McFly sticks it to The Man
I was almost the lead singer in McFly.
It’s true. A few years ago I got together with two mates, put out a few adverts and got a band together in Crewe, my home town. Originally called Voodoo Shoes (which is pretty awful) we then played our first at the Limelight Club in Crewe gig called Mantis (even worst). We needed a better name and so Chris, the guitarist, suggested McFly, after the character in the Back To The Future movies. I agreed, but we were eventually outvoted and settled on Gorski.
When the cheeky chart-topping popsters McFly appeared to replace Busted, a year or so later, I was relieved. After watching them on Top of the PopsI couldn’t associate the name with anything other than a teenybop band for children.
My opinion of McFly hasn’t altered much over the years. I never paid them much attention. They don’t play the shows I watch or appear anywhere near any of the bands I listen to – The Libertines, White Stripes, Strokes, Kings of Leon, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, etc etc etc. There is no way you would get me anywhere near the Victoria Hall in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent when McFly appeared there a year or so ago. Or at Pop in the Park in Nantwich last year.
So I was more than a little surprised by McFly’s performance on the return of Top of the Pops over Christmas. Among the array of bland R&B and X-Factor winners McFly stepped on stage, looked as teeny-bopper as ever….And then ripped into a song that sounded more akin with Green Day than McFly/Busted. They were energetic, musically tight and passionate about what they were singing. What is more, the lyrics were actually quite cutting.
McFly have apparently left their record label after becoming disillusioned. The song sticks it to The Man: “So here’s to the liars who dream and conspire
Against the admired, we hope you drop dead”
Fair play McFly. The song is a typically catchy, poppy McFly song, but with deeper, dirgy guitars, and the cutting, cynical lyrics. “So here’s another song for the radio”, indeed.
I’ve spoken in favour of McFly at work, and since been abused and castigated for my troubles. I am NOT a McFly fan, as I have repeated many times since watching them on Top of the Pops.
But, as the band says: “Don’t pretend you hate us when you sing our songs!”
