Festivale de Football Day 9: England

Leatherface - Boogie On Down

Ooh! I like her world, I like the way she growls

I found it difficult to know what angle to attack England from. I'm of the opinion that where the US can claim to have originated many genres, the UK always does them better. We can claim some of the biggest bands in the world, and some of the most recognisable voices.

But you know what? When Frankie Stubbs tells you he likes the way she growls, you'd better believe he likes the way she growls. This is a man who can pour heart and soul into a punk rock snarl in a way you wouldn't believe, who can wrench sympathy even when the lyrics are beyond intelligible.

I like the fear that stupidity gives

Leatherface are certainly Sunderland's finest band (what's the competition... Futureheads? Maximo Park? Do me a quaver). Since the late 1980's, Stubbs et al have been churning out, on and off, punk rock veering from the polemical to the political to the poignant. Boogie On Down is of the latter category, a very English romance. The fear that stupidity gives? How accurate is that?

I like the sound as my head cracks when I frown
I like the taste of tea with one sugar in
I'm not speechless, I just boogie on down

What you have here is a touching, simple yet affecting punk rock love song. There's not much said, there's not much done, but it's a pretty song delivered in a growl that would strip paint yet retains it's sensitive side.
And I told you it was English; it doesn't get any more English than a nice cuppa rosie lee for a grizzled old feller. That's almost a romance in itself.


Bonus track: Snuff - Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads (NOT to be confused with the Libertines, I'd quite happily disown them. No, this is London's finest singing-drummer-punk-band with their version of the classic Bolam/Marsh sitcom theme) .

Buy album/Leatherface/Snuff
Visit: BYO/Fire labels

Tags: England; World Cup; Leatherface; Snuff; punk; Sunderland

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