Back On The Kane Gang

 

The Kane Gang - The Bad And Lowdown World Of The Kane Gang [KWLP 2 UK 1985 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC]

As they were from County Durham, I don't think you could consider The Kane Gang as Geordie-soul boys. Mind you they were among the first bands to sign for important Newcastle label, Kitchenware Records and for a brief time, the most successful band on the label. Although not technically Geordies, they still had a lot more soul than Alan Price or Jimmy Nail.

The Kane Gang made sophisticated soulful pop music which sounded good on the radio, to such an extent that one former Piccadilly Radio DJ, bastardized one of their minor hits, Small Town Creed to massage his own ego on national Radio One.  Messrs. Brammer & Brewis just took the money ...and ran.

The opening Gun Law was also a single, and a powerful kick-start to proceedings with its hip-hop beats, the band's biggest hit Closest Thing To Heaven sits proudly mid-side two and still to this day is thought by many to be a cover version, but actually it is a Brammer & Brewis original. The song stands tall as a north-eastern soul classic. 

The Kane Gang's biggest problem is that they will always be thought of as a covers band, a fact which isn't helped by their pre-Bruce Willis interpretation of Respect Yourself and their reliance on cover versions for hits on their second album.

A1 Gun Law

A2 Take This Train

A3 How Much Longer?

A4 Losersville

A5 Printer's Devil

B1 Respect Yourself

B2 Closest Thing To Heaven

B3 Small Town Creed

B4 Crease In His Hat