The first time I saw Janice Graham Band (there is no THE) play live, my girlfriend literally pushed my gaping jaw shut as I stood speechless at the sight and sound of the first truly genius band that I've seen in many, MANY, years.
From an estate in Manchester, with an average age of 21 (they actually look about 15) their musical influences are impressive and vast beyond years. An infectious and irresistible ejaculation of Ska/Soul/Jazz/Hip Hop/R&B/Funk and Reggae, that when performed with young upstart passion, somehow manages to sound fresh and dangerous, they are THE garage rock punk band, THE new saviours of rock n' roll, THE new anti-glam-dance-band-manc-rap-chavs. They ARE the MODS!
The lead singer/ bassist, Joe Jones, is the image of the main character from the movie KEZ (Google it), he looks like he's just bunked off from Geography lessons, spitting out Mancunian rhyming slang whilst groping a mail-order catalogue bass guitar, skipping from foot to foot like he's just drank two gallons of Tizer and desperately needs a piss.
To his side stands Josh Hunt, who also sings, again looking like he knows his way around an Xbox 360, who plays trumpet lines that combine the best bits of The Tear Drop Explodes 'Kilimanjaro' album with Miles Davis's 'Bitches Brew', attacking his horn like it's about to hit him back, blowing from the side of his mouth, squinting, like he's sucking the last hot drag from a communal joint.
Andy Morton, the tallest member, looks like he's already stoned. Grooving to the tunes whilst lovingly hugging his semi-acoustic guitar like it's his only possession, eyes shut and smiling, enjoying the ride.
Be-dredd-locked rapping drummer, Tom Scott, keeps it tight, adding to the mischief, drumming with a maturity that appears at odds to the shopping centre afrontary of a band that your parents most definitely won't like.
Released 12th of September on Acid Jazz Records, the bands first single, Murder / Assassiner, taken from the debut long player ‘It's Not Me’ (due in Jan 2012).
When asked about the challenging nature of the lyrics a spokesman for the band said 'The LP is a concept album that deals with questions and answers on love, life and sex and death. It deals with the harsh brutality of life through the eyes of a man whose hedonistic incline leads him down a dark and twisted path of increasing questionable morality, self -destruction and ultimately MURDER'.
Bloody kids !
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