Song Of the Day: January 8, 2006
The British Norberts – The Russians Are
Playing with the Weather
Moon Cheese Records 45, 1987
One of the first really blatant examples that I’ve come across of Americans singing with a British accent. Or if the singer is actually British, then massive points off for trying so hard. This was, after all, a band from Boston, another in a long line of Boston outfits trying single-handedly to create some sort of mod movement in town and failing miserably (the Prime Movers come to mind). They left this track and a disappointing ep in their ripple. Dig the Political Statement lyrics. But man, it all works. The verses are Close Lobsters (we’ll get to them in a future post), the choruses are Jam, and the instrumental break is top-notch Echo and the Bunnymen, all wrapped up in an endearing mid-fi neophyte bundle. Maybe they should’ve moved to England. One of the guitarists/vocalists was a John Dragonetti, who latter turns up leading the band Jack Drag. Seems he grew up in the Middle East, attending various elite schools, so it’s likely that he’s our boy. Don’t know if we should give him his points back, though.
-Andrew Chalfen
posted by Jon Harrison at 6:36 PM
8 Comments:
This is a lovely and obscure little charmer. Note the shot of Vladimir Lenin in the lower right hand corner. Nice...
Hey, Chalfen, you weren't planning on doing "Just Too Bloody Stupid" by the Close Lobsters, were you? They're on my upcoming list too.
Charity, incidentally, is sure she saw these guys back in the day.
No, I was going to talk about "My Days Are Numbered", so knock yourself out, Mason. I've already been beaten to the punch on the Colorblind James Experience (I was going to offer up "A Different Bob").
The TV Neats' "Pushing Buttons" (1980)
features a nice early fake British accent too:
http://spikepriggen.blogs.com/stars_after_stars_after_s/2005/01/tv_neats.html
the singer is Steve Ackers. John Dragonetti does the backing vocals. The songwriter pair met in Dubai and were taught in "english" english. They grew up on bootleged tapes of english music (Jam, XTC etc.) on sale in Dubai...The band was started in Boston ( at Berklee) though and a got a lot of slack from other bands for singing with an english accent.
Thanks for the mp3!
Greetings from the drummer of the British Norberts!
Cyril
I was at Berklee when The British Norberts were around. Saw a great show with them and Big Dipper at The Channel, which was just some run-down industrial warehouse by the river.
Have a five-song demo cassette they made which is really good as well. I always thought that the British accent thing was just some kind of inside joke more than anything else.
PS--John Dragonetti was always real nice to me. Interesting guy who was very intelligent and well-travelled.
MY copy of the EP is red (not green), I'll have you know...and so treasured, I still haven't found a suitable place to stick the included Norberts sticker.
Maybe my casket.
Anyway, such a pleasure to find this on the interweb. Now, where's the MySpace page? (Don't you go and force ME to make one...because I might...)
: - )
I grew up with John and Steve (in Dubai). Steve did have a bit of an english accent, well Texas english.
Great guys!
Like ol' ben my copy of the ep is red too!
John has a new albumn out (May 08): http://www.thesubmarines.com/
Check it out!
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