Department Of Gloom (ex Candy Harlots)

[Geoff]

I was just checking out of some of the opening bands at Glamfest before I head out there next week, trying to time which train to catch. Looks like I'll be aiming to get there for the first band that I might mention later on (Shotgun Mistress and Ablaze seem pretty decent). But the one band that captured my attention most of all is this one - Department Of Gloom. Terrible band name (and far as I can tell with after a few samples, not representative of the music) and imagery, but when I checked out a couple of the tunes I was happy to hear it's actually sounding pretty good. Very interested to check it out. And the hook? It features Leeno Dee (bass and it looks like a fair share of the lead vocals) and Phil Bowley (guitar), both from Candy Harlots. 

I remember my mate (a student of Bowley) had an EP of a band that Phil Bowley was in a few years ago , with similar imagery, but I'd not heard of this one. Sounds well worth checking out;

https://departmentofgloom.bandcamp.com/album/department-of-gloom

 

 

 

[CureTheSane]

I will also check them out I guess.

Never heard of them before.

I checked out the cruel intentions and they sucked.

Was never really into Lynch Mob or Janet Gardner.

Pretty much going for Slaughter, HEAT and Tyketto.

Although I have been listening to the second Sisters Doll album (overlooked by me) and their newest releases and like them more than I used to.

Slaughter set list will be interesting.

Average setlist didn't include Gave Me Your Heart which is one of my faves.

Not Times They Change

Hopefully as headliners they will play more than their 2023 average setlist.

[Doggy]

Phil and Leeno called in Melody Black, who released an album in 2011

[Captain Howdy]

My only exposure to Candy Harlots is the song Danger.

Back in 2001 I was working in a big shopping mall here in Kent, and went into the Virgin Megastore next door and found a compilation CD called "Glam Metal Noize 1983-1990-Leather Boyz With Electic Toyz".

It had all the usual suspects, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Warrant, Poison, LA Guns, Crue and unusually Pretty Boy Floyd, whose song name they used in the CD title. But there was one band I had never heard of at all, Candy Harlots. Turned out the CD was an Australian import which kinda tells you why they were on it

[Geoff]

4 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

My only exposure to Candy Harlots is the song Danger.

Back in 2001 I was working in a big shopping mall here in Kent, and went into the Virgin Megastore next door and found a compilation CD called "Glam Metal Noize 1983-1990-Leather Boyz With Electic Toyz".

It had all the usual suspects, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Warrant, Poison, LA Guns, Crue and unusually Pretty Boy Floyd, whose song name they used in the CD title. But there was one band I had never heard of at all, Candy Harlots. Turned out the CD was an Australian import which kinda tells you why they were on it

I’d highly recommend ‘Five wicked ways.’ Pretty easily one of my all time favourite albums from an Aussie band. Top 5 for sure. 

[auslander]

29 minutes ago, Geoff said:

I’d highly recommend ‘Five wicked ways.’ Pretty easily one of my all time favourite albums from an Aussie band. Top 5 for sure. 

100%. Sister's Crazy is the standout track. An absolute monster.

[CureTheSane]

55 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

My only exposure to Candy Harlots is the song Danger.

Back in 2001 I was working in a big shopping mall here in Kent, and went into the Virgin Megastore next door and found a compilation CD called "Glam Metal Noize 1983-1990-Leather Boyz With Electic Toyz".

It had all the usual suspects, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Warrant, Poison, LA Guns, Crue and unusually Pretty Boy Floyd, whose song name they used in the CD title. But there was one band I had never heard of at all, Candy Harlots. Turned out the CD was an Australian import which kinda tells you why they were on it

It's a killer disc.
Although now it's been pumped up, you'll probably be disappointed.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

14 hours ago, CureTheSane said:

I will also check them out I guess.

Never heard of them before.

I checked out the cruel intentions and they sucked.

Was never really into Lynch Mob or Janet Gardner.

Pretty much going for Slaughter, HEAT and Tyketto.

Although I have been listening to the second Sisters Doll album (overlooked by me) and their newest releases and like them more than I used to.

Slaughter set list will be interesting.

Average setlist didn't include Gave Me Your Heart which is one of my faves.

Not Times They Change

Hopefully as headliners they will play more than their 2023 average setlist.

Slaughter is a fun live band. 

[KarpetRydOFunk]

19 hours ago, Geoff said:

I was just checking out of some of the opening bands at Glamfest before I head out there next week, trying to time which train to catch. Looks like I'll be aiming to get there for the first band that I might mention later on (Shotgun Mistress and Ablaze seem pretty decent). But the one band that captured my attention most of all is this one - Department Of Gloom. Terrible band name (and far as I can tell with after a few samples, not representative of the music) and imagery, but when I checked out a couple of the tunes I was happy to hear it's actually sounding pretty good. Very interested to check it out. And the hook? It features Leeno Dee (bass and it looks like a fair share of the lead vocals) and Phil Bowley (guitar), both from Candy Harlots. 

I remember my mate (a student of Bowley) had an EP of a band that Phil Bowley was in a few years ago , with similar imagery, but I'd not heard of this one. Sounds well worth checking out;

https://departmentofgloom.bandcamp.com/album/department-of-gloom

 

 

 

Yeah... Their image is very off-putting. 

[Captain Howdy]

4 hours ago, CureTheSane said:

It's a killer disc.
Although now it's been pumped up, you'll probably be disappointed.

Yeah, I haven't even heard it and I am already disappointed with it ... that's how much the hype let me down

[KarpetRydOFunk]

30 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

Yeah, I haven't even heard it and I am already disappointed with it ... that's how much the hype let me down

Typical...

[Geoff]

7 hours ago, Captain Howdy said:

Yeah, I haven't even heard it and I am already disappointed with it ... that's how much the hype let me down

The thing I don't understand is that you heard 'Danger' and didn't feel inclined to find out more. If I ever hear a song like that I need to hear everything that band has ever recorded. Unless you didn't really dig it, in which case your pre-ordered disappointment may be well warranted.

 

[Captain Howdy]

23 minutes ago, Geoff said:

The thing I don't understand is that you heard 'Danger' and didn't feel inclined to find out more. If I ever hear a song like that I need to hear everything that band has ever recorded. Unless you didn't really dig it, in which case your pre-ordered disappointment may be well warranted.

 

Yeah it didn't blow me away but it's entirely possible that I love every other song on that CD and already liked them before buying the CD and that possibly smothered any chance it had of being heard with unbiased ears.

[Geoff]

Cool music video, actually. Didn't know where it was going, considering she's only 15, but I think it stayed legal, didn't it? The sexy part was all in her head? 

 

And super interesting... I've actually never seen or heard this one before, but this is the original version of the song from 1990 with their original lead singer. All I can say is thank goodness for the change in personnel.