RIOT ON THE RADIO....
As 2004 dawned, my love of music became not just a passion, but a way to fill the hole in my life left by the unexpected loss of my Mum. There were some dark nights of the soul that year, and i increasingly tried to shut myself off from the world and bury myself in the sounds of whatever i was listening to at the time. Thankfully i had my new group of friends at work to stop me from sinking, and a whole new exciting explosion of bands to pick up my mood. Since the Garage Rock revival of 2002/03, a new crop of bands had emerged to take things in different directions, influenced by similar developments following the explosion of Punk in '76/77. Post-Punk was the catch-all label for bands who took the energy of Punk and the Year Zero attitude in more individual and experimental directions, incorporating all kinds of genres into their varying sounds - Jazz, Reggae, Dub, early Electronica, Metal, Psychedelia, Disco, World Music, Krautrock, even deeply unfashionable Prog - allied to a anti-establishment and independent attitude. In many ways, this was the birth of the Indie scene, with many bands releasing their own records, starting their own labels or inspiring pioneers like Tony Wilson, Bob Last, Daniel Miller, and Geoff Travis to start Factory, Fast Product, Mute, and Rough Trade, respectively.
The Post-Punk revival that began in late 2003 was, in truth, more about the music and aesthetic than fiercely independent spirit or politics, but that didn't stop it being any less exciting. The names plastered all over the music press sounded more edgy: Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, Kasabian, Art Brut, Interpol, The Futureheads, Hot Hot Heat, The Rapture, The Dead 60's. And the most feted of these was Franz Ferdinand. A suave, arch four-piece based in Glasgow who'd all played in various indie bands over the previous decade or so, they took their influences from early 80's scratchy post-punk bands like Josef K, Orange Juice, and The Fire Engines, as well as Sparks and Blondie, amongst many others,and aimed at the dancefloor. One of the bands early quotes was that they wanted to make music to make girls dance, bored by "blokes in bands playing to other blokes", and judging by the jerky punk-funk of their second single, "Take Me Out" they succeeded! It was a huge, huge hit, reaching No.3, and catapulting the band to fame. It livened up a dark, wet January, and when they came to Nottinghams' Rock City as part of the NME Awards Tour the following month i had to see them. Despite their current success, they were still bottom of the bill (the tour having been organised a few months previously), below Detroit garage rockers The Von Bondies, NYC dance-punk band The Rapture, and Welsh post-hardcore headlining act Funeral For A Friend (who i didn't stick around for), but they blew me away, and left me eagerly awaiting their debut album, due that month.
The Von Bondies delivered a set of charged garage rock, with highlights from their first album Lack Of Communication and songs from their forthcoming set Pawn Shoppe Heart, which contained their only Top 40 singles entry, "C'mon C'mon", just over 2 minutes of scuzzy guitars and hollering vocals. Live, they were pretty good, knocking out a short but thrilling set of rock'n'roll.
Next up were dance-punk act The Rapture. An exciting mix of electronica, angular guitars, four-to-the-floor disco rhythms, sax and cowbell, and howling vocals, i'd bought their debut album Echoes the year before, enticed by the danceable cacophony of their "House Of Jealous Lovers" single. I'm not much of a dancer, but i quite happily threw myself about the house to the turbo charged punk-funk of the title track and the chattering synths of "Olio". Their performance that night provoked the rare sight of me dancing in public, and singing loudly along to their new single, a re-recorded (and superior) version of "Love Is All" from the album. I left the gig buzzing and drenched in sweat, and talked about it for days afterwards!
Looking back, my record buying went into overdrive this year as i was not only buying singles and albums on CD, but i'd also started downloading the odd track from the iTunes store, which had launched the year before. I hadn't bought an iPod yet, as they were out of my price range, and my purchases were limited to singles due to the fact that we were on dial-up and it took an age to download them (smoke signals would have been quicker!). Downloading singles - often the single track - was something of a convenience, not to mention saving shelf space (i had around 2000 albums on CD by this time), but i've always preferred albums on a physical format. And there was a wealth of those that entered my collection that year, from newcomers to returning old favourites, the most surprising of which was Morrissey. He'd been without a record label contract since his last (poorly received) album Maladjusted back in 1997, and apart from the odd gig he'd been out of the public eye until Channel 4 aired a documentary titled The Importance Of Being Morrissey, which followed him around his life in LA. Following this, he signed to Sanctuary Records who allowed him to revive the old reggae label Attack Records to release his new material. In May he was suddenly back on the radio and tv with his comeback single, "Irish Blood, English Heart", the first of four top ten hits that year, the most successful he'd been since his solo career began in 1988. With a punchy indie rock sound and lyrics full of his trademark wit, woe and withering eye, You Are The Quarry was a welcome return to form, Mozzer covering religion, love, rejection, Mexican gang culture, the failings of those in authority, and scathing attacks on America and former bandmates. It was good to see him back from the pop wilderness, and i couldn't help wonder what my Mum would have thought of his new songs.
Another return came from one of my past musical epiphanies, taking me right back to 16 years old. Green Day were my introduction to Punk Rock, to its past present and future, to all its influence and offshoots, with their huge 1994 album Dookie. Since then, their career followed a downward trajectory of diminishing returns as they stepped further away from their trademark sound, producing three albums of less memorable songs, although there were some diamonds among them like "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)", "Hitchin' A Ride", and "Warning". After a Greatest Hits compilation they were largely forgotten, so what happened next took both fans and critics by surprise. A very political, very angry anti-Bush concept album - a punk rock opera - featuring two multi-part songs, a band sounding revitalised and more relevant than ever before. American Idiot was an Important Record, both in terms of its success and content. It took George W. Bush and his administration to task, through the eyes of a suburban anti-hero, the "Jesus of Suburbia", and a the coming of age of a generation disillusioned and disenfranchised by the Bush administration, the Iraq War, fearmongering and paranoia in the media, amongst other things. Musically, it returns to the punk rock roots of the band, but in a more ambitious way. It was one of the most energising albums of the year, and put Green Day back on the frontlines - No.1 in both the UK and US - and gave a voice to many who felt their voices were unheard. My favourite track was "Holiday", a huge anthem and one the more explicit political songs on the album.
There weren't any protest songs on this side of the pond - none that were high profile, anyway - but the wave of great bands, songs and albums kept coming. Rock and Indie bands were still firmly in the ascendent, and new bands appeared on an almost weekly basis, some successful, some not. The dream-pop of Delays, quirky art-pop from Dogs Die In Hot Cars - their "Godhopping" single is still one of my favourites - spiky, angular post-punk from Bloc Party, a mini-Mod revival from The Ordinary Boys, and harmonic, frantic Garage Punk from The Futureheads. My introduction to the latter of these came when they supported Ash at Rock City that May. Ash were touring their Meltdown album, a harder, rockier collection of songs than their previous efforts. Ash were storming that night, mixing new songs such as "Orpheus", "Clones" and "Out Of The Blue" with their back catalogue of classic pop-punk singles, but it was The Futureheads who made an impression. I'd gone to the gig with my best mate John, and we were both struck by the Sunderland quartets' twitchy breakneck rhythms and four-part harmonising, delivered in a strong Mackem brogue. I soon bought their self-titled debut album, which lost none of their onstage energy: from the opening "Le Garage", through singles "Meantime", "Decent Days And Nights" and "First Day" the tempo kept up, only pausing for the reflective "Danger Of The Water", a largely acapella track which they pull off spectacularly. One of the most surprising songs was a Kate Bush cover, "Hounds Of Love". In the spirit of the best cover versions, they make the song their own: interlocking harmonies replacing the studio trickery of the original, jagged guitars and pounding rhythms, turning the song into an anthem.
There was another gig i attended that year which couldn't have been any more different from the post-punk revival bands i'd seen so far, both in terms of the music and the crowd reaction. I'd started taking notice of PJ Harvey around the time of her To Bring You My Love album in 1995, but it wasn't until the Mercury Award-winning Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000) came out that i actually bought any of her albums. That records' more accessible sound was an entry point into a varied career, as Harvey never repeats herself, and the follow up was a far more raw and harsh sounding proposition. Uh Huh Her was an earthier collection of songs, like the brooding opener "The Life And Death Of Mr Badmouth", the spiky "Who The Fuck?", and very honest, intimate, hushed moments like "The Desperate Kingdom Of Love". I found it a deeply intriguing album, and when she came to Rock City i was determined to see her play. It was one of the most atmospheric gigs i've ever been to: there was no dancing, singing along, crowd chanting - just a hushed reverence and awestruck stillness as Harvey and her band played. The hairs on the back of my neck were frequently raised throughout!
Interpol, one of the early post-punk influenced bands to emerge, released their second album, Antics, in September, although it took me a while to get into it due to my low mood, it has become a firm favourite. I'd found their earlier stuff a bit too harsh but this was packed with stronger melodies, and gave them three Top 40 singles. It has a bleak, mysterious romantic feel about it, the "doomed lovers" theme appearing throughout the lyrics, especially on "Public Pervert" - "swoon, baby, starry night/may our bodies remain" - and far more muscular rhythms than their debut.
The Killers injected a touch of Las Vegas glamour into the music scene with their anthemic synthpop and indie mix, with songs like "Mr Brightside" and "All These Things That I've Done" proving to be perennial crowd-pleasers at festivals over the years, having several big hits from their not bad Hot Fuss album.
Welsh comedy rap group bought some much-needed humour into my life with songs such as "Your Mothers Got A Penis", "Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do", and though they seem to have been forgotten i still look back on their daft songs with fondness!
2004 was a standout year for music in my honest opinion, and a peak for guitar bands that has yet to be repeated in terms of success. But i have great (and not so great) memories that come flooding back whenever i hear "Take Me Out", "Long Time Coming", "House of Jealous Lovers", and more. I've probably missed a few names on here, such was the flood of fantastic music that year.
The Post-Punk revival that began in late 2003 was, in truth, more about the music and aesthetic than fiercely independent spirit or politics, but that didn't stop it being any less exciting. The names plastered all over the music press sounded more edgy: Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, Kasabian, Art Brut, Interpol, The Futureheads, Hot Hot Heat, The Rapture, The Dead 60's. And the most feted of these was Franz Ferdinand. A suave, arch four-piece based in Glasgow who'd all played in various indie bands over the previous decade or so, they took their influences from early 80's scratchy post-punk bands like Josef K, Orange Juice, and The Fire Engines, as well as Sparks and Blondie, amongst many others,and aimed at the dancefloor. One of the bands early quotes was that they wanted to make music to make girls dance, bored by "blokes in bands playing to other blokes", and judging by the jerky punk-funk of their second single, "Take Me Out" they succeeded! It was a huge, huge hit, reaching No.3, and catapulting the band to fame. It livened up a dark, wet January, and when they came to Nottinghams' Rock City as part of the NME Awards Tour the following month i had to see them. Despite their current success, they were still bottom of the bill (the tour having been organised a few months previously), below Detroit garage rockers The Von Bondies, NYC dance-punk band The Rapture, and Welsh post-hardcore headlining act Funeral For A Friend (who i didn't stick around for), but they blew me away, and left me eagerly awaiting their debut album, due that month.
The Von Bondies delivered a set of charged garage rock, with highlights from their first album Lack Of Communication and songs from their forthcoming set Pawn Shoppe Heart, which contained their only Top 40 singles entry, "C'mon C'mon", just over 2 minutes of scuzzy guitars and hollering vocals. Live, they were pretty good, knocking out a short but thrilling set of rock'n'roll.
Next up were dance-punk act The Rapture. An exciting mix of electronica, angular guitars, four-to-the-floor disco rhythms, sax and cowbell, and howling vocals, i'd bought their debut album Echoes the year before, enticed by the danceable cacophony of their "House Of Jealous Lovers" single. I'm not much of a dancer, but i quite happily threw myself about the house to the turbo charged punk-funk of the title track and the chattering synths of "Olio". Their performance that night provoked the rare sight of me dancing in public, and singing loudly along to their new single, a re-recorded (and superior) version of "Love Is All" from the album. I left the gig buzzing and drenched in sweat, and talked about it for days afterwards!
Looking back, my record buying went into overdrive this year as i was not only buying singles and albums on CD, but i'd also started downloading the odd track from the iTunes store, which had launched the year before. I hadn't bought an iPod yet, as they were out of my price range, and my purchases were limited to singles due to the fact that we were on dial-up and it took an age to download them (smoke signals would have been quicker!). Downloading singles - often the single track - was something of a convenience, not to mention saving shelf space (i had around 2000 albums on CD by this time), but i've always preferred albums on a physical format. And there was a wealth of those that entered my collection that year, from newcomers to returning old favourites, the most surprising of which was Morrissey. He'd been without a record label contract since his last (poorly received) album Maladjusted back in 1997, and apart from the odd gig he'd been out of the public eye until Channel 4 aired a documentary titled The Importance Of Being Morrissey, which followed him around his life in LA. Following this, he signed to Sanctuary Records who allowed him to revive the old reggae label Attack Records to release his new material. In May he was suddenly back on the radio and tv with his comeback single, "Irish Blood, English Heart", the first of four top ten hits that year, the most successful he'd been since his solo career began in 1988. With a punchy indie rock sound and lyrics full of his trademark wit, woe and withering eye, You Are The Quarry was a welcome return to form, Mozzer covering religion, love, rejection, Mexican gang culture, the failings of those in authority, and scathing attacks on America and former bandmates. It was good to see him back from the pop wilderness, and i couldn't help wonder what my Mum would have thought of his new songs.
Another return came from one of my past musical epiphanies, taking me right back to 16 years old. Green Day were my introduction to Punk Rock, to its past present and future, to all its influence and offshoots, with their huge 1994 album Dookie. Since then, their career followed a downward trajectory of diminishing returns as they stepped further away from their trademark sound, producing three albums of less memorable songs, although there were some diamonds among them like "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)", "Hitchin' A Ride", and "Warning". After a Greatest Hits compilation they were largely forgotten, so what happened next took both fans and critics by surprise. A very political, very angry anti-Bush concept album - a punk rock opera - featuring two multi-part songs, a band sounding revitalised and more relevant than ever before. American Idiot was an Important Record, both in terms of its success and content. It took George W. Bush and his administration to task, through the eyes of a suburban anti-hero, the "Jesus of Suburbia", and a the coming of age of a generation disillusioned and disenfranchised by the Bush administration, the Iraq War, fearmongering and paranoia in the media, amongst other things. Musically, it returns to the punk rock roots of the band, but in a more ambitious way. It was one of the most energising albums of the year, and put Green Day back on the frontlines - No.1 in both the UK and US - and gave a voice to many who felt their voices were unheard. My favourite track was "Holiday", a huge anthem and one the more explicit political songs on the album.
There weren't any protest songs on this side of the pond - none that were high profile, anyway - but the wave of great bands, songs and albums kept coming. Rock and Indie bands were still firmly in the ascendent, and new bands appeared on an almost weekly basis, some successful, some not. The dream-pop of Delays, quirky art-pop from Dogs Die In Hot Cars - their "Godhopping" single is still one of my favourites - spiky, angular post-punk from Bloc Party, a mini-Mod revival from The Ordinary Boys, and harmonic, frantic Garage Punk from The Futureheads. My introduction to the latter of these came when they supported Ash at Rock City that May. Ash were touring their Meltdown album, a harder, rockier collection of songs than their previous efforts. Ash were storming that night, mixing new songs such as "Orpheus", "Clones" and "Out Of The Blue" with their back catalogue of classic pop-punk singles, but it was The Futureheads who made an impression. I'd gone to the gig with my best mate John, and we were both struck by the Sunderland quartets' twitchy breakneck rhythms and four-part harmonising, delivered in a strong Mackem brogue. I soon bought their self-titled debut album, which lost none of their onstage energy: from the opening "Le Garage", through singles "Meantime", "Decent Days And Nights" and "First Day" the tempo kept up, only pausing for the reflective "Danger Of The Water", a largely acapella track which they pull off spectacularly. One of the most surprising songs was a Kate Bush cover, "Hounds Of Love". In the spirit of the best cover versions, they make the song their own: interlocking harmonies replacing the studio trickery of the original, jagged guitars and pounding rhythms, turning the song into an anthem.
There was another gig i attended that year which couldn't have been any more different from the post-punk revival bands i'd seen so far, both in terms of the music and the crowd reaction. I'd started taking notice of PJ Harvey around the time of her To Bring You My Love album in 1995, but it wasn't until the Mercury Award-winning Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000) came out that i actually bought any of her albums. That records' more accessible sound was an entry point into a varied career, as Harvey never repeats herself, and the follow up was a far more raw and harsh sounding proposition. Uh Huh Her was an earthier collection of songs, like the brooding opener "The Life And Death Of Mr Badmouth", the spiky "Who The Fuck?", and very honest, intimate, hushed moments like "The Desperate Kingdom Of Love". I found it a deeply intriguing album, and when she came to Rock City i was determined to see her play. It was one of the most atmospheric gigs i've ever been to: there was no dancing, singing along, crowd chanting - just a hushed reverence and awestruck stillness as Harvey and her band played. The hairs on the back of my neck were frequently raised throughout!
Interpol, one of the early post-punk influenced bands to emerge, released their second album, Antics, in September, although it took me a while to get into it due to my low mood, it has become a firm favourite. I'd found their earlier stuff a bit too harsh but this was packed with stronger melodies, and gave them three Top 40 singles. It has a bleak, mysterious romantic feel about it, the "doomed lovers" theme appearing throughout the lyrics, especially on "Public Pervert" - "swoon, baby, starry night/may our bodies remain" - and far more muscular rhythms than their debut.
The Killers injected a touch of Las Vegas glamour into the music scene with their anthemic synthpop and indie mix, with songs like "Mr Brightside" and "All These Things That I've Done" proving to be perennial crowd-pleasers at festivals over the years, having several big hits from their not bad Hot Fuss album.
Welsh comedy rap group bought some much-needed humour into my life with songs such as "Your Mothers Got A Penis", "Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do", and though they seem to have been forgotten i still look back on their daft songs with fondness!
2004 was a standout year for music in my honest opinion, and a peak for guitar bands that has yet to be repeated in terms of success. But i have great (and not so great) memories that come flooding back whenever i hear "Take Me Out", "Long Time Coming", "House of Jealous Lovers", and more. I've probably missed a few names on here, such was the flood of fantastic music that year.
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