Breeding in the dank corners of the smog covered ghettos a new age of husky, beer gargling lads are lurking. Armed with a host of punky tales of fighting, Strongbow and a discomfort for education. The genre of chav-punk is on the rise though out the nation.
These cheeky little vagabonds have arrived to bring back the punk ethos and kick away the lovey-dovey friendly flower clad musicians who prefer a quiet night in to a pint and a ruck. During the late 70's the Holiday Inn and the grim Travel Lodge all suffered the wrath of a good old trashing and bands like The Metro's and The Underground Heroes have been sent from a Keith Moon-like god to rectify this chaos once again.
Chatham's Underground Heroes are a gang of ruff and ready miscreants, top to toe in battle scars of microphone massacres and on stage warfare. Their nicotine soaked vocals growl through jocose narratives of Britain's finest traits, boozing, fighting and our longing obsessions with the female generation.
Their alliance to their friends and their hometown is similar to The Views (fellow tour mates). It is a comforting influence, a strong allegiance and a catalyst for humorous tales.
"Skinny Twins" is rammed with cracking one liners about two of their "lardy" cohorts. Other demo's such as "Chasing The Buzz" and "Lost in Dundee" paint a picture of alcohol infused chaos and a resalable case of Chatham charm.
Close friend's of 1965 records, the Heroes have toured with fellow trouble makers The View, chart dominators Kasabain and Peckham's newly established riot force, The Metros.
Recently signed to 1965, the Metros take centre stage with cockney infected lyrical whit. Kicked off the Coral tour (which I went to hoping see The Metros...no luck) and banned from various venues, The Metros are the spawn of everything anarchic. But without getting too deep and all that, they are fundamentally a group of friends making music. Music that will have you shouting back at them in a cockney rejects fashion, ignoring your regional dialect and changing to a Phil Mitchell type double.
"Live A Little" sounds reminiscent of an early 1990's narrative. Ascot classics and cocaine in night clubs entwines tightly with a tale of love in South London. Bred on a diet of Squeeze and Grange Hill their heritage is a powerful force. Their cockney charm and whit helps them along the way through songs such as "Last of the Lookers" and "Talk about it".
Giving these boys a rider of alcohol and a tour bus full of nice expensive things is probably not the best idea...for the record company. But for us, the audience, it is an agitator for a real cocky and ramshackle of a performance. I saw the Metros at Brighton's Great Escape Festival and the unity of beer spitting and pushing and shoving is like watching a chemical experiment of friendship, angst and a hormones. I am excited about the Metros this year, the hotels are cowering and the stage is ready for them come and reign carnage.
The Suggestions are in their early stages still. Hailing from Sittingbourne their upbeat demo's reek of, once again, home town heritage. "Bourne and Bread" is the Suggestions way of saying thank you to Sittingbourne, thank you for the lack of education and the lack of motivation. "Train to Sheerness" drags out Nathan's dirty vocals and some filthy guitar riffs battle the shout of "OI OI" in the background.
Now I hate to enclose things into genres. I hate it. But where Chatham's locals have began the trend of calling the Underground Heroes "Chav punk", I really cannot argue. These dirty, chain smoking youths proudly hold their guitars in one hand and perhaps an ASBO in the other, who knows. But the special thing about these bands is the chaotic unity they have. Some have marked themselves permanently with their bands name proudly across their forearm, and the carnage? Well it is what makes these trouble making screamers all that more special.