The keyboard player usually associated with Paul Weller is "Merton" Mick Talbot, who, after leaving mod revival band The Merton Parkas, filled out The Jam’s sound in their twilight days and accompanied Weller’s journey through the Style Council. Andy Crofts of The Moons has made the journey in reverse: currently Weller’s live keyboard player, he also fronts and plays guitar with The Moons, a five-piece he formed in 2007.
Fêted by Edwyn Collins, The Moons push some classic British buttons. Crofts’ songs betray a fondness for The Kinks, but there’s a Buzzcocks edge too. Screw up your eyes and Crofts could be Johnny Marr. But The Moons are an entity in their own right – and they’re no mod band. Decoupled from Weller, Crofts is clearly capable of making his own way.
Booked as a prequel to the new single “Everyday Heroes”, issued in a few weeks, The Moons have much to look forward to. March 2010’s debut album, Life on Earth, is still fresh and Crofts is upbeat about the forthcoming single. “It’s a great song and I hope people get to hear it,” he says before the show. “It’s about the people, everyday people. But it’s down to the silly music industry whether it breaks through. After that we’re making the new album, all the songs are finished but some need fixing.” Judging by the audience, where plain folks outnumber off-the-shelf mods and look-alikes of latter-day minor Oasis members, it looks like the breaking through has begun.
Musing on the venue’s trendy east-London playground location, Crofts laughs, saying, “It’s cool, but I don’t think there’s any depth to it. I may be wrong, but it is what it is. I like it, though.”
Up before The Moons are The Kinsmen, a four-piece from Frankfurt sporting three brothers and their cousin. They moved to London in search of the not-here but nonetheless ubiquitous Edwyn Collins, who’s produced their forthcoming album. They’re charming, playing a beat-era Beatles-infused pop that’s as much Badfinger as it is lost Scandinavian popsters Daryll Ann.
The Moons tumble on stage, with Crofts flanked by the very pretty keyboard player Tom Warmsley and guitarist (and Lightning Seeds keyboardist) James Bagshaw, whose exploding hair gives him the air of a junior Marc Bolan. Their bumfreezer jackets offer a symmetry to Crofts. The line-up is completed by Adam Leeds (bass) and Ben Gordelier (drums). It’s obvious from the off that this is no side project but a real band. As they open with the oom-pah rhythmed album cut “Chinese Whispers”, memories of XTC songs like “Sgt Rock” bubble up: the ones that brought the Sixties into the New Wave era. “Torn Between Two” belongs alongside The Zombies’ “Just Out of Reach”. “How Long” sports keyboards that ape the Sixties’ Mellotron string sound, while “It’s Taking Over” seamlessly evokes The Monkees’ “Stepping Stone” and The Small Faces' “Green Circles”, via The Beatles’ "Taxman”.
Despite the echoes, The Moons' sound is unified, utterly of the moment. Not an homage, but a living creature. There are problems though. Flat sound mean the drums sound like packing crates. Guitars cut out. Vocals are too low.
But these are small beer compared to the show’s denouement. The house lights are switched on during the planned final song, “Don’t Go Changin’”. Mid-song, Crofts shouts for them to be turned off. They aren’t.
Apparently, there’s a curfew. It’s 10.55. The song ends, a security guard clambers on stage and shouts “Party’s over!” to be met with catcalls.
As the band wander off bemused, the audience noise increases and Crofts comes on for an encore. He begins a solo version of “Wondering” to a switched-off microphone. When it goes on, the audience joins in. As the rest of the band join Crofts, the security man jumps on stage again, shooing them off. A drumstick is thrown and lands on his head. That’s the end of it.
Yet the venue’s bar remains open after the show and, as Crofts had noted, this is one of London’s trendiest areas – night-time economy and all that – with the streets, bars and Brick Lane’s restaurants still filled. It’s 11.10pm. The venue has alienated the audience and herded the headline band off stage. Pathetic. At least The Moons got the chance to air their music beforehand.
Watch "Nightmare Day" (YouTube):
