COVENTRY Music Museum curator Pete Chambers BEM writes for the Observer.
Kerri Bowes
It’s with huge sadness that I write about the passing of Kerri Bowes, one time partner on and off the stage of ATTRITION mainman Martin Bowes.
Kerri was a force of nature, a lover of life and lit up every room she walked in. Here is our tribute to this amazing lady from the man who knew her best – Martin Bowes.
“Kerri was originally from Brighton.
“I met her in 2010. We fell in love and married in 2011.
“In 2012 she started to work with me in ATTRITION.
“The first project the ‘Invocation’ soundtrack for a US horror film.
“To create music for moving images was a lifelong dream for her.
“We toured all over the world together between 2012 and 2018.
“She also loved modelling and appears on many ATTRITION record covers.
“The last show we did together was to perform the ‘Invocation’ soundtrack live at a festival in the mountains of Tranyslvania.
“We broke up after that time but she stayed here in Coventry and we remained good friends.
“She was an amazing force of fun and light in this world.
“She touched so many people during her short time on this earth.
“I will always love her and miss her so much.”
Never Apart- Sick Of It.
Never Apart are a local rock band, (and that’s rock with a capital ‘R’), their recent single ‘Damaged’ was a superb slice of well-constructed rock that I really enjoyed.
Then we have the new single ‘Sick Of It’ and wow, this one takes the rock right up to critical mass.
‘Sick of It’ sees the band really moving out on the outer reaches of metal and then out of nowhere by utter contrast comes the cultured vocals of Alice Clarke.
It shouldn’t all work, but it jolly well does, building up to a grandiose chorus that’s very unforgettable.
As the band say themselves: “We are ready to drop our heaviest single yet.
“Sick Of It offers an insight into the breakdown of a relationship.”
Lead singer Al says this was written from a personal struggle against constantly not feeling good enough but not being able to give up.
“Lockdown hasn’t stopped us and we are finally ready to mark our mark on 2022.”
Sick Of It was written by Alice Clarke, Rhys Scott, Nathan Gummery, Ben Ollis and Louis Bailie. produced, mixed and mastered by Jay Shredded of SLL Studio.
Ghost Town – Top single
If proof were ever needed that The Specials are still relevant today look no further to the top selling vinyl singles of 2021.
Ghost Town from Coventry’s Specials sits proudly at the number one spot, you heard that correct, right at the top.
Ahead of more contemporary artists like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa and Harry Styles, and ahead of icons like Morrissey and Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Paul Weller and Abba.
Of course, the fact it was re-released on its 40th anniversary during a lockdown situation were key factors in the song’s resurgence, but the truth is you can’t keep a great song down.
Be honest, who could have believed that 40 years down the line that song would have even more resonance that it did in 1981, you couldn’t make it up.
