British rockers The Struts have announced a North American run this summer. Their “Pretty Vicious” tour features special guest Barns Courtney and kicks off July 23rd in Houston, Texas.
Thirty Seconds to Mars and AFI are teaming up again this summer for the first leg of their Seasons World Tour. From late July to early September, the two bands will be making their way across North America with special guests Poppy and KennyHoopla. Tickets are available at thirtysecondstomars.com and afireinside.net! (30STM is also offering VIP experiences.)
7/26 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
7/27 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
7/30 – West Valley City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
7/31 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
8/2 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/3 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
8/6 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
8/7 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
8/9 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
8/10 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
8/12 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
8/14 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
8/15 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
8/17 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
8/18 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
8/20 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
8/21 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
8/23 – West Palm Beach, FL – iThink Financial Amphitheatre
8/24 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/27 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
8/29 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
8/30 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
9/1 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Grunge/alternative rock legends Pearl Jam are touring this year in support of their new album, Dark Matter, released April 19th. This world tour commences May 4th in Vancouver, BC, and draws to its conclusion November 23rd in Sydney, AU. Support varies by date/location. Tickets are available at pearljam.com!
5/4 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena*
5/6 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena*
5/10 – Portland, OR – Moda Center*
5/13 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center*
5/16 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena*
5/18 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena*
5/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum*
5/22 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum*
5/25 – Napa Valley, CA – BottleRock Festival 2024^
5/28 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena*
5/30 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena*
6/22 – Dublin, IE – Marlay Park
6/25 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Co-Op Arena+
6/29 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium+%
7/2 – Berlin, DE – Waldbühne+
7/3 – Berlin, DE – Waldbühne+
7/6 – Barcelona, ES – Palau Sant Jordi+
7/8 – Barcelona, ES – Palau Sant Jordi+
7/11 – Madrid, ES – Mad Cool Festival 2024^
7/13 – Lisbon, PT – NOS Alive Festival 2024^
8/22 – Missoula, MT – Washington-Grizzly Stadium&
8/26 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center&
8/29 – Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field&
8/31 – Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field&
9/3 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden&
9/4 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden&
9/7 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center&
9/9 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center&
9/12 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena&
9/15 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park&
9/17 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park&
11/8 – Auckland, AU – Go Media Stadium Mt. Smart#
11/10 – Auckland, AU – Go Media Stadium Mt. Smart# (Second show added!)
11/13 – Gold Coast, AU – Heritage Bank Stadium#
11/16 – Melbourne, AU – Marvel Stadium#
11/18 – Melbourne, AU – Marvel Stadium# (Second show added!)
11/21 – Sydney, AU – ENGIE Stadium#
11/23 – Sydney, AU – ENGIE Stadium# (Second show added!)
Pixies, an alt-rock outfit that originally formed in 1986, are touring North America this spring and summer! They are co-headlining with indie rock band Modest Mouse, known mostly for their 2004 album Good News for People Who Love Bad News and its two radio hits, “Float On” and “Ocean Breathes Salty.” Opening act Cat Power is an artist who has been on the scene since the mid-90s. Dabbling in everything from punk and folk to blues and soul, Cat has evolved with every record, and she has worked with such artists as Dave Grohl, Eddie Vedder, and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth).
Alt-country outfit Vandoliers have shared some spring/summer dates! Punk/alt/indie/folk artist Jon Snodgrass will be appearing at a few shows, and alternative country rock band Eli Howard & the Greater Good will share the stage for a run in late June, early July. Tickets available now at vandoliers.com!
The Immaculate Crows are a genre-bending musical collective based in Brisbane, Australia, performing songs written and arranged by Bruce Neilsen. Listen to any two songs by this band and you will quickly discover that Bruce doesn’t believe in boxes: their tracks range from alternative rock and indie pop, to folk, country, blues, and jazz, and this eclectic exploration extends into the subject matter, as well.
I had the opportunity to speak with Bruce about his history as a musician, the formation of The Immaculate Crows, finding fellow creative minds, and much more!
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Mostly Music: First and foremost, can you tell me the story of The Immaculate Crows’ formation? And how did y’all decide on the band name? (Which I love, by the way.)
Bruce Neilsen: I had unsuccessfully tried to join a couple of cover bands and had been writing poetry for a few years. I started writing my first songs and decided to start my own band. Around November 1981, I met [drummer] Chris Allen at a mutual friend’s home who also hadn’t been in a band. I then advertised for other players and found Mark Kassulke [guitarist]. My flatmate Frank Mueller initially helped on vocals, and I advertised for a bass player. Brad Milham had been in a cover band and was an outstanding player. We had no songs ready and just jammed for Brad’s audition. He liked my playing, and we both liked The Yardbirds, so that was enough for him to join. Another flatmate Hamish McKie joined on vocals.
We started off doing a few covers like “I Wanna Be Sedated” by the Ramones, “25th Floor” by Patti Smith, etc., then Mark and I started writing songs. Hamish left and was replaced by David Page, who was Indigeneous and had been a teenage pop star and the first Australian to get a contract with Tamla-Motown. We did a 4 track recording of two of my songs, “In the City” and “Dingo,” in a little hall in June 1982, followed by a two track recording of “Dingo” and another song of mine called “Psychedelic Girl” in a studio. A copy was given to our local community radio station, 4ZZZ, and got heavy airplay for a considerable period of time. However, none of these songs were released commercially. David left, Hamish came back, then Mark also left and was replaced by Mark Hocknell. Chris Allen left, and in our hurry to replace him, we picked someone who was a very limited player. 4ZZZ was talking about us supporting big bands like Midnight Oil, but I knew we were no longer up for it and was very unhappy with the new drummer. I left and formed two other bands and eventually reunited with The Immaculate Crows before we broke up around May 1985.
I ceased playing live and was pretty disillusioned with band politics. I was pretty frustrated, too, as I had become both a pretty good guitarist and songwriter. I settled down with Carolyn and we married, got a house, and had two boys. I repressed my creative urges until 2019, when I finally digitalised my old eighties songs and released them on streaming sites. I also reunited with Mark Hocknell, who had been recording guitar instrumentals on Garage Band. He brought his gear over and we had a brief but fruitful partnership where I wrote and arranged all songs and he recorded the initial tracks. We both played guitar and bass parts. Carolyn and I bought some recording gear as Mark couldn’t record vocals, and Carolyn started recording vocalists and doing final mixdowns. All songs are mastered by Furkan Gulus. Mark left in 2021, and since then, Carolyn has done all production.
The Immaculate Crows is basically a loose collective of musicians that sing and play on songs written and arranged by me and produced by Carolyn. Different listeners and reviewers have said individual songs have reminded them of artists ranging from Fleetwood Mac to The Stone Roses and The Smiths. The music is hard to categorise and has both retro and modern elements. Genres vary from punk and psychedelic, to alternative country, alt-rock and indie pop. Subject matter varies from youth suicide, domestic violence, to poverty, cancel culture, and even quirky love songs.
It is a bit vague now, but I think I came up with the name The Immaculate Crows as ‘immaculate’ implies perfection, and crows are intelligent birds that also can be quite sinister and cowardly. The name was a bit tongue-in-cheek, really, and deliberately silly also.
MM: Wow! That’s quite a history. I admire you for persevering, because with so much turmoil within the band, it would have been easy to call it quits for good.
So what was it that drove you to start creating? Were you inspired by a particular band/artist? Or was music another outlet that just fitted in with writing poetry?
BN: I liked music much more than poetry and like many others absolutely loved everything about The Beatles, particularly their sense of humor and music. My older brother turned me onto a lot of musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bob Dylan, and Jefferson Airplane.
MM: As a musical collective, how do you find the other musicians to sing/play on songs? Take me through the basic recording process.
BN: I have found all my singers except for Nicky Steel, who is a relative, through placing advertisements or checking out posts on our local Brisbane Musicians Wanted online mag. I send a message with music links and after some to and from messages and phone calls, get them over to record. I have also found musicians performing at shopping centres and cafés. Lol.
[As far as the recording process], once I have mapped out the chord progression for a song, I get keys, bass, and drum tracks down first, followed by guitar. I do a vocal guide track and send the MP3 with lyrics off to the prospective singer/muso and arrange a time for them to record.
Jessica Shipley (vocals), Bruce Neilsen, Carolyn Neilsen (production), and Daphne Mae (vocals)
MM: Hand in hand with that, what is your songwriting process? I know you draw inspiration from everything around us, but do you have anything in particular you do when inspired?
BN: I am only inspired to write songs when I have a goal. Now that I am recording, I am becoming quite driven again. I am inspired by actual events and sometimes by a chord progression. It varies.
MM: How many instruments can you play, and how much of what we hear is recorded by you? Are you self-taught?
BN: When I had a brief partnership with ex-band member Mark Hocknell, which started in 2019 and ended in February 2021, we had an arrangement where I wrote, arranged, and played on all songs that he co-produced with my wife Carolyn. Fifteen songs came out of this arrangement, of which you can hear eleven on the first album, And Then There Were Two, and the other four on the second album, Zombie World. Mark produced all drum tracks and played bass on four of them. I played bass on the others. Mark played rhythm and lead guitar on thirteen of the songs he co-produced with Carolyn, and I played rhythm, lead, and some acoustic guitar on the all fifteen songs. Mark also used keyboard plug-ins on a couple, and any harmonica you hear is me.
Bass and drums were played by Roo Friend on “Bird in the Sky,” and I played all guitars and plug-ins. When Mark left, Carolyn took over full production, except for mastering, which has always been done by Furkan Gulus. We have been using Toontracks to produce keys, drums, and most bass tracks. On Zombie World, I played bass on five songs, of which Mark played a little bit in one section. I briefly used another guitarist, Wayne Harvey, who added extra rhythm to the choruses on “No Turning Back” and played virtually all the guitar on “Van Gogh” (except for the fingerstyle intro which also ends the song, and the wah wah solo in the fadeout).
I am using two other musos currently who you will hear on future songs. Colleen South plays ukelele and piano accordion, and Sam Ryan plays trumpet. I put all music credits on Bandcamp.
My first instrument was harmonica, and I had classical guitar lessons for around 2 years many years ago. Apart from that, I am pretty much self-taught. I practiced a lot when I was younger but am not so fanatical now. I purchased a banjo recently and am able to play it to some degree already. I occasionally use a mini midi for extra effects.
Zombie World album cover
MM: I love the vast array of musical instruments and styles you utilize. I imagine being a musician with that willingness to try most anything means it never gets boring!
Y’all released the track “Torn in Two” back in December. What is the story behind that song?
BN: I wrote “Torn In Two” in 1983 for my second band, Insurrection. I don’t remember any specific inspiration for it, but I wanted the guitar to stand out and be different. I used to play some pretty intense guitar on it but trimmed the solo right down for the recent recording. None of the singers that sang it did it justice until now. Brandon Webb sings on the recording and I love his voice.
MM: What are the plans for The Immaculate Crows in 2024?
BN: There will be a lot more variety, which will drive genre purists crazy! I have just released a country folk song on Bandcamp called “My Sister And Me.” It will be on Spotify, etc., around 6 February. Also coming up is a song sitting between jazz and blues called “Same Old Blues,” a jazz-oriented ballad called “I Get You,” and an alternative song about stalking and obsession called “Waiting.” These all have trumpet on them. I also have a type of indie pop ballad called “Without You,” which has a catchy chorus. I hope to have a third album out by the end of the year, which will cover a lot of genres. I don’t believe in being a musical snob and listen to a lot of different stuff. I just hope my listeners don’t mind.
Single artwork for “Torn in Two”
MM: I’m sure your listeners enjoy the musical journey you carry them on! With your listeners in mind, is there anything you’d like to say to them, both those who are long-term and the newer fans who have recently found The Immaculate Crows?
BN: Thanks for listening! Check out what is there already and stay tuned as there is plenty more coming.
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A huge thank-you to Bruce for his time and his patience. As you can see, The Immaculate Crows have no plans to slow down! It sounds like they’re going to have quite a busy 2024. Follow them on their various socials to ensure you don’t miss anything!
Post-hardcore band Thursday will be touring in January and February, playing their third studio album – War All The Time – in its entirety. The tour is a nod to the album’s 21st birthday, but it is also a celebration of the release of War All The Time (Live), the second pressing of which will be shipping in the spring. Joining Thursday on the road will be Rival Schools and Many Eyes. You can get your tickets at thursday.net!
1/25 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
1/26 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic
1/27 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
1/28 – McKees Rocks, PA – Roxian Theatre
1/30 – Chicago, IL – Concord Music Hall
1/31 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
2/1 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
2/2 – Denver, CO – Summit
2/3 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
2/5 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
2/6 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
2/7 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
2/9 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
2/10 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory OC
2/11 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater
2/13 – Austin, TX – Mohawk (Outside)
2/15 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits
2/16 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
2/17 – Orlando, FL – The Beacham
2/18 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
2/20 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts
Naked Sunday is a hard rock band from The Midlands. The quartet formed in 2012, but their lineup wasn’t settled until 2018. They have since released two albums – Signs of Insanity (2020) and Home (2022) – and one EP, 2021’s Skeleton Keys. More recently, Naked Sunday’s track “Lilith” was featured in John Williams’ film Tales of the Creeping Death.
I was fortunate enough to have the chance to talk to bassist Corty Lou about the band’s inception, influences, the latest singles – “Vilified” and “Shine” – and more!
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So tell me, how did Naked Sunday form? And how did y’all decide on the band name?
Corty Lou: Naked Sunday formed around 2012 but became the established lineup it is today in 2018, after much hard work and the release of our first album, Signs of Insanity. The name was based on the Stone Temple Pilots song “Naked Sunday” – we enjoyed how the two words just fitted well together, and of course, it leaves a lot to interpretation.
Who are Naked Sunday’s biggest influences?
CL: As for myself, it would be Motley Crue/Sixx AM, [vocalist/guitarist] Martin’s would be Guns N Roses, [lead guitarist] Alex loves UFO, and [drummer] Liam loves the Foo Fighters, but collectively we all love Queen. We don’t like to make the same record, and much like Queen, we set out to be different from everyone else (especially on our local scene).
Do you remember the moment you realized you wanted to play music for a living? Was there a specific band/artist that made you think “I have to do that”?
CL: I think the second I heard Queen and picked up a guitar, I wanted to perform and make music. It was an instant callin. The first time I could play a few chords, I was writing my own songs, and that love of music and creating is still with me.
What is the writing/recording process for the band?
CL: As a band, we do all write together. Sometimes Martin will come in with some chords and lyrics and it’s almost a full written song, but the band put their stamp on it, myself and Alex usually write riffs and then at rehearsal, Liam will piece them together and we will structure the song as we see fit. A lot of the time we will work a song, such as a new one we are working on at the moment called “LEGION,” by road testing them, and doing demos so we all have structures to work to, or that we can edit and say this may work better. We also share Whatsapp videos of riffs, etc., so Martin can start writing lyrics, or Liam has a heads up so he can develop the feel of the track on the drums.
I want to talk about the latest singles, “Vilified” and “Shine.” Can you share the story behind each of those tracks?
CL: They sit like a brother and sister track to us. “Vilified” is definitely Martin’s baby lyrically. It is about others trying to turn people against you because you have passion or drive. Martin faces a lot of criticism because he is driven and gets great results. It’s a middle finger to the high school bully, the rogue workmate that isn’t a mate, the people in the pub who laugh behind your back but are friendly to your face – it’s a song for the working man.
“Shine” is a different kettle of fish. It is about wanting someone to succeed, totally the opposite of “Vilified.” It’s about rooting for the one you love, wanting them to be the best possible person they can be and the best gift to the world they can be. It’s a delicate number with some of Alex’s best guitar work, and we have to give credit to Miguel Seco, who produced these songs. Without his help and love, especially with “Shine,” we feel he got the best out of us (our fifth Sunday member).
With your full library in mind, do you have a song you connect with more than the others?
CL: I think “Home” for us is something we all connect with. It was the title track to our second album and featured on Fireworks rock and metal magazines CD. It, for us, is just something that we all get lost in, and the audience loves singing the ending. It is a song about our sleepy home town of Stafford – you want to leave, but inside your head there is no place like home.
What is your favorite song to play live?
CL: “Lilith” is one that I think we all dig. It started out as a song I wrote on bass at a rehearsal at Neon Sound Studios in Burntwood. (Martin has a connection of writing a UK 16 Chart song here with Mike Newey the owner.) We even went back to the studio to record it. It’s a brooding dark builder with a very metal ending and the start of us moving into heavier territory. Liam helped with the structure of this, and it just is an absolute blast to play live. The song also features in the film Tales of the Creeping Death by John Williams.
That’s really cool, that you guys had a song in a film! How did that feel, when you learned it was to be used?
CL: So the director John Williams heard “Lilith” and used it in this incredible werewolf scene. The werewolf was designed by Gary Pollard. The film features legendary English actor Ricky Tomlinson. For us it was a dream come true, being massive horror fans. I remember Martin taking the call and jumping around being super excited, then we learned they also added “Unbreakable.” A very surreal and beautiful moment.
Last but not least, what are the band’s plans for the rest of 2023 and into 2024?
We have one final gig of the year left at The Dog House Stafford. It’s our normal Christmas Bash with our good friends Lungdren and Guns for Girls. Then it’s getting the mix back for our single “Web Around My Grave,” which again is a heavy number, followed by a new photoshoot and then recording the final track of our EP Rise, which is a beautiful Tom Petty style song. Then it’s back to gigging straight away around the UK, spreading our wings and following up album number 3. We also have a video to film with the talented Mr Nick J. Townsend of WEAK13, who filmed “Vilified.”
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Things are moving fast for Naked Sunday! You can keep up with all their news, gig announcements, and music by following their socials, and be sure to give “Vilified” and “Shine” a listen on your favorite streaming service!
Rock band Mac Saturn will be headlining a North American tour in early 2024 in support of their new album, Hard to Sell, which will be released on January 26th. The 35-date run comes with support from alt-rock/indie pop trio The Thing With Feathers. You can get tickets at macsaturn.com – and bring your dancing shoes!
1/26 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
1/27 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
1/28 – Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
1/30 – Montreal, QC – Bar le Ritz PDB
1/31 – South Burlington, VT – Showcase Lounge
2/2 – Portland, ME – Portland House of Music
2/3 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
2/4 – Albany, NY – Empire Underground
2/6 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
2/8 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry
2/9 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
2/10 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
2/12 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
2/13 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In
2/15 – St. Louis, MO – Red Flag
2/16 – Kansas City, MO – recordBar
2/17 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall
2/19 – Houston, TX – The Bronze Peacock at House of Blues
2/20 – Dallas Downtown, TX – The Cambridge Room at House of Blues
2/21 – Austin, TX – 3TEN ACL Live
2/23 – Tempe, AZ – Innings Festival 2024 (The Thing With Feathers will not be appearing.)
2/26 – San Diego, CA – Voodoo Room at House of Blues
2/27 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
2/28 – Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone
3/1 – Seattle, WA – Barboza
3/2 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
3/4 – Boise, ID – 9th Street Parallel at Knitting Factory
3/5 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
3/8 – Denver, CO – Marquis
3/11 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
3/12 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
3/13 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
3/15 – Indianapolis, IN – Old National Centre
3/16 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
3/17 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection-The Stache
Hailing from Wales, Revolution Rabbit Deluxe is a band with a sound that ranges from power pop and Brit rock to alternative/indie with strong punk overtones. This four-piece outfit has blended their many influences into a sound that brings the late 70s/early 80s punk rock and new wave movements firmly into the 2020s. (I was visited by heavy The Clash vibes.) This near seamless modern take on these genres is evident on the band’s latest album, Control Freaks.
Control Freaks was released on October 28, 2023. The record kicks off with the track “I’ve Got Nothing” and doesn’t relinquish its hold on the listener straight through to the finale. Within the twelve songs you will find everything from poppy, danceable bops, such as “Summer All Year Round,” to more socially aware (in true punk fashion) tracks like “Fabian Control Freaks,” which is extremely catchy and will have you singing along. Revolution Rabbit Deluxe even throws in a couple of slower, more heartfelt songs in “Mother and Child” and “The Girl From Irpin,” proving that this quartet can run the gamut of human emotion.
If you are a fan of old-school punk or alternative/indie rock, or if you simply want to lose yourself in something that is upbeat while making a statement, Control Freaks is a must-hear! The band’s promise that the album will “bring a smile to your face as we march headlong towards inevitable(?) oblivion” is more than delivered on.
Standout tracks: “Mother and Her Child,” “The Girl From Irpin,” “The Sweetest Things,” and “Glasgow Kiss”
Mostly Music 