Jump to content

Gold Blade


blind-fitter

Recommended Posts

Gold Blade (or Goldblade) exist in that wild place where punk, soul, glam and rock'n'roll collide in a delicious frenzy. Their quiffs are sharp, their sideburns sharper, their guitar riffs sharper still. They don't care if their creepers crush any tasteless Reebok trainers.

Gold Blade features members of various bands of the 80s and 90s, most notably The Membranes. The Membranes were an evolving paint-dream at the more challenging end of the 80s UK indie/alternative scene: a weird amalgam of punk and the blues, somewhere between The Fall, The Birthday Party , Sonic Youth and , I dunno...Captain Beefheart.. Sadly they lacked the direction to ever satisfy their potential and fizzled out (just as they were starting to get somewhere, I thought), leaving a rather hectic discography of varying quality, but including a few "mini-classics".

Gold Blade are a different kettle of fish.

Vocalist John Robb may be familiar to some. An ex-Membrane, he is also a former music journalist, published author and regular "talking head" on these "I love countdowns" TV shows. He has also honed his act to become one of the finest front-men a rock'n'roll band could boast: energetic, lively, sharp, witty, amiable, charming (He's not bad looking either, apparently; the b******'s got the lot }:( ) And inclusive: Boy, do the front rows get to join in...

Where The Membranes may have shambled, Gold Blade are sharp and focussed, oozing exuberance whilst delivering some of the best groin-grinding rock'n'roll you'll hear. Yeah, they've got the "punk"; fans of The Pistols, The Clash, Dead Kennedys, Rancid, Dropkick Murphys would not be disappointed by their riff-laden anthems. But they've also got a rockabilly/ glam-stomp / nu-soul warrior thing going on, not a million miles from the near-legendary Rocket From The Crypt.

I'll be back with details of their new compilation album (material collected from their early "no longer available" albums), and links to some video footage, free downloads and myspace site, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Rebel Songs" is a great album: every one a winner! My favourite tracks are "Psycho", "Black Sheep Radical", "The Decline and Fall Of Ancient Rome" and, probably foremost, "Fighting In The Dancehall", which possesses possibly the most fantastic anthemic chorus of all time.

If you have "Rebel Songs" but nothing else by The Blade, then the new anthology is for you: I'll be back with more details. I do know it's out now on the Captain Oi label in the UK. There is already a similar compilation album out on a U.S. based label (presumably for the US market). It might be easier for you to get hold of that one. Again: back later with more details, if you're interested.

The band are a splendid "live" act, and seem to gig pretty regularly "at home" and abroad. I'd recommend visiting the band's website for info about forthcoming events.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

I went to see Gold Blade at a small venue in the picturesque city of York on Sunday night. The club was pretty full, (for an Easter Sunday in a relatively small town), with a great atmosphere. Support band Teasing Lulu were pretty good and I'll be looking out for more from them later in the summer when they release their single (produced by Jean-Jacques Burnel of The Stranglers).

As usual, Gold Blade kicked major ass. This was the fifth time I've seen them, and I daresay it might even have been The Best Yet with being in such a cosy and intimate setting; as ever there was plenty of interaction with the audience, (this is an integral part of the show) fun, warmth and general bonhomie.....

As well as running through the most anthemic "hits" from their back catalogue ("Fighting In The Dancehall", "Psycho", "AC DC", "Do You Believe In The Power Of Rock And Roll?", "Home Turf", "The Decline And Fall Of Ancient Rome", "Not In My Name","Black Sheep Radical", "Strictly Hardcore"...amongst others) they also performed a few new songs from their forthcoming album, intended for release in Autumn 2007, (with accompanying tour :) ). "Jukebox Generation", "Mutiny" and "Riot" adhere to the 'Blade's energetic, anthemic "rabble-rousing rock'n'roll" formula, and bode well for the album.

My mate was doubtful beforehand, (expecting some grubby, amateurish punk-rock), but emerged a convert. Resistance is futile: It's time to TESTIFY!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...

Gold Blade Digital Downloads

Gold Blade have announced on their official website that they have signed a digital distribution deal with one of the leading UK based providers (AWAL)

The result is that their first three albums, the long deleted 'Hometurf','Drop The Bomb' and

'Do You Believe In The Power Of Rock 'N' Roll' will be available once more from Monday 17th September 2007 from iTunes, Napster etc etc. Buyers will be able to purchase the entire albums or just pick their favourite tracks.

:):):) :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 months later...

According to Wikipedia, Gold Blade frontman John Robb is the originator of the term "BritPop", which was subsequently used to refer to early/mid 90s phenomenon which featured the likes of Oasis, Blur, Suede, Pulp, etc. In his earlier role as a journalist for the (now long defunct) music-weekly Sounds, he coined the term as a descriptive for some typically English bands of the late 80s: The Las, Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...