MUSIC

Rockin’ around the Craufurd tree

Space Pistol have been making the right sort of noise on the MK scene in 2022, and the fiery alt-rock mob – who issued their self-titled EP back in February – will be seeing out the year with their first headline date at The Craufurd Arms (Dec 2), writes Sammy Jones.

If ‘delicious dystopian filth’ sounds appealing, go grab those tickets for a hot night. It’s also a chance to revel in the release of their first single, Chokehold.

“People can expect a night of high energy heaviness, which will thump you straight between the eyes,” promised guitarist/vocalist Dan Buckland.

You don’t get that from an advent calendar, do you?

Raging Speedhorn play on December 9 Space Pistol kick the month off on December 2

Support is coming from Broken Castles, who Pulse Music readers will be familiar with; it’s the new band featuring familiar faces from Phema, Graveltrap and Our Man In The Bronze Age.

Bruises and Alkylate complete the bill. Tickets are a fiver in advance.

Thirty years ago, Mötley Crüe announced the replacement vocalist for Vince Neil and the gig went to John Corabi. But despite a smash-hit album, Crüe fans never took to him and Neil returned, with Corabi cut loose.

He has been consistently busy ever since though, and the man with the voice has just detailed his journey in the autobiography, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades.

John Corabi is at The Craufurd on December 3

As page-turners go, this one looks like it has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster; the book follows his journey from Philadelphia to the Sunset Strip, and you’ll get a behind the scenes view of his time, not just fronting Crüe, but also Union and the Dead Daisies. And then there was that stint playing guitar with Ratt.

Readers will also be privy to his family’s dark history of abuse and John’s run-in with a serial killer. We’re off to order our copy.

Corabi will be live at The Craufurd on December 3.

InMe and Raging Speedhorn are currently out on the road at the start of their co-headline tour, which rumbles into Wolverton on Friday, December 9.

It has been a very long time since we’ve had the live privilege of seeing the former, but judging by recent rehearsal footage, the quintet are well and truly smoking. And we know that to be true of

the Speedhorn, who were at the venue earlier in the year with Napalm Death.

What a magnificent night that was.

They are hairy and creepy, and Black Spiders will be hoping to catch you in their musical web when they crawl in (Dec 17).

Writing on their socials, the arachnid rockers told their fans, “One of our very favourite venues, The Craufurd Arms, gets to host our last show of 2022... we’ll be at the top of our game and ready to melt faces as we burn up the M1. We’ll be ready, hope you are too.’ You bet we are. Good times ahead.

Now, this smells like a great night out – a Christmas Eve eve mega bash topped by Nerdvana (Dec 23).

The last 18 months have seen the trio, ‘the UK’s youngest Nirvana tribute’, honing their style and laying down the grunge greats before audiences around the country, playing a flurry of festivals and iconic venues.

The band is promising to deliver all of the ‘raw, chaotic energy’ that you expect, but with added festive fun, and some Nirvana tracks that the band has never tackled live before...

The all-local line-up will also feature support from Serma and The Jettisons.

Tickets are a fiver – more fun than Santa could fit in a Christmas stocking and cheap at half the price.

New Year’s Eve can be a whole lot of effort for a lame return. But those among you who still press ‘play’ to Slippery When Wet, and who yearn for a return of those Sunset Strip days of glam n’ roll, stop where you are; King Awesome are bringing the party!

If you’ve seen them in the city before, you’ll know that Oxford’s hair metal tribute mob are big on effects, pyros and anthems. And you’ll know that this is no below par covers band – they really do deliver.

It’s all about ‘fist pumping, lip pouting, hair flicking, high kicking, face melting, hard rocking arena anthems.’

‘Get ready to party like it’s 1989!’ as the clock strikes midnight. It’ll be like grunge never happened!

Pic: Ingenious Photo Genies

> Go get those tickets at thecraufurdarms.com

Chapter and Verse

With Christmas calling, you might find yourself holed in with the family for longer than usual, and that’s all good. But what happens when the Christmas liquor has been emptied, the festive games exhausted and the season of goodwill is turning sour?

That’s when you need to take yourselves off and stick your head in a good book, and retailer racks are full of them.

Here are three of our most favoured recent page-turners...

Lady Gaga Applause RRP: £25 Who is Miss Gaga? Just when you think you have her ‘summed up’ she takes another unpredictable turn – so far she has gone from pop Queen to jazz ace, to outstanding actress.

Along the way, she has turned the world of fashion on its head, courted controversy and founded the Born This Way foundation. Annie Zaleski’s book is a classy addition to shelves belonging to fans of this ever-evolving creative; a lady who has sold more than 124 million records, and bagged 12 Grammy Awards. Sex Pistols I Wanna Be Me RRP: £25 Those who weren’t there at the time might struggle to understand the furore that the Sex Pistols whipped up in their day. Their history was short, but as the leaders of the new punk movement they scared authority, and upset parents everywhere.

As Johnny Rotten is quoted in the pages of I Wanna Be Me, “Suddenly it was like the whole world hated us, which I was perfectly happy with. It means we were doing something right.”

There are some fabulous recollections here and images that will take you back to those early shows – you can almost smell the stale sweat.

Get lost in the pages of an era that music will never forget. Never mind the other Pistols books, this one is the b*****s!

> Get it: palazzoeditions.com

Del Bromham Rock and Roll Survivor RRP: £20 We mentioned this in the last edition of Pulse Music, but after threatening it for a

Come as you are - Nerdvana play The Craufurd on December 23

Christmas reading for ‘musos’... Lady Gaga, Sex Pistols and local legend Del Bromham

while, the founder of Stray has put pen to paper and shared the recollections of a life in music, and with more than 50 years of memories to pull from, it’s an engrossing read.

There are tales here of time spent with Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy and of touring with artists including Kiss and Rush...and the occasional Mafia boss and Kray family member get a look in, too.

The book comes with forewords by Stray fans, Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris and The Damned’s Captain Sensible which is approval enough.

What’s on the Setlist? The Amy Winehouse Band

An Amy Winehouse show with a difference is heading to The Stables – Forever Amy is a stunning retrospective delivered by her original band.

Described as ‘the only completely authentic reimagining of the Amy Winehouse sound,’ the show will also feature onscreen visuals, and exceptional vocalist Bronte Shand bringing life to Amy’s sensational catalogue.

Dale Davis was Amy’s MD, bass player and friend. He is at the helm of this show, too.

“It’s still great to be honouring Amy’s music and legacy, even though there’s the sadness that she’s no longer here,” he told me.

He shared the three tracks on the show setlist that mean the most to him, and why.

Moody’s Mood “I love Amy’s interpretation of this song. I asked Amy why she didn’t include it in her set – this was at the beginning of our time together. She said it was a difficult song to sing, which it is, as well as being a great song. At the next rehearsal she sang it with such grace and beauty. I later discovered that she learnt the song in a week before she recorded it, which gives you an idea of how musically talented she was.

Me & Mr Jones “When I first heard the unfinished version of the album Back to Black, the first song that stood out was Me & Mr Jones for its Rhythm ‘n’ Blues/Rock ‘n’ feel. It’s also a song that can’t be played on the radio during the daytime!”

Love Is A Losing Game “A prophetic masterpiece. Covered by Prince and George Michael, which puts her up there with the greats.” > The Amy Winehouse Band will be live at The Stables on Wednesday, December 14. To book, visit stables.org

The Amy Winehouse Band grace The Stables on December 14 Amy Winehouse and Dale Davis

Van the man announces Stables dates

Van Morrison will play three intimate shows in Milton Keynes in March, in support of his upcoming album, Moving On Skiffle.

The long-player will be released on March 10, with Van playing three shows at The Stables in Wavendon, on March 13, 14 & 15.

Skiffle has always been a part of Van’s musical fabric – as a child he would hang out at Belfast’s Atlantic Records store which opened his ears to artists including Lead Belly and Jelly Roll Morton. In time he graduated to playing with a skiffle band.

“I was still in school when I performed with a skiffle band – a couple of guitars, washboard, tea-chest bass,” he recalled, “I was already familiar with Lead Belly’s recordings so when I heard Lonnie Donegan’s version of ‘Rock Island Line’ I intuitively understood what he was creating, I knew that it was what I wanted to do. It was like an explosion. This record retranslates songs from that era.”

The timeless selection will find a new audience thanks to Van’s channelling, but while most are being played straight, there are occasions when the rebellious artist tinkered; Mama Don’t Allow (recorded by Memphis Jug Band and Tampa Red almost a century ago) will now be called Gov Don’t Allow. It’s a nod to his fight against the rise in government interference in our daily lives.

Alison Young, Head of Programming at the venue, is thrilled to confirm the shows – which sold out almost immediately.

“We’ve been discussing a mini residency with Van and his team for a few years now and are absolutely delighted that this will come to fruition with the launch of his new album, in a series of intimate shows here,” she told Pulse Music.