FLC: Reviews

Album: Come Find Yourself

Fun Lovin' Criminals: A Tasty Scooby Snack

We're all getting sick of hearing the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. Even songs that sample the movie put me on the defensive. To be honest, when I heard `Honeybunny' and `Pumpkin' screaming about a robbery at the beginning of one of the Fun Lovin' Criminals' songs, I thought I would start crying.
But I didn't. In fact, that track, which also features other Tarantino samples from Reservoir Dogs, is my favorite one on the album. Why? Lyrics like: "Running around robbing banks/all whack on my scooby snacks." You heard `em: Scooby Snacks. We all knew what the Mystery Van was really about... Did anyone besides Shaggy and Scooby ever see the ghosts? No.
Fun Lovin' Criminals' debut album Come Find Yourself isn't a revolution rocking the foundations of rap music, but the rhythmic bass line which pumps all through the album makes me wish I had a CD player wrapped inside a really, really big car.

"La-dee-da-dee/Free John Gotti." Urban poetry. Grab your hanky.
Who are these crazy "gangstas"? They're actually three disgruntled ex-nightclub employees from New York City. Their debut album is a mix of hip-hop, blues, and jazz -- grab a pair of really big pants, turn your hat around, and chill. Or dance. Or roll down the street sippin' on gin and juice -- it's really your call.

Vocalist/lyricist/guitarist Huey explains, "We marry the technology of the 90s with the rudimental inflections found in early blues, jazz, and rock-n-roll." Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? So does Come Find Yourself.

The Fun Lovin' Criminals' first album operates on a few levels. Not only is their music great for dancing or lounging, but the sky high humor factor of lyrics on tracks like "Scooby Snacks" and "The King of New York" (the epic tale of a botched John Gotti jailbreak) makes this CD perfect background music for deep conversations with your homies.
The CD also features a cover of John Barry's (think James Bond composer) love theme "Her Majesty's Secret Service" originally sung by Louis Armstrong. The most sophisticated criminals on the block. I'm not positive, but I don't think they use the word "bee-atch" anywhere on the album either. Good Clean Fun, kiddies. Good Clean Fun.
Come Find Yourself has a real attitude. And after you listen to it long enough, you'll get one too. You'll like it. I promise.
Drummer Steve and bassist/keyboardist/trumpet player/harmonica guru Fast (who gave him that name, dare I ask?) clearly support touring and live shows. "Do it live, do it real," Steve offers. Fast adds, "There are so many people doing studio projects, but few are playing together live as a band."
Enticed by the idea of shaking your moneymaker to the live tunes of these wacky (albeit Fun Lovin') Criminals? Well then hop on down to Club Babyhead on Saturday, February 3. Steve, Huey, and Fast will be playing with the NY Ska Jazz ensemble and the Allstonians.
Whet your appetite tomorrow night, then pick up a copy of Come Find Yourself when it's released by EMI records on February 20. Although I don't advocate running around and robbing any banks afterward, your afternoon will have a great soundtrack. --LL

"One Two Three, and I come with the Redneck style, cause I get paid by the mile..." Like Avis, the Fun Lovin Crims try harder. They are focused, fun and several other words that begin with F. They open with their eponymous anthem and young Bristol responds to its urgent up-and-down bluesraprockcrossover appeal with what I can only describe as punk rock hysteria. Brave souls crowd surf. The rest of us pogo and skank.

All flyaway Corleone collars and Gotti goatees, the Fun Lovin Crims are familiar and exotic. Cool and ridiculous. Precise and passionate. Subtle and in your face. They blend more musical styles than Bobby De Niro has goombahs. They rock, they hip, they groove, they hop. And they even throw in a perfect swoon-worthy cover of Louis Armstrong's Bond Theme "We Have All The Time In The World."

Hero for the tour is drummer Stevo who has just been released after being arrested for making obscene phone calls to a gym from his hotel room in Leeds. Allegedly. The precise facts are unclear, the police claim he admitted the offence and was released under a caution. The band claim he was released without a stain. Whatever, he is a slightly embarrassed popular hero tonight.
Fast is the unsung musical genius of the trio. Tripping from keyboards, to bass, to trumpet and back again, he lays a rich blend of tones and colour across the FLC groove.
While Huey uses his guitar to seduce and to bully in roughly equal measures. Cooler than Pacino, meaner than De Niro, and funnier than he has any right to be, his vocals are the perfect topping to this Goodfellas pizza.
Songs such as "Scooby Snacks," "Grave And The Constant," "King Of New York" and "I Can't Get With That" are all acknowledged as classics in the UK. And tonight they are acknowledged in the classic style. The crowd go crazy wild for them.
This mean, moody mobster trio kick Bristol's butt all night long. And Bristol loves them for it. America needs to wise up to the wise guys.

Then the moment we were all waiting for- As DJ Matteo introduced Mackie, Huey and Fast onto the stage, a massive back drop appeared with the logo 'I love New York' and the music to Frank Sinatra's classic 'New York, New York'.. Everyone went crazy!! To start the set off the boys hit us with 'Where the bums go' followed by 'Loco', 'King of New York' and 'Smoke 'em' which always sound so brilliant live. Next they played a selection of their best rock, blues and schmoove songs with the headbangin' 'Southside' 'Run Daddy Run', 'Bump' and my favourite 'Love Unlimited'. As usual 'Scooby Snacks' had everyone jumpin' and so did 'Big Night Out'.
The boys looked as cool as ever and as always played their instruments with excellence. This was especially shown when during the middle of 'Mini Bar Blues' Huey's mic decided not to work. Huey just went to the front of the stage, sat on one of the speakers and did the main guitar piece marvelously . Every time I have seen the FLC live I am so fascinated by Fast - not just because he is so handsome!! - but because he is a wonderful musician, playing half a dozen instruments from the keyboards to the trumpet. Mackie, who always looks so cool, did the important job of giving us the beats and the grooves. Huey was his adorable, friendly self, interacted with the crowd, making sure we was having a good time and as usual making jokes. However, this time around Huey did not do his trademark 'Huey's acting school' which was a shame. Also, after the tragic events that happened in New York on September 11th Huey said it meant a great deal to him and the band to be in the UK playing gigs for us 'fans'. (It meant a great deal to us 'fans' too!)

Seeing as it is Christmas time, the stage looked all festive with Christmas lights all around the speakers and some instruments which, from where I was, looked so beautiful. Even though it is a good sized venue, I found Brixton Academy to be cold and unfriendly. After a short break, the boys came back with everyone's favourite 'Fun Lovin' Criminal' and played a few other songs before closing with as always 'We have all the time in the world'. Once again the boys had proven that they are one of the best live bands around. God Bless the Fun Lovin Criminals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After our last visit to a leisure centre (we don't do exercise) for the Carlisle gig in March, I was expecting another minimalist experience. Far from it this time. No queuing in the cold and the wet. No over zealous security men subjecting all and sundry to full body searches (Damn!) and no problem getting a shandy (I must employ a chauffeur.)

Having accomplished the most difficult part of the evening, finding the Dome in the rush hour, I stoked up the boiler with a burger and then settled down in the bar to kill half an hour watching the ice skaters. Doncaster is not the most gorgeous place on Earth but the Dome is certainly a credit and an asset to the town.

Doors opened at around 7.15 so we strolled in to the sports hall and assumed a position against the barrier close to Fast (because that's where there was a space, he's cute but not that cute.) The back of the stage is draped with a huge I Love NY banner and the fairy lights on the gear look like they were supplied by the Griswalds. Then came the only downside to the evening. We had to wait until 8-35 for the support act, by which time we had decided that there wasn't going to be one. We were, however, somewhat entertained by Matteo's DJ-ing prowess and some fine tunes.

Then, just as we had finally given up on him, on strolled the dishevelled figure we know as Super Bad Brad. Same hair, same glasses and still wearing that same godawful shirt. A quick twenty minutes of the usual karaoke and another town had grown to love him. We all have our niche in life, most of us never find it. This man undoubtedly has.

Then a quick 10 minutes of final preparations and the strains of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York mean that it's time for the three guys that Europe has claimed for itself. On they stroll to a rapturous welcome and the mood for the night is set. The guys are obviously glad to be back on stage and the crowd is grateful that they have found their way back to this corner of South Yorkshire.

It's a high energy set eschewing some of the slower paced stuff like She's My Friend in favour of high-energy material. Some of the older favourites have been re-introduced into the set and it's rockier as a result. One special treat is the introduction of The View Belongs To Everyone, which he says they haven't done live before and we believe him. It's preceded by a serious note as Huey thanks, well everyone I guess, for the support following the events of the last few months.

The main set ends, as always, with Big Night Out but the boys are soon back with a five song encore which opens with howling feedback from Huey that soon evolves into a ripping Fun Lovin' Criminal.

All too soon the night ends with another of the few constants of an FLC show, We Have All The Time In The World. We've not had any of the new material that's supposedly on the boil but we have had lots of old favourites, three of Huey's famous jokes, no acting school but a really big, big night out. A lot of happy faces spill out into the cold night air.

SET LIST: Where The Bums Go, Loco, King Of New York, Huey's Viagra joke, Huey's Bingo joke, Smoke 'Em, Korean Bodega, Bombin' The L, The Grave And The Constant, Run Daddy Run, 10th Street, Southside, The View Belongs To Everyone, Huey's Wanking Joke, Bump, Love Unlimited, Scooby Snacks, Coney Island Girl, Sugar, Swashbucklin' In Brooklyn, Up On The Hill, All For Self, Big Night Out, The Fun Lovin' Criminal, Minibar Blues, Half A Block, Bear Hug, We Have All The Time In The World.
...and finally ladies - who was that nice young man helping Fast? There was a school of thought on the front row that suggested it was his brother. Same good looks, same cool manner..