13/3/2007 Feetgazer @ the Purple Turtle - an interesting night.

Subject	Feetgazer @ the Purple Turtle - an interesting night.
PostedDate	3/13/2007
	I dedicate this blog to all those who keep telling me "But all your blogs have pictures of bands with girls in them" or "You only go and see bands featuring girls!".  This looked like being an interesting night - and it was. Laney74 had told me that while his other band Teenage Casket Company are taking a break to recharge their batteries and write new songs he is playing with another band - fronted by former Let Loose singer Richie Wermerling! Now I know that Rob has a strong pop side to his musical tastes as well as loving the ROCK - but this still came as rather a surprise! I was a bit unsure if I wanted to go to see this new band play their first ever gig, but I'm glad I did as it was an interesting night... The venue was the Purple Turtle in Camden - a place I seem to find myself rather a lot over the last year or so. However, this night the atmosphere was rather different to the very ROCK nights I normally find myself down there.  It was quite full considering it was a Tuesday night and four completely unknown bands were playing - but instead of the normal bunch of tattooed rockers the place was full of houswives aged from their 20's to 40's. There were also a few girls there who looked young enough to be the daughters of said houswives. There were almost no males present at all - it was strange. Not particularly in a bad way - just rather odd. The only people there who didn't fit into the crowd described above were the handful of friends of the other bands on the bill and the band members themselves. I couldn't get there early enough to see the first two bands and arrived just before Feetgazer started their set. As I moved nearer the front I felt someone touch my leg - I looked down and saw a girl sitting next to me: Girl: "Will you buy my CD?" Me: Errr - who are you? Girl: "I played earlier" Me: I just got here. Girl: "Oh..." She must have been a member of either Kazumo or 9FoldPunch. Not having heard either band I didn't buy her CD. Although Feetgazer weren't headlining - they were very obviously the main attraction of the four bands on the bill. I was unsure what to expect, although as Laney74 was in the band I was sure they weren't going to be rubbish - I just wasn't sure if I'd actually like what I was going to hear. The horde of houswife pop fans produced cameras from their handbags to record this event that they were obviously very excited about! I got my camera out of my jeans pocket to share the event with you lot. If the former Let Loose frontman's fans were expecting a slick commercial 'pop group', it isn't what they got. There were no wimpy keyboards - just drums, bass, and guitars - this was a full on rock band. I don't think Richie's fans cared - they were there to see him - not his band. I suspect they hardly even noticed who else was on the stage - all eyes were on their idol. As far as his performance goes, I think he gave them what they wanted - although he made it clear (without having to actually say it) that this wasn't Let Loose or anything like his former band - nor was it intended to be. He didn't play his biggest hit - I guess he thought that would have been too obvious and too easy. He had a point to make - Let Loose is history - this is what Richie Wermerling is aboutnow. This isn't about Richie the 'pop star' - this is about Richie the singer and songwriter fronting his new band Feetgazer. I think his fans were still happy enough - they were getting to see someone that to them still is a 'pop star' up close and personal in a much more intimate venue then they would ever have had the chance to before - no barriers, no security stopping them getting too close. I think they were in heaven! Oddly enough, although there was a bit of screaming (very little actually) and picture taking they didn't crowd up to the front of the stage and try to touch him - although they could have done if they wanted. They were actually very respectful - I guess they have grown out of all that stuff. It was all quite odd for me to watch - these women were obviously big fans of the man they were watching on stage, and I suspect some of them had travelled a long way for this gig, but they seemed quite restrained compared to the crowds I regularly see at this venue for little known underground rock 'n' roll bands - there was some empty space in front of the stage although the place was fairly full and hardly anyone was dancing. I guess they were all just in awe of what was happening just in front of them? Seeing such a big 'pop star' in such a small venue would have been unthinkable for them a few years ago so I can understand their obvious happiness. As I said - this wasn't a pop group - this was a rock band. The show wasn't billed as being Richie Wermerling from Let Loose, or even 'featuring' him - it was simply Feetgazer. I don't think it's a particularly good name to be honest - conjuring up images of a dreary indie band staring at their shoes. Maybe that was Ritchie's intention? He has made a smart move in recruiting Teenage Casket Company and DIP bassist Laney74 to his new band - this up's the band's ROCK quotient considerably! Rob certainly look's the part and plays bass as well as he poses and throws shapes - a true pro! He seems the be the glue that holds the band together, and although the rest of the band can obviously play I get the sense they are having to up their game with Laney74 powering things along. Richie seem's to be making a fresh start with a new 'real' band to showcase his songwriting and get his new material heard - on his own terms and to stand or fall on the strength of his new songs. Good luck to him I say. I was impressed how grounded he seemed. Not many people in his position - former well known 'pop stars' would be prepared to start again from scratch and play in a band at the lowest club level - he could have done things quite differently and really tried to cash in on  his name and the reputation of his old band. One could argue that he already has an established and obviously loyal fanbase to come to the shows, but it would have been stupid of him to ignore that fact and keep this gig a secret - why disappoint people who are obviously keen to see you? Better to have these fans on board than keep it quiet and play to an empty club. It was interesting to watch how Richie dealt with this show. He wasn't denying his 'pop' past - he was admitting to it, but not milking it as would have been so easy to do. He tried to get the crowd going, but I think they were too in awe to go as crazy as he wanted. He tried to get them going; "Come on - I've spent three months losing my gut for this show so I can jump up and down - you can at least jump up and down too!" He made out he was a bit disappointed by their lack of action "Fucking hell - I'm not used to this - I used to be in a boy band!" It was very tongue-in-cheek the way he said it though - sending himself up a bit. He actually said after the show that he hates it when people say he was in a 'boy band'. He is obviously keen to put such associations behind him these days. He's had a healthy career since Let Loose as a producer and songwriter amd I don't think he need's to do this - I suspect he thought it would be fun to get out there with a proper band and do some sweaty club gigs - and at the same time showcase his newer songs. This may not be Guns 'N' Roses (actually, not even Guns 'N' Roses are Guns 'N' Roses these days) but it is most definitely a real live rock band rather than a pop group. Richie has some of his newer songs on his own MySpace, but when they are played live with a proper band they sound completely different and much more powerful. To further demonstrate that this is a 'rock' band Richie strapped on a Les Paul himself a couple of times during the set. In fact, the set went so well that it was extended from the planned 25-30 minutes to around 45 minutes. I think all Richies 'pop' fans went home very happy as he had time to meet them afterwards and have his picture taken with him - there certainly doesn't seem to be any 'pop star' ego here and the man seems very grounded and down to earth. He seems aware of his past but also exactly where is right now. This was actually the bands first ever gig - I think they've only done three rehearsals so this is actually quite an impressive first show. It was actually intended more as a try-out for the new band and a warm-up for the forthcoming 'proper' first show at Dingwalls. The venue got a lot emptier after Feetgazer finished their set and the 'headline' band Innover weren't left with many people to play too. Do you ever see a band get on stage and you think you can tell exactly what they are going to sound like before they've played a note? This was one of those bands. I don't think they will be giving up those day jobs quite yet...