Late last year, Charity Chic set me a challenge to look at bands named after Crocodiles. Having done nothing else for the entire festive period, here are the results. No snap decisions today - which Crocs rock your world?
THE CROCODILES #1
Let's start with some South African Crocodiles from 1975 - I'm betting these guys will be right up Ernie's muddy river.
THE CROCODILES #2
Part of the same early 80s New Zealand New Wave scene that gave us Split Enz, these Crocodiles (formerly The Spats) sent me down a wonderful youtube rabbit hole watching various videos which are so very early 80s, they made my heart ache.
Lead singer Jenny Morris went on to a successful solo career while Sussex-born Bruno Lawrence (the guy carrying the transistor on his shoulder as only people in the 80s did) became a popular NZ actor.
THE CROCODILES #3
Belgian Crocodiles from 1982, led by winning Scrabble hand Karl Servranckx. On Crock Records, naturally.
THE CROCODILES #4
Christian rocker Randy Rose and his band Mad At The World "shocked the [religious] community with their crazy Depeche Mode-like sounds" in 1985.
Twelve years later, Randy released one rockabilly single as The Crocodiles. Prepare to be shocked again, easily-shocked religious community!
THE CROCODILES #5
Spanish Power Pop lurking in the swamp of the 90s, led by Juan Manuel Riera.
CROCODILES #6
From San Diego, eschewing the definite article, these Crocodiles formed in 2008 from the remnants of punk bands called Some Girls and The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower. They make "noise pop" which has been likened to the missing link between The Archies and the Jesus & Mary Chain.
Heading out for a tedious day's work so will have to listen to #2 - #8 this evening, but I can confirm your hunch about #1.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the band but the producer Thomas J. Masingi was all over the local scene in the 1970s and early 1980s. As well as a lot of soul acts he also produced many records of more indignenous music including pioneering Tsonga stars like G.S. Chauke and General M.D. Shirinda (the latter popped up on 'Graceland' a few years later).
I don't remember issuing that challenge but I'm glad I did.
ReplyDeleteIt's between the Kiwis and the Belgians for me this week.
#1 is splendid, I really like the amatuerish sound, proto-new wave. The video for #2 put me right off the song, so I made my marmite rolls whilst listening. #3? Nah. #4 was very disappointing, I was hoping to add a christian rockabilly track to my series. #5 is very good pop song, hose spaniards showing a much better command of english than me,. #6 is another new wave type sound that is appealing,. Not too impressed with that Bau Hau-ish french Crocodiles, they quickly became tedious. NAd the german song was rubbish, all 28 seconds of it. So it's choice of #1, #5 amd #6--------
ReplyDeleteI'm swithering.........
ReplyDeleteit's #6
ReplyDeleteYou've been thinking about this all day?
DeleteYes, one of the benefois of not working.
DeleteI'm off sick at the moment, and even I've had better things to do! Hats off to you, George.
DeleteNow listened to extracts from them all. You won't be surprised to hear it is #1 for me, but #6 was the only other I listened to all the way through so that puts them in second place. I only managed 18 seconds of #8.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you're unwell. Hope you're back to your brilliant best soon.