Former Cell Mates
LINE UP
David Lee Burdon – vocals/guitar
Neil Basset – drums
David Lyon – guitar
Greg Robson – guitar
FORMER CELL MATES ARE
FROM…
Sunderland in the North East of
England
PLAYED WITH
A Death in the Family, Lucero,
Leatherface, Milloy, Bedford Falls,
The Draft, Hot Water Music
BIO
“We get drunk, make music and don’t mean to sound so sad …
it just turns out that way.” David Lee Burdon (Former Cell Mates)
Self-styled leaders of the Regressive Rock Movement, the sound of
Sunderland’s FORMER CELL MATES is original yet familiar. Drawing on the
monumental legacy of THIN LIZZY and MOTORHEAD with the ragged, drunken
country punk soul of THE REPLACEMENTS and current rising stars LUCERO
and TWO COW GARAGE to deliver a spiky, soulful rock gem.
This is hardly astounding when you take into account their rock and roll resume,
which includes such bands as LEATHERFACE, THE GOLDEN VIRGINS, *THE
COYOTE MEN* and THE MERCURY LEAGUE.
Formed in late 2002 by vocalist/songwriter and guitarist David Lee Burdon,
previously of the massively influential punk act LEATHERFACE and bassist
David Lyon who has also served time with wrestling masked garage bruisers
THE COYOTE MEN. Drummer Neil Bassett previously featured in the ranks of
hotly tipped XL Recording artists THE GOLDEN VIRGINS who also included
solo artist Lucas Renney and Ross Millard of the FUTUREHEADS). This new
album sees the debut of new guitarist Greg Robson formerly of hardcore punk
thrashers THE MERCURY LEAGUE on second guitar.
Following an album on Cardiff based Newest Industry records in 2005,
FORMER CELL MATES hit road for solid stints on the European mainland
where they built up a strong following in Germany and Benelux. In 2007 the
band signed up with HOUSEHOLD NAME RECORDS (Capdown, The King
Blues, Milloy, Zatopeks, Adequate Seven) the UK’s most prolific supporter of
rising underground punk/rock and set about recording their follow up in their own
Room3recording in Sunderland.
FORMER CELL MATES made it their aim to put the soul into rock’n‘roll and the
spunk into melodic hardcore and with their new album “Who’s Dead and What’s
to Pay?” they more than deliver over the course of the 11 gritty and inspiring
rock tracks. With the raging riffs of openers Party Tricks and Always still ringing
in your ears, the album hits an anthemic stride early with one of the standout
tracks Come January. From this point there you are in for a rollercoaster of
failing relationships and regret that pitches huge chest pounding riffs against
brutally honest lyrics. But from this backdrop you are brought reeling to your
senses with upbeat hopeful pop of Does He make you Laugh? – a track that
sees FORMER CELL MATES summon the spirit of Billy Bragg and the Blokes
and includes Burdon’s most autobiographical line “I wasn’t looking for trouble,
but trouble found me”.
Yet despite the driving beat of the record the biggest impact is reserved until
near the end of the record, the quiet reflective and beautiful semi-acoustic duet
“Stolen Car Keys”. In a lazy dreamlike 5 minutes you can feel yourself on the
beach (most likely a rather cold and bleak one in the north east of England
staring out on the north sea) with the singers alongside you. And as the
keyboards soar on the final run-out of “I’m sorry Lucy” you should be in equal
parts emotionally exhausted and exhilarated – ready to dive back in and start
again. 2005 : “Hustle” (newest industry)
