The Dear Boys: Gone Viral/Scan Me
(Self Released)
CD/DL/Streaming
Available 17th October
The transatlantic partnership founded by Tony Fletcher and Tony Page, The Dear Boys, release their third double A-side on October 17th on CD and across all digital platforms. They’ve also given Louder Than War a sneak peak of the video for one of the tracks.
Following from previous parings, Yes Men/Action, Blink of an I/A Word That Doesn’t Rhyme, and the stand-alone pre-election banger (They Say) Don’t Waste Your Vote the duo, former members of early ‘80s South London band Apocalypse, deliver Gone Viral and Scan Me.
The tracks, both of which last 3 seconds of 3 minutes, reflect the mad world we all currently inhabit, in which technology tries to rule us and viruses threaten us online and off. As with their previous outings there is a stubborn sense of punk rebellion and humanist resistance within both words and music.
Although the earlier singles have been released on vinyl, Gone Viral and Scan Me is released on CD, as Fletcher explains, ‘for perfect digital reproduction,’ before teasing, ‘of course, a CD can contain more than 6 minutes of music, so The Dear Boys may or may not have included a couple of ‘Easter Eggs.’ Obviously, the only way to be sure is to buy a copy… but let’s just say you won’t be disappointed.
As readers will most likely to be aware, the two Tony’s have been involved in music via bands, journalism and writing since the latter days of punk and earliest days of new wave and remained best friends after Fletcher moved to New York in the late 1980s. Fletcher most notably founding Jamming and penned a few rock bios while Page has his ongoing Anoraky In The UK series of books offering a light hearted and sometimes cynical review of obscure singles.
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The design of the CD with its full-colour lyric insert and flippable/reversable dystopian sleeve reminds me aesthetically of something the frontman would have picked up on from those heady days of the early 1980’s; perhaps taking a leaf from The Jam who added a lyric sheet to their Absolute Beginners single. Unlike Woking’s finest The Dear Boys offer the lyrics to both ‘sides’ of the single rather than just the A-side. As a complete aside, as a young teen I was quite taken with Wellers psychedelia eulogy to the countryside Tales From The Riverbank and was disappointed they’d not included the lyrics for that too.
Both Scan Me and Gone Viral were recorded at the late Pat Collier’s Perry Vale studio in South London. The two Tonys were joined on drums by Brett ‘Buddy’ Ascott, formerly of ‘Mod Revival’ combos The Chords & The Moment. Fletcher explaining he and Ascott have known each other since 1979, from which a life-long friendship was cemented with Buddy’s. The tracks also include Jeni de Haart & Paula Lucas on backing vocals. Keeping it in the family, Tony’s son Noel appears playing both solo and acoustic guitar on Gone Viral as well as mixing both songs.
The Dear Boys have asked it be know than they love Buzzcocks, footie, vinyl, Wilson Pickett, a good pint, a proper laugh, playing their old vinyl, dub reggae, kicking back in the garden, a national health service, peace, love, inclusiveness, Chateauneuf du Pape, skanking to ska, and occasionally jumping up and down to loud music.
For more on The Dear Boys visit their LinkTree
All words by Iain Key. See his author profile here or find him on X (Twitter) as @iainkey
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