Well (takes deep breath),
Back either late 2006 or really early in 2007, when we were all still on myspace, I got a friend request from this band (not unusual, and I was in the habit of giving one song a listen and then accepting whoever requested, a habit I have since gotten rid of). I listened to a song entitled "Little Victories", thought 'These guys are good, I'll go ahead and add them'. Well a couple months later I got the "100 Bands You Need to Know" edition of Alternative Press (once again, back when I used to read AP) for 2007. Guess who was featured? A little band from Southend-On-Sea called The Horrors. Along with a great picture of them in a circle looking up at the camera on a black and purple background, looking cool as fuck (I have this picture on my wall now). Now at the time I was heavily listening to the Rhino comp., Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the 80's Underground, which introduced me to a load of new bands, including The Cramps. Well, when listing who the Horrors sounded like, they listed The Cramps. Then I vaguely remembered a band that had requested me a couple months ago of the same name, and I though, woah, is that them?
I went downstairs to the computer (laptops, psssh) and logged myself into my then main communication website, and scanned my friends list. Sure enough, there they were, The Horrors, with the black and white picture of Joe and Joshua on top of that hill (Hors, you know exactly which one I mean). I listened again, and decided they were good. Granted, I still didn't listen that closely, but it counted for a little something. In that same issue of AP, there was an ad for their forthcoming album, Strange House, saying the release date was on May 15th and that it was available at Best Buy (hey, don't judge, Best Buy are fucking cheap) and that they would be on tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle club a couple months later. I saved some cash, and made my dad take me to Best Buy on May 15th to get their album. We listened to it on the way back and to be honest, it was okay. At the time I wasn't completely sold. My dad just kept saying that they "definitely have a strong 60s influence, I mean, that organ is really 60s". Oh dad. After we got home I listened to it again, and fell madly in love with the following tracks: "Count if Fives" "Draw Japan" "Little Victories" and "Sheena is a Parasite". And I couldn't really get into the rest of the album. In fact, it took me a couple of months to get into the rest of the album.
Why did it take a couple months? Well, I didn't get into the whole thing until after I had seen them live at the Grog Shop. I was expecting BRMC, but I got Schoolyard Heroes, who do have a couple of good songs. And I made awkward contact with Ultragrrl. The concert was fucking amazing. It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Just wild and manic and fun. I got pushed really close to the front (as I always do, for some reason or another) and I'm pretty sure I got sweated on by Faris. A lot. Eh. I'm not a creepy Faris fangirl so it was mostly just a 'comes with the concert territory' thing for me. I did get to sing along to "Count in Fives" into the mic, though. That was fun. And he climbed on of the beams for a while. And I'm pretty sure someone gave him a wedgie (contributing factor in them not playing Cleveland after Primary Colours? You never know). At the end of the show, Joe threw his drumsticks and the bitchass in front of me took both of them. I'm still salty about that. I mean, that's just bad concert etiquette. Like, you don't let anyone fall in the pit, and you don't take more than one thing that's been thrown because there are other people there too you buttmunch! I wanted a Horrors t-shirt, but could only afford a Schoolyard Heroes T-shirt. So all I left with as a souvenir was a sticker. Which I don't think I have anymore. I wanted to stay afterwards and see if I could meet them. But I was 15 and wasn't exactly driving myself so my dad made me and my friend leave like, immediately after the show. Disappointing. As we were driving away we saw their big ass tour bus outside the venue and I was salty face that we weren't meeting them. There's a funny video of Joshua making fun of Ultragrrl in front of their tour bus that was taken that night. I should've been there. :)
And after that show I started listening to that album religiously (as I do with all bands after I go to one of their shows) and ordered the EP and all that and I was in love.
So yeah, it all started with them requesting me on myspace, and an album bought the day it came out, and a mindblowing show I wish I could've stayed longer at. And I'm waiting patiently for the next album and hopefully seeing them live again.
:)
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