The Star Spangles - Oxford Zodiac - 3/4/03
3/5
By: Toby L
Seemingly, frontman of The Star Spangles - Ian Wilson - isn't as excited by his vision as we are with ours. Urgently eyeing his sparse crowd in a regional town, he sarcastically jeers to himself in a sarcastic drawl barely comprehensible. 'Woo-hoo, whoop-de-do...' Understandably, it all must be a slight step down from the triumphs of last night - a teeming, steaming set at London's legendary 100 Club... So those pouts of his speak volumes.
But, meanwhile, it's exactly what we're looking for. Disaffected, spit-danglingly ferocious and quite evidently unhygienic, the 'Spangles are the epitome of punk's origins, in that they perform songs that all sound the same, knock in the occasional solo or impressive muso-bit to prove they're not a total bunch of inadequates, and - cunningly - are signed to a major-label. Attitude-wise, they snarl, gyrate, twist, shout, and grind proceedings to a flavoursome bout of full-on, nihilistic rock 'n' roll that endeavours to kick their forefathers' collective asses. And succeed in their quest.
Maybe the beauty of it is just its complete antithesis of pretension. Even with the garage-rock revival, there's a lot to be said about being seen at the right venues with the obligatorily same sneers and cropped hairdo's as everyone else. With this, however, all you have to do is turn up to a show, look as if you've been attacked by a particularly strident polar-bear during mating-season, and - already - you appear as socially pathetic as our onstage commanders. Sorted - done and dusted.
As performers go too, The SS make for some of the liveliest around: Wilson, resplendent with Sid Vicious-esque prowess and a hedge presumably clinging to his scalp; guitarist Tommy Volume tackling stealthy scissor-kicks in between every major chord-sequence; Nick Price socking it to 'em in an oversized cap on bass; and drummer Joey Valentine honing the effect to frivolous ferocity in his time-keeping, even occasionally standing whilst playing.
Musically, it's straightforward with few contrasts (not that it needs any), fast and immediate - just the way God intended it. 'Get Her Back' opens vehemently, racing into debut-single 'Which Of The Two Of Us....' and dissolving into the mental unrest of a stirring 'Gangland' - a pretence compared to frightful new 45, 'Stay Away From Me'. A stage-invasion - of course! - soon ensues, members of the support-act and even The Parkinsons invading the performance-space for a roaring, if trivial, 'Party', whilst heightening the level of exhilaration for a charge-through of 'I Don't Wanna Be Crazy Anymore' and supposedly final 'I Live For Speed'.
It should just end there, but with prods from the promoter and audience-howls, the foursome return for two final numbers, descending into the bleakly lit prosperity of their dressing-room amidst a flourish of ebullient cheers and applause. Hard to imagine it ending any other way.
Artists in this article: The Star Spangles
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