Smashing times

SMASHING Lads . . . not out to annoy people, just entertain

MUSIC EXTRA: THOUGH they’ve been around for almost three years, many local music fans may not be aware of classy Oldham band the Smashing Lads.

The hugely talented, lyric-laden four piece — guitar/vocalist Joe Whelan, bass/vocalist Mark Burke, keys man Pete Wood and drummer Keith Unwin — isn’t a big fan of the social media revolution and the band hopes the songs alone will propel them to success.

Taking inspiration from the Beatles, the Kinks, folk singers John Shuttleworth and Richard Dawson, as well as poet Philip Larkin, the Smashing Lads — all in their 40s — have released several terrific tracks on their SoundCloud page - but it’s not necessarily fame and fortune they’re after.

Whelan said: “We don’t really want to push what we’ve got in people’s faces. We don’t necessarily use social media - certainly not aggressively like some do. You’ve got to do a little bit, though, we understand that.”

The engaging, home-life lyrics featured in Smashing Lads tracks like “Smart Aleck”, “Forever Northern” and “Bottom Block” are popular with their fans - and there’s plenty more to come following a session in a pal’s home recording studio.

Bassist Burke added: “We’re recording now, and some of those tracks are a million times stronger than those already out there. There are common themes, basically the working man and his everyday dilemmas, but the songs themselves are constantly changing. Even when we’ve recorded something we might change it live.

“The lyrics are fundamental. They drive everything. I don’t think there’s anyone else out there who’s writing about the things we write about. We do a song about paying the mortgage, for instance, and one about idiots you have to spend time with in work, so they’re quite angry. There’s a song we do about having to work, too, which is a pain as everyone knows. But it’s not quite as depressing as it sounds!”

There are a couple of high-profile gigs for the Smashing Lads over the next couple of months. They are at the O2 Academy in Liverpool on April 25 (after being invited to play at Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ after-show party).

And on May 28 they join fellow Oldham outfits 5ft Fez and Brahma Loka at the Mossley Festival at the Seel Park football ground. www.smashinglads.com has more info.