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Manchester legends Ingested unleash new single featuring John Gallagher of Dying Fetus
Manchester’s own technical death metal heavyweights Ingested have dropped their latest single, “Watch You Fold”, ahead of their upcoming full-length album, Denigration. The track sees the band joining forces with a true titan of the genre, John Gallagher of Dying Fetus, for a brutal display of precision and power. The new single is described by … Continue reading Manchester legends Ingested unleash new single featuring John Gallagher of Dying Fetus -
“David Coverdale believed those things were alright to say. Jon Lord and I would see something he’d said and wrinkle our noses”: How a controversial album cover and cheeky T-shirts helped turn two ex-Deep Purple members into stars all over again
Whitesnake slithered to success with 1979’s Lovehunter -
Block – Firefly
After two critically acclaimed compositions, “I Thought I Won The War” And “Over And Over,” the renowned singer-songwriter -
Leeds noise-rockers The Shits drop new album ‘Diet of Worms’
Leeds-based noise-rock titans The Shits have officially unleashed their latest long-player, Diet of Worms, via Rocket Recordings. Arriving today, 3rd April 2026, the record follows their previous Rocket release You’re a Mess with an even more single-minded and remorseless approach to the genre. The album is a primal feast of noise-rock and hardcore, boiled down … Continue reading Leeds noise-rockers The Shits drop new album ‘Diet of Worms’ -
The Fabulous Marvelettes’ December 1967 British tour
In August 1967, British promoter Roy Tempest had brought New York vocal quartet The Velours over to England for a tour and billed them as The Fabulous Temptations, which caused a great deal of confusion (and anger) as club owners mistakenly thought they were getting Motown superstars The Temptations.
Later that year, Tempest tried a similar ploy by promoting New York-based soul trio The Flirtations as Motown act, The Marvelettes, billing them as The Fabulous Marvelettes.
Originally formed as The Gypsies with three sisters – Betty, Ernestine and Shirley Pearce plus their friend Viola Billups, The Flirtations were reduced to a trio (minus Betty) by the time Tempest brought them to England.
For this first tour, they were backed by Dagenham, east London outfit, The Trend. The band’s guitarist Norman Cummins kept a diary and the following gigs are from the tour that The Trend provided backing for The Marvelettes. Where newspapers are listed confirming dates, I’ve only listed the papers, even though the dates are all listed in Cummins’ diary.
At the time, The Trend comprised Norman Cummins (lead guitar/vocals); Pete Cole (bass/vocals); Bob Mather (sax); Cliff Reuter (keyboards); and Frankie Morgan (drums).
Tour dates:
8 December 1967 – Cue Club, Praed Street, Paddington, west London (Norman Cummins’ diary) Start of tour with The Trend backing
9 December 1967 – New Century Hall, Manchester with Gerards Own (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Backed by The Trend
9 December 1967 – Paradise Club, Wigan, Lancashire (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
10 December 1967 – Georgian Club, Salford, Greater Manchester with The Trend (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Backed by The Trend
10 December 1967 – Vaudeville Club, Manchester (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
11 December 1967 – Top Rank Ballroom, Doncaster, South Yorkshire (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
12 December 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
14 December 1967 – Falmer House, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
15 December 1967 – Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
15 December 1967 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
16 December 1967 – Sloopy’s, Manchester with The Factotums (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Backed by The Trend
16 December 1967 – Cavern Club, Liverpool (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
17 December 1967 – USAF base, Alconbury, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
18 December 1967 – Cedar Club, Birmingham (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
19 December 1967 – Flintshire Tech College (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
21 December 1967 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
22 December 1967 – Corn Exchange, Hertford, Hertfordshire (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
23 December 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, King’s Heath, West Midlands (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
23 December 1967 – Penthouse, Birmingham (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
24 December 1967 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
24 December 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
24 December 1967 – Cedar Club, Birmingham (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
25 December 1967 – Sloopy’s, Manchester (Norman Cummins’ diary) Backed by The Trend
26 December 1967 – Princess Theatre, Chorlton, Greater Manchester with The Big City Soul Band (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Backed by The Trend
26 December 1967 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester with The Big City Soul Band (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) Backed by The Trend
When the trio returned from the States for a second tour in spring 1968, they reverted to their former name, The Flirtations, and based themselves in England where they recorded.
Thanks to Pete Cole and Norman Cummings for the tour information (see original documents below).


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Country Singer-Songwriter Whey Jennings Unveils His Most Raw & Vulnerable Songs, Balancing Grit & Grace With Storytelling On Gospel-Laced Sophomore Album, Baptized By Fire
[Album art | Download JPG] 2026 Baptized By Fire Tour announced, crossing 45+ cities and 18+ U.S. States, including Wake The Lake Festival (April 04), Carolina Country Music Festival (June 05) & more JUST ANNOUNCED: […]The post Country Singer-Songwriter Whey Jennings Unveils His Most Raw & Vulnerable Songs, Balancing Grit & Grace With Storytelling On Gospel-Laced Sophomore Album, Baptized By Fire appeared first on INFRARED MAGAZINE.
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Visions Of Disfigurement – Release New Song
UK-based slamming brutal death metal band Visions Of Disfigurement have released a new single, titled “Godskin Abomination”. The track was mixed and mastered by Ritual Studios and includes a guest appearance from Daryl Boyce, known for his work with Party Cannon and Scordatura. Check out the music video below.
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“We don’t write songs which shy away from witnessing a world in its trauma, its rage and pain.” U2 surprise-release new six-song EP Easter Lily
U2 follow up their Days Of Ash EP with six new songs exploring themes of “friendship, loss, hope, and ultimately, renewal” -
SUNN O))) – ‘SUNN O)))’
For almost three decades, SUNN O))) have consistently left listeners struggling to describe the ineffable sounds that Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson create. Genre-wise, most reach for terms like “doom” or “drone” metal, but those are insufficient descriptors. It’s like saying that Dick Van Dyke has a Cockney accent in Mary Poppins – it is technically correct, but the whole truth is far more complex. SUNN O))) aren’t necessarily genre-less, but they have transcended genre enough to be both influenced by jazz legend Alice Coltrane, and an influence on dub legend Kevin Martin (aka The Bug). SUNN O)))’s scope is nothing but far-reaching.
The one word, however, that is consistently used to describe SUNN O))) is “heavy.” Writing in the Guardian in 2019, John Doran even went so far as to call SUNN O))) “the heaviest band this century has seen so far.” It’s a moot declaration, but a compelling one nonetheless. When the agonised squeals of suffering guitars make way for the first echoic drones that feature on SUNN O)))’s new self-titled album, few listeners would debate that Doran may have a point. On that note, ‘XXANN’ is a devastating opening statement. Howling frequencies span cavernous lows and shrieking highs that are both equally ominous. It’s consistently spacious too, with O’Malley and Anderson sounding miles apart yet simultaneously telepathically connected.
This sonic openness may be a consequence of their chosen recording environment. SUNN O)))’s tenth album – their Sub Pop debut – was conceived at Bear Creek Studios in Washington, affording the pair ample hiking opportunities, among other benefits. With “no stress” and “no worry about the timeline,” according to Anderson, and surrounded by endless scenery, SUNN O))) appear to have crafted what may be their most quintessential album to date. Self-titled, therefore, with good reason, these six compositions total to an almost 80-minute onslaught of elongated compositions that morph into miniature time-warps. What results is an experience so disorienting, even the soberest of bystanders will be convinced that time is no longer linear, and that these are not drones but in fact quantum tunnels.
This will be of little surprise to longtime fans, who will be accustomed to the band’s mind-altering live performances. Usually, the duo remain cloaked during these, swamped by smoke machines and backed a Stonehenge of amplifiers. For music that features only small variations across long stretches of time, it’s an impressive presentation.
It makes sense, then, that SUNN O))) are shrewd enough to remain musically protean on record. Inflated runtimes and amorphous structures offer challenges, but they also afford SUNN O))) creative opportunities. ‘Butch’s Guns’ is interrupted with multiple false starts, akin to the sudden pauses of a faulty record player. The eventual resolution is soothing, much like the bass slides that tumble towards the concluding moments of ‘Does Anyone Hear Like Venom’. Meanwhile, ‘Mindrolling’ leans more melodically, with some semblance of a central riff creating dissonant portents throughout its 18-minute runtime. It’s also one of two compositions here to feature field recordings, alongside the sombre ‘Glory Black’ – the latter’s well-integrated piano passage offering a pleasing variation to the hour-plus entanglement of sounds that precede it.
The album’s cover art features paintings by Mark Rothko; his abstract minimalism an uncanny accompaniment to the music’s glacial pacing. The strange patternicity of Rothko’s art is present throughout ‘SUNN O)))’, as the duo transform dense meanderings into musical developments. The influence of their surroundings is notable too; the hum of SUNN O)))’s rumblings would be at peace within the depths of the woodland.
Most impressive of all, however, is SUNN O)))’s ability to create a lot from a little. O’Malley and Anderson handle all instrumentation themselves, something that they’ve never done previously. It a no doubt a consequence of their confidence, but also of their musicality, that they can achieve so much as a duo.
That all said, there’s no denying that ‘SUNN O)))’ is a taxing listen. It demands attention and patience with soundscapes that are often purposefully draining, both physically and emotionally. Across six songs, SUNN O))) have crafted some of their most sensorily dizzying music to date. But these gradually mutating drones are as glorious as they are overpowering. They may even be the heaviest there’s ever been.
BEN WILLIAMS
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200 Stab Wounds – Enter The Studio
Cleveland, OH death metal band 200 Stab Wounds have entered the studio to begin work on their third full-length album, following 2024’s Manual Manic Procedures.
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