Thanks to artist Dave Rowe for his Undead / Red Guitars collage. Dave invited me to see his studio, and my daughter Christa and I enjoyed visiting this morning. Dave’s studio is crammed with art pieces, finished and in progress – full of colours & textures, together with drawers and boxes of weird and wonderful objects waiting to be transformed into collages. Christa remembers walking past Dave’s lifesize creation – Geoffrey the Giraffe – every day on her way to school. Geoffrey’s feet were on the ground floor of the front bay window, his body was in the first floor bedroom, and his head could be seen from the attic window. A great sight on Marlborough Avenue. Geoffrey the Giraffe has moved house a couple of times since then, but is still going strong in his new abode – and it was good to visit the studio of his creator.
My Journey with Collage by Dave Rowe
I’ve always used collage as a means to express myself. I’ve always been interested in art and used it in my professional work as a youth and community worker. It was a way to communicate with young people and help them to express what they were feeling.
It wasn’t till I started on a foundation course at Feral Art School that I gained the confidence to explore and develop as an artist. After being involved in various courses, I was able to find where my ability as an artist lay. I went on to be part of the first group of artists that Feral gave the opportunity of having a supported studio space for a year. Having input from tutors and professional artists was amazing. After that first year I was offered an independent studio space with Feral, which has helped me develop my painting and collage work with a number of successful exhibitions.
I have over the last few months been reflecting on my love of great rock groups. Initially my involvement with a local group Plauge 66 when I was 16 was the catalyst. Going on to seeing Cream and the Nice in Hull. Other great groups followed, and I have recorded this with a series of collages celebrating their influence not only on me, but a whole generation. This influence still carries on today with the amazing musical ability of the Undead Guitars, the last collage in my series.
We are in good company …
Dave’s next exhibition is in partnership with fellow Feral artists Bruce Woodcock, Tom Grealy and Ed Batchelor and opens at The Brain Jar, Hull, on Friday March 20th at 7pm.
If you’d like to watch more videos, hear the singles, visit any of the places we are online, our social media accounts, videos, blog etc follow the link below and please follow us there.
This is the video of our single Ho Ho Hum. It’s out from today on all the usual digital platforms. First released in 2024 to support refugee charities Breaking Barriers and the Refugee Council.
‘Thank you Red Guitars for your generous support and for using your music to shine a light on the struggles faced by refugees. “Ho Ho Hum” is a powerful reflection of resilience and hope, and we are deeply grateful for your kindness. Your efforts make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we work with.’ Refugee Council
‘Huge congratulations to Red Guitars on the release of ‘Ho Ho Hum’. And thank you so much to you and your fans for your support. Every donation to Breaking Barriers will help refugees overcome the challenges they face to finding of meaningful work, and help them build new lives.’ Breaking Barriers
Incredible track. The patina of the passage of time on the voice, and the yearnings for ‘home’ on a personal level are deeply poignant … and then the context of the absolute horror of the reality of so many people’s lives … Wonderful sound on this song: refreshing clarity and space to let the instruments breathe; great bass; delicious sounding guitar. Worth the 38 year wait! Junkyard of Silenced Poets
‘Good music & good people. This is their first new music since then I think & it’s no surprise it’s an effort at making a difference & supporting people in need.’ Tim Dredge
‘An incredible mix of frailty and heft sung and played with lyricism and underlying anger. Great track Red Guitars, and welcome back! Donation done.’ Bruce Woodcock
‘What a fantastic return and what a heartfelt lyric: can’t wait for the album.’ Nick Tranmer
‘Man, I really enjoyed that song: the high intensity parts contrasted with the quieter parts really pulled me into the song and kept me there! Thanks for sharing it. I will go check out those charities you mention too.’ Chuck E Bluesky
‘Brilliant. Terrific song from Red Guitars with a powerful message. In the 3rd decade of the 21st century we have learned very little. Needs to be heard far and wide in these troubled times.’ Tony Goodger
‘Really great video you have for the song – very impactful.’ Chioma, Love Music Hate Racism
‘A beautiful song and Hallam’s vocal conveys the meaning of the song perfectly. Fantastic to hear new music from you. Have donated to both charities as they both do brilliant work and wishing you all the very best for the new era of the band.’ Skylla Ceto
‘A beautiful & poignant song. Great to hear, & great to hear you are still creating tunes. Best wishes to yuz all.’ Kent
‘Ohhh, Its like meeting up with a long lost best friend. What a warm beautiful vibe, & such an important message! I could listen to that all day ( maybe I will). Fantastic composition Hal & the rest of you still sound SO great too.’ (donation incoming)
‘Its such a lovely tune/composition, really fantastic & Hals lyrics are very touching.’ Manic Bluesky
‘At last, new music from the Red Guitars. A social conscience and a beautiful melody.’ Mike Smith
‘That’s an absolute banger of a track.’ Ian Halstead
‘Made the donation to breaking barriers. A Christmas present to myself (thanks all of you x)’ Captain Manic
‘A beautiful and moving new song. So fitting for Christmas time.’ Janice Van Tonder
‘I’ve rarely ever been interested in bands that reform just to play their old songs; however, when a re-formed band starts writing new material, that makes a world of difference to me. Well done, Red Guitars.’ Andy Roe
‘Simply wonderful. Hallam’s voice seems a perfect match to the sentiments of his lyrics, and I love how the music ebbs and flows to reflect the full range of emotions the subject evokes. A new classic in the Red Guitars songbook!’ Tim Bourne
‘Brilliant and very powerful.’ Fred McNeill Paisley Punk Scene
‘A beautiful and contemplative piece of music that articulates the struggles of refugees around the world.’ Tim Dalton Music Events
‘The song is fantastic and just what we need right now.’ Simon Bristow, Editor The Hull Story
‘Donation duly sent. Well done guys. Such a powerful song/video.’ Clive Parkinson
‘Cracking song and very moving vid. Will share around!’ Tribes of Europe
‘Brilliant, love it, Hallam’s voice is a great fit.’ Holy Gasoline
‘A touching & wonderful song about the desperate plight of Refugees & all they ask in return for this gift is that you support the charities . . . I have, can you?’ Capt.HB
‘Great to see the new single. Many happy times living in Hull 83/84 and seeing the band locally and even drove up to Glasgow to see them at a club on Sauchiehall Street and even still have a bootleg cassette from Retford Porterhouse gig. Thanks for many wonderful memories.’ Viv Russell
‘Great track a bit of a slow burner and poignant lyrics as well. Love it.’ Paul Hiscoe
‘The Red Guitars and us go way back, and they’ve just announced the release of their first new song since 1986! It’s a charity single and it’s sort of a Christmas single, too. It’s definitely not a darkwave single, but it IS a free BandCamp download, and a fine video, too. Most importantly, it’s all wrapped around a VERY good cause: a request that you donate in support of refugees. The links for donations to the Refugee Council and to Breaking Barriers are in the description below the YouTube video. Listen, watch, enjoy, share, but most importantly, show your support for this worthiest of causes’. Lunar Paths
‘If refugees needed an anthem, well this is it.’ Ian H
‘We’ve been so thrilled by the generosity of Red Guitars fans, and we love the perspective each member of the band brings to Ho Ho Hum’s backstory. On behalf of Breaking Barriers’ team and the refugees we work with across the UK, thank you so much to everyone who has downloaded and donated!’ Breaking Barriers
If you’d like to watch more videos, hear the singles, visit any of the places we are online, our social media accounts, videos, blog etc follow the link below and please follow us there.
Great to be back at O’Rileys this week, recording drum tracks for the album. Sounding goooood! Songs and arrangements are spot on. Really pleased!
If you’d like to watch more videos, hear the singles, visit any of the places we are online, our social media accounts, videos, blog etc follow the link below and please follow us there.
Our newest single Beyond the Blues is released on Scratch Plate Records via Label Worx. Thanks to Beat Filter PR. Hope you enjoy it, and if you listen and download it, thank you.
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Undead Guitars Turn Red Guitars Blue With New Single – ‘Beyond The Blues’
Ta daaa! We are delighted to announce that our (ace!) new single, ‘Beyond the Blues’ is out today. You can get it now on all the usual digital channels and from Bandcamp here:
Released on Scratch Plate Records via Label Worx. Thanks to Beat Filter PR. Hope you enjoy it, and if you listen and download it, thank you.
The Lowdown
Red Guitars Hallam Lewis, John Rowley, Lou Duffy-Howard, and Matt Higgins release their third single as a four piece, under their current name, Undead Guitars.
Beyond the Blues is released on January 30th 2026 on all the usual digital platforms and Bandcamp, via Scratch Plate Records.
The band’s new single is a spacey reflection on how music has changed through the last 40 years.
Singer and songwriter Hallam Lewis explains: “It’s both a celebration and a lament, about age, death and the passing of cultural icons. Seeing how the passage of time makes the past recede, I was feeling conscious of the way that the cultural power of rock music was slipping into history, hence all the name drops referring to the heyday of rock, psychedelia and hippydom – when these things all felt so vital and relevant. (See if you can spot ’em all!). I also remembered Derek Jarman talking about the colour of death being blue and I dipped into that – Beyond the Blues. I love the atmospheric dubby echoes in the music, ‘disappearing into the ether’, and the almost inadvertent flavours of Ennio Morricone feed into the whole “riding off into the sunset” feel – our very own psychedelic spaghetti western.”
Watch the official video here:
Video was filmed at O’Riley’s Music Venue in Hull by Simon Baxter of Factor Fifty Films.
Undead Guitars last single ‘Blazing Zombies’ in October followed the band’s 2024 single ‘Ho Ho Hum’, released to raise funds for refugee charities Breaking Barriers and The Refugee Council.
This year the four founding Red Guitars members continue work on a new album with Hallam on lead vocals. The band are preparing for live shows next year, information to follow on the band’s website and social media pages: https://linktr.ee/Undead_Guitars
‘Beyond the Blues’ by Undead Guitars Scratch Plate Records Cat No SPR668 distributed by Label Worx is available from 30th January on Bandcamp and all the usual digital outlets.
Beyond the Blues by Undead Guitars, formerly Red Guitars members: Hallam Lewis lead vocals and guitars, John Rowley guitar, Lou Duffy-Howard bass and backing vocals, Matt Higgins drums and percussion. Written by Hallam Lewis. Recorded and produced by Undead Guitars. Drums recorded at O’Rileys Music Venue, Hull. Video produced by Simon Baxter of Factor Fifty Films, filmed at O’Rileys Hull,
Thanks to everyone who has watched, listened to, bought or shared our new single Blazing Zombies so far. It’s been great fun to record it and make the video.
But there is a serious side to the song too. This is Hal’s backstory:
“Blazing Zombies is part raucously cathartic rant, stirred by so much anger, disaffection, and hatred in the air, and part personal reflection on our complicity in the systems that drive that division and disconnectedness – and the dreadful effects that it can have. A response to the everyday dissonance of extreme mundanity (‘please prepare to push your trolley off the end of the conveyor’ playing on repeat in a shopping mall) and apocalypse (‘please prepare for climate catastrophe’ playing on repeat on the news). At the end of the song the zombies express retrospective sorrow and regret at the havoc caused – a smidge of ironic humour and optimism survives!”
Yep! Please help us get the word out and pass it on:
If you’d like to visit any of the places we are online, our social media accounts, videos, blog etc here is a good place to find them all – and please follow us there: https://linktr.ee/Undead_Guitars
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We are very pleased to report that our new single Blazing Zombies by Undead Guitars is released today on all the usual digital platforms, Spotify, iTunes, etc. on Scratch Plate Records, distributed by LabelWorx. Don’t forget to search for us under ‘Undead Guitars’, and please give us a follow.
If you’d like to visit any of the places we are online, our social media accounts, videos, blog etc here is a good place to find them all and follow us if you can: https://linktr.ee/Undead_Guitars
So, here it is, the (epic!) video for our new single Blazing Zombies, released today.
You can get the single on Bandcamp now, and it will be on all the usual digital channels.
Hallam: “Blazing Zombies is part raucously cathartic rant, stirred by so much anger, disaffection, and hatred in the air, and part personal reflection on our complicity in the systems that drive that division and disconnectedness – and the dreadful effects that it can have. A response to the everyday dissonance of extreme mundanity (‘please prepare to push your trolley off the end of the conveyor’ playing on repeat in a shopping mall) and apocalypse (‘please prepare for climate catastrophe’ playing on repeat on the news). At the end of the song the zombies express retrospective sorrow and regret at the havoc caused – a smidge of ironic humour and optimism survives! Happy Halloween!”
The official Blazing Zombies video was filmed in the Meka Space gallery and Black Lion in Bridlington and O’Riley’s Music Venue in Hull.
We had loads of fun making the video. We played our first gig as a four piece at O’Riley’s and invited the audience to dress as zombies for the live shots. Our fans certainly came up with the goods. You were terrifying!
‘Blazing Zombies’ by Undead Guitars, Scratch Plate Records Cat No SPR666 distributed by Label Worx. Available now on all the usual digital outlets and Bandcamp at the link: https://undeadguitars.bandcamp.com/track/blazing-zombies
Blazing Zombies: Hallam Lewis lead vocals and guitars, John Rowley guitar, Lou Duffy-Howard bass and backing vocals, Matt Higgins drums and percussion, written by Hallam Lewis. Recorded and produced by John Rowley and Undead Guitars. Drums recorded at O’Rileys Music Venue, Hull. Video produced by John Rowley, filmed by John Rowley, Simon Baxter and Richard Duffy-Howard at O’Rileys Hull, Meka Space Gallery and The Black Lion, Bridlington, East Yorkshire.
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It’s always been great for us up in Scotland. Cheers to Mike at Manic Pop Thrills in Fife for his feature & background to our name change, click on the image below and head to the review:
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