Ginger Wildheart

Got my physical copy of Albion today. Pretty sweet package overall. Once again, Ginger proves that not all crowd-funding campaigns are rip-offs.

This new fan club thing is live.



http://g-a-s-s.co/main

The website has been slow today, but it should speed up once more and more people get signed up. Once signed up, you apparently get an immediate download of the first single. Word is, it's great. Sadly, it's not loading for me. Not quickly, anyway.

So I signed up. This month there are two rare demos (so far; there might be more forthcoming, I don't know) as well as the three-track single.

One demo is for the song "The Jackson Whites." Cool to own but non-essential. The other demo is really cool, a tune Ginger wrote for someone else. He states: "I'd been given a brief to write some pop/rock songs for a Japanese artist, something that sounds like Ginger. I penned a few songs (I'm sure we'll be sending you the others in due course) and the artist didn't like them because they were too melodic and sounded too much like The Wildhearts. This has happened a few times, once for a proposed movie soundtrack where the director insisted I write something as he was a huge fan (No Way Out But Through), then complained that it sounded too much like me writing a song for a film. This is why I don't write for people very often."

Anyway, the three new tracks are great, classic Ginger jams. "Bloody Knees" is a bit more experimental, but it's fantastic.

Beyond the tunes, there is a podcast, some videos, a contest, diary entries, some random horror movie reviews by Ginger, and some other things.

Signed up to this this morning, went for the Digital option. I was tempted by Contact, but I don't really have £60 to splash on a meet and greet, especially seeing as I've met Ginger before.

In general, I think this seems like the right vehicle for Ginger. The way the guy writes and records so many songs is very suited to singles and EPs, much like The Wildhearts used to do. My issue with Albion was it just felt like too much material at once (similarly with 555%, but that was spread out as three sets of ten, so it was a bit more palatable). I know he tried this previously with 'The Singles Club', but without an unreliable label to worry about, GASS seems like it should work pretty well.

Obviously, the first 'single' of this is fun. As Eyesore said, classic Ginger tunes. But I really like the fact that you get extra curios like the demos. I'd like to hear more stuff that Ginger's written for others, because 'Ice' is a cool tune. I'm surprised by how... underwhelming the demo of 'Jackson Whites' sound, as the final song is stormingly heavy. That standard tuning really changes it.

Absolutely loving G.A.S.S. Nothing but great tunes, so far. Of this month's tracks, I am most impressed with "Petite Mort." Very surprising tune and quite possibly one of Ginger's best ever. So good!

The demos surprised me, too. Interesting to hear that he wrote three songs for Alice Cooper. The one included this month is quite good. A bit cheesy for Ginger, and maybe too cheesy for 1999 Cooper, but I can still hear Alice singing it. Cheese aside, it's quite good.

Five months in and this G.A.S.S. thing is just awesome. Ginger is insanely talented. I don't think any of the demos or studio tracks have appeared on YouTube—which is really surprising—but here is the live version of the lead-off track from last month's single:



He's touring (and writing) with Courtney Love right now and she does guest vocals on the track. Pretty cool that they played it at her show. Great song, too!

And I really dig that Ginger listens to the fans. Last month one of the demos he made available was called "Melanchoholic." He pretty much dismissed the song, as he seems to do with a lot of his songs, like this month's "Shine" demo, which is awesome. Anyway, he wrote this about the song:

Quote :

Strange one this. Everyone I’ve played it to hates it. Can I count you in the throng?

From a manic sober spell, where I wrote a song a day as therapy, many songs made the 555% album. I wanted to do this with an orchestra, and a proper vocal track, but Willie couldn’t see any merit in the song. I have since doubted that I’ll ever return to this song, and so I’d like to present it here, to you, in all its raw and candid sincerity. If one person out there likes it then that’ll make two of us.

It's a fantastic song, though. A demo, sure, but you can hear that with some orchestration, big choral singing and such, that it'd be jaw-dropping. Could be, anyway, if done right. Apparently he plans to do that now, which I think is way cool.

Anyway...

Here's the first video from the G.A.S.S. project.



They've been playing this on the Courtney Love tour, which is where the footage comes from, but it was released as one of the G.A.S.S. singles. Really great song. Got a bit of the Kinks' "Lola" in there, I think.

Anyway, Courtney Love is clearly sober.

Hey, Eyesore.

I asked Ginger if he'd ever consider releasing a version of Endless Nameless without all the distortion. Unfortunately he said there is no version without it. Bummer.

Eyesore wrote:

Hey, Eyesore.

I asked Ginger if he'd ever consider releasing a version of Endless Nameless without all the distortion. Unfortunately he said there is no version without it. Bummer.

That sucks!

Eyesore wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Hey, Eyesore.

I asked Ginger if he'd ever consider releasing a version of Endless Nameless without all the distortion. Unfortunately he said there is no version without it. Bummer.

That sucks!

I know, right? Could have been a great album without all that distorted nonsense.

Heard the Courtney & Ginger song on the radio yesterday. It's great, I love Courtney when she goes slightly poppy. It's a shame that she's back to being an utter mess though.

Boris2008 wrote:

Heard the Courtney & Ginger song on the radio yesterday. It's great, I love Courtney when she goes slightly poppy. It's a shame that she's back to being an utter mess though.

Technically it's a Ginger/Courtney song, but yeah, it's a great tune. This G.A.S.S. thing has been excellent. Shame it's going to end in April.

But it looks like there will be a new Hey! Hello! album (without Victoria) next year and a new Wildhearts album at some point. And there will be a 12-track compilation released featuring Ginger's favorite G.A.S.S. tracks. So everyone will be able to pick that up, I believe.

So...drama.

Apparently Victoria is out of Hey! Hello! I guess Ginger's manager got greedy or something and after the first Pledge Music campaign Ginger began making less and less money until he made no money whatsoever. So he canned his producer who was, from what I heard, getting the lion's share of the profit. (No idea if this is true, of course.) Unfortunately Victoria is the manager-dude's girlfriend, so she sided with him.

And now there is a new singer and a planned second album. That new singer is this lovely-looking gal.



Hollis Rules be her name.

Anyway, don't care about the drama, but I am looking forward to another album. The first one is great.

I picked up the Hey! Hello! debut last week from ebay. I threw a bid out there for sh*ts and giggles and ended up winning. It's not bad, but didn't quite grab me like I hoped it would. I enjoy a good pop/rock album every now & then. This album starts off pretty good, but gets a little weird towards the end.

I just picked up a bunch of other stuff too, so I'll shelve this for now and re-visit later when I can give it the proper attention. That'll also help determine whether I'll care enough for a 2nd album.

The only track that I find "weird" on Hey! Hello! is "How I Survived The Punk Wars".  That one just doesn't fit with the overall feel of the rest of the album.  But the next track "I'm Gonna Kiss You Like I'm Going Away" is pop rock genius IMO.  That chorus just gets stuck in my head.

Yeah, "How I Survived The Punk Wars" is a good tune but really out of place on the album.

I look forward to the next Hey! Hello! album.

Anything Ginger touches is at least worth a listen IMO. 

I swear, if the guy ever ran out of musical projects to work on he could make a fortune writing jingles for commercials.  With his knack for writing memorable melodies he'd make a killing.

tohostudios wrote:

I look forward to the next Hey! Hello! album.

Anything Ginger touches is at least worth a listen IMO. 

I swear, if the guy ever ran out of musical projects to work on he could make a fortune writing jingles for commercials.  With his knack for writing memorable melodies he'd make a killing.

Surprisingly, through G.A.S.S. we've learned that he's attempted to write songs for a number of other people, Alice Cooper among them, but nothing has ever come of it. Some great tunes among them, too.

So...throughout the whole G.A.S.S. thing, Ginger made mention of this "supergroup" he tried out for. He also uploaded some demos he submitted. While I was just downloading a new bonus demo he uploaded, I noticed this note on the final month's demos from a while back:

"I can only assume by the sheer level of musicianship that was the side project proposed by that ‘supergroup’ collection of LA rockers, who ultimately wanted Cory Taylor to sing for them..."

Lately there's been talk of Corey Taylor having tried out for Velvet Revolver at one point, recording some tunes with them. I wonder if Ginger also tried out for them.

New Pledge campaign. A big one, a new Round Records, apparently called Round Records Records. Unless that's a typo. I don't know.

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/round-records

Anyway, you can pledge (i.e. pre-order) the following now:

Hey! Hello! Too! album (released 3rd June 2016)
The Wildhearts PHUQ Live (released 1st July 2016)
Ginger Wildheart Solo Album Boxset (released 5th August 2016)
Mutation III album (released 2nd September 2016)

Looks like you'll receive the digital edition of the new Hey! Hello! next month if you order it. Hell yeah!

The debut Hey! Hello!! album just never clicked with me (can't get rid of it on ebay either). I've even owned a Wildhearts album or 2 in the past but I just can't get into Ginger or his various works. Not sure why.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

The debut Hey! Hello!! album just never clicked with me (can't get rid of it on ebay either). I've even owned a Wildhearts album or 2 in the past but I just can't get into Ginger or his various works. Not sure why.

Bummer for you. There is SO MUCH material if you're a fan, you know.

Eyesore wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

The debut Hey! Hello!! album just never clicked with me (can't get rid of it on ebay either). I've even owned a Wildhearts album or 2 in the past but I just can't get into Ginger or his various works. Not sure why.

Bummer for you. There is SO MUCH material if you're a fan, you know.

Yup. Wildhearts, solo, side-projects, etc. I've sampled various bits, thinking something's gotta stick, but nope. Oh well, so it goes.

Ginger can't catch a break...

Quote :

Ginger Wildheart's crew Hey! Hello! in search of replacement vocalist

Hey! Hello! singer Hollis Mahady has left the band – forcing them to cancel their upcoming UK tour.

Ginger Wildheart's group were due to play a run of shows in April, but say they will have to reschedule them once they find a replacement for the vocalist, who has moved back to Los Angeles to concentrate on her work with Love Zombies. Full refunds are being offered at the point of purchase.

Hey! Hello! are inviting interested singers to get in touch. The band say: “We are bitterly sorry to see our singer leave the band at this point, but we respect her decision and wish her nothing but good luck in the future.

"Right now, our main concern is finding a new frontperson - male or female - to lead our band to world domination. If you have the star quality that Hey! Hello! needs, then get in touch at heyhellotoo@gmail.com – the world is waiting for you.”

Hollis adds: "Due to geographical restrictions along with commitments to Love Zombies it is no longer a long-term possibility and it isn’t feasible for me to remain in both bands.

"I want to thank Ginger and the band for the opportunity they have given me to be part of such a wonderful band and experience. I have enjoyed every moment and wish everyone the very best. I am again truly sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this may have caused.”

Hollis replaced the band's original singer, Victoria Liedtke.

Why doesn't Ginger just do the vocals himself?  Is he trying to ensure that Hey! Hello! sounds "different" from a Ginger or Wildhearts album?  Even though with the songwriting it's still pretty obvious HH is his baby.