before ciaran macfeely was a simple kid there was the small fact he was once a young offender.
the band were immediately loved by the media of the day, and somehow managed to get a lot of attention here there and everywhere.
but i was, due to my newfound parenting demands, on the whole completely oblivious.
well that was until my wife and i went to a free festical in leeds that the young offenders opened the name of which now escapes me.
the band jumped on stage with 2 glammed up backing singers and ripped into the best t-rex styled guitar fests with gusto thus re-establishing my love for music after an extended hiatus.
even better, my firstborn was a mere few months old, and he loved every minute.
the fact that his first experience of rock-n-roll happened to be a band called young offenders always concerned me, so much so that i have the legal papers all ready to file against ciaran should the boy go off the rails and end up with an asbo.
anyway, returning back to my life of parenting and work, (pre-blogging days of course – 1998!), i track down the bands science fiction ep and patiently waited for the album that to this day remains unreleased.
however, when i came across mention of the band earlier today, i had to dig the ep out and give it a fresh airing.
i think that rock stars happens to be a brilliant example of glam pop that deserves a chance in anyones playlist for a few days.
the piano, the melody, the build up, and then final chaotic breakdown is a wonderful successor to the golden years of david bowie. i suspect very few people have heard this as the band never released their album due to breakdowns of various kinds, and the story ended there, that is, until ciaran returned under his rather more successful simple kid guise.
but that’s another story, for today is all about this glorious piece of forgotten guitar pop that sent a chill up my spine in 98, and still does today.
(small interview from way back when the first simple kid album was released : here)
mp3 : rock stars
more detail : none !