The Dodge Brothers may be a bunch of old throwbacks, but their raw, infectious rhythm will set any room on fire. Mark Kermode introduces us to the joys of skiffle...
The Dodge Brothers: began life about 10 years ago, bonding over the rubbishness of modern music and the firm belief that if you want to hear really great tunes then the best thing is to play it yourself.
The instruments: Skiffle came out of early blues, with poor black musicians using real makeshift equipment. If they couldn't afford a bass they'd use a bath tub, if they couldn't afford a drum they'd use a washboard, if they couldn't afford a trumpet they'd use a kazoo, if they couldn't afford a guitar they'd use a tea chest. There is a band rule that states that if you're given an instrument on your birthday you must play it at the next gig - even if that gig is tomorrow. That's how Aly Hirji was forced to learn the mandolin.
The history of skiffle: Despite dating back to turn-of-the-century Mississippi, skiffle had its heyday in Britain in the mid-1950s. According to legend, British jazzman Ken Coyler jumped ship from the merchant navy and hitched to New Orleans. After experiencing the dirt-poor musicians knocking out tunes on anything they could lay their hands on, he was deported back to Blighty where he showcased this new rag-tag DIY blues. Overnight, the wonders of the washboard became a national phenomenon.
Performing on the BBC's Culture Show
The washboard: The essence of skiffle is the washboard. We bought Al, our drummer, a washboard. He looked at it like it was some horrendous instrument of the devil; a comedy instrument. But when now when he plays it sounds like a military attack. The washboard is an absolute racket of an instrument - it makes most drumkits look feeble.
The punk ethos: Skiffle is proto-punk. The whole ethos of punk was, "Here's one chord, here's another, now go form a band. Anyone can do this." The further back you go in the history of punk, it all leads back to skiffle.
Tap dancing: Tap dancing comes out of the old traditions of minstrelsy, blues, musicians playing on street corners - that's why use tap dancing in the set. It usually brings the house down.
The rhythm: Skiffle comes from the rhythm up. I defy anyone to sit in a room with a good skiffle or rockabilly band and not get into it.
The universal appeal: The rawness of skiffle gives it a universal appeal. Somebody who's an old jazz fan can appreciate it because it's the roots of where modern jazz came from. Someone else who's into thrash punk metal can also enjoy it, because that's what it is, stripped right down. People come along who are really quite sceptical about the idea of enjoying a skiffle gig, and by the end of it they're completely sold.
The Subways: We've done a few gigs with The Subways, we get on really well with them. When Billy first got in touch with us he said; "I think there is a connection between the music that you're doing and the music that we're doing, and I'd really like you to open up for us." Despite the fact that in our band there's a double bass, a washboard, a banjo and a harmonica, and in their band it's an incredibly loud guitar and a drumkit and a huge electric bass, actually, fundamentally, the basics of the music are exactly the same. It's a natural progression. He's got to sort out his hair though, Billy - I've been trying to get him to use more hair products.
The quiffs: I do 'quiff counts' at gigs for two reasons; firstly, if someone has found a better way of supporting their hair than me I want to know about it. More importantly, if the heads holding the quiffs look like they're enjoying themselves, then the gig is going well. Incidentally, there is nobody in the world who doesn't look better with a quiff.
The fans: A pre-Led Zep schoolboy Jimmy Page once made an appearance on television strumming guitar in a mini skiffle combo. Other famous former 'skifflists' include the Rolling Stones, the Ouarrymen combo that gave us the Beatles, and Van Morrison who recorded the 'Skiffle sessions' in 1998. Even George Michael's 'Faith' was described as having a skiffle style by the NME. Today, skiffle's most high profile fans include Billy Brag.
The age: We are a bunch of old throwbacks; cantankerous old gits. I am not making any apologies for that at all. But if you think we're going to be quiet and well behaved, you'll be sorely mistaken. The music may be old, but its raw, unproduced power makes me feel ridiculously young.
The future: When my hands throb with the delicious pain of thrashing out this breed of raucous live music that neither time, nor fashion, nor musical snobbery could kill, I think!"Yeah, exactly! Punk rock!"
The stories: Skiffle should also be about stories, here's one of my favourites. Mike likes to tell it at gigs before we attack Charlie Poole's 'Goodbye Booze':
American banjo legend Charlie Poole worked in the mills in the Carolinas. He achieved fame in the Depression years with his old-time string band the North Carolina Ramblers, churning out everything from bawdy vaudeville songs to civil war ballads. Charlie would sing 'Goodbye Booze' with a bottle of moonshine at his elbow and a sizzled twinkle in his eye. By the time the 1930s rolled around Charlie's career was failing and he was back in the mills. When it seemed it was all over, Poole got a call from Hollywood asking him to come to California and record the music for a new motion picture. To celebrate his new found success, Charlie went on a 13 week bender and subsequently died, the train ticked to California left propped forlornly on his dresser.
The Dodge Brothers may be a bunch of old throwbacks, but their raw, infectious rhythm will set any room on fire. Mark Kermode introduces us to the joys of skiffle...
The age: We are a bunch of old throwbacks; cantankerous old gits. I am not making any apologies for that at all. But if you think we're going to be quiet and well behaved, you'll be sorely mistaken. The music may be old, but its raw, unproduced power makes me feel ridiculously young.
