music@list.co.uk
ROCK/POP
FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS Caird Hall, Dundee, Tue 21 Aug; Concert Hall, Motherwell, Wed 22 Aug and Magnum Centre, Irvine Thu 23 Aug.
The Fun Lovin’ Criminals might be feeling a little threatened at the moment. Their reputation, which trades on being the benchmark for all things cool and certainly all things New York, is in jeopardy of being undermined by their flashy neighbours, The Strokes. Perhaps rattled by this, FLC are heading on uncharted territory for a tour of Scotland, taking in Aberdeen and Dundee, followed by surely an unprecedented double-header of shows in Motherwell and Irvine.
So what’s behind the shadow of schmoove grooves and their self- made ‘street’ image? Well, frontman Huey, of course, is the one with supermodels on his ‘0’, as he likes to call it. Before the band got together in 1993 through a shared love of The Herb, Hugh Thomas Angel Diaz Morgan (that’s why he’s called Huey) fought in the Gulf War whilst in the US Marines.
Bassist Fast, or sometimes Fisty (don’t ask), is the one who went out with Saffron from Republica, when they were almost good. And from the band that formed in 1993 and got a record deal after just their sixth gig, drummer Stevie O was replaced by Mackie two years ago under suspected acrimonious circumstances. Huey later explained he ‘went nuts, moved to Peru and is now a farmer’.
FLC’s most well-known, and let’s face it, best by miles
- l?
The Crims’ set sail to Scotland’s uncharted territories
point. Poor sales saw them lose their record contract and distribution deal in America, and has since been referred
to as ‘the mistake’ and ‘the album that should never have been made’ by the Criminals.
The group’s self-confessed ‘pay for Christmas’ record, Mimosa, a mixture of covers and B-sides, filled the gap before the Loco album, the title track for which featured on 3 Miller ad and had a video with women in skimpy bikinis cavorting on a yacht with FLC in the ocean off Sydney. Fast came up with the idea, apparently because ‘there are
classic ‘Scooby Snacks’ was not without problems either. A legal wrangle ensued concerning the Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs sampling, with Quentin Tarantino demanding and receiving a writer’s credit, something
which still rankles with the boys.
Debut album Come Find Yourself earned them a Brit nomination and a 0 award for Best Newcomer. However, its follow-up, 100% Columbian was something of a sore
ROCK STONE TEMPLE PILOTS Barrowland, Glasgow, Thu 23 Aug.
The Stone Temple Pilots were huge. and i mean huge. back in the days of grunge. Riding the wave started by Nirvana and Pearl Jam they went on to sell eleven million albums. Labelled by some as positive grungers their output was nowhere near as angst ridden or depressing as many other acts that fell under the same umbrella. They perhaps had more in common with bands like The Black Crowes. but with a harder. rawer edge.
But as with so many things that look to good to be true. things came crashing down around them. Lead singer Scott Weiland developed a terrible heroin habit and cracks began to appear. Gigs were cancelled and many said their last album of that period (No. 4, 1999) was pretty ropy, mainly due to increasing drugs abuse. Then Weiland got arrested and things went from bad to worse. Welland admits he used to spend $400 on smack and snorted up to three grams of coke a day. After several warnings. and a few ODs. he ended up in jail.
The band looked Sunk. Dean DeLeo (guitar) and brother Robert (bass) along with Eric Kretz (drums) hooked up with vocalist David COLitts and formed Talk
two things boys wanna see on TV. And we gave them those two things’. Unsurprisingly, it became their highest charting single, hitting the top five.
So now you know the history, choose whichever side of
Show during this time. A Sure sign that even the other band members weren't too optimistic. “It got really low at times. It all really came down to Scott's level of sobriety.‘ according to bassist Robert. in his deep American drawl. ‘We defiantly had a problem With fame so quickly. We kept saying "we don't deserve this. it's not cool to have lots of money' So perhaps we were trying to undermine ourselves. '
But now Weiland is out of jail and more importantly clean. there's a new album (Shangri-Ul DEE DA) and they are heading over to the UK for the first time in six years. ‘lts great. we had to put three different sets together for the tour. we forgot how many hits we had. Its like ‘oh shit, wow there's that song
Sex ‘n’ drugs ‘n’ rock ‘n’ roll? Well just drugs really....
the New York gangland war of the Fun Lovin’ Criminals versus The Strokes you want to be on. Just don’t sit on the fence. (Jason Cranwell)
then this song".' explains Robert. And With Weiland's penchant for women's clothing and iiiake-up it. should be some show. With a history like this it may also be your last chance to see them in Scotland for the foreseeable future. “He's [Weiland] not saying "hey I'm cured." But we value each other a lot more now. things happen for a reason.’ says Robert philosophically. ‘But this is the most cohesive we've been since Purple [l994].'
Here's hoping that Wefland's new marriage and kid can keep him on the straight and llflll'OW, for the rest of the band and his own sake. Also for anyone interested in rock music; we need more great performers not more tragedies. (Henry N()lllllll()l(}l
Exposure
The List searches out its old Sex Pistols t-shirt and baggy shorts to get down at Extreme 2007.
So what’s so Extreme about it, then? Sounds like an SAS survival course - people jumping out of planes, canoeing through rapids, being forced to survive with just their wits and a big fuck- off knife for protection . . .
We reckon you've got the wrong end of the stick there. unless you c0unt stage-diving and crowd- surfing as life-threatening activities.
Spill the beans, then.
Of c0urse. Extreme 2001 is a touring mini-festival dedicated entirely to some of the best acts on the underground punk scene at the moment.
And who do you define as best, exactly?
Well. you've got three bands from the American Kung Fu label. The Vandals. The Ataris and Useless ID. They‘re all cohorts of Blink 182. which might give yoo some idea where they're coming from. You've also got . . .
Welcome Less Than Jake
Hold it, I can guess! Yet more Yank college boys come to show off on stage and bang on about wanking and farting?
Please don't interrupt. And they‘re not all Yanks — Useless ID are coming all the way from Israel. bless ‘em. It might also cheer you up a wee bit to hear ab0ut Nerve. the only Scottish band on the bill. They've been around for a bit and have managed to pick up an endorsement from Green Day and notoriety for their thrashy version of 'Uptown Girl' along the way.
That’s a bit more like it. Anyway, what were you on about?
You've also got ska-punk outfit less Than Jake headlining. industrial metallers Pitchshifter and Voodoo Glow Skulls to boot. Happier now?
Yup.
Good.
(David Pollock)
I Extreme 2007 is at SECC G/asgow. Sat 18 Aug.
its 1);; Aug Boo: THE LIST 23