Media Monarchy plays Babymetal, Avril Lavigne x Simple Plan, Bush and more on #PumpUpThaVolume for June 23, 2025. ♬
INXS – “Guns In the Sky” (Vinyl)
‘Kick’
Atlantic – 1987
*INXS – “Guns In the Sky” (Vinyl) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBje_3aRdgg // https://www.discogs.com/release/394397-INXS-Kick // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick_(INXS_album) // “Upon its release, Kick was noted for being in sync with the visual media of the late 80’s, which is instantly evident in the album’s opening track “Guns in the Sky”; the song described the state of the world and its obsession with arms.” My Dad always haaated this song lol and now I can totally see why the tuneless sloganeering would seem obnoxious.*
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The Haunt – “New Addiction”
‘New Addiction’
Nettwerk – July 25, 2025
*The Haunt – “New Addiction” https://thehauntband.bandcamp.com/track/new-addiction // https://www.thehauntband.com // The title track of the upcoming album by South Florida quartet, The Haunt, due on July 25th via Nettwerk.*
Mad Dogs – “Black Sheep”
‘The Future Is Now’
Go Down Records – September 5, 2025
*Mad Dogs – “Black Sheep” https://youtu.be/ELVsf599Hkg // https://www.godownrecords.com/mad-dogs // From ‘The Future Is Now,’ the upcoming album by Italian rock band, Mad Dogs. Due on September 5th via Go Down Records.*
Comet Gain – “If They Can’t Find The Way Then There’s No Way Out”
‘Letters To Ordinary Outsiders’
Tapete Records – June 6, 2025
*Comet Gain – “If They Can’t Find The Way Then There’s No Way Out” https://comet-gain.bandcamp.com/track/if-they-cant-find-the-way-then-theres-no-way-out-2 // From ‘Letters To Ordinary Outsiders,’ the just-released album by UK six-piece, Comet Gain. Available now via Tapete Records.*
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The Original Alice Cooper Group – “Wild Ones”
‘The Revenge of Alice Cooper’
earMUSIC – July 25, 2025
*The Original Alice Cooper Group – “Wild Ones” https://youtu.be/YqwLaYFGrn4 // https://alicecooper.lnk.to/Revenge // The second single to preview ‘The Revenge of Alice Cooper,’ due on July 25th via earMUSIC.*
Midnight Rodeo – “Dixon”
‘Chaos Era’
FatCat Records – July 11, 2025
*Midnight Rodeo – “Dixon” https://midnightrodeo.bandcamp.com/track/dixon // https://fatcat.lnk.to/chaosera // Here’s another single to preview ‘Chaos Era,’ the upcoming album by Nottingham, UK quintet, Midnight Rodeo. Due on July 11th via FatCat Records.*
Ringlets – “I Was On That Roof Once”
‘The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time for Walkies)’
Flying Nun Records – June 27, 2025
*Ringlets – “I Was on That Roof Once” https://ringlets.bandcamp.com/track/i-was-on-that-roof-once // https://ffm.to/ringlets-tlimgs // From ‘The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time for Walkies),’ the upcoming sophomore album by New Zealand band, Ringlets. Due on June 27th via Flying Nun Records.*
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Babymetal – “Song 3” (w/Slaughter To Prevail)
‘Metal Forth’
Capitol Records – Aug. 8, 2025
*Babymetal – “Song 3” (w/Slaughter To Prevail) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMVgy51kPE // https://www.reddit.com/r/BABYMETAL/comments/1kxjevr/metal_forth_has_been_delayed_again_to_aug_8_2025/ // Along with the song featuring Poppy, Japanese kawaii metal band (J-pop + metal), Babymetal, keep dropping killer collabs – while the album keeps getting pushed back.*
Nova Twins – “Monsters”
‘Parasites & Butterflies’
Nova Twins / Marshall Amplification – August 29, 2025
*Nova Twins – “Monsters” https://youtu.be/0xyRwrTidoY // https://novatwins.ochre.store // Here’s the latest single to preview ‘Parasites & Butterflies,’ the upcoming album by Nova Twins, due on August 29th via Nova Twins / Marshall Amplification.*
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Avril Lavigne – “Young & Dumb” (w/Simple Plan)
‘Young & Dumb’
Big Noise – May 9, 2025
*Avril Lavigne – “Young & Dumb” (w/Simple Plan) https://soundcloud.com/avrillavigne/young-dumb-feat-simple-plan // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRX3Gm-YPRY // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_&_Dumb_(song) // “”Young & Dumb” is a song by Canadian singer Avril Lavigne and Canadian band Simple Plan. It was released on May 9, 2025, through Big Noise, as the support single for the second leg of Lavigne’s Greatest Hits Tour. Simple Plan was announced as the opening act for the second leg of the tour and this collaboration is set to replace All Time Low’s “Fake as Hell” as the joint performance piece during the live shows.”*
Bush – “60 Ways To Forget People”
‘I Beat Loneliness’
earMusic – 18 July 2025
*Bush – “60 Ways To Forget People” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXk3jX0ykf4 // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Beat_Loneliness // https://blabbermouth.net/news/bush-unveils-i-beat-loneliness-album-details-shares-60-ways-to-forget-people-single // “Having just returned from a triumphant set at Lollapalooza in São Paulo, Brazil, Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock band BUSH offer a glimpse of what’s to come with “60 Ways To Forget People”, a raw and emotionally charged taste from their upcoming 10th studio album, “I Beat Loneliness”, due out July 18 on earMUSIC. Exploring the complexities of heartbreak, personal transformation, and the painful process of letting go, the track sets the tone for a bold new chapter. The official first single arrives June 5.”*
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Lush – “For Love”
‘Spooky’
4AD – 27 January 1992
*Lush – “For Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fECE5FGNaGI // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spooky_(album) // https://120minutes.org/1992/#02aa92 // “‘Spooky’ is the debut studio album by English rock band Lush. It was released on 27 January 1992 by 4AD. The album, produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, followed the band’s mini album, ‘Scar’ (1989), several extended play releases, and the compilation album ‘Gala’ (1990). Spooky reached the UK Top 10 and topped the national indie charts. The album produced three singles: “Nothing Natural”, “For Love” and “Superblast!”.” This was a 120 Minutes favorite of mine and checking the online archive looks like it first aired February 16, 1992 – when the show moved to midnight and had Johnny Rotten in Tijuana, Mexico as the guest and I remember him looking at velvet paintings in some bodega and saying, “Jesus! It’s Elvis!”. This Lush song was on immediately following the world premiere video for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin’s “Kill Your Television” (which I would hear them play live the following summer at the HFStival with INXS headlining)!*
Gorky Park – “Bang”
‘Gorky Park’
Mercury – 1989
*Gorky Park – “Bang” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srr97_Xmxmk (Funny 1989 Music Video) // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrSKG3TS0uE (Better Quality Audio) // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorky_Park_(album) // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bang_(Gorky_Park_song) // ‘Gorky Park’ is the debut album by Russian hard rock band Gorky Park, released in 1989 by Mercury Records, after Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi expressed interest in the band (and co-produced the album) and got them signed to Mercury, Bon Jovi’s label. It features the band’s first hit single, “Bang”, that has a mix of Russian and English lyrics and was put into rotation on MTV. “Bang” is a song by Soviet rock band Gorky Park, released in 1989 as the lead single from the band’s self-titled debut album. The song reached number 41 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks, while in Europe, it charted in Norway, where it spent six weeks within the VG-lista top 10, peaking at number five for four weeks. The music video for “Bang” received heavy rotation on the American MTV, where it stayed two months in MTV’s top 15, peaking at number three.*
The Beach Boys – “Shut Down”
‘Little Deuce Coupe’
Capitol Records – 1980
*The Beach Boys – “Shut Down” https://youtu.be/_pYU0p6WZhU // https://www.discogs.com/release/2368121-The-Beach-Boys-Little-Deuce-Coupe // A summer classic by The Beach Boys recorded in true stereo and included on their 1963 Capitol Records album, ‘Little Deuce Coupe’. This file is from the 1980 Capitol reissue of ‘Little Deuce Coupe,’ an all-analog transfer from the master tapes, mastered at Capitol Mastering.*