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SINGLES REVIEW

*SINGLE OF THE WEEK* SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: YSBEIDIAU HEULOG

JOSH: "Good Lyrics! It sounds like, 'Spade in your hedgehog'. It's The Who meets [Sixties art-rock weirdo] Frank Zappa meets 'Sesame Street'."

STU: "It's really good. and because I can't understand a word of what they're saying, I means I can make up my own lyrics to it as well, like colour by numbers."

STEVE: "It's really cool. They always do their own thing and it's always good. A summery, karaoke-pop hit!" 

(* There's a picture of Steve holding up a bit of paper with 'Spade Your Hedgehog' written on it and the caption says: "'Spade in your hedgehog' they say. 'Avoid the badger hair look' we say.", that's not very nice is it?!*)

*****

TOM JONES AND MOUSSE T: SEX BOMB

JOSH: "Dirty old man! Ughhh, this is pornographic! But it's catchy. It's one of those songs you'd hate, but you'd still start dancing to it in a club. I'd like to see the video."

STU: "I have seen the video and it is better when the song is coupled with half-naked women. It kind of loses something here, but he can still sing."

STEVE: "I think this is a completely perverted track. It's a dirty, dirty, dirty piece of music!"

** (and a half!)

PEARL JAM: NOTHING AS IT SEEMS

JOSH: "It's just continuing the direction they were going in. It's very psychedelic and trippy. It's not gonna go top 10 in England."

STEVE: "I am a huge fan of Pearl Jam- they're one of my favourite bands ever- but there was a bit too much guitar noodling for me."

STU: "We love Pearl Jam and once you've heard the album, you'll probably love this, but..." (looks disappointed)

***(and a half!)

IRON MAIDEN: THE WICKER MAN

JOSH: "I thought they would update it a bit, so that they sounded like Korn or Limp Bizkit."

STEVE: "The appeal of this is limited. It will only sell, well, millions and millions, probably, but I don't think it's as modern as it could be."

***

THE GET UP KIDS: ACTION AND ACTION

STU: "It's got a bit of Ash in there. The mushiness of Ash." 

STEVE: "You loose this song a bit- there's no one big hook."

JOSH: "This sort of music has got to have a hook, but there's a lot of better stuff than this on the album." 

***

DODGY: FEATHER CUTS AND MONKEY BOOTS

JOSH: "We've seen then live. (Sarcastically) We were bowled over. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. It's just Britpop. In their own world, it's a hit."

Where is their own world? 

JOSH: "Guildford"

STEVE: "I was never a big fan of Dodgy, but I think they were better with their old singer. I don't get this at all."

JOSH: ""They've had their time. They've been pop stars and now it's time to go."

**

KING ADORA: BIONIC/THE LAW

STEVE: "I don't know how this bloke's not wrecked his throat on some notes- it's a bit like Feeder, with a bit of Billy Corgan thrown in. Considering they're Brummies, this has got to be good."

JOSH: "It's like the new Smashing Pumpkins stuff. We're playing with them, so we'll definitely mosh to this."

***(and a half!)

MIRWAILS: DISCO SCIENCE

JOSH: "Boring."

STEVE: "I've no comment, except to say, that it's crap."

STU: "If you like Daft Punk, you'll like it."

JOSH: "No you won't Daft Punk's good and that's crap."

*(and a half!)

TURN: BEESWAX

JOSH: "It should be really heavy and it isn't. "I'll lace your shoes for you"- that's a sweet sentiment. no chorus, though."

STU: "They want to be heavy but they're too nice, going on about lacing up shoes and all that."

It's not the bee's knees, then?

STEVE: "It's the bee's nads."

**

KAMINO: DONUT

STEVE: "Did he just say, "Ride me like a donut"? Since we heard that Tom Jones song, I've got problems with my head! I think Belle and Sebastian fans would like this. It's a bit like them crossed with Del Amitri. I don't like it. It's boring."

**

NO FUN AT ALL: SECOND BEST

JOSH: "There are a lot of bands that are better than this playing the local pub circuit in England. 'Second Best'- I don't think so! They'd be lucky to be that good."

STEVE: "It's not crap at all-it's just mediocre."

**

LEILANI: FLYING ELVIS

STU: "We heard her first one ['Madness Thing'] about having small boobs and I thought it was nice, because it was, at least, quite honest."

STEVE: "This reminds me of Geri Halliwell- Geri toned down a bit."

**

*THE DUMPER* THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY: SMASH IT UP

JOSH: ''I hope this goes metal. I really want this to go metal. Go for it.''

(The Dums lean forward eagerly, but nothing happens)

STEVE: ''I don't like all this talk about smashing things up if they're just going to be nice. This is rubbish. It's a piece of crap.''

JOSH: ''They don't want to smash it up. They just want to put on Sixties clothes and dance around their handbags''

*

DANIEL BOOTH (MELODY MAKER)  

 DUM DUMS 'CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY THOUGHTS'

The new pop punks stick out their "U16 Girls". Knees up!

'THIS ISSUE'S SOUNDTRACK' (MELODY MAKER)

'THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT'

THE LAST CD I BOUGHT... 'The Dum Dums' album (*People who know have since assured me that she is lying, she may have the single but not the album, obviously she doesn't know the difference, stupid cow!*)- I don't have to buy CDs anymore.  I get them given to me- the small perks eh? I liked it 'cause their name is wicked.'

LOLLY (*Yes, Lolly, as in the annoying 'pop star' who ruined 'Hey Mickey'*)INTERVIEW (JUST SEVENTEEN)

'MAKER BREAKERS' DUM DUMS

WHO THEY? Josh Doyle (vocals and guitar), Steve Clarke (bass) and Stuart Wilkinson (drums) combine an upbeat pop vibe with a full on guitar sound.

WHY BUY? It's The Police meets The Jam. Robbie Williams producer Steve Power has already signed himself up for their debut album. Dum Dums- you'll be dumb to miss them!

TELL US MORE... They met through their love of Pearl Jam, at a time when Josh and Stuart were studying classical music. "I talk so much crap when we play live" laughs Josh, but his onstage banter and their live set demonstrate their wit and energy. "We used to jam all summer in a church nursery and then, on the day of our showcase, we were turfed out for being too loud" says Steve.

BEST LISTENED TO... Jumping around. "Life is for enjoying yourself and having a good time" says Stuart. Or see them live. "It'd be a dream to support Supergrass or Paul Weller. But as long as we're having fun, we'll be OK"

JACQUI SWIFT (MELODY MAKER)

'WHO'S NEW'

The Dum Dums fairly rawked the place with sing-a-long melodies and heavy duty guitar riffs. The lead singer Josh Doyle, has the angelic good looks of a boy band pin up and a voice like Kelly Stereophonics mixed with Fran Travis (*?*). Perfect. The bass player, Steve Clarke, wields his instrument like a fire arm (*hahahahah!*), has a rad 'do and gives the band on-stage edginess. Drummer Stu Wilkinson has the cute ears of a pixie (*??*) and the percussion skills of a god, bless 'im. These lads are not sly of a few chillin' toons either, with Josh and his geetar holding us all in the palm of his sweet smelling hand with the emotion filled 'Until My Ship Comes In'! Sigh. Josh took the name Dum Dums from a USA lollipop made back in the 1950s...so suck on that! (Lollies are chucked from the stage!) The band were special guests on a MY Life Story tour (although I reckon My Life Story will be lucky to get guest spots with the Dum Dums in the near future (*bitch*)). All three guys are the same age, 23, and live together in a house in Ashford, Kent (*?*) Erm, lads. Can we stay over purrlease?  

REBECCA MARTIN (JUMP)

"'ON BAND' DUM DUMS"  

It makes perfect sense that Dum Dums are currently savouring the reruns of BBC2 sitcom 'The Fall and Rise Of Reginald Perrin.' The very same frustrations that famously propelled Leonard Rossiter's character into the ocean fuelled the band's debut single, 'Everything': the claustrophobia and spiritual deprivation of suburbia.

"Motorways and shopping centres, nothing romantic about it all," sighs singer/guitarist Josh Doyle (native of Ashford, Kent) "It's something to fight against, really."

A riot of superhuman guitars and surging choruses, 'Everything' is as life-affirming as the sound of the suburbs gets, with a classic nervy teen-angst chorus ("Who made you the judge/ Of everything I do?")

"It's about being individual, not having to follow everyone else's ideals for your life," explains drummer Stuart Wilkinson (Crawley born'n'bred). "Get out and do your own thing. Too many people feel burdened by what other people want them to do.  I know people who will never move out of these towns." 

"We've already done so much more than people twice our age from our home towns," muses bassist Steve Clarke (of Walsall, Birmingham). 'That's not a good thing, that's sad.  For them."

So it's all about escape, really.  But the Dum Dums aren't into escaping the suburbs to dawdle in the indie ghetto.  "We're going straight for the pop jugular!" exclaims Josh breathlessly, meaning they're going head to head with the greased boy-band massive and assorted Yank jailbait pop-queens. "We've got more to say than the sterile crowd in the charts", he continues, "and we didn't get any focus groups in to find out which of us teenage girls would like the best. Though obviously Stu's the 'cutie', Steve's the 'freak' and I am erm, psychotic," He laughs, unpsychotically.

And they just might achieve their dreams of gin-u-wine stardom; 'Everything' is perhaps the only non-handbag house track to be A-listed by radio on one in recent memory, while the band are favourites of kid's TV channel 'Nickelodeon'. But kiddie-fame comes at a price. "The kids dig the music," grins Josh, "But they can be really cruel. One kid came up and said 'Your name stands for 'Divvy Useless Monkeys'!"

That's fickle eight year olds for you.  They'll only build you up to knock you down.

STEVIE CHICK (NME) 

"SUCK IT 'N' SEE"

Ed Becky's second outing to get sweaty with the lolly-chuckin' Dum Dums, this time with Lal, proved to be a right ol' rock n' roll knees up!

BECKY: So guys, that's the best thing about playing live?

JOSH: Singing live proves that you're not a boy band that mimes all the time! (all cheer.)

BECKY: Do you feel left out as the drummer, being at the back?

STU: Not really, as I am set up quite far forward on stage and I am singing too.

JOSH: Yeah and we're always looking back at him and stuff.

BECKY: What's next for you guys?

STEVE: We've got a 20-date tour from now 'til the end of April.

BECKY: Well you sound as good live as you do on your CD which is great. What's your ambition? Do you want to play to thousands?

STU: Well, you want to make music and yes, you want people to hear it.

JOSH: I want limos (All laugh)

BECKY: Groupies? Drugs?

JOSH: We're not into drugs. I've seen people get messed up on drugs and it turns you off. We were the sensitive guys at school. Most of the guys were talking about how many girls they've shagged. That's just not us!

STEVE: Yeah and we're James Taylor fans!

BECKY: We all love JT in the Jump office (All start singing a James Taylor tune)

STU: We all love the Carpenters too (All get very excited!)

BECKY: Arms in the air everyone! (All start trillin' 'Rainy Days and Mondays')

JOSH: We are into football and all that stuff though!

STEVE: Our songs are about being what you want to be.

BECKY: Well that's what Jump is all about too; being true to yourself; not just following the crowd.

STEVE: That's cool. Blokes should read Jump too then (Too right matey Steve*!?!?!?!*)

REBECCA MARTIN (JUMP)

REVIEW, DUM DUMS LA2

Yum Yum. That's the correct response: mmm-mmm-mmm, yummy for your pop tummy! Yum-dum-diddly yumptious! A fun and fizzically fanciable new flava.  Everyone says so. Yum again. Dum Dums y'see, come from emteevee heaven; they are the most perfect marriage of indie pop, punky pop and hunky pups since Iggy joined Westlife tomorrow tea-time.

And boy do they know it.

There's three of them onstage, but it's cocky guitarist/vocalist Josh Doyle who demands all eyes focus on him.  As the four- minute blasts of blistering, jangly guitars (remember those post-Britpop days, eh kids...and Wedding Present fans?) delightfully melding with Attractions-era Elvis Costello vox hit home, it becomes very difficult indeed to dislike them. That is until the between-song banter.

Doyle, indiely slick in an impossibly tight, long sleeved t-shirt, says shit like, 

"Has anyone heard us on the radio?" (to cheers, and this at an early-doors LA2 shown supporting pukey old My Life Story (*sic*)), "Anyone seen us on 'The Big Breakfast?' I thought Donna Air fancied me, hur hur..." (then he wiggles his tongue suggesting cunnilingus). He goes on to introduce songs "about doing it with people" and "about being on the dole and killing yourself".

Flippant, arrogant (*sic*), petulant youth that Doyle is, he even claims: "We're not a boy band, we're hard rock muthas"; there's only so much 'knowing' commercialism you can take before you hurl in your combats' thigh pocket. Ouch.

"This isn't the song from the radio. That's too commercial," quips Doyle of the last song , before whamming into 'Everything', the oh-so catchy song from the radio. And we die, floored by an overdose of irony.

GILL WHYTE (NME) 

"'POP TART' DUM DUMS"

Enough of airbrushed, bleach blond boy bands. Let us have about us boys who are rough, who jump up and down with their instruments and wear cool trainers.  In fact, let us have Josh, Steve and Stuart, the punky popsies of Dum Dums. They sound like Stereophonics' little brothers and took their name from an American 1950's lollipop.  Insert your own cheap joke about slurping right here!

SARRA MANNING (JUST SEVENTEEN) 

'ROCK'N'GOAL STARS'

Dum Dums put their best feet forward at HMV's five-a-side soccer tournament in aid of the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Centre, held at the goals sports ground at Hanger Lane, North London, on Friday (March 24). 

Of the 35 teams, Dum Dums were the only band, playing alongside amateurs from record companies, magazines and nightclubs.  The team from Home beat Sony in the final, although that didn't stop Dum Dums -knocked out in the first round- From racing off to the ladies' changing room with the winners' trophies, startling one young lady who had just taken her top off. The event was such a hit that HMV plans another next year.

MELODY MAKER NEWS

REVIEW, DUM DUMS KING TUT'S WAH WAH HUT 

Was it Homer Simpson or Gary Glitter who once posited that pity was an underrated emotion? Either way, it's a credo wholeheartedly embraced by bubblegum punkstrels Dum Dums, who tonight attempt to deflect accusations that they're nothing more that Hepburn with balls through some pitifully undignified attempts to ingratiate themselves to a 'real rock' crowd.

"We don't play on our own records", proclaims singer Josh before opener 'Caught Me in a Trap". "So we'll be miming to backing tracks tonight." You half expect the word 'irony' to flash up on a huge idiot board. Someone should explain, of course, that it doesn't really matter if this band are '4-Real' or not, that the whole idea of a band who write their own songs being somehow more valid than someone who doesn't is one of the most spurious arguments in pop. Ultimately all that matters is whether the finished 'product' is any good. Unfortunately, Dum Dum's entire oeuvre is a pile of sub-Green Day goo, but-hey- that's not the point. The idea of a manufactured guitar-pop boy band is theoretically sound- The Monkees were a sublime creation- but the Dumsters are fatally afflicted with Pinocchio syndrome: they want so much to be 'real'.

"This one's kinda anti-English-government", explains Josh before the fluffy 'Killing Me With Kindness'. Somewhere Tony Blair yawns into his cornflakes. Attempting to stir up proceedings with the anodyne likes of 'Kind of Day I've Had' and a self-conscious thrashing of 'Everything', they sound about as threatening as a dormouse with a golf tee.

Clearly desperate to be accepted into the stubbly portals of proper rock but too inherently bland to succeed, Dum Dums are victims of unforgiving rigors of creed. Pity them.

PAUL WHITELAW (*bastard*)(MELODY MAKER)

'DUM DUM ON FEEL THE NOISE' MELODY MAKER LETTERS PAGE

You rave on about JJ72 and Muse who are both decent, it must be said, but you slag off, in a single review and a live review, the greatest band this year,(*here here!*) the Dum Dums.

My little gang of friends and I have been to see Eminem, Muse, JJ72, Terris and many others, and those gigs were OK.  We went to see the Dum Dums in Loughborough, and I can assure you that they absolutely blew away all of the above in terms of performance and in terms of songwriting.

When the Dum Dums sing, it's like they know intricate details of my sorry little existence and they give a f***.  Muse lyrics are piss boring, JJ72 and Terris have been done before. The Dum Dums sing with passion about things I can relate to- aren't there any Melody Maker writers that see the importance of the song 'Everything' being played on 'Nickelodeon', 'Live and Kicking' etc?

The lyrics are totally subversive, telling kids to f*** school, f*** the family business and to be aware that they are being sucked into a world that is predetermined for them unless they make a difference.

Inspirational!

They played a total blinder at Loughborough University (*here here, again!*) for over 750 people who had turned up to see them, and I know from the huge moshpit and the people I talked to after the show that they made a lot of fans and they will continue to do so, despite your petty scribes' vain attempts to diss then (*nice one*).

It's a shame that your readers have only been presented with a negative view of the best band at the moment, especially since the future of British music is in your hands.

I can only hope that one of your writers 'gets' the Dum Dums like we do and tells the world soon, because they deserve it. (*Hooray!*)

MATT ROWE (*dude!*)

Just one of several kazillion letters sticking up for the Dum Dums. And fair dos. "Everything' was an ace single and yes, it was good to seen an indie band storm the battlements of kids TV again.  That's why our very own Emma Johnson wrote a highly praiseworthy feature on them. Remember, Melody Maker is a broad church, congregated by lots of different opinions- once you get to know which one of our hip, young gunslingers has taste closest to your own, you'll be well away.  You can probably rule out Paul Whitelaw, from the sound of things.  The Dum Dums' time, meanwhile, will undoubtedly come.

MELODY MAKER'S RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE LETTER.

DUM DUMS; 'YOU KNOCK ME OFF MY FEET'

They may not exactly be metal, but Dum Dums still rock like they've got seven-foot cocks. Take this exclusive track, for example, a rollicking pop tune, fair fizzing with spunk and amphetamine.

DESCRIPTION OF FREE MELODY MAKER CD.

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