It all started one sunny morning, well to be truthful it wasn't a morning or sunny, I just thought that would sound good. Oh look, let's just start this again.
It was a Thursday evening. I was watching the delights of Top Of The Pops (TOTP) when I became thristy. I went out and got a drink. When I returned a band were on who were rather different from the usual. I sat to watch with my dearest Papa. He began saying that the song was okay, but I was captivated. It was simple but far too catchy and to be honest brilliant. By half way through I was singing along with the chorus, quietly of course so as not to cause unneccessary embarressment. By the end of the song I learned it was In Your Car by a band named Kenickie.
At this point in my life I listened to Radio One only in the afternoons and never bought singles, how stupid was I? So I left this brilliant band to something I saw on TOTP. Then just as I was beginning to really forget about them, there they were again. This time they played Nightlife. It reminded me how much I loved IYC and what a tremendous band these four were. Nightlife also had something about I find hard to describe. A certain feeling, a mixture of joy and anger that I feel I'd never really heard before.
I was on a very limited income at this point (Parents don't generally pay much), and anyway I still never bought singles. Once more I let the band fall to the recesses of my mind after a month or so.
It wasn't till I borrowed a compilation album off a friend that I found them once more. Perhaps I was destined to love this band, as they found me on so many occasions, or maybe I'm one of the luckiest people ever when it comes to this. Anyway, on this album was Punka. This just clinched it for me. The song had whit, it had style, it was so obvious yet so perfect. Being an admitted fan of Punk (My Dad's old vinyl collection) it got something in me. As you see I still can't describe what it is about Kenickie I find so wonderful, their music just hits a chord in me. I only had to hear this song once to know I needed their album, if they had one.
I went to my local record shops and inquired. To my delight they even had a copy, I handed over my well urned cash and ran home. I instantly put the album on and listened for 3 hours. I then recorded it onto tape for my walkman and didn't stop listening to it for about 2 months. Each track held something different for me, something wonderful.
IN YOUR CAR-The first track I ever heard, it's just so much fun. But remember it has a moral message, upholding the slogan Stranger Danger.
PEOPLE WE WANT-The guitar riff on this song is almost haunting.
SPIES-I love the end bit of this song, Shanana oooh
HOW I WAS MADE-When I first heard this song the first thing I noticed was the Lyrics, I love them
BROTHER JOHN-This song is great if your depressed, to hear Lauren tell you that everyone feels like that sometimes makes it a little better
MILLIONAIRE SWEEPER-Just a cool song, nothing more you can say
ROBOT SONG-One of my favourites, a great tribute to 80s electro pop and so sad. It makes me want to cry.
CLASSY-I rock out to this song and love the end bit when I listen on headphones. Psycadelic man.
PUNKA-This song is great, it makes me feel happy and want to jump around the room, yeah for the ironic guitar solo-go Pete
NIGHTLIFE-Another classic, I love the middle eight.
P.V.C-Now I'm a little biased as I play the Bass, and this has a great Bass line. I also love Nirvana and the Bass line has a certain Lithium feel to it. But the chorus is classic and makes me laugh every time.
COME OUT 2NITE-The first three verses describe my friend Sophie gray (Cousin of Gomez Member), so I love it. Once more this shows how the Kenix can write songs you just want to sing.
I NEVER COMPLAIN-This song grew on me, I now love it. Once more the middle eight is magnifeiscent.
ACETONE-This and Robot Song are my favourites. As soon as I heard it I knew it was great. It's so sad and beautiful. The last 2 choruses get me every time
Now you see the diversity of this amazing band and why I ove them. They can go from utter despair to complete joy only the way a great band can.
Now I had the album and loved the band, but I'd never seen them live. I also didn't go to many gigs at this point.
That was until August 1997. I was given free Guest Area passes to Reading '97, and Kenickie were playing. On the friday. I couldn't go as my parents said I had to go to school. I was so annoyed. The passes were from my Dad's old friend Mike, he's the agent for Morrissey.
So I went to Reading on the Saturday and when I arrived guess who was sitting in a circle on the floor backstage with all their mates, KENICKIE! Lauren wasn't there but the rest were. I was too scared to go up to them, so I decided I would try later. Every time I went back there I was still too Scared and they were getting drunker by the minute.
I never did get up the courage to speak to them.
I then decided to put it behind me.
I now have most of the Kenickie back catalogue and buy the Music papers every week collecting pictures of them for me wall. I must warn you, I'm not obsessed I have a wall for all my favourite bands.
I wanted to see Kenickie at Glastonbury, I had the passes, but I also had a Russian exchange student, so I couldn't go.
I wanted to see them in may '98 at the Electric Ballroom, but I had exams, so I couldn't go.
I'm going to Reading again this year, and I will see them and talk to them, I WILL.
A little post-script.
I did it! This year at Reading I met them not once, but twice. I hung out bac-stage for ages on the Friday, hoping to see them, but they were nowhere. Then my mate Katie saw Lauren in the main arena and told her (Oh how Embarrassing) that I saw a giant fan and had been waiting for ages to try and see them. I went to find Katie and she told me this, so I ran back-stage to try and find them. Suddenly Emmy, Marie and Lauren apeared. I went up to them, voice quivering a little. I explained who I was:
Me: Hi I'm Hannah
L:Hello
Me: Mine rather embarrassing friend told you about me?
L: oh yes (puts out hand for me to shake, I do so)
E:Hello (shake her hand too)
M:Hello (Shake Marie's hand too)
ME: I'm really looking forward to your set, I hope it's good (Oh my god what am I saying?)
L: It will be. I've got to run off to see Arab strap now, You ought to see them too.
Me:Thanks, bye
E+M+L: Bye
So there you have it, my first meeting. But I still had no autographs, so there was only one thing for it. My pass got me to the Melody Maker dressing rooms. So 20mins before they went on I accosted them.
I got Marie's and Emmy's but Lauren was watching Arab Strap. When she immerged
Me: Hi, could you sign this please (thrust paper and pen at Lauren)
L:sure
Me: You were right about Arab strap
L: Yeah (hands back paper)
Me: I'll borrow my Dad's album, he likes them
L: Always a good recommendation, bye
Me: Thanks
Now all I needed was Pete. I then spied him with his girlfriend.
Me: Excuse me, would you sign this to complete the set?
P: Sure (Signs it)
Me: Thanks
P: Here, this guys a part of the Kenickie family, can he sign it to?
Me: Sure (The man, Aidan (Arab Strap?), begins to write)
P: What you writting there..'Kenickie Suck Roots'? It's not true. (Aidan passes my piece of paper back)
Me: Thanks
I leave content at last.
But this is not the end of my Kenickie life, oh no.
The next encounter was on the 11th October 1998. They were playing the Cambridge Junction, my nearest small venue. I was so excited, I couldn't wait to see them agin especially in a venue as small as the junction. Also I was worried as rumours had been running around the mailing list that Kenickie were to split up.
I arrived at the gig early as I was meeting some mailing list chums (Kate and Christian). When we got there along with my other friends (Ktie and Sophie)it was about an hour before the doors would even open. Kate noticed that the backstage doors had been left wide open, so we decided to sneek in. We saw Lauren in a tour van, when we wlked past she said "Oh my God" so me and christian ran back so as not to annoy her. Kate and Sophie stayed backstage. A minute or so later me and Christian went back. Marie was just coming back to the dressing room, so we went up to say hi.
Me: Hi, could you sign this (Thrusts ticket and pen at poor woman)
M: Sure
Me: You were really good at Reading
M: That's a lie, we were terrible
Me: No, I thought you were good. How are you?
M: I'm alright, I just had to cry on the phone for the sake of my boyfriend.
Me: oh (Christian gives Marie odd monkey thing)
M: thankyou
Me: that thing has a really freaky face
M: It does doesn't it
Me: By the way, me and my friend sent you some dolls through the record company, I hope you like wooly things.
M: oh I do like woolen things, Ill be sure to look out for them. I have to go now, see you soon.
Me: thank, bye
So there you have it, one more Kenickie encounter. After this Emmy and Pete walked past us (as did Tim from Orlando) but they were in a real hurry. The gig was amzing and I had the best time. At the end I got the set list. On the back was written (in what looks like Pete's writing) 'Graham+caffiene=speed metal'
The next time I saw them was the 14th October at the LA2, what was to become their last gig.
I was right at the front, directly infront of Lauren. The gig was the best I have ever been to, although sad as it was the last one. Pete stood on my hand at one point, and Lauren poured champagne and vodka at me, for a laugh. It was manic and exciting and amazing. They came full circle by playing 'Speeding Motorcycle'. At one point Lauren removed her bacstage sticker and stuck it on Pete's head, when he removed it it got stuck to his finger. He shook it off and it landed right infront of me. Yeay for more Kenickie memorobilia.
I am so pleased I got to have a Kenickie history, so many of thier fans did not. Perhaps one day I shall meet them again. Perhaps at a chris/Rosita gig or at one of the shimmy nights.
But what ever happens I would like to say they gave some of the best times of my life.
Thank you Kenickie
You ruled.
It seems I have a P.S, god this thing is turning into a Novella
Yes, Saturday 27th March I went to see Spraydog. They were excellent of course, and who should be there but Marie and Emmy-Kate, there to cheer on their childhood buds.
So after having a lovely chat with Spanners, as always, We went to talk to Emmy-Kate.
She remembered me and my friend Sophie, as we gave her a wind-up lobster toy at the Junction gig on their last tour. She remarked that 'Lobster guy' had kept them amused for hours on the last tour and if it hadn't have been for him they would have split before the London. Well how cool is that. Seems me and my mate are (even though she was only joking) responsible for the continuation of Kenickie for just a little longer.
We then decided between the three of us (Sohpie, Me and Emmy) that Spanners was king of fringes™. We were having a nice discussion about what a nice chap he is.
Then she began talking of how much she liked Spraydog and how she new Paul from when she was 15 and that he was in a sixth form band with her "Nightmare ex-boyfriend". Also so that she was having some of Spraydog sleep on her floor that night, but their all quite thin so they should be able to fit top and tail on the floor.
Then came the greatest conversation of my life.
H=me
E=Emmmy
H: Could I ask you a small favour?
E: What is it?
H: Well I was wondering, seeing as you're playing Dingwalls, and I'm going to be there, could I perhaps conduct a small interview for my website before hand or something?
E: Tell you what, you give me your phone number and we can do it over the phone
H: Great, when?
E: It'd better be in the next few days or I'm sure I'll forget
H: How about Sunday?
E: Great I'll be a bit hung over, but I'll get Marie to come over and we'll ring you Sunday afternoon
H: That's great, thanks alot.
then as we left she said
"Bye, I'll ring you." and gave me a thumbs up.
So there you have it. How darned cool is that? So she rang, I was nervous as hell, but it was great. If you want to read it Here
© 1997 xdk42@dial.pipex.com
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