Song of the Day: Ming City Rockers - I Wanna Get Out of Here But I Can't Take You Anywhere

Song of the Day
02/18/2014
Gerrit Feenstra
photo by Chris Saunders

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, comes from Lincolnshire blast from the past Ming City Rockers. They released the single "I Wanna Get Out of Here But I Can't Take You Anywhere" this year on their own Mad Monkey Records.

Ming City Rockers - I Wanna Get Out of Here But I Can't Take You Anywhere (MP3)

Ming City Rockers hail from the fine English town of Immingham. Together with near neighbor Grimsby, "Ming City" is part of the largest port by tonnage in the UK, and serves as one of many midpoints for rail and road transit between London, Edinburgh, and Rotterdam. In other words, its a spot on a map, and it's not flashy. Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1 said that Ming City Rockers may be the best rock and roll band to ever come out of Immingham, but as the band wryly puts it, there wasn't much competition to begin with. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to Ming City Rockers. In fact, if you like freakishly energetic classic rock akin to the Stooges and Eddie Cochran, you won't get much better this side of the pond.

It's really kind of a miracle that "I Wanna Get Out of Here" makes it to the three minute mark. The bare-bones rock and roll burner has the pedal to the floor from beginning to end, and not once does the four piece let up. Lead singer Clancey Jones has dialed in his craft with classic howler monkey rock vocals and belongs up there alongside the likes of Bon Scott. Once you think you've heard the hook once too many times, Jones comes in on the harmonica and rocks your face off. It's three chords turned up to 11 with a vengeance - what more do you want?

Grab "I Wanna Get Out of Here But I Can't Take You Anywhere" above and check out the video below, featuring the band showcasing their lovely home town and playing the single in a decrepit house that would make you wanna get the hell out of there too. You can grab the 7" at the band's store, backed with "Rosetta". There, you can also grab the band's first 7" single "Chic & the Motherfuckers", b/w "She's a Wrong'un" and a shirt that says "Ming City Rockers make me cum". Currently, the band has no U.S. dates scheduled, but check their Facebook page regularly to see if and when they do.

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