The MACC LADS- ‘Eh Up! The Collection’ (Cherry Red Records)

Another compilation from this northern punk / rock piss takers, but as it’s only a single disc it’s succinct and does without the less necessary b-sides and more puerile later work.

For those who don’t know, The Macc Lads were a mid 80s to mid 90s rock band with punk influences from Macclesfield whose lyrics were based on the northern stereotype with a lot of (rude) humour, and if they weren’t so tongue-in-cheek (something their critics clearly miss) they could have been considered misogynistic, homophobic etc, but it’s all to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Their later work saw them run out of ideas and hence they soon ran their course. But there’s many a good tune here, but not all original – Eh Up is clearly the Monkees song and Fat Bastard is a reworked Blockbuster. But Sweaty Betty, No Sheep ‘Till Buxton, Got To Be Gordon’s, Guess Me Weight and Ben Nevis all stand out. The lyrics may have been cheap but musically they were more talented than they were given credit for. There’s plenty a catchy rhythm and a decent riff and solo or two.

Only a couple of tracks come from the classic (yes it is a classic) Live At Leeds (The Who?) set, where the versions are quite superior, an album that if you don’t have then this will suffice quite nicely. 7.7/10
Joe Geesin