They Want To Ride Your Bicycle

Bicycle Thieves
Genre: Indie / Glum Rock
From: Liverpool, United Kingdom

A word of advice from the Devil. If you're from Liverpool and you don't want to perpetuate the myth (and it is a myth no matter what the scouse hating media say) that all scousers are robbers then don't call your band Bicycle Thieves!

That aside it's a great name, a name which they could have adopted from the Pale Fountains song, the 1940s French film or memories of a misspent youth and one which they share with London indie folkies The Bicycle Thieves (the definite article is the crucial differentiator) and Russian electronistas Bicycle Thieves (sans definite).

The band have got five varied tracks of their myspace site which betray a range of influences and their scouse refusal to get tied down. 'Eggshells' is dense and heavy and sounds like a fist fight between Kasabian and The Zutons while 'Red & Black' could be The Coral gone hardcore. 'Galavant', praised by none other than TV/Radio Presenter and professional mancunian Terry Christian in the NME (see right), is an altogether lighter affair pitched somewhere between the majesty of The Delays and the eccentricity of The Wild Beasts.

Of the other tracks on the bands myspace site 'Story of The Year' harks back to the adrenaline rush of the early Wah Heat singles, coming on like 'Story of The Blues' and 'Better Scream' while 'Stop to Start' sounds like 'Heaven Up Here' era Echo & The Bunnymen . This is a band that knows where it cam from, knows where it's going, and knows where it belongs and is not afraid to borrow (or is that thieve) from it's heritage to create the future. If you want to find out more about the rich tapestry of Liverpool bands of the 1980s then check out the fantastic and incredibly comprehensive Music...Isms.

As a grizzly old Tory once said it's time to get on your bike but I don't think he meant for you to steal it first!

Go Try

MP3 - Bicycle Thieves - Eggshells
If anyone from the IFPI is reading this track is published with the permission of Bicycle Thieves so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright.

Go Visit

Bicycle Thieves - Myspace

Go View

Bicycle Thieves
Eggshells



and here is the song that inspired (I assume) the bands name...

The Pale Fountains
Bicycle Thieves