The Members
At the Chelsea Nightclub
Captain oi! 2006

You know how Tim Armstong’s voice turned more and more into an affected drunken cockney slur as Rancid progressed? THIS is where it comes from. Check out song 7 “Stand Up And Spit”.No denying it. (I hate to keep referring to Armstrong in these reviews, but his music is so ubiquitous and so derivative, it’s hard to avoid.) The thing is: you don’t want to hit Nicky Tesco, vocalist for the Members, square in the face for it. Just as at times he sounds like Billy Bragg, but he doesn’t sound like a whingeing dickhead. There is a real authentic feel here.

So. The Members “At the Chelsea Nightclub”. Sounds like it might be a live album. It’s not. No loss. It’s still pretty vital. Last time I said these guys were simple early British punk, and I’m thinking that may be an understatement. The music is decidedly more sophisticated than plenty of punk, but never forgets its roots. It’s not as simple as it seemed at first. It’s just utterly lacking in pretension (if you don’t mind dub interludes, that is). Once again, it’s excellent. I cannot believe these guys didn’t find the iconic status certain bands got just for being in the same place at the same point in history.

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