Bad Touch

Bad Touch / Mollie Marriott / The Strangers
O2 Academy2, Islington
26.11.2017

The chill winter nights are upon us and I was off to spend my Sunday night in North London. Bad Touch was bringing Norfolk Rock ‘n’ Roll to the O2 Academy2 in Islington and guesting on this, their very first headline tour, was Mollie Marriott and her Band. Before making my way to the venue, a swift couple of ales in the nearby Wetherspoons was called for and who should be in there enjoying a pre gig meal?....you guessed it Bad Touch.

The stage timings at both O2 Academies in Islington have always impressed me and tonight was no different. The support slot was filled by The Strangers, a band, if I am honest, I had never heard of until tonight and they kicked things off bang on schedule. They offered a mix of rock and rap, in the same vein as Linkin’ Park. I really enjoyed their short set and they warmed things up nicely.

Next up was Mollie Marriott, beautiful smile, leather jacket and leopard print leggings and her three piece band. I was really looking forward to this in the wake of her highly acclaimed debut album “Truth Is A Wolf”. Strangely enough I first saw this young lady almost thirteen years to the day. She joined “The Greg Ridley Band” on this very stage when she performed at Greg Ridley (Humble Pie’s bassist) memorial concert and gave us a great rendition of Black Coffee. Her Father, who I met and saw on many occasions would be extremely proud.

Mollie showcased several numbers from her new release, including Run With The Hounds, Truth Is The Wolf, Broken, King Of Hearts (Co-written with Judie Tzuke), Transformer and Control. Her band, in particular, Aussie Johnson Jay on guitar, gave each number legs and being suitably impressed I felt obliged to purchase a vinyl copy from the busy merch desk. Mollie was wearing a white t-shirt under her leather jacket with the caption “courage” and this was befitting a young lady who having asked the audience if there were any Tom Petty fans in the house gave us a brilliant version of “I Should Have Known It” from the relatively modern “Mojo” album rather than covering the standard Breakdown and the like. A very good set and we all knew that we would seeing Mollie again later as the evening progressed.

Bad Touch have been very busy recently supporting the likes of King King, Broken Witt Rebels and the Kentucky Headhunters but this is the Band’s first headline tour. I first saw them supporting King King last year and again when they attracted perhaps the biggest audience for this year’s Rising Stars Stage at Ramblin’ Man. Norfolk based, they were formed in 2010 and the current “Truth Be Told” is the Band’s second offering. Stevie Westwood (vocals), Daniel “Seeks” Seekings (guitar/vocals), Rob Glendinning (lead guitar), Michael Bailey (bass) and George Drewry (drums/vocals) are a very powerful unit and, in my opinion, a very formidable English rock band with a very American vibe. I was fortunate as the late 1960s early 1970s was a great time to cut your teeth when compiling your early music catalogue and Bad Touch would have not been out of place in the company of the bands scrolled on the front of my school exercise books. I am sure Daniel “Seeks” Seekings will not object to me suggesting he bears a remarkable likeness to a young Paul Kossoff. They have a strong setlist of, in the main, original material including Take Me Away, Good On Me, Sweet Little Secret, Waiting For This, Wise Water, I Belong, Down (segueing into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Can’t You See), Something Someone, My Mother Told Me, Take Your Time, Outlaw and Mountain. At times I am reminded of that lovely Black Crowes sound and Stevie Westwood, who has too much hair, speaking as a baldy, leads from the front with some Chris Robinson style free dancing. I had a great position and it felt like I was hanging from Rob Glendinning’s machine heads at times. This guy can certainly play and some of the slide was breathtaking at times.

Mollie Marriott was invited back for the first of two encore numbers, a cover and current collaberation of Ike & Tina Turner’s “Baby Get It On” which is enjoying some serious radio airplay. Bad Touch and Mollie Marriott have obviously enjoyed each others company over these last few weeks and it was a joy and privilege to see this recent studio collaboration in a live environment. Bad Touch signed off with 99% and I am sure what must have been close to a sell out show was enjoyed by all.

There are a healthy number of rising stars in the English Rock scene and I get the feeling that Bad Touch will grow and the next headline tour will perhaps place them at the next level.