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Next Party! 30/11/09
Lovelist#14 download
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As they mount the stage, you know that something magic is about to happen, this is not going to be a normal experience. I mean, all there is on stage are three microphones, a trombone and a laptop, any ideas as to what this can mean are beyond me. Even their appearance is enthralling, Johnny lank and skinny, Ed looks quiet and mysterious and Jerome is, well, a pretty big guy. But when the first drum machine starts pumping out the steady, almost chart-topping type of loop, you know Man Like Me have started. Throughout the set, as they work through a repertoire of Madness-inspired ska and cockney sing-alongs, contemporary LDN indie-grime, subtle soulful harmonies and a few timeless 80's dance classics, you begin to understand their musical curiosity and absolute love of the performance part of playing music. The audience become captivated when they at times spontaneously break into, no joke, Backstreet Boys-style dance routines with Johnny climbing up and around the entire DJ booth. Johnny is Tarzan and the stage is his jungle. They played their new single Carny, which as I say later, is a real crowd pleaser and it definitely worked because it's always a measure of a great act if you can end a set with more people on the dance floor and actually dancing than when you started, and these guys certainly managed it. They also played Doughnuts, Single Dad and Oh My Gosh which are all well worth checking out. Man Like Me rocked the show, each song they played (I say play, more like act out) brings a totally mad new sound to the melting pot yet, with these three masters on stage, makes total sense. Maybe it's the fact that they managed to throw in a trombone solo into every song, or that their songs seem to include the crowd as part of it, but I think everyone who saw them really had a good time.I managed to have a chat with them before the gig...For someone who hasn't seen you before, how would you explain the whole man like me experience?Entertainment. Amateur theatre, super karaoke, circus and mix it in with a bit of Benny Hill.Johnny I know that you have music production in your blood (his dad was the producer for Madness), how do yo think that comes through in your music?Well I think it comes through a lot coz everyone says we sound like madness, so yeah. Has that helped?Yeah I think it definitely influences whatever I do, growing up listening to that music.I noticed you have a remixes page on myspace as well, is that what you guys do?Kind of, it's a bit of a weird concept that page because we have remixes people have done for us of our tracks and then a remix or two we've done ourselves but we really need to sort it all out.You've worked with Micachu a few times, any more plans?Yeah I'd love to work with her forever, I think she's perfect for anything, we've got an album out next year and she has helped on a few tracks for that.I did have a question about Audio Bullys who you were meant to be supporting but they haven't turned up...Well we played with them last Friday. It's a laugh playing with them firstly coz they're friends, I've known them for a while and it's the first time we've done anything on stage with them, it's just nice to hang out with them basically.Does it bring a different crowd when you play with them?Yeah definitely, compared to playing with someone like the Golden Silvers, you know, Indie bands. We do Indie nights and we do Electro nights and you can definitely see a difference in the crowd.Is that a good thing?I think it's nice coz you get to experience the two different sides of things, but I prefer the girls on the Indie nights.You've got a new single out called Carny, I must say that if that song doesn't brighten up a rainy day, I don't know what will. What were you doing to put yourselves in such a good mood as to write it?I was listening to this colombian record at the time which my brother brought back from when we were traveling round there in the 80's and it just had a riff on it that I tried to re-write which didn't end up how I wanted, but sounded good anyway so we kept it. Finally what plans have you guys got for the future?Our next single call Single Dad is coming out in January, we've got an album out in march and then a mixtape of castoffs not on the album. We're also set to release a single with the album which is sort of gonna be our make or break, and it's a bit more a dance track that one, something we haven't really done before which we're looking forward to.Band - myspace.com/manlikemeWriting & Photos - mudlove.squarespace.com
