The Kicks - Live Review

The Kicks

NEW MUSIC NEWS - 17-5-80

One day some musicologist is going to light up Alan Hammonds' songbook and it'll be rather like the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls because nestling in those pages are some of the best pop songs to have been written over the past few years. Direct, melodic, a rough hewn commerciality wrapped around incisive and sharp lyrics with more than a touch of cheek thrown in for good measure: those are the qualities of the compositions. Kicks play with punch and panache , putting more media- mirrored bands such as The Jags and the appalling The Knack well and truly in the shade.

Their own material and the determination with which they present it assures that widespread acceptance may be delayed but inevitable. Hammonds, who handles lead vocals and occasional guitar, has a disarmingly nonchalant approach to his delivery and stage presence, occasionally gauche but always riveting. Brothers John and Les Rollason on Bass and Rhythm guitar  are both sterling performers and Tarky on drums handles his kit with a restrained passion that underscores the power beneath the surface of each performance.

On guitar were Dave Lister (his last performance) and Mick Rollason (his first). It's a tragedy that Lister is leaving the band because he's one of the most gifted and understated guitarists I've heard. 

It's a mammoth task to spotlight individual numbers because all are so strong but random highlights must include the beaty "FAB", "The Girl Said No", "If Looks Could Kill", "Thank God it's Friday", the up tempo white reggae of "Get off the Telephone" (a recent single on Carrere) and the powerful "Gonna Join The Army". During the latter , the onstage power opted for a day-of-action which would have ground most bands to a halt but, without even a pause, Kicks pressed on with the song, Hammonds  belting out an un-amplified vocal against Tarky's subdued beat; sheer professionalism in action, even to the extent of Mick Rollason taking a completely silent solo, probably the best I've never heard! The crowd rightly gave them an ovation. 

Add style like that to the impact of the music and The Kicks must eventually be lauded for being the stars they already are.

Paul Bearer