Last night was special. Steve came up. We'd got a pair of tickets to see Swami a.k.a. John Reis a.k.a. Speedo. He used to be the frontman for Rocket From the Crypt. We used to follow them all over; back when we were both fit and well (if you had have eavesdropped on us in the bar beforehand you'd have heard us exchanging war stories and the medical demons both of us are currently dealing with. A trouble shared and all that). But we won't dwell on such matters.
The band - full moniker Swami & The Bed of Nails - were playing Nottingham's legendary Boat Club. And they were sensational. Off the f**king charts. Plugging their latest album - All of This Awaits You, comprising nine songs and weighing in at just 23 minutes - it's probably one of the finest recordings Reis has ever put his name to.
This is from earlier in the year in Philadelphia (and with a slightly different lineup) but you certainly get the picture. Watch the band as Reis finishes his Popeye impression and they prepare for the onslaught they are about to unleash. A small snatch of Doo Wop a Capella before that first power chord hits you like a truck. I don't think I've ever seen a tighter band than this. As I texted Ernie Goggins this morning (he's a Londoner) they're playing in Hackney on Saturday night. You really should go.
Swami & The Bed Of Nails - Do You Still Wanna Make Out? (2024)
