Independent pop
music in 1986 was genuinely that – it was independent – fierce in spirit and
attitude – it was not part of the plan – it was immediate – simple and
available from the right record shops or fanzine networks and tape
exchanges. I remember those times with
both happiness and fondness. It was a time of awakening and feeling accepted –
or not feeling accepted and knowing you weren’t the only outsider.
Not that I was
an outsider – a loner – that was never my bag – give me a slightest hint of an
audience and I’d be performing to it – liked the sound of myself see – clearly
I still do – or I wouldn’t write this.
Yet 1986 was a formative time for many.
I was 14 – nearly 15 – growing up – the weight of the world sitting
heavy on my shoulders and then along came all of these bands – shambling as
John Peel said or jangly this and that – as various music journalists coined
it. One newspaper - the NME put some of
this emerging independent experimentation together ‘on tape’ ( I’ve got it on
tape – well a tape of the tape) they
called it C86.
However as the
apocryphal story goes ‘this tape’ begat all other indie bands from that ground
zero – thus we have that tape to thank for fucking Slowdive or The
Chesterfields. (joke – natch) However –
it’s fair to say there was a lo-fi revolution taking place – The Smiths had
opened our eyes (another apocryphal
story) and now out of that re-appreciation of rock n roll came these bands with
'soul' - not all about the hits but rather these bands were making something
with integrity. It didn't matter that many of these fledging singles sounded
cheap - under produced - it was all about existing - perhaps being on the
outside of the mainstream - but here you could set the agenda.
The BMX Bandits
have always been on my radar – not quite central – but there – pinging away – I
know they are there - do you get what I mean? It turns out they’ve been there
for thirty years. I first met Duglas in
South London – it was at a Teenage Fanclub gig at the Venue in New Cross (now
home to three floors of independent sounds and lots of covers bands) but at
that time they used to put on bands. I
was talking to Norman Blake or whoever and Duglas was there. We struck up a short conversation about the
magic of Brian Wilson.
HE talked about
SMiLE and promised to send me a copy.
He was true to
his word.
He sent me a tape. I don't know where he'd got it from - but it was
such a lovely thing to do - he track listed it and put on a few other Beach
Boys gems too. It took another twenty-five
years before I could thank him properly - via the wonders of the web
(wonderweb?) and connections via cables.
There's
something about that attention to detail and wonderfully openness that Duglas
and his 'family' of Bandits have that can easily be mis-read - as twee and past
it - or creepy and calculated - but if you look close into Duglas's eyes you
can see he's been 'for real' since their formation. This is no novelty act. Tonight
the 100 Club will be witness to another extension of PuNK (it's where it
started maaaaaan) - that freedom to do just what you want to do.
Before the BMX
Bandits - we have The School - a seven piece mish-mash of the Shangri-las,
Motown, Spector, Beach Boys, The Pastels and dare it say it a C86 vibe -
there's a craft in this Cardiff based troupe - horns and xylophones - pianos
and guitars - layered vocals and sing along ding a lings - they are perfect in
their own right. Reaching right back to the past to come up with something new.
They are not twee - they will take you out in the underpass. You should all
check them out - I will be doing so again.
And then this
thronged crowd witness a beautiful pop performance - finely tuned and honest in
its approach. Having read the piece in The Guardian previously – maybe it helped
shift that perception of Duglas as eccentric rogue – and placed him in that
rock n roll list of tortured artist – confronting his demons on stage through
the simplicity of songs like ‘Your Class’. He's the Bellshill Brian Wilson - he
even has the hand gestures to match.
Love and mercy, indeed.
We are party to
the wee talks from Duglas peppered with his observations and ultimate belief in
love. His talks are funny - he is a funny man.
He eats an apple - he eats a boiled sweet. He plays the kazoo. He gives us his best tunes. It's a testament to this band that you can
put a song as magical and wonderful as 'Serious Drugs' four songs in and know
that you've got belter after belter left for the crowd.
We are party to
a pop band with tunes that should have been high in the hit parade. I'm not going to try and describe the sound -
but this is pure pop craft - there's a nod to the past - you can't write songs like this without
referencing Spector and Wilson - but there's so much more hidden inside Duglas
and his Bandits heads - listen to the howling guitars of 'Kylie's got a crush
on us' or the Ramones meets The Shirelles stomp of my favourite song of the
night 'I wanna fall in love'. Duglas and
CHloe are in fine voice - they swap and harmonise all night - all sixties glamour
and well tailored suits. Then there's the beauty of 'The Day before Tomorrow' were
Duglas is joined by Sean Dickson (previously of The Soup Dragons) on omnichord.
It's quite poignant really - Duglas tells us the tale of choosing their name
and how him, Sean, Jim and Norman phoned up Eugene (from The Vaselines) to tell
him their choices - how he hated the name the BMX Bandits - so they stuck with
it. - and now here is Sean on stage once more with his boyhood pal - they hug
after a riotous E102.
Pure class.
And then they are
back to tell us of the injunction they have had to get to stop Kylie following
them - cue Kylie's got a crush on us and then a blissed out Witchi Tai To to round
it all off.
Glasgow in the
early eighties must have been an exciting time - oh to be at Splash One. But
you know I didn't need to be there - because of it - I've had a chance to hear
those beautiful dreaming minds - Duglas, Norman, Sean, Bobby, Stephen,
Rose, - what a gang - what a set of
groups.
What a bunch of
beautiful dreamers.
It was a
pleasure to be with Duglas and his Bandits in The 100 Club. It's important to be reminded of the power of
love. Duglas sings from his heart to yours and makes it seem that everything will work out right in the end.
Anything is
possible in Duglas's impossible dream.
BMX Bandits are
thirty years old. Here's to another 30 years.
Here is a wonderful song from the night - thanks as always to Ruth for capturing it
And here's one from The School
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