Bandanaman, the Yeti and the Sage The Lansdowne Hotel, Dawlish on Sat 16th May 09
A Vox guitar with shimmering strings.
A major chord: then Martin sings.
And takes you back to '72.
When Ian Hunter sang to you.
And made you feel a real cool dude.
While girls were pretty, coy: yet rude.
And then a song from 'uncle' Paul.
(An antidote to Pink Floyds ponderous wall).
Leads to a tune from poor old Ray,
Just lazing on a sunny day.
The taxman's taken all he's got.
While MP's claim for moats and rot...
Thank God for beer... and rock and roll... And pot...
Some lads are dancing Northern Soul.
While Crush are playing rock and roll,
But I just stand there looking 'cool'.
Too shy to dance in case I look a fool.
So with the lyric of a Kaiser Chief.
Predicting anarchy and grief.
The time has come to clear the stage,
Bandanna Man, the Yeti and the Sage...
And so I end another day.
And say goodnight to Crush UK.
But as I go, I think I should.
Point out that Pink Floyd really are quite good.
Just listen to 'see emily play '.
It's better still by Crush UK.
The purpose of this little ditty is to show how easy it is to write crap lyrics and how fine the balance is between emotional connection and sugary sentimentality. The same applies to good melody and arrangement so we should appreciate the classic songs that still work the magic and the guys that can play them.
I trust that Crush will not be offended by my characterization because I am trying to make a serious point about pub music. It is not only important for bands to have musical skill but also to have personality, and connection with the audience. This was part of the reason for the advent of Punk as a reaction to the self indulgent remoteness of Prog rock, and Crush can recreate some of the top end punk ethos into their wide repertoire. They can slip seamlessly between original songs, and proven classics and then throw in a bit of parody or fun. One minute you can be headbanging to Steppenwolf or Black Night and then snapping you fingers to Runaround Sue, before a girl pops up on stage for a bit of Abba and then back to All the young dudes, and finally I predict a riot (that's the song, not a prognostication: I was told that prognosticating makes you deaf).
I have my own magical mystical method of assessing a band. Some of you oldies maybe familiar with the 'Old Grey Whistle Test' which was (reputedly) a phrase coined to describe the method used by a record company in London's Denmark street to assess the catchiness of a tune. If the 'old grey' doorman (or some say cleaner) could whistle the tune after just one hearing then it passed the test. Well I use the 'bouncing barmaid' test to assess a band. If the barmaids are bouncing to the tunes and singing along to the music then, whatever I personally think, the band must Ok. So since Crush UK can get the barmaids bouncing and get geriatrics like myself into the dangerous exercise of bending arthritic knees then they are truly a band for all seasons. They even have the nerve to integrate a bit of stand up comedy now and then...
So check out Crush UK, oh, and the barmaids in the Lansdowne and see if my theory stands up to 'peer group review' (which is a term for how scientific theories are validated).
But to be serious: As a general point, we need to support local musicians who put in a massive amount of work and, (and in the case of Crush, extensive travelling) to entertain us. And also support our local pubs (that are under threat from Government policy) and show due respect to bar staff who work very hard under difficult conditions.
Mad Dave, Mon 18th May 09