Riot Act

Neil Fallon is one of the most distinctive vocalists in music. As the frontman for Maryland quartet Clutch, he has routinely written exceptional couplets and manipulated his voice in a myriad of astonishing and remarkable ways. 2019 marks Fallon’s 28th year fronting Clutch, one of the most respected and consistent bands in heavy rock, and in that time, he has never failed to bring his unique and inimitable style to the band, elevating it above many of their peers. In this exclusive chat backstage at Brixton Academy before headlining their biggest show in the UK to date, Remfry sat down with Neil to discuss his process and his approach to vocals. They discuss everything from Fallon’s roots in the D.C. hardcore punk scene to the new approaches and techniques he has picked up to help on the road touring the band’s twelfth and most recent studio album Book of Bad Decisions. Steve and Remfry also decided to honour the great man by discussing their personal top 5 Neil Fallon performances from throughout Clutch’s il

This week Steve and Remfry discuss the ‘controversy’ around the completely uncontroversial decision to let Parkway Drive headline the Saturday night of Bloodstock. Steve certainly doesn’t think it’s a bad idea after seeing their attempt to blow up London’s Alexandra Palace. Remfry plumped for a slightly smaller show with around 10,250 less people in attendance for Ithaca’s album launch show at East London’s fashionable end in the East of London which is so very fashionable because it’s East London and fashionable Old Blue Last in Shoreditch. Album reviews come courtesy of Ian Brown, Bob Mould and Astronoid and the trade–off covers two albums at very different ends of the musical spectrum in the form of ‘Good To Feel’ by Candy and ‘30-Something’ by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

The second Rioteers Review comes from the mind of Alasdhair McMillan, who we thank for being the first person to suggest an album and therefore unintentionally starting thing whole strand of Riot Act. Well done mate! Alasdhair gave Steve and Remfry '22 A Million' by modern folk manipulator Bon Iver. One of the guys is a big fan of Bon Iver, the other is… just confused by it all. Listen now to hear who’s who! Go to patreon.com/riotactpodcast to contribute and make your own suggestions for Rioteers Review. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

After nearly coming to blows the Riot Act chaps are both up for a ruck again this week as they review the surprise new covers album by Weezer. Which is either a genuinely brilliant piece of marketing, if you believe Remfry, or a cynical, stinking waste of everyone’s time, according to Steve. There are also reviews on the new albums from Bring Me The Horizon, Ithaca and Spielbergs, a Trade Off between Cult Leader’s A Patient Man and Favez’s From Lausanne, Switzerland and a whole load of live reviews courtesy of Fucked Up, Boss Keloid, Mastodon and Sick Of It All. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

On this special episode of Riot Act, we are joined by the legendary Freddy Cricien, frontman of one of New York hardcore’s most enduring bands; Madball. With over three decades of hard road toil under his belt, and as a committed lover of live music Steve spoke to Freddy about his five favourite frontmen/women of all time. We get his thoughts on just what it takes to command a stage, from the smallest dive bars to the biggest stadiums, and he reveals his memories from his own career, from the early days of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene watching Bad Brains and Agnostic Front to stepping out at Wembley Arena with Korn and Limp Bizkit As hardcore’s first ever representatives on an arena stage in the UK. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

This week's episode of Riot Act comes with a twist! Usually, it’s Steve who is the grumpy one, but this week Remfry is going in on EVERYONE, presumably due to his less than flattering inclusion on the Batman Soundtrack Wikipedia page. He GROANS about Architects' glorious Wembley triumph! He MOANS about Shaun Ryder and his Black Grape chums sounding too 90s on 'It’s Great When You’re Straight, Yeah!' after he was given them on Trade Off! He SLAMS Flint thugs King 810… He likes A.A. Williams and Puppy though. Steve is happy enough to talk about everything, including Remfry’s Trade Off pick 'We Walk Unbalanced' by Chronicles Of Adam West. Back to usual next week no doubt. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In the first ever in a new series, Steve and Remfry dive deep on an album suggested by the lovely people over on the Riot Act Patreon. This week's pick - Manic Street Preachers' 1993 sophomore effort 'Gold Against The Soul' - comes from Christopher Clayton, and it's a fantastic suggestion seeing as the boys are a couple of 90s Brit rock enthusiasts! If you would like to make your own suggestions for Rioteers Review, head over to https://www.patreon.com/riotactpodcast (patreon.com/riotactpodcast) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It’s another week of great music and jovial chat from the Riot Act chaps, who this week discuss one of the most eagerly anticipated debuts of 2019 by political agit-hardcore punks Fever333 and the brand new album from Japanese post-rock stalwarts Mono. There’s also chat about Idles' unexpected BRIT Award nomination, and this weeks Trade Off leads to some positive purrings on Fink and his album Perfect Darkness, alongside some frankly utterly bewildering chat on the legend that is Prince and his bonkers 1989 Batman soundtrack, which gets way too sexy/disrespectful to a great man. Depending on your outlook of course. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Despite only ever achieving limited commercials success, Sacramento California’s Far have had a profound influence on a wide range of rock bands including Biffy Clyro, Incubus, Thursday, Jimmy Eat World, Finch, Funeral For a Friend and Deftones. With the release of their forth full-length album Water & Solutions in 1998, Far created their ultimate musical statement, a concise blend of emotive hooks and hardcore sonics that before sadly splitting up barely a year later. Remfry say down with Far frontman Jonah Matranga to discuss the making of the album, how it came to have such a profound influence on what became the burgeoning emo movement of the mid 2000s and the reasons that Water & Solutions doesn’t suffer from the crass commercialisation of sincerity that plagued that scene. Whilst Far split up shortly after W&S was released, it was merely the beginning for Matranga, who went on to form a number of other projects including Onelinedrawing, New End Original, Gratitude, I is Another and Camorra.

This week, Steve and Remfry discuss the sobering topic of HMV going into administration for a second time and what that could potentially mean for the music industry at large (spoiler, it’s not good). In addition, they talk about some surprising and welcome additions to NME’s ‘Essential new artists for 2019’ as well as the sheer ridiculous situation that has forced Kate Bush to come out and proclaim she’s not a Tory supporter (as if anyone sensible cared). There are also album reviews of Swervedriver’s ‘Future Ruins’ and Soilwork’s ‘Verkligheten’ and Trade-Off this week comes courtesy of Agnes Obel’s ‘Citizen of Glass’ and Kruger’s ‘Adam and Steve’. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It’s the first Riot Act of 2019 and as is usually the case for this time of year, there ain’t all that much going on, so Remfry takes the opportunity to crowbar in a record that he’s become utterly obsessed with over Christmas. Speaking of the festive period, Stephen spent most of it watching and re-watching BROS: After the Screaming Stops, the music documentary that’s garnered a massive audience overnight after its televisual premier on BBC Four. Who knew it would turn out to be the funniest film about music since This is Spinal Tap? Elsewhere, Remfry casts his mind back to the end of 2018 to review Clutch’s debut show at Brixton Academy and Trade Off makes its long awaited return with Steve hearing Rough Hands’ Moral Terror for the first time and Remfry listening to Tim Armstrong’s A Poet’s Life. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Remfry sat down with Holy Roar Records founder Alex Fitzpatrick and label assistant Sam Robinson to discuss the label that in 2018 alone brought you stunning releases from Rolo Tomassi, Møl, Conjurer, Svalbard, Boss Keloid, Pijn, Talons, Ohhms, Slow Crush, Secret Cutter, Modern Rituals, Garganjua, Giver, Group of Man, Portrayal of Guilt and Burning Vow. Over almost 2 hours, they discuss the history of the label, and how they’ve built them up to be rock’s premier UK underground label for dark, heavy and extreme music. We discuss successes, mistakes, highs, lows and dive head-first into a lengthy diversionary diatribe about music streaming wherein Alex single-handedly devises an idea to save the music industry at large. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It’s the first ever Riot Act Big Fat Alternative Quiz of the Year and we’ve roped in eight guests to pit their wits against a plethora of questions about the year in music, including Matt Reynolds (Haggard Cat), Em Foster (Nervus/Milk Teeth), Brady Deeprose (Conjurer), Hannah Boulton (Bledig), James Spence (Rolo Tomassi), Lizzie Coulson (KLAE), Andy Gillan (Palm Reader) and Will Gardner (Black Peaks). Chaos reigns across 2½ hours and 42 questions as booze is consumed, Jaffa Cakes are flung, Steve loses the will to live and Remfry is ousted as a massive sexist. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It’s only ruddy bloody Christmas isn’t it, and we couldn’t leave our faithful followers in the lurch when it came to delivering a Riot Act Christmas special. And who better to deliver such a sermon than our very own regular special guest Mr Jamie Lenman. In the fourth edition of The World According to Jamie Lenman, the moustachioed wunderkind extols the virtues of Chas and Dave’s Christmas Carol Album, featuring the cockney duos’ renditions of prominent Chrimbo classics such as Good King Wenceslas Looked Out, We Three Kings and O Come All Ye Faithful! Ditch the Queen’s speech this year and gather the family* round the wireless to hear the dulcet tones of Chrimbo Jimbo. *Unless your family don’t like swears ... in which case, maybe listen to it without Granny. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It’s part two of Riot Act’s Albums of the Year 2018 extravaganza and there is a multitude of questions to be answered. Who will be Steve’s Number One? Who will be Remfry’s Number One? Will Muse be in Steve’s worst albums of the year? Will Muse be in Remfry’s worst albums of the year? As well as all that excitement, the boys shout out their gigs of the year and there’s some news regarding tea sponsorship. Turns out if you ask, you shall receive. Merry Christmas you filthy animals! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

As we reach the end of the year it’s time for Steve and Remfry to look back on the last twelve months and whittle it down to the cream of the crop. That’s right, it’s the first annual Riot Act Top 20 Albums of the Year podcast. This week the boys kick off with numbers 20 to 11 and also discuss the records that just missed out, the best EPs of 2018 and what genre, in their humble opinion, has dominated the world of alternative music this year. WARNING: May contain Cardi B references. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It’s Riot Act’s first official special, and in the time-honoured tradition of shouting about the things we’re passionate about, we’ve decided to dedicate 90 minutes to the very special and unique Roadburn festival. Taking place annually in the serene city of Tilburg in The Netherlands, Roadburn seeks to constantly explore and push the boundaries of what heavy music is. From the sonically pulverising likes of Thou or At The Gates to the thematically weighty themes of Emma Ruth Rundle or Anna Von Hausswolff, Roadburn is a 4-day haven that actively works with the artists they host in order to bring patrons one-of-a-kind shows that have never been seen before and in many cases, will likely never be seen again. Remfry sat down with Queen of Roadburn (perhaps not her official title) Becky Laverty to discuss Roadburn’s history, her experiences of the festival as a punter, and they try to pin down exactly what it is about Roadburn that has made it such an extraordinary place for heavy music fans for almost 20 years.

It’s another week of looking back on some of 2018’s missed records on this week’s Riot Act. Steve and Remfry chat about this year’s releases from Carseat Headrest, Thou, Basement, Wire Love, Ocean Wisdom, Nothing and also discuss whether The 1975’s new album really is a ‘Millennial OK Computer’. The trade off see’s the boys talking about the relative merits of Technique by New Order and Caspian’s Dust And Disquiet. And we truly live up to our status as an ‘alternative’ podcast, but exploring some truly alternative lifestyle practices… after all, what’s more alternative than beastiality? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

With just 31 days left of 2018, Steve and Remfry delve into albums released over the past 11 months that they missed first time around. In the first part of this two part round-up, the boys look at albums by The Armed, itoldyouiwouldeatyou, Louise Lemón, Ovlov, Kississippi, Ólafur Arnalds and Twenty One Pilots. Elsewhere, Remfry sat down with current Vennart/ex-Oceansize main man Mike Vennart to discuss his top five Iron Maiden songs. Remfry stuck around to review the show as well as shows from Pijn, Mogwai, Earthtone9 and Pitchshifter, whilst Steve went to see Therapy?. Plus, this week’s trade-off is The Smashing Pumpkins’ 2011 Oceania for Sugar’s Copper Blue. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Steve and Remfry aren’t just fountains of musical knowledge, they are massive cinephiles as well. This week the guys wax lyrical over the relative merits of comedy classics Police Academy 7: Mission To Moscow and See No Evil, Hear No Evil. When they can be bothered to talk about music there are reviews on the latest releases from Smashing Pumpkins, Mumford And Sons, Failure and Azusa. Plus a trade off involving the self titled debut album by Gravity Kills and Marriages Kitsune EP. And we are once again joined by, literally, everybody's friend Jamie Lenman for another ‘The World According to Jamie Lenman’, this time on Queen’s utterly maddening Hot Space album. Right, we’re off to lawyer up before Kevin Spacey hears this. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy