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Lock & Key (feat John Sinclair)
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Lock & Key (feat John Sinclair)
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Released: Jan 1, 2010
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General Info

  • Genre: Rock

    Location Shepherds Bush, UK

    Profile Views: 136556

    Last Login: 4/18/2012

    Member Since 1/9/2009

    Record Label Track Records

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    .. .. .. .... .. .......... .......... .. .... .. .. .... .. .......... .......... .. .... .. .. .... .. .......... .......... .. .... .. .. .. THE DIRTY STRANGERS ..Who was it that said, you are what you eat? Some tribe of cannibals, probably. But for the Dirty Strangers, you are where you live. They are Shepherds Bush – cosmopolitan, a bit rough around the edges and beating with a heart of gold. .. ..The West London suburb, postcode West 12, begins where the M40 haunches and flies into the capital on an elevated stretch called the Westway. From there it spreads south and east to its snootier neighbours in Chiswick and Notting Hill. The borough is home to the BBC, HMP Wormwood Scrubs, Queens Park Rangers FC and the greatest little rock’n’roll band in the world. .. ..The Dirty Strangers were born in 1986-ish when Clayton – riding on the coat-tails of punk while mixing the rootsy rock’n’roll of Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Chuck Berry with a little bit of Otis Redding soul – honed a five-piece line-up including sometime Chuck Berry sideman ‘Scotty’ Mulvey and former Ruts guitarist Paul Fox... ..Clayton, the band’s prime motivator and chief songwriter remained a man prone to ducking and diving – a loft extension here, a bit of security work there – and in the latter capacity met Big Joe Seabrook, a man who did the same for Keith Richards. Recognising a pair of soul brothers this man introduced Clayton to Richards and within minutes – in full Shepherds Bush market nothing-ventured nothing-gained bravado – the Dirties frontman was asking Keef, ‘Wanna hear our album? Wanna play on it?’.. ..It just so happened that with the Stones on downtime and Mick making a solo album, Keef and Ron Wood were kicking their heels. Next thing, they were in some low-rent studio jamming because, well, it’s only rock’n’roll but they like it... ..Their names and work appeared on the Dirty Strangers’ self-titled debut album in 1987 and rave reviews followed. In 1993 a fine second album, Burn The Bubble, emerged but the world beyond W12 inexplicably missed out and the Dirties lapsed into hiatus – lofts were extended, kitchens finally finished….. ..Clayton, though, never stopped writing songs and playing gigs. He also stayed in touch with Keith and Ronnie and eventually joined the inner circle of crew on the Stones’ mammoth Bigger Bang tour of 2005-2007. With that jaunt completed the Dirties were reborn and a third album, once again featuring contributions by Keith and Ronnie. Its title – West 12 To Wittering – a homage both to the area that spawned it and the Rolling Stones guitarist who once told Alan Clayton: “We’re the same, you and me, but you didn’t get the breaks…”.. ..The new album is somewhat of a pastiche of Arthur Laurent's 'West Side Story, (just swap Shepherds Bush for New York) Clayton writes his own musical, influenced by personal life experiences that embrace gang culture, hoodlums, isolation, liberty, motors, and love stories... ..Keith plays piano on 5 tracks and on 'All Away' is joined by the legendary Joe Brown playing banjo. Ronnie Wood's slide guitar is on two tracks, 'South Of The River' & 'Gold Cortina'. Joe Brown's son Pete produced the album except for 'Real Botticelli' (co-written by Keith as was 'Bad Girls') which was produced by former Damned founder member, Brian James... For full tracklisting, please go to 'West 12 to Wittering (Another West Side Story)' in our blog section and click "view more". .. .. .. .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .. ...... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .. ...... .. .. ...... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .. ...... .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .. ...... .. .. ...... .. .... .. .... .. .. .. ........ .. .. ...... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .... .... .. .. ..

  • Members

    ....Alan Clayton:.. Guitar & Vocals.. ....John Proctor:.. Bass Guitar.. ....George Butler:.. Drums.. ....Scottie Mulvey:.. Piano Accordian – Just Another Story, Love for Life & Organ on Talk To Me.. SPECIAL GUESTS ....Keith Richards:.. Piano: All Away, Aint That Too Much, Survival Dance, She’s a Real Botticelli, Bad Girls & Guitar on Diamonds (Buried Treasure Mix),Wide Boys And Slim Pickings (Buried Treasure Mix), Oh Yeah (Buried Treasure Mix), Didn't Want To Be An Angel (Buried Treasure Mix) ....Joe Brown:.. Banjo: All Away.. ....Ronnie Wood:.. Slide Guitar: South of the River & Gold Cortina.. ....Pete Brown:.. Backing Vocals, Guitar and percussion on most of it... ....Chris Winter:.. Harmonica: Survival Dance.. .. .. .. .. ...... .. .. .. .. .. ..The Dirty Strangers - West 12 To Wittering:.. ..So what does it take to get Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood to cameo on your album? Perhaps it's simply that Keef and Ronnie recognise a bloody good rock band when they hear one? Listening to this, The Dirty Strangers' first LP since 1993 but none the less vital for it, it certainly seems that way. Add to that the fact that Alan Clayton's whisky-soaked London-via-Memphis voice frequently recalls Joe Strummer's (perhaps no surprise given Clayton's punk roots and obvious love of classic rock 'n' roll), and you have an album that is, ragged, jagged, fun, and very good. ....Rating: 8/10.... ....Review by Steve Kerr.... .. .. ..

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Talk To Me

03:21 | 172 plays | Jul 27 2010

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