It was the summer of 1997. I was working nights at a printers in Hull. 3AM...the CD was changed and clicked on...for the first time that sweet, pretty, country'n'acid house music flowed from the speakers...
It was ALABAMA 3 and "Exile On Coldharbour Lane". I'd never heard such an anarchic, delinquent and politically provocative collection of songs since the early days of the Pistols and the Clash, and I have to tell you, brothers and sisters, it was like a bolt of lightning. I was converted on the spot.
So, 5 years on and it's hard to imagine that a band who have played in front of 25 million in the US when they appeared on the Jay Leno show - with a full gospel choir, performing "Woke Up This Morning" from C4's 'THE SOPRANOS' - is still playing small clubs like York's Fibbers and The Cockpit. No detriment to either of these clubs intended. Such is life, I suppose.
This current evangelical tour coincides with the release of their 3rd (and best, in my humble opinion) album, "Power In The Blood" and tonight was Leeds' turn to receive the lesson.
Both disciples and doubting thomases alike converged on the Cockpit to hear A3's words of wisdom and seek redemption or convergence. From the opening of "Lord Have Mercy," Larry Love and D.Wayne Love had the congregation tapping, stomping, clapping and cheering. Tonight's sermon was a broad selection gleaned from all three of their albums, "Exile On Coldharbour Lane," "La Peste" and "Power In The Blood." Each song greeted with more gusto and reverence than the last.
From "Lord Have Mercy", the A3 moved onto "Too Sick To Pray" from "La Peste", the turned back to the new album for the title track. We were lapping it up as the clock was then turned back gain to the classic "Ain't Goin' To Goa". Only four songs in and the congregation and the band were now as one, singing, dancing and feeding off each other's raw energy. Even the unbelievers were beginning to tap their feet. From "...Goa" the pace was relentless as they crashed into "Bullet Proof" with The Mountain Of Love's mouth harp bursting gloriously over the congregation, because by now Bothers and Sisters, we truly were a congregation!
For me, this sermon was now becoming a celebration. The A3 took us back to "La Peste" and "2129", a song highlighted by some excellent bottleneck guitar work from Rock Freebase. I hardly had time to draw breath let alone go for another drink as The Mountain of Love's keyboards moved us into "Year Zero," the melodic opening bars slowing us down just enough to take stock before L.B.Dope's insistent percussion got those feet moving again.
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"Woke Up This Morning" is probably A3's most well-known song. It's not about an Italian mobster, as its' connections with 'THE SOPRANOS' would have many believe. It's about an abused woman who got up one day, bought a gun and blew her abuser's brains out, as Larry Love informed us. It was greeted rapturously and performed magnificently.
The hands are feet were kept moving all evening long, with even the 'slower' "Let The Caged Bird Sing," through "Woody Guthrie", "R.E.H.A.B," "When The Moon Has Lost The Sun", "Yellow Rose" and "Two Heads". In between all of these new songs, earlier material like "U Don't Dans The Tekno", "Mao Tse Tung Said" and "Hypo Full Of Love(The 12-Step Plan)" were dovetailed in with love and precision.
All too soon the lights went up and the sermon was finally over. We left the atmosphere of stale cigarette smoke, sweat and beer to find the cool November street of Leeds. Those who had sought redemption had found it and the unbelievers were now converted.
This was a great performance from a great band. They were tight and polished. Even the guy on the mixing desk, who took the first few numbers to get it together couldn't spoil the show. The A3 really deserve to be playing to much bigger audiences than the two hundred or so who had packed into The Cockpit. My advice would be to go down to your local record store, buy "Power In The Blood" and find your own personal redemption.
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