me that people in general and the music press have a very limited view of what the Manchester music scene is about.
To quote Dan Le Sac & Scroobious Pip "The Smiths - Just a band", now I don`t mean that really because
I genuinely love The Smiths and I think that the greatest Manchester music has came from these 4 working class lads from
the suburbs but as Tony Wilson once said "this is Manchester, we do things differently"
It seems that every new band nowadays (see Hurts, Delphic, Courteneers, Twisted Wheel, etc) , be they
from Manchester originally, by proxy or just influenced slightly by Moz and co
they get tagged with being Manchesters finest band and are generally regarded as being forward thinking.
I don`t think that ripping off or paying homage to your favourite bands is very forward thinking to be honest so I`ve compiled
a little list of my favourite current Manchester musicians who, Tony, do things very differently!
First off is that great bard Sir Ste McCabe. Now Ste is not actually from Manchester but he hasn`t come here from Liverpool and
started quoting Shaun Ryder! He`s a true original pop punk pioneer, male feminist and queer rights activist!!
A one man band with an electric guitar and a drum machine and backing track, what more could a DIY icon need!!
"To Poor To Be Gay"
His first record Hate Mail is a DIY frenzy of 11 3 minute or less visceral diatribes on Manchester and English culture.
Released on the fabulous Cherryade Records in 2008 (www.cherryademusic.co.uk) the album starts off on the left foot
with Queer Clubbing and ends on the beautiful Rant (By The Seaside). Songs that are attacking
the gay scene in Manchester (and anywhere for that point) , especially the drugged up,
sex obsessed, bitchy area known as Canal Street. Receiving abuse in an area where everyone is `accepted` unless you`re a
stereotypical queen into Hi-NRG music and ketamine! Queer rights and views seem to be out in this area now unless
the issue is lack of drugs or your favourite bar or sauna closing down!
"back stabbing is in, solidarity is out, now it`s only drinking borders that we march about and
when the homophobes come to take us out they will leave when they see you scratching each others eyes out"
The album also features attacks on Middle England, thick Scouse scallies, growing up in northern towns being gay,
stereotypes, Daily Mail, and `queer pride`
On to Ste`s second release, also on Cherryade, we have Murder Music. This was released in 2009, a year after
Hate Mail (2 albums in a year!!) This release continues in the same vein however, has much darker overtones as the `victims` of his attacks
this time are people such as The Pope, people with one track views on religion, Christians, Americans, the old testament,
the quran and generally anyone with very old fashioned, dark ages views on homosexuality!
Kicking off with the the title track Murder Music, through a collaboration with David Hoyle (The Divine David) in Militant Disco,
songs about Toilet Scrubbing, homophobic attacks and finding God this album is a fine example of the forward thinking
Manchester DIY scene and Ste is at the head of it!!
You can listen to Ste on his Myspace page:
www.myspace.com/stemccabe
Ste also runs a bi monthly club night at Taurus on Canal Street called Pussy Whipped. Kicking Canal Street up the arse,
the true queers, dykes, feminists and punks are taking over!!
This features dancing with the Trash-O-Rama DJs, a raffle and fabulous bands at every event. The next Pussy Whipped is 21st May.
Next up is the wonderful feminist riot grrl beat combo the Vile Vile Creatures.
alt="" />"This is what a Feminist looks like"
Now the VVC`s haven`t released anything in the way of albums, which is a crying shame and absolute travesty as
this band really should be committed to vinyl!! Check out their myspace www.myspace.com/vilevilecreatures for tracks.
The VVC`s are an all grrl pure punk pop band challenging the stereotypes set out by the music industry in a way that Ke$ha could only
dream of! Think Erase Errata vs Le Tigre vs Sonic Youth in a triple threat ladder match while battling armies of zombies!!
The VVC`s are currently on a hiatus but please do check their myspace for news on upcoming gigs.
Will & Rick are an experimental due focusing more on the mental side of that word. Appearances of this duo are few and far between
but you can view their wonderfulness on youtube and on their myspace, just search Will & Rick or go www.myspace.com/willandrick
I won`t try to describe what Will & Rick are about as the only words I could come up with were `tour de force` and that sounds shite
but they play instruments as strange as Theremins, Musical Saws and Balalakas and sing songs about darkrooms,
bears, toothless granny prostitutes, Amsterdam, daddies, kinky sex and glory holes so as I said before, go check em out and make
up your own minds!
Other worthy mentions go out too Tingle In The Netherlands - www.myspace.com/tingleinthenetherlands
Kid Voodoo - www.myspace.com/kidvoodoouk
The Vipers - www.myspace.com/thevipersuk (now split up but check out Nathans new band The Pulsebeats)
The Medicine Bow - www.myspace.com/shambolicmajesties
Dangerous Aces - www.myspace.com/thedangerousaces
Brittle Stars - www.myspace.com/thebeardsuk
And finally my favourite Glam Disco, Punk Trash, Transvestisism loving quartet The Bad Taste Barbies www.myspace.com/badtastebarbies
"Sieg Heil Jeremy Kyle"
Lead by the wonderful Kurt Dirt (formerly of Kurt Dirt & The Loverats) this band have been trashing Manchester for the last year
and with songs hailing the Fuhrer Jeremy Kyle, odes to Cindy Wilson and mental illness and Death Glam Discos this band
of juvenile delinquents with a drum machine are well worth checking out!!
Bad Taste Barbies are supporting The Glitter Band and Angie Bowie @ Satans Hollow in Manchester on Saturday 17th April, get tickets here:
http://www.seatwave.com/the-glitter-band-tickets/manchester-satans-hollow-tickets/17-april-2010/perf/311835
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