South-coast Brit punks, The James Cleaver Quintet, burst the flood gates of British alt-punk in 2011. The music The JCQ plays isn’t pretty, nor does it give much away. Their jagged riffs and unpredictability that laces their debut EP, “10 Stages Of A Make Up” has all the elements to fulfil anyone’s ADD requirements. They serve up a blend of caustic punk rock, the kind that will set alight a diluted scene of haircuts into something more genuine. The JCQ live show has stunned and perplexed audiences across the length and breadth of the UK. From death-defying speaker climbs to catching bass guitars with their face, each show brings volatility wrapped in warm un-predictability. They have just finished work on their debut album titled ‘That Was Then, This Is Now’ and it’s an album dedicated to themselves and the struggles they’ve lived with for the past few years. It’s a record of optimism and one they want to share with the whole world. The past few years the five-piece have seen and experienced things that people in a 40-year career in music will never deal with and the motto for the record is to ‘Never Give Up’. The band are way off from giving up, they’re here for the long run and they exploded in 2011 with a record that’s so unique in its sound and delivery that it will cause waves around this world a few times over! The James Cleaver Quintet have only just begun what is going to be a rollercoaster ride. More manic shows, more broken guitars, more broken noses and plenty of miles on the road will mould the band into one of the most exciting bands the UK has to offer.
