Album: “Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box” by Lady Winwoods’s Maggot

One of the South Coast’s most popular live acts Lady Winwood’s Maggot was gigging regularly at a host of major festivals, music venues and pubs until lockdown put paid to it all. The band usually use the proceeds from their live outings to fund the recording of their notorious albums. Their plans had to be amended somewhat in order to keep their lockdown boredom at bay and their army of loyal fans happy with some output. The 31st release only came about because of the pandemic as frontman and founder member Mark Baynes comments “Covid killed our kitty. Left with no money but with Cubase and Roland synths, we picked old Maggot songs and electrocuted the fuck out of them”. Mark’s eclectic taste in music stretches to the far corners, or the musical spectrum going from Depeche Mode, Punk, Folk, Goth, Industrial; through VNV Nation to Ibiza Euphoria, Acid House and S Club Seven. With the vast majority of the band’s output using stringed instruments, this new album is quite a departure as not one string instrument is used.

Three of the band had Cubase (Music Production Software) and keyboards and Mark suggested to the others about re-imagining older Maggot songs in a different style to see what they could come up with. The album was partly recorded in Mark’s lounge, Sid’s small home studio and Mike’s loft. The vocals were added afterwards in a local rehearsal room with the finishing touches added at the band’s usual studio, Sound on Sound just outside Romsey in Hampshire.

The band know it’s a very different way to create music than they usually choose, but that was the whole point of recording this collection. They wanted to step outside their usual comfort zones and see what happened. They are keen to see what their audience thinks of it; however, there are no plans of bringing in this style permanently to the band’s live gigs – the guitars, mandolin, banjo and bass have not been retired just yet.

16 of the band’s tracks from across their entire back catalogue have been completely trampled on and reworked in a very major way. I can just see the band’s former lamented brothers; Brother Lambert, Brother Marshall and Brother Badwen shaking their fists while sat on their heavenly clouds, “What have you done with our musical legacy”?!
When you know a song so well, it takes a lot to get used to a new version and all of the 16 tracks are ones that the band play live regularly, and if you have seen them live you will know most of them well. Remember the 80’s when you bought a 12″ single; there was always an extended remix of the lead track, well this is the Maggot version with a whole album of their own reimagined creations.

“That Murder of Crows”: Gone have the 50’s-style guitars, replaced by an emotive keyboard and a cousin of ‘Doktor Avalanche’ dropping the beats. Mark’s unmistakable gravel-rough vocal delivers the lyrics with the rest applying the harmonies, with the pace of the track slowed down. No harm done here; in fact a nice reimagining of the track, which is very listenable.

“Unleash The Dogs” is well known for its blazing banjo intro and a track that usually starts some of the band’s live shows; this time the banjos have been replaced by synths providing a slower dreamy style atmosphere, coupled with smooth electronic rhythms

“I Know What’s Mine”: this sounds like an 80’s children’s TV programme with the brothers singing the infectious well-known lyrics over the top.

“All The Bridges Burning” is quite possibly one of my favourites from the formidable foursome and I was a little nervous at the reinvention, however with the beautifully atmospheric keys and Marks passionate vocal, the track takes on a whole new form.

“Chase the Cat” is a tune that always reminds me of the mad dancing that former bassist Tony Soffe used to do during this tune. It’s been a mainstay of the band’s set for a very long time, apparently, it has nothing to do with cats either. This has been slowed down somewhat; especially so Tony can dance at a pace to support his years and the song has lost none it’s toe-tapping draw, but in all honestly, I do prefer the original.

“Aphrodite” is an absolute banger, the band have worked their magic here creating a huge tune that smoulders away with some wonderfully creative twists and turns. Expect to hear it in a Kebab shop in Turkey, Cyprus or Greece very soon!

“Bulldozer” is an environmental activist tune having a dig at the cooperative state for all the unnecessary building that goes on and ruining our countryside, a song no doubt the most famous environmentalist Swampy would definitely approve of. The lyrics have had a bit of a modern-day tweak and the backdrop of the song is full of beats and synths that sound like they have come from a ‘Pop Will Eat Itself’ tune.

“Joslin with Jocelyn” is a song I always associate with the late Brother Lambert, it’s a track that always reminds me of his enthusiasm for the band and his appalling Dad jokes and his hilarious introduction to this particular song whenever it was performed live. Whether his mainly analogue mind would approve of this reworking we will never know. The tune has been really snythed up with a host of cleverly reworked pieces that keeps with the truly danceable nature of the song.

“Fallen Angels” is a tune that if you have been a Maggot fan since the early days of the band will mean a lot. The emotive nature of the song and the Maggot legacy makes the tune very special. On this version of the track the original acoustic nature has been removed and replaced; yep you’ve guessed it, with more synths! It runs at a higher pace than the original and is certainly not unpleasant, clearly plenty of care and attention has been used on this one. I for one think Brother Marshall with a glint in his eye would have approved of this one.

“Up Jumped the Devil” has a Depeche Mode feel, with the snyths reminding me of “Strange Love”. The bluesy feel to the original has gone with some industrial-sounding rhythms that give the song a totally different feel to it.

“Granny”, or to give it its full name “Get Off the Gas Stove Granny” is a track steeped in Maggot history. It’s a live favourite that always raises a smile whenever the track gets played live. With the new intro, the song is totally unrecognisable before the tone of Mark’s vocal belts out the familiar lyrics and the rest of the band provide some fine backing vocals. The song like many of the others has been slowed down with no less impact.

“Darlene”: this reworking reminds me of the Fatboy Slim song “Right Here Right Now” mixed with the Pet Shops Boys “It’s a Sin”. Its opening line “She’s Giving Head in a Hotel Bed” sets the scene for the story of Darlene. The snyths give the song its backbone, taking over where the mandolin once was.

“Sourwood Mountain” makes you want to get your glow sticks and head off to Ibiza. Rave Euphoria meets Folk, not sure if its been done before but the band here have created a brand new genre that may just take off on the streets of Beirut and its hectic underground dance scene.

“Buffalohead”: originally from the album of the same name, sees the boys creating yet another slice of danceable Maggot. The dark spaghetti western feel has gone and is replaced by constant pulsing, audible percussive tones.

“Glittering Prize” is quite possibly where the band’s first journey into dance exploration started. The song that started life on the recent “69” album and it has now been radically reworked into a completely different animal altogether. It opens with gentle keys with Mark’s vocal delivering something quite special with one of the highlights of this album.

Lady Winwood’s Maggot continues to surprise us with some seriously brave twists and turns; some notable journeys down a previously untrodden path, with some really interesting discoveries that will no doubt crop us on future recordings. According to the band, there is a brand new ‘originals album’ written and ready to record once time and money allow.

Track Listing
That Murder of Crows (Manifesto)
Unleash the Dogs (Buffalohead)
I Know What’s Mine (Muetre De Amour)
All the Bridges Burning (Muetre De Amour)
Chase the Cat (Welcome To The Carnivale & Others)
Aphrodite (Manifesto)
Bulldozer (The Congregation May Rise & Others)
Joslin with Jocelyn (The Congregation May Rise & Others)
Fallen Angels (Sweetheart Lay Down & others)
Up Jumped the Devil (69)
Granny (My Hometown)
Darlene (Muetre De Amour)
Sourwood Mountain (Preaching To the Perverted)
Buffalohead (Buffalohead)
Glittering Prize (69)

Lady Winwoods Maggot are…
Mark Baynes: Vocals & Guitars.
Sid Sidey: Guitar, Mandolin & Vocals
Mike Sidey: Drums
Rob “Guns” Boivin: Bass

Links
http://www.ladywinwoodsmaggot.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/ladywinwoodsmaggot

Words by David Chinery (Chinners).