Happy Daze and Sister9 Recordings present Studio Sessions with Hey Bulldog, is the perfect document for fans both old and new of this iconic band. The three songs selected are just right to give new listeners a bold and invigorating taste of what to expect from Hey Bulldog, and fans who have seen them live time after time the chance to have their fave songs pro-shot, crisp sounding and frankly, fucking spiffing.
Starting with ‘Under My Spell’ is the ideal choice if you have not witnessed Hey Bulldog in action. To our ears the best example of their classic barrelling attack, this song has long been a staple of their live set, and for good reason. Building into a righteous maelstrom, Hey Bulldog suck you into their world.
Doubly exciting is the appearance of ‘523’, a new song as yet unreleased. Building on their new dance flavoured vibes, ‘523’ sees a bouncing Talking Heads style bass groove married to some stark Television guitar probing. As the song heats up and whips itself into a frenzy it becomes more remniscant of Julian Cope’s leather clad platonic ideal of rock ‘n’ roll during his Saint Julian era.
Finishing off this masterful trio is their glorious ‘No Future Part 2’, their very own Sistine Chapel. A glorious marriage of motorik and power ballad, which launches from Rob’s minimal verses into adventurous solo’s. Tension is built and drama heightened. Best of all is Ben, that famous octopus of the dreams* and this film is a showcase to watch one of Manchester’s best drummers in action. Just watch the man drum, he’s a beast.
The best thing is to watch Hey Bulldog in such great quality. Us seasoned fans are used to seeing them in darkened hovels (when we were allowed to go to darkened hovels) and drink shit warm lager, and have a merry old time but it’s not like that is conducive to watching them studiously. And as much as hey Bulldog are a rock ‘n’ roll band to make you dance, watching their power trio interaction and song construction is a joy. The footage is slightly grainy which gives a lovely 70s vibe too.
Joyous! A reward for everyone!
*I mistyped “octopus of the drums” but figured the mistake of “octopus of the dreams” sounds so lovely I’d keep it that way.
https://heybulldog.bandcamp.com/album/no-future-part-ii-single
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