In this post, I'm not going to analyse songs, or criticise lyrics or arrangements or playing techniques or vocal delivery. This is rock and roll. It's a visceral thing.
The Kills are Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart. This is them playing in Amsterdam in 2008. The song is 'Last day of magic'.
I don't know anything about them personally (apart from some published facts, such as that Jamie is married to the model Kate Moss), and really I don't want to know. Well, not quite true - the one thing I like to know is that Alison overheard Jamie jamming, and felt forced to go and find out where the wonderful noise was coming from.
And it is a wonderful noise. He may or may not be able to play a pavane by Manuel de Falla, I don't know, but he knows guitar mechanics. One of my favourite bits of this video (and believe me, I'm going to eulogise further on this subject) is the last ten or fifteen seconds, after the song has actually finished. He acknowledges the applause, but goes straight to his pedals and tuner, getting his guitar in shape for the next song. He even ignores Alison, which shows singleness of purpose to an insane degree.
Because The Kills are all about the relationship between the two - on stage; offstage, I have no idea whether they even like each other. You can see it. It's like a burning chain between them as they perform. (A burning chain? Needs work. See me. Editor.) Others have remarked on the tension between them, the fact that they rarely take their eyes off each other (and mistakenly interpret this as a sexual thing, with coy comments like "Oooh, they should get a room" or "I felt embarrassed watching them"), but it's just an essential part of the telepathy (a non-existent power, but a useful concept) that makes the whole thing work. There's that section just after the two minute mark .... for me, that's the visual equivalent of the 'Layla' riff, or the first notes of the sax solo in 'Baker Street'.
Others have said that they should get a drummer, rather than using a drum machine or backing tracks. Or a rhythm guitarist. Who knows, maybe a ten piece gospel choir, and a horn section. No, no, and no. This is music stripped back to its basics, and that's why it is so powerful.
I've changed my mind, I'm going to cut this short. Jamie would approve. Just go back and watch the video again, or track down their stuff on YouTube or elsewhere. I recommend 'URA fever', 'Black balloon' or 'Sour cherry'. But you can't go wrong.
See, I got through this without once commenting on Alison's immense sexual magnetism. I am a New Man. (See me, you idiot. Editor.)
[Later:]
OK, I am going to augment this with a video of The Kills playing 'Fried my little brains'. What fun, what fun.
2 comments:
I'm in awe.
No other music blog on the planet would dare post (and almost exclusively it seems) about The Kills from 2008 and Kate Bush.
Yet, that is no bad thing.
You've won a fan.
Thank you. I view you as a peer and indeed a superior, so your comment is valued.
Well, I have no expectation of this thing earning me any money. Basically, I can just do as I like. And say what I like. It's just a way of using my time, and I like to write. So it's a pastime, a thing I normally abhor. I have just started out, but I would imagine I will get round to Joni, Dory, Neil, Janis .... maybe Fairport Convention, Captain Beefheart, Steely Dan ... but no Bob Dylan. Ever.
This is more fun than I have had in years, while fully or mostly clothed. I had forgotten how much enjoyment can be had from writing, when you are not on the clock or up against a deadline. I've been so stupid.
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