A few months back I wrote a piece called A Heavy Load, inspired by some friends who had recorded an album. Things slipped into a rant about Disability Rights issues as some of the band are disabled.

Their band documentary has recently been shown at a recent Film Festival in Brighton where it received much attention and accolades. There are now possibilities of a distribution deal (Anyone at The Brink interested?) for both the film and the album as well as enough of the Queen’s shilling to fund a trip to your very own home turf, NYC, for some gigs. Watch this space...............................

I finally got round to review their album; The Queen Mother’s Dead

Open those eyes, think laterally, and read on..........

Heavy Load unleashed their new album to critical acclaim in their local manor, Brighton, with an album launch at the prestigious Ocean Rooms, in the centre of town.

TQMD is chock full of wired energy, raw, retro, garage-band rock played with total punk commitment. An attitude that underpins these 12 slices of downright manic unmitigated tunes is one of a get in or get out stance.

Flowing through these tracks is lead vocalist Simon Barker’s white hot vocal delivery reminiscent of a Johnny Rotten/Iggy Pop/Joe Strummer crossbred mongrel. He fucking means it. Mick Williams (gtr) shares some of the lead vocals, but it is Simon who gives the real vocal impetus to Heavy Load. The entire band contributes raucous vocals.

Their Heavy Load theme tune opens the album, with some magical Theremin played by Jimmy Nicholls (rhythm gtr). The rhythm section of Michael White (drums) and Paul Richards (bass) immediately signal their intention to drive the `Loads songs with power. They cover some classic tracks; Be Bop a Lula has a dynamic faltering energy to it that seeps out of the speakers. Their audacious cover of Queen Kylie`s Cant Get You Out Of My Head is heavier and more honest than her watery pop classic. A blast through Neil Hefti`s Batman segues into the seminal (Come and get it now) Frank Butcher – the bands deconstruction of the EastEnders Pringle Shark himself ; yup, you guessed it, Frank Butcher ( EastEnders is a a very popular UK soap-opera style TV programme, celebrating trouble and strife in the east end of London. Badly and tiredly), all punk attitude with a large dose of sneery zest. Don’t know what Frank’s got coming to him, but you can bet your bottom dollar it’s gonna be rock hard.

Friends and Family gives you a breather, a laid back groove, recalling Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape crew, a heartfelt tribute to the importance of relationships.

A thrash through Psycho steams straight into The Stranglers JJ Burnel sounding bass intro which pulses through and drives I See You Baby. This cover of the famous car advert soundtrack aint gonna sell no cars, more like something the size of an oil tanker.

Track 9, TOTP, breaks down from rock to the bands shout outs to their fave popular cultural characters, underpinned by a frazzled acid drum and bass throb.

I think Joe Strummer would have given their rock thru version of I Fought the Law, the thumbs up, had he not sadly passed away recently. The band blast through Wild Thing and slip into Louie Louie, garage rocked for your pleasure.

The final track, the `Load penned title track of the album is a real experimental sounding number, like Public Image in their less bloated days. A slow drone builds up, with a sound like squawking, demented seagulls in the background. This drops in and out to slices of short, spoken word performances. The song ends with a desperate shout from Simon – of relief, pleasure, frustration who knows? A mixture of all three and some more, I would guess.

All in all, if you like your music bland watered down Top 10 crap, run for the hills. Heavy Load serve you up a garage punk album that is chock full of honesty, anger, beauty and a size 10, kick up the ass, clout.

Get in or Get Out.

As your Attorney, I really advise you to Get In. NOW…………………………

Available from; http://www.heavyload.org/

Paul H.