It is not uncommon for bands these days to copy the artists of the past. Bands such as Jet, Wolfmother and Little Red have this down to an art. But is it a bad thing?
The way i see it is that it all comes down to interpretation. Some bands are basically copycats to the past greats, they just take an old song and re word it. I cannot remember the names of any of these artists however because they usually disappear quickly without a stir.
The successful artists are the ones who take a sound from someone they respect and then add something to it, make it their own.
Sure bands like Wolfmother sound like most long haired guitar noodlers of the 70's, but when you hear a Wolfmother song you know its a Wolfmother song, because they have made a style for themselves.
Most bands start out sounding like someone else... The living end started out covering the Stray Cats, Oasis constantly sound like the Beatles, Little Red sounds like the Four Seasons and Wolfmother sounds like Led Zepplin.
Children Collide however sound like it all.
Although it is obvious that they sound 70's, it is very hard to pin them down to one style. In their album "The Long Now" the songs jump around from a head banging classic with haunting guitar and dance beat to a Bowie-esque ballad about two lovers finding a new planet to live on.
They have taken elements of the 70's and made it their own and it seems to be working perfectly.
I first saw these guys last year at Homebake. They were playing towards the end of the day at a tent in the back section of the park, the stage nominated for newcomers.
The tent was packed by the time i got there, people were flooding out the doors as others stood behind them tip toe-ing to get a better look.
The band had already started and they were going off... the energy was high and the crowd soaked up every minute of it.
A guy in front of me grabbed his girlfriend pulling her in front of him so she could see,
"Babe you have to hear this song, its awesome!"
The girl who was mid conversation when grabbed looked up at the stage, not a minute went by and she was hooked. Children Collide put on an amazing stage show.
The end of the gig was pure rock and roll... Johnny MacKay the lead singer/guitarist swung the guitar from the top of his head down strumming distorted finishing notes in frenzied style. the last note causing the body of the guitar to smack him mid forehead, Johnny grabbed his head and stumbled off stage. Rock and Roll!
Its this type of show that has propelled the band to where they are today, they are getting radio play and playing at pretty much every festival in Aus. They have toured with the Grates and are now doing their own show, and at every venue or festival i have seen them at one thing is for certain... they will be packed.
Their sound is very inspired by the past, they have the trippy guitar solos, the long fantastic lyrical journeys and the Dance inducing bass lines and beat buts its a richness in their sound that bring them out from the rest, whether it is the vocal stylings, or the grungy overtones i don't know but they don't sound similar to anything i have heard before, and this in my opinion is how older music should be interpreted into the present, enough so that you can identify the influences, but not so that you can classify them to the style.
"They sound like the 70's but better" was a comment from a work mate. Although i probably wouldn't agree with this statement, i cant help but see where they are coming from.
Triple J Unearthed Search of the Week:
"Sounds like" - Children Collide:
1. GrannyFlat (Adelaide, SA)
Track: All Things said and Done
Catchy Riff, Solid lyrics, Dancy beat. Very well produced and written, sounds like something from the late 90's, would be awesome to hear in a live venue. Kinda like Kings of Leon meets Jebidiah...
2. HighJinks (Mid north Coast, NSW)
Track: A Hundred Million Bombs will Fall Tonight
Slow emotive track, simple but effective. Soft vocals that compliment the acoustic guitar sounds. Great song to relax to and sing along to.
3. Opallarma (Illawarra, NSW)
Track: My Friend the Ghost
These guys fit into a "has potential" category, they have elements of Queens of the Stone age and Nirvana and with a bit more production values might sound pretty decent.
This song is heavy, the bassline is deep and droning and makes for some good Rock, the vocals need to be heavier but are cool as are the lyrics. Very Rough but good.
Disclaimer:
If this sounds pretentious or wanky i assure you, i know nothing about music, i am not better than you and really i just know what i like.
