The Waterloo, Blackpool
Some words and images from Alan Dearling
Some people, places and events are special. Such are the Blackpool Boneyard Musical Extravaganzas at The Waterloo Music/Pub venue. The ex-Alien Sex Fiend, Ratfink, Andrew Wilson is one of the principal movers and shakers. It’s a real fun palace – a strangely surreal world apart. It’s quite big and probably holds up to 250 folk across two bar areas, the stage and adjoining indoor and outdoor bits and bobs. There are even two big screens to watch the bands without going into mosh-pit land. It’s about a mile and a half distant from the Blackpool illuminations and promenades. So, not a tourist ‘space’, and much the better for it. An event-space for avid music fans, the slightly quirky and musically-insane. And at the Boneyard events, it always lives up to the promise of providing nice edgy, off-the-wall performers. This night was, to some extent’ a ‘taster’ for the next Boneyard three-day festi in July 2026.
And on this December day, it was a real humdinger of a show, with the Pink Diamond Revue kicking off and then more weirdness from crypts buried underground below the castles of Switzerland, courtesy of Reverend Beat-Man and Milan Slick.
Beat Zeller, better known as Reverend Beat-Man, is a Swiss musician, DJ and record company owner. He has been performing as a one-man band (since 1992), as the leader of psychobilly band, The Monsters, and with other bands, in a style described as primitive rock ‘n’ roll, perhaps more aptly known as ‘gospel blues trash’. And in recent times, he has teamed up with the louche, Milan Slick…he of the Nick Cave style and looks!
I’ve added in plenty of links…
‘Seduce’ by Reverend Beat-Man and Milan Slick. This video was filmed and edited by Reverend Beat-Man on his Cell phone, West Coast USA Tour July/August 2025:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsbQLMaXIgI
‘Found out’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uos8PSFdppM
This is from the latest album from Milan and the good Reverend: ‘Death Crossed the Street’.
Staccato rhythms – screaming voodoo, akin to Nick Cave being pursued by a massed choir of banshees.
Solo Reverend Beat-Man, from Berne in Switzerland. Live at The Sardine, San Pedro. Demented. Weird as fuck. Unsettling, punk, edgy, music for the Droogs in ‘Clockwork Orange’, methinks. Reminiscent of Wildman Fischer on mescaline in a dark dungeon, vocalising Death of Rock ‘n’ Roll! A Swiss ghoul, a sensation of blood-sucking, indeed…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvF3NR04hfo
Milan Slick. Dark, ironic…macabre – a kind of male counterpart of Nico, perhaps?
Video for ‘In the End’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh8YeDmggpU
Milan on keys with the Reverend on vocals and teeth-grating vocals, they create the new dance craze – ‘The Jesus Christ Twist’:
“Now, go to your father’s house, take a handful of nails…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6lAqKW-pVI
Perfect to partner our oddball aliens from Switzerland, Tim Lane’s Pink Diamond Revue.
“I’m addicted to my dolls!”
Tim frequently reminds me of an even more manic, demented version of Wilko Johnson from Dr Feelgood. Hi-powered, crunching and crashing rock guitar and absurd surreal-ity (if that’s a word!!!). The Pink Diamond Revue purveys a constant barrage of mind-pummelling, repetitious chords, bass and drum-beats: ‘Go-Go girls’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFazCv6GeIc&list=RDEMYpHvsJMkvCZ4Mz2owxaziA&start_radio=1
“Rock’n’ roll music has been sent to us straight from the bowels of hell.” Tim and Rob: ‘Elvis Presley’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77IqrG6lo8E&list=RD77IqrG6lo8E&start_radio=1
‘Miss Lonely Hearts’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2cYd2guhmI&list=RD77IqrG6lo8E&index=4
And here is the Pink Diamond Revue, starting with the ‘Ton-up boys’, 3 tunes live on Christmas Day featuring her Hi-Ness, known better as the Kween aCiD DoL, this is The Pink Diamond Revue Live And Frantic at The Freek Booteek Christmas Day 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GgR1vca05c
It absolutely captures the mesmeric strangeness and charms of Tim Lane and friends.
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