20 British Bands that Clevelanders Should Know About (If You Don't Already)
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Out of the ashes of the awesome reggae rock band Dub War came awesome reggae rock band Skindred (they lost a guitarist or something). Both bands are worth hunting down - look for Dub War's "Strike It" and Skindred's "Kill the Power."
Singer Skin was and is one of the finest front-women in rock n roll, while Ace remains one of music's nice guys and a great guitarist. They blended genres with beautiful abandon, and came out with a hard-hitting sound, Check out "Little Baby Swastikkka."
These Bradford boys were truly bonkers. Basically a rock n roll band, Terrorvision were really just out to have fun. Check out the spaghetti western-themed ode to a transsexual "Josephine."
This band later morphed into the Crimea, but the magic was gone. Davey McManus seemed unhinged, capable of going mental at the drop of a hat. Crazy, folky punk rock. Listen to "Will You Still Care?"
Perhaps the best rock 'n' roll band from anywhere in the past 30 years, Wildhearts frontman Ginger also has a solo career that needs more attention on this side of the Atlantic. You can literally listen to anything by the Wildies and Ginger,and it'll be wonderful.
You know a band is English when it inserts a "u" into the word "colour." These power-poppers didn't last too long because the band members didn't really get along. Still, songs like "Sunny in England" are worth revisiting.
A bit Cramps, a bit Ramones, all fucking crazy. This is a band that refused to be classified. Listen to "Psychosis Safari."
Alex Kane is a Chicago native now living in LA, but for most of the 2000's he fronted this glam-punk-power pop outfit in England. Damn, they even played the Donington Festival. "Hey Let's Get it On" is an amazing song, but the cover of "Good Vibrations" is also worth checking out.
Northern Irish band Ash reached festival-headlining heights at one point with a scuzzy alt-rock sound that should have done better over here, given the chance. "Kung-Fu" is the highlight of a killer debut album.
Not to be confused with the Detroit band called Beekeepers, the Brit version was (and sometimes is) a pop-punk band from Derby. "Killer Cure" is a song that will ear worm you all day. You're welcome.
