brent johnson digs up up a pair of lost treasures from Wire and Elastica that some say sound mighty similar …
If a riff is so immediate, so nervy, so good, is it a crime to use it again?
In 1977, British pos-tpunk heroes Wire released their most acclaimed album, Pink Flag. Three tracks in came a burst of minimalistic, angular rock called ‘Three Girl Rhumba,’ propelled by an instantly catchy, herky jerky guitar riff. It’s a slice of what made the late ’70s such an exciting time for British rock ‘n’ roll.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja2NXS3njXs
Then, in 1995, underrated Britpoppers Elastica released their most acclaimed album, their self-titled debut. Three tracks in came a splash of energetic, kinetic rock called ‘Connection,’ propelled by an immediately catchy, herky jerky guitar riff … that some say sounded quite like Wire. And yes, it’s a slice of what made the mid-1990s such an exciting time for British rock ‘n’ roll.
I don’t care if there’s a ripoff here. Both tracks have their own level of intrigue and excitement. Wire’s has the grumbling vocals and random stop-and-start drums. Elastica’s has Justine Frischmann’s cocky, clipped singing and stinging synth parts.
Both are pretty great.
