Buzzin Music

The Claim @ The Royal Function Rooms, Rochester 19th September 2009

Dave Read of The Claim - photo: Phil Dillon

Last Saturday The Claim played a reunion gig to celebrate the forthcoming release of a new compilation retrospective CD, Black Path due out on 28th September through Cherry Red Records.

The Claim were part of the Medway Music Scene in the mid to late 1980’s and also made a name for themselves in certain London and European circles.  I remember Alan McGee telling me he was keen to sign The Claim to Creation Records but they seemed content managing their own affairs.

I told Dave Read (vocals/guitar) and Dave Arnold (guitar) immediately about this story, thinking they might contact McGee and sort things out.  But they just shrugged their shoulders nonchalantly as if they didn’t believe me or didn’t give a shit, probably both.  I wonder what they think now.

The Claim appeared completely overwhelmed as people were being turned away from the sell-out gig.  They were tighter than I can remember and played a scintillating set of garage pop favourites from yesteryear, including my personal favourite Mrs Shepherd so I was very pleased.

Fortunately they didn’t utter the words you never want to hear when a band reforms from your youth ‘this is a new one’.  The gig was perfect.  Old friends and fans enjoying perfect pop songs from one of those bands that should have made it.

As it happens, The Claim are possibly Medway’s best kept secret. I always loved their edgy, jagged, slightly awkward arrangements and the perfect pop songs and Dave Read’s wonderful voice.  For me they sounded more akin to the jangle guitar pop and intellectual lyricism of The Smiths and Lloyd Cole & The Commotions but also erred towards the great indie garage pop music of The Pastels and the likes of Close Lobsters and The Bodines.

A great gig followed by a yummy doner kebab.  For a couple of hours I thought it was 1986!