Leonard Smalls

All originals: Choked -punk funk Dredd and the Badass Weeds - dancefunkrock (est. 1983) The Complete and Utter Bastards - freejazz improv. TBA!

2 disc bulges here as well... The consultant at Gobowen told me years ago (15!) that I had 2 courses of action; either have surgery, with all the risks that entails and no guarantee of success, or build core strength in order to support the injured area (I got it attempting to lift a Triumph spitfire back end!). So every morning I do an exercise routine - some yoga to help keep joints moving, 300 fully supported crunchies (twist and straight), some Pilates/yoga back stretches (cat, upenarsinan or whatever it's called etc), 2 minutes plank, 50 press ups, lunges, hip flexes, Sun Salute (i.e reach right up then touch the ground with as straight legs as you can). It's kept me pain-free and able to mountain bike, climb etc, though it took nearly 6 months of exercises to get to that state. I shall continue with this regime until I'm no longer able to move at all!

I done one! Seeing the pic had someone with a gun in their hand, I thought it best to do a cover of Hendrix' classic "Hey Joe" 😁 Drums, EZ, bass and rhythm "guitar" , Wal. Vox, me (who else!), lead guitar, bashed up Strat. Bass through Ampeg SVT plug in, rhythm bass through BX Rockrack and Bias amp, Vox through Raum and Nectar, lead through Bias FX, all mastered with Oxone 9.

I understand that Friday night's headline is going to be announced as a Take That reunion complete with Robbie!

I think it's only HR... Remember seeing them in the early 90s though at Subterrania in Portobello. Crackin'!

We do! We're most certainly not balding men playing 3 chord songs... Some of ours have only 2 chords, others have at least 20! I'm the only one who's a bit balding, and our singer isn't a man! And I'm also looking forward to Sunday's prominent punk headline, Steel Pulse!

Bizarre double post!

Cool! We're also on just before you at Going Feral Fest in September...

Anyone else going to this celebration of all things slightly punk? Looking forward to THE DAMNED THE EXPLOITED BOB VYLANTHE DICKIES BIG COUNTRY BAD MANNERS ANTI NOWHERE LEAGUE RUTS DC U.K. SUBS THE REZILLOS BAD BRAINS THE METEORS THE VAPORS GAYE BYKERS ON ACID WASTED YOUTH CONFLICT SPIZZ ENERGI HEADSTICKS and of course, DAFFODILDOS 😁 We've managed to get ourselves onto the Introducing Stage! [/thinly disguised plug]

When it gets to that stage I know my opus is finished and ready for its adoring public... 😁

Widdlefest heaven!

I read the book, and thought at the time it was destined to be a film or tv series! Might give it a go, though I found the book slightly annoying in the egomania stakes - I'll bet this doesn't tone it down! and mixing that with 70s style MOR might be pushing it just a little to far for li'l ol' me! Anyway: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/03/daisy-jones-the-six-review-not-even-elviss-grandkid-can-save-this-70s-rocknroll-saga

Next up for Choked (though possible Hereford gig night before,tba)

I'm not really The Gasman at all! All I've had are: Marshall Lead/Bass 100w and Yamaha 1x15 cab (still got the cab!) Marshall Jubilee 300 (still got) into Yam cab and Laney 4x12 guitar cab BBE Pre and DBX rack compressor into Crown 2x500w stereo power amp, plus Markbass 2x10 and 4x10 (current main rig)

I'd be banned! However... I've changed the lyrics considerably and now it's no longer an expletive-ridden rant against Sunak and Boris' mob. 😁 But it still features my dulcet tones!

Talking of Steve Vai and bass player producers, Bill Laswell is one of the greatest! He even got Vai (and Ginger Baker and Bernie Worrell and Nicky Skopelitis) to play on this...

I produced a punkrock classic yesterday (it's a proper earworm, despite my "singing") in 40 minutes flat... However, I may have to reject it for this month's challenge as there's so much swearing all you'd hear would be bleeps (some would say that'd make it better 😁), and leaving all the ranty rudeness in would no doubt offend, especially those who are a little on the right of the political spectrum 😀 Even the title's offensive! Perhaps a nice bit of blues instead?

And listening to a bit of Jeff - probably almost the opposite of the Buttholes!

Love 'em! Saw them a few times - most memorable was at the Mean Fiddler in 1988ish... Gabby was covered in blood after being hit by a glass, then he set himself on fire (as you do) as the band played on. And meanwhile, there was a riot outside due to the amount of folks trying to get in without tickets. Worrying and still excellent!

Featuring some great bass by Etienne Mbappe... https://ranjitbarot.bandcamp.com/album/bombay-makossa?fbclid=IwAR2a22URS2PcqO_tG2WzJKh_KcCeNEPdvpkQrkiR3EUusA-_CqwmkTLmEB8

I always take two pairs of pants, just in case...

Enjoying these guys - played with them last Saturday in Birmingham...

I once did a gig wearing 9 different hats... At the same time!

Choked played the Dark Horse in Moseley, Birmingham last night... Not many folks turned up (30 or so) which was a shame as all 3 bands (including us!) were on fire... Not literally, of course as that would have been a bit too exciting. It was also the 1st gig we used the Tourbus (Vivaro van) which meant I could have a whole 3 pints of Real Ale and enjoy the other bands. After we'd played our guitarist had rather too many, plus rum'n'cokes, and chucked up outside (the shame!). Still, highly recommend Ünhang from Brighton; loads of energy, tight as and musically interesting as well as being rockin'. Here's us though, more importantly:

A bit of Rolling Stones 😁