We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The best kinds of albums are the ones you weren’t expecting. Sure, I’m aware that the Industrial juggernaut known as The Joy Thieves is out there making killer tunes but legitimately had no clue that not only was a proper full-length on the way but that it features the legendary vocalist (And frequent collaborator/Joy Thief) Chris Connelly on ALL 15 tracks. And let’s be honest here, who else is more suited to act as the maniacal ringleader over a veritable army of musicians who have collectively backed such diverse vocalists as David Bowie, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Jaz Coleman, Al Jourgensen at one point in time?
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I just can’t keep up with the amount of awesome that The Joy Thieves seemingly put out there on the regular.
[Read more…]Primitive Race Remember Chuck Mosley, Offer Exquisite Electro Tribute With Cranial Matter
I’m not going to start this review off with my typical “Remix albums are a mixed bag” rant because Chris Kniker, the mastermind behind Primitive Race is a pro when it comes to these things. The man is also a pro when it comes to subverting expectations relating to the recorded output of this particular outfit. The debut from PR was shrouded in mystery before revealing a veritable melting pot of Industrial luminaries and iconic guests while the follow-up, 2017’s Soul Pretender, went a completely different route with more of a band structure showcasing the talents of the late, great Chuck Mosley.
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“I wanted to do something big. When I saw how tall Dan (Milligan) is, I knew it was the right project for me. Also I hate Joy.” – Marcus Eliopulos
[Read more…]Cocksure Returns With Corporate_Sting (Album Review)
Chris Connelly does not stop. Not satisfied with having both his 15th solo album or the upcoming Bells Into Machines record with former Ministry co-hort Paul Barker out in 2015, Connelly has reteamed with Acumen Nation’s Jason Novak for yet another slab of industrial debauchery under the guise of Cocksure. Yes, boys and girls. That’s at least THREE albums from the legendary Scotsman this year. Count yourself blessed. [Read more…]
“You never forget your first time…” (It’s our 1st anniversary! 11/6/14)
A year already? Almost 6,000 page views (Where you at Facebook and Twitter?!?!?) and 150 posts mostly done by my lonesome from a site born out of creative frustration based off the opening line from Streets Of Fire. I’d say that’s an accomplishment, wouldn’t you? In that time we’ve started some semi-regular columns (“Jokes!”, “Untitled Metal Column”, “What’s In A Name?”), reviewed quite a bunch of records and talked to some fantastic artists. [Read more…]
Cocksure’s TVMALSV is the only industrial album you need in 2014.
Fans of Chris Connelly are in for a treat in 2014 as the eclectic vocalist returns to industrial in a huge way with not one, but two projects being released. There’s Bells Into Machines which sees Connelly partner up with his former Ministry co-hort Paul Barker and the RevCo-inspired slab of awesome that we’re talking about here: Cocksure!
Teaming with Acumen Nation’s Jason Novak, Cocksure’s debut full-length is a rollicking throwback with a firm foot placed firmly in the now. Were you a fan of early Revolting Cocks or the Connelly-era of Ministry in the early to mid-’90’s? Then you better not miss this one.
“Skeemy Gates” comes out swinging and easily lays waste to most industrial music out there today. Connelly, as always, is in fine form with a range that goes from Bowie-esque croons to “Cannibal Song” shrieks of madness instantly. “Alpha Male Bling” distorts Connelly on top of swirling, hypnotic Novak electronics while “Guilt, Speed, & Carbon” is almost The Damage Manual “Take Two” with its’ Geordie-like guitar line looped throughout.
If you’re craving some raunch, go no further than “Cock Ripped To The Giddy Tits” which has some hints of NIhil-era KMFDM swagger and would make for some fine pole dancing music (Imagine the booty shakes to Connelly’s “Hoo! Ha!’s”). “Silikon Suckaz” is even more perfect for that setting with Connelly at his most maniacal. Soon to be touring partner Richard 23 of Front 242 shows up on “TKO Mindfuck” further into TVMALSV to really bring things full circle on a track that is instantly mesmerizing and a reminder that you can’t keep a good Cock down.
TVMALSV is the album you need if you’re looking for some old school industrial without having to go on a nostalgia trip. It’s fresh, it’s new, and it’s easily a must-have for any industrial music and Chris Connelly fan.
Cocksure’s TVMALSV is out through Metropolis Records on August 12th. You can pre-order yours here.
Chris Connelly: A Rock and Roll Fables Conversation
“I think everyone will be delighted. It’s like me going to all my fans and, individually, giving each of them a bottle of assorted pills and a sack full of porn and hotel bar booze. I do it for the kidz!”
And honestly, who doesn’t want that? In case you missed the headline, we’re talking to Chris Connelly: musician extraordinaire, author (Please check out the sublime Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible and Fried: My Life As a Revolting Cock if you’re a fan of the industrial scene), and record store guru (On his gig at Chicago based Reckless Records :”It is my day job, not my company. I would rather stay at home and sip single malt“). He’s a man of many hats and in his current project, Cocksure, Connelly will once again be be sporting that familiar cowboy hat which is sure to excite fans of his work with Al Jourgensen in the ’90’s.
“I wanted to do something that picked up where the Cocks left off…unfinished business from two decades ago. But I dislike nostalgia… and the old songs are the old songs, so I approached my friend Jason Novak, a very talented individual and asked if he could accommodate my idea” says Connelly about Cocksure, whose full-length debut TVMALSV is a rip roaring torrent of Revolting Cocks inspired industrial noise.
That’s where the comparisons should end, though, as Connelly is quick to point out: “We definitely wanted to reflect the good bits of the Cocks, but the sound needed updating. The aesthetic needed a bit of a kick in the nuts, to be honest. It needed hardening and we needed to embrace the times we live in and not the dreadful 90’s”
To coincide with the album’s release on August 12th, Cocksure will be hitting the road for a slew of performances with Front 242 (Richard 23 actually guests on TVMALSV track “TKO Mindfuck”) like only they can: “Cocksure live? We are going to look like a very cute and sexy Sleigh Bells. We are two desperately handsome young men who know all about showbiz, baby! We will be doing select dates, not a full tour. I still got an ankle bracelet and a bitch of a parole officer.”
Beyond that, Connelly mentions that the work of his that he’s most proud of “is always the latest one” making Cocksure required listening for fans of his and industrial music fans. However, if you’re looking for recommendations about bands in the current industrial “scene”, Connelly proves that he can still shock and surprise audiences: “I think modern hip hop has more in common. I love things like M.I.A. and Die Antwoord.”
And if that wasn’t enough Connelly for you this year, there’s also Bells Into Machines with Paul Barker in the pipeline (“We will talk about that when we’ve got a full length to show off”).
But for now, it’s all about Cocksure. TVMALSV will be uncaged through Metropolis Records on August 12th. You can pre-order yours here and find out more about Cocksure here.