Each week we like to champion the music scene with ten songs in our playlist that all have a connection to the RaW (Reading and Wokingham) area and sometimes beyond. This week we have three new tracks for you from acts with connections to Reading and Wokingham. As always, we have a wide variety of musical styles, but we think they’re all worth a listen and we hope you find something new to enjoy as well as maybe getting out to experience the thrill of live music.
1. Not Now Norman – Feral –
Alec MacKechnie is the eponymous Crazy Cowboy who promotes events in various places including Reading. Most recent was the Crazy Cowboy Festival 11 at the Face Bar, which we were fortunate to attend, and were left wishing we’d also been to the previous 10! A well-organised event (despite the name!) with a host of great bands, most new to us; Not Now Norman came all the way from Berwick-upon-Tweed! They really need to be experienced live, but, just as flavour, this is their latest single. https://www.notnownorman.com/
2. Hawkwind – There is Still Danger There –
They’ve been going for nearly 60 years and throughout that time they have continued to be one of the leading lights of the space rock scene, and they release a new album tomorrow, June 12th, entitled Psychedelic Selection. They had a couple of chart hits in the 1970’s and are still going strong today as you can hear from this track taken from their previous album, There is No Space for Us released last year on Cherry Red Records. You can see how good they still are as a live cosmic happening when the Hawkwind starship lands at Reading Hexagon on June 26th – https:// www.hawkwind.com
3. Neil Wighton – Cry an Ocean –
We know him as the guitarist in Spriggan Mist, understated, compared with the rest of the band (who isn’t?), but responsible for some compelling solos. He released his debut album, where he played most of the instruments, at the start of this year and it has garnered some very good reviews; this is his latest single, which is a new version of one of the album tracks featuring contributions from a collection of prog musicians. https://www.facebook.com/Neilwightonmusic
4. The Unthanks – Magpie –
Sometimes we go on a road trip, like our recentk visit to London, sometimes a big name comes to us, as with Midge Ure at the Hexagon, or The Unthanks at the Town Concert Hall. The Unthanks are folk group from the North East, and their repertoire covers a range of styles of folk-inflected music. This is the song that inspired the third series of Mackenzie Crook’s The Detectorists; it was written by Davey Dodds, who we had the pleasure of seeing perform a couple of times, including in Bracknell, and who sadly died earlier this year. https://www.facebook.com/TheUnthanks
5. Fawlers – slob –
We featured a few tracks from Oxford-based The Mezz, and were sorry to hear that they called it a day as a band last year. They did say they’d be carrying on as individuals, and we heard recently about a new band, Fawlers, that formed at the end of 2025 and has The Mezz’s vocalist, Benji Comley, as the frontman. They’ve not been hanging about, this is already their third single, and we hope to catch them live before long. https://www.instagram.com/fawlers.uk/
6. TRASHCAT – CALLING –
Currently based in Portsmouth, Charlotte Stokes is someone whose musical output we’ve been a fan of for some years – we first saw her at the much-missed Acoustic Couch in Bracknell. Her latest project is TRASHCAT, and this is the latest self-penned single. https:// www.instagram.com/trashcatmusic_/
7. Wolfsbane – Manhunt Re-recorded –
Time for a RaW Sounds roadtrip, this time to the legendary 100 Club in London (easy to reach on the Lizzie Line), courtesy of promoters Runnin’ Blue. Classic rock purveyors from Reading, The Dead Can Wait, were the support band for Wolfsbane. Celebrating over 40 years since they first started and with the original line-up, including Blaze Bayley, who was also front man for Iron Maiden for a while, this was part of Wolfsbane’s latest tour. Both bands kept the packed crowd hugely entertained; this is the lead track from Wolfsbane’s recent live album which gives you some idea! https:// www.wolfsbaneband.com/
8. MOTHER – UNHOLY –
We have featured tracks from Marisa and the Moths here more than once (and with good reason!); this is the first track from a solo project by Marisa Rodriguez herself. A bit heavier thanthe usual Moths’ material, but nevertheless recognisable in style, the track was recorded and mixed in Reading, at the Mix Den studio. https://www.bowtomother.com/
9. Salvador Scott – Laika Shooting Star –
Laika was one of the first animals sent into space, in the late 1950s; this charming and whimsical song by Reading-based Salvador Scott celebrates Laika, as well as maybe musing on a relationship. Salvador is one of the regulars at open-mic nights at The Butler, and is currently working on a video documentary about music in and around the town, including Wokingham Festival. https://www.instagram.com/salvador.island/
10. Emerson – Can’t Make It Right –
Another great track from Fleet-based Emerson, who impressed when they appeared on the Purple Turtle stage at Reading FC back in March. They’ll be back in town on the 30th of June, when they play on a bill with Dutch blues rockers Sonic Whip and Oxford’s Cheap Suits at the Purple Turtle. All great bands, who have featured here before, so should be a great night! https://linktr.ee emerson.band99
You can listen to all the songs featured in our Spotify playlist at https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday
