For the last 18 months, The Members, JC Carroll, Rat Scabies and Chris Payne have been touring all over the UK and Europe playing to packed houses, concert halls and small clubs, playing material from their 70'-80's albums and from this brand new album "IN_GRR_LAND". They have been re-doing their groundwork or re-paying their dues.
JC Carroll, the Ray Davies of Punk Rock, the man who brought us the 6Music Favourite "Sound of the Suburbs" and Occupy protesters anthem "Offshore Banking Business", has a new album with The Members. With Nicky Tesco retired from rigorous touring, the band comprise of JC, original Bassist, the mad Professor of Punk Dub Bass, Chris Payne and the man that played the first drum roll on the first ever UK Punk Record, Grail Hunter, Archeologist and Living Legend from The Damned, Rat Scabies. The New album "IN_GRR_LAND" starts with the Anthemic "New English Blues Part II", a Mott terrace anthem of Hoople catchiness and bravado. Air Raid sirens howl, guitars scream and a cornet plays the last post as the Lyrics explain.
"Tho' the Mill has Closed the Band's Cornet still Blows, a mean New English Blues"
"Manchester in the Rain will never be the same without you and the New English Blues"
"From the docks of Liverpool to the best Private Schools we rock to the Beat of the New English Blues"
Next up is a Ramonesque cover of The Move's classic "Firebrigade" sung by Bassist Chris Payne. Payne is doing a lot of the singing live and this song is a favourite.
Then "NW10" is a Sound of the Suburbs mark 2 with the punk rockers from the Sound of the Suburbs now a grown up DIY man, with a marriage on the rocks in North West London.
"We moved up there when the girl was four, I painted the walls, I sanded the Floor"
"When the weather was nice, we'd barbecue, talk property price with the neighbours wife,
"On those long hot summers nights I thought I was in paradise…but I was in NW10"
Next up is "Bleak", Chris Payne's pessimistic song about emptiness and financial hardship.
Next "(I Love My) English Girls" is an irreverent romp round all the women in JC's life from past girlfriends and wives to his daughters and current wife, this song boasts perfect pop harmonies via Michael Giri from the Lilac Time, a Beach Boys accapella breakdown and a rocking play out.
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| The Members, Then...and Now |
"Parisian ladies are famous for their coolness and haute couture but I do not know if I could love one even tho she whispers je t'adore"
"I lost one I left one I divorced one I got a new wife down West Byfleet way,"
"I lost one I left one I divorced one I got a new wife down West Byfleet way,"
Tracks 6 and 7 are the Post Punk and apocalyptic "Virus" and the live favourite "Aint Gon' Be Yo' Bitch No Mo'" Track 8 is the self explanatory "M1DL1FECRi5i5" which should be played on Radio 2 every hour on the hour...
"I'm 'aving a Midlife Crisis I've 'eard they are all the rage, I'm gonna get a massive motorbike and a girlfriend half my age".
"I'm gonna get a Loft in the City, maybe even get a tattoo, I've already started making a list of the fun things I'm gonna do"
"Remember Us" is the only slightly political song on the album the ghosts of dead doldiers and Jarrow Marchers sing over a Marching Drum.
"You used to bring us flowers, roses every year, the blossoms are all withered now but still we lie here"
"We were the 99% the Average Joe and Jill, we wiped the glass and cut the grass for the Folks upon the Hill"
"(We Are Gonna Be) Huge" is a Song written by Carroll for Ben Miller and Simon Godley's Film "Huge" which Carroll had a cameo in. The song never made it onto the Soundtrack but its here in all its glory, the song of two stand-up comedians who are gonna set the world on fire.
"Stand up comedy is what we do best, we are Warren and Clark so f' f' f' forget all the rest - We are Gonna be Huge".
The final track of the album is the Chris Payne masterpiece "Free At Last". This was was recorded secretly by The Cure and Human League producer David M. Allen as Carroll and Payne played live in the Studio. It's not a punk record, it's a great song and shows Payne to be an accomplished singer as well as a Bass Player and Songwriter.
The album also features contributions from Nick Cash from 999 and original Members guitarist Nigel Bennett. You can order a copy of the album from The Members store HERE.
I'm also pleased to announce that Retro Man Blog has put together a superb line-up for Part 2 of a double hit of Punk Rock Legends gigs (news of Part 1 to be announced very soon..!). The Members, with Rat Scabies, will be headlining The Half Moon on June 30th along with Monica & The Explosion who feature original U.K. Subs bassist, Paul Slack and Swedish singer songwriter Monica Welander. Completing the line-up will be The Jetsonics who bring their New Wave Power Pop to the party.
Tickets for this gig can be pre-ordered from the Half Moon web-site HERE.
Thanks to JC for the information.
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