From the Lee Griffiths Show, 10.7.07 full review at whisperin and hollerin The gangly and eccentric endeared himself to the audience in no time beginning with a performance poem about his paranoid fear of hairdressers’ shops, he postured and cast his eyes towards the ceiling, placing auspicious emphasis on certain words, a bit like a distressed John Hegley: LIVE REVIEWS>>>> TAPHOUSE, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, USA 10.3.07
Support came from the fabulous Vinny Peculiar. Managed by Bonehead (yes, he of Oasis fame, the man is a gent), they truly are fabulous. Having not heard their songs before, I was won over, as were the crowd. The singer, Vinny Peculiar himself, just clearly is one of the best singer-songwriters out there right now (if you are having to put your hand up like I was, check the link below. I'm making up for lost time). These are songs that make you laugh - yup, Mr. Zappa, there is room for humour in music, but also think. Check their myspace page,The Everlasting Teenage Bedroom and Jesus Stole My Girlfriend need to be heard. Now. Oh, and the band also include Mike Joyce and Craig Gannon from The Smiths. What are you waiting for?
- Genre: 'Indie' Our Rating: 9/10
Tonight is the last night of a whistle-stop
Irish tour, but despite having made the lengthy trek down
from Galway earlier in the day, the band are nonetheless in
ferocious form. Rourke and Joyce drive in behind older songs
like the weird psychodrama of "Operation" (about
a man who literally thinks his heart is being permanently
removed), and add a dark, muscular quality to the excellent
"Replica Shirt" where Vinny addresses his lifetime's
allegiance to Aston Villa FC and the band rock impressively
as he dispenses the memorable "Come join the congregation!"
chorus hook. As with all great gigs, the set seems to go by in a flash, and when the scything guitar figures and infectious swagger of the closing "Calm Me Down" herald close of play, it's hard to believe they've been onstage for an hour - and more importantly - have gone some way in making intelligent indie guitar pop sound vibrant and slightly dangerous once again. "Time's on my side and it always will be,"
sings Vinny as "Everlasting Teenage Bedroom" approaches
its' climax, and you sense a tinge of real confidence in his
voice. Recognition may be long overdue for Vinny Peculiar,
but these days its' looking increasingly within his grasp.
And shows of this calibre can only enhance his chances. VINNY PECULIAR **** Queen's Hall Widnes, May 10 2004 Poet, lyricist, musician, wry commentator and
purveyor of all things, well, peculiar, this is a performer
with intelligence and with latest album Ironing The Soul gathering
great reviews since its release on cool indie Uglyman Records,
Vinny (AKA Alan Wilkes) is being increasingly feted by the
music press as a troubadour with a hotline to truth and tangential
thinking. With songs of the caliber of Jesus Stole My Girlfriend
and Suicide Dad, its clear comparisons with the likes of Babybird,
Elvis Costello and Pulp are justified. Quality through razor
and repose, devilry and delight.
Vinny Peculiar, what can I say? Funny, great voice, nice hat, very entertaining and mad as a shithouse rat! Stories, stories, stories - the attempted murder of his music teacher whilst he was taking swimming club, being thrown off the cricket team in school due to 'Glam Metal' and losing his girlfriend to Jesus Christ are just a few topics to be explored in 30 minutes or so of Vinny's vitriolic rants!! Refreshingly brilliant, undeniable genius, I love him so much I'm ordering his entire back catalogue from his web site and feel you too should do the same, it can only enhance your life. Bath Moles Purr Club 11.11.04 from the purr site....Last on, and instantly
notable is the fact that Vinny Peculiar are older, and though
aesthetically well preserved, the lines on their faces give
them a sense of ‘we’ve been on this since the
eighties, so we know where we’re at’ sort of vibe.
Vinny has indeed been on ‘it’ for quite some time
– originally Worcestershirian, he began gigging at the
dawn of the eighties, and, it would seem has been on a very
steady, yet intriguingly slow gradient ever since. Recent
flyers grabbing the more alert attention from Moles-goers
note the inclusion of Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce of The Smiths
adding a sense of grandeur to the affair. These two (despite
Rourke’s best efforts in sporting a beautiful mullet)
act as a modest, yet solid backdrop for the front man. Their
years of playing together provide a really tight and reliable
setting for Mr Peculiar to come across as charismatically
sketchy and lavishly honest. Carling Academy 18.11.04 review by Chris Stevens/Hells Ditch Publications Vinny Peculiar strides onto the stage at the Liverpool Academy flanked by one of the most famous of British rhythm sections of recent times, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke- one-time Smiths- but there is no mistaking who is the focus of the show. Vinny-aka-Alan Wilkes-as he sings in Flatter and Deceive 'You can call me Vinny Peculiar but it's not my real name, I made it up all because my real one is lame...' -part Charles Hawtrey, part Peter Peret, grabs the mic and delivers and unaccompanied rant by way of introduction. Great start but as the first song gets underway there's clearly a problem with the bass amp that takes a few minutes to fix. Undaunted Vinny goes on to deliver a set of pristine tunes and acidic, well observed lyrics that mix in equal parts intelligent black humor and touching compassion. 'We tried to drown our music teacher in 1974 [apparently and quite understandably-because of his failure to appreciate T.Tex and David Bowie!] has a perfect pop hook that swings in with the line 'We held his head underneath the water'. As the set progresses band and singer alike seem to relax helped by the clearly partisan and quite vociferous audience, and the songs flow effortlessly- 'Jesus Stole my Girlfriend', 'Confessions of a Sperm Donor', 'Everlasting Teenage Bedroom', 'Replica Shirt' [with it's Trumpton like refrain brings to mind Liverpool's half Man Half Biscuit]. All the songs are so much more than clever titles, they're all blessed with great pop sensibility and dramatic impact, Rourke and Joyce provide a solid if at times workmanlike backing, such that you almost forget how great they can be. It's only at the very end when they launch into the spiky Punk Rock Dreaming, that you get a sense of the true potential of this band. Vinny rocks out unashamedly and hilariously to the point where, as the set climax closes his glasses fly off and land somewhere behind the bass amp! He ends with the immortal words 'Did anyone see where my glasses went?' surely there's a song title there, waiting to be written!. CS
It’s not every night you get to see some bona fide legends at the West End Centre but last Friday was one of them.
As part of one of the eighties’ most fondly remembered bands, Mike and Andy can probably be credited with pulling the packed out crowd, most of whom were decidedly more ‘mature’ than the Westy’s usual patrons. Credit to Vinny though, as even without the starry rhythm section he’d be quite capable of selling out venues bigger than the West End Centre, such is the quality of his music. Looking like Iggy Pop and sounding like Brett from Suede singing Pulp songs, Vinny is a friendly, charismatic frontman oozing easy confidence and showmanship. His songs are gently pervy and full of humour with fantastic turns of phrase that demonstrate Vinny’s roots as a street-poet, while the band is on perfect form, effortlessly tight and relaxed. The music itself is old-fashioned, charming, jaunty pop with just a little bit of a country, mixed with tongue-in-cheek song titles like Jesus Stole My Girlfriend and Two Fat Lovers. This isn’t a band that takes itself too seriously, but at the same time the music speaks for itself, and its unassuming likeability is hard to resist. Smiths comparisons are unavoidable, but there aren’t any to be made, as this isn’t a band living in anybody’s shadow. Vinny Peculiar – he may be a bit odd, but he rocks. John Harvey |
AUSTRIA WEEKENDER 24.3.07 from www.roomthirteen.com Entering the stage alone with an acoustic guitar to recite an intriguing monologue, Vinny Peculiar is a strange figure indeed, like Jarvis Cocker's younger brother with the same gawky exuberance and geeky but honest stage manner, Vinny is a hit. After a curious tune about a child prostitute, with the glittering refrain, "And I'm a dirty old man, like Steptoe!", Vinny is joined on stage by his band, tonight guitarist/bassist Craig Gannon is ill and the band are joined by Bonehead, formerly of Oasis, with The Smiths Mike Joyce on drums, it's already a heady line up of Mancunian talent and they pull off a great show. VINNY PECULIAR LIVE AT ROISIN DUBH GALWAY INDEPENDENT 5.2.05 As his name suggests Vinny Peculiar is a bit
different; a purveyor of quirky punk music that focuses on
the weird and wacky. The Mancunian rocker’s music is
a curious mix of sexy American punk and U.K glam and though
he’s been compared to Elvis Costello and Pulp, the truth
is that it’s impossible to put him in any category.
What made his appearance here in Galway even more fascinating
was that he arrived flanked by one of the most famous British
rhythm sections of recent times, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke,
formerly of The Smiths! From here the gig just got better and better as the band
loosened up, and the songs were constantly surprising. “Two
fat lovers” boasted a cracking melody and some beautiful
soaring bass lines, whilst “Calm me down” was
gloriously fiery as the band let loose with catchy punk riffs.
After a solo performance from Vinny on acoustic guitar for
“Confessions of a sperm doctor”, the band returned
for another punk workout on “Pete Shelley”, and
the crowd showed their approval at the end by cheering and
chanting for more. Sadly it was all to no avail, as no amount
of screaming could entice the band back for a second encore.
As the old punk adage goes; always leave them wanting more. 'VINNY PECULIAR/ Le Strange, Gary/ Cursor Minor'
Our Rating: 8/10 VINNY PECULIAR has been around for a while, quietly gathering fans and plaudits with his idiosyncratic brand of pop. Now, with a couple of former Smiths in tow, the ascent of one of Britain’s quirkier lyricists might just have stepped up a gear. Before he can begin tonight though, the gauntlet of oddity is confidently flung down by the other acts on the bill. I’ve nothing but respect for CUROSR MINOR, an eccentric young chap who takes to the stage armed only with a microphone and a laptop and proceeds to bop about alone up there, singing over his own strain of electronic weirdo pop. It’s original, amusing and the sort of thing that could potentially go somewhere; either way he’s got a lot more balls than me. So too has new romantic caricature GARY LE STRANGE. This self-titled ‘bionic lord of pop’ is a lot funnier than most stand ups, and his goofy lyrics and, quite frankly, incredible dance moves have the whole place in stitches before the first song is through. So, Mr Peculiar has some work to do. Luckily, his bittersweet observations on life in an off-key world fully justify his place at the top of the bill. The musical foundation for Vinny Peculiar’s sharp wit is now provided by a genuinely excellent rhythm section. Mike Joyce looks absurdly young behind his kit and plays as enthusiastically as ever, whilst Andy Rourke is the epitome of old-Manchester cool; all dark glasses and flak jackets, with an everlasting Camel Light tucked between the strings on the headstock of his bass. Vinny Peculiar is a kookily charismatic frontman with an eye for detail and an ear for a tune. ‘Jesus Stole My Girlfriend’ from the 2002 LP ‘Ironing the Soul’ is memorable, as are 'Confessions Of A Sperm Donor' and 'Replica Shirt' from the last record, ‘Growing Up With Vinny Peculiar’. Presumably Joyce and Rourke have played a bigger part in the formulation of new material and their influence certainly seems to grow with its introduction. Vinny subs Stratocaster for acoustic for ‘Dirty Old Man’, an unhurried song, complemented by gentle keyboards and somewhat reminiscent of the Stones. Songs that rely heavily on lyrics sometimes don’t seem to work quite so well live; there are too many sights and (unclear) sounds to distract the onlooker. But Vinny Peculiar’s tunes do not suffer this fate and are all the while helped along by a singer displaying a poise found somewhere between Bowie and Stipe and interspersed, occasionally, with adandy touch of Bolan swagger. ‘Man About The House’, another new track and another stand out, displays these characteristics as well as any other; its engaging chorus making it one of the best received songs of the whole night. Towards the end, there’s a discernible twinkle in Vinny’s eye. He seems satisfied as this night of entertaining weirdness draws to a close and he steps down to peddle a few cds ‘for petrol money’. If there’s any justice, he won’t have to do that for much longer. After all, it’s a peculiar worlldd, and all the better for it. Sam Holding DUBLIN WHELANS 20.01.05 http://www.soundsxp.com/1520.shtml review from Johnnie C. At a time when the local music scene is lacking in eccentricity, articulacy and humour, the ferocious winds battering Ireland today mercifully bring Vinny Peculiar safely to our shores. Unfortunately they seem to have blown any semblance of an audience away too; Whelan’s is cruelly empty tonight. Thankfully, Vinny Peculiar’s stylish set entirely removes any notion of sparsity; an imposing onstage presence, he is resplendent in an Oliver Twist hat and velveteen jacket, and comes with a clutch of catchy, witty, poignant and quirky songs from his past, present and future albums. His excellent new band is made up of ex-World of Twist keyboardist, Ben Knott and one of the finest rhythm sections in the business, a frighteningly well-preserved Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke. A songwriter of venerable pedigree, Peculiar’s unique performance technique is to charm and disarm his audience with a fraternal, informal intimacy rather than the finger-pointing sloganeering of some of his eighties’ peers. It’s a highly effective tactic too. His songs, a beautiful blend of Americana, indie-pop and busker-punk, create an almost George Formby-like world of oddity and human frailty, and the self-deprecating veracity of his lyrics never fails to hit the intended spot. The best examples, to my mind, are Replica Shirt, a genuinely heartbreaking account of an estranged father and daughter reunited in the name of football, while Confessions of a Sperm Donor is his darkly comic story of raising his bus fares as a student – hilarity and profundity in equal measure. Brilliant as the songs are, the overall
performance is perhaps a little tentative. Vinny might be
upset by the attendance or he may simply be feeling the effects
of a tempestuous channel-crossing; but he has still succeeded
in showcasing his sublime talents tonight and the reaction
is suitably warm and sincere. For those of us who braved the
elements to attend tonight, there’s the distinct and
comforting feeling that our lives are all the richer for it.
With his flat cap, florid blouse and fidgety nervous energy pitched somewhere between Andy Warhol and Jarvis Cocker, there's an anarchic elegance to Vinny Peculiar which is both at once both thrilling and faintly unsettling. The Manchester troubadour is a veteran from the city's anti-folk circuit, but it is his recent recruitment of the rhythm section from the Smiths which has reawakened interest in his glam-tinged kitchen sink vignettes. Storming through a set of oblique, tortured punk poetry, he wins over an initially skeptical crowd with his animated delivery and taut, frenetic pop hooks. Channeling all that eccentricity and barbed wit into something strangely compelling Vinny Peculiar is the sort of unlikely, heroic pop star they just don't seem to make anymore. 4/5
“This bass amps fucked”, motions Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce laughs uncontrollably, Vinny Peculiar must be use to such events as he just gets on with it indulging the eager disciples with an impromptu story about the attempted murder of an unsuspecting music teacher who was “strictly a man of the classics”. The last time we here at Gigwise attended the church of ‘Vinny’ he stood alone in the pulpit claiming that ‘Jesus stole his girlfriend’, and warned of the dangers of donating sperm. Now nothing much has changed in that department. His irreverence for what society considers ‘normal’ and the ability to manufacture personal traumas into great songs, are still much the very fabric of what Vinny does. However, what is new is the inclusion of other players in his ‘Everlasting Teenage Bedroom’. The formerly solo ‘Vinny’ now has some friends to play with, which is nice. As the musically informed among you have already gathered Vinny Peculiar has been ambushed by musical legends Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, formerly of ‘The Smiths’. Play nice now boys. As with the solo Vinny Peculiar, the songs are great and the performance is as engaging as ever. You could also be forgiven for thinking you were at a comedy night if you walked in at the right moment with Vinny’s razor sharp off the cuff wit. The interaction between the band and audience is a sure fire sign that everyone is enjoying the birth of ‘The Vinny Peculiar Band’ as much as I am. I love it. The songs are expertly crafted with Rourke and Joyce effortlessly complimenting Vinny’s vitriolic rants. The only downside of the evening is that more people haven’t witnessed this, but as Vinny explains, “the Dears were on at the Uni, we blame them for nicking the masses, sort of”. Don’t miss them next time people, leave the dears to their beers, this is top, genius! Tour starts in November. Mike Davies- oracle of the brum music scene previews the Jug of Ale gig...Nov 04 Last time around Mr Peculiar was treating ears
to new album Growing Up With Vinny Peculiar where distinctively
English songsabout Heaven’s call centre (I Work For
God) shared space with disturbing schooldays memoirs (We Tried
To Drown Our Music Teacher In 1974), tales of strange graffiti
(Root Mull), lost innocence (We Didn’t Paint Our Nails
When We Fought The Germans), and the parental implications
of IVF (Confessions of a Sperm Donor). Time Out July 04 Vinny Peculiar is all about the words. Looking (and singing a bit) like Elvis Costello in wig and baseball cap, it’s hard to work out what’s more entertaining - the story-cum-songs or the preceding self-deprecating monologues.Clutching his guitar, he gyrates and jack-knifes round the stage like a busker desperate for 20p to get into the tube station toilets. Endearing and irreverent.
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