CD Review: Keith Moon Version (aka Earth Moon Version) by The Plates

On this second release by the Plates, a variety of reggae stylings fuse to form a cohesive and pleasing collection. From the chill ’70s sound of Iroy Vibe,  to the heavier pulse of Sidewalk Husslin’ or the hard-hitting beats of Machine Gun, to the title track, which showcases more of drummer Jeep MacNichol’s feisty chops on the skins, it’s clear that the Plates mean business. The production is spare and clean, leaving plenty of space for the well-crafted songs to breathe. MacNichol says the disc’s song list is intentionally split into two sections or “sides” like an old school vinyl album (or analog tape). Standout tracks include the acoustic anthem  I Man Born Ya, which is reminiscent of soulful anthems by Matisyahu and Bob Marley, and the flowing, rolling vibrations of Riot Version, the final cut on the disc,  a dub remix of the track Riot Squad, that evokes a bit of the flowing sound of the original Samples.

The Plates are: Stero Lion – vocals and percussion; Ian Anderson – bass; Jeep MacNichol – drums, guitar, steel drum, percussion; Scott Beach – bagpipes; Butch Stapleton – hand claps.

Q&A with Jeep MacNichol:

(Jeep MacNichol displays the product)

TipJar: Okay, we’re rolling . . .

Jeep MacNichol: I’m giving you one of the thousand copies I made that cannot be sold on CD Baby.

Really, why can’t you sell them?

Because when I went to plug the disc into the CD Baby release system they said you can’t use Keith Moon in the title or his estate will sue you.  So we’re using an alternate title Earth Moon Version.

Wow. Why even bother recording CDs these days, with the music market being what it is for underground artists? 

I like to do it because it’s a physical thing. People still enjoy getting something in hand, especially when they come to a show. We hand out our CDs for free at our live shows, so they can be used as a nice incentive to get people to come out and see you. I come from the era of albums. The CD was designed like an old school album with a sequence of songs and side listings, with sides A and B. And it also allows you to have the physical cover. People can buy the CD, load it onto their iPods and then hang the cover on their wall or use it as a coaster or whatever.

Cool. 

Yeah, sometimes I’ll be out and people will hand out these little download cards, but I like having something more substantial like a T-shirt or a CD.

What’s the story behind the original title?

The song Keith Moon Version came about sort of as a joke. [Former Samples keyboardist] Al Laughlin from the band Highway 50 always asks me to play drums with his band and I’m like “Okay, but I’m gonna Keith Moon your set (with all kinds of hardcore fills and stuff) which would be the worst kind of drumming he wants (laughs). Anyway I was buzzed in the studio one day and I joked and said I’m gonna lay some Keith Moon shit down. I did it for fun, but we ended up really liking it and so Stero Lion, our lead vocalist, sang over it with his megaphone and we also put some bagpipes by Scott Beach over it. But the reason I wanted to call the album Keith Moon Version is because it typifies the rawness and looseness of the band. We got a lot of spontaneity going during the recording sessions and I wanted to call it that to convey that old sloppy but intense Clash album feel.

That’s your thing right? You like it gritty and street . .. 

Yeah, it’s a gritty album. There are some tracks on there that might be a head scratcher for some people. We’re experimenting with our sound. We still have our core vibe but we’re pushing at the edges to try and get to some new places.

How do you go about creating these tunes?

I’ll come up with chord progressions or beats and then hand it over to Stero. If I have an idea for a beat I might throw it to our bass player Ian at a session and he’ll develop it or whatever. I’m the core base of the songs and then the other guys take it from there and the songs develop.

How often do you guys play?

Last year was our first year and we played about 25 shows around the Denver area. And this month alone (October of 2015) we have like five shows. But I kinda want play a little bit less because I don’t want to dilute what we have or just become a regular bar band. What I noticed after our first year of playing in Denver is that there are so many venues here that if you move from spot to spot that you can play to new and different crowds every time you play — which is great.

Where’d you guys record the disc?

I tracked the drums and mixed the CD at the Blasting Room up in Ft. Collins and also did some tracking at Violet Studios in Boulder. The Blasting Room is owned by Bill Stevenson who was the drummer for Black Flag and who was also in The Descendents. He’s an old school punk rocker. I had some great conversations with him. He likes that our shows are only about 30 to 40 minutes long — because it’s kind of like what some of the classic punk bands used to do. These are intense performance that pack a lot in. They feel longer than 30 minutes but it helps keep people focused. I like people to leave wanting more.

I like it. What else?

The other thing I’m doing different with this album is that I’m actually going to sell it. I’m charging $5.99, which is what I paid for the album Rastaman Vibration in 1976. I’m thinking that selling the CD might help people feel invested in the music. And anyone who comes to a live show gets one free.  The CD can be purchased on CD Baby or at http://theplatesmusic.com/