December 15th, 2002
Session recorded for Adam Walton’s Musical Mystery Tour on BBC Radio Wales.
Tracks: I Look Good, You Don’t / 72 Hours Deceased
There is a little confusion as to the date this session was actually broadcast and if there were any other tracks. I Look Good, You Don’t was initially aired on 15.12.02, and the rest of the session may not have been broadcast because Adam played the entire new album by Soft Hearted Scientists that night. The same track was again aired on 16.03.03 and 72 Hours Deceased on 05.01.03.
Wayne Cotton (voc,bass) remarks, ‘Fucking hell fella! This is how I remember it. Camera (who were the Benjamins back then) went to that studio of Melys’ in Betws so we ended up going to do some demoing, next thing we know Mr Walton calls us for a session at the same studio as it was/is used for the BBC Wales stuff etc. We set up in a circle and played live, vocals on afterwards. Good session, captured something good. End of “I look good” was a fluke so we kept it.’
‘We used it as the ABBEY RODE e.p. with permission from the Beeb,this was broadcast in its entirety’
December 6th, 2002
(reviewed by Neil Crud)
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December 2nd, 2002
First cast in almost 16 months for whatever reasons, if I could be bothered to look it up I may even be able to tell you why, but to play on puns I think Pocket Venus could teel you why, as I had released their 2nd single ‘Tell Me Why’ on my Secrets of Sound label.
I had also just produced an Alien Matter demo, which I still rate very highly, I never remember the real name of the track so I used to call it ‘Does my Bomb Look Big in This’, which is a better name anyway.
The Fudged track was also a demo I had produced, although not as good as AM or PV due to the band being completely mashed on weed in the studio!
Redshift too were a Llandudno band I had sat in the studio with, they weren’t really cut out for recording at the time, being very young and very nervous.
Talking of mashing Soundhog was also making waves on the net mixing The B52s with Beyonce’s old band (can’t remember their name, only their curves!).
POCKET VENUS – Tell Me Why
ALIEN MATTER – Does My Bomb Look Big In This
FUDGED – Come & Mosh With Me
MR GIT & MR WEEN – Gangsters
SOUNDHOG – 52 Scrubs
CARSONDOWN – Safety Pin For Stitches
RED SHIFT – demo track
October 10th, 2002
(Idlewild reviewed by The Goth & Black Swans by Neil Crud) Continue »
October 4th, 2002
(review by jerry kranitz of aural innovations – click pic)
Honestly, if I could choose one band to release a full length it would be Welsh rockers Pocket Venus, whose Make It Through Your Day CDEP captivated myself and many of my radio show listeners (judging by the feedback I received). The band have a potent sound that is highly accessible but includes elements of psychedelia and progressive rock. Pocket Venus are a quintet consisting of Chris Yates on lead vox and rhythm guitar, Pete Ryan on drums and percussion, Dyfed Roberts on lead guitar and backing vox, Naldo Algieri on bass, and Dave Robinson on keyboards and piano. The CD includes 3 songs and is only 11 minutes long, but Pocket Venus make their statement clearly and memorably. “Tell Me Why” is a powerhouse rocker with a well produced heavy wall of guitar sound, acidic but melodic licks, and passionate vocals. “Told You Why” is a kick ass jam tune with cool wailing guitars and head pounding drums. And “Save It All” is an easy paced melodic song that is listed as being as demo. Yeah, I’m waiting… wanting… a full length from Pocket Venus.
August 21st, 2002
follow up to Death Studies earlier this year, Mank serves up some Vegetable Milk in album form.
Click the pic to download (MANKYMUSIC003)
August 10th, 2002
(review n pix neil crud)
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July 20th, 2002
(reviewed by Andy Fatman)
“There’s never a dull moment with this band…” muses Mr Crud on the way to “De Pool”. He’s not kidding either …… After putting the previous nights fracas at the Bluetones gig in Bangor behind them, the boys arrive at the venue to be told that they’re on at 8.30pm instead of the agreed 10.00pm slot. The initial heated exchange between band & promoter is resolved with “9.40 is de best I can doo for ya, la”. Happy with this, they decamp to savour the sights of nearby Slater St.
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July 13th, 2002
The Night & Day always seem to deal Pocket Venus a weak hand & the band always come up trumps. The opening date of the tour to promote the release of the EP that seems to have been out for ever soon has the typical PV dramas turning into crises.
The remainder of this review is to be read in a Channel 4 Geordie style accent.
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