Preview: Wrath Records night
Incest, torture and finch-peeling… it's everyday life for these four
bands.
If
the average soap opera is a seething mass of fall-outs bed hopping and
liaisons that stretch the bounds of credibility, then the Leeds live music
scene could score a slot as guest scripter. Take the Scaramanga Six, for
example. Not content with helping craft darkly sophisticated rock with
lounge sensibilities - or 'torture from Yorkshire' as they like to be
known - brothers Steve and Paul Morricone are known to moonlight as rhythm
section heavies for front man Dave Cooke's Being 747. Last year's single
Peeling the Finch (on local promoter / leedsmusicscene webmaster Dave
Sugden's Bluestar Music label) was a glimpse into their dryly humorous
world.
But wait! Dave Cooke is a man with a past. Formerly of nearly-made-its
the Landspeed Loungers, when the band split Dave thought that he had left
his band mates tied to a cement block at the bottom of the River Aire.
But they returned played by the same people, for a change - covered in
algae and baptised as Galitza. Galitza also feature an ex-member of the
equally hotly tipped Chest who, failing to find any religious cults to
be seduced by instead offered up one of their guitarists to - that's right
- The Scaramanga Six [cue theme music].
Where this torrid tale differs from Eastenders or Hollyoaks is that it
has a happy ending. The Scaramanga Six, Being 747 and Galitza have teamed
up with Farming Incident - West Yorkshires finest agriculturally themed
post lock group - to form Wrath Records, a label that is not so much a
mutual appreciation society as a way to make sure as many people can appreciate
all four bands as possible. Whilst Farming Incident are the mongrel in
this pen of inbreds, guitarist leuan allegedly has a tattoo of Anne Widdecombe,
so their character is equally suspect. Or is it really an artistic interpretation
of Sixer Steve Morricone's goatee beard? The truth will be revealed. In
the meantime, there are currently four Wrath EP releases to enjoy: The
Scaramangas' 'Are You One of the Family?' and 'The Continuing Saga of
the Scaramanga Six'; Farming Incident's 'Open for Business, Closed to
the Public' and Being 747's 'Weather Girl', which has enjoyed airplay
on Xfm.
Much like the way that no-one leaves a soap opera unless it's in a wedding
limo or a coffin, all four bands play regularly around Leeds, but this
month's gig is a rare chance to see them all on the same bill. It promises
to be a showdown to rival Den and Angie's Christmas bust-up, although
for the sake of the management at Josephs Well, hopefully they'll keep
any contract shootings until the after-gig party.
The Scaramanga Six, Being 747, Galitza and Farming Incident play Joseph's
Well on 27 April.
Written by AB for The Leeds Guide - April 2002
