Jon - vocals, guitar
Tom - vocals, guitar
Sally - vocals
Rico - vocals,accordion
Sarah -bass
Lu - oud,saz
Steve - drums
Susie - fiddle
Influences
..
another TEMPORARY ADVERT - Jon Langford and The Burlington Welsh Male Chorus in NYC on Sept 17th at the Highline Ballroom with Timms, Antietam, KatJonBand and Chris Mills
AND at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in SF this October
Sounds Like
The Mekons are more than a band and more than a bunch of cracking musicians who play in various other bands. Throughout their history they have worked collaboratively and collectively with everything credited to the band, never to individuals. Their mind boggling output consistently blurs the lines between high art and low and has included exhibitions in the UK and US, a deranged musical recorded and staged with Kathy Acker and several books including the unique “Mekons United” surely the best tome ever published by, or about, a band. And, without ever being a comedy act, they are also very very funny to boot.
“Here’s to a band who have it all: tunes, creativity, humour, politics, brains, reliability, sex appeal.... as their musicianship has deepened they have only made the old stuff sound better.” Village Voice.
The Mekons were born to punk parents from the belly of rock’n’roll 25 albums and 30 long and hard years ago. These twisted folk have laughed more laughs, cried more tears and writ more tunes than you can shake a stick at whilst building a reputation as one of the very best live bands on the planet. Now the sinnin’ and prayin’ mekons return to their UK roots for 3 very special 30th anniversary concerts.
“the mekons have earned a reputation for the best live show around- an out of control party bursting with razor sharp wit and bouncy, rubber band rock. They’re the best kept secret in rock’n’roll and you’ll love ’em.” Interview magazine.
"few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation...it is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strakes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current wich can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
robert kennedy, day of affirmation speech at university of cape town in june 6, 1966
Hola chicos, quería enviarles un cordial saludo y una vez mas darles las gracias por tan estupenda y muy buena música. Para mi es un gran orgullo, estar en vuestra pagina amiga y fans, ya que sois de los primeros contactos en esta página, y aparte de ser unos estupendos musicos, les tengo aprecio por eso.
Hey the sexy Mekons, on Radio 2 just now (The Blagger's Guide) they called the Mekons the most important band of all time, unfortunately it was for spawning Americana acoustical guitar wuss music and not for spawning "Great Pop Things" or anything like that, but what the hey.
Mekons, The only way I knew about you is finding a record of honky tonkin in a used vinyl bin in Minneapolis. I knew you before I liked Gram Parsons, so the least you can do, is next time you come to god damn Minneapolis, play in a real bar. Good luck.
"we've got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point in memphis. we've got to see it through. when we have our march, you need to be there. if it means leaving work, if it means leaving school, be there. be concerned about your brother. you may not be on strike, but either we go up together or we go down together. let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness." -mlk in early 1968.
Hi, Mekons. Why don't you return my calls? I don't care about that money you owe me. Let's just get together and jam, hang out on the tire swing like old times.
