Tubesnake

“Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name …”

Seventh Line-Up: Lenny (Vocals), Dave Lunn (Guitar), Woody (Drums), Chris (Bass), Stephen Wakefield ‘Waka’ (Guitar)

Being such a sweet, demure, delicate little cherub-like angel, I couldn’t ever let a swear word pass my soft sweet oh so kissable lips but after listening to just the first three tracks of this CD I thought: “This is f**kin’ awesome!” Hey, if someone at this moment had said, “Val, would you like one helluva shag babe, or d’y’wanna carry on listening to this CD?”, I’d have to say “Put that away and TURN IT UP!!!”

But let’s start at the beginning: Me and Nige reviewed the Tube lads way back in the late Nineties at The Red Lion in Chester-le-Street and remember Len in his tight leathers up on the table leering down at the audience and I also remember him singing his sexy little heart out entertaining the audience as the other lads were packing away the gear. Yeah, every minute with The Snakes is entertainment! Tubesnake are one of the very few bands around who now have reached the stage where they know the good venues to play, know their audience, know what songs they do best and can suss things out within minutes of seeing the audience. So wasn’t it just the next step to put down on record exactly what they do best? And in their well-practised vein of doing everything to the best of their ability – this CD is worth the money for the first track alone. Snap it up. I love it and can’t get enough (and I’m still talking about the CD here).

Dave, Len, Waka, Woody and Chris have done a fantastic job on every track here, which just goes to show what they do when not tubing the snake. Recorded just last month (January) at Northern Recording in Consett (my copy’s still warm!!), I have my personal favourites and one which I really can’t get into cos every time I hear it I just have visions of huge, white frightening TEETH. Just a woman thing. And I’m sure you know which crazy track I’m on about, but that doesn’t denegrate the way The Tubes play it cos they do it great. Although the whole CD is covers, it really is like listening to a “Best of” compilation. Surprised to read in the accompanying info from Dave that this is their SECOND CD. Oh yeah boys, so where’s my copy of your first?!!!!

Surely nobody would ever dare even suggest that I was around for the early years of the classic Stones’ oldie Sympathy for the Devil, but The Tubies capture the mood and feeling perfectly. Bet ol’ Mick himself would wish them the best if he was aware of it. Loved every second. They didn’t play Starman next they’ve just copied it from Bowie’s album, sure of it!! They do the Bowie stuff so well it seems to fit into the band’s weird, eccentric, Doors-ee type feel. Eleanor Rigby is superb and atmospheric … well, I could say the same for every track: they are truly excellent. I adore Love Her Madly, White Room is done to death by live bands but The Tubies still do it better than anyone so it’s a welcome addition here. And Roadhouse Blues seems to be a medley of everything that The Snakes are good at but haven’t done the full version of; my only complaint is it just isn’t long enough (which wouldn’t be the first time). And on my special copy Fool for Your Stockings is the last track and what a way to end a brilliant album. I really love this track as I wear them at every opportunity, but don’t know where it’s taken from, can anyone help me out? Musically perfect, recorded as clear as a summer’s day and sounding fresh and “alive”, which many CDs don’t I’m afraid.

Makes me want to see Tubesnake again to catch up on this, that and … oh, lots of things.

… Val, posted on Riffsonline website, Feb 2002

Check out our Audio page for track listing and samples.