First things first, this lot are not just a band. By my unprecise maths, 98% of bands are just a bunch of people bashing out a noise or a quiet slur and moaning over the top of it. There are 2% of bands that are like this lot. It’s a two percent ‘something’, which no one else has. I’m talking about charisma, stage presence, dancing, prancing and everything else that it takes to turn a gig into a show. But the fact they have all the splitz, salutes, Jaggar swagger and uncontrollable spasms kickin in time to the beat is beside the point… because laaaaydee’s and gentullllmuhhhn… to your left, in the commie red corner; wearing sleeveless t-shirts, sounding like the Ramones with keys; these folks from Sweden threaten your reality with a message!
…they bust into ’Smash It Up!’ after dedicating it to the Reclaim the Streets movement and the erratic whirl of moogy-keyboards crawls under the bass, drums and into the bouncing riff. It’s now time to begin. Dennis - formally of hardcore-punka’s REFUSED - begins to take apart his rage and reconstruct it in a sub-rap, Gil-Scott-Heron explosion of verses. My head's out of control, but somehow keeps in time with the beat. It’s all about the beat. Then comes the bit everyone sings along to "Smash it it up, yeah!" and that’s all that matters. They’re here, listening, because it’s cool to be here, some wearing N*ke, others emulating punks they’ve seen in history books, but we’re all the same and eventually, we will be ready for the war on the world out on the street. Some of us are already ready and we're just partaying until everyone else catches up - aren't we?
"People keep telling us it’s naïve to believe in the revolution and they might be right, but we believe a new day is coming where we don’t have to worry about Bush and the New World Order or Bono and his corporate politics…" it gives me tingles hearing it ranted, I want to hear it more often and from more people getting up there on stages making noises in this exploited'n'controlled cold world. And I don’t want tonight to stop, even tho I’m rammed in like a sardine and the band couldn't read my ‘I.O.U.<3’ 6x7 tee. Shame.
As the night burns to a close and Dennis is dancing on the bar beside me, possessed by empowerment, lacking in fear, spitting proactive prose like language is his patented brand of propaganda – yonks ago people woulda called this punk or at least reactionary but not now, well no, not yet, at least. This is real.... I dunno what else to say so I'll leave you with this soundbite: You NEED this conspiracy in your life or else generations to come will still proclaim "CAPITALISM STOLE MY VIRGIN-NAH-TEEE!!!".
The (International) Noise Conspiracy - London Notting Hill Arts Club
The (International) Noise Conspiracy - London Notting Hill Arts Club
The (International) Noise Conspiracy - London Notting Hill Arts Club