Yes, you CAN improve on perfection! Join the Doks and friends on a magnetizing mission into musical agility..
London-based band WitchDoktors have been tearing up the UK live scene for over three decades, earning their reputation as one of the most enduring and electrifying Garage Punk Rock’n’roll bands. A six-year residency at London’s legendary 12 Bar Club cemented their status as cult favourites. Over the years, they’ve shared stages with many Punk and Rock icons, including Ruts DC, Fleshtones, The Godfathers, Nashville Pussy, Revillos, Wingmen, Steve Marriot, Dr Feelgood, The Damned and PIL.
Continuing WitchDoktors‘ long-term UK collaboration with Bomber Music, 2025 sees the launch of their sixth studio LP ‘IZZATSO?’. Somewhat appropriately set to drop on ‘All-Hallows Eve’ (Halloween, 31st October), the album features eleven bludgeoning tracks. WitchDoktors’ songwriting has evolved and branched into new territory in their continuing journey along the dirty road of Rock’n’roll, and whilst their roots are planted firmly in an upbringing that feasted on Punk, Glam, & Trash, there is a bitter twist of Country/Americana thrown in for good measure!
Conceived during COVID, and then delayed by the sad passing of their longtime collaborator and legendary recording engineer and producer Pat Collier, ‘IZZATSO?’ is a call in this age of misinformation to question everything. Echoing the sentiment of the late great Joe Strummer to “See through the veils of bullshit, or spins on stories or propaganda, and to think for yourself.”
Herein the band expertly explore a range of musical styles from their collective DNA. Written by longtime songwriting partners and lifelong friends Andy Last (vocals/guitar) and Tony Major (guitar/vocals), the songs explore and challenge the pressing social and environmental issues of our time. Adding their own enchantments to the recording are their band mates, also both excellent musicians, Joe Colfar (drums/vocals) and Lee Page (bass/vocals).
Incendiary opener ‘Lightning Strike’ is an apocalyptic vision of the impact of climate change, featuring inspirational slide guitar by Leigh Heggarty of Ruts DC and Wingmen. Andy Last explains; “From global warming to the penetrating microwave broadcast all around us, and a desire to conquer the Universe (now that we’ve trashed this world), we find ourselves looking for solutions to the problems we’ve created. Whilst self-made(!) billionaires could solve the world’s poverty at the flick of a ‘global trading’ switch, they appear to see success as a trip to a lump of dead rock! Or is this the start of universal consolidation for future generations?” It’s a belter of a first track, the good ol’ Doks giving it all they’ve got, and easily a single in its own right!
Live sing-along favourite ‘Before The War‘ has already been a single, on a double A side release alongside ‘Spanner In The Works‘. It’s a powerful song, both musically and lyrically, and an essential inclusion on the album. Andy says; “Post-Covid PTSD is hitting home like the scarred and broken mind of a victim of ‘active service’. The masses subjected to ‘the beast’ created by the few. Cannon fodder all over again. Death and destruction without a thought for the individual. Will we ever learn? Sign up, serve up, mission completed, contract terminated and now it’s someone else’s problem.. Here’s your plastic medal and a shoe box to live in. Whatever happened to the sparkle in those beautiful eyes?”
The chugging yet groovy bass riff underpinning ‘High, Dry & Burned‘ could have come straight from The Damned, but it’s got Lee’s unmistakable hands behind it, naturally! A haunting and heartfelt track; over to Andy; “I will listen to you, again, of course, but you are truly exhausting. I have quite literally had enough of your bullshit, jibing and negativity and given the chance of just getting on you would rather pursue your negativity whilst your target is to win the match and not play the game. You succeeded in writing a book that you’re quite happy to tear up out of spite so no-one else can read it!”
Breaking out their Reggae groove for ‘Freedom Fighter‘, there’s some serious food for thought in the lyrics.. Andy elaborates; “Is one man’s Freedom Fighter another man’s terrorist? I agree that a struggle against the oppressor sometimes needs one to resort to being forceful, but how far will we go? How far will ‘they’ go? How far will ‘you’ go? Do we all truly love all of the children born into this world, or will they grow into the people who will one day kill our own children?”
‘One Shot‘ sees our extraordinarily talented tub-thumper Joe at his complex and commanding best. His intricate patterns contrast with the straightforward guitar parts to create an almost eerie sound. The echo of the repeated guitar riff which slowly fades at the end is a masterstroke. Andy enlightens us; “One shot? There IS hope! So many of us think about it. So many of us care. So many of us see through it all. So many of us can hear the lies. Sometimes we are tired but sometimes we need to wake up and make the coffee before we can smell it!” Thank you to Retroman Blog aka Steve Worrall for this video of the song live:
You’ll always catch me ‘shaking my ass to the Rock’n’roll’ whenever I hear ‘Planet Of Pain‘ live! This favourite song soars to new heights on the album with the addition of the horn section from the Doks’ mates The Gyrators. The insane guitar solo in the bridge is the icing on the cake!
“Be careful out there Citizen!” warns Andy. ” It’s all around us. Life is running in the fast lane, so be careful with those ‘accelerators’ that just may well catch up with you! You have been warned! This planet WILL fuck you up if you are not careful. Things always catch up with you. Take heed, reduce your speed, and THANK YOU VERY MUCH for listening. End of Public Service announcement!”
There’s more than a touch of (dare I say it?) Indie rock to ‘Jezebel‘ – but this is still unmistakeably the Doks, with a twist in the tale.. “Have you met her, have you seen her?” asks Andy. “She’s enchanting, entrancing. Her power and attraction are second-to-none and you know it! You’re getting sucked in… Even though she’s trampled and torn so many before, you shake yourself awake, she’s rotten to the core, and you’re no different to the other fools. So, when you’re high up, standing by an open window with her in your arms, just take one step forward, and loosen your grip..”
Second side of the single from last year’s double A release, ‘Spanner In The Works‘ has also been spruced up with added horns, some funky additional guitar, and keyboards. Who says you can’t improve on perfection? I love its message – be a stealthy rebel, ready to make the changes society needs. Andy encourages us; “You can do this, work it out, a little bit at a time. Subtle. No need to smash things up, a little twist here and there with your spanner. Seek out like minded souls, don’t waste energy to convert the converted, just subvert. Many small steps cover long distances so stand up and ride the waves and misbehave. Keep warm this winter – cause trouble!”
‘God Knows (Izzatso?)‘ is the WitchDoktors’ Beatles moment, in a song that would not sound out of place on ‘The White Album‘. I love its sixties vibe, how the track showcases a tight-as-a-gnat’s-nostril band, and the superb production behind it. Andy’s thoughts during writing; “Somebody give The Lord a handclap! That big ol’ fella in the sky can supposedly save us all, but his track record ain’t been great so far, has it? Omnipresent without a care for ‘his’ world. A fairytale and a travesty of justice for all. If there is a God and he knows all that goes on, then why does he seem to walk away so often? You decide! There are no facts!”
A story of revenge upon the bigots, ‘Candy Star‘ takes matters into her own hands in this guitar-driven rocker! “Now you’re growing up Junior, your quirky dressing up ways ain’t approved of no more by the menfolk and God-fearing straight edge perverts around you in this small minded town!” Head for the bright lights of the city as there really ain’t nothing else a ‘girl’ can do, but why not leave them a little ‘Thank You’ for their hospitality and acceptance of difference. A can of gasoline and some matches should do just fine..”
“A tale of Gothic Noir against a Mexicana mariachi soundtrack, with a level of menace akin to Robert Mitchum’s preacher with his Love & Hate tattoos on his knuckles in Night Of The Hunter.” Andy’s description of album closer ‘Kicking The Can‘ conveys this bitter tale, augmented by a mournful accordion expertly played by Slim from The Urban Voodoo Machine. Its subject “longs for a suitor who will pick her and up give her wings, but the caller that night certainly isn’t that guy. Domestic abuse at its worst in a lonely house on the desolate prairie. Will anyone hear her cries? Help is most certainly not at hand.”
This long-awaited album is a mighty fine tribute to the collective vivid ingenuity and musicality of the WitchDoktors; to their late, great, and much-missed producer Pat Collier; and to the genius of producer Tim Palmer who then took up the reins. The final six tracks were recorded by Grant Streng at Silver Shark Studios, before ‘IZZATSO?’ was mastered by Justin Shturtz at Sterling Sound in Nashville, TN to give it its final polish and sparkle. “Well worth the wait” doesn’t even begin to portray how terrific this album is – or how each and every collaboration with guest musicians has added so much to its tracks. The title urges us to Question Everything – a necessity in this world full of spin and misinformation – and to work out who is really profiting from political decisions..
‘IZZATSO?’ is available to order on 12” Vinyl LP (coloured & splatter) and on CD from Bandcamp HERE and from Bomber Music HERE. Digital pre-save the album HERE
Catch WitchDoktors touring their new album ‘IZZATSO?’ live:
November:
Fri 14th – The Steamboat, Ipswich
Sat 15th – The Anchor, Wingham, Kent
Fri 28th – The Old Barn, Milton Arms, Portsmouth
Sat 29th – 100 Club, Oxford Street, London
Sun 30th – Prince Albert, Brighton
December
Fri 12th – Johnny’s Bar, Watford
Sat 13th – Frog & Fiddle, Cheltenham
Feb 2026
Fri 13th – 100 Club, Oxford Street, London
Main Photo Credit: RUTH RAE
Videos: RUTH RAE and STEVE WORRALL
- Lightning Strike
- Before the War
- High Dry & Burned
- Freedom Fighter
- One Shot
- Planet of Pain
- Jezebel
- Spanner in the Works
- God Knows
- Candy Star
- Kicking the Can
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