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GOMEZ TO THE RESCUE
After a much needed break from music, writing and just about everything else
life can throw at you, I’m thrilled to be back in the saddle and communicating with
all of you, the wonderful readers of The Truth Magazine! It’s been a while so what
do you say we get right down to business, shall we?
There’s something to be said for getting back to your roots and doing what
feels most natural. It’s a simple concept, one that we all understand and value, but
one we also (at least I do) take for granted from time to time. Sometimes we don't
even realize how important this feeling inside of us can be. For me, it always has
been and always will be listening to and watching live music. There is an energy,
a certain undeniable feeling that comes over me when I’m at a show, watching a
band I love, play and share their music. In this case, I have Gomez to thank for
reminding me of this absolute and unapologetic need.
Gomez, for those of you who don’t know, is pretty much the best band around
that no one seems to talk about. It was around 1995 or 96 when I first heard this 5
piece out of Britain. They had (and still do) enlist a sound all their own. Each song
they write, meticulously crafted and uniquely arranged is always different from
their previous offering. They can be mellow, aggressive, psychadelic and straight
up rocking, but they are always unique. The band – Ian Ball, Ben Ottewell, Tom
Gray, Olly Peacock and Paul Backburn, break the conventional wisdom of most
bands by sharing many of the onstage and in studio duties. Whether it is rotating
to different instruments or changing lead vocalists, Gomez puts a new face on a
rather old medium. They are always a breath of fresh air.
Be it 1998’s debut album, Bring It On or their current release, A New Tide,
Gomez has always given their fans what they’ve come to want and expect…great
music and an even better live show. I was lucky enough to catch them recently
(June 1st at Terminal 5 in NYC) and they certainly lived up to expectation and
reputation. From the start of their 20-song set, Gomez was in peak form and
delivered a brilliant performance. What made this show particularly amazing was
that it was their 3rd show in New York in two months! You would think they might
not try as hard or care so much considering the closeness of their NY
appearances. Quite the opposite…they viewed this gig as a challenge. As a
matter of fact they made mention of this right off the bat. I believe it was Tom who
thanked the crowd for filling up the place and coming out to see this third show.
Once that statement was made, you knew you were in for a great night because
they certainly couldn’t mail it in then. They didn’t! What they did was take it (and
us) to another level.
For those of you have always read my columns you know that I’m not really
into giving a blow by blow account of the shows I cover. I’ve done that once or
twice but I never like doing it. It always reads as mechanical and you know I’m all
about feel and energy. So instead of a song by song description, just imagine two
hours of the greatest separation from life one can have on a Monday night. That is
the reason behind the title of this piece. The word rescue indicates there is a
problem brewing and you need some help in order to escape it. Sometimes you
can rescue yourself and sometimes you need a bit of help. In my case, in those
few months away from music and from this publication, I needed something to
rescue me. I had not felt the same magic and utter satisfaction that music had
always seemed to provide. I started questioning myself and wondering if I had
lost my love of music. Now, in all honesty I knew that music would always be a
part of my life, but I wasn’t sure if the importance I once held for it had lessened.
Frankly, that scared the shit out of me. However, on that pre-summer Monday
night, in an old warehouse on the West Side of Manhattan, just as the lights were
going down and the first notes were being blasted through the sound system, I
knew right then and there that I had been rescued. And I do not intend on straying
again. Thank you Gomez! And thank you Truth Magazine readers and editors for
waiting around for me!!
http://www.gomeztheband.com/
After a much needed break from music, writing and just about everything else
life can throw at you, I’m thrilled to be back in the saddle and communicating with
all of you, the wonderful readers of The Truth Magazine! It’s been a while so what
do you say we get right down to business, shall we?
There’s something to be said for getting back to your roots and doing what
feels most natural. It’s a simple concept, one that we all understand and value, but
one we also (at least I do) take for granted from time to time. Sometimes we don't
even realize how important this feeling inside of us can be. For me, it always has
been and always will be listening to and watching live music. There is an energy,
a certain undeniable feeling that comes over me when I’m at a show, watching a
band I love, play and share their music. In this case, I have Gomez to thank for
reminding me of this absolute and unapologetic need.
Gomez, for those of you who don’t know, is pretty much the best band around
that no one seems to talk about. It was around 1995 or 96 when I first heard this 5
piece out of Britain. They had (and still do) enlist a sound all their own. Each song
they write, meticulously crafted and uniquely arranged is always different from
their previous offering. They can be mellow, aggressive, psychadelic and straight
up rocking, but they are always unique. The band – Ian Ball, Ben Ottewell, Tom
Gray, Olly Peacock and Paul Backburn, break the conventional wisdom of most
bands by sharing many of the onstage and in studio duties. Whether it is rotating
to different instruments or changing lead vocalists, Gomez puts a new face on a
rather old medium. They are always a breath of fresh air.
Be it 1998’s debut album, Bring It On or their current release, A New Tide,
Gomez has always given their fans what they’ve come to want and expect…great
music and an even better live show. I was lucky enough to catch them recently
(June 1st at Terminal 5 in NYC) and they certainly lived up to expectation and
reputation. From the start of their 20-song set, Gomez was in peak form and
delivered a brilliant performance. What made this show particularly amazing was
that it was their 3rd show in New York in two months! You would think they might
not try as hard or care so much considering the closeness of their NY
appearances. Quite the opposite…they viewed this gig as a challenge. As a
matter of fact they made mention of this right off the bat. I believe it was Tom who
thanked the crowd for filling up the place and coming out to see this third show.
Once that statement was made, you knew you were in for a great night because
they certainly couldn’t mail it in then. They didn’t! What they did was take it (and
us) to another level.
For those of you have always read my columns you know that I’m not really
into giving a blow by blow account of the shows I cover. I’ve done that once or
twice but I never like doing it. It always reads as mechanical and you know I’m all
about feel and energy. So instead of a song by song description, just imagine two
hours of the greatest separation from life one can have on a Monday night. That is
the reason behind the title of this piece. The word rescue indicates there is a
problem brewing and you need some help in order to escape it. Sometimes you
can rescue yourself and sometimes you need a bit of help. In my case, in those
few months away from music and from this publication, I needed something to
rescue me. I had not felt the same magic and utter satisfaction that music had
always seemed to provide. I started questioning myself and wondering if I had
lost my love of music. Now, in all honesty I knew that music would always be a
part of my life, but I wasn’t sure if the importance I once held for it had lessened.
Frankly, that scared the shit out of me. However, on that pre-summer Monday
night, in an old warehouse on the West Side of Manhattan, just as the lights were
going down and the first notes were being blasted through the sound system, I
knew right then and there that I had been rescued. And I do not intend on straying
again. Thank you Gomez! And thank you Truth Magazine readers and editors for
waiting around for me!!
http://www.gomeztheband.com/
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