It’s been another dreary summer. I’ve found it hard to get inspired by anything ‘new’. The last gigs I’ve seen were by Pearl Jam and Faith No More, the last film I went to was directed by Quentin Tarantino...it could be 1994.
But there’s nothing wrong with old things. Especially when they’re re-configured into exciting new shapes.
It was a few weeks ago rumours started buzzing around about a new supergroup that brought together three of the best rock musicians of their generations: Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones.
Them Crooked Vultures, for that is how they are known, have embarked on a masterful buzz campaign. They have used the internet and digital platforms with the utmost skill, manipulating youtube to their ends rather than complaining about it, drip-feeding official studio films and fan-recorded gig footage to the wild animal public.
Their website is very simple. They know their audience: all they need is a photo of Grohl sitting at a drumkit to get them excited. A Google Earth plug-in to pinpoint their next unannounced gig is a nice touch too. All you have to do is sign up to receive a copy of their email, THE CROOKED TIMES. And today I got one with a pre-sale password to see them this December. Thank you very much indeed.
When they aren’t using the internet as the tool it is, they crop up in unexpected places (IN REAL LIFE!), supporting the Arctic Monkeys at Brixton Academy last week and pitching up at Reading and Leeds last weekend to shake everyone awake from a horrible dreamworld where Florence and the Machine is taken seriously.
Roll on the winter. Time to get excited again.
http://themcrookedvultures.com/
