Not too many people know this about him — not even his closest friends, not even his mother, not even his wife — but John Atkinson, editor of Stereophile, is a huge fan of The Fucking Champs. In fact, JA sent me this clip1.
In it, you'll see "the Champs," as I so politically correctly like to call them, totally shred the fuck out of Henry Francis Lyte and William Henry Monk's 1847 megahit, "Abide With Me," before jumping headfirst into the glistening ocean of victory metal that is "Extra Man," my personal favorite Champs composition.
It's uncommon for the Champs to mix words with their metal. Perhaps that's why I love "Extra Man." Of course, it may also be the Champs' poppiest number, having a sort of verse chorus verse thing to it. In any case, here you go. Thanks, JA!
1. Lies! All lies! JA only mentions the Champs to pull my chain for liking them. He'll come around any say things like:
"The Fucking Champs. Hmm. Four albums and nobody's ever heard of them. I wonder why."
Then there's the fact that the Champs don't have a bass player...
Not too many people know this about him — not even his closest friends, not even his mother, not even his wife — but John Atkinson, editor of Stereophile, is a huge fan of The Fucking Champs. In fact, JA sent me this clip1.
In it, you'll see "the Champs," as I so politically correctly like to call them, totally shred the fuck out of Henry Francis Lyte and William Henry Monk's 1847 megahit, "Abide With Me," before jumping headfirst into the glistening ocean of victory metal that is "Extra Man," my personal favorite Champs composition.
It's uncommon for the Champs to mix words with their metal. Perhaps that's why I love "Extra Man." Of course, it may also be the Champs' poppiest number, having a sort of verse chorus verse thing to it. In any case, here you go. Thanks, JA!
