(thing) by lofidan Wed Nov 07 2001 at 12:02:05
Kenickie were an indie band from the north of England who acted pop. Or were they a pop band blessed with guitars and thigh slaps?

Whereas most British indie bands in the 90s were very 'grown up'... some may say 'boring'... Kenickie were part of the youthful Brat Pack.

Fronted by petite Lauren Laverne and not-so-petite Marie Du Santiago, with The Other Two (Emmy-Kate and Johnny X) behind them, they had the tunes, the attitude and the sex appeal. So much energy, you'd swear they were put together by the world's best PR team. So entertaining in interviews, you'd swear they were ex-music journos who knew what to say.

Of course, they weren't.

It took until 1996 for this noder to notice them. 'Punka' was Mark Radcliffe's #2 song of 1996: I was going through one of my 'tape everything on the radio' phases. This time I'd caught a fantastic track.

I was only 16/17 back then. I'd just started buying the NME and listening to the unlistenable.

In 1997 I took a walk into my local Virgin Megastore before college and staring me in the face on the first listening post was 'At The Club'. I was loaded (£10 in my wallet!). The CD was only £9.99 (then the standard price of any non-chart-friendly album). It was meant to be!

Even though I knew I was buying it, I slipped the headphones over my head and tried to assume the 'cool slouch' you do when you're listening to these things. The harmonies of the girls singing 'Punkaaaaaaaaa.....' started, the guitars kicked in, and I got that fantastic spine tingle! I decided to save it for when I got home and took the headphones off and paid the girl at the counter.

While writing this crappy node I am listening to the album as ripped mp3, but I've got the actual CD out. Under the clear plastic CD grip inside, is my receipt (I save my receipts for nostalgic purposes). "15/05/97", 9.25 am. It is a bit yellowy now.

'At The Club' has become one of my favourite albums. Like Portishead's 'Dummy', I have broken in all the tracks (not hard, they are all fantastic) and can listen to any and everything on it, start to finish, random, whatever.

The short sharp tracks rock (Spies, Come Out 2nite), the proper songs are ones you'd be proud for your parents to listen to (Robot Song, I Never Complain).. amazing!

However, Kenickie suffered from crap follow-up album syndrome.

'Get In' is perhaps the most disappointing album I have bought. I wouldn't say it is the worst musically, but... I expected so much more. I went around convincing everyone and their hamster that Kenickie were the dog's bollocks after listening to 'At The Club'. When I played Get In for the first time I had the horrible feeling of 'this is shit' conflicting with 'this is Kenickie, grow to like it!'. The only decent song was 'I Would Fix You', already released as a single.

Years on, when I dare to play some of the tracks (hey, I have lots of my albums on a single mp3 CD now) I half-expect to suddenly 'get' it, but never do.

After this album, Kenickie split straight after a gig.

Lauren has gone solo, with a pretty dismal collaboration with Mint Royale. However, she has made use of her intelligence and looks, presenting late night shows on Channel 4 as well as being a panelist on Joe Cornish's 'This Week Only' show.

Marie and Emmy-Kate formed Rosita, which thankfully are Kenickie II in all but name.

Discography

Helper information from www.kenickie.com 

Catsuit City

1995




    

  1. Snakebite
    2. 

  2. Come In
    3. 

  3. Jellybean 8
    4. 

  4. Perfect Plan
    5. 

  5. Private Buchowski
    6. 

  6. Sk8bdn Song
    7. 

  7. Ramalamalama
    8. 

  8. My Nite's out
    9. 






Skillex EP

1995




    

  1. Come out 2nite
    2. 

  2. How I was Made
    3. 

  3. Scared of Spiders
    4. 

  4. Acetone
    5. 






Punka EP

1996


    

  1. Punka
    2. 

  2. Drag Race
    3. 

  3. Walrus
    4. 

  4. Cowbow
    5. 






Millionaire Sweeper EP

1996


    

  1. Millionaire Sweeper
    2. 

  2. Kamikaze Annelids
    3. 

  3. Perfect Plan 9t6'
    4. 

  4. Girl's Best Friend
    5. 






In Your Car CD1

1997


    

  1. In Your Car
    2. 

  2. Can I take you to the Cinema?
    3. 

  3. I'm An Agent
    4. 






In Your Car CD2

1997


    

  1. In Your Car
    2. 

  2. Private Buchowski
    3. 

  3. Killing Fantasy
    4. 






Nightlife CD1

1997


    

  1. Nightlife
    2. 

  2. J-P
    3. 

  3. Eat at the Angel
    4. 






Nightlife CD2

1997


    

  1. Night Life
    2. 

  2. Kenix
    3. 

  3. Skateboard song
    4. 






At The Club

1997


    

  1. In your Car
    2. 

  2. People we Want
    3. 

  3. Spies
    4. 

  4. How I was made
    5. 

  5. Brother John
    6. 

  6. Millionaire Sweeper
    7. 

  7. Robot Song
    8. 

  8. Classy
    9. 

  9. Punka
    10. 

  10. Nightlife
    11. 

  11. PVC
    12. 

  12. Come out 2nite
    13. 

  13. I never complain
    14. 

  14. Acetone
    15. 

  15. Montrose Gimps it up for Charity (hidden track)
    16. 






Punka CD1 (Re-release)

1997


    

  1. Punka
    2. 

  2. Brighter Shade of Blue
    3. 

  3. We can dream
    4. 






Punka CD2 (Re-release)

1997


    

  1. Punka
    2. 

  2. Lights out in a provincial town
    3. 

  3. Waste you
    4. 






I Would Fix You CD1

1998


    

  1. I would fix you (Radio Edit)
    2. 

  2. Packed in
    3. 

  3. I would fix you (Mint Gun Club Remix)
    4. 






I Would Fix You CD2

1998


    

  1. I would fix you (Album version)
    2. 

  2. Rough boys and modern girls
    3. 

  3. I would fix you (DJ Downfall mix).
    4. 






Get In

1998


    

  1. Stay In The Sun
    2. 

  2. Lunch At Lassiters
    3. 

  3. I Would Fix You
    4. 

  4. 60’s Bitch
    5. 

  5. Run Me Over
    6. 

  6. And That’s Why
    7. 

  7. Magnatron
    8. 

  8. Weeknights
    9. 

  9. Psychic Defence
    10. 

  10. 5 AM
    11. 

  11. 411 (LA LA LA)
    12. 

  12. Something’s Got To Give
    13. 






John Peel Sessions

1999

I like it! This writeup has been cooled by:  
bolX 1 C!

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