B
THE NEW ALBUM
KLASSIC PIX QUOTES AND GAMES PLANS FOR 2027
KEITHGARETHS/ EDITORIAL
There are bands that survive because they evolve
There are bands that survive because they reinvent themselves
And then there is BU
Thirty-nine years after first lurching into existence, BU remain gloriously, stubbornly, magnificently incapable of behaving like a normal band
Most musical careers follow a recognisable arc There is youthful enthusiasm, modest success, internal disagreements, solo projects, reunions, farewell tours, comeback albums and, eventually, a heritage slot at a festival sponsored by a mobile phone company
BU appear to have skipped that chapter entirely
Instead, they have spent nearly four decades building a parallel universe populated by Gorilla Hands ashtrays, Slightly Synthetic Sausages, mysterious bridges, funny bones, kings of blerts and whatever else happened to wander into their collective consciousness at any given moment
By any conventional measure, none of this should work.
And yet it does
Perhaps the secret lies in the fact that BU have never really been interested in becoming anything other than BU. Trends have come and gone Musical fashions have risen and fallen Entire genres have been born, peaked and disappeared into the cultural undergrowth Through it all, Dame B, Greg D, John W and Paul K have continued to pursue the only thing that has ever mattered to them: making each other laugh, cry, and crap, while occasionally stumbling upon moments of genuine brilliance.
The result is a catalogue unlike any other
EDITORIAL CONT’D
As one retired dock worker from Liverpool told Mad Crap Monthly:
"I've unloaded ships carrying bananas, steel and once, inexplicably, several thousand novelty garden gnomes. Nothing in forty years prepared me for BU."
Medical professionals appear equally baffled. Dr. Anita Fairweather, consultant neurologist, offered a measured assessment:
"From a scientific perspective, listening to BU should not produce the emotional responses it does Yet somehow listeners can move from laughter to melancholy and back again in under three minutes Frankly, we ' re studying it " Meanwhile, support for the band appears to have crossed political boundaries
One veteran Member of Parliament, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of losing committee appointments, confessed:
"I've spent thirty years debating matters of national importance, but I still don't know what a Blert is What concerns me is that I now desperately want to be King of them "
This, perhaps, is BU's greatest achievement
At a time when so much culture is carefully managed, strategically branded and relentlessly optimised, BU remain wonderfully resistant to explanation. Their songs arrive not as products but as conversations. Their records feel less like commercial releases and more like dispatches from a parallel Britain where spiking drinks, sincerity and questionable decision-making coexist in perfect harmony
The new album, BU24, only reinforces that reputation
It is beautiful
It is heartfelt.
It is occasionally baffling. It is frequently excellent. Most importantly, it sounds exactly like the work of four people who still genuinely enjoy surprising one another after nearly four decades
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TODEFINETHEEPOCH
That is rarer than any chart position. Thirty-nine years on, and with the same line up and after a dozen session musicians, BU remain proof that friendship can outlast fashion, that obsession with crap can coexist with artistry, and that there is still room in modern music for the unexpected Long may they continue confusing politicians, alarming doctors and delighting dock workers And long may the monarchs of mad crap rock reign
SONG BY SONG OVERVIEW
BU24 bursts into life with a snarling garage-rock assault Driven by primitive riffs and Paul K’s venomous vocal delivery, it's two minutes of glorious chaos that sets the tone for everything that follows
A darker, more reflective turn Greg D delivers one of his strongest performances over galloping guitars and dramatic chord changes, creating a song rich in regret, melancholy and emotional weight
Part power-pop, part gothic groove Built around pulsing basslines and a huge singalong chorus, the track balances swagger and yearning while showcasing John W's understated but essential drumming
4.SlightlySyntheticSausage
Possibly the most infectious song on the record Greg D and Paul K combine to transform an unlikely tale of food poisoning and arson into pure festival-ready pop bliss
5.KingoftheBlerts
Sultry, camp and surprisingly dramatic Paul K leads the charge before Greg D joins the fray, building towards one of the album's most explosive vocal climaxes
6.ILikeIt
John W steps into the spotlight with a riff-heavy rocker that trades trance influences for chunky guitars and alternative-rock energy while retaining his trademark rhythmic identity
7.MildCrap
Behind the humorous title lies one of the album's most heartfelt moments Pixies-inspired dynamics, yearning lyrics and Dame B's committed vocal performance create an unlikely emotional high point
A deep dive into BU24 mythology Dark humour, vocal sparring and sudden bursts of guitar fury combine to create one of the album's strangest and most entertaining tracks
Sunshine harmonies meet festival-sized ambition Beach Boys influences float through a song that feels tailor-made for warm evenings, open fields and communal singalongs
10.Let'sPretend
A reflective Celtic-tinged ballad that finds Dame B in contemplative form Gentle melancholy and understated beauty make this one of the album's most affecting moments
11.GorillaHands
A muscular prog-rock riff powers this eccentric anthem through equal measures of humour, aggression and absurdity before arriving at a strangely triumphant conclusion
12.SaddleUp
A show-stopping finale Channelling Vegas-era Elvis, Paul K delivers a charismatic performance that closes the album in suitably grand style and leaves listeners wanting more
BU24: REVIEW BY KEITH GARETHS
There are albums that arrive with careful mission statements and grand artistic manifestos. Then there are albums like BU24, which kicks the door off its hinges, tracks mud across the carpet, and somehow leaves you grinning like Gulnar by the end. Across twelve songs, Dame B, Greg D, John W and Paul K deliver a collection that veers between garage rock, glam, power pop, hard rock, folk lament and outright absurdity, all united by a refusal to take itself entirely seriously while still managing moments of genuine emotional weight.
The opening track, "Nosey C**t" explodes from the speakers with a bratty New York Dolls sneer. The riff sounds like Confused Babboons at their most gloriously primitive, while Paul K returns in full caustic form, spitting out melodic hooks with venomous charm.
9.5/10
Behind him, Paul K also contributes backing vocals that feel imported directly from the golden age of British heavy metal At barely two minutes, it's a shot of pure whiplash garage rock and a perfect introduction to the madness that follows "From Devil's Bridge" takes a decidedly darker turn A descending, galloping riff sets the tone while Greg D delivers perhaps his strongest vocal performance to date Long accused of being enthusiastically tone deaf, he has clearly discovered both phrasing and restraint The chorus rises unexpectedly on Broadwayworthy chord changes, and while Greg occasionally wanders, he more than holds his own as the song builds towards its heartbreaking climax The rhythm section ultimately seems to echo the fate awaiting the song's addressee, amplifying the regret and melancholy running through the lyrics
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"Juice Loose" arrives on a bed of early'80s bass and fuzzy backing chords The narrator welcomes listeners to sit down and "let the juice loose," and from there the song unfolds with confidence. The spaces between verse and chorus are as important as the lyrics themselves, the music carrying much of the narrative weight beneath a delivery that recalls a collision between Gene Simmons and Nick Cave A catchy chorus gives way to a muezzin-esque yearning melodic wail before circling back for another triumphant refrain John W's drumming deserves particular mention here, driving the whole affair with understated authority
''Slightly Synthetic Sausage'' provides one of the album's brightest moments. Greg D and Paul K share vocal duties, with Paul often stepping in to rescue proceedings and elevate the melody with futuristic warbles. Inspired by the scintilating true story of food poisoning and arson at a small motel, it somehow transforms unlikely subject matter into pure pop bliss. The relentlessly sugary chorus and skittering vocal lines will have festival crowds singing along in sundrenched unison all summer long. The mood shifts again on "King of the Blerts." Paul K delivers a sultry vocal performance that floats effortlessly over increasingly playful bass work. Greg D joins the fray in an Andy Bell channeled chorus, the pair creating a camp contrast to the darkly sparkling pop of the previous track. As the song develops, the tension builds before culminating in a huge vocal roar, one of several moments that emerge as a recurring signature throughout the album. It is the rare listener who will not feel a sob rise in his throat at this moment
"I Like It" belongs to John W and immediately benefits from chunky heavymetal guitars. Fans accustomed to tranceinspired excursions from their favourite Bad Boy may be surprised This feels closer to the jangling, melodic alternative rock of post-rock Scots Mogwai than electronic experimentation Yet the robotic repetition at the heart of the track remains unmistakably John W, connecting the modern incarnation with the artist's earlier musical lives
"Mild Crap" pairs poetic sensibilities with unmistakable Pixies energy Beneath the humour suggested by its title lies some of the most yearning songwriting on the album The lyrics balance vulnerability and wit, "I'm already teetering on the boderline," creating one of the record's most unexpectedly affecting moments with Dame B's Simmons circa '78 vocals harnessing the NRG required for lift off
"Funny Bone" plunges listeners deeper into the merciless universe of BU24. Greg D and Paul K spar vocally while Producer Railinz adds flashes of dark humour Midway through, the guitars are finally unleashed before retreating into taut hard-rock picking The song descends gleefully into the peculiar mythology of BU24, a place where chipped elbows apparently provoke equal measures of sympathy and sniggering from friends and family alike, which is only fair, on retrospect.
"Escaping to the Country" arrives with Beach Boys harmonies and festival-sized ambition Paul K's vocal sneer pushes confidently into territory often associated with Dame B's Britpop instincts The floating chorus and tightly calibrated verses feel tailor-made for summer fields and warm evenings If anyone doubts Paul K's vocal credentials, one needs only to turn to the recent Gallagher verdict: "He can belt out a tune, can our kid Paul K."
"Let's Pretend" feels as though it has been rescued from Donovan's record collection Dame B delivers a Celticinfused swan song filled with genuine longing and reflection The object of his regret remains tantalisingly unnamed, giving the song an emotional universality A Jamaican-flavoured bongo coda closes proceedings and rewards repeated listens, particularly in quieter company, or by oneslef, with a cuppa char and a cigar.
"Gorilla Hands" launches with a muscular Brooklyn prog-rock riff and finds Greg D once again reaching confidently for notes that might once have terrified him The central riff drives the song relentlessly forward before dissolving into a sparkling shower of guitar textures. What follows is a curious blend of aggression, humour and stubborn masculine denial of the existence of buffets, climaxing in a rallying cry for Gorilla Hands ashtrays that somehow makes perfect sense within the BU24 universe. review continues on page 11
WE ASKED HERNE THE HUNTER HIS OPINION
REVIEW CONT’D
“ThiswasaftertheOscars-wehadagreattimewiththe girls!”PaulK
l“Wegoonwalkstodiscusslyrics,melodies.Wediscuss ife!”GregD
m“Ifyoudon’tbelieveinyourself,youwon’tclimbthe ountain”JohnW
The album closes with "Saddle Up, " and what a finale it is. Channeling Vegas-era Presley, Paul K seizes the crown and spends the song proving himself worthy of it By the final note, he has effectively stolen the title of King of Rock and Roll for himself, leaving both band and audience demanding a sequel It serves as a fitting conclusion to a record that feels less like a comeback than a re-coronation.
BU24 is many things: garage rock, power pop, hard rock, folk reverie and comedy wrapped into a single package. Above all, it is a celebration of four musicians Dame B, Greg D, John W and Paul K following their instincts wherever they lead The result is gloriously uneven in all the right ways, packed with memorable hooks, strange characters, emotional surprises and enough personality to power several lesser records In a musical landscape often obsessed with polish and perfection, BU24 succeeds because it embraces chaos, humour and humanity. Long may the monarchs of mad crap rock reign
Few producers have been as closely associated with a band as Railinz has with BU As the architect behind many of their defining records, his relationship with the group stretches across decades, countless tours, and more studio sessions than anyone can accurately remember
Q:You'veworkedwithBUfordecades What'sthesecret?
Railinz: "Paul K and I have always shared the same vision We can spend six hours golfing, bowling, or prawn fishing and somehow end up solving an entire album by the end of it We've never needed many words We just know when something feels like BU"
Artists createthe spark. Producers buildthe fire.
Q:Andtherestoftheband?
Railinz: "Dame B and I are strictly business We never really communicate directly There's always a representative from BU Enterprises involved somewhere That's just the system that's evolved over the years and it works"
Q:GregD?
Railinz: "Greg's a fascinating character Sometimes you ask him what he wants for lunch and twenty minutes later you ' re hearing a theory about the spiritual significance of vinegar It can be hard to cut through the performative philosophising, but deep down he's a nice bloke"
Q:WhataboutJohnW?
Railinz: "We're still recovering from the Feet of Egg incident at the MTV Awards John maintains he sang the definitive version History, and several witnesses, may disagree We've learned not to discuss it after 9pm" ExclusiveInterview:RailinzonFourDecadesofBU,BU24,andtheRoadtoBU25
Q:You'reparticularlyproudofBU24 Why?
Railinz: "For the first time I felt I'd successfully intersected four elements earth, wind, fire and water Every great BU record has one or two of them BU24 has all four That's why it feels different"
Q:LookingaheadtoBU25?
Railinz: "The 40th anniversary album has the potential to be extraordinary But first I need to disappear for a bit I'm fried Producing BU24 while keeping record company executives happy has taken years off my life I'll travel, recharge, and hopefully return with something worthy of BU25
He pauses before laughing, a secret smirk lifting his smile beneaththehintofgingerstubble
"The band think I disappear to find inspiration Truth is sometimes I just need a week where nobody asks me about Feet of Egg"
NEXT STEP: BU AVATARS AT THE SPHERE
TE
“W the tak res going and will cost every one of our fans a fortune ” Dame B
VIDEOS
“It’s an area we need to spend focus on Obadiah was a big hit on MTV If it’s what the fans want, we’ll do it, and charge them a fortune to watch whatever videos we create, because that’s what Rock and Roll is all about ” Paul K
TO
what ogue ather ncert
looks set to be the most most expensive ticket the world has ever seen ” Greg D
“Avatars?
I like champagne ” John W
