{"id":12992,"date":"2025-10-24T18:11:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T17:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=12992"},"modified":"2025-12-01T18:40:53","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T18:40:53","slug":"punchdrunk-saints-debut-sees-cockney-rejects-guitarist-embrace-his-love-of-hard-rock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=12992","title":{"rendered":"Punchdrunk Saints debut sees Cockney Rejects guitarist embrace his love of hard rock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ALBUM REVIEW: Punchdrunk Saints – Punchdrunk Saints (Cadiz Music)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

When Mickey Geggus quit the Cockney Rejects in late 2023, leaving brother Jeff to soldier on with a new line-up, he promised to return with a new project of his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Less than two years later, here we are; the guitarist is back with his new band, Punchdrunk Saints<\/strong>. And while the name might sound like an oi! band, nothing could be further from the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Saints owe more in style to the Rejects Mk II, who made the album The Wild Ones<\/em> in 1982 with UFO’s Pete Way producing. It’s a hard rock album from top to toe, and a very enjoyable one at that.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Mickey Geggus performing with the Cockney Rejects. Pic by Gary Welford.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The initial line-up included original Rejects bassist Vinny Riordan, but neither he nor original drummer Reg Downer could commit, so a new rhythm section had to be recruited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geggus found powerhouse drummer Chris Nedzynski and bass player Tim Atkinson (ex-Leader Of the Down), as well as an inexperienced but talented vocalist, Marc Salmon, who’s influenced by the likes of GNR, Pearl Jam and The Quireboys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, Geggus’s skills as a guitarist are undoubted, but you always got the feeling in the Rejects that he was playing within himself. Here, he proves that beyond doubt he’s a player of some talent.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Punchdrunk Saints. Pic by Peter McDonnell.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

From the opening stomp of Holy Mother <\/em>to anthemic first single I Wanna Know What It\u2019s Like<\/em> (which could be prime era Wildhearts) and the heartfelt, uplifting closer Come Home<\/em>, the Punchdrunk Saints debut is a tasty slice of anthemic hard rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether they’re playing hard \u2018n\u2019 heavy anthems (Your Time Is Done<\/em>) or searing, soulful ballads (I Know How To Find You<\/em>) this four-piece rock hard, but with plenty of melody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Days Of Our Lives<\/em> slows things down a little but has a chorus which will sound great sang back at them live, while the chugging opening riff of Prayer For Tomorrow<\/em> leads us somewhere a little darker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geggus is a self-confessed fan of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Nazareth, but there’s also bits of AC\/DC, Thin Lizzy and Judas Priest here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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