The was not only the last Dracula’s Garage of the year but a celebration for the 50th birthday of its host Dave Checkley. These Sunday afternoon gigs have become even more popular throughout the last year or so and the venue is already rammed when our compere for the afternoon Mr Badaxe takes the stage. Having played at his usual haunt the Victoria Bikers Pub in Coalville a few times I know what to expect, but I guess for many his brand of foul-mouthed folk type ditties came as a bit of a shock. These tunes are not for the faint hearted but he is great at getting the crowd going and to join in. The Barrack Obama and Llama tune was quite catchy in a strange sort of way.
The Accused
Last time I saw the Accused was a 40 years of punk gig in Shirley in 2016 with the four original bands on the 1979 Mell Square EP, The Accused, The Undertakers, 021 and the Cracked Actors (not the brum ska band). Although this is the Accused, we have Paul Hughes of The Undertakers on guitar and the set also contains some Undertakers songs.
Following the intro, they launch into ‘I Wanna Be Me’ (not the pistols tune) which is followed by The Undertakers ‘Distorted Pictures. We are then treated to 3 Accused classics in the amusing ‘Kill All the Boy Bands, the anthemic ‘We’re Crap’ and the song that started it all for The Accused, ‘Solihull’ a teenage rant about their hometown. As played on John Peel.
The Accused are a classic late 1970s punk band like something you would hear on compilation albums like live at the vortex or the Roxy albums but to me they also have a touch of the fall about them. The playing is tight, and the second half of the set starts with a couple of songs about people who are no longer with us (hopefully I heard that right), The Undertakers ‘Jean Debney’ and Accused ‘Braman’.
They end the set on a high with a mix of Accused and Undertakers tracks, ‘Down to Hell’, ‘Photo Copy Views’, I Just Wanna (make love to you)’ and their cracking Christmas ditty ‘Hey Ho Ho Ho Let’s Go’ to complete an entertaining set.
The accused support slot to the UK Subs at Digbeth Civic Hall in 1979 is now the stuff of legend especially as they covered the main bands Telephone Numbers and did an interesting rendition of ‘Do They Owe Us a Living by Crass. They may have been a bit crap then but today they were on form, and they need to play live much more often. Maybe next time they will play Shirley Temples Dead too.
The Dead Marshes
The Dead Marshes have been around for a while and have a demo of some of the tunes played in the set. They have some pedigree with Jason Pegg, often seen fronting cover band The Schemers on lead vocals and guitar and Pete Byrchmore on bass and backing who has played in many great bands over the years and is currently a member of Goldbhe Membranes both fronted by John Robb.
‘Rock and Roll’ is a great opener and gives us a taste of what is to come with its Dolls swagger, catchy guitar and bass lines and ultra tight drums. Follower ‘Monkey’ shows some of their key influences and is a track the Stooges would be proud of with its dirty rock and rock feel. This leads nicely into ‘Bad Decisions’
‘The Ghosts’ is dedicated to Birmingham legend Phil the Goth and has a slight Cramps feel but they are no rip offs and this is much more 60s and upbeat with some great lyrics. This is followed by ‘Buy the Ticket Take The Ride’, a full-on rock and roll tune with Thunders type guitar and the rhythm section as ever super tight. ‘Loves Got a Grip on Me’ is a great mix of menacing riff and melodic vocal – like the International Swingers meets the Yardbirds with a Beatles riff – the drumming also makes this a great track. Very catchy.
‘Shoot You Down; is hypotonic and mesmerising in equal measure with guitar licks that dance around the straight rhythms. They end the set with ‘It’s the End’ which is an excellent ballad and to me an obvious album closer that you will be singing for weeks.
There are many influences in their music from New York punk, Generation X, The Cramps and at times the Pistols and the Professionals. But they also have 60s influences so such as the Kinks, Small Faces and dare I say it, there is even some Oasis in there somewhere.
The way they use 2 guitars and no bass in the set is clever and unless you looked it would be unnoticeable. Maybe something a few watching wish they would have thought of. Maybe the White Stripes influenced us all more than we thought.
They are encouraged by the packed audience to play on and start with ‘Low Friends in High Places’ with its opening Stonesy riff leading into a really catchy chorus with a middle section reminiscent of Electric era Cult. Jason loses the jacket mid set to uncover a leopard skin shirt and someone by me wonders if they band might throw in some Rod Stewart. But they have darker influences than this and in the encore throw in a cool cover of ‘Under My Wheels’ by Alice Cooper and a version of ‘Just Dropped In’ to end a great show and I must get to see them again soon.
This was a great afternoon filled with crazy foul-mouthed folk, 1970s punk and topped with Rock and Roll swagger. Hope you had a happy birthday Mr Checkley keep up the good work.
