I knew this was going to be a classic album from the moment I set eyes on the CD cover, a sketch of three guys boozing in a pub, the main focus being a guy that is (deliberate or not) a doppelganger of the Rev. Ian Paisley, classic.

Last years debut EP “Our Fathers Sent Us” from the Filthy Thieving Bastards was one of the best surprises of the last twelve months. The side project of songwriters John Bonnel and Darius Koski from the legendary street punk band the $winging Utter$ paying tribute to their hero’s and influences (MacGowan, Bragg, Costello, Presley). “A Melody of Retreads and Broken Quills” is the follow up full length and here the Filthy Thieving Bastards have really stepped out into their own in the sheer quality of the song writing and moved way beyond being just a “side project” or “original tribute” to join their influences and hero’s as peers.

Classic American root’s based rock’n’roll with influences from Shane MacGowan, Billy Bragg, Elvis Costello through to Elvis Presley and back beyond to the early Sun Sessions and Hank Williams. In a word brilliant, in three brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Now how about that interview guys!

December 2001

The Filthy Thieving Bastards is Johnny Bonnel and Darius Koski of Swingin’ Utters fame side project. The EP (9 tracks – longer the most CD releases) is a non-cover version tribute CD in the style of their hero’s-The Pogues (mainly), Billy Brag (some), Iggy and the Stooges, The Ramones, The Clash, John Lennon and Elvis (P&C). Musically for the most part it is punked up acoustic guitars with some nice mandolin and banjo running through it, very like the post Shane MacGowan Pogues, almost the CD the Pogues could have made if they didn’t split after ‘Pogue Mahone’. Other notable Tracks include ‘Thick’ a Stooges/Garage romp and the excellent ‘S.S.S’, which sounds like The Clash at their very best.

June 2001