Marv Willers - Vocals. Guitar. Hair.
Chris McGinty - Guitar. Vocals. Keyboard (on occasion). Grr.
Johan The Asp - Bass. Oomph.
Paul Plow Man - Percussion. Beard.
Influences
In no particular order, viva The Clash, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Spaced (obviously), Tom Waits, Nomeansno, Blow, Back To The Future, The Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Martin Scorsese, Divine Comedy, Ben Folds, Bjork, Billy Bragg, Ed Tudor-Pole, The Mekons, Radiohead, Udo Kier, Amsterdam, Jim Jarmusch, Reverend Horton Heat, Neck, Waco Brothers, Gogol Bordello, Lynyrd Skynrd, Sweden, Hanson Brothers, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Bill Murray, Reverend Horton Heat, Elbow, Doves, Jeff Bridges, Tricky, Coen brothers, John C Reilly, Lars von Trier, Evilgood Circus Folk, Manu Ciao, Coffee & Cigarettes, Jan Svankmajer, Riget, Sigur Ros, A Clockwork Orange, New York City, ...............to be continued
!!FRIENDLY WARNING!! Anyone posting adverts for handbags and the like up on our comments page will be blocked from posting adverts for handbags and the like up on our comments page. No problem with bands advertising gigs and their own music but trying to sell handbags?! Seriously..??
"Cirque Du Mort" - a single review-
How can I begin to define this song ?
An oddity ? - very probably;
A successful diversification ? - very definitely !
I think its appearance and appeal is anything but 'weird', its a great, original, witty song, without ever straying close to being contrived, patronising or smacking of hoxton-chic, if you'll pardon that pun (!)
It isnt any of those things, and how does it manage that ? by never taking itself too seriously. Even the darkest barbs of twisted commentary are tempered by humour, whilst using every device available (melody, lyricism, spoken word et al) to acknowledge our guilty curiosity with the macabre, the travelling freak shows, snake oil peddlers, soothsayers and cloud-bursters. Like the sideshows that hauled themselves across America with great financial success using a sojourn through the darkness of the human condition....and turning it into sound business practise.....!!
They marketed themselves using the original moneyspinner - the big daddy of them all - 'Religion' - and, more specifically, its running as a 'business' with profitability its goal. Sermonising (demonising ?!!!) the seeds of doubt with ease; lets face it - theres nothing like the threat of fire, brimstone and final judgement to provoke an instantaneous consumer spending boom.
"...create a climate of guilt and fear, then offer the solution...at a price...." - that sentence is actually almost advertorial - just factor in Michael Winner's turgid upper-class whine and you can instantly imagine the neon luminescent signage glued jauntily to spires and steeples a-plenty......will we ever see 'St Paul's Cathedral' as sponsored by McDonalds ? ~ 'The golden arches' - an en route Automat providing support services to 'The Golden Gates'.[surely not ? such hypocrisy ?!!] - the total antithesis of organised 'religion' - relying (by its very definition!) on a 'faith and belief' system.......?!...
= "take me down to the Vatican city where the coffers are full and the cardinals pretty...."
(theres a comedic cover begging to be written there, Im sure of it !!) but this witty epithet blows smoke up their asses - and is all the better for it !
To over-analyse its multi-layering and mash-up of style origins, is like trying to unravel spaghetti with a chopstick....(largely confusing and essentially pointless)....
to me it evokes these thoughts:
Youre being read a Russian folk legend, thats been dipped in pastis, illustrated by Lautrec, that has pop-up mutants and freaks by Rion Vernon.....this tome is then left on the steps of a hand-painted Romany gypsy caravan, by a magic monkey who can time travel........
and these visuals:
Its like youve invited Mannon in, handed over heart and soul, and the horned beast takes human form (replete with goatee and full gallic sleaze) he don's top-hat, tails and takes up his role of host and ringmaster, to his very own bordello. A darkly twisted house of burlesque...nine raven-haired courtesan's spilling over the top of their corsets, serve absinthe, strychnine and belladonna, to those who reside, huddled round small tables, barely visible in the candlelit gloom and gitane smoke...but even unseeing, all eyes focus toward a 3-ring circus, fayre and freak show...the centrepiece of the seedy underbelly...and what WILL be revealed when the curtain rises....?
It being 'different' to their other material is irrelevant. It can and does stand alone, and does and will stand together with the rest of Doktor Mandrake's material - and in answering potential critics - probably the best thing I can say is : 'The Clash' - They hit the ground running with their debut album and from there, they never stopped searching, asking, listening and learning -and THAT, is a lesson, to us all.
Listen to it.Learn from it.Love it.
In short: A single so deliciously twisted and replete with wry wit, its a winner, a spinner, a fucking TV Dinner !
From the righthand corner of the forgotten lands where style plays a solitary third fiddle, borne of the Evalgüd Circus Folk of Whoknowswheresville, with nothing but the mystical magic monkey and a guy called Joe for company......came a man of peculiar vices.
A tale of woe and Joe cometh......as soon as said tale has been writ...
Come join us for our album launch - kicks off at 7pm, will go on till very late, will be very exciting, will be very messy etc etc etc. And not only that, it’s free entry. Recession-busting rock and roll, oh yeah…
hey up doktor How are you? Hope things are good and you’re having a cheery week. I’m messaging to see if you would like to be in our new music video. We’re filming in September, everyone involved will be wearing black and white stripes (ideally or black and/or white somewhere) and it will be lots of fun!!!
You can listen to the song HERE :O) and please if you can give us a vote while your there.
If you’re interested let me know. Really hope you’ll want to be involved and look forward to hearing back. ANNIE :O)
On tonight's Cellar Tapes we have the usual mix of all things glorious about the 1960's. Including songs from such acts as Cream, Buffalo Springfield, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry and The 13th Floor Elevators.
Tonight's show will be featuring album of the week Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 . Also featured will be The usual Here Are The Sonics Sonics Song, A Song from Jamaica and The Cellar Tapes Song for Your Dad.
There will also be a new feature, An Interview with the Youth, this week featuring Marv from Manchester prog-punk band Doktor Mandrake.
To say it is all happening this evening would be an understatement, but yes, it is all happening.
hey, kidolas, how long has it been since I told you that I adore you??? I remember you so fondly, honies xoxo - had to add you back on the profile - one of my fav songs!!! DON'T GET TOO CLOSE TO THE CLOWNS!!!
