Welcome to the Official Punks Not Dad Blog!

All the news that's fit to print - and quite a lot that probably isn't - from four of the grumpiest men in music...

Friday 28 August 2009

Are We Blogging Yet?

Joe Strimmer writes...

Crikey! Its our Blog! I supose we should fill it with interesting and erudite insights into the state of the modern world and dad things and stuff. Excellent! If I can think of anything. Hmm... Lets see... Hmmm... Ah!

No, its gone...

Oh well...
Greetings Dad Fans!

Here’s what we did this summer…
Our video for In Me Shed has now been watched by 18,000 people and pronounced a hit by everyone. We were beating Mariah Carey in the ‘most watched’ charts for a second. Then apparently the evil cow ordered some of her minions to stop holding up puppies for her to stroke and ordered them to "Go watch me on YouTube or never work in the music industry again!" - robbing us of our rightful number ten spot in the charts!
But still we claim the moral victory…

Listen, we know 17,995 people only tuned in because they were fans of either Lisa Rogers or sheds generally - but we’ll take what we can get. One of our co-stars did a great job - the other just stood there looking wooden. But that’s enough about Lisa’s acting! We’d also like to thank you for looking too.

Can we also thank our unofficial band member Ian (the mythical ‘Fifth Dad’) whose work on the video was fantastic (he did the animation amongst other things).

Unfortunately it wasn’t enough for any meejah-type people to decide we were worthy of airtime so we never got to top the charts. Apparently the only comment from the BBC, ITV and More4 big wigs was a tired sigh…

“Must there be a ‘week’ for everything - including Sheds?” they said before they left to buy a bunch of flowers for Brucie and a rubber mask.

The public know better - but didn’t get the chance to see our video or hear our song in sufficient numbers to tempt us from our day jobs of shame. Big thanks to Martin for his efforts on this.

Meanwhile, though the video did little for our profile, Lisa has already got two new programs entirely on the back of appearing in it. These programmes are as a roving reporter on BBC Sport Wales and on some kind of Loose Women for Welsh people on the radio. See how appearing in Punks Not Dad videos can revive your career and send you spiralling into the star laden stratosphere that is Welsh Telly? (more later)…

We have had lots of interest in stuff we’ve been doing lately:

“The middle aged punks equivalent of "Dark Side of the Moon", and similarly destined to top the album charts for the next 741 weeks. This is a top effort from a decent bunch of blokes. The music is pukka punk from the late '70's and early 80's, and although the lyrics maybe more about Asda than Anarchy, they will still bring a warm glow of recognition to any baby boomer.”
Album review for “We Are The Dads” from Repeat Fanzine

“I like this. In fact, I really like this… but then again, being a Punk Rock Dad, I would, wouldn’t I? I can relate to every single bloody sentiment expressed in every single song.”
Mass Movement Magazine review of “In Me Shed”/”Fathers Day” single

“Best laugh I’ve had in ages, absolutely brilliant!”
“Gentlemen – this is superb indeed”
“Outstanding. Funnier than heck and the tune rocks!”
YouTube comments for the Shed video

“Utterly pogo-tastic! Packs as many ideas into the video and song as Madness used to, and the whole concept (punk venom meets grumpy old men) is genius. Deserves to be bigger even than John Lydon advertising butter.”
Monkey Review for the Shed Video

Even label-mates The Geoffrey Oicotts liked it!...
“SOD Peter Gabriel’s 'Sledgehammer' or Jacko's 'Thriller', THIS is the best video ever made.. EVER!!!...”

We have also appeared in The South Wales Echo and in the Wales on Sunday.
We’ve received bits and pieces of radio play on various little stations with "Fathers Day", "Gaye Adverts Eyes", "In Me Shed" and "We are the Dads" all getting a play or two.

Also this summer we held our very first ever “DADSTOCK” Event. It was a hoot. The following people won prizes:

Punks Not Dad Screen Test - Tom Strickland,
Dad Dancing - Eric Hadley
Picture Quiz - Geoff Reynolds
Best Dressed Dad - A girl whose name I don’t know!


The gig was great and special thanks are due to Steve Fisher (your t-shirt’s in the post Steve!) - compere, Beth and Bec from the Hot Puppies - support, and Ruby Samba - disc jockying. Plus Ian (again) and Adrian Viles’ mates Pete & Kathy for doing the door.
Following this we played in the Barfly with the Sex Pistols Experience again. Profuse thanks to their drummer for standing in for our dim-witted fool of a stick man Adrian Viles who thought it possible to play two gigs with the same start time thirty miles apart.

This September we have two gigs one at the Dublin Castle in Parkway, Camden London on the 16th as part of something called Punk Rock til you Drop (not a pogoing all-nighter but a more gentle night for old punks). It looks like a great night – and also features The Outbursts and 14 Carat Grapefruit amongst others. London Dads Army and Mumley Contingent be sure to come early! We’ve changed our performance time from late to early to accommodate your South London Hovel needs. We’ll be on at about 9pm.

The very next day, 17th September we are performing at the Globe in Roath – Cardiff, supporting punk/folk legends the Men They Couldn’t Bath (sorry I meant The Men They Couldn’t Hang of course –famous for their hits “Behold the Ironed Jumpers” and “The Ghosts of Cable Knit”.

Our forthcoming Single “I Can’t Get It Up” will also be recorded shortly - and we believe it is going to be quite brilliant. We shall record it and some other new numbers including “Welcome to the Credit Crunch” later in the autumn. I Can’t Get It Up is all about an afternoon trying to construct some IKEA furniture. Will the pace of our rock n roll lifestyles never abate?

NB: A Note on our forthcoming video to the potential leading ladies who are harassing us: If Lisa Rogers decides she is now far too famous and grand to appear in any more vids for PND - what with all her glamorous ‘over 40s swimming gala in Dolgellau’ commitments - there may be an opening for you Ms Jolie - but stop begging and wait your turn. We’ve already told you its Rogers’s if she wants it!

Finally have you been along to our super merchandising shop at the website? We have aprons, babygrows, t-shirts, and thongs. Go there now and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Sid Life Crisis

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3.....

Is there anyone there?

This is just for testing purposes as all this new-fangled blog technology is somewhat beyond me. Stay tuned Dads followers!...

Johnny Cardigan