In 1983 Mike came over to Sweden with The Cannibals on tour and on the 8:th of January they played at Kulturama in Stockholm with The Nomads supporting. I haven't been able to find any reviews or photos from that gig but if anyone who reads this have anything, please post a comment here.
Thursday 30 July 2009
Lost Ghost - Affections / Glad you found out
Mike recorded the single Affections/Glad you found out with his band The Lost Ghost in 1989. They were, as many other bands around the Stockholm area like The Nomads, rehearsing at the now legendary culture association Apromus in Solna. Apromus was run by Anders Lönn and gave a lot of local punk bands a chance to get gigs but also made Solna the garage rock capital of Sweden. Apromus closed down in 1997.Tracklist:
A-side:
Affections
B-side:
Glad you found out
Affections
B-side:
Glad you found out
Cannibals single Led Astray / Mumbo Jumbo
In 1982 The Cannibals released a single with the title Led Astray / Mumbo Jumbo and I have yet to find it among Mike's belongings to make a good scan of the cover so this tiny pic is all I have for now.A-side:
Mumbo Jumbo
B-side:
Led astray (take one)
Monday 27 July 2009
Cover art and tracklist of Dirty Rotten Sadist EP
The Rathole Sheikh's Dirty Rotten Sadist EP came out in 1999 on Subway Star Records. The artwork for the front cover was made by Elisabeth McCann and the art on the back was made by Mattias Sköld. All tracks on the EP were taken from the "In the sewer with The Rathole Sheikh" CD and had been recorded in Mike's kitchen and mixed by Mike himself.
Tracklist:
A-side:
Dirty Rotten Sadist
Ugly beanpole
B-side:
I wanna wanna
Banzai
If you work (spoken word)
A-side:
Dirty Rotten Sadist
Ugly beanpole
B-side:
I wanna wanna
Banzai
If you work (spoken word)
Tracklist of Cannibals LP Bone To Pick
The album "Bone to pick" came out in 1982.Here's the tracklist:
Right side:
Screaming abdabs
Spontaneous combustion
Mind your own business
Big fat mamma
Kiss & tell
Taking the piss
The rage
Left side:
I'm not stupid
Abra cadaver
Blasphemy
Mumbo jumbo
Led astray
Superstar
The dreaded lurgy
Right side:
Screaming abdabs
Spontaneous combustion
Mind your own business
Big fat mamma
Kiss & tell
Taking the piss
The rage
Left side:
I'm not stupid
Abra cadaver
Blasphemy
Mumbo jumbo
Led astray
Superstar
The dreaded lurgy
Tracklist of the Mad Cow Disease album
Mad Cow Disease tracklist:
Mad cow disease
Shadale
Mister sleazy
Voice in your head
Don't try to put me down
The stinking jinx
Burn in hell
Sooty and sweeps blues
Rabid blues
He's a poor Norwegian
cowboy (and he rode the train to hell)
Fuck them all
Hey fiddle fiddle
Bo Piddley's walking stick
Bright light destination
Say what you mean
Missionary bar. B.Q.
Worlds most forgotten song
You lit the fuse
The syphilis song
Shadale (reprise)
Voice in your head (alternative take)
Mad cow disease (take one)
Sleazy
Running away
Euthanasia
Outro.
Mad cow disease
Shadale
Mister sleazy
Voice in your head
Don't try to put me down
The stinking jinx
Burn in hell
Sooty and sweeps blues
Rabid blues
He's a poor Norwegian
cowboy (and he rode the train to hell)
Fuck them all
Hey fiddle fiddle
Bo Piddley's walking stick
Bright light destination
Say what you mean
Missionary bar. B.Q.
Worlds most forgotten song
You lit the fuse
The syphilis song
Shadale (reprise)
Voice in your head (alternative take)
Mad cow disease (take one)
Sleazy
Running away
Euthanasia
Outro.
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Tommi Sykes
This is Tommi - The guy who played drums on Mike's album Mad Cow Disease. Visit his Myspace page and listen to some of his music!
tommi siikkasaari vulture king rathole sheikh drummer drums metal
Writings
Mike has written articles for the following fanzines:
Trash Flash
Where's the shit?
Vit Slavhandel
Bazooka
Writing reviews:
Reviews of DVD's for Dig it (click link to read)
Reviews of DVD's /CD's for Ugly Things
Trash Flash
Where's the shit?
Vit Slavhandel
Bazooka
Writing reviews:
Reviews of DVD's for Dig it (click link to read)
Reviews of DVD's /CD's for Ugly Things
Interviews in Digit Magazine
Photos of Mike with The Cannibals
mike spenser and the cannibals McCann Rathole Sheikh Spencer garage punk rock london trash dingwalls mother johnson
Newspaper Clippings - Cannibals gig in France
The Cannibals at Salle Dumont D´urville Le Havre, France, Saturday 22 January 1983.Not once did they get his name right... Click images to view larger size.
le havre france the cannibals live concert punk trash garage rock mike spenser McCann
Reviews
LIVE REVIEWS
Night of Trash at Dingwalls. June - 82 - Review in Sounds
The Cannibals topped the bill with a long set that got progressively louder, more discordant and chaotic, hammering out one r 'n' b token after another and flattening each one 'til it was thin and hard as a new penny.
Unlikely looking lot, the Cannibals, unfashionable and coarse and , naturally, terrific. Led by the charmless, gormless Mike Spenser, a gum-slinging caterwauler of rare excellence, the Cannibals butchered and savaged their material and that of their heroes in a systematic rampage of unremitting and careless fury, full of doubleshot leads that cost me at least ten per cent of my hearing.
It ended too soon. The Night of Trash is a bargain debasement extravaganza not to be missed by rockin' roll fans. The Cannibals, the Stingrays and the Milkshakes can play at my parties anytime; I'll pay for the damages. Gladly.
EP REVIEWS
Jag mår så illa EP - Review in Punk Planet
The Rat Hole Sheikh conjures up a twisted blend of garage rock and delta blues that's certain to appeal to fans of The White Stripes or Hasil Adkins. Songs in Swedish and English that deal with hell, voodoo dolls and God knows what else. Who cares. I'm hooked!
Motor Madness EP - Review in Carbon 14
The flip side takes an abrupt upturn in volume and production with tracks by The Rat Hole Sheikh (England) and Superhelicopter Ltd. (Germany) The Sheikh delivers solo Brit punk a la Billy Childish, only bigger, better and more powerful.
Night of Trash at Dingwalls. June - 82 - Review in Sounds
The Cannibals topped the bill with a long set that got progressively louder, more discordant and chaotic, hammering out one r 'n' b token after another and flattening each one 'til it was thin and hard as a new penny.
Unlikely looking lot, the Cannibals, unfashionable and coarse and , naturally, terrific. Led by the charmless, gormless Mike Spenser, a gum-slinging caterwauler of rare excellence, the Cannibals butchered and savaged their material and that of their heroes in a systematic rampage of unremitting and careless fury, full of doubleshot leads that cost me at least ten per cent of my hearing.
It ended too soon. The Night of Trash is a bargain debasement extravaganza not to be missed by rockin' roll fans. The Cannibals, the Stingrays and the Milkshakes can play at my parties anytime; I'll pay for the damages. Gladly.
Ralph Traitor.
EP REVIEWS
Jag mår så illa EP - Review in Punk Planet
The Rat Hole Sheikh conjures up a twisted blend of garage rock and delta blues that's certain to appeal to fans of The White Stripes or Hasil Adkins. Songs in Swedish and English that deal with hell, voodoo dolls and God knows what else. Who cares. I'm hooked!
Patrick Sayers.
Motor Madness EP - Review in Carbon 14
The flip side takes an abrupt upturn in volume and production with tracks by The Rat Hole Sheikh (England) and Superhelicopter Ltd. (Germany) The Sheikh delivers solo Brit punk a la Billy Childish, only bigger, better and more powerful.
Larry.Kay.
Dirty rotten sadist EP - Review in Fear and loathing
ex-member of the Cannibals, now living in Sweden, and producing raw, raucous garage punk. Limited to a mere 300 copies, so track it down soon!
Mad Cow Disease CD - Review in Carbon 14
The cover shows a dude clad only in stripey underpants glaring at the camera through a mop of hair, "troll" doll style. Hhmmm. He doesn't look too happy.The band name and CD title aren't too happy either. I expected a batch of angry punk rock songs. Well wouldn't you know it...Instead we have a one-man band (plus drummer) from Sweden with some of the best '60s snot psych, surf and blues to be recorded in a kitchen on a four track. Seriously, the material here is damn good. The genius behind this disc is Mike McCann according to the liner notes. Pardon me but "is he somebody?" Yunno, somebody from a legendary Swedish band?? If this is Mike's maiden effort, well, he's one hell of a talent. He has a real command of the guitar..."Shadale" is a damn good surf instrumental. "Rabid blues" reminds me of R.L.Burnside's up tempo groove. Several songs have a '60s punk feel. In spite of the range of guitar stylings, Mike's high energy level gives a common feel to all 26 songs on the album though. He's a convincing garage singer too. Excellent effort here, damn well worth finding.
ex-member of the Cannibals, now living in Sweden, and producing raw, raucous garage punk. Limited to a mere 300 copies, so track it down soon!
Andy Pearson.
ALBUM REVIEWSMad Cow Disease CD - Review in Carbon 14
The cover shows a dude clad only in stripey underpants glaring at the camera through a mop of hair, "troll" doll style. Hhmmm. He doesn't look too happy.The band name and CD title aren't too happy either. I expected a batch of angry punk rock songs. Well wouldn't you know it...Instead we have a one-man band (plus drummer) from Sweden with some of the best '60s snot psych, surf and blues to be recorded in a kitchen on a four track. Seriously, the material here is damn good. The genius behind this disc is Mike McCann according to the liner notes. Pardon me but "is he somebody?" Yunno, somebody from a legendary Swedish band?? If this is Mike's maiden effort, well, he's one hell of a talent. He has a real command of the guitar..."Shadale" is a damn good surf instrumental. "Rabid blues" reminds me of R.L.Burnside's up tempo groove. Several songs have a '60s punk feel. In spite of the range of guitar stylings, Mike's high energy level gives a common feel to all 26 songs on the album though. He's a convincing garage singer too. Excellent effort here, damn well worth finding.
TheeWhiskey Rebel.
Discography
Discography with bands
The Cannibals "Bone to pick" L.P. 1982
These cats ain't nothing but trash L.P. 1983
Mumbo jumbo/Led astray single 1982
Don.t make me angry/Mr clap trap single 1982
The Lost Ghost Affections/Glad you found out single 1989
Discography as a solo artistVinyl
Dirty Rotten Sadist EP on Subway Star Records 1999
Rock'n'Rolls Royce on Motor Madness comp EP
Hell on wheels Recordings 2001
Jag mår så illa EP on Subway Star Records 2002
CD
Mad Cow Disease 1997 on Silly Moo Records CD
In the Sewer 1998 CDr
Exile in Cuckooland 1998 CDr
Epileptic Warrior 1999 CDr
My People were queer and had spunk in their hair.. 1999 CDr
Round the Bend 2000 CDr
Golden Shower of The Rat Hole Sheikh 2001 CDr
The fried brain of The Rat Hole Sheikh 2002 CDr
Exspermdonator 2003 CDr
CDr's with Disi Smith
The Cuckoo Orchestra 2005
Cuckoo reggae 2005
Disi & The Rat Hole Sheikh 2005
Kitchen, Livingroom & Bedroom tapes
3 solo cd's including Danny Welsh 2006
Disi & The Rat Hole Sheikh sing Hillbilly 2007
Disi & Mike play Folk 2007
Shitty Fingers 2008
Die udda takes 2008
DVD
Mike and Disi live 2006
Tracks on compilations"Fuckeryerface" on free CD with OX Fanzine #42 2000
"He's a poor Norwegian cowboy and he rode the train to hell" on free CD with Banzai fanzine. #8 2000
"I need a woman with no knickers on" on free CD with Banzai fanzine #10 2002
Guest appearances
Guitars on "Catastrophe" Sloggy EP "Lofi tracks for highwaycracks" on Hell on wheels recordings 2002
Guitars on "See you in hell" and Catastrophe"Sloggy CD "The singles collection" on Hell on wheels recordings 2002
Friday 10 July 2009
Biography
The Rat Hole Sheikh / Mike McCann was born 1:st of february 1957 in London. He started playing drums in "Orc" in 1974, then tried vocals with "Five fingered widow" 1976 - 1977. Between 1981 and 1983 he was a guitarist in the London based garage band "The Cannibals" and played on the album "Bone to pick" in 1982 on Hit Records, single "Mumbo Jumbo/Led astray" 1982 on Hit Records, free single "Don't make me angry/Hey Mr.Clap Trap" 1982 on Trash Flash, compilation album "These cats ain't nothing but trash" (with The Stingrays & The Milkshakes) 1983 on Big Beat Records and Compilation CD free with Garage bands revisited issue #4 2002.
Under the summer of 1983 Mike played acoustic reggae on the streets of Nymegen in Holland with Danny Welsh on vocals. The Sheikh also played guitar on "Government Scum" with Well known Wankers on a Greenwich performance collective cassette release called "Here's the shit" 1984. Then played guitar with "Mass Murder" 1984 - 1985, and guitar with "No, No Go Zone" 1985.
After moving to Sweden, The Sheikh joined "The Lost Ghost" in 1987 and recorded a single "Affections/Glad you found out" on Wee wee Records 1989. Formed "The Fledgelings" in 1990.Busked and played guitar with Wes (from Deep Forest) and Laingo both from The Cameroon in 1992 under the Stockholm water festival. After Stockholm county council unjustly threw Mike out of his hospital job in 1992 (resultling in an out of court settlement that gave Mike 3 years pay)Mike invented The Rat Hole Sheikh and invested his own money into making the 2 man band Mad cow disease C.D. in 1997 and continued to make his own D.I.Y. one man band c.d's until 2003.
From 2004 - 2008 Mike has played music in various forms with Christine Smith from Linz in Austria. In 2008 Mike has performed at the London folk club Sharps, been busking at the Broadstairs folk week and outside the entrances to Gamla stan and Hornstull underground stations in Stockholm during the rush hours up until he felt to ill to continue. He played guitar and sang for at least one hour daily until he had his surgery in early January 2009, hoping that he'd recover and be able to play for people again in folk clubs. Unfortunately he never recovered.
Under the summer of 1983 Mike played acoustic reggae on the streets of Nymegen in Holland with Danny Welsh on vocals. The Sheikh also played guitar on "Government Scum" with Well known Wankers on a Greenwich performance collective cassette release called "Here's the shit" 1984. Then played guitar with "Mass Murder" 1984 - 1985, and guitar with "No, No Go Zone" 1985.
After moving to Sweden, The Sheikh joined "The Lost Ghost" in 1987 and recorded a single "Affections/Glad you found out" on Wee wee Records 1989. Formed "The Fledgelings" in 1990.Busked and played guitar with Wes (from Deep Forest) and Laingo both from The Cameroon in 1992 under the Stockholm water festival. After Stockholm county council unjustly threw Mike out of his hospital job in 1992 (resultling in an out of court settlement that gave Mike 3 years pay)Mike invented The Rat Hole Sheikh and invested his own money into making the 2 man band Mad cow disease C.D. in 1997 and continued to make his own D.I.Y. one man band c.d's until 2003.
From 2004 - 2008 Mike has played music in various forms with Christine Smith from Linz in Austria. In 2008 Mike has performed at the London folk club Sharps, been busking at the Broadstairs folk week and outside the entrances to Gamla stan and Hornstull underground stations in Stockholm during the rush hours up until he felt to ill to continue. He played guitar and sang for at least one hour daily until he had his surgery in early January 2009, hoping that he'd recover and be able to play for people again in folk clubs. Unfortunately he never recovered.
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