11 November 2010 (gig)
14 November 2010
Once upon a time… three outlaws called The Peckham Cowboys emerged from the lawless frontier that spans the SE15 postcode. Their mission? To make music destined “fer the bottom ‘o the charts!”
Let’s face it: in this age of vacuous X-Factor ‘superstars’ and sanitized, corporate-friendly bands, being at the bottom of the charts has got to be a compliment for any rock n’ roll band worth their rotgut bourbon!
Well then! Proud to scrape the bottom of the barrel is Quireboys founder member and guitarist Guy Bailey who, together with Marc Eden and fellow accomplice Dale Hodgkinson, unleashed the aforementioned Peckham Cowboys to support the Heavy Metal Kids (read separate review).
First, London’s very own L.A.M.F (Johnny Thunders tribute band) got the crowd into party mood.
Next came Peckham Cowboys. Offering a slight musical detour from the other acts, Guy Bailey’s new band proved to be a true revelation nonetheless. Exuding roguish charm and looks, Bailey has an undeniable feel for good ole kickass blues n’ roll. Fronted by kohl-rimmed dandy-renegade Marc Eden (half man, half rock god, 100% performer) and supported by third cowboy Hodgkinson, the remaining gang was comprised of guest musicians Andi-M, Simon Hanson and Alric Guyler on drums.
Opening number was ‘South London Thing’ and well, leave it to these cowboys to make south London sound wonderfully bluesy, boozy and sleazy!
Things moved from south of the river to ‘A Week In Larache’ – another simmering blues-rock number that sounds like a jam session taking place in a Moroccan kif-den. Marc’s raspy voice only added to the experience.
‘She Do The Twist And Twirl’ probably came closest to what the majority of the audience expected to hear, for the track is a more straightforward scorcher full with spunky rockitude, fast beat and in your face guitar solos. Not that it mattered how close it came to what the crowd might have expected. The Peckham Cowboys did their thing and they did it damn well!
After ‘This Is The Sound Of Millwall’ followed the exquisitely demented ‘Crackhouse Blues’. There’s a slight echo of Beasts Of Bourbon’s ‘Black Milk’ to the intro (that’s a good thing by the way), while the rest of the song could well be a musical interpretation of a Tennessee Williams drama, though strictly speaking crack was not around in his days. But you get what I mean. Utterly brilliant stuff that comes from the guts.
Closing number ‘Rock N Roll Star’ (after ‘Baby Girl’) was a feel-good honky-tonk affair complete with piano and harmonica. The Peckham Cowboys didn’t seem to care too much whether lads and lasses in the audience got them or not. They were in for a fun time on stage and to spread the unholy gospel of what good and honest blues-rock should sound like. Hells bells, they even gained some new disciples. More please!
