The Forty Fives @ The Borderline, London on 30th August
Playing frantic RnB with a nod to UK influences - the set included covers of "Midnight to Six", "Daddy Rolling Stone" and "Shake" via the Pretty Things, Who and Small Faces - the Forty-Fives had a modest crowd jumping at the Borderline on Monday night. It's always a good sign when members of a band give so much that fifteen minutes into a set their shirts are drenched in sweat and which made this show yet another example of why Americans make so many UK bands seem so lifeless. Warning: These guys play loud and fast, obviously enjoy what they are doing, and are not afraid to give any girls in the audience the come-on. Which all sounds like a healthy way of approaching RnR to me and one that harks back to the original template as developed by Elvis, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis et al. Playing a selection of tunes from their three discs, other characteristics of the Forty-Fives approach included Keith Moon / Kenny Jones style drumming, a Rickenbacker guitar played like an electric guitar and not a "Mod banjo", and keyboards that went from Remains-like electric piano tinkling to cheesy Farfisa. Together with killer hooks and a positive attitude to getting up on a stage it all added up to one hell of an evening. The Borderline appears to be booking Yep Roc acts of late, SCOTS played last month, with said acts making shorting tours of the UK and Holland. Far be it for me to suggest that this arrangement might be of interest to the Fleshtones should they wish to stop moaning that everyone still hates them in England.
