Every once in a while a band comes along that totally, utterly, and most certainly – completely possesses your very being. You can’t get enough of their music which has embedded itself in your very fibre and melodic sinew of your brain.
This happened to me. Recently. When I first heard The Horrors, I was hooked. Done and dusted.
It was late one night. Channel surfing with heavy eyelids barely lying prostrate on my girlfriends’ couch, I see these maniacal stick-figure looking dudes dressed in black with goth-like moptops going positively mental on screen!
That got my attention. They blew me away all in the space of a quirky, energetic and frenetic 3 minute video.
So, for some reason or another, the band have been considered a highly divisive act. Looking like extras from an episode of the Addams Family or the Munsters – decked in black from head to toe with insanely crazed-out Robert Smith-like black-dos – the Poms couldn’t possibly understand the image – but behind all the make-up and hair – is an insanely talented bunch of lads with the uncanny ability of capturing and re-packaging a sound that is so uniquely early 80′s in taste and attitude. Fucking brilliant!
They manage to capture everything that was good about the early 80′s UK underground scene. It’s like a smorgasbord of Joy Division, Bauhaus, Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen tossed and turned with the raw essence and attitude of cheeky punk. Sprinkle in a dash of maniacal Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nick Cave and some Gang Of Four and there you have it, The Horrors.
Debut album ‘Strange House’ is the more rauucous of their two releases with 2009 album ‘Primary Colours’ featuring a more laid-back approach and a more ethereal and sublime feel. Some breathtakingly gorgeous melodies make it all such a surreal and calming listening experience. Just amazingly brilliant and a band who I just cannot recommend enough.
Official Bio:
This self-styled goth rock band from Southend-on-Sea in Essex, was formed in early 2005 by Faris Rotter (b. Faris Badwan, 1986, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England; vocals), Joshua Von Grim (b. Joshua Hayward; guitar), Tomethy Furse (b. Tom Cowan; bass), Spider Webb (b. Rhys Webb; keyboards) and Coffin’ Joe (b. Johnathan Spurgeon; drums). The quintet’s gothic dress sense and brash slogans (‘Psychotic Sounds for Freaks and Weirdos’ was a favourite) quickly earned them a devoted young fanbase. They also attracted the interest of cult video director Chris Cunningham, who shot a stylish low budget short to accompany the band’s debut single, ‘Sheena Is A Parasite’. Released in April 2006, the single’s discordant blend of psychobilly indie and garage punk broke no new musical ground, but the national music press leapt on the Horrors and began hyping the band out of all proportion to their talent. The follow-up singles, ‘Death At The Chapel’, ‘Count In Fives’ and ‘Gloves’, pursued the same limited musical direction. For all the fevered coverage in the UK music press, the Horrors’ debut, Strange House, barely limped into the national Top 40. Released in March 2007, the album featured re-recorded versions of previously released material and a few new tracks.
They have not left my iPod and/or turntable for close to 2 years – and I wait with great anticipation to see just where this band will evolve to next.
Brilliant!
GREAT tip! Thanks for posting this! At first listen I’m hooked! Thanks!