Chris Ball
I’m an ageing rocker who has been going to concerts and buying records for over 30 years. I used to write for Metal Hammer, then briefly another magazine that went down to the bottom of the ocean with that fat crook Robert Maxwell.
I gave up for a while. Experimented with listening to dance music, hip hop and indie rock. It broadened my horizons and I had a lot of fun, but when I reached my late 30’s I realised I was living a kind of cultural lie. I love rock music I realised, much of it deeply unfashionable, but fuck it, I’m old enough now not to care. In the meantime I’d become a father, I now have two boys, and accumulated several more tattoos, middle-aged spread and a healthy dislike of modern pop music and the facile celebrity obsessed industry that fuels it.
So I’m an Essex geezer who’s returned to his roots in more ways than one, I live on the coast after having spent 20 years living in East London. Don’t let the tatts and West Ham shirt fool you though. I love Japanese ukiyo-e art and haiku poetry, impressionist art, the works of Alan Moore and Salman Rushdie, botany and bird watching. I still go to gigs as often as my family, liver and bank balance will allow.
My all time favourite bands and artists are Tom Waits, The National, The Drive By Truckers, The Who, Wilco, Randy Newman, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Thin Lizzy, Celtic Frost, Slipknot, Public Enemy, Warren Zevon, Queens of the Stone Age, The Handsome Family, AC/DC, Lykke Li, Laura Veirs, Monster Magnet (obvs) Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath and Black Sabbath.
Recent faves include Bo Ningen, Windhand, Witch Mountain, St Vincent, Lana Del Rey, Public Service Broadcast, Ghost Poet, Triptykon, Matthew E White and Courtney Barnett.
Tell me yours.
Articles by Chris Ball
This is definitely an album doom devotees should check out, and although it lacks one absolute killer riff or chorus Witchstone, ironically, have a fine future, despite their apparent ‘Mortal Fear of Infinity’.
As it stands I personally think Dool are very much a band with their own merits who show some promise, but I guess most people interested in this album will have much stronger opinions, one way or the other.
A grin inducing celebration of our youth, for those of us old enough to have grown too fat for our Mudhoney ‘Super Fuzz Big Muff’ t-shirts.
Savage Times is messy, surprising and yet powerfully thematic and with a captivating identity. An essential listen.
There’s nary a duff moment on ‘Dead Planet’, it improves with every listen and draws you towards itself with a terrible and impressive gravity.
No fireworks, no extended musical showboating, no curtain calls, just another damn fine sad song.
This is a wonderful, classy blend, like the best, darkest coffee, sipped kerbside at your favourite cafe.
As much a calling as a career, I doubt David Eugene Edwards will ever stop making rich and beguiling music, but Star Treatment is a fine a time as any to begin exploring it. By Chris Ball
Much taken with King Dude’s latest album ‘Sex’, our own Chris Ball was delighted to accept the chance to interview King Dude main man TJ Cowgill.
Apricity, ultimately, is gorgeous on the surface, but internally troubled and not as smart as it thinks it is. By Chris Ball
Iron Witch are not short on displaying attack or skill, but there’s a lack of real flair to elevate this into ‘must hear’ territory. – By Chris Ball
Painfully honest and admirably single minded, Luke Roberts sounds like a man with his shit together on Sunlit Cross. By Chris Ball
‘Sex’ is a diverse and entertaining set of songs sure to seduce your ears, whatever your kink. – Bu Chris Ball
This album is perfect and is, for my money, the best British hard rock debut since the Temperance Movement’s self-titled opus in 2013. By Chris Ball
Maybe you can start your journey here into the world of Rob Crow music. If your already a fan, then be assured – with ‘Necronomidonkeykongimicon’ normal service has resumed! – By Chris Ball
Earlier this year, Mos Generator released yet another storming album in ‘Abysinnia’. We asked long time fan Chris Ball to compile some questions and we sent them off to main man Tony Reed. Read about Tony making the biggest and hardest decision in the band’s history, exploding heads, Bowie, Baby Metal and much more.
This is a tremendously enjoyable and accomplished album and has several twelve gauge gigantic tunes – it has the backbone and spare ribs of one tasty hog roast! – By Chris Ball
Wouldn’t these classic metal songs be vastly improved, you’ve probably been thinking, if they were sung by a man who appears to be chewing cotton wool whilst being violently sick? – By Chris Ball
If you love hard rock then you love Mos Generator, you just may not know it yet. Tony Reed and his new band mates have produced another set of tunes to cherish, whilst furiously playing air guitar… – By Chris Ball
Make no mistake, Gojira have created a very good new album in ‘Magma’… Gojira’s time is come. I hope they enjoy the ride and don’t fuck it up. – By Chris Ball
Yes! The Corby crushers return! Raging Speedhorn have produced not just the best album of their career, but one of the metal albums of the year. – By Chris Ball
