#17: The Rawk Issue 🤘😝
"Sometimes I am scared of being Ozzy Osbourne. But it could have been worse, I could have been Sting." Ozzy Osbourne, Prince of Darkness
This week’s edition is inspired by new subscriber Richard Bleasdale who not only subscribed but shared my last post liberally across social media, which drove a small band of brand new subscribers to Mooreish - thanks!
In the comments beneath his share Richard revealed he was a teenage metal head and, Richard, I want you to know that I see you, I hear you, and I’m about to rock you!
As for the rest of you new and existing subscribers, Mooreish is about broadening your horizons and discovering something new so even if you’re not a rock fan, keep an open mind or, y’know, wait for next week’s edition, which will be about something else entirely.
Mooreish Words
Back when I was a crater-faced teen in a ‘tallica t-shirt I didn’t read Melody Maker or NME, they were for the floppy haired kids in corduroy. My crowd wore denim, leather, and slightly embarrassing studded wrist bands and we got the good news from rock n’ roll bible ‘Kerrang!'.
First published as a supplement in Sounds magazine in 1981 ‘Kerrang!’ not only reported on rock n’ roll but became part of the story when they were namechecked in Axl Rose’s grudge track ‘Get In The Ring’ from GnR’s 1991 album ‘Use Your Illusions II’. Later that same decade the ‘Kerrang!’ offices were trashed by volatile British rockers (and personal faves) ‘The Wildhearts’ in retaliation for some unfavourable coverage. Ah, good times…and now you can relive them in the forthcoming hardback book: Kerrang! Living Loud: Four Decades on the Frontline of Rock, Metal, Punk, and Alternative Music.
Released in April next year but available for pre-order now, I will display this proudly upon the coffee table in the suburban living room I swore I would never sell out for!
My interest in ‘Kerrang!’ and rock music in general used to worry mum because of the satanic overtones but she needn’t have been concerned; the community was always much kinder than its image as noted by Tom Chivers who asks, ‘Why does a genre obsessed with death attract the kindest people?’.
Mooreish Sounds
Outside of America, I still feel like Ozzy Osbourne is best known his reality TV show and not his superior songwriting and unique brand of melodic metal. If you are not familiar then may I recommend his latest album ‘Patient Number 9’ for which he has assembled a band that includes…wait for it…Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) and O.G. Zakk Wylde on guitar plus Taylor Hawkins (Foos) and Chad Smith (Peppers) on drums!
He might be 73 and suffering from Parkinson’s but he’s still the Prince of Darkness as evidenced by his performance at last week’s NFL season launch. Featuring his last and first solo singles back to back, the opening riff of ‘Crazy Train’ is still goosebump-inducingly iconic and so is Ozzy.
By the way, have I ever mentioned that I am from Bromley? Only about a thousand times? Well that’s because Bromley’s musical heritage is second-to-none and includes former residents David Bowie, Siouxsie Sioux and William Broad a.k.a. Billy Idol amongst many others.
Let’s just imagine Billy didn’t release a Christmas album in 2021 called ‘Happy Holidays’ and instead focus on the fact that he did just release ‘The Cage E.P.’ which contains four monstrous tracks including the poignant ‘Running From The Ghost’, which doesn’t go where you think it’s going…
Finally, Smashing Pumpkins are back with some filthy riffage and Billy Corgan in a clown dress and it’s everything I dreamed it would be.
The new track, ‘Beguiled’ is taken from their forthcoming, three act, 33-song rock opera entitled ‘Atum’. Conceived as a follow-up to 1995’s masterpiece ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ and 2000’s ‘Machina/The Machines of God’. From November 15 one act of ‘Atum’ will be released every eleven weeks.
If you want to go full ‘Geek U.S.A.’ about it then tune into Billy’s new podcast co-produced with iHeartRadio called ‘Thirty-Three With William Patrick Corgan’. Each new episode will feature an unreleased Smashing Pumpkins song.
Mooreish Visions
Imma be honest and say I wasn’t a massive fan of Daniel Radcliffe’s breathy acting in the ‘Harry Potter’ films but that was 11 years ago (yes, the final film came out 11 years ago and the first one came out TWENTY ONE YEARS AGO!), and he’s branched out into some pretty interesting roles since including his latest in ‘WEIRD: The 'Al Yankovic Story’. The film is a parody of all those worthy musical biopics, which is exactly what you want from Al, the singer of ‘Eat It’, who also cameos in the pic. It looks proper mental!
Mooreish Art
Back to Bromley now, or rather Sevenoaks (the posh end!), which is home to Heavy Music Artwork, a publisher and art dealer working exclusively in the medium of Heavy Metal. If you’re into pentagrams, goats heads and Vikings, get in here!
Mooreish Happenings
Finally, if all this has put you in the mood for some head banging, crowd surfing or slam dancing here’s where you need to go…
If you’re in London on October 19 catch Billy Idol supported by Television at the OVO Arena in Wembley: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/billy-idol-the-roadside-tour-2022-with-special-guests-television-london-19-10-2022/event/37005B39B9465821.
If you’re in Singapore on October 21 local indie rockers Sobs are playing The Esplanade: https://www.esplanade.com/whats-on/festivals-and-series/series/2022/mosaic-music-series/sobs-air-guitar
Henry Rollins is back in Sing for the first time this century on his ‘Good To See You’ speaking tour. Catch him October 25 at Victoria Theatre : https://ticketmaster.sg/activity/detail/22_henryrollins
Guns ‘n’ Roses are playing one night only on November 12 at the National Stadium: https://premier.ticketek.com.sg/shows/show.aspx?sh=GNRSG22
And for the first time EVER Jack White is coming in support of his brilliant new album ‘Fear of The Dawn’. He’s playing November 14 at the Star Theatre so who’s comin’ with me? https://ticketmaster.sg/activity/detail/22_jackwhite
Right, with the price of tickets in Singapore I better get back to work, see you at the bar! Cheers, N