Self described as “Stupid, Stomping, Garage Rock”, that tag seems perfectly viable after one listen to Proto Idiot’s new album, ‘For Dummies’. With distinctly British sound that falls somewhere between the charm of The Kinks, and the brash attitude of The Soft boys, the lads from Manchester are deserving of your attention. Today we are bringing you an exclusive first play of the aforementioned album, and Proto Idiot mastermind, Andrew Anderson, gives us a track-by-track explanation of ‘For Dummies’.
‘Idiot Blues’
Lee Hazlewood once said ‘the dumb songs are hardest to write,’ and I get what he means…it is hard to write a stupid lyric that works well. Who knew that idiocy took intelligence? ‘Idiot Blues’ is about the fact that everything means nothing and nothing means everything…and that falsetto singing is fun.
‘Real Boy’
When will we feel like real people? Probably never. This track is about Proto Idiot’s Pinocchio problems and also an ode to Creedence Clearwater Revival.
‘Try Failing’
I was listening to a Sun Ra record and I thought ‘we should do that!’ The main lyric is me mishearing ‘it’s marvellous’ as ‘this marble earth’ while the chorus is a piece of advice dispensed by Henry’s Cat that sounds like it is straight out of Eno’s Oblique Strategies. It’s not very Sun Ra though, unfortunately.
‘Add It Up’
Mathematics is not our strong point, but speaking words quite quickly we can do…so that’s what happens right here.
‘Better Version’
Ever since Dale Carnegie published ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ in 1936 the Western world has been obsessed with self improvement. So this is about that. Or it could be about accepting yourself and not bothering to improve at all (which is much easier, actually, so maybe that’s the message).
‘Influence’
Isn’t school lame? Doesn’t it suck when you don’t have any friends? Well, in the words of Michael Joseph Jackson ‘you are not alone…because Proto Idiot is your pal.’
‘We Were Here’
We wrote this one with lots and parts, bits and sections. It means you’ll get value for money if you buy the LP (which you will, right?) Features a genuine 24 carat gold guitar solo.
‘Razor’s Edge’
A song about struttin’ your stuff and being tuff. Nobody is gonna push you around no more – and if they try to, you’ll give ’em one a-these! BAM!
‘Asleep For Years’
Do you ever feel like you’ve just sleep walked through much of your life? No? Well, you probably won’t relate to this one then. If you like you can take a little nap while it plays.
‘The Old Ways’
This was the first riff we ever attempted as a band and it sounded TERRIBLE. But then we got much better so now it sounds terrific!
Do not try try
to relive the past,
‘cos you’ll end up looking
like a twat.
‘I’ll Never Know’
The second Proto Idiot track inspired by the TV programme Porridge (the first being Seventeen off our last release on Bad Paintings). Richard Beckinsale is lovely. So are Mike (bass) and Callum (drums). I myself (Andrew) am less lovely.
‘Crisis After Crisis’
Sometimes I think my life is one crisis followed by another. This song is me having a big bloody whinge about that fact. In reality my life is super sweet and I need to shut my mouth up when it comes to complaining.
‘Understand It’
You’ve gotta have a slow track at the end of an album – them’s the rules.
‘For Dummies’ is released on May 27th via Bad Paintings, and available to pre-order now. You can catch the band at the following shows, including select dates with 60’s icons, Love.
May
25 NOTTINGHAM Jt Soar
26 LONDON Soundsavers
June
01 BRISTOL Old England
02 FALMOUTH Troubadour
04 LEEDS Brudnell Social Club
07 YORK Fulford Arms
09 MANCHESTER Tiger Lounge
23 MANCHESTER Ruby Lounge*
25 LIVERPOOL Leaf*
26 YORK The Crescent*
29 LONDON Jazz Café*
July
01 COVENTRY The Empire*
04 BRIGHTON Komedia*
*supporting Love