Skints: Fam’s Christmas Party
Posted by jamie on Dec 29, 2010
The Skints / Clay Pigeon / Johnny One-Lung / the Sterilizers
The Gaff, Holloway Road (London
)28th December 2010
Jamie
Thanks to Alex over at Punktastic for making sure I got in to this gig. Such is the Skints’ stature these days that the Gaff was sold out very early today. It was sold out, and then it wasn’t, and then it was again.
Confusing, I know, but it just goes to show exactly how hot tickets were for tonight’s show: a crowd of people who had been turned away but still hung around outside so that once those extra tickets had been retrieved from wherever they’d gone, the gig was immediately sold out for the second time in an afternoon. They’ve had a devoted following for a long time, of course, but it’s getting bigger and bigger these days as they get better and better. It’s freezing outside, of course, and outside London there’s still juicy layers of snow and ice on the ground, but by the end of tonight the Gaff had become hot and sticky and drenched in easy going, summer vibes and a feeling of mutual love. There was, quite literally, “al lot of love in this room”. That and a lot of sweat, as well. “The fam’s Christmas party”, as Josh called it. Right on.
Bang in demand, then, and a show that was sold out twice. You wouldn’t be reading this were it not for Alex. Thanks, mate.
Apologies: I missed the Sterlizers. The gig was further away than I thought.
Jonny One Lung clambers on stage with scarce little fanfare. In black and wearing a baseball hat, he’s managed to get onstage and even to tune up a little bit without really being noticed. That all goes right out the window when he stands centre stage and booms across the room to the sound guy that he’ll be ready as soon as he’s sorted his set list out, thank you very much. Half the room falls in to a reverent hush, and the rest continue to sway gently to the Gaff’s hench reggae soundsystem. That bass is coming through the floor, so you do sort of have to.
At once, with a cheeky aside about one-man acoustic ska being much of a muchness, Johnny races in to an short, spiky set of acoustic tunes. There’s real passion in this, evident in his stretched, urgent vocal that really goes for every note and every word, and in the way he plays acoustic guitar with such energy. It’s instantly enjoyable and immediately contagious. Two lads scared Jonny, being the first ever to sing along to his second song. He takes a quick breather, apologising and quickly pointing out that his set list on his phone, just in case we thought he was bored and being rude to all of us. There’s something charmingly authentic about this: not shambolic, but all the more natural for the absence of a more polished, showman-like demeanour.
Jonny covers a Suicide Bid track and brings the latest in a series of giant roars of approval by hinting that the Skints might appear on the new Suicide Bid album. You heard it here second. He takes his leave with a couple of anti-fascist songs and leaves us in good spirits and gently heating up.
ClayPigeon, as usual, are an absolute riot: deliciously bonkers and totally unpredictable. I’m whacked from Christmas and have been carrying my sister’s flu around with me, so didn’t fancy a pit that went from nought to mental in seconds. The Gaff was packed, but it’s still small, so it’s some feat for the first crowd surfers to make it as far back as the bar. One lad almost landed on it. Old song Credidue is well received, and there’s two tracks from next year’s full length record that sound really promising. The place goes mad for these guys from start to finish, and they fully deserve it. It’s the best I’ve seen them play in ages: raw, really loud, and seriously good fun.The Skints emerge to squeals of approval, and set about us with a new song first of all. There’s a couple of new ones in the set, and some old school reggae songs as well: it’s probably the sultriest, most reggae-based headline set I’ve actually ever seen the Skints play: warm, rich and soulful, with loads of melodies and basslines that roll out through the floor. It’s like music’s answer to bringing one of those posh Gü chocolate thins home on valentines day. They’re clearly in party mood: Jon and Josh are in suits, though it’s quickly too hot for jackets: the snow’s still melting and yet inside it’s like being in
Bright Girl is out second, and already it feels like we’re going to pogo through the floor and in to the basement. A couple of old reggae songs have the place properly rocking, and then there’s the new one Up Against the Wall.
As it’s Christmas I’ll do a chav a favour: the heat, the drink, the occasion had obviously got to be too much for one dude who got kicked out for fighting in the pit, and got a bollocking from Josh for good measure. The whole show stopped for a second, and, eventually, so does the fight, and one lad is ejected. “If you want beef”, says Josh, “then fuck off to fucking Archway or something”, to general amusement and a general sense of confused relief. It was then that he told us it’s the fam’s Christmas party.
Perhaps appropriately, Mindless is up next. As a surprise to pretty much everyone, Reeps One gets an impromptu beatbox jam. They just spotted him out there and bobbed him on to the stage during the song, apparently. This is an absolute treat. To make it better, you can see it online already. Open this in a new tab.
There’s time for another new song and then Governed by the Tele and finally Murderer before they disappear. The pub’s staying open, mind, so plenty of reason to stick around. If any were needed, though, then the Skints re-emerge. “I wanted to do All I Want for Christmas is you”, mutters Josh, “but no one was having it”. For shame. Instead we’re treated to an encore of Sociopath. I guess that’s a classic these days. It’s so hot that one guy who squeezed past me actually smelled of cheese. Not just feet, but mature cheddar. Once again, the Skints have absolutely nailed it. It’s been their best year as a band, we’re told, and thanks for being a part of it. They’ve got incredibly tight over those 163 shows, and they’re untouchable right now. There’s DJs until 1am, and the bar’s staying open. Happy Christmas, fam.
Toasters Christmas songs
Posted by jamie on Dec 24, 2010
Need some non-saccharine Christmas tunes pronto? The Toasters have got it covered.
Unless you were one of the lucky people that snapped up one of the few copies of Christma-ska that Moon Ska Records imported for sale through the East 10th Street store in the late 90s, these tracks have been unavailable outside of Japan for almost 13 years. Get them from Amazon via our button.
Thanks to the Duff Guide to Ska for bringing us this story.
Babyhead: Heavy Weather
Posted by jamie on Dec 22, 2010
Babyhead
Heavy Weather - Rocker’s Revolt, 2010
3rd December 2010
Jamie
I’ve got to hold my hands up and say I got confused here. That’s totally my own fault, though. Bristol mash-up merchants Babyhead released the first two singles from Heavy Weather on the same disc. That’s all it takes to catch me out sometimes, if I’m honest. It’s why I get Velcro trainers.
Anyway, a lot of Autumn got spent rocking out to the giant, meaty, intimidating Jungle Law and easily cooling down again with the splendid, soothing harmonies on the easy-going hip-hop reggae hybrid that is Think Money. As a double-A side, this alone is enough to really drag you in to Babyhead. In its entirety, Heavy Weather is a dangerously addictive dub/ punk/ hip-hop/ska beast. I’m almost scared of it, like it’s some sort of giant spider that could trap me in a cave and slowly eat me. And yet, at the same time, it just drags you in. It’s so tempting, irresistible: surreal, thoroughly enjoyable and totally addictive. Since the spiders (probably) don’t exist, I’d guess that makes this safe, and therefore something I can enjoy without the guilt that, I think, just comes from the fact that the beats on this are so dirty. So dirty they make me think I’m going to get eaten by a spider. Yup, this is dangerous.
The record opens with A Hot Day, which kicks off with the spoken word: “it took God six days to create the world, and on the seventh day he rested. That was a big mistake, for on the seventh day, we took over”. I’ll be honest: I don’t know where that’s from, or if it’s even a sample at all, but it sounds just so cool. The track goes from strength to strength from here on. The horns kick in and the song kicks off. It’s actually more of a stop-still-and-sway sort of a tune: different vocals rapping over an eerie dub track, ska guitars or that giant horn riff. It races to an abrupt halt and the first single Jungle Law kicks in immediately: similarly big and scary, it’s the perfect way to carry on. Again it’s got a giant horn riff, a giant bassline, and a choppy guitar part. Now, though, there’s gang vocals on the chorus. It’s fairly uneasy, like a ride on the sea when it’s rough, and it doesn’t just set your stomach going but also the hairs on the back of your neck. It’s good, this, but it’s good in the sort of way that makes it feel like some sort of naughty treat. Like you shouldn’t like it but you do. Like that Pot Noodle ad that says it’s “the slag of all snacks” but makes you really want one. I think that’s to do with the sort of spider thing. That sort of eerie, tempting, dirty lust vibe is there on The Open Road as well.
Think Money is a gentler reprieve. It’s deliciously catchy, sort of like Due Now meeting Beck and Chris Murray on the beach when they’re all wearing good sunglasses. It’s got a group harmony of a nice and happy “bam-bam-ba” and a gentler, warmer, more reassuring vibe to it. This is almost radio friendly, hip-hop/folk/ska/pop at its best: a slice of sunshine with horns in, and impossible not to sing to.
A Song for Bradley opens with a riff a lot like the one from Smile by Lily Allen, but then, all at once, becomes Date Rape. Unsurprisingly, it’s a tribute to Sublime’s Bradley Nowell. It’s not the first time I’ve heard someone mimic Bradley’s vocal, but it’s the best effort I’ve heard in a while. The track itself draws heavily on the eerie, bass-driven dub/ska sound that Sublime used to do so well. Various little bits are lifted almost directly from Sublime songs, “..and the never ask why” from Seed, for example, and “take hip-hop to a higher ground” from KRS-One. Of course, there’s a lot of Sublime to squash in to one song, and it’s unlikely that that’d work. Credit to Babyhead, though, for getting as much as they can in to this and having it still work together as a track. The drop-out to xylophone solo is lovely: a really nice touch. This is a stand-out track. The Rhythm picks up where Jungle Law left off, again eerie, sinister guitars giving a queasy, almost seasick bluesy feel that’s instantly danceable, and especially so if you’re the type who likes to do those pointy things with their fingers. The Duke is similar. Still Babyhead is an instant classic, kicking off with a rap like Ice-Cube’s one in Straight Outta Compton that opens into a synth part like that Tinie Tempah song, but with horns. It’s dirty, dark and totally addictive, and there’s loads of scratching. Rise of the Idiots and Heavy Weather, the more bombastic of the two, and the better for some tidy rapping, and the splendidly retro, more reggae sounds of Until We’re Heard continue the eerie, echoing dubstyle vibe that’s become the central theme of this record. The sax parts on Heavy Weather are a particular highlight. The Little One, smoother, more soulful, and gently uplifting, is an absolute scorcher. So good that it’s stunning even before it fades away to return in a raspy, jumped up mash of samples, horns, and dirty great big riffs. I’d buy the whole album just for that bit. It’s stunning.
Swan Song, last, is pretty strung out. It’s nice, and an appropriate way to finish the record: warm, dark, rich riffs roll over you in waves and there’s a short, sharp, staccato horn part in and out of that melancholy vocal. It gets darker as it goes on, and is eventually taken over and finally swallowed up by echoes and reverb and some heavy duty rat-a-tat-tat on the drums.
And with that, it’s gone. Heavy Weather is a simply stunning record: one of the year’s finest as far as I’m concerned. It’s fairly dark throughout, and pretty spooky in places, but unrelentingly excellent, expertly mashing dub and rap and punk rock to create some sort of giant beast thing. They call it “skank rock”, apparently, and that’s pretty apt. It’s well worth checking out, anyway, for all it’s intimidating moodiness and risk of addiction. Rarely has something so sinister been so enjoyable.
Heavy Weather by Babyhead is available now from Rocker’s Revolt.
Stand-out tracks:
Jungle Law
Think Money
A Song for Bradley
Still Babyhead
The Little One
Laila sick. SB6’s 2010 shows cancelled.
Posted by jamie on Dec 18, 2010
You might remember this from a few weeks back. That dedication to the road has taken its toll on Laila again, though, and she’s laid low with a respiratory infection. Sonic Boom Six have cancelled all remaining dates for 2010.
The band’s own statement says this (among other things).
She simply wouldn’t have been in a state to do the shows and her voice is gone.. We are sorry for being late with our decision and news but that is all due to Laila’s desire to fight through the illness and make the shows.
Th full story’s on here. We ask that you send Laila some get-well love via her twitter or her facebook.
Luke Leighfield vs the King Blues
Posted by jamie on Dec 7, 2010
Gossip: the lovely Luke Leighfield mentions that he’s recorded keyboards for some tracks on the next King Blues album. Because everyone who doesn’t love a celbrity cameo?
If you’re a KB fan, get excited! It’s sounding big.
Luke records his own new record early next year. Keep your eye out for that. And he’s touring living rooms. Get the news on that here.
Is this the in place to be?
Posted by jamie on Dec 6, 2010
Scurrilous rumour alert. There’s not enough to base this on, but let’s be really cheeky. We’ve been pestering Bugbear Bookings for some inside info. Here’s what we got.
Bananatown: Can you give us any clues as to who we might see at the ska Christmas party on the 19th..?
Bugbear: The DJs do the music for The Specials tour/after shows…so who knows?!!
The show is at the Dublin Castle on 19th December.
Ian Britt: new track up
Posted by jamie on Dec 5, 2010
So that headline is no longer totally true, strictly speaking, but the charming and super-talented Ian Britt has asked us to remind you that his cover of The Violet May’s Queen Teen is now up on youtube here.
Banquet Records: SB6 song for free
Posted by jamie on Dec 5, 2010
The lovely folk at Banquet Records have a special advent calendar on their website. The gift today is a free download of Sonic Boom Six’s Addicted to Bass. Go here to get it.
Addicted to Bass is available on the band’s new retrospective, Rude Awakening. We’ve reviewed it here, or you can get it yourself from the button below.
Francesqa: ALL TOUR DATES CANCELLED
Posted by jamie on Dec 4, 2010
Francesqa have cancelled all their remaining tour dates due to an illness in the band. Get well soon, lads. Eat lots of oranges.
Breadchasers: a set of Disney songs
Posted by jamie on Dec 4, 2010
This from Breadchasers via twitter. Gutted it’s in Nottingham as for some reason it’s impossible to get there and back in a night if you live in London.
Tomorrow at the Maze come see us play a whole set of songs from DISNEY movies in our own style, also we will be dressed up (mostly in drag)!
Tweet was today, so the show is tomorrow night, Sunday 5th December.
