Booze & Glory "London Skinhead Crew" 12" and "Reggae Sessions vol 1" reviews

BOOZE & GLORY

"London Skinhead Crew" 12"

Pirates Press Records 

Released: April 21, 2018

The 2012 video for Booze & Glory's "London Skinhead Crew" is approaching 12 million views at the time of this writing. I know I have clicked on it at least a half dozen times since it's release and I am sure many of you have as well.

You may not be a skinhead, may not know what a "Crombie coat" is or what "Monkey Boots" are and you may not know the significance of the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles". What is undeniable is how catchy the punk rock song is and the coolness of the record.

I have been collecting records for a very long time. I've seen a lot of shapes, sizes and colors... But this 12" with the words "London Skinhead Crew" actually cut out of the vinyl and then with the record playing from the inside out... is just the best. This is mandatory for any record collector.

The A-side is a new, ska version of the song. The B-side is the original. The ska version has them teamed up with Vespa & The Londonians and it is spot on with the vintage ska style. Love the musicianship and the arrangement. I can see I am going to have to drop the needle on some Trojan and Studio One records. Perfect as summer is upon us.

This record is an instant classic.

PRESSING INFO:
500pcs. - 12" Red Vinyl w/ Diecut (REV / RSD Version)
300pcs. - 12" Black Vinyl w/ Diecut (PPR Mailorder Version)
200pcs. - 12" Gold Vinyl w/ Diecut (Band Version)

Second Pressing:
1000pcs. - 12" Claret & Blue AsideBside w/ Diecut

"LONDON SKINHEAD CREW"

Years go passing by but we are still about

Against society and all that crap

This is not a fashion its a way of life

Getting older but we won't give up

Coz we got nothing else to do

London Skinhead Crew

Scars, tattoos, crombie coats, full of trouble

We grew up on dead end streets

Lack of teeth - full of dreams

Drinking beer and forever blowing bubbles

Football on Saturday, Camden Sunday night

And were skint again but we don't care

Smell of 2 stroke every year at Isle of Wight

Skinhead Reggae beat and short cropped hair

Coz we got nothing else to do

London Skinhead Crew

Scars, tattoos, crombie coats, full of trouble

We grew up on dead end streets

Lack of teeth - full of dreams

Drinking beer and forever blowing bubbles

We are the lost generation with not much left to lose

Wearing shiny brogues and tonic suits

All we want is a bit of thrill, fags and booze

And crazy skinhead girls in monkey boots

Coz we got nothing else to do

London Skinhead Crew

Scars, tattoos, crombie coats, full of trouble

We grew up on dead end streets

Lack of teeth - full of dreams

Drinking beer and forever blowing bubbles (x2)

And while we are at it...

BOOZE & GLORY
Vespa & The Londonians

"The Reggae Sessions Volume 1" 12"

Pirates Press Records 
Released March 2, 2018

We have established that the "London Skinhead Crew" ska version is top shelf. That song and two others are included in the "Reggae Sessions Vol. 1".

The story leading up to the development of this project is that Liam and Mark from Booze & Glory had the idea of turning some Booze & Glory songs into Ska or Reggae tunes. I have always loved alternate versions of songs I already love. Hence the ridiculous amount of 12" singles in my possession of extended versions and remixes, not to mention my love of cover versions of songs.

So Liam and Mark teamed up with The Londonians (UK) and VESPA, from Poland to create "The Reggae Sessions Vol. 1".

The results are hypnotic and undoubtedly measure up to the vintage ska music I love so much.

TRACK LISTING:
RECORD 1
A. London Skinhead Crew (Stereo)
B. London Skinhead Crew (Mono)

RECORD 2
A. Only Fools Get Caught (Stereo)
B. Only Fools Get Caught (Mono)

RECORD 3
A. Leave The Kids Alone (Stereo)
B. Leave The Kids Alone (Mono)

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Booze & Glory
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