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It’s been recorded. It’s been mixed. It’s even been played to a home crowd over a brand new tannoy system. But sometime in the next 48 hours the Quireboys will release their anthem for Blyth Spartans’ FA cup heroes to an unsuspecting public!

The Nationwide North side tackle Premier League Blackburn Rovers in front of the Setanta Sports cameras on Monday night from 8pm and Harry Dunn’s men will run out to The Famous Blyth Spartans (We’re Going To Wembley) before reprising their roles as dangerous underdogs.  

rushonrock was granted exclusive access to last week’s studio session at Global Music’s brilliant Blast facility on Tyneside and right from the off we realised the tune had all the ingredients needed to produce a killer cup song.

Mick Brown, of the Quireboys’ record label Jerkin Crocus, received the master copy of the song earlier this week and he said: “The boys have done a brilliant job in a very short space of time. Basically this song was written, recorded and mixed in a week but you wouldn’t know it. Even so it’s still a race against time during the holiday season to get it out to the public but it should be available to download from the Jerkin Crokus website within the next couple of days.”

Rest assured rushonrock will bring you all the details of how to get your sticky mits on the song asap. Watch this space and don’t forget to look out for the Quireboys in the studio on Setanta Sports as part of the station’s pre-tie build-up.

Record label chief Eric Cook has hailed the latest album from Ulster agit-rockers Therapy? as a stunning return to form as the band prepare to unleash new record Crooked Timber on the world in March.

The band shot to prominence in the early 1990s with classics such as Teethgrinder fast gaining a cult audience. A string of Top 40 hits followed and the band has continued to blaze a trail for cutting edge rock for two decades.

Cook pounced to sign the band to Tyneside-based Global Music earlier this year and, after spending time with the band in the label’s brand new Blast studios in Newcastle, he said: “The record is absolutely superb. The guys have taken their time making an excellent album and no stone has been left unturned. There’ve been a few ups and downs along the way but we’re all confident that Crooked Timber will put the band back where they belong.”

Frontman Andy Cairns is equally confident new fans and old will warm to what promises to be one of 2009′s rock highlights and he added: “The recording is about celebrating people’s quirks, the things which make us unique.

“These days everyone tries to fit it instead of just being themselves. The songs examine what it means to be human – to realise that we are the only living things on the planet aware of our own deaths.”

Therapy?’s Crooked Timber will be released by Global Music’s DR2 imprint on March 24.

The Quireboys have been peddling their honky tonk bar room rock for more than two decades but 2008 has been a landmark year for the band. rushonrock caught up with guitarist Paul Guerin to talk the past 12 months, the future and the small matter of an FA Cup song with Blyth Spartans…

rushonrock: You’ve just wrapped up your second UK headline tour of the year so how did it all go down?

Paul Guerin: We were packing them in every night and I think we’re looking at playing a few larger venues in 2009. I know we’re moving to the main room in the Academy at Newcastle and I think that one’s already been pencilled in. There’s been a great cross-section of people at all the shows this year and I don’t think too many have gone away unhappy!

rushonrock: We’ve been hearing great things about your US support act. Tell us more…

PG: We had Mary McBride supporting us for most of the UK shows this time. She’s been brilliant and I’m sure she’s going to get more and more fans over here very soon. I played with her in the US and after the success of touring with Dan Baird earlier this year we decided to bring over another act in the same vein. The record company were really up for it and she went down a storm. She asked me to play with her but I said I couldn’t really do two gigs a night – I’m getting on a bit these days. Everyone’s always ill in December anyway catching colds and the like so I persuaded Mary I had to look after myself! I think she’s coming back over here in a few weeks to open up for Hayseed Dixie so I’d recommend checking her out.

rushonrock: With the success of new album Homewreckers & Heartbreakers have you been forced to work your socks off for the past few months?

PG: Before we finished off the H&H tour in Newcastle last week we’d been touring pretty non-stop for six or seven months. We’ve been over in Europe a lot playing club shows and festivals and it’s been a long, long year. But it couldn’t have been much better in terms of bringing the band to as many people as possible.

rushonrock: As a relative newbie in the band how does 2008 rank?

PG: It’s been the biggest year for the Quireboys since I’ve been in the band. The new record is fantastic but it only came about after a period of change. We’ve changed a lot in the last few years – moving labels and changing agents and all that business. People thought we were being lazy and taking too much time between records but H&H only came out after a lot of hard work behind the scenes. We knew we had to get it right across the board this time. It took time to get everything in place just how we wanted it but I think we’re there now. Overall it’s the best it’s been since I joined the lads. And I think the proof of the pudding is two sold-out UK tours in one year.

rushonrock: But you’re making an even bigger noise in Europe…

PG: We still play much bigger shows abroad and the record’s still selling really well in Europe. But we’d like to think that the British public is starting to get behind the band again like it did 20 years ago. Our fans have always stayed loyal to the Quireboys but we always want to play to new people when we can.

rushonrock: So what were the highs of a pretty great year?

PG: Looking back on 2008 I don’t think you can really look beyond the tour we did with Dan Baird and I got the chance to spend some serious time with one of my heroes, Warner Hodges. The whole interaction and camaraderie on that tour was great and it’s one of those times of your life you’ll look back on and realise that they were the really good times. Then of course we’ve played the big European festivals in front of 12,000 people all going crazy for the Quireboys. There’ve been a lot of highlights but we’re aiming for even bigger and better things next year.

rushonrock: Is it right that a US tour is in the pipeline?

PG: People keep talking about us going out on tour in the US and there have been offers but like I said before it has to be the right situation. If I was 20-years-old and starting out I’d be going nuts at the prospect of going over there but it’s a big commitment. We’ve all done that circuit a lot over the years and if and when we go back we want it to be on our terms. It costs money and there’s no point unless we do it properly. There’s a lot of planning involved and you can’t just decide to head over there on a whim. But I think when people in America realise where we’re at these days and get the music then it will only be a matter of time before we head over there. I’m pretty confident it will happen. But right now we’re looking at touring Australia for the first time and that’s a huge undertaking in itself.

rushonrock: Forget the US! What about writing the official FA Cup song for Blyth Spartans?

PG: I remember the whole 1978 FA Cup run like it was yesterday. My Mam wouldn’t let me go to the Wrexham game at St James’s Park because I had a cold (yes, another one but it wasn’t in December). In Blyth we’ve been very patient for the past 30 years waiting for the good times to come back. Since we got involved with the song there’s been people ringing me up who I haven’t spoken to for years and it’s amazing the buzz it’s caused. I was at their game against Gateshead on Boxing Day when the song was played for the first time. They played it in the social club before the match and then blasted it out over the tannoy system. It sounded superb and as a Blyth lad it brought a tear to my eye. But I was treated like a king and I can’t wait for the Blackburn game next Monday.

rushonrock: Finally, what does the immediate future hold for the Quireboys?

PG: “The next project is an acoustic album. I think the Quireboys are perfect for that kind of record with a real live feel and some genuine emotion in the songs. It’s something we’re all pretty excited about and it’s top of the agenda to kick off 2009.”

If you’re like us then you’ll be wondering just why it’s all gone quiet on the McQueen front of late. Well, despite the backing of super fretster Slash, word reaches rushonrock that the girls have been on a go-slow in the USA and their second album has now been put back until late 2009.

Our spies on the West Coast tell us that Leah and the gang have settled into life on the other side of The Pond just fine but their writing has suffered as a result. And we understand only three songs deemed good enough to make the cut have been completed for the follow up to storming debut Break The Silence.

Those of us who have followed McQueen’s progress from the early days are growing increasingly desperate to see the girls back over in the UK and playing a slew of the high octane shows which made them such a draw 12 months ago. And we’re eager to hear how the band’s new material measures up to a brilliant first batch of tunes.

It seems like a long time ago that the four-piece were bringing the house down inside the tent on the Aerosmith Hyde Park undercard. And our biggest fear is that the momentum gained from two years of solid touring across Britain and Europe will be lost unless they break their silence sometime soon…

…over to you ladies!

Self Made Man’s made merry with the sherry but he can still pen a festive blog bang on deadline – we were just too sozzled to get it up on time (or post the blog).

But here it is in all its seasonal glory so click on the page link above and enjoy SMM Spinning (you’ll see) a classic yarn…

If you’ve managed to tear yourself away from Guitar Hero: World Tour, the Rush live DVD or the remastered vinyl copy of Kill ‘Em All which your granny stuffed in your (or her) stocking this Christmas then you just might be reading this.

If you are, why? Christmas is a time for rocking around the tree with your nearest and dearest, not scanning rock sites for some crumbs of festive comfort. But if this is your first port of call then, for Christ’s sake (literally) do yourself a favour and find something else in your life…fast.

Every other day feel free to make this the place where you start and finish your day and, rest assured, you will reap your rock rewards in 2009 and beyond.

Merry Christmas to all…and by the way, we’ve heard the Quireboys’ Blyth Spartans song and it rocks!!! More news here soon.

So Self Made Man’s had his say and fair play to our resident blogger – he’s picked a few big winners in his highlights of 2008. But how do his picks stand up to this bunch of Christmas crackers?

Albums Of The Year

1 Tesla Forever More

2 White Lion Return Of The Pride

3 Death Angel Killing Season

4 Joe Satriani Professor Satchafunkilus

5 Def Leppard Songs From The Sparkle Lounge

6 Guns N Roses Chinese Democracy

7 Quireboys Homewreckers & Heartbreakers

8 Black Tide Light From Above

9 Evergrey Torn

10 Alice Cooper Along Came A Spider

11 Metallica Death Magnetic

12 Black Stone Cherry Folklore & Superstition

13 Whitesnake Good To Be Bad

14 Stone Gods Silver Spoons & Broken Bones

15 Extreme Saudades de Rock

16 Thunder Bang!

17 Children Of Bodom Blooddrunk

18 AC/DC Black Ice

19 Stone Rider Three Legs Of Trouble

20 Man Raze Surreal

Top Five Gigs: 1 Turisas Edinburgh; 2 Def Leppard Islington Academy; Black Tide Leeds Festival; Thunder Newcastle City Hall; Quireboys Newcastle Carling Academy.

Top Five Rock Highs: 1 Vinyl’s Comeback; 2 Dirty Rock N Roll playing Halo; 3 Guns N Roses’ return; 4 Planet Rock’s survival; 5 White Lion’s Mike Tramp dedicating Wait to DJ Little Jeff @ The Cluny.

Worst Five Rock Lows: 1 AC/DC snubbing the Toon; 2 North East Rock Radio; 3 Avenged Sevenfold cutting short Leeds set; Rose Hill Drive’s new album; Trillians shutting its doors at 11pm on night of Newcastle rock double.

Top Five Hopes For 2009: 1 Quireboys to return to the big league; 2 Dirty Rock N Roll to sign record deal; 3 Def Leppard to bring out career-defining box set; 4 Metallica tear Toon apart; 5 Tesla play Toon.

@ Newcastle Carling Academy, December 22 2008

This time next year Newcastle’s very own Quireboys will be back on Tyneside and in 12 months’ time they’ll be headlining the main Academy venue. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing remains to be seen but after successive sell-outs upstairs it’s the only place to go.

Of course the switch will mean a bigger profile, bigger production and bigger bucks. But if last night’s cracking atmosphere in a room crammed to the rafters is lost then those of us who appreciate the finer things in life might just feel a little let down.

And as for the support bands – they’d surely prefer the status quo. A Quireboys’ crowd is traditionally early and so Remedy and, in particular, Fables Last Stand benefited from a sizeable audience right from the start. Which is great, because both local bands rock in their own very different way and it’s worth watching out for the pair of ‘em in 2009.

Remedy vocalist Jen could have fronted Four Non Blondes in another life, such is the deep growling rasp generated by her wide vocal range. With six-track EP Strange Fast Now available early next year these are exciting times for the powerful four piece and if there were rough edges to a quickfire set it didn’t spoil the feisty vibe.

Fables Last Stand will always find more favour with a Quireboys’ crowd such is the retro-soaked sound of their 70s-style blues-fused glam. These boys look good and sound great. Classic hooks and singalong choruses make for a heady mix of the music we love and if that debut album is still some way off it will be well worth the wait.

Of course few live acts can live with the Quireboys right now. With their best album in 20 years still making an impact on rock crowds the world over and that honky tonk live show sweeter than ever these are heady days for Spike and co. On nights like this you just can’t help wondering why this band of brilliant musos and endearing characters aren’t so much bigger than they are. According to record company bosses and promoters that could all change in 2009.

With so many anthemic standards to choose from it’s difficult to dip into the new stuff but if there was one critcism of an otherwise blinding show it was a disappointing paucity of material from the outstanding Homewreckers and Heartbreakers. There are enough top notch tunes on that record to fill most bands’ live sets but we were only treated to a brief taster in the Toon.

Then again what we got instead was gold dust. A magic version of Misled reminded everyone why there was such a buzz about the Quireboys in the early 1990s but tracks from the band’s 21st century back catalogue are more than a match for their early forays into rock and roll.

Roses & Rings still knocks spots off the opposition and a family-themed version of Sweet Mary Ann might have moved Spike’s sister to tears had she not been sporting a grin wider than the Tyne.

What is obvious about the Quireboys in 2008 is the tightness of a unit which plays with each other and for each other. Guy Griffin and Paul Guerin are developing into a very special twin axe attack while bass player Jimi Jimmi grows in confidence with every new tour. Newly installed drummer Phil Martini could be the long-term tub thumper this band has always lacked while it’s impossible to imagine a more dextrous ivory tinkler than Keith ‘Keys’ Weir.

By the time the final strains of Sex Party rang out across the Academy the audience had been reminded at least six times that their heroes have penned the official Blyth Spartans FA Cup song. If it’s as good as this gig then expect some serious chart action come the first week of January.

It’s time for the rushonrock team to look back on the highs and lows of a pretty remarkable rock year and first up it’s Self Made Man. He forgot to mention that being offered the chance to blog here every week was 2008′s high point but we’ll forgive him that minor oversight in the spirit of festive cheer.

Top 20 Albums
 
1 Live in Gdansk  David Gilmour
2 Live From Nowhere in Particular  Joe Bonamassa
3 Black Ice  AC/DC
4 Gift of Screws  Lindsey Buckingham
5 Good To Be Bad  Whitesnake
6  Snakes And Arrows Live  Rush
7 Day And Age  The Killers
8  Accelerate  REM
9 Only By The Night  Kings of Leon
10 Runnin’ Wild  Airbourne
11 The Cosmos Rocks  Paul Rodgers and Queen
12 Folklore And Superstition  Black Stone Cherry
13 I Loved You  Big Linda
14 Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings  Counting Crows
15 Silver Spoons and Broken Bones  Stone Gods
16 Viva La Vida  Coldplay
17 Pacific Ocean Blue (reissue)  Dennis Wilson
18 Dig Out Your Soul  Oasis
19  In The Midst of Beauty  Michael Schenker Group
20 Songs From the Sparkle Lounge  Def Leppard
 
Top Five Gigs
 
1 The Scorpions Carling Academy, Newcastle
2 Paul Rodgers and Queen  Newcastle Arena
3 REM Old Trafford Cricket Ground
4  Airbourne Carling Academy, Newcastle
5 Whitesnake/Def Leppard Newcastle Arena
 
Top Five Rock Highs 
 
1 Planet Rock being saved
2 The launch of Rock Radio North East
3 Hearing that Classic Rock now outsells NME
4 Discovering that the Scorpions look and sound just as they did 25 years ago.
5 Paul Rodgers’ voice
 
 
Worst Five Rock Lows
 
1 Failing to get a ticket for Neil Young’s Manchester gig
2 AC/DC snubbing Newcastle
3 Joe Bonamassa’s cancelled Sage concert
4 Computer crashing and losing my entire iTunes library
5 David Coverdale’s declining voice (but still a great frontman)
 
 
Top Five Hopes For 2009
 
1 Fleetwood Mac tour the UK
2 The Answer’s new album is just as good as their debut album
3 Led Zeppelin release a DVD of their O2 gig
4 Michael Schenker stays on the wagon
5 I get a ticket for AC/DC at Hampden Park

Never afraid to do our duty in supporting the new breed of North East noiseniks it’s time to give rushonrock readers the heads up on a band tipped for big things in 2009.

Remedy will be releasing their debut EP, Strange Fast Now, in February and the local upstarts are already causing a stir with labels nationwide.

But if you want to stay ahead of the game then check ‘em out at Newcastle’s Carling Academy tomorrow when they’re first up on the Quireboys’ bill.

And as a bonus you’ll be there in plenty of time to check out another group of local heroes in the shape of Fable’s Last Stand. Now we haven’t heard much from these retro rockers in recent months but what we heard before was all good and we’re expecting more of the same this week.

So if you don’t want to miss out on a plethora of local talent on your doorstep then head along to the unofficial rushonrock Christmas party at the Academy tomorrow and witness three ass-kicking bands for the price of one. But if you’re lazier than Axl Rose you can always read the review here first…