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Gallows - Staring at the Rude Bois

  by John Clarkson

published: 22 / 11 / 2007



Gallows - Staring at the Rude Bois
Label: Warner Bros
Format: CDS

intro

Surprisingly effective reworking of the Ruts classic by Watford punk-metal group Gallows

It shows a potential foolhardiness and over inflated ego to take a classic punk anthem and then to reinvent it with your own words. On paper it sounds like a recipe for disaster as well to add a rapper to it to give it a more urban feel. Yet Watford punk-metal group Gallows’ spirited ‘Staring at the Rude Bois’, a reworking of the Ruts’ 1980 single, ‘ Staring at the Rude Boys’, proves against the odds to be surprisingly effective. Like all good covers it remains true to its source, but builds on it. The slashing guitars and fiery drum work of the original are maintained. While the late Malcolm Owen’s now time-worn lyrics told of punk/skinhead tensions, Gallows’ hoarse-voiced singer Frank Elliot and guest rapper Lethal Bizzle, who appears in the last quarter of the song, have up-dated them with a tale of two rival gangs from different towns bloodily squaring up to each other in a club. As the song sears towards its conclusion, it becomes apparent that at least some of the gang don’t really want to be fighting at all, but do so because they don’t know anything else. In its bleak nihilism and self-disgust, ’Staring at the Rude Bois’ perfectly mirrors the state of the times.



Track Listing:-
1 Staring At The Rude Bois (Radio Edit)
2 Staring At The Rude Bois (Jah Wobble Remix)


Label Links:-
http://www.warnerbrosrecords.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/warnerbrosrecordsuk/


Visitor Comments:-
96 Posted By: Leopold, Forest of Dean on 29 Nov 2007
I would normally write a long constructive review of a new release, but this time I don't think I can even justify spending much time on this drivel. I grew up with punk and The Ruts' original is dear to my heart. Yes, I can tell what you are thinking, but it's not that any classic punk song shouldn't be touched - I'm all for reworkings if they add something to the original - it's just this sounds like a Saturday night karaoke down the local rock pub, all shouty tuneless lyrics and a very half-hearted attempt at a rap during the last part of the song, seemingly plonked in just because Lethal Bizzle is one of the flavours of the month right now. But, as a 44 year old ex punk I'm sure all the kids that will buy or rip this tune will tell me to "shut the f**k up, old man, what do you know about music?" Sad, very sad. Leopold



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