The Mardy Bums – Who the Chuff are the Mardy Bums?

“On the other side of the spectrum the ponderous review websites cast their beady eye over this brilliantly DIY slab of orange vinyl and derided it as some puerile attempt at humour. Drowned in Sound attacking you? What was that saying again – “being savaged by a dead sheep” or something?”


“On the other side of the spectrum the ponderous review websites cast their beady eye over this brilliantly DIY slab of orange vinyl and derided it as some puerile attempt at humour. Drowned in Sound attacking you? What was that saying again – “being savaged by a dead sheep” or something?”

 


The Mardy Bums – Who the Chuff are the Mardy Bums?


If the sign of a successful spoof is wide-eyed acceptance by the target then The Mardy Bums have made their point with far more style than could ever have been imagined. The reaction to this broadside at the current music press vogue for anything with a Yorkshire connection has been nothing short of anger with, ahem, just about everyone. Arctic Monkeys fans have mailed death threats to the label owners which, along with posts on their forum along the “I don’t think people will take them seriously with that name” lines, have only served to proove both the gullability and small minded views held by such types.


On the other side of the spectrum the ponderous review websites cast their beady eye over this brilliantly DIY slab of orange vinyl and derided it as some puerile attempt at humour. Drowned in Sound attacking you? What was that saying again – “being savaged by a dead sheep” or something? In truth this is the indie equivalent of Chris Morris’ greatest scams. When the Brasseye special parodied tabloid newspaper’s over-reactions the resulting furore just left the writers looking smug. It’s the same story here.


Recorded by an as-yet-unrevealed band during some studio time the two tracks on this single are jangle pop in the Half Man Half Biscuit style. A dodgy attempt at a Sheffield accent on Put Wood In Hole recites a list of nonsensical phrases that, to the casual ear, don’t appear out of place. That’s until you start considering exactly what a “fuzz club slipper” is. Meanwhile the supposedly heartfelt b-side Does is Say Doormat On Me Back takes little over 2 minutes to dissect the trend for meaningless everyman lyrics. By constructing them with the worst 6th form poetry you’re ever likely to be subjected to. Held together with some, surprisingly, very listenable tunes this is a great slab of pop culture piss-taking. Only one question remains; who the chuff ARE The Mardy Bums?


 


Words: James Waterson