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ASBESTOS POPCORN LIVE @ THE ZANZI BAR, LIVERPOOL 26/06/2010
Words: Chris Ward | Photo: Rob Hayes
| As a steady beat builds at the back, the lead singer, bassist and guitarist for Asbestos Popcorn begin singing a reverb-kissed mantra to the early evening, Liverpool Zanzibar crowd: “You are welcome to familiar sounds… You are welcome to familiar sounds…” It catches, it builds and it echoes, as the line keeps repeating from the stage: “You are welcome to familiar sounds… You are welcome to familiar sounds…” And of course, the audience gets what it means. Cause this isn’t a familiar sound. And who really needs more of those? We’ll suffer them enough at any other gig night, with bands shambling on that, two songs in, have you turning to a mate, sighing, “These just wanna be…” Not this time. |
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The sound of Asbestos Popcorn is unique to them alone; liable to divide, probably bound at times to bewilder; and hopefully purpose-built to reduce the ears of the faint-hearted to a soggy, bleeding, begging mush. Stood there, your mind scans through what it knows, trying to figure it all out... |
| Are those guitar riffs meant to sound like ‘Pink Flag’-era Wire crossed with Black Flag? What is it with all the Derek Smalls-Spinal Tap rock gurning? (Aside from being bloody hysterical - Oh yeah. That’ll be the reason…) And how should the brooding bass, schizoid vocals and one-liner lyrics hang together, exactly?! In the end, of course, the answer is just to ride with it, like some post-punk One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. “It’s good to be back,” we’re told, “last time we played we got banned for a year…” Ah yes... If there were a sign in the middle of the road, it would read, “Bewareof Asbestos”. And for that, Popcorners- we salute you. |
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