You're viewing all posts tagged with The Wildhearts
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Played 0 times

The Sonic Graffiti - “Mystery Number”

Moved to “do something” after learning of the devastation caused by the catastrophic earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010, Ginger Wildheart’s current manager Gav McCaughey fired off a few emails and made a few phone calls, and before he knew it, he had put together a compilation album to help with the relief effort. Featuring music from The Wildhearts, Eureka Machines, Sorry & The Sinatras, and Antiproduct among others, The Haiti Project is a 16-track album released in 2010 and is available as an exclusive digital download from MusicGlue.

The album also features as its lead-off track the one and only song recorded by The Sonic Graffiti, a band Ginger had put together for two Los Angeles shows in July 2009. Billed simply as “Ginger and Friends,” the band featured Ginger, Michael Butler (of Rock and Roll Geek Show podcast fame) on bass, Billy Morrison (Billy Idol, The Cult, Camp Freddy) on guitar, and drummer-turned-modeling-agency-mogul-turned-drummer Scott Lipps. Based on the success of those shows, the group reconvened in August 2009 to record “Mystery Number” at Matt Sorum’s studio. The song was produced by the legendary Mike Clink (whose oeuvre includes Guns N’ Roses, Mötley Crüe, and Megadeth), and it finally found a home when Ginger and the band donated it to The Haiti Project.

The song stands toe-to-toe with some of my favorite Ginger-penned tunes and serves to show just how talented the guy is no matter who he is playing with. And it’s nice to hear Michael Butler’s voice right up in the front of the backing vocals in the mix.

Enjoy!

Now that you got nothing to worry about
What you gonna worry ‘bout now?
The Wildhearts - “Vernix” (¡Chutzpah!, 2009)

I’m Drowning in a Sea of Girls

Ginger Wildheart - “You’re The One, You’re The One, Yeah, I Know You’re The One, You’re The One (Yeah, I Know You’re The One)”

Ginger Wildheart delivered a very special Valentine’s Day treat to the pledgers of his triple album project at PledgeMusic. An exclusive download of a new track is his way of showing his appreciation for the outpouring of support for the DIY approach to his new album. As of this moment, Ginger is currently at an unprecedented 523% of his pledge target with almost 5100 donors.

It didn’t take long for the track to make it onto YouTube, and in typical Ginger fashion, he blessed the effort with the following tweet:

Someone just put the new song on YouTube. In reverse outrage I would emplore you all to RT this link youtu.be/vvmShA2c1TE Thank you x

The track is excellent, and based on this and the sneak peeks Ginger has provided throughout the making of the album, it’s shaping up to be a top-notch release.

So what are you still doing here reading this?! Head over and make your pledge! You only have until the end of the month to get in on the fun! Enjoy!

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Played 0 times

Ginger - “Black Windows”

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Played 0 times

The Wildhearts - “Under The Waves”

The Friday Five: October 28, 2011

I think I’m goin’ blind from shufflin’ IckMusic’s Friday Five!

Rush - “The Spirit of Radio” (Rush in Rio, 2003)
Rush has always been an amazing live band, and this DVD/CD combo helps solidify the fact that the band was as good as ever in the early 2000s. The Rio crowds are crazy fanatical about their music, and this entire concert is a lot of fun.

Coheed and Cambria - “The Velourium Camper I: Faint of Hearts” (In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, 2003)
Comic book rock from the very talented and creative mind of Claudio Sanchez. I just wish all of their stuff was as catchy as this. Heck, I wish the second half of this song was as catchy as the first half. “Koo koo k’choo!”

Dinosaur Jr. - “Goin’ Blind” (KISS My Ass, 1994)
Admirable kover of this klassic KISS kut. Ahem. I didn’t really know what to think of this album when it first came out, especially since it was so closely controlled by Gene and Paul. But then again, what in the KISS circus isn’t?! This is definitely one of the better tracks from this collection that stylistically is all over the map.

The Wildhearts - “Top of the World” (The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed, 2003)
Ginger should be the most sought-after songwriting partner in the world. At the very least, he and The Wildhearts should be a much, much bigger deal than they are. Catchy, well-written songs, great melodies, and crunchy riffs.

Mutual Admiration Society - “Think About your Troubles” (Live at The Bowl at Lime Kiln, 8/17/2004)
I’ve never really cared for this Harry Nilsson cover, but I love the combination of Glen Phillips and Nickel Creek. They recorded and completed their debut album in 3 days, but it took 3.5 years to get it released due to record company shenanigans. The recorded versions of their songs are good, but this collective really shines in a live environment.

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Played 0 times

The Wildhearts - “All That Zen”

How you feeling now?
You’re not gonna live this moment again
This is not a test
You’re not gonna get this moment again

I’ve been looking for a new direction
Found the cheapest way of selling out
The Wildhearts - “Plastic Jebus,” ¡Chutzpah!, 2009
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Played 0 times

The Wildhearts - “Borderline”

“Borderline” was a 2008 Christmas gift from The Wildhearts given away as a free download. I don’t know much about this song and can only assume that it was an unreleased track from The Wildhearts sessions, although it sounds older and much poppier than the other songs from that album. There are rumors that it was originally intended as a B-side for the single “Inner City Overture” that was never released.

C’mon, people. A B-side. Just listen to that melody. This is brilliant stuff, and it was a B-side!

It just baffles me that The Wildhearts aren’t one of the biggest bands in the world and that songwriters aren’t standing in line to collaborate with Ginger.

Help Ginger Make A Triple Album

Ginger Wildheart Pledge Video

Ginger is offering his fans the opportunity to help fund a triple-CD project over at PledgeMusic. There are 4 levels of participation, all the way from a digital-download-only version to a “Special Thanks” CD and limited edition vinyl package, with 10% of the proceeds going to Save The Children. Only those who fund the project will have access to all 30 tracks:

This triple album will be exclusive to the people who pledge to get it made. The general public will have to make do with a single album of around 12 songs, which you Pledgers will choose for me – thanks! – while the 30 song extravaganza will only ever be property of the hardcore. The people who believe.

Ginger allotted 60 days to raise the funds for the project. The great thing? It was fully funded in less than 6 hours! But you can keep pledging! Anyone who does will have access to the full recording.

The way I feel about the music industry, if I got a job about UFO research I’d take it tomorrow.
Ginger

Ginger Auctions Les Paul For Charity

The Wildhearts mainman Ginger is auctioning his one-of-a-kind bestickered 25th Anniversary Gibson Les Paul on eBay, with all proceeds going to the British Red Cross. The guitar has been with him since before he founded The Wildhearts and has appeared in countless photos.

Note the KISS Rock and Roll Over sticker and the wear on the neck. This guitar has seen some action for sure.

From the eBay auction details:

Released in 1978 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Gibson Les Paul, I bought this guitar around 1987 when I was asked to join New York rockers The Throbs. After a short term in NYC the guitar came back to England with me to form The Wildhearts. I formed the band and recorded every Wildhearts album with this guitar (also Silver Ginger 5 ‘Black Leather Mojo’, Supershit 666 and multiple solo projects). This fine guitar acted as my main guitar on every tour The Wildhearts ever did, including the AC/DC ‘Ballbreaker’ tour, as well as appearances with Sex Pistols, Manic Street Preachers, and many more. And it rarely needed tuning onstage. Basically if you ever saw The Wildhearts I was playing this guitar and if you ever heard The Wildhearts then you were listening to this guitar. Every song was written, played and recorded with this instrument. THIS is history.

And in the Questions section:

Q1) Why on earth are you selling this guitar? Surely the memories etched are too numerous to mention. Part of seeing you and the wildhearts is seeing THAT guitar!
Ginger: The money from the guitar will mean more to some than the memories mean to me. Often we have to give things away to get things in life, and in this case I’ll be receiving the gift of helping someone less fortunate than myself.

We’re Like Ritalin Kids

Ginger and friends in studio at 96.3 Rock Radio

Ginger has teamed up with guitarist Jase Edwards of metal band Wolfsbane and former Cardiacs guitarist, one-time Wildhearts bassist, and long-time Ginger collaborator “Random” Jon Poole for a set of European acoustic shows in April and May during a break in the Michael Monroe tour. According to the man himself, the show is a mix of Wildhearts and Ginger solo material, with “a bit of tomfoolery, some goofing off, and a little bit of showing off as well.”

Ginger and friends stopped by Scotland’s 96.3 Rock Radio on May 4 for an appearance on the Tom Russell Show on their way to Glasgow for a gig later that evening. In addition to talking about the acoustic tour and Ginger’s experiences with the Michael Monroe band, the guys performed a song in the studio. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but if you are a fan of early-80’s American TV sticoms, you’ll get a kick out of it.

Enjoy!

You’re the Man!

P.I.S.S. - “I Will Never Go to School”

I had forgotten how funny this was until I ran across it again, this time on Ginger’s Tumblr feed. Yes, that Ginger. This must be the result of too much time, a fertile imagination, and a twisted sense of humor. Love it.

Enjoy!

The Golden Age of DIY

Michael Monroe - “‘78”

“‘78” is the first single from the new solo album Sensory Overdrive from former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe. Monroe’s band includes fellow Hanoi Rocks sidekick and New York Dolls bassist Sami Yaffa, his Dolls bandmate Steve Conte on guitar, drummer Karl Rosqvist, and Ginger from The Wildhearts on guitar. In addition to this cast of characters, the album features guest appearances by Lemmy and Lucinda Williams.

The track is meant as a tribute to the great rock music released in 1978, and it has a definite Wildhearts feel to it without plagiarizing Ginger’s other band too much. I haven’t heard the whole album yet, but I’m eager to see if Ginger’s influence is as apparent on the rest of the material.

Enjoy!