Trust me #77
The Rat by The Walkmen
One wet and stormy midweek night, back in 2004 (I reckon), I jumped in a taxi from my flat in Dennistoun to King Tuts in town to see Tanya Donnelly from Belly. I loved Belly's Star album from 1993 and have to admit to having (to this day) a major crush on Donnelly.
My friend Reddy was meant to be going, but he was stuck on the M8 in a storm and called to say that when he eventually got to Glasgow, he would be going home and staying in.
The rain was utterly relentless. I may well have mused with the idea of staying at home myself. But I was a mere 10-minute taxi ride to the city centre. I was going ... on my own!
A band called The Walkmen had somehow got on the bill. I guess that they either knew Donnelly or someone in her band, or had a cracking booking agent. Their singer, Hamilton Leithauser ,was a good looking frontman and his band all looked like a gang. Early in their set he said something along the lines of; 'We're The Walkmen from New York City, we don't have a lot of money and we don't have a place to stay. If anyone has a floor we could crash on then come and speak to us after.'
The fact that I didn't offer my floor and sofa to The Walkmen remains one of my major gig regrets to this very day! Perhaps the fact that I was there on my own had something to do with it. I seemed to be drinking quicker than normal, probably as I had no-one to talk to.
However I was hugely impressed by The Walkmen and their short set of energetic, fuzzy and punky guitar pop. I should have offered them a place to crash!
Alcohol probably did fuel one of my few conversations that night. At one point I walked through to the upstairs bar and found Walkmen guitarist Paul Maroon sinking a bottle of beer.
'Hey, I loved your set. That song The Rat you played is better than anything The Strokes have done!'
Paul said 'thanks' and I don't remember if I said anything else or not. Maybe I might have mumbled 'hope you find a place to stay tonight'. I hope I did! However I never offered Paul and his mates the opportunity to kip on my floor.
Damn! What a missed opportunity!
However, even in my drunken state, I did recognise what an absolutely fantastic song The Rat is. Taken from their second album, Bows + Arrows, the song rides in with fast, furious, driving rhythm guitar and beats. You need to strap yourself in as The Rat doesn't let up. This is relentless! The intro is a glorious 51 seconds long before Hamilton Leithauser comes in, mirroring the energy of the music with an intensely passionate vocal.
You've got a nerve to be asking a favour
You've got a nerve to be calling my number
Leithauser sounds angry, bitter, frustrated and his voice cracks with emotion and desperation as the song drives on.
I know we've been through this before
Can't you hear me I'm, calling out your name?
Can't you see me I'm, pounding on your door?
The Walkmen are locked in their punk groove, the drums crash, the bass is just about holding everything together and after a second verse (virtually the same as the first), things cut, leading to a mini-mantra (that I kind of wish went on a little longer);
When I used to go out, I'd know everyone I saw
Now I go out alone, if I go out at all
Everything kicks back in and we're back into the verse, or is it a chorus?
The Rat is 4 minutes 22 seconds, but, through the intense pace, ferocious guitar and the emotions that pour out in the vocals, it really doesn't feel like it.
Somehow, I doubt The Walkmen will ever need a floor to crash on again if they come back to Glasgow. But if they do, I will offer!
