Trying to Hard: RANCID

They've never been "trying hard." One of the things that distinguishes them from just about every other punk band of the past ten years is how effortless and ingrained the whole aesthetic is in them. They have mohawks because they like mohawks, not to sell records. They look pretty much the same as they did in 1993, when they were just another "former members of" band on Epitaph. Tim Armstrong hasn't had a mohawk since 1996 or so, incidentally, and probably because it was receding, but that's another story. Hating on a band because of what they wear is stupid.

And mimicing Joe Strummer's slur? Not even. Nobody sounds like Tim. Dude sounds like he's got a mouth full of broken teeth. He doesn't even talk at all during the live shows, I'm assuming because his voice is all shot to hell. I love the character in his voice, the way you can practically hear rehab in it. You could probably make a case for Lars Fredrickson mimicing Wattie from the Exploited, though, which I don't think is a bad thing.

Jesus, AGAIN with this stupid bastardization of English (see the Creed thread...one doesn't hate on a band, one merely hates them.). For a start, read the query....I own a copy of ..And Out Come the Wolves (to say nothing of Let's Go and their self-titled debut. I sold the abysmal Life Won't Wait album). When I hate a band.....YOU'LL KNOW IT!

And mimicing Joe Strummer's slur? Not even. Nobody sounds like Tim. Dude sounds like he's got a mouth full of broken teeth.

Yeah, well not sure when the last time you paid a visit to Strummer's dentist, but that man DID have a mouth full of broken teeth. You're fighting a lost battle on this one, Tom. Go pick up some Clash albums and get back to me.

...And Lars sounds NOTHING like Wattie (and, likewise, Rancid sound NOTHING like the Exploited, who were never as tuneful).

I've got every Clash album pre-Combat Rock, thanks. And even if Strummer did have a mouth of broken teeth, he never really sounded like it. His voice is all strain; even on the quieter tracks it still comes accross like a hoarse wail. Whereas Armstrong sounds *conversational* most of the time, which Strummer certainly never did.

Rancid sounds nothing like the Expoited (except on parts of the 2000 self-titled album), but Lars has the same sort of roar. I suppose he does sound less thuggish, though.

And you're still dead wrong about the Joe Strummer rip, Tom.

Apeing a lifestyle out of pure adoration

Ah, it was only a matter of time before the old "punker than thou" line hit this thread. Wake me when it's over.

I still remember Lars ranting about hating techno back in 1995 and I wished he would go die. Now I wish he would just admit he changed his mind (and if anyone can point me to where he does, that's cool).

I'll allow for "I Wanna Riot" as being a better song than the Clash ever did. That said, they're about as useless as the Clash, so fuck 'em and the high horses they've ridden up their own ass more times than I can count.

Good lord! Ned, can this be true? Such vitriol!

I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. And that includes the ex-members of Rage. ;-)

Rancid may be punk, but in which alternate universe exists a punk who's never heard of "squeejee kids"? That was a truly hallucinogenic moment.

I like Armstrong's ruined voice, even (especially?) in the Transplants.

Maybe this explains why "Life Won't Wait" is the only Rancid album that's still listenable more than once a year. Just as much "shameless aping" as the other albums, but at least it's got some variety. That 'hardcore' album they put out next was terrible.

They authored dance remixes of their own singles!
Are these collected/available on anything? Do you mean all the way back to the beginning, or was this a post-Sandinistia (or London Calling) thing?

Another band that sounds like The Clash in places is Randy, but they don't sound so forced. Well, at least on their first album, anyway... still need to snag a listen of the new one. They're Swedish, too, which of course makes them cooler.

And one final thought about Joe Strummer: A few months before he died I went to this shithole of a club in Providence, RI to see a a friend play a reunion show with this local punk band. The place was crowded with skateboard assholes 15 years younger than I, who proceeding to step on my toes whenever given the chance. They played locally produced skateboard videos on a screen between sets and I became so annoyed I left before seeing my friend. But not before they changed the video and inexplicably started showing Joe Strummer on stage with the Mescaleros, ripping through "Safe European Home." Everyone in the club stopped what they were doing and became fixated on Strummer, who was almost 50 but made it look like 1981 all over again. That guy never stopped believing. Goddamn.

It is true that they aren't as smart as the Clash or as talented songwriters. The same is true of 99.9 percent of the bands in the history of sound.