As the band themselves would sing it: "this is rock n' roll"!
Yes, for the umpteenth time, the Supersuckers are still going! Cynics might say that’s because the veteran Seattle rock n’ roll trio have no plan B in life, but please direct any such folks to the band’s new single, ‘Maybe I’m Just Messin’ With You’. It’s vintage ‘Suckers, and why should the band call it a day when they’re still on such fine form? Tonight, they’re making their first visit to the New Cross Inn, and the place is increasingly packed with folks eager to see what happens when these north-west Americans meet south-east London’s finest venue.
As he declares ‘Honey And Chrome’ an “ass-kicker”, Master Bizarre’s vocalist is probably hoping for more than the polite applause that follows. It’s not long gone 7pm and the crowd is still fairly static, but the band don’t take it to heart, and play with all the verve of a headline band. Those riffs consistently hit the sweet spot between Sunset Strip swagger and grunge grittiness, and overall, they can chalk up tonight as a victory.
However, if you like your punk and rock n’ roll played (mostly) fast as hell and filthy as a chimney sweep convention, then Flash House are truly the men for you. Their main vocalist/guitarist sounds like he gargles with gravel, damn near roaring himself hoarse on the likes of ‘Domestic Hiss’ and ‘No Solution’, and boy does their bassist look the part with his instrument slung almost at knee level.
Just about everything they play is despatched at hardcore-level speed and ferocity, and ultimately they take the crown tonight in terms of intensity alone. We were kind of late to the Flash House party – their ace debut album ‘Brown Sauce’ is nearly eight years old. Don’t be like us. Wise up to them now.
How do you follow a set like that? Well, how about blasting through fourteen songs in twenty-odd minutes, in a manner that would make a certain quartet of surname-sharing New York punk legends proud? The members of Chinese Junk have previous experience in The Griswalds and Random Heroes, and perhaps unsurprisingly, their songwriting skills have become pretty damn sharp – how else could a song called ‘Amnesia’ be this memorable? Self-styled as ‘pound shop rock’, you either get it or you don’t, but judging from the sea of grins, the New Cross Inn is fully – and rightfully – on board with them.
“We’re the pot of gold at the end of the rock n roll rainbow!” That’s Supersuckers singer/bassist Eddie Spaghetti, who – with quotes like that – really ought to consider doing a spoken word tour. He’s actually a very down-to-earth, friendly and funny guy, later congratulating us on our “impeccable taste”, and therein probably lies the secret as to why his band have survived for so long.
Well, that, and the songs, obviously An opening salvo of ‘Pretty Fucked Up’, ‘All Of The Time’ and ‘The Evil Powers Of Rock N’ Roll’ kick-starts a rock n’ roll party par excellence, with band and crowd increasingly feeding off each other’s energy and enthusiasm. It’s all great stuff, but when the Supersuckers really cut loose, as they do on a turbocharged ‘I Want The Drugs’, it’s just GLORIOUS. They were previously a quartet, but with all due respect to their previous two guitarists, the old days are not missed as Marty Chandler coolly and effortlessly rips through the squalling solo of ‘Born With A Tail’.
Predictable? Maybe so, but predictably great, not least considering all too many bands of their age are phoning it in. Ultimately, for the duration of their set – and for a good while afterwards – the Supersuckers make us feel like they’re the only band, and that punk-infused rock n’ roll is the only music, that matters. What more could you ask for? Please don’t make us wait too long for that new record, guys.
All Photos: ALEX GOOSE
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I spend my days teaching English to foreign students, and my evenings attending as many gigs as possible. Raised mainly on a diet of 90s third-wave punk, my tastes have grown to include just about anything from trad ska to thrash metal. The Ramones are my musical gods.
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