ODGERS, PHIL
GHOSTS OF ROCK N ROLL (VINYL STAR)
Released on vinyl for the first time for Record Store Day 2022. 'GHOSTS OF ROCK N ROLL' is the fifth solo album from Men They Couldn't Hang frontman Phil Odgers and is preceded by the digital single 'The Serpent, The Maiden and The Bear' which hit #5 in the OFFICIAL UK FOLK CHART in September 2021.
Beginning as a collection of ukulele led demos, 'GHOSTS OF ROCK N ROLL' has endured a stormy birth and its final emergence represents the triumph of resilience over adversity.
Originally funded via Pledge Music, the album was nearly strangled at birth by the collapse of Pledge Music in 2018 and the loss of the majority of fan investment.
Despite this setback, all fan pledges were still fulfilled and the project relocated to Bandcamp just in time for the pandemic lockdown to prevent any further recording sessions with producer Jim Knight.
Finally, the album inched forward over the summer of 2020 only to crash into the second lockdown and then the tragic loss of fellow TMTCH frontman Stefan Cush in February 2021.
With such checkered history, 'GHOSTS OF ROCK N ROLL' seems an appropriate title and its combination of folky pop and melancholic twang, combined with an ethos of survival, memory and experience create a testament to a life spent sailing the sometimes treacherous waters of Rock and Roll.
The vinyl album features guest appearances by Sid Griffin and Bobby Valentino and two extra tracks not available on the CD version.
Sleeve design is by visual artist Aly fell and the vinyl album includes a limited-edition art print pencil drawing of Cush and Swill giving it large on stage at Shepherds Bush Empire.