Holy shit!  It’s June already!  

OK, so a quick update on activities:  

Loads more great reviews coming on for Carrion Repeating – I’m probably jinxing myself by saying this, but every single review has been amazing – which is gratifying to say the least.  Latest ones include the U.S. blog Faster and Louder (“One of the year's finest LPs!"), RNR Magazine (“Laser-sharp observations of the current absurdities of the human condition delivered with razor-sharp, venomous wit and intelligent post-punk poetics”), Louder Than War (“The absurdity of first world problems is highlighted here with both venom and humour”), German magazine, Ox Fanzine ("The HC-Punk Master himself, now with an exceptional solo album”), and Gadgie (“One of the more unusual and interesting releases that have arrived at the Thrash Parlour of late. Recommended for you weirdoes out there"). You can read all of the album reviews in full here.  

In other news, there’s a three page interview with yours truly in Safety Pin Magazine, and in the aforementioned Ox Fanzine (“fanzine” always seems a little misleading for this title as it’s a widely available magazine), in addition to the excellent review of Carrion Repeating, Faze Out is on the cover-mounted compilation CD. Wallop!  

In other news, the next gig for my bunch of noisy ‘erberts, The Domestics, is Poison Fest in Brighton on 18th June. If you fancy it fast and loud, we’ll see you there.

James

OK, so here’s an update on stuff… 

The great reviews keep coming for Carrion Repeating, including in the latest issue of, er, Issue, and U.S. mag, Razorcake.  And plenty of radio play too on Louder Than War, Pulsebeat, Laura Beth’s Mixtape Show and more 

Also, should be in the next issue of Safety Pin magazine, whenever that’s out.  Did you see the review and article in Vive Le Rock? Nice to be on the shelves of WH Smiths again!  

This weekend sees me and my noisy compadres, THE DOMESTICS, play gigs in a few places, so if you like fast hardcore punk with shout-along choruses, try one of these on for size: 

Friday 20th May: Red Lion, Stevenage 

Saturday 21st May: The Birdcage (at The Festing), Southsea 

Sunday 22nd May: The Maypole, Derby (it’s a matinée and runs 3pm – 8pm so don’t be late!) 

After having to cancel five gigs over three weekends due to me/Dan the guitarist having Covid, we’re chomping at the bit! I’ve put on a fucking ton of weight over Covid and am a bit embarrassed by it to be honest, so just remember, an ego this size bruises easily (so you don’t need to mention it, OK). Haha! 

ALSO (1)…I’ve been working on an electronic project with John Hewson, ex-of Essex/Suffolk legends The 5 String Dropout Band (a band that could and should have done so much more but remained a well-kept secret)…the project is called DOMESTIC CURSE and we’ve just finished the mix on a 5 song, 23 minute 12”, tentatively titles ‘Five Curses’.  More details to follow when I have some! 

ALSO (2)…I’ve been working on a book of poetry with Dave Cullern from HAEST and the Breakfast Punx Podcast.  You’ll like it; it’s good. Details as and when I have them… 

ALSO (3)…new paintings are up in the store and will continue to be added as and when.  Cheers to those of you that have picked one up.  I love doing them, but don’t have the space to put them up. 

Cheers to those of you that have picked up the record already.  It means the world to me that I’m getting such nice messages from people about it.  Good for the aforementioned ego.  A number of people have said it should be played on BBC 6 Music, but sadly it hasn’t been yet!  I’m not saying you ought to request tracks from it from Marc Riley, Iggy, Tom Robinson etc, but if you really wanted to do that I wouldn’t be against the idea. At all. 😉 

Right, that’s it. 

Laters 

J

Hey hey!  Just a quick one to say cheers for all the entries into the “win a test pressing” competition – a lot of you clearly know your music and identified a LOT of the 111 record covers in the collage.  However, two contestants pulled out in front and managed to identify the exact same number of covers correctly…so I tossed a coin and the winner is….[drum roll]….[tension builds]…[“get the fuck on with it!” you cry]…J***n Gi****né (I'm tired and can't think whether I should publish the name in full or not, so erring on the side of caution).  Well done!  Will get that out to you early next week – a real rarity with only ten copies in existence. 

I hope those of you that took part enjoyed it – I thought it was a bit more fun that a straight ahead prize draw, and I hope that maybe you checked out some music that might be new to you, or revisited some old favourites, off the back of it. 

Various other things to tell you about (did you see the feature and album review in Vive Le Rock? – if not, get down to WH Smiths or Morrisons and grab a copy (it’s the one with The Cult on the front) but they can wait. 

Have a top weekend. 

James

Mornin’ All 

After 2+ years of avoidance I finally caught the ‘rona, so am feeling pretty shitty and typing this in bed.  The Domestics were supposed to be playing in Southampton last night, Bristol tonight, and Brixton on Sunday, but of course that’s all screwed now. Ugh. 

Anyway, as you may have already seen, ‘Carrion Repeating’ was finally released on Friday and is getting rave reviews all over (so far! Never count yer chickens!) – just off the top of my fuzzy Covid-head, check out those on the Personal Punk blog, The Ginger Quiff site, The Ringmaster Review, and the 8/10 review – and separate one page article - in the current issue of Vive Le rock magazine (available at all good newsagents or online here). 

There’s a new video out for ‘Bean Counter’ off the album too – you can watch that here.  

So yeah, from what I’ve seen so far people are diggin’ the record. Grab one if you haven’t already – it might cheer me up a bit in my sick bed. Cheers to everyone that pre-ordered. 

COMPETITION NEWS: 

Subscribers will be getting an email within the hour about a competition to win a super-rare test pressing of the album (only 10 of those in the world)…watch your inboxes! It’ll be fun I tells ya! 

And the draw for the 5 mini canvases will be done in the next couple of days, when I can find the energy. 

Until next time 

James

Happy Friday, you lot…here’s a bit of an update, as it’s been a few weeks since the last one. 

One of my side-project bands, DA GROINS, released a 7” EP called ’100% Groin’ a couple of weeks ago.  Totally scrappy garage punk rock ‘n’ roll in a similar style to BILLY CHILDISH, ARMITAGE SHANKS, THE MUMMIES etc. – people seem to like it and there aren’t many left at Kibou Towers.  You can grab one here or here and watch a video for the song ‘The General Pub(l)ic’ here. Shout out to Matt Groin and Zero Groin! 

There’s been plenty of radio play for both Da Groins and the forthcoming solo record too…a shout out to Rock Bottom, Down on the Street, Programa Transmission Lima, Emergency Radio Show, Just Some Punk Songs, and Diskobox amongst others, and the most recent solo single, Mañana, made the Ginger Quiff blog February singles roundup. 

Finally it seems like the release date for the Carrion Repeating album is in sight…what is it? 6 weeks away now? If I’d had more coffee I’d work it out, but I’m still half asleep. If you haven’t pre-ordered it yet you can grab one (in either ‘standard’ or ‘special’ edition forms) here, here, or here. 

WIN STUFF! 

VINYL LP TEST PRESSING! 

If you’ve not subscribed to THIS website yet, let it be known that all subscribers will automatically be entered into a competition to win a super-limited vinyl test pressing of the Carrion Repeating album.  I’d previously suggested that this was simply a draw, but actually it’s much more fun than that!   Sometime in the week starting 25th April, everyone that’s subscribed and therefore I have their email, will receive a collage via email…all you have to do is identify all of the records in that collage…all correct entries will go into the draw for the test pressing.  The draw will take place on Thursday 12th May.  Only 10 of these test pressings exist in the world.  So get on it! 

WIN ONE-OFF ART! 

Any pre-orders (i.e. before release day on 22nd April) of the LP made from this website, or www.kibourecords.bigcartel.com or www.kibourecords.bandcamp.com will be entered into a draw to win one of 5 mini paintings I’ve done. Slightly smaller than A5 size, acrylic on canvas. The 5 paintings are titled: Explosion, Set An Alarm And Live, Crow Johnson, Mind Door, and Escape Route Blocked. 

OK, that’s it for now. Cheers!

Alright, here's a quick update of some stuff that's been happening...

There’s a nice interview I did with Turn Up the Volume out today.  Lots of stuff covered – the solo LP of course, but also PI$$ER, BOTCHED TOE, THE DOMESTICS, some non-music stuff too.  A decent article.  Read it here

I also seem to have had a fair bit of radio play (listen again where there are links) this week from Wigwam Radio, HiveMind on Source FM, and on the Alternative Frequencies show on Radio Leyland.  Those are the ones I can recall off the top of my head anyway.  

Oh, and one of my other projects, DA GROINS, have a 7” E.P. ‘100% Groin” coming out soon. The sleeves are in Germany right now, so as soon as they arrive it’ll be out pretty much.  Imagine ARMITAGE SHANKS, THEE HEADCOATES, THE MUMMIES and THE RIPOFFS mixing it up…4 songs.  Raw production.  Catchy as hell, if I say so myself.  200 on black vinyl/100 on red.  Just waiting on the covers to arrive (vinyl is here!). Watch this space!

Well, that's about it.  Buy more records, and have a great weekend!

I always like going on the Seabin Podcast with host, Simon Walker.  Always a lot of laughs had!  This time I try to get 'Pies vs Lies', 'Seasonal Affective Disorder', 'Bad Time Keepers', and 'The Ubiquity of Football' into the Seabin...click here to see how many I got in! 

OK, so lots of stuff going on this week…if you’re a subscriber you’ll be getting access to another exclusive, subscriber-only remix today.  This one done by Dave Ellesmere (under his CHRONOLUX alias – he has many!) of DISCHARGE fame, and now an excellent producer of electronic music in Berlin. I’m so stoked about this one!  When you hear the album version of Casual Vulture you’ll see just how different it is! 

Pre-orders for the Carrion Repeating LP (and t-shirts) are going really well – which considering most of us are still skint from Xmas and are counting the hours ‘til payday is really cool; thanks – and I’m just going to remind you that any pre-orders of the LP made from this website, or www.kibourecords.bigcartel.com or www.kibourecords.bandcamp.com will be entered into a draw to win one of 5 mini paintings I’ve done. Slightly smaller than A5 size, acrylic on canvas. The 5 paintings are titled: Explosion, Set An Alarm And Live, Crow Johnson, Mind Door, and Escape Route Blocked. 

In other news, one of my other bands, BOTCHED TOE, has their debut LP up for a short pre-order from today – check it out here or here,  and yet another of my bands, TOKYO LUNGS have their 2020 self-titled debut 7” E.P. reissue up for the same pre-order period from today (with all new artwork, insert, OBI strip etc.).  You can check that here or here. 

If you’ve not subscribed to THIS website yet, let it be known that all subscribers will automatically be entered into a draw to win a super-limited vinyl test pressing of the Carrion Repeating album.  Only 10 of those exist in the world.  So get on it!

Have a good weekend

James

TODAY IS THE DAY!  THE ALBUM GOES UP FOR PRE-ORDER! 

Ok, so it’s not actually OUT yet…that’ll be early April, but at least it feels like something’s happening after such a long wait at the pressing plant already.  It kind of suggests “not long now” I guess. There’s also a pre-order for a t-shirt that I think looks pretty damn cool (it almost makes me wish I wasn’t me so I could wear one – bit naff wearing your own merch innit?!?).  Four colour options and, as always, sweatshop-free shirts. 

You can order from the Store on this site, or from Kibou Records here or here. or I think less money gets taken off as a fee from the bigcartel site, so that’d be my preference, but the choice is yours! 

Anyone that pre-orders the LP and/or a t-shirt (from any of those three sites) will automatically be entered into a draw – to be done near release time) to win one of 5 mini paintings wot I’ve done wiv me own fair ‘and. Acrylic on canvas, each one is just under A5 size, so if you don’t like it, it won’t take up much room in your bin. As there are 5 paintings, there are 5 chances to win! 

TEST PRESSING: Anyone who is on the mailing list automatically enters into a draw to win a super-rare test pressing of the LP (with special cover). Go to the ‘Extra Content’ tab and you’ll be prompted.

Get those pre-orders in and have a great day!

The first interview about the solo record is just out on the mighty Louder Than War website.  If you want to know about more about the album, how it was made, why I always have so many bands and projects on the go, and a bunch of other stuff you might not (want to) know, give it a read here.