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Baptising Thee Vicars

'I predict a riot' is a familiar theme from a recently structured sub-genre known as new-wave punk rock, a melodious take on our snarling DIY heroes from the late 70's ("Oh here he goes again, punks!" Bare with me...), and despite its mainstream acceptance - and the fact that we all have a couple of tracks tucked away somewhere in a party play-list - let's face it, it's crap. About as close to a riot as Tai Chi, a foot-tapping forage into metro-sexual rebellion, "sometimes I actually sprinkle non-organic pumpkin seeds on my watercress and drink Coke zero - and my parents love meeee..." Enough is enough, so without further ado, I introduce a bunch of teenagers who've stolen our hearts here at Modern Design. At the almost pre-pubescent age of 16ish, the core of garage-punk rock band Thee Vicars (check MD issue no.3 for garage rock feature) is at the centre of something truly revolutionary. By throwing off the sticky-sweet coating of an image conscious permutation of the genus, and at the incredible risk of repetition on our part, Punk is back - but this time with the kids, and that means it might not die out when the old-wave of narco-addled punk pioneers finally give up the ghost.

7:30 on a Friday night, we take a recess from Friday recess in the bar next door, stumble back into the office, shorthand capabilities severely annulled (how rock 'n' roll), and dial the mobile number kindly provided by Lee, the band's manager. Fortunately for us, as far as scoops go, Lee's phone rings in the tour bus somewhere on the A11 in Suffolk, the whole band are present and moving at the hurtling vantypical speed of 65mph - not quick enough to get away from Bury St Edmunds apparently - and certainly none of them could get away from us, even if they wanted to now.

MD:  Firstly, where are you headed, and please tell us you're in a Transit Van?

TV: (Mike - bass and vocals - answers Lee's phone). We just left Bury thankfully and no, it isn't a Transit (Someone in the back shouts out), "It's a big Bluey, a Leyland cruiser- second best but it works." Paul continues, "We're on our way to Norwich, a wicked club called P2 to play a gig."

MD:  Do you get nervous before a gig?

TV: Never get nerves, we love it.

MD: We can hear a lot of influences in your music, but admittedly we are old - which bands really drive you on?

TV: The Remains,

MD: What, the Ramones? (one of our main, guessed influences)

TV: Naaaaaa, The Remains..... and 13 Seeds, 13th Floor Elevators, The Kinks and The Mummies. We've taken all our favourite bands and planned out our own version of things. It works for us.

MD: Us too; it says on your website that Jasper (the drummer) smashes things up, like what?

TV: Well, collectively only our own stuff, but I did blow up an old valve amp once that wasn't mine - but it was accidental.

MD: So is the controversial punk compliment of crowd-spitting coming back?

TV: No way, Some guy threw a glass at us once and I chucked my guitar at him, NO WAY would we be egged-on by a load of Spitting, totally unacceptable! (Admittedly there are more virally transmitted diseases these days, so we let them off this one)

MD: What time do the younger members have to go to bed?

TV: Ha ha (sarcastically) 6:30 on a non gig night before the pub opens, and 2:30 on a gig night (I guessed they'd answered that one before).

MD: Do you like the Buzzcocks? Your lead singer Mike sounds a bit like Pete Shelly on steroids.

TV: Deffo.

MD: My claim to fame is that I once went for a Kebab with Pete Shelly in Amsterdam (well, he had a falafel - vegan punk). If you could go for a Kebab with anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be?

TV: (Reuben the guitarist grabs the mic) Oooh that's a really tough question...Steve Marriott from The Small Faces, but I dunno what he'd be like, maybe not so cool so I might not like him. (Marcus the other guitarist pitches in) Maybe someone fat, like the woman from Gossip...mind you she'd just eat everything (everyone laughs then Lee has a turn). I reckon Bjork'd do something nice 'n' weird with a Kebab (he's got a point).

MD: So what's up with Bury St Edmunds?

TV: (still Reuben) Ah, it's okay, but there's a very small mentality there, no decent music, just copy-cringe Indy and...Metal, we can't stand metal or metallers. It's obsessed with religion as well but it is on ley line with Glastonbury and Stonehenge - that's how we came to the band name.

MD: So where's your favourite Venue?

TV: We've played the Dirty Water club in London 4 times, we love it there, it's got a great sound, good groove and Professor Blindin' is wicked.

MD: Who's he?

TV: The resident DJ, yeah he's cool.

MD: And what about groupies? I noticed your facebook's are full of babes, whereas mine's full of old reprobates.

TV: No one would get in this van after a gig, trust me. The drummer gets millions though, I got 5 or 6 but we're usually just buzzing after a gig and it's just not on our minds.

MD: How did it feel winning Best Punk Act at the Indy Music Awards in London this year and then playing in front of 1,500 people?

TV: Just amazing, your mate Pete Shelly presented us with the award (sarcastic), but then we weren't used to the big stage at The Forum, it felt big, we're just used to bumping into each other on stage - but it was pretty amazing.

MD: What did you do after?

TV: We just went home from London, ah no, a few of us went out with Shane McGowen. (Like you do)

MD: What's he like?

TV: He's alright; he's done a lot for us, top bloke.

MD: We're loving the vinyl releases, why are you doing it, is it worth me investing in a turntable?

TV: Yeah, we love vinyl, most of our collections are on vinyl - we are heavily influenced by the 60's music in our collections - You can't be punk without a bit of vinyl and basically, CDs are for soft Indy kids (I guess that means yes, you better buy a turntable).

MD: In all honesty, do you think you were born 20 years too late?

TV:  Definitely, we all wish we'd lived in the 60's (someone in the background says no and an argument sparks up... in the end the decade-defector comes round to peer pressure and starts agreeing with the others).

MD: Punk has been something else for years now, do you see yourselves as rescuers or revolutionaries, or am I just reading too much into all this in the hope that it is well and truly back?

TV: We are revivalists for sure, but we're part of a new sort of strand of punk.

MD: How are the parents of the younger members handling things?

TV: (Reuben) Well I'm sixteen, but my parents are punks, they've been there and done that. They come to the gigs in Bury St Edmunds and London so it's no sweat. (I bet they are younger than me, but I daren't ask)

MD: You're taking part in some amazing garage festivals, Rotterdam, Valencia, New York. How does that feel?

TV: It spurs us along no end, but we're just part of that scene - we get a pretty good reception though.

MD: We also love the label Dirty Water Records; are they influential in what you play or are you pretty free spirited?

TV: No, they are cool and they sign garage bands, that's what they do - they push to release vinyl as well. But we play what we play the way we want to.

MD: Who writes the songs then?

TV: Mike, he had a troubled childhood in a small town. (Lots of laughter)

MD: Have you got any advice for our younger readers who see music as the way forward?

TV: Go to charity shops and buy vinyl, 60's, 70's and 80's music - it's a cheap way to do it - and read about bands.

MD: Where do you think Thee Vicars are heading?

TV: Dunno, we are planning to see who approaches us in New York, apart from that we just want to live off playing and see where we end up.

MD: So have you got jobs right now?

TV: Well 3 of us are working on our 'A' levels, and a couple of us have part-time jobs too. ('A' levels? I doubt Sid had any of them!)

MD: Like what?

TV: One cleans at a school, two of us wash Lorries outside Bury and Mike works at Home Base. (More Mike-bound taunting laughter).

MD: Nice one, so what about the drummer, we heard he's leaving the band to go to Uni, that's not very punk rock is it?

TV: He loves music, but he wants to do what he wants to do, there's no pressure. We wanna wash Lorries and play, he wants to go to University - that's just the way it goes.

MD: When's he leaving?

TV: He left last weekend, Will's our new drummer.

MD: So one week with you and he's already gigging?

TV: Just a few hours' practice to be honest, but he's shit hot - we are well happy.

We could only wish them the very best for their upcoming gig, and the boys politely invited us to come and watch them play whenever we liked - and we'll take them up on it. Their sound is unique for today, and after talking to them I really don't imagine they care what anyone else thinks about it. In true punk fashion, they improvise, the way punks should - and it's an integral part of their resonance. And though perhaps the fuzz that these retro vinyl-bashing teenagers discharge may be a touch short on the melodic for many, it is a truly accomplished sound. Like the UK Subs, The Buzzcocks and a subtle background seasoning of the 60's all whisked up in a pogo-processor (ach, just go to the website and listen to 'Don't wanna be like you'). It seems like this bunch of affable young punk rockers, veritable angelic upstarts who honestly made my jaw ache with laughter at some of their daft comments about Kebabs and Lorries, are on their way to something special. Thee Vicars are kneeling at the gaping font of international recognition, poised to altar the opinion of a generation, and if anyone is going to predict a riot - it's got to be them.

Thee Vicars are; Mike Whittaker 18; Reuben Kemp 16; Marcus Volkert 16 and Jasper Kemp 17 who has given way to Will, the new drummer.

Check out Thee new album and Thee latest single at   www.theevicars.co.uk

About the Author

Dave Vickers of is a seldom present features writer at Modern Design, a magazine published by architects Diseño Earle. He leads a strange kind of double professional lifestyle, and when not contributing his prolific pun flavoured ramblings to the magazine (that to be honest just make everyone groan in despair) he does other stuff that will perhaps one day mount to something. In his spare time Dave pretends not to drink much and avoids dancing at all costs – freedom in choreographic expression making him feel a bit exposed. To help practice what he writes about, he occasionally cycles to work, reducing his immediate carbon footprint and allowing him to wear body hugging Lycra, his favourite material by far.

Hobby's: Frisbee

Favourite food: Thai coconut soup, chips

Haircut: Looks like Mcfly’s dad. (on a good day)

Girlfriend: Yes

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