It is now 6 weeks to go until we get to invade the fields of Castle Donnington again, rock out to a whole host of rock and metal music in a field, and get drunk with friends. To celebrate the countdown to one of the UK’s biggest rock festivals I have decided to highlight a number of smaller or less well known bands that you may have missed on the line-up.
You all had the opportunity to catch these Missouri punk revivalists at Download last year, for all of you who managed to miss Radkey you’re being given a rare second chance to check them out. The band is made up of three brothers from St Joseph, Missouri and all members are of a young age, yet you wouldn’t have known that from their sound. Lead guitarist and older brother, Dee Radke, is a force on the guitar even at this young age, and can create some very powerful punk riffs from the off. Isaiah Radke, the middle brother, is the bass player and backing vocalist, and his powerful bass beats can be heard throughout every track. The final piece of the jigsaw is younger brother Solomon Radke, whose skills on the drums keeps the beat going throughout.
Radkey’s sound stems from the sheer amount of bands that their father, come manager, educated them in when they were younger; as such their sound is a mixture of classic 80s punk with a grungier feel a kin to Nirvana. The band themselves don’t have that much released, but what you can hear is all very powerful and funky at the same time. Their first release, ‘Cat & Mouse’ is instantly recognisable. ‘Red Letter’ is kicks you in the teeth and makes you beg for more. Dee’s voice is very funky and crooner-esque which adds to their very distinct noise. The EP’s title track ‘Cat & Mouse’ is a fan favourite and again exists to prove that they have a distinctive sound that you can attribute to them as soon as it hits your ears. ‘N.I.G.G.A (Not Okay)’ is the only track that really points to their ethnicity, which doesn’t seem to move any further than a basic massage against racism.
The band themselves have managed to make a stir in the music world as one of the most exciting young bands out there. Towards the end of last year, they even managed to get a position on Later… With Jools Holland, since then has only proved to boost their presence even further. Live their distinctive sound translates perfectly. It’s almost seamless between releases and live, something I believe the band were truly aiming for. This is a second chance for everyone to see one of the most important up and coming acts of the last two years, so make sure you get yourselves to their show and I will ensure you that the entire tent will be rocking all over the shop to their fantastic original noise.
Release to Own: ‘Cat & Mouse’
Tracks to Listen To: ‘Red Letter’, ‘Romance Dawn’, ‘Feed My Brain’
You can catch Radkey, at this year’s Download Festival, on the Pepsi Max Stage, Friday 13th June 2014
