Battle of the bands - the grand final
For those of you who were wondering what happened in the final of the 1997 Smirnoff Battle of the Bands in Nottingham (see post October 17, 2004), here's the answer:
Smirnoff Battle of the Bands - 1997 grand final @ Sam Fay's, Sunday November 2nd
So here they were then, the creme de la creme, the 3 bands who had battled their way to this showdown in search of fun (a recording session), fame (airplay on Trent FM) and fortune (GBP 500 cash).
If you saw issue 4 of The Pulse you'll know that Elfin are polished but don't shine, expensive effects attempting unsuccesfully to cloak a lack of inspiration. Tonight was the same story with, paradoxically, a better PA system making them seem even less compelling as it revealed their dull lyrics and cliched music more fully than in the semi-final. After a welcome break, Skatterbrain took to the stage and, like Elfin, they are obviously officianados of the Chilli Peppers, but with a much more rough 'n' ready approach. They brought a sizable following with them who responded gleefully to the singer's exhortations to dance. The vocalist himself led the leaping about and I couldn't help finding the whole set more of an aerobics session for gloomy adolescents than a musical experience. Garbled lyrics and some inept thrashing about (which at times sounded like the loading sequence for the ZX Spectrum) merely added to this impression. It was only on the closing number, Oasis' "Don't look back in anger" as an illegible blur, that Skatterbrain made a virtue out of their limitations, showing some wit in their trashing of/tribute to the sacred Gallagher cows. However, the fact that this was the only song in their set with an indentifiable melody doesn't say much for the composing skills of the band, which are what, after all, any group with aspirations to greatness gets judged by.
The final contenders were Harsh, a power trio who place themselves firmly in the 'mod pop' lineage (Small Faces, Weller, etc.). If this sometimes means they're a tad trad (dad), it also means that (unlike Skatterbrain) they put some thought into their songwriting. This paid dividends on the wistful "Distance" amongst other tracks, a number which revealed as well the quality of the frontman's singing.
Harsh have certainly improved since last year when they were semi-finalists in this competition. The same (unfortunately) cannot be said about the (undeserving) winners of 12 months ago, Dog Tomas, who played while the judges deliberated. From sounding like a second-rate Blur last year, they've now developed into a Radiohead rip-off. Ho-hum. But enough of this digression, let's cut to the chase. The verdict: 3rd place, Elfin; runner-up, Harsh; Skatterbrain the winners. The best unsigned band in the area? No chance! Maybe the trouble is that really good groups wouldn't dream of entering this kind of contest, it's too demeaning. If that's the case then next year, like tonight, it'll be music that's the loser.
(With thanks to Jon Duckworth. First published in the Nottingham Pulse December 1997/January 1998).
Smirnoff Battle of the Bands - 1997 grand final @ Sam Fay's, Sunday November 2nd
So here they were then, the creme de la creme, the 3 bands who had battled their way to this showdown in search of fun (a recording session), fame (airplay on Trent FM) and fortune (GBP 500 cash).
If you saw issue 4 of The Pulse you'll know that Elfin are polished but don't shine, expensive effects attempting unsuccesfully to cloak a lack of inspiration. Tonight was the same story with, paradoxically, a better PA system making them seem even less compelling as it revealed their dull lyrics and cliched music more fully than in the semi-final. After a welcome break, Skatterbrain took to the stage and, like Elfin, they are obviously officianados of the Chilli Peppers, but with a much more rough 'n' ready approach. They brought a sizable following with them who responded gleefully to the singer's exhortations to dance. The vocalist himself led the leaping about and I couldn't help finding the whole set more of an aerobics session for gloomy adolescents than a musical experience. Garbled lyrics and some inept thrashing about (which at times sounded like the loading sequence for the ZX Spectrum) merely added to this impression. It was only on the closing number, Oasis' "Don't look back in anger" as an illegible blur, that Skatterbrain made a virtue out of their limitations, showing some wit in their trashing of/tribute to the sacred Gallagher cows. However, the fact that this was the only song in their set with an indentifiable melody doesn't say much for the composing skills of the band, which are what, after all, any group with aspirations to greatness gets judged by.
The final contenders were Harsh, a power trio who place themselves firmly in the 'mod pop' lineage (Small Faces, Weller, etc.). If this sometimes means they're a tad trad (dad), it also means that (unlike Skatterbrain) they put some thought into their songwriting. This paid dividends on the wistful "Distance" amongst other tracks, a number which revealed as well the quality of the frontman's singing.
Harsh have certainly improved since last year when they were semi-finalists in this competition. The same (unfortunately) cannot be said about the (undeserving) winners of 12 months ago, Dog Tomas, who played while the judges deliberated. From sounding like a second-rate Blur last year, they've now developed into a Radiohead rip-off. Ho-hum. But enough of this digression, let's cut to the chase. The verdict: 3rd place, Elfin; runner-up, Harsh; Skatterbrain the winners. The best unsigned band in the area? No chance! Maybe the trouble is that really good groups wouldn't dream of entering this kind of contest, it's too demeaning. If that's the case then next year, like tonight, it'll be music that's the loser.
(With thanks to Jon Duckworth. First published in the Nottingham Pulse December 1997/January 1998).
posted by Justin Toland at 7:35 pm
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