The Old Firm Casuals, led by Lars Frederiksen (Rancid) and Casey Watson (ex-Never Healed), have premiered a new single through Kerrang!. “Get Out Of Our Way” is taken from the band’s forthcoming album “Holger Danske”, which is released next Friday 15th February through Demons Run Amok Entertainment. The album follows 2017’s “Wartime Rock ‘N’ Roll” EP.
You can stream the track using the player below.
It’s been a little while since New Jersey-based gravelly-souled singer/songwriter Sammy Kay hit the road for a tour of any substantial length; 2017’s opening slot on The Creepshow’s run, to be precise. Kay spent the better part of the last year back in Jersey evaluating next steps. It’s an all-too common theme among artists who’ve made their way in the DIY art community to periodically take stock of how long you want to try to keep the train chugging down the track. “I had to figure me out and make sure I was alright, you know?” Kay explains. “I spent the last year figuring out what I wanted to do, whether it was keep playing and keep going, or I started working with a young man with special needs while I’m home…and you never know when’s the right time to “grow up,” per se.”
Growing up, as it turns out, can wait. Kay recently went into the studio with old pal Pete Steinkopf and laid down a new album that’s slated for release later this year (stay tuned for more on that one in the coming months). “We made this record and it’s like “okay…let’s give this one more shot. One more honest fucking try.” So that’s this year, man. We’re gonna go out a lot, play some new songs.“
Right about when this story is slated for publication, Kay will be headed to Vancouver to kick off a three week run with the fine Canadian gentleman Seth Anderson (One Week Records) that’ll take them throughout the western part of the US. It’ll be Kay’s first solo acoustic run since before his last album, 2017’s Untitled, hit the streets. “I hope it’s like riding a bike!” Kay laughs. “Three weeks is like my happy tour. You don’t get sick of it. You don’t get too homesick, you’re not away for too long. As a sober dude, I’m always preparing. Every show, I just have to. I’m a little nervous. I haven’t been out by myself in two years. OnceUntitled came out, we kinda just went with the band. The two or three years prior to that I was just chugging along by myself, so I think I’m more nervous to be out there without Mitch and Will and Sean or Brandon or Fernando or any of the guys that were playing, you know? But I also get to play whatever the fuck I want now!“
The solo nature of these shows gave Kay a chance to dust off some songs from his catalog that haven’t been given a proper live treatment in the past. “The chords are the same,” he explains, “but some of those songs on Untitled…there’s four or five guitars playing on one part. Like, we never played “Better Days,” because it never sounded great with just two guitars. “I Believe” was just me and a guitar so we never played that. I spent the last week trying to figure out if I could play (2015’s) Fourth Street (Singers) front to back by myself, and I think I’m there. I forgot about songs completely. I guess there’s like 40 songs that have been recorded and released, and then there’s another twenty that either never got released or haven’t been released yet. I’ve been sitting in my kitchen every day just teaching myself songs that had just slipped, you know?”
When it came time to team up with a touring companion for the first run of solo shows he’s done in years, Kay feels he couldn’t have done much better than the great Seth Anderson. “I’m really grateful to spend the first run back out with Seth. I don’t know if you’ve met Seth, but he is like the sweetest person you’d ever meet,” Kay explains. “One of the reasons I genuinely love Seth, and I don’t know if he knows this, but Seth is like a husky. Huskies are always smiling, they’re just handsome puppies. Seth is a handsome puppy that’s always smiling!”
The duo don’t necessarily have a plan for what order they’ll play in, and their meeting up with a bunch of seriously talented musicians along the way, so every night has the potential to become pretty memorable, and Kay’s excitement about what’s in store over the next three weeks is genuine and palpable. “I’m grateful just to play my guitar,” Kay states. “My new thing about touring is, whether you’re going out by yourself or with a band, you might as well hang out with people who’s songs you want to hear. Like we met up with Ricky and the Western Settings guys two years ago at Pouzza and I listen to them all the time. I’m stoked to play with Ricky, and Brian Wahlstrom. Nick from Stay Wild – who are this really great, positive, political hardcore, kind of like nobody has really done great and well since Strike Anywhere – is doing a bunch of California shows. JD Wright came up on my Instagram feed, and man, I don’t know why that dude’s now a household name. Nowhere Bound in Texas are another killer band I’ve never gotten to see. I’m just trying to play with bands that I like and love and the cooler the lineup, the cooler the memory. It’s a little bit of a pain in the butt, but some of those shows, like Chicago with JD and 6’10”…I ain’t forgetting that one for a while! I just saw Bryan McPherson got added to the Phoenix show. We’re playing Kevin Seconds’s venue in Sacramento. Jesse up in Vancouver and Aaron Rev in Seattle, and then we go to Portland and it’s Sean Taylor from Angry Lisas. It just goes. Every day there’s a cool band that I love or somebody from a band that I’ve been wanting to see but have never been able too.”
This run of shows also includes a handful of stops Kay has not played before, which is somewhat rare given the amount of time he’s spent on the road, adding to the “every day is something different” vibe. “I haven’t played Hesperia (editor’s note: I had never even heard of Hesperia prior to this tour announcement). I haven’t played Bakersfield. I don’t think I’ve played El Paso in four or five years. I don’t think I’ve ever played Oklahoma City. I know that every time we try to play Tulsa, it’s been cancelled! Bakersfield is going to be a cool, proper house show…like the grown up style, not the punk rock style. Reno is going to be a fucking blast; last time I played Reno I won $400 off of $40 on blackjack, and then the stupid bar we were sitting at had the stupid touch screens on the bar…lost it all! Lost every dime!”
Kay and Anderson’s tour run kicks off Tuesday in Vancouver and runs through February 24th in Appleton, Wisconsin. Head below for the full rundown, including where you’ll find them alongside a number of special guests.
Kay’s untitled last album was released back in 2017 on Stomp Records. He’s got a new one on deck that is killer, we promise. Anderson’s One Week Records debut came out back in 2016.
Cock Sparrer have released a lyric video for “In My Town”, a track from their current album, Forever, which came out back in 2017 via Pirate Press Records.
You can have a watch below.
The annual Punk & Disorderly festival takes place again in Berlin in April 2019 – and the initial lineup has been announced. Headliners include Cockney Rejects and The Business.
Have a look at the bands booked so far below.
Beijing based Oi! Punk band Shave N Shut are streaming their songs from their recently released split with Japanese Oi! band Raise A Flag.
You can give them a listen below.
The split was released on September 22nd via Real Deal Records.
Minneapolis-based Empire Down and San Francisco’s The Complicators have teamed up on record for your listening pleasure. The two street punk/oi bands are allowing fans to stream their latest efforts on a split 7″ being released via Pirates Press Records.
The record features two tracks from each band and you can check it out below.
German label Demons Run Amok have announced the signing of Old Firm Casuals to their roster.
CEO Marcel Erdmann said of the signing:
“We are happy and proud to work with such legendary punkrock musicians. Its undoubtedly that Lars and Rancid influenced my musical taste years ago! We follow OFC for a long time and have finally the chance to work with them! Welcome to the DRA Family!”
The band will be releasing their first record with the new label this winter. Their latest release was the 2017 EP Wartime Rock N Roll.
The infamous Punk Rock Bowling festival has just dropped a book in celebration of their 20 year anniversary! For $35 on pre order you can relive years worth of memories, good times, and the festival that started out with a couple of friends. With cover art by Shepard Fairey, and stories, art, and antecdotes from icons like Cock Sparrer, NOFX, and The Buzzcocks.
You can pre order a copy here, or pick one up at the Golden Nugget PRB Booth at the festival over May 25th to 28th.
Liam and Mark of Booze & Glory have just released a special edition vinyl of a reggae take on their songs, “London Skinhead Crew,” “Only Fools Get Caught,” and “Leave The Kids Alone.” You can purchase a copy here. At Volume 1, there’s more of these fun tracks to come, so make sure to check them out!
Minneapolis Oi! band Empire Down are streaming their new song “Bastards For The Butcher,” which features guest vocals from Matt Henson of NOi!SE.
You can give the song a listen below.
“Bastards For The Butcher” comes from the bands’ debut self-titled 7″ that was released on March 2nd via Oi! The Boat Records. You can order that here.
London street punk band Booze & Glory have just released “Back On Track”, a video for a tune taken from their album, Chapter IV, which is available via Burning Heart Records.
Shot in the UK’s capital by the band’s own Frank Pellegrino (with some assistance), the video guest stars local actress Peyvand Sadeghian.
As well as the video, Booze & Glory will also be hitting the road towards the end of the year. They head out to Brazil as guests of Dropkick Murphy’s and they’ll also be headlining their own shows as part of a busy touring schedule.
Check out the video below, as well as all the tour dates.
Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards have announced they will be releasing a new live album. Titled Live and Loud!!, it comes out on November 25th through Hellcat and Pirates Press Records.
The band’s last studio album Viking was released in 2004.
European punk outfit This Means War has released a new video for their song “Sailing Anarchy”.
The song comes off the band’s new self titled album, you can check out the video below.
The new album is the first from the band, and doesn’t disappoint. If your into Booze and Glory or Cock Sparrer you’ll dig these guys without a doubt.
Lars Frederiksen’s side project The Old Firm Casuals just released a music video for their song “Never Say Die”, which is the official anthem of Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes.
The video was recorded inside the team’s home stadium. Check it out below.
“Never Say Day” was released in 2014 to celebrate the Quakes’ 40th anniversary. The track features backup vocals from former and current players for the MLS club.
Tokyo, Japan based Oi! punk-rock act SA (Samurai Attack) has premiered a music video for their new track “MY ONLY LONELY WAR.” You can watch it below.
The song is the title track of the band’s upcoming single release set for release on September 6 via Imperial Records in Japan. You can find the cover art and tracklist below the video.
All Hope Remains are apparently based in Australia, but I'm finding that hard to believe. Everything from the Euro-English stylings of their name, to the slightly metallic, melancholy-tinged sound screams 'Alienated European punks who grew up listening to Epi/Fat' to me. This isn't the type of Aussie punk that conjures images of board shorts, beers and 'barbies, it's something deeper and more brooding than that.
Their latest single 'Hit Rewind' is sure to tickle the fancy of skate punks across the world; the opening snare roll and subsequent harmonic-laden guitar riff rolling back the years to when Ten Foot Pole and Pennywise were hotter than an ill-prepared British tourist walking in the Australian sun.
What sets these guys apart is their knack for melody and the clarity of the vocals. Plenty of bands are tight and technical, but few also have hooks that stand out over the flurry of riffs and drums fills that skate punk is heaving with.
Check them out here.
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