DENIM
'Denim are a mixture of '70s glam and new wave powerpop, with Lawrence
himself sounding like Lou Reed, if he'd been signed to early '70s
label Bell Records (home of the Glitter Band)'. Steve Lamacq reviewing
Denim's Denim On Ice for Q Magazine.
Denim formed
in 1991, from the ashes of the cult 80s indie band Felt, and are
led by Lawrence Hayward. Denim are more a musical collective than
a band with a rotating quota of session musicians and ageing alt-rockers
among them Maurice Deebank, sometime collaborator with St Etienne.
Early live
shows were haphazard affairs reliant on backing tapes, ageing
equipment and unplugged equipment. Despite this frontman Hayward
cut an engaging figure, the missing link between Pulp's Jarvis
Cocker and a Roxy Music era Brian Eno.
Notable releases
from Denim include 1992's Back
in Denim, shot through with glam and synth-pop influences,
and the epic Denim On Ice (1996).
The latter
mocked music journalists and was riddled with insider references
to other bands. Over 18 tracks Denim
On Ice covered virtually every conceivable genre from New
Romantic to pub rock, from pop to Teutonic techno.
Sadly, the
big time somehow missed Denim but they did taste it briefly supporting
an emergent Pulp on their arena tour of the UK.
There is a
glimpse of light on the horizon however. Lawrence Hayward is now
working on a new project, Go Kart Mozart. Their debut single Greedy,
Stupid and Lazy garnered airplay and received a favourable
critical response.
Denim performed:
Middle of
the Road
Osmonds
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