UNITED KINGDOM: NEW YORK BAND "FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS " ARRIVE FOR LONDON SELL OUT CONCERT TOUR

Record ID: 388276

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: NEW YORK BAND "FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS " ARRIVE FOR LONDON SELL OUT CONCERT TOUR
  • Date: 24th April 1999
  • Summary: (NO LIBRARY USE - MUSIC CLIP) FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS PERFORMING THEIR LATEST SINGLE "KOREAN BODEGA"
  • Embargoed: 9th May 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Communications
  • Reuters ID: LVAE1IB8I72BIT3V2G47TTIN1IK1
  • Story Text: While Brooklyn-based band, Fun Lovin' Criminals are on the brink of success in the music charts at home, the band have been going down a storm with their fans in the UK and the rest of Europe for years.For the past two months, Huey, Fast and new drummer Mackie, have been touring Europe to promote their second album "100% Colombian".
    Reuters caught up with lead singer, Huey, at one of their sell-out gigs at London's Forum theatre, to find out what the band thinks of their status this side of the Atlantic and what projects the band has in store for the rest of the year.
    Described by their fans as simply the 'coolest dudes' on the face of the planet, Huey, Fast and Mackie are the three "Kings of New York" who together form, Fun Lovin' Criminals.
    The Brooklyn-based threesome, who first found recognition and fandom with the release of their single "Scooby Snacks" in 1996 have recently been touring Europe from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean - selling out venues as they went.So popular are their gigs, that last week the band had to double up their dates in both London and Dublin, to meet the demand of their fans.
    Strange then, that these New York hip-hop rockers have not caught on Stateside - their home turf.But that's not something the band worries about says Huey.
    "I used to work in a nightclub and carry ice so I'm not doing that anymore that's cool.I think playing music is a good, positive way to live your life and if some people get it that's great - you can't hope for everybody to like you, we're not Mariah Carey or anything.We come from very humble beginnings, this is very nice, we're very happy," he says.
    Lead singer and guitarist Huey first met Fast, bass player and multi-skilled musician when they worked at the Limelight club in New York many years ago.Along with their friend Steve (drummer) they formed a band and played for nothing at the club.After seeing them perform, a friendly DJ at the Limelight called a friend at EMI and the boys got their recording contract.
    Their debut album "Come Find Yourself" which included hit single "Scooby Snacks" had, they say, been written before the recording contract and was an album which reflected the eclectic tastes of the band members.It was a blend of blues, rock, hip-hop and rap and it sold more than a million copies.
    After touring the States supporting U2's PopMart tour in the summer of 1998 as well as attending some festivals in the UK and Europe, Fun Lovin' Criminals were ready to release their second album, "100% Colombian".The first single of which hit stores in August, last year."Love Unlimited", a tribute to the greatest crooner of all time, Barry White, was well received.Even the man himself likes it, says Huey.
    The album also contains a song dedicated to Huey's dog, "Sugar", a collaboration with blues legend BB King, "Mini Bar Blues" and a track called "Big Night Out" which tells the tale of supermodels at the Viper Room in L.A.
    Unusually, the group have chosen not to include the lyrics to their tracks on the album sleeve and when Huey is rapping his verses smoothly, it can be more than a little tricky to understand exactly what he's saying.BUT, for this there is a reason: "I have a good reason for it, I'll explain it to you, I hope you don't get mad at me but when I was a kid I used to go and buy a record, I'd come home, I'd put it on the turntable, I'd put my headphones on.I closed my eyes and a little movie would start in my head, it was my story and it really didn't have anything to do with what the guy who had written the song, had in mind and it made it something personal that belonged to me so when we made a record I thought it might be kind of cool to instead of over explaining things the way things are these days, they just over explain things to death just to let people take it and work with it," says Huey.
    Since the album release, the band have been performing live - everywhere - including ten dates in the United States...and live is definitely where they're at, according to their fans and the band.
    However, there have been changes to the lineup along the way.Drummer Steve, broke his wrist a few months ago and was replaced by FLC friend, Mackie, who rescued them at the last hour.His arrival has had a positive effect on the evolving nature of the group.
    "We have a new drummer in the group now, Mackie, and to have a new guy coming in and start playing the music, it gives us a different perspective on it, almost as if we're doing it for the first time again.So yes, you see a lot of different things that you haven't seen before because you have another person's input going on, so it's interesting that at the beginning of the tour we were doing things one way and now we're definitely doing it another way," says Huey.
    As well as touring, former Marine, Huey, has also been finding time to get into films.He recently played the part of a drug dealer in the new Laurence Fishburne movie, "Once In The Life".He's also working with Fast on a screenplay for a movie which he's hoping will go into production early next year.None of FLC are likely to star in the film, however, because they don't think they're acting material.
    "We like movies but I don't think we're really like actor material, we're a little too normal.I don't know if you've met actors or if anybody out there knows actors - you know they're ridiculous people so it's kind of to do that for a living you gotta be ridiculous so I don't know if we could do it unless of course they give us the money up front which is always an incentive to do something.But I think if anything, we'll produce the film, do directorial stuff stay away from being in front of the camera," Huey says.
    If a film wasn't enough to think about while touring, Fun Lovin' Criminals are also contemplating opening a restaurant in London this year because they 'figure London needs a good Italian-American kitchen.' Huey, Fast and Mackie are probably the coolest, most laid-back rocksters in the business, but they are realistic about the music industry and say they're just making the most of it now before they have to go back to their day jobs.But, with their unique offerings of funk, soul, rap and jazz, it's doubtful they'll have to resort to the mundane again.
    "100% Colombian" hit record stores in the United States in March.The latest single to be released from the album "Korean Bodega", a salute to a local New York grocery store, was released internationally on April 19, 1999.The band are expected to return to the United States shortly to tour before heading back to the UK and Europe to perform at the summer festivals.
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