THE NEW ROCK 'N' ROLL

For a few years now it has seemed as if guitar music is irrelevant, as major radio stations and music media fall over themselves to kiss the arse of the latest grime/rap/urban/electronica/pop sensations, with rock and indie bands considered old hat. The only exceptions to this have been sensitive acoustic singer-songwriter types such as the ginger busker Ed Sheeran, whose baffling success only serves to further the myth that he is any good, or the continued worship of Coldplay. Radio 1's playlists are dominated by "urban" artists or chart pop drivel, with nary a guitar in earshot. Even 6music tends towards electronic music these days, although not overwhelmingly so. Young, angry VITAL rock 'n' roll bands with some real edge and balls seem to be thin on the ground the last few years, and those that do exist are far from any mainstream success, occupying what seems to an increasingly niche genre. Most teenagers are oblivious to the charms of such music. Rock 'n' roll is dead, it seems.

Except..... EXCEPT.......

A few weeks ago i was idling away on my work break, listening to 6music, when a genuinely thrilling bolt of surging music leapt from the speakers (well, my smartphone). One of those that i went searching for immediately after it finished.


The band, a three piece from Liverpool called The Mysterines, producing a glorious charging blast of rock 'n' roll that i have honestly not heard since the last heyday of indie music in the early noughties. Urgent, vital, shot through with a feral, dark, dirty, sexy passion. I did some digging and discovered that they've been around for a couple of years, releasing a handful of EP's and singles, all delightful rock 'n' roll missives - mainly as downloads or streaming - and playing countless gigs. You might think "So what? Another great band who will exist on the fringes and break up after a few years" .  I was quite surprised to find that this latest single, "Love's Not Enough" is Radio 1's Track Of The Week. Maybe there is hope yet. Anyway, if this sort of music is your thing and you haven't heard of The Mysterines yet, i urge you to check them out. You are in for a treat.




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