your son to order you the strippers.

Reports suggest that EVH did the deed with his shirt un-tucked whilst wearing flip-flops. Nice look

Anyway, good luck Eddie and now that you are at least a but happier with the world (insert your own jokes about being a married man here) might mean the Van Halen tour might finally touch down in the UK

Rules for festivals

2009-06-29T15:29:00.003+01:00

If you misbehave at a football match you run the risk of a Football Banning Order, I want to have similar system introduced for festival and outdoor summer concerts. All the newspapers have pullout sections on ‘Festival Essentials’, but they are all "remember the baby wipes and Kath Kidson wellies", so here is the enforcement list to make all our lives (well, mine at least) better when the time comes to leave the sleazy dingy rock clubs and see our favourite bands in a field.

1) Blankets – This is not fucking Glyndebourne. Either stand up or sit on the ground. And certainly no shooting sticks or picnic chairs
2) You are standing in a field. There are no seats. No seat numbers. So you can not reserve a space for your friends and get arsy when someone stands within a 2 metre radius of you. Similarly if someone taller than you stands in front of you, too bad. If you had eaten your vegetables as kid like your mum said you would be taller.
3) Face paint – are you a teenage public school girl cheering on Andy Murray at Wimbledon? No? Well don’t do it then.
4) Flags – yes, I know they have got very popular this year – which is the problem. So popular that you can see fuck all from behind them.
5) Putting your girlfriend on your shoulders. She now has two choices. Either she flashes her tits or she is going to get bombarded with bottles. The choice is yours.
6) Talking of girlfriends…. Taking girlfriends that have no interest in the music and whose last CD purchase was a Ministry of Sound chillout album. The only people exempt from this rule are Australians as they have the ‘Beer Wench’ sorted. English girlfriends are far more likely to whine and then 2 minutes before the headline act comes on say something like “oh, go on babes. I really fancy a glass of wine and some chips. Plleeeeaase”
7) Fancy dress – Is your ex-wife denying you access to your child? No? Well drop the Fathers-For-Justice look. It looks bloody stupid on stag nighters and idiots at the cricket. It looks even dumber at a festival
8) Crusties doing circus acts. If you are one, then fuck off. If you see one, it is your duty to garrotte them with their Diablo string or to chock them to death with their stupid knitted hat. While you are at it, make sure you tell them that no one knows their bank account number and sort code off by heart, and that even if they did they wouldn’t give them to them in the street just because they greet you with a cheery wave and a Greenpeace kagool
9) Official merchandise. As we all know, official merch, especially T-shirts suck. But even if it didn’t, you may never, ever, ever, ever, ever buy a T-shirt at the gig and then put it on. It is not cool. In fact it is worse than not cool. It is the mark of a rank amateur and a complete tool. What are you expecting to happen? Someone to look at you and your crispy new T-shirt and say “Cool T-shirt man. Wow, are you really here at this gig, just like me and 50,000 other people? That is too awesome, you really are my new hero”
10) Lighters – unless of course you are at a Bob Jovi concert.

No doubt I have missed a couple, so please feel free to add suggestion for more offences deserving of a concert banning order

Who is the real Boss?

2009-06-26T13:20:00.002+01:00

Glastonbury, for some people, is the music festival to end all music festivals whereas for some other people, it’s about much more than the tunes. Whatever your opinion on the festival is, you cant deny it manages to bring together a whole host of fantastic artists and two of the biggest names in classic rock are turning up for the fun in what will probably be another mud-fest. If catching trenchfoot isn’t your idea of fun, don’t despair as there is the chance to catch Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen around the UK as well in the forthcoming weeks.
When it comes to long-life and still rocking out, its hard to beat Neil Young. Sure Bob Dylan manages to tour and wow fans the world over but he has moved back to an acoustic showcase but Neil Young remains ‘Rocking in the Free World’ with a set that draws on all the hard rocking albums he has released, many ably assisted by Crazy Horse. They may not be the most technically gifted backing band but they are perfectly summed up by Neil’s own view that Crazy Horse are the American Rolling Stones. Neil Young may be no Mick Jagger at the front of the stage but the boys at the back know how to blend a tune like Keith Richards, Brian Jones and co. Closely linked with The Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash, Young has remained at the cutting edge of music since the mid 60s. When many of his era were being scared by punk, Young was singing about Johnny Rotten and working with Devo. Well over a decade later, Young was making music with Pearl Jam and his lyrics about it being “better to burn out than fade away” was quoted in Kurt Cobain’s suicide note. From classic rock to grunge, via folk and electro, Neil Young is worthy of any platitude that may come his way.
Bruce Springsteen may not have the breadth and depth associated with Young but he has no less talent and has a few turns of pace up his sleeve. Some fans prefer ‘The River’ whereas the extremely popular ‘Born In The USA’ will always have support, his live performances are always a joy to behold and can last for hours and hours, depending on his mood. Johnny Ramone or Johnny Thunders may have felt that a short, sharp gig was the way to give their fan base genuine excitement but The Boss believes in giving value for money when he performs.
The thing is though, it is hard to think of Young or Springsteen without contemplating Bob Dylan, a contemporary of the Canadian and a huge influence on the All American boy. The times may be a changing but classic artists never go out of style or fashion and these three big names are proving this to be very true. The exact same can be said for Tom Waits, who may not have shifted the units in the manner of the other three but the gravel throated singer has a huge following of his own and with songs like ‘Tom Trauberts Blues’, more than holds his own in such illustrious company.
These guitar heroes can be found at Glastonbury or at their own major London shows this weekend and in other venues for the rest of the summer so if you fancy getting in touch with some genuine rock heroes, its never too late.

It’s time to find your Muse again

2009-06-24T09:37:00.001+01:00

News that Muse are well down the line of making their new album, entitled ‘The Resistance’ and due for release in September is sure to be big news for fans of the Prog rockers. Muse are a band that manage to divide opinion and for those that love Matt Bellamy and the bombastic nature of the band, many more feel he is just a poor mans Thom Yorke with the band stealing some of the praise due for Radiohead. Regardless of what you think of the band, there is no doubt that they wear their musical influences very much on their sleeve so you can expect to be bombarded with some older tracks as canny record companies attempt to cash in on the wave of influence that Muse will bring in the Autumn.
You cant listen to Muse for too long without thinking of the theatrical nature of Queen and the way they appeal to enough people to fill huge arenas and even stadiums. You don’t have to study the music of either band for too long to recognise the influence on Bellamy, as it is quite evident and the commercial fretwork of Brian May is just a big a factor as the grandiose nature of Freddie Mercury on the band. Queen may be a guilty pleasure for some but you just know that Muse would have killed to have unleashed a lyric like “Scaramouche, scaramouche, will you do the fandango?” With a stage show that will surely blow most of their rivals away, there is a very clear line between the stadium thrilling antics of Mercury and what is offered by up today’s tight three piece led by Matt Bellamy.
Of course, for some, Muse are the current heirs to the Progressive Rock throne and that means they have a sound that draws from the well of so many great bands. Pink Floyd are an obvious act that springs to mind and the way that Muse try to draw a massive stage show from their music is reminiscent of the huge work of Roger Waters, although Dave Gilmour is an understated guitarist in the style that Muse could never manage to convey. Its not as if Muse are a direct rip-off from Pink Floyd because you would not say there was much of the Syd Barret influence on the band either but one front man who Matt Bellamy has probably examined for hints and tips is Peter Gabriel. Yes, We all know that you secretly prefer the songs sung by that shaved ape Phil Collins but Gabriel was at the helm for the most artistic era of Genesis and the genius of ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’ is written all over the songs where Muse extend themselves to their upper limits.
Muse aren’t for everyone and your standard Oasis or Happy Mondays fan will be turning their nose up at the music churned out by the band but in an era when some bands don’t try hard enough, this accusation cannot be levelled at Muse. They may continue to split opinions but the history books will probably place the song writing of Matt Bellamy favourably alongside the work of Noel Gallagher, Richard Ashcroft and Richey Manic.

New Aerosmith album? We live in hope

2009-06-23T11:07:00.005+01:00

New Aerosmith T-shirt.... IT'S HERE

Blind faith and ceaseless optimism mean that despite the best part of 20 years since Aerosmith wrote a decent album (personally, I love Pump, and a couple of tracks of Get A Grip), I am still excited by the prospect of an Aerosmith album. Of course, there has also been talk of a Joe Perry Project album, and with all JPP albums being bloody fantastic, I should be more excited by that. However with reports of Aerosmith going into rehearsals to practice Rocks/Toys (depending on which reports you read) prior to heading out on a North American tour, I am dreaming of a conversation that went something like:

Steven: "Eeeeawwooo, zipabadidooo, doooo doooo doooo daaa doooow"
Joe: "Cool guys, we really used to rock, why don't we do that again?"
Steven: "Yaaakkkkaaaaa yyyyyyyyaaahhhhhh yayayayayayaya"
Brad: "True, all this messing about with outside songwriters sucks, we haven't written anything even close to being as cool as Back In The Saddle in 20 years..... lets get back to rockin'"
Joey: "Has anyone seen my vitamins?"
Steven: "Zzzzoooooooowwwww biba biba biba yyyoooowww"
Joe:"Right then, all agreed. No more lame assed ballads or Disney songs, just low down and dirty rock n' roll - and a bonus track that sounds like Train Kept A Rollin' so I can suck up to Jeff Beck some more"
Brad: "Of course, better throw in something Steven can 'scat' on."
Joe: "Obviously. All agreed"
Steven: "Zippaaaaa dibooo dading, powwww"
Joey: "I need my Sanatogen"
Brad: "Let's do this thing"
Tom: "Yeaaahhh. But shouldn't someone tell Steven?"
Steven: "cocaaaaiiiiinnnnnee and puuuuuuuuuussssssssssyyyy"
Joe: "I think he is already on the case"

It all seems such a long way from when they were discovered at Max's Kansas City way back when. We can but hope that this time the greatest band in American rock n' roll history finally rediscover their mojo.

It’s okay to get the blues

2009-06-23T09:35:00.002+01:00

June and July have so many gigs and festivals that it can be hard to keep up to date with everyone that is playing and sometimes there can be some cracking gigs that slip by un-noticed. One such tour at the moment which may not be getting the column inches compared to the others but is sure to be a great night out is the BB King and John Mayall tour. It’s hard to think of too many Blues guitarists with more experience and talent than Mayall and if there is, they’ve definitely worked with or been influenced by these two. When a guitar player has a name for his axe, you know its something special and there isn’t a more famously named guitar than BB Kings ‘Lucille’. It may be a woman’s name but the name just conjures up tremendous licks and driving rhythms and King still rocks out, regardless of his age.
Of course, John Mayall is no slouch either and when you think of Mayall, its hard not to think about Eric Clapton and all the other amazing names who featured in its line-up. With the exception of The Byrds or The Yardbirds, it’s hard to think of a band that had more famous names than the Bluesbreakers and even if you are unfamiliar with the music, you’ll instantly know some of the star turns who used the band as a stepping stone to even greater things. Eric Clapton cut his teeth there and then took bassist Jack Bruce to form Cream alongside Ginger Baker. Cream were probably the first ever supergroup and vied with The Jimi Hendrix Experience for the role of most scintillating rock trio of all time.
Cream owe a lot to the Bluesbreakers but so do Fleetwood Mac, especially their original main man Peter Green. Green may not have made it to the bands most commercial era but his early playing gave the band a huge cult following and very quickly made them a major name in the late 1960s gig scene. Fleetwood Mac also took John McVie from the Bluesbreakers, further emphaising the role of Mayall in the British rock scene and if that wasn’t enough, they also produced a key guitarist for the Rolling Stones.
Okay, it wasn’t Brian Jones or Keith Richards but Mick Taylor was a major part of the Stones early 70s sound, which remains many peoples favourite era as it was the time when the band really gelled and produced a run of great albums. Mick Jagger may believe its all due to his vocals and struts but there was so much more to the Stones than his big lips.
So the proof of the Blues pudding is in the eating but even if you don’t like the Bluesbreakers, the songs and styles of so many more acts will be channelled during the shows. Whether it’s the old devil at the crossroads authentic blues styles of people like Robert Johnson or Lead Belly or the later, electrified stomp of Howling Wolf or John Lee Hooker, there’s a style of blues music to appeal to everyone. All of which goes to show, there is no age barrier to great Blues music and there is something major to get your teeth into this week.

STEEL PANTHER rock 229 Club with SLEAZY ROCK N' ROLL

2009-06-20T16:52:00.004+01:00

As anyone that knows us here in the Bathroom will already know, we are HUGE Steel Panther fans. In fact, I am prepared to go as far as saying that not only are they the finest band working today, but Feel The Steel is the album of 2009 by an absolute mile and that they are quite possibly the saviours of rock n' roll (a full explanation of that rather strong statement later). Anyway, after tearing the Download Festival apart and blowing EVERYONE off stage, they then came down to London for a cracking UK headline debut at the 229 Club. Mid-set they were joined on stage by Justin Hawkins (we really should honour that dude with a T-shirt) to perform the Steel Panther song "Fuck All Nite (Party All Day)" that he provided guest vocals for on the Feel The Steel album, before then doing a blistering version of I Believe In A Thing Called Love. Then, just as Justin left the stage, Michael Starr, Steel Panther frontman did us the great honour of showing the crowd just how awesome our Sleazy Rock N' Roll T-shirts are.....

Thanks to Michael, Satchel, Lexxi and Stix. You guys rock

Some bands just live forever

2009-06-19T18:49:00.001+01:00

“Where were you while we were getting high?”
Its one of the most evocative lyrics from ‘Champagne Supernova’, the big finishing track from Oasis’s ‘Whats The Story (Morning Glory?)’ record but it could easily be said about the fans who have been flocking to see them in stadiums across Britain and Ireland in recent weeks. There are still plenty more stadiums to go as the band plough through their homeland with no great regard for pleasantries or niceties. Brothers Noel Gallagher, the main songwriter and guitarist, and younger brother Liam Gallagher are the public face and image of the group and they seem to polarise opinion very easily.
Of course, for those who lived through Britpop, it can be hard to think of Oasis, without mentioning Blur. The chart scrap between ‘Roll With It’ and ‘Country House’ may have saw two of the weaker songs in both bands arsenal fighting it out but their paths have taken a very different route since. Oasis have never left the stadiums but many say that they have lost the knack of song writing, whilst the individual stock of Blur members has never been higher since their split. Whether it is Damon Albarn in the Gorillaz, Graeme Coxon on his own or working with Pete Doherty, Alex James working with Damien Hirst and Keith Allen whilst selling cheese or even drummer Dave, who has dallied with helicopter flying, law and politics, the four members of Blur have been fairly active. This summer though, they are back and ready to do battle with Oasis once again as both bands fill stadiums and play major shows this month and for the rest of the summer. So whether you are “Girls who are boys who like boys to be girls” or even just looking to expand your ‘Parklife’, there’s a lot to enjoy this summer.
The Britpop era of music hasn’t aged too badly but another of the main stars of the era is also on the comeback trail and although Jarvis Cocker may be appearing on a smaller stage than Oasis or Blur, he doesn’t lack a fanatical fan base. His antic at waving his arse at Michael Jackson at the Brit Awards may have overshadowed some of the band music but there are very few fans out there who remained unaware of Jarvis Cocker after that incident. Many stars and people have came out and criticised the King of Pop for his actions and behaviour but few have managed it in such a manner that Jarvis Cocker did.
One thing that all three acts have in common is a debt of gratitude to bands like The Stone Roses, The Smiths and Joy Division. All three hailed from Manchester, giving an immediate Oasis link but their different styles of British guitar music and popular tunes can be heard in all the major acts of the Britpop era. There’s very little in music that is truly and of course, the music of bands like Oasis owes as much to the swaggering pomp of the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin as it does to the lyrical style of Ian Brown but there should be no doubt that Britpop borrowed heavily from music’s past.
For new generations, this is a great aspect about finding new bands, as it makes it easier to get into classic stars and great lyrics from a bygone era but as some of the biggest stars of the Britpop era return to ensure the world stills remembers their name, they will have to battle with some of the even older statesmen of indie and rock this summer. For some fans, it is all about Oasis and Blur but for those of a slightly older vintage, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and AC/DC will be of much, if not more, interest than the stars who first found fame in mid 1990s.