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Live Review
by SashaS
24-10-2004
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More on: Goldie Lookin'' Chain
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| GLC: go happy, go lucky, go laughin' |
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Live: Goldie Lookin' Chain
Astoria, London
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Goldie Lookin' Chain - the fun sound of the 2004?
As you’d expect Goldie Lookin’ Chain’s is a hoot of a gig, great fun, laugh-a-minute affair… They are a parody act but with a serious steak behind it, really knowing how to reflect the life of Welsh, or British, teens in the XXI century. Through their pish-taking they are critical of their own surrounding, the society as a whole and themselves, of course.
The octet from Newport burst upon the scene this year with Glastonbury date, No. 3 hit ‘Guns Don’t Kill People, Rappers Do’ and the Top 5 debut album ‘Greatest Hits’. They are hilarious, a chaotic krew that strikes an instant chord with any audience. They are like early Beastie Boys inasmuch by being an affectionate comedy act of the best-selling music genre on the planet. Wu-Tang Clan are often mentioned when comparisons are made but GLC could only be it if the legendary New Yorkers were fronted by Ali G.
They actually are more like The Streets with infinite amount of humour; the W[elsh]-boys rhyme about their lives, shortcomings, boredom, UK hopelessness as opposite to the American nightmare, making fun out of gangsta excesses… And there are a lot of patients in need of a jolly-cure, this is the middle of three sold-out dates in the Capital.
Dressed in rayon tracksuits - with sweat bands, fake gold and headgear such as golfing visors - they are bumping and grinding on stage, falling over and swearing their way through the set, a total send-up of a ‘proper’ Hip-hop date. It is funny but for how long? A novelty act is even more so when comedy is employed: how many times can a repeated joke be funny?
“We are about not having talent and about being crap,” Eggsy, the 28-year-old rapper-in-chief ascertained recently. “Record companies are desparate,” he added an explanation; “they’re scrapping the bottom of the barrel. There’re no more manufactured acts they can bring up any more so they thought, 'Sod it, we’ll try this bunch of tossers'!”
How can you resist such honesty? ‘Your Mother’s Gotta Penis’ is an anthem already! During their underground period, GLC made six DIY CDs they circulated among friends and managed to convince gossip-rag Heat they were working with Charlotte Church on a track. Just for this ruse alone they should get a Brit for Hype!
GLC are ‘safe’ [apparently Newportian slang for ‘cool’] but also literally so. Still, they were laughed off stage. Which is the whole point, what they wanted: mission accomplished, then!
SashaS
24-10-2004
Goldie Lookin’ Chain’s album ‘Greatest Hits’ is available now on Atlantic
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