Who likes them?
I love them and always thought it was a shame that they never really got any notable success. But then again, I suppose that success wouldn't suit a band like the Buff Medways, and Billy Childish (singer and creator) was quite widely noted for his poetry.
Anyway, here's to the Buff Medways!
ps - I love the way they named themselves after a now extinct chicken :D
pps - I was lucky enough to catch
Billy Childish supporting The Libertines at The Rythm Factory.
not my favourite
of Billy's bands - that will always be The Headcoats. Buff's are a lot more accessible though, they didn't do too bad for exposure and success (i use the term loosely) I saw them a tonne of times, and luckily never with the Libertines.
Supporting Malkmus (although playing after him) at the RFH, Carling stage at Reading one year, was even lucky enough to be in Sydney when they played there, couple of times at the Tap 'n Tin in Chatham..
Still havent seen Billy Childish and the MBE yet.
Thanks for that.
It was just Billy supporting them. He was reading poetry and singing sort of Northern working mans songs.
It was pretty moving (for a Libertines fan ;-)
Where can I hear stuff by the Headcoats?
sorry for being a tit
re the Libs!
Anyway,i think Damaged goods have just re-released lots of the Headcoats albums, try there first, i think it's just damagedgoods.co.uk. Although theres a whole bunch to go through, also, even though Billy have released (allegedly) over 100 albums, lots of the songs appear in different band formats and in different styles. Theres a fanastic live CD and DVD of a headcoats/headcoatees show and an old Milshakes (his 70's punk band) which is well worth picking up, i can't remember the name offhand though
Erm...
On any of the shitloads of records they've released?
Or, if you'd rather: http://www.myspace.com/theeheadcoats
Headcoats Down! is the best I've heard.
The MBE's are really great too. Well worth seeing when they play. You can never get enough Childish!
true
i've just been inspired to put Heavens to Murgatroyd on.
Also, you gotta check out The Headcoatees too, they go hand in hand, i probably prefer them myself, but then i dig on girl singers
Yeah I love Thee Headcoatees
Particularly 'My Boyfriend's Learning Karate,' with Mr. Childish's borderline-racist impressions of a ninja.
Where can I hear them? Sorry for being gay!
^^ Thanks (don't worry about the Libs thing) and ^ Thanks
Just listening now, sounds really nice. More of a 70's raw sound asopposed to the 60's acid rock of the medways.
I keep missing him!
Im a big Billy Childish fan, very much fascinated by him. He always pops up around town doing shows and I sometimes see him walking around town. Intimidating guy, but so so good.
I was breaking
up with my first girlfriend (read: being dumped) sometime circa 97 and we were having one of those conversations that imminently over couples have sitting on a bench in Rochester high street when Bruce Brand and Holly Golightly walked past, saw us, stopped and started to talk to us.
It was really surreal, after they left it was like - that was a Headcoat AND a Headcoatee.
and then we went back to hers and she dumped me.
Was this in Chatham?
My friend was waiting for a lift and when the doors opened he got out. In my head this is like an elaborate, dramatic scene in Star Wars... with Billy Childish.
i really like the buff medways
has anyone got their song "you make me die"? i've been wanted to get hold of it for so long
I'm afraid I don't.
Billy's discography is so wide and varied that I am having trouble finding the album that I have got!
I know that I had to order it.
'bugger the buffs, they've had enough'
billy childish is sublime! may i also recommend his autobiography 'my fault'.
thee headcoats were fantastic and the blackhands stuff too...
i was lucky enough to see him with the musicians of the british empire recently. so brilliant and so fantastic.
a truly iconic and fantastic artist.
lots of 'fantastic's in this post.
soz, was a bit drunkies...
Billy Childish is great
I have a random selection of albums from all over his discography and they are all awesome...and what a tache
billy and medway
if you like the buffs then it well worth checking out his other bands:
late 70's: pop rivets (prett raw, some good songs such has 'havung fun in the uk' and 'beatle boots')
80's: the milkshakes. my favourite, kind of like a punky version of the hamburg era beatles.
del monas: the female version of the milkshakes
80's: the mighty ceasars, 2 albums which are brilliant. with fellow medway legen graham day from the prisoners.
80'/90's: thee headcoates, the longest lasting and most prolific. kind of like a more basic buffs.
thee headcoatees: female fronted headcoates.
now: the Musicians of The British Empire: kind of like the buffs, quite poppy for billy. Not as explosive and as exciting live to be honest.
if you like these why not also try other medway groups like: the prisoners, the dentists, the daggermen and graham day and the gaolers.
as well as 'My Fault' also try reading 'Notebooks of a Naked Youth'
i like
The Milkshakes are his best band I think, love the garage rock type stuff.