A few weeks back I was drafting a review of the latest release by The Mekons, Natural. You may have heard of this album. It’s their Led Zeppelin III, their back-to-nature, mostly acoustic, British-folk hoedown in which they’re presently touring in support of with stools and slightly exotic folk instruments in tow.
I had been featuring tracks like the charmingly rickety “Dickie, Chalkie and Nobby” and pretty “The Hope and The Anchor”. I had been trying to describe the rural punk-reggae of “Cockermouth”, thinking this album was an album only The Mekons could pull off. Then I received this note from Mr. Mod, who had caught site of my first draft and had already received a copy of the album in preparation for loading tracks onto the site:
Ed,
This album is great! I’ve been waiting for a Mekons album like this since Honky Tonkin’. This is the album Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros should have made rather than those world music, name-checking pieces of mediocrity! Let me know when you finish the review and I’ll load it up there. Thanks.”
Leave it to our fearless leader to tell the dead what they should have done with their final years on earth. We talked a little more about the album, and he kept coming back to his Joe Strummer obsession. I started to lose interest in my own review, and encouraged him to write the review.
“Nah,” he said, “I don’t know enough about those guys. I’ve always liked them in bits and pieces, but they’re one of those bands I want to be something other than what they are. It’s hard to explain.”
To help us understand what Mr. Mod thinks about this album, The Mekons, and the legacy of Joe Strummer, I asked him if he’d concede to an interview. Graciously he agreed to let down his typically objective role in moderating Rock Town Hall and tell us how he really feels. The following is a transcript of our brief chat.
KingEd: So you like Natural a lot? Why did you immediately relate it to Honky Tonkin’? Do you like any other Mekons albums?
Mod: I love this new one, and I was reminded of Honky Tonkin’ because it was the first album I’d heard by them since that one in which I could focus on the songs. They didn’t throw a bunch of stuff that usually distracts me from what I do like about them into the middle of songs. I don’t know a lot about their means of production, but The Mekons seem big on throwing a monkey wrench into their music. Those first country-influenced albums that preceded Honky Tonkin’ had good songs, but they sounded like they recorded those records in an oil drum. I’ve heard some of those later “rockin'” albums, and I’m immediately distracted by their poor ability to play power rock guitar.
Also, I’m never sure exactly who sings what, but from seeing them live years ago, I did notice that he guy who’s not Jon Langford – some guy named Greenlagh –
KingEd: Greenhalgh.
Mod: Whatever, I never get his name straight. Anyhow, I think that guy sings a lot of the songs I like best. His voice reminds me of Joe Strummer’s.
KingEd: I see. Hence, the Strummer thing. So why is Natural the album Strummer should have made? Isn’t it good enough that it’s your favorite Mekons album in some time?
Mod: This may be the benefit of The Mekons having flown under the radar for all these years and unfair to have expected of Strummer, but as a huge fan of Strummer, I would have liked for his legacy to have ended with one more great release, not just a “pretty good one for that Mescaleros stuff.” To me, Natural picks up on a lot of the “deep track” elements of Sandinista that Strummer tried to continue in his solo career but could never do as effectively and directly as The Mekons do here. The Mekons have always pushed forward and tried on new sonic landscapes, but on this album they simply allow the growth to take root; the songs sound natural. All the awkward elements they’d shoved together since the mid-80s have settled into a very dignified, confident album. The Clash never had this period of “closure” following Sandinista. I think Strummer was headed that way, but he was letting that Sam Ash Sound creep in and undo a lot of good that was indended. This new Mekons album contains not a whiff of the Sam Ash Sound.
KingEd: Well…you’re a strange bird, but you make enough sense. Thanks for your thoughts on this album. If it means anything to you, I think it’s really good, but to me it’s a bit of a lark. I’m looking forward for the band pushing forward once more. I’m fine with their version of rockin’ guitar anthems.
Mod: Thanks for turning me onto this album, Ed.
I was at their show here the other night at World Cafe Live along with a few other RTHers, though I haven’t heard this album yet. I do recognize most of these titles (like “Cockermouth” and “The Hope and the Anchor”) from the show, though. I really enjoyed the show, in any case, though I went not really being familiar with any of their material aside from a few songs.
I think it’s part of the Charm (and Curse) of the Mekons that they refuse the be the band that anyone wants them to be. I’ve acquired at least a dozen of their albums over the years, and I still feel like they’re a nut I haven’t cracked. Certainly this new ‘folky’ album is a curveball, and I like it, even though it is a head-scratcher. It’s such a downer, and in the past the band always seemed to be having fun while also being honest about the horrors of modern life.
The Mekons btw, true to their contrary nature, violate my principle of favoring the first record I acquire by a band. All the reviews led me to think that I’d like Honky Tonkin’, but I didn’t really get it when I got it, and it’s not especially one of my favorites now. I guess my favorite is Fear & Whiskey, but that’s mainly because the title song is so incredible. I’d die happy if I could write one song that good.
I only saw the band live once, on St. Patrick’s Day 2005, and I will warn anyone not to expect a professional show from them on a holiday associated with drinking. (Or are they like that every night?) Langford seemed like the kind of guy that dozens of people consider their best friend. I don’t know what exotic instruments Ed is referring to, but when I saw them (this was the Punk Rock tour) they had a guy who played only saz.
And I wouldn’t expect Mr. Mod to like a totally democratic band like the Mekons. From what I understand of their working methods, they write the songs, lyrics included, as a group. An autonomous collective, so to speak. Funny though, I thought Tom’s name was spelled Greenlagh too.
Congratulations to KingEd for coaxing a great review of the record from Mr. Mod? Reminds me of the editor’s trick: “I’m kind of stuck on this piece. I don’t know how to say what I want to say here.” “Well, what do you want to say?” “I want to say (blah blah blah).” “Well, there you go.”
I really like this record, and Langford’s a good guy to talk to.
When I saw them other night, they weren’t exactly completely professional (and I liked them all the better for it), but it’s not like the show you described. Then again, Sally Timms did request a margarita in the middle of the set and they brought it out (as well as drinks for other band members) later. There were endless cracks between songs, the best one being about the cable channel “Adult Desires” that Langford was allegedly watching at their hotel.
Furthermore, though, and more to the point, their shows seem to attract that wild and crazy element, even when playing such reserved and quiet material (to be truthful, I enjoyed the more upbeat numbers much more, hearing most of that stuff for the first time and all). For instance, there was a guy shouting at least 4 different times to see Rico Bell’s tits. Now granted, this was better than said drunk asking to see Sally’s tits (or those of the other female band members) and Jon Langford even noted his egalitarianism. Nevertheless, it got really annoying after a while and at the end of the night, the same guy not only jumped up onstage (much to the consternation of the security guy) to grab the setlists, but punched another patron when said patron got tired of his behavior. They’d also remarked earlier that there was a riot when they played the Khyber at one point. Of course, I’m sure they’re exagerrating, but after seeing that, I can believe it.
I wonder what geo and trolleyvox (who were both there) have to say about this show and the Mekons in general.
First off, the Mekons started as a political punk band (the first record really captures the feeling of people who can barely play their instruments but the desire to write captivating songs is somehow realized), and they’ve never given that up. Thus they go to fair lengths to deflect accusations of technical mastery.
When I saw them they were energetic and reckless, but the songs held together, and the crowd behaved (of course maybe we were all Mekon fans who know well enough not to spoil things with “rockist” stupidity.)
All of their albums mix together different styles and genres, some more successfully than others. I have been listening to Journey to the End of the Night a lot lately; the last song, “Last Night on Earth” has amazing vocals by Neko Case.
Overall, the Mekons are a special group for me. Apart from the fact that they have a lot of records to try and keep track of they are down to earth people who have a political optimism and a love of artsy experimentation. The best of all worlds, in my opinion.
Yep, I do like this record a lot. I saw them live years ago – around ’89? – at Revival, for those who remember that place. A band I was in opened for them. They were very good, and they were good people to boot.
Dr. John, would you like to say more about your “‘rockist stupidity'” comment? The band, like so many other bands, plays a form of rock music. They even have an album called Rock ‘n Roll, right? There’s no reason they can’t be judged by accepted rock criteria. It’s not like so-called rockists apply some jazz-fusion snobbery to rock bands. There’s no need to make excuses for the fact that some rock bands do not quite rock in as identifiable as others. The Mekons are all about their “democratic” approach to creativity. That’s great, but it comes at a price. To the band’s credit, they often find a way to make it work. But really, what is it that you’re saying when you refer to “‘rockist’ stupidity”?
Well, my quip about “rockist stupidity” referred to a Mekon show where some of the audience acted like complete idiots. To me that kind of behavior could be expected at a rock show, where no one really cares about the band; they just want to be entertained.
To take it further, the Mekons like to make fun of rock n roll (as any of the lyrics from that song indicate). Many of their songs critique the economic relations that sustian corporate media (one of my favorites is “Empire of the Senseless”).
Now on to a stickier point–I think the Mekons do rock, no question about it. But rather than do it by way of technical virtuosity, they use drones, dense instrumentation, and massed vocals to create a wall of sound that just sort of wraps you up in the whole affair. While you could say their rocking out is different, it is by no means of a lessre value.
I got you, Dr. John, and I agree with your take on how the band rocks. Just wanted to poke around and make sure there wasn’t an inflammatory and, hopefully, highly
amusicamusing debate to be had:) [An “amusic” debate has been known to break out here as well.]