Barikada
- World Of Music - Svastara - 2007 |
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M62 Goddam!
P o r t r a i t
Eeh, it's grim up North: so Bradford, West Yorkshire, is
a natural
second home for The Blues. This is where M62 Goddam! met up at a jam
prior to a blistering set at Bradford's Big Gig on July 2, 2006. And
now, one year on, the band's new album m62 2, is being Funkalised at
Brutalise studios in Bradford. First a bit of history of how we came
about.... Once upon a funkalise... M62 grew up around the nut-cracking
vocals of Kendra Farrar, the lusty blues harmonica of Bill Hudson,
stonking bass of Jez Farrar, funky guitar licks of Dave Ledgard, with
The Nest's Denny Austin playing a mean rhythm guitar.
Their debut EP, M62
GODDAM was launched on Sunday November 19 at Delius, Bradford's premier
indie music pub. Tracks: Help /
Me / Summertime / Love Me Like A Woman / I Would Rather Go Blind. It
received the following rave review from Bradford's finest critic...
REVIEW: by Arsene Pheck in Mono (Fanzine), Bradford alternative
rock
music fanzine M62 Goddam! Live in Bradford Although usually a
five-strong lineup (six, for the Big Gig), M62 Goddam! centres on two
rare talents: Kendra Pashley's voice and the blues harmonica of Bill
Hudson. Ranging from blues and jazz standards to alt.country / rock, the
M62 Goddam! repertoire is well sampled on this four-track demo. A definitive
version of Gershwin's "Summertime" - imagine it from Billie Holliday or Edith
Piaf - and a ballsy "I'd Rather Go Blind" are twin highlights. The
M62s emerged from the historic weekend jam sessions masterminded by
Denny Austin at the much-missed MacRory's Bar. Austin (now leading The
Nest) weighs in here on rhythm guitar and some quirky blues lyrics. Dave
Ledgard on lead guitar and bassist Jez Farrar complete the cast. The
demo was slickly produced at Cecil Zinyuku's Brutalise studio. Pashley's
husky, lusty singing makes it hard to believe she's a respectable voice
coach by day. It meets its match in Hudson's blues harp style, learned -
at a guess - in some New Orleans brothel. Although warmly applauded at
the Big Gig, M62 Goddam! may find it tough to build the following they
deserve. Their sound is a tad raunchy for the conservative wing of the
jazz constituency, while teensters may not appreciate the solid
craftsmanship and experience that shine through here. It takes more than
mere passion and energy to make great music, kids.
Kendra and Jez left the band
(Look out
for them if they hit cyberspace) But the M62s stepped up a gear,
showcasing the talents of Liz MacKenzie, great soul voice, stage
presence, multi-talented musician; Denny Austin, the rhythm king and
songwriting maestro; Bill Hudson, blues-harp legend of the Padiham
Delta, whistle wonder and Daily Star of Scotland scribe; Dougie, hot
licks lead guitarist; and Sarah, the meanest fiddler this side of
Nashville. Listen out for four extracts from M62 2 on our Myspace
site: "Save Tonight" , "The Ladder" (a cover of Joan Osborne's classic
song), "Mirrorpool", written by Denny Austin, and "High As I Can", from the
pen of Liz MacKenzie. Look out for more tracks from the M62 2 album here.
M62 Goddam! are: Liz (vocals) / Bill (harmonicas, tin whistle, golden
egg) / Dougie (lead
guitar) / Denny (rhythm guitar) / Sarah (electric violin).
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