An Apology to Spin Spin The Dogs.

Spin Spin The Dogs are a great band; I saw them on numerous occasions during the years I spent in the midlands, and they were always a hoot – chaotic, engaging, unique and good fun.

I’m not usually much of a fan of bands whose singers like to harangue the audience and get in peoples faces etc, but the Spin Spin The Dogs singer guy goes about it in such an imaginative, good natured and deeply strange manner, it’s impossible not to get drawn in and find yourself enjoying his antics and outbursts, especially as accompanied by the band’s excellent Beefheart/Homosexuals squall. Think of them as a benevolent, non-threatening Birthday Party, or something, maybe.

I’ve always thought that they’ve probably stayed off most folks radars simply because the improvisational crowd/response aspect of what they do is pretty difficult to capture on record. But, after a long period of not doing much, they’ve got a new album out soon, and this little video expresses their totality quite well I feel:



Meanwhile, The New Cross Inn just up the road from my current residence is… (what’s a good way of putting it without inviting angry correspondence?)… not the sort of venue that often hosts musical bills congenial to my own tastes.

On Monday last week though, I was delighted to note that Spin Spin The Dogs were playing there, supporting Lovvers.

Naturally on just about any other night of the year I’d have been there, welcoming back a fondly remembered band of yore who’ve been considerate enough to play within a ten minute walk of my house. But I had tickets for Nodzzz that night, and was really, really looking forward to seeing them. I also had a dinner invite from some friends I hadn’t seen in a while, so I popped along there for a while too. It was a very busy evening.

So I’m really sorry Spin Spin The Dogs – I hope it was a great night, and I hope to get the chance to see you again some time.

(Nodzzz were terrific, by the way – everything I’d hoped they would be; I just wish I could go and see them play every week, or just hang out in their garage and be their friends or something. A great band on every level. Wet Dog played a blinder as support too – I enjoyed them way more than the last time I saw them, for some reason, and Teen Sheiks were good fun too, and, oh man, time to cease this vague, reckless positivity and go write a proper blogpost about something!)

Labels: apologies, gig reviews, Nodzzz, Spin Spin The Dogs