December 2014
Challenge 5

In a video Ginger told us of the challenge to send in the shittest gift you could think of. A rubbish item from your house or a crap purchase from a shop that specialises in selling garbage and bollocks. The prize: Ginger would write and record a song on the subject of your choice. This was without a doubt the best prize of the whole G.A.S.S. campaign.

You could either send it to the address provided or if you were going to Ginger’s Birthday Bash at the Kentish Town Forum drop it in a rubbish bin… Continue reading →

February 2015
Challenge 6

The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed I’ve skipped a challenge. The reason? I wanted to save the best till last. Challenge 5 will follow.

Challenge 6 was a spur of the moment comp that came about while Ginger was recording the podcast for month 10 of G.A.S.S.. Ginger was talking away to Chris Hodgson (merch guy) when special guest Taylor (Ginger’s son) came walking into proceedings. Taylor announced he’d just made a Roman fort out of Lego. Ginger told Taylor he’d have to explain what it looked like so the listener could picture it. Taylor… Continue reading →

October 2014
Challenge 4

For the next comp we had to send in a photo of ourselves in a Halloween costume, or Halloween make up. Ginger said we could make it ugly, beautiful, weird or traditional. The winner would receive a goody bag containing a drum skin used on some of the G.A.S.S. recordings, and some other goodies. I’m not that great at Halloween make up and was on a low budget. It didn’t take long though to think up the idea of carving a pumpkin into a traditional Smileybones and fitting it over my head. Smiley did suffer from… Continue reading →

August 2014
Challenge 3

In a video Ginger explained you had to print out a stencil of the G.A.S.S. logo, then carefully cut it out. The idea was to stencil G.A.S.S. in the most humorous or unlikeliest place you could imagine. Ginger emphasised that you didn’t need to be using spray paint on any walls, as of course, it was highly illegal. Squirty cream or ketchup in a spray bottle were given as alternative options; or of course you could use spray paint – just make sure you wore a disguise in the process. And the prize? The actual wall… Continue reading →

June 2014
Challenge 2

In a video Ginger explained that we had to download and print a PDF of his head. From there we were to glue it to a piece of card then attach to a stick. From there we had to go out into the world with our Ginger lollipop and get a photo with anyone or anything we considered to be a celebrity. The prize this time would be Ginger’s own Zippo ‘Endless Nameless’ lighter.

In the two months we were given to complete the task, I wasn’t going anywhere there would be anyone I considered a… Continue reading →

I’m not the most spontaneous person. I’m quite ordered in what I do and love making plans – and sticking to them. That’s not to say I don’t like having fun and doing daft shit. 2014 brought with it a wealth of opportunities to do daft shit in abundance; for Ginger Wildheart introduced his online fan club, G.A.S.S. (Ginger Associated Secret Society). For the measly sum of £30, every month – from 1st May 2014 to 1st April 2015 – we were blessed with: 3 spanking new songs, diary entries, demos, videos, a Q&A section and podcast. Of course it… Continue reading →

Released: 3rd May 2019
Graphite Records

If riffs and choruses could kill, upon the release of ‘Renaissance Men’, The Wildhearts will be deemed mass murderers: riffs are piled on riffs and choruses soar throughout. Before the blistering finale of ‘Pilo Erection’, Ginger Wildheart faintly proclaims, “1, 2 fuck you”. It’s the quietest moment on an album of unquiet moments – where anger, frustration, integrity and blind determination are peppered throughout. It’s been twenty-five years since this line-up has recorded together: Ginger, CJ, Danny and Ritch have never sounded so vital.

For anyone aware of the turbulent history surrounding The Wildhearts,… Continue reading →