Alrighty Ladies and Gentlefolk.
Welcome to yet another (I know), riveting Audio Flare.
Today's entry has a purpose. I am here to defend my home turf, my manor as Danny Dyer would say.
Danny "My Manor" Dyer
Anyways, I am here to defend Suffolk. For too long has Suffolk been the butt of jokes about boredom, farmers, it's lack of hills and hysterical jokes about our almost extinct accent.
"oh my hut[1]! I hully[2] hut[3] my hid[4] on my hut!"[1] heart
[2] wholly
[3] hurt
[4] head
Haha!
For those not in the know, this is Suffolk:
Containing some beautiful countryside, Suffolk is also home to some of the most important and revered places in the country. The racetrack at Newmarket, the only surviving Regency Theatre in the country in Bury St. Edmunds as well as the only recently completed Anglican cathedral in the country. So there!
However, contrary to popular belief, this blog is not a tour guide but instead a guide to music so I am going to highlight a smattering of bands to come from Suffolk to show the impact that Suffolk has had on UK music.
We will start, if I may, with Miss Black America. Formed in sunny ol' Bury St. Edmunds in 1999, this three piece rock/punk band released an EP in 2000 and an album in 2002 as well as one in 2005. They made a reputation for themselves, they gained the attention of John Peel, Steve LeMacq as well as music magazines such as Rock Sound and NME. The band were known for strong political views and anti-establishment sentiments. Several of their lyrics were critical of Western commercialism and our politics and problems society faced at the time, such as this lyric from 'Car Crash for the Soul' which reads 'Shopping is like sex in pornos, urgent and joyless.'
The EP in 2000 was entitled 'Adrenaline Junkie Class-A Mentalist' and was a raw, rough sound drawing comparison to Manic Street Preachers. The album in 2002 was called 'God Bless Miss Black America' and spawned five singles, all of which were played extensively by John Peel. Songs like 'Montana', the last song on the album is a quiet yet unsettling piece. 'Talk Hard', a more indie, calmer song, showcasing a strong bass line background. The album received moderate to good reviews from various sources. The band's second album 'Terminal' had a more mature sound than 'God Bless...', including single 'Emotional Junkmail'. Rocksound proclaimed Miss Black America to be 'the best voice-to-the-voiceless punks around' after the release of this album.
However now the band are on hiatus and it's sorry to see. Truly one of the most under-appreciated bands there have been for a while it should have worked for these guys and it's a shame it never truly did.
Moving onto another Suffolk band, The Cheek. Used to be called Cheeky Cheek and the Nosebleeds but don't call them that anymore. Hailing from Woodbridge, this 5 piece band released their EP 'Slow Kids' in 2008 on the Tired and Lonesome record label and attracted the attention of Huw Stevens, who invited them to play at the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury. Having played the Suffolk based Latitude Festival in 2009, the band got signed to A&M records and are releasing a debut album which was recorded in Belgium.
Their single 'Hung Up' is receiving a fair amount of radio play, showing off a shoegazing style, complete with a vaguely Kinks/punk sound. Other songs include 'Slow Kids' off the EP of the same name, sounding like raw, Indie music. These guys are awaiting the release of their debut album, set to be released early this year. May hear more from them in the future.
The final band I'll highlight is another Suffolk indie band, who are wholly indicative of what every Suffolk person is like.
"Welcome to WH Smiths, how can I help you?"
Yes, it's everyone's favourite Suffolk based symphonic, gothic, black metal band Cradle of Filth.
Formed in 1991 in Suffolk, Cradle of Filth are now, according to Metal Hammer magazine, the best selling British metal band since Iron Maiden. You may have heard of them simply because they've worked towards a more mainstream image although the Black Metal community considers them sellout scum for doing so.
With a musical career spanning 8 studio albums, a widely changing sound from the soft pop croons of 'Dusk and her Embrace' off the album of the same name, to the electro funk synths of 'Dirge Inferno' off the 'Thornography' album, as well as nearly twenty band members. It is only Dani Filth who has remained the constant the whole way through, and he still lives in Suffolk with his wife and kids. What a guy!
However, Suffolk is also famous musically for being the late legend John Peel's favourite place. He lived in the village of Great Finborough and once jokingly referred to Bury St. Edmunds during a music revival in 2002 as 'The New Seattle'. He championed many bands from Suffolk on his show.
So I hope I've gone some way to showing that whilst not the most prolific musical county in the country, Suffolk has its share of music and indeed has added some bands to the music scene.
Anyways, that brings us to the end of another Audio Flare. Hooray!
I must love you and leave you until Tuesday.
And I'll leave you with a beast of a track. Just for fun. Here's Excision & Datsik's remix of Lil Wayne's 'A Milli'. Brutal!
