Last month The Charlatans travelled across the USA with Ride playing a tour of double headers, each band taking it in turns to headline. While out there The Charlatans called in at KEXP, a radio station in Seattle and recorded a half hour live set. KEXP have a load of these up on the internet (Ride did one a few years ago in fact), a session which isn't quite a gig- there's no audience for starters- but which is filmed as the band play live. The sound is always good, the bands seem to enjoy it and the filming is revealing but unobtrusive. It's good to be able to see what the musicians are actually doing on each song. You get to marvel at Tim's jumper.
The Charlatans play four songs at KEXP- the massive, crunching Chemical Brothers assisted 1997 single One To Another, the wheezy organ- led Weirdo and the subtle, funky ode to early 90s hedonism of Chewing Gum Weekend (both from 1992's Between 10th And 11th album, an album they played in full back in September at New Century Hall, a night which revealed the album to be a lost gem) and their 1990 breakthrough The Only One I Know.
As a contrast, slipping back in time but still in front of TV cameras, here they are in 1996 playing at Channel 4's The White Room playing One To Another and Crashin' In in front of a youthful audience. The late and sadly missed Jon Brookes is on drums, kicking up a fearsome groove. Organ and keys are courtesy of Martin Duffy, standing in for the recently departed Rob Collins who died in a car crash that year. I think this clip was the first time Martin played with them outside a rehearsal room. A week later they played at Knebworth supporting Oasis. Duffy sadly died last year too. The Charlatans are a band who have known tragedy. The final minute of the clip has the band playing the end section of Crashin' In while Tim stands at the back of the stage, grinning at the sound his band are making.
7 comments:
Superb stuff.
That made me very happy indeed. I think the KEXP sessions are generally great, but The Charlatans excelled themselves there. Thanks, Adam
For a band that have been going for thirty plus years, they sound incredibly tight and engaged in this session. Would kill for a Ride/Charlatans double header back in the UK
Me too Ricky
Two really great clips. I was at Knebworth that day and my abiding memory is of how sensational The Charlatans were.
Thanks for finding and sharing this. I've a soft spot for The Charlatans. '96 was a high point for them, not a weak track in their set. One To Another really stood out at the time (as did La Tristesse Durera). Real classics, and great to see those bands coming up with material that can shine in the mainstream.
No disrespect to Tim, but the '90's had its fair share of unconventional singers. Testament to him and the band mentality though that they're still going strong.
The White Room was a hugely underrated music show.
Post a Comment