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The Professionals is punky power pop and hard pub rock, nowhere near as subversively snotty as the Pistols but still brash and cocky with some anthemic swagger – “Kick Down the Doors” and “Kamikaze” both good examples. They released two singles from the LP in ’80, “Just Another Dream” and “1-2-3.” I don’t think either charted (and omg the video for “Just Another Dream!”). “All the Way With You” is one of the stronger tracks on the LP and feels more “punk” than most of the record (it reminds me a bit of the 1977 Adverts single “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes”). You’d think that “Mods Skins Punks” would be, but it’s not (and really isn’t a great track). This is in our should it stay or go pile – I think it can go.

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They also played their single “Give My Regards to the Dancing Girls,” the 60’s style garagey “Looking for Porno?” which weirdly is a total ear worm (I woke up with it playing in my head this morning), the anthemic “Dry Cider,” the rager “Full Dollar,” and “Haunted Neighborhood” plus a slew of other hard pub rockers.

Their bio from their Bandcamp: “When Irish-born Count Vaseline/The Mighty Stef songwriter Stef Murphy met Stiff Little Fingers guitar tech Jamie Mechan in Nashville, Tennessee, it began a musical partnership of the highest order. After cranking out a few tunes at Mechan’s fledgling studio, 302 Sound, the duo started recruiting other musicians. The band was rounded out by drummer Ryan Sweeney (Cheap Time) and Eli Steele (Sweet Knives.) Dubbing themselves The Sleeveens, an Irish term for a trixter, the band got to work. After recording and releasing their highly-touted “Give My Regards To The Dancing Girls” 45rpm single on Sweeney’s Sweet Time Records, they finished off their 11 track debut LP. The quartet were soon approached by longrunning punk label Dirtnap Records (Marked Men, Exploding Hearts) for the album’s 2024 release. The resulting LP is an homage to the kind of classic punk Chiswick, New Rose and Stiff Records were releasing 45 years before The Sleeveens existed. With earworm melodies and screaming guitars, the foursome have crafted one of the best albums of the year. Murphy’s penchant for charmingly brilliant, matter-of-fact lyricism has a similar poetic quality as Mark E. Smith or Jonathan Richman. With expert mastering by Jim Diamond (The White Stripes, The Dirtbombs) to put the finishing touches on the sound, The Sleeveens is a record that is simultaneously uncompromisingly raw and thoughtfully crafted.”

I got a chance to chat with Ryan Sweeney and James Mechan before the show – both super-nice guys! – mostly about touring the Midwest in February (them – “Milwaukee is cold!”) and Nashville (me – “there’s a great yoga studio there!”) (all of us – “the gangs of bachelorettes are the worst!”). We nabbed a couple of t-shirts and stuffed some bills in the pitcher passed around by the green mohawked owner(?)/bartender: Last Rites doesn’t sell tickets or collect at the door (at least not for this show). I hope The Sleeveens had a great time in Milwaukee and come back again soon – they totally rock!

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Cool for Cats was very successful in the UK; it went to #45 on the album chart with four hit singles. Overall the album is very Britishly bright early new wave with pub rock roots, a little goofy (especially tracks like “It’s Not Cricket” and “It’s So Dirty”) in the spirit of Monty Python, The Young Ones, etc. – oddball and delightful with the addition of some boogie woogie piano. The first single, “Goodbye Girl,” went to #63 though a different version appears on the LP. The title track “Cool for Cats” became one of Squeeze’s biggest hits, going to #2 in the UK. I don’t think it charted in the US but I totally remember hearing this song back then. “Up the Junction” was the third single and also went to #2 in the UK. The final single, “Slap and Tickle” went to #24 and apparently is either a euphemism for sex or police brutality (based on the lyrics I’m guessing Squeeze meant the former).

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The Stranglers have been around for, like, ever, having formed in 1974 as a pub rock band and then were propelled to commercial success with the rise of punk rock in the mid-70′s, opening for the Ramones and Patti Smith while they toured the UK. “(Get a) Grip (On Yourself)” was their first single, hitting #44 on the UK charts and “Something Better Change” hit #9 (this single was a double A-side with “Straighten Out” in the UK and was also released with “No More Heroes” as its B-side.)

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“Cruel To Be Kind” appears on Labour of Lust, Lowe’s only US hit. The single made it to #12 in the US and the UK. Its video was among the first to be aired on MTV and includes footage from Lowe’s actual wedding to Carlene Carter.

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Seconds of Pleasure reached #27 on the US Billboard pop chart, the sweet single “Teacher Teacher” (a Gene Chandler cover) hitting #51 in 1981. The album is classic pop rock-n-roll, including a cover of original rockin’ rhythm and bluesman Chuck Berry’s “Oh What a Thrill.” Reviewers and critics always categorize Rockpile into rock-n-roll and pub rock but also add in the tags of new wave and punk. I can’t say that I agree with those last two labels (though “When I Write the Book” is new wave-ish in the Nick Lowe/Elvis Costello vein I suppose), this is straight-up fun and rollicking traditional rock.

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