LIAM, BRETT, JARVIS, JUSTINE, DAMON, RICKY?

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Originally uploaded by KEITHBOADWEE.

MY FRIEND ARTHUR HAS BEEN SAYING TO ME THAT WHILE HE LIKES SOME OF THE NEW CROP OF BRIT ACTS, HE DOESN'T THINK THERE'S A BIG, CHARISMATIC STAR FRONTING ANY OF THE BANDS. WHO'S THE JARVIS COCKER OR DAMON ALBARN HE KEEPS ASKING ME. SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, WHAT ABOUT ALEX KAPRANOS? WELL, FOR REASONS I DON'T CARE TO GO INTO IN THESE PAGES I CAN'T WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENDORSE HIM (THOUGH I WILL SAY THAT I THINK HE'S VERY GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES BUT I REALLY DO HAVE TO PLEAD THE FIFTH HERE). I CAN HOWEVER SAY THAT I THINK THE TORCH MAY BE FIRMLY NOW IN THE HANDS OF RICKY WILSON FROM THE KAISER CHIEFS. I SAW A BLINDING SET BY THEM LAST NIGHT. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I SAW A CROWD SO COMPLETELY "HAVING IT" WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF A HIVES GIG I SAW ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. THE CROWD WAS ABSOLUTELY, FUCKING MENTAL. MORE IMPRESSIVE, THE PUNTERS SANG EVERY WORD TO EVERY SONG. THIS MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE SUCH A BIG DEAL TO THOSE OF YOU IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BUT IN AMERICA WE DON'T HAVE THE TRADITION OF THE "SINGALONG" AND IT'S RARE WHEN IT HAPPENS AT A GIG HERE, ESPECIALLY IN SUCH AN ENTHUSIASTIC MANNER. I ALSO HAVE TO ADD HERE THAT RICKY IS THE BEST JUMPER IN ROCK AND ROLL SINCE DAVID LEE ROTH DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF VAN HALEN!! RICKY MIGHT BE RIDING ON DAMON'S COAT TAILS A WEE BIT BUT IT'S ROCK AND ROLL AND ORIGINALITY REALLY ISN'T AN ISSUE. THE KAISER CHIEFS WILL ME MASSIVE STATESIDE AND RICKY WILSON WILL BE A BIG, BIG STAR, JUST YOU WAIT!

P.S. THE CRIBS PLAYED BEFORE AN AUDIENCE WHO SEEMED TO BE MOSTLY UNAWARE OF WHO THEY WERE AND REALLY WON THEM OVER. THE THREE PIECE IS MY LEAST FAVOURITE ROCK CONFIGURATION BUT IF ANYONE PULLS IT OFF THE CRIBS DO. THEY HARMONIZE IN THAT OLD SKOOL EVERLY BROTHERS KIND OF WAY (ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SONG ON BOTH CHORUSES AND VERSES UNLIKE MOST BANDS NOW WHO'LL CHIP IN A HARMONY PART DURING THE CHORUS OR ON A FEW WORDS ALONG THE WAY) AND THE DRUMMER IS ONE OF THE BEST I'VE EVER SEEN. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CRIBS WILL MAKE IT BIG HERE, I SUSPECT THEY MAY BE A BIT TOO OFFBEAT FOR AMERICAN AUDIENCES BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I THINK THE JARMAN BROTHERS (THE 3 GUYS IN THE BAND ARE SIBLINGS) ARE MAYBE THE BEST SONGWRITERS OF THE NEW BRITISH CROP AND I HOPE THEY CAN FIND A FOLLWING HERE, THEY DESERVE IT.