Rams' Pocket Radio

I've just done something entirely out of the norm for me. I have listened to a band's new ep 6 times in a row, and have, just now, officially "liked" their page on Facebook and checked them out on myspace.

Plus I had a long chat with Paul McClean from BBC Radio Ulster's Across the Line programme about the band, even if we did end up talking about *cough* Jedward. Sorry. And I have found the band are playing the Cellar Bar in Draperstown in a few weeks time. So am I a fan?

They are Rams' Pocket Radio. Well they are actually he, Peter McAuley, a drummer, pianist and songwriter from Lisburn. I first heard him/them last year on a sampler cd of local musicians released by the Oh Yeah Centre. But this new ep, which I found in a pile of unopened post today, is called "Dieter Rams Has Got The Pocket Radios". It's been out since 19th of August and it is incredible. There are 4 tracks, (1)Dieter Rams has Got the Pocket Radios, (2) Coal, my lips are sealed", (my personal favourite) (3) "Friendship fails you" and (4) "Souvenir".

So does this mean I am a fan ? I haven't been a music fan for a very long time. I went all awkward and unable to listen to a lot of music in my late teens. Don't ask me why, but I have long held a grudge against the men I knew/know who, when contemporary pop/rock music is mentioned, immediately go into a kind of double speak. You know the ones who have an encyclopedic knowledge of bands, from early album covers to band members who died in nineteen canteen. I've always felt a bit redundant when those bromances kick off!

Anyhow, I missed Rams' Pocket Radio last week at Belsonic, but they're playing the Cellar Bar in Draperstown on Saturday the 10th September. Am off to book the babysitter.