Live
< Roland Shanks @ 93 Feet East
words by Tom Stopp
Loud And Quiet are standing next to new found friend, Vicky, from free-magazine.co.uk. Our journo note pad has been pinched for Vicky to scribble down her thoughts on Cure inspired, London quintet, Roland Shanks. Her notes openly read, “Roland Shanks are shite… The singer is gross… Very, very shite.” Vicky is being a little too unkind.
Lead singer/bassist, Jamie, may look the spit of Frodo Baggins, minus the precious gold ring around his neck, but while it is an acquired taste, some people go for that… right? Well maybe not, but ‘gross’ is perhaps a little too far. Jamie is however, pushing his luck on the cocky side, replying to a cheesy shout out from keyboardist, Ted, asking, “I hope you’re all going to buy We Are Scientists’ album?” with, “I’m not. They’ve given me a free one.” But before all this childish showing off began, Roland Shanks were doing all right. Not amazing, but sufficient.
Despite the ‘gross’ comment, even Vicky - and her pal Rachael - had a ‘jive’ to the bands meaty bass lines and Robert Smith barked lyrics, come the peaking ‘Roulette.’ But, with an all too accurate cover ‘The Great Escape’ penned by none other than headliners, We Are Scientists, Roland Shanks shoot themselves in the foot with fatal consequence. It shows what this gang of Killers fans could sound like with better songs. Accomplished musicians, Roland Shanks are unfortunately flogging a horse that has been dead since Christmas.
Originally appeared in volume 1, issue 7 of Loud & Quiet magazine
