STUCK MOJO
LONDON UNDERWORLD 06/10/08
Travel issues, and pre gig interviews meant I missed the supporting acts for this show, and only got into the venue as the house p.a. played a selection of 70’s rock classics by the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, foretelling the arrival of Stuck Mojo. Somehow managing to record a forthcoming new CD, ‘The Great Revival’ hot off the heels of an album deal for ‘Southern Born Killers’ and promotional touring, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the band would be run down, and physically not able to give their all. Nothing could be further from the truth. Coming out to the strains of Pink Floyd’s classic ‘Brick in the Wall’, from the first rip roaring riff to the last fade out, Stuck Mojo attacked their music with an energy that no band around can hope to match, and that I could never hope to do justice to with just words.
From the very start, the band could not be contained by the small stage of the Underworld. Now touring as a five piece, fronted by the 6’5’ 300lb epitome of intensity that is Lord Nelson, Stuck Mojo could probably make any stage look cramped. Rich Ward, now sharing guitar duties with long term Fozzy cohort Mike Martin is a powerhouse mix of killer riffs, powerful vocals, and a whirlwind of hair and tattoos, barely standing still long enough to allow the audience to catch its breath as song after song from a now nearly 15 year old back catalogue is blasted out.
Launching straight into ‘Not Promised Tomorrow’, the first track on their first album ‘Snappin Necks’, the audience immediately erupts into a frenzied pit, chanting along to the raps delivered by Lord Nelson with an enthusiasm that matches the showmanship of the band onstage. This non stop pummelling of the audience with a combination of heavy as lead metal layered with intelligent barked raps carried on non stop for almost half an hour, without a break to speak to the audience, blasting the venue with classics like ‘2 Minutes of Death’ which comes across even heavier live then it does on record. In this medley the band leant heavily on tracks from their last album, producing an epic rendition of ’Open Season’ and ’Metal is Dead’ before being joined onstage by Renny from Forever Never for guest vocals on ’That’s When I Burn.’
After a brief, but heartfelt thanks to the audience for turning out, The Duke indulged in a little crowd surfing during a punishingly heavy ‘Monster’, returning to the stage with ripped shorts that he jettisoned into the audience to play the rest of the show in only his boxers. It was a testament to the energy and enthusiasm of the band and their founder that he didn’t stop the show to redress, instead just joke with the audience that he hoped his pants weren’t the ones his dogs had chewed holes in, before continuing to deliver track after track of quality musicianship.
Every member of the band was firing on all cylinders, not least their new resident drummer; introduced in true wrestling style as “weighing in at 82 pounds soaking wet”, Steve ‘Nailz’ Underwood proved to be a true powerhouse addition to the band, driving it on with a massive sound that I found hard to believe came from such a slight man behind such a minimalist kit. Added to his consummate skill was a fantastic showmanship, sticks twirled and juggled with every beat, his performance every bit as eye catching as the band who had the freedom to fly around, and frequently off, the stage.
Beyond the fantastic music, to which the sound system of the venue could barely do justice, what set Stuck Mojo apart was their energy and drive to bring the audience into the show. Crowd members were drawn onto the stage, Rich Ward borrowing a wresting mask from one to play a number in, and even the intense stare of Lord Nelson cracking into a massive grin as he shared vocal duties with fans.
Having hit an 11 o’clock curfew, the band played on regardless, dedicating an improvised grindcore song, ’fuck that disco shit motherfucker’ to the dance music they had to make way for, before Rich Ward promised in the last song, ’Pig Walk’, he would “try and kill myself with 4 minutes of total body annihilation!” Fortunately he survived, although I’ve no doubt with the way he was flying about, anybody less fit or fired up would have succeeded. This wasn’t just a gig, it was an experience, and a shame on any body who didn’t turn up and failed to make this the sell out show it so thoroughly deserved to be.
www.myspace.com/stuckinthemojo
www.myspace.com/stuckinthemojo
Spenny Bullen
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