Shake Rag | This Location Got No Station

Shake Rag: This Location Got No Station

(Self-released via Shake Your Rag Records)

LP | Stream

Out Now

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After three years gigging on the circuit, Manchester’s very own punk blues messiahs Shake Rag finally release their debut album, This Location Got No Station. With an album title inspired by their band name, this is a collection of songs which takes us on a wild ride through our rock ’n’ roll heritage with a raw-edged sound and a driving energy which has been honed from the band’s classic punk, blues and rockabilly influences and fused into their very own style.

You may think that Shake Rag are yet another of so many new bands just trying to find their feet in the ever-growing rock ’n’ roll circuit. Whilst this may be true to some extent, this is a band that have been gigging around the north-west for some three years now, making their mark wherever they go. And with a single, Who Do You Voodoo, and an EP, Telesales Pharaoh and his Pyramid Scheme, already creating some noise on streaming platforms, it definitely feels like the right time for their debut album to surface which it now does in the form of This Location Got No Station.

Shake Rag take their name from the town in Tupelo Mississippi where so much blues music originated, Elvis Presley was born, and the railroad that ran through the middle of it had no station – if you wanted to stop the train you had to shake a rag. Alongside the influence from this region which is steeped in the legacy of American blues and which clearly feeds into the band’s sound, they also cite strong influences from the likes of Joe Strummer, The Fall, Jesus and Mary Chain, Screaming Blue Messiahs, Sex Pistols, and The Cramps. And for those who have already had the distinct pleasure of seeing Shake Rag live, this influence not only translates strongly in their hard hitting and energetic live shows, which include numerous original songs as well as some choice and often obscure covers from some of these artists, but also in the rich collection of songs which are played over the PA before their walk-on, really building the vibe.

Shake Rag comprise Richard Moses on vocals and guitar, Garry Parvin on guitar, Heath Evdemon on bass, and Archi Bremna on drums. Aside from shaking their rag around the north-west, the band have ventured to the south-east including multiple performances at Camden’s Dublin Castle and Chelmsford’s Hotbox. Hopefully with the release of this debut album, this may well spark more opportunities for the band to widen their own gigging circuit.

The album opens with the frenzied guitar-driven rock ’n’ roll attack of Feed The Birds, which is ignited further by its hard-hitting rhythm and Richard’s punk-infused vocals. Whilst the intro hints at something more rockabilly style, it doesn’t take long before it quickly evolves into a Ramones-style rampage, forging a truly incendiary start and really setting their stall out for all that is to follow. Star follows on with a grunge-fueled energy dominated by fractured rhythms, pounding drums, and some screeching guitar solos from Garry, giving it a John Spencer-style wild, free blues rock ‘n’ roll vibe.

The momentum continues with The Dreamer, which has more than a nod to The Buzzcocks’ style and sound, featuring some nice melodious touches and power pop shades, while still being infused with seriously chugging rhythms and Johnny Thunders-style guitar solos. What D’You Know continues to stretch the band’s sonic palette as they venture into areas of dark pop with Damned style gothic undertones, whilst the pace eases slightly through the brooding menace of Going In Between, which almost transcends into psychedelic leanings.

Then, in another seamless switch in sonic styling, Uncle Billy takes us back to the ’60s guitar bands like The Ventures, infused with the psycho-billy swagger of The Cramps. Now halfway through the album, it’s already very evident that Shake Rag are not a band to compromise on anything as their mission for absolute self-expression continues unabated. This wild ride continues in People Of The Sky, which exerts all the raw power and energy of The Stooges, replete with Iggy-style vocals and electrifying guitar solos.

The slower, bluesier pace of Rhythm And The Rhyme gives us some respite as it dances with an infectious, fractured rhythm, squally guitar breaks and a slightly distorted vocal. Anyway plunders the punk aggression and street-level rock ’n’ roll styling of The Clash, harnessed with a strong driving rhythm section and confrontational vocals riddled with social bite. Meanwhile, Moving On has a much leaner edge rooted more in the moody and gritty rhythm and blues that characterised the early days of Dr. Feelgood, with a relentless groove and a choppy, aggressive guitar giving it a raw pub-rock sound.

Wake Up simply explodes with a menacing powerhouse riff infused with slide runs which takes me back to when Johnny Thunders used to open and close so many of his live gigs in the 80s with his own incendiary take on The Ventures’ instrumental Pipeline, although in this case we have Richard hollering “wake up and seize the day” in his typically gritty and sneering vocal style. Closing song Shake Your Rag could of course be the band’s very own theme tune as it roars with energy, redefining the concept of rockabilly into their very own brand of punk-abilly.

This Location Got No Station is a wild and explosive ride through a fusion of classic influences, all of which have been melded into Shake Rag’s own unique sonic template. With songs shaped by so many iconic touchstones, Shake Rag’s music is a reaffirmation of the values of punk as well as all the genres of music that informed it in its original form and all its incarnations since that time.

Shake Rag are clearly a band who are in no mood to make any compromises to their approach or their sound, and there is a freedom of expression in everything they have recorded and performed so far. With edgy guitars, hard driving rhythms and gritty vocals, Shake Rag are taking the concept of punk blues to the next level with a sound that should resonate with all those who like their music full of power, angst and bite. It feels like this relentless and marauding rock ’n’ roll train is just leaving the station, so it’s time we all got on board before it’s too late.

The great news is that you can catch Shake Rag in their first gig of 2026 when they support Jackson Hewitt at The Globe in Glossop on 17 January with tickets available here.

You can stream the album here or buy it in vinyl form by sending an email to shakerag2021@gmail.com.

You can find Shake Rag on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

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All words by Ian Corbridge. You can find more of his writing at his author profile here.