The Ripps - Long live the Ripps
The Ripps are sadly a few years late as their "oi oi" yobbish behaviour and distinctly British brand of lovable punk is not as appreciated as it should be. Late 70's and early 80's would be a perfect match for the dirty and overly distorted threesome.
Their debut album, "Long live the Ripps", awful title by the way, is ram-packed with two minute angry outbursts of the troublesome British public and their typical football hooligan-esq. attitude towards anyone with hair longer than two inches and the slightest whiff of individuality.
Even though the Ripps are fundamentally a pure band of eardrum-bursting punks, they show that they are more than capable of dabbing their instruments in a little tone and speed variation. Each song is not simply a tourette like episode which leaves you breathless at the end, as the slightly slower paced "Stranger" shows us.
"I don't know why I'm always looking at your photograph, it makes me want to touch myself" conjures all varieties of images into your mind of teenage lust and the angst felt by most hormone charged young men, as "You don't even care" brings out the true romantics who reside behind the scruffy image of these guitar thrusting Cov-yobs.
Towers of London, take notes lads. You don't have to be obnoxious and act like some kind of twat to exude the real two-finger-salute attitude that punk music likes to associate itself with, however cliché that may sound. "Long live the Ripps" has it's ups and downs. Even though I do find the comical song writing endearing and there is some variation in The Ripps song list, there is however, not enough. After you have heard four Ripps songs, the rest can seem slightly repetitive.
Sadly I cannot see The Ripps living forever...ohh that was bad.