“A lot of bands in Liverpool live off the Beatles’ heritage, and as much as I like all that music from that pop generation, it’s not something that has influenced us directly as a band. A lot of bands try and sound dead sixties.”
Four lads with short scruffy hair, deep set glazed eyes and tightly clenched jaws; fuelled by urban hostility and surrounded by emergency sirens, as heard so prevalently on the album; are being hailed as one of the best new acts to be born out of the punk/ska revival. Rather than the sixties, the seventies and eighties seem to have been a much bigger influence.
The Dead 60s arouse such devotion to the themes of anti-conservatism and emotional deadlock; things have a habit of going around in circles. Except the Dead 60s are not the first or last to salvage traditional values for their musical inspiration. They are however the first, in a long time, to do it with such delinquent energy.
Deep-rooted musical influences and recalling the bands and popstars dancing on television, Bryan Johnson (drums) never comprehended not being in music, as his house was filled with the sounds of rock steady, soul and motown records. He says of his childhood; “Growing up in Liverpool, you want to be a footballer or in a band.”
His eclectic taste in music, instilled by his parents has resulted in an irregular musical taste, “I’ve got such a short attention span it changes from day to day. At the moment I am listening a lot to Echo and the Bunnymen. As a band we’ve been listening to Can, Kraftwerk; a lot of German stuff.”
The Dead 60s debut self-titled album offers a slice of youthful deprivation, finding refuge from the city’s quicksand. On New Town Disaster Matt McManamon yelps “But I need to get out, cause I need to get out…new town, no future!” Lyrically the Dead 60s are the epitome of adolescent dissatisfaction; as were The Clash and The Specials. In Horizontal Matt pleads “I strive, I strive for something else/But these four walls, my prison cell” Whereas their first single Riot Radio was a marvellous juvenile romp of catchy reverb-laden vocals dreaming of reaping havoc from a conformist’s ‘11th hour’.
Nostalgia drips out of Dead 60s every pore. Aside from their name paying homage not only to the bands of a bygone era, but also mocking Liverpool’s erm, frequent charming adjective. The studio where they recorded their album ‘full of vintage gear’ no doubt added to the acrimonious lyrics and swagger. “Making the first album was all about capturing the vibe of the band for us, the vibe of the band right now is excited and hyper.”
The fast-talking quartet have every chance of being dead popular.
Dead 60s album is out in September.
Jenny Pashkova