Orphan Boy- Jabez Clegg - 8.09.05

Just as people are about to ready to write off  Pete Doherty & The Babyshambles as man who squandered his talent away in the smack dens of London along come a band that remind us of everything the Libertines used to be. Orphan Boy sound like Joe Strummer and Jam-era Paul Weller jamming on a tip with a battered guitar that they lifted from a porn shop. The fact that the look like Gonch and Tucker Jenkins from old skool Grange Hill only adds to the fact that Orphan Boy are the only band you should be watching right now.

Formed in Cleethorpes, Grimsby and the surrounding non-descript suburbs they set about doing the only thing they could do in the fishing port apart from, well fish - Pick up a guitar, learn 2 chords and form a band. Tired of playing alongside the plethora of local bands with small town ambitions who's idea of hitting the big time was to play alongside a tribute band at the local, they set off for Manchester to inspire us Manc's with the sound of "Nancy Sinatra being gang-raped by The Gang Of Four".

"Got Plenty", "Satellites" and "The Great British Sitcom" are all based around the simple concept of telling stories around a camp fire. Characters such as Mr Stevenson, Jimmy Q and Sally M are the sort of people you imagine inhabiting The Lovers or some other classic 70s sitcom. In "Orphan Boy" and "Chav Disco" they have 2 anthems which could take them to the next level and compete with the Arctic Monkeys and Babyshambles of the world.

Orphan Boy are rough around the edges and keen to take on the Southerner's at their own game. When Pete Doherty gets off the smack and end up in some MTV Reality Soap with him & Kate tipped as the next Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne it will be Orphan Boy who are singing about the working classes.

Words: Alex McCann
Photos: Shirlaine Forrest  www.shirlainephotos.co.uk

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Orphan Boy play Glasswerk In The City on Sunday Oct 2nd
For more info and audio streams
www.orphanboy.co.uk
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