Eight Rounds Rapid

Hailing from Southend and rooted in the infamous Canvey Island R’n’B tradition, Eight Rounds Rapid channel the fervour of Dr Feelgood, Wire, Gang of Four and Public Image Limited with their gritty tales of the Essex underworld.

The band’s debut album gained excellent reviews from the likes of Uncut, who said, “Edgy, drugged-up thug punk. ‘Loss Leader’ is Thames Estuary crude given a vital contemporary twist. Invest now”. Mojo gave the band a 4-star review and Classic Rock summed the band up: “Thrashing the moody cut-and-shut Mk1 Capri of Essex geezer rock like they stole it. A welcome blast of no-frills, bullshit-free excitement that can only be deadly live”.

Eight Rounds Rapid supported Wilko Johnson on two major UK Tours, and have had airplay from Mark Radcliffe, Gary Crowley, Gideon Coe and Steve Lamacq. The band’s songs are rooted in trad blues, but impulsive guitar from Simon Johnson (Wilko’s son) and acerbic delivery from singer David Alexander make the act sound like Captain Beefheart, John Cooper Clarke and Mark E Smith fighting in a Southend bus depot. The line-up also features Jules Cooper [bass] and Lee Watkins [drums].

Everett True said, “This is great. Art Brut meets ATV, with a touch of the old Wilkos. With a smattering of all those (rather scary) old ruffians: The Inmates, Nine Below Zero, Dr Feelgood. All that crowd”. But for Eight Rounds Rapid, it’s only ever been about music and storytelling.