The debut mini album from London garage punk sensation MINISKIRT BLUES. Formed in 2002, the band features members of Klingonz, Nocturnal Teds and Spacewasters.

Influences are drawn from punk, garage and psychobilly with a complex distillation from both ancient and contemporary. Think The Cramps on speed.

Having played with the likes of Dememted Are Go, Deadline, Nekromantix and Sick On The Bus etc., they are building up their reputation with incredibly powerful and explosive live performances, adding their own individual style with their strong growling vocals.

This is a limited edition 10" vinyl, pressed on black wax, handnumbered to 500 copies and including a cover of "Shakin' All Over" written by Johnny Kidd and The Pirates that can be heard regularly in their sets.

The Itch is an intense fusion of all things MINISKIRT BLUES. Sleazy garage to the max, this is no bullshit, no gimmicks, just reality!

Big Cheese Issue 83
Miniskirt Blues are a band that have been attracting a lot of attention around the snakepits of London's gig circuit since their inception in 2002 but it's taken this long for their dubut offering, but it's worth the wait but don't hang about to buy it because 'The Itch' is only available on a limited run of 500 10" mini albums. So what about the music? Well, sleazy garage trash drenched in the sweat of a '60s amphetamine freakout complete with organ and rumbling bass that shakes your hangover before you've even got it is my description. The title track is a cracking play off of sounds with a guitar so fuzzed out you could be forgiven for thinking you are listening to a single from 1966 used for the past decades to chop the gear from the aforementioned party then the bass hits you, thump, clear as crystal, right in the ear. Genius.
Simon Nott (4/5)

Sleazegrinder
Debut six song mini-album from London, UK scumbags who put a fast and dirty spin on punk, garage, and psychobilly influences old and new. As filthy and suffocating as the fog which suddenly appears over the River Thames, the sort that used to engulf the streets of Whitechapel as Jack The Ripper went about his wicked business.
So just how sleazy can ‘The Itch’ be? Well, in addition to the groin-scratchingly suggestive title track, there’s a song on here called ‘Pocky Whore’ (I’m assuming they’re using the word ‘pocky’ as in she’s got ‘the pox’) and the front cover depicts a waist down photograph of a high-heel wearing miniskirted streetwalker standing in a back-alley next to a stack of rubbish (or ‘trash’ or ‘garbage’ as you might say in the colonies). That sleazy.
This mob win further points for including a cover version of Johnny Kid and The Pirates classic ‘Shakin All Over’ (which was also famously covered by The Who in their ‘Live at Leeds’ set).
Quality of the packaging is good, including a glossy cardboard sleeve, and the record itself is pressed on a nice thick and heavy disk that feels like you could drive a tank over it.
To buy this release, visit www.jet13records.co.uk you can even listen to MP3’s first.
Alex Eruptor

Concrete Web
Formed in 2002 by singer Titch , guitarist/ backing singer Peter , and drummer Mikey with a desire to step away from doin' pure Psychobilly, the line-up of this London based band came together after a couple of shifts, when guitarist/ backing singer Kieron and bassist/ backing vocalist Dean joined the others. They started out playing '60s-geared Garage Punk, and then evolved by infusing elements of Psychobilly, Punk, Metal, and just plain good ole Rock 'n' Roll, ending up with a hybrid that is quite their own style.
Knowing that their main influences are such bands as The Vibes , Purple Things , Stingrays , Escalators , and "everything that Rocks", you'll understand that the overall sound of Miniskirt Blues brings a mood that has us all travelling back in time somewhat. A first 4-track demo (simply titled The Demo ) was released on 25 november '03, and followed up by 9 Track Demo (don't you just looove that simplicity?) on January 1 st of 2005 (including all songs from The Demo , by the way).
Now, the quintet have their official debut with this 10" vinyl EP (played at 45 rpm). 5 of the 6 tracks again come from their last demo, fortified by a cover of the Johnny Kidd & The Pirates classic "Shakin' All Over" . Starting off procedures is the straigth-forward Garage Punk Rocking "Doin' Time" , which is followed up by the more Psychobilly influenced " Bad Man" and "Pocky Whore" . That vibe doesn't just come from the effect on the guitar, but also from an additional organ, courtesy of one Stan . Next up comes the wonderful cover version, and the title song and EP closing "Mischievous" close procedures in a straigth-forward Garage Punk Rock 'n' Rolling way again. The latter has a weird calmer section, but overall the songs are quite in-your-face and pacey! Titch has a slightly hoarse voice. Although there's 3 backing singers, their role is never one of harmonizing but rather in giving Titch the occasional backing without disturbing the latter's style all too much. Overall, the music sounds like a sleazy Garage Punk with an occasional Psychobilly twist. Very nice, and well worth the time spent listening to (only takes some 17 minutes per session anyway).
If you're into "oldfashioned" music as described above, I urge you to be speedy, as the EP only comes out on a 500 copy (handnumbered) rotation, and it's been released in the UK since November 20 th . Personally, I was truely charmed. Not to the point of putting the EP in that "Best Albums of 200...", well 2006...but a close runner-up!
Tony 92/100

Mindview #135 (Written in Dutch)
"The Itch" staat voor zes keer (inclusief cover "Shakin' All Over") gemene, vuile, vettige, met punk en psycho doorspekte rock-'n-roll. Na behandeling met ontvetter blijven er poepsimpele, rechttoe-rechtann songs over. In dit genre een compliment. (RRH)
Zilver (5/7)

El Diablo #3
The first time I heard Miniskirt Blues was on a demo that they were hawking around. I loved it, even though it was as rough as a sandpaper wank. I could hear a hell of a lot of promise in it. All they needed was some quality studio time and I was sure that they would deliver a blinder. So I’m well chuffed with “The Itch”. It’s rare for a band to live up to expectations sometimes, but Titch and his crew have managed it here. The six tracks on this mini lp are the perfect introduction to the band. If you like your rock and roll straight from the garage, and still dirty, then this disc is going to be stuck on your turntable for ages. The boys should be proud of themselves. Jet13 records are fast becoming the catchword for quality, and this release does nothing but enhance the labels stature in the underground.

Street Voice
If you've never heard the Mini Skirt Blues before then you're totally missing out and this release is something not to miss out on. OK so it doesn't capture the greatness of them playing live but it's certainly well worth having in your collection. The Mini Skirt Blues remind me so much of the Cramps meeting Motorhead. Opening up this six track 10" is 'Doin' Time' and there is no let up with other tracks such as 'Bad Man', 'Pocky Whore' and 'The Itch' coming sat you like a smack in the face. Even their cover of 'Shakin' All Over' by Johnny Kidd and The Pirates is kick ass. Now all we need is a full player from these guys but in the meantime you're gonna have to make do with this excellent release.
8.5/10