Underrated Bands - or - Are Animals That Swim the most underrated band of all time? : Articles : Paperjam

Underrated Bands - or - Are Animals That Swim the most underrated band of all time?

Music // Jim // 30th July 2003

Everyone has an underrated band that they love to bang on about to the annoyance of their friends and family, this is particularly prevalent in males between the ages of 14 and 20. Sometimes in this difficult period your heroes can let you down by accidentally becoming successful.

One of the most painful adolescent experiences is seeing an act you have worshipped through obscurity being accepted into the mainstream by people you really hate. Once this happens it is quite likely that you will cast these former underdogs aside; who can honestly say at some time that they haven’t uttered something comparable to one or more of the following:
- “They’re so totally sold out now that the single’s at 302 in the chart.”
- “Yeah, but like the first album was the best, when they still had the original drummer and the two banjo players.”
- “They were so shit at the NEC - I saw them when no-one had ever heard of them at this gig in my mates shed and there was only four of us there.”

The truly underrated band, however, will never let you down, they will keep making records you adore to absolutely no popular acclaim whatsoever, will barely register on any cultural scale and will probably tour once every four years playing somewhere in the Outer Hebrides and a brothel in Paris. All the while you will never understand why this group of genius musicians are not enjoying the fame and success that the likes of Alien Ant Farm seem to achieve with consummate ease.

For me the most underrated band of all time has to be the mighty Animals That Swim. A non-conforming literary indie-ish bunch, ATS have made three completely sublime records that it appears you couldn’t give away with free gold.

Their first singles were feted by the music press and I first heard them on the radio, the song was Pink Carnations; it was brilliant; a spoken word account of an accident and subsequent recovery in hospital written in a surreal but observational style. I promised myself that I would get hold of a copy as soon as I could, and then promptly forgot about it.

Some months later, quite by chance, I found a copy of the album the song was on It was called Workshy and I bought it for six quid from a really shitty record shop in Bolton. Apart from Pink Carnations, the album also contains the excellent Roy the lazy sounding King Beer and the beautiful Sway With Me.

The next thing the band released was the single Faded Glamour, an epic ode to rundown town centres. This turned out to be a precursor for the forthcoming album I was the king, I really was the king . The single got good reviews in the music press and I even remember seeing the singer out of twat-band Symposium wearing the T-shirt while jumping off a stage somewhere. I rushed out to buy the album immediately, I needn’t have bothered. There were five copies in the shop, four of which were being sold at half price two weeks later. My copy didn’t leave the CD player for ages to the obvious disappointment of my house mates: “What is that shit with the trumpets that you keep playing?” They asked, “That bloke can’t sing” they continued.

Listen to the words I implored them, listen to the poetry of East St. O’Neill’s quirky ghost story, listen to the junkie-on-a-budget brilliance of Kitkats and Vinegar, listen to the world weary cynicism of the gorgeous Despatches From Lula. They listened and they hated it, I didn’t care.

Things went quiet then, I heard whispers that the band had split up. I was disappointed, but not exactly surprised, I looked on the web and aside from online record shops there was virtually no record of ATS ever having existed.

Suddenly, several years later a new record appeared: Happiness From A Distant Star, I was happier than a scouser during a CCTV blackout. After rushing home to listen to the CD (something I hadn’t done for ages) I was reminded of all the reasons why I’ve always loved ATS while listening to this album; simple but emotional music with knockout lyrics telling of close encounters with alien spaceships and slightly dodgy cake-baking uncles.

It is a great record, as are the other two - rush out and buy them now - I know you won’t and I know that Animals That Swim will never be as famous and successful as they probably deserve to be. I could go on about how great they are all day but to quote another great underrated band, life is unfair - kill yourself or get over it.

Find out more about ATS at their record label’s web site: Snowstorm Records. If anyone has any other decent links, do let me know.

Do let us know of your favourite underrated band is, and where people can find out about them. Fans of Fishbone (and you know who you are) may be well advised to stay out of this one though.

Comments

news from ats’s record label is that a best of/rarities record is soon to be released, well I’m excited anyway.

jim : 10/08/2003 00:52:47

Hank Starrs of ATS wrote in to let us know that he is now making documentaries and stuff which will be on TV next year…

Jim : 09/10/2003 23:38:50

yeah, it’s called BANGER! and it’s on carlton (ITV) jan28 or feb 4 2004. we are currently making a doc about american musician DANIEL JOHNSTON featuring contributions from matt groenig & David Bowie.
hankx

hank : 14/11/2003 00:03:59

hank : 14/11/2003 00:06:11

cheers hank, we’ll keep an eye out for that.

Jim : 14/11/2003 18:12:11

just a belated voice of agreement to your column. i’ve loved animals that swim since the 10” release on che many ages ago. there are a few of us here in the states that appreciate their magic. i still can’t listen to roy without feeling awe…

Michael : 22/11/2003 01:54:07

I totally agree that ATS are one of the great undiscovered gems of the last 10 years. It took me nearly 2 years to find I Was The King....., before literally stumbling across it at an Irish Music Stall at Hartlepool Market- for the princely sum of ?2. There were several copies which have now gone, so hopefully there’s a hardcore of fans in the North East now. I can dream can’t I?

Peter : 19/12/2003 10:22:38

Heartening to read the above about ATS. I thought it was just me; now I know there’s four of us. Is it worth pestering Stuart Maconie to feature the band on his Critical List show as an ‘unsung’ act. Or would that truly be the kiss of death?

Paul : 19/01/2004 06:53:40

Sounds like a good idea to me, Paul.

everyone write to that nice Mr Maconie forthwith!

Jim : 19/01/2004 22:43:49

yeah.......er that’s right. I remember actually, mark Radcliffe played “faded glamour” on the breakfast show once. but i was asleep. still, someone called me just after. it was quite exciting.

hank : 23/01/2004 23:26:57

I’ve just been informed by Snowstorm that the best of/rarities compilation is scheduled for a May 2004 release. I am quite excited about that.

barry : 30/01/2004 14:16:07

Good to know that you can still pick up our records in Hartlepool..Hank told me to have a look at this site(I was the guitar/keyboard player who hid in the background)Should we make another record? What do you think??

Al : 10/02/2004 02:07:11

Why not?
by the looks of things you’ll shift at least 7

Jim : 12/02/2004 00:59:21

8 - my sister always buys a copy.

del (trumpet) : 20/03/2004 07:42:29

still not heard any news on the best of album, but it is supposed to be imminent. ATS got mentioned on an ILM thread lately:

Just here along with S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men

Jim : 10/04/2004 00:59:02

For a copy of Animals that Swim new four minute promotional Film “The Longest Rd” featured on the forthcoming “Best of Animals that Swim” (SNOWSTORM RECORDS) send a cheque for ?3.99 to - whiteout films 80 Spencer Crescent OXFORD OX44SW cheques made payable to “whiteout films”. Bonus 5 minute documentary film included.

H.Starrs : 28/04/2004 06:14:13

started playing Animals That Swim’s Workshy again recently and it’s so great. Then I bought I Was The King a few weeks back and that was great. Now I’m waiting for the third one to arrive, should be here soon. What a great band—they don’t really sound like anyone, for better or worse.

me : 08/06/2004 22:08:19

ATS are muscially and lyrically one of the best bands I have ever had the pleasure to come across. Was in touch briefly with Hank a while back and he seemed to be a nice enough bloke, though feeling (justifiably) burned by the cruel music biz and had made a good effort to move on with his life. Anyhow, I hope they will continue to get together and play, then perhaps one day soon record CD #4 (I vote YES!!). I play them on my radio show (www.wxdu.org) as much as I can without getting in trouble for it! Always trying to spread the good word about a truly deserving group. Long live ATS.

alison : 26/06/2004 01:42:52

I had the pleasure to review the new best of for The Leeds guide. This was the first time that I listened to ATS and I was bowled over. A new album? Yes.

James : 01/09/2004 09:29:27

Can’t get the best of anywhere around here, I’ve had to resort to amazon… you can find it here

Jim : 13/09/2004 01:52:48

I don’t suppose someone could provide me with the chords to Faded Glamour so that I can play along to it.

ATS Fan & amateur musician : 29/10/2004 14:05:34

Man, if they’re under-rated in England they’re less than invisible here in America. _Workshy_ is still in every used bin in Boston. I absolutely flipped for the best-of, it was wonderful to finally hear “50 Dresses” and some of the other unreleased stuff. My only disappointment was that ALL of the vinyl-only tracks weren’t on there. So, yeah, bring on another album and tack on some bonus tracks!

Does ANY other band use horns the way they do in a rock setting? They just SLAY me. Oh, and “7 Days” never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

Mitch : 12/11/2004 01:42:47

Not Only Hank is an amazing multidisciplinary artist. He is the best friend i had in London and the best person i know.
Hi Hank wherever you are, Just came out from a detox clinic.....a year....a life.
Fernando

Fernando : 16/11/2004 22:18:13

It’s been 9 years since I last listened to ATS - since I was the king.... and before I went to uni. And it was buying a sodding mp3 player that made me go through my old cd’s. Fuck me - i forgot how truly, utterly fantastically brilliant those first two albums were and I’ve listened to a shit load of old cd’s in the last few months. What happened? There’s nothing on the net, no web page, no mailing list - though i’ve discovered today that there’s a third album and a best of.... Another album - yes (that would be 9 sales by the way) - but a what about one last gig......

Simon : 29/07/2005 15:50:26

I still care, any more ATS news let us know at testify@paper-jam.co.uk.

Jim : 28/09/2006 21:01:27

You’re not alone Jim. I still listen to their music regularly and hold a flicker of hope in my heart that one day they may make another record. Its a shame that in these days of internet direct marketing to fans they couldn’t find a way of continuing even if only for their own fun. Sigh..... I can but dream

Dan : 12/11/2006 21:46:31

Hi Jim, Hugh just recorded some nice score for a short film I produced and I had a call from Ed Argos from ART BRUT, they are recording a second album and Ed asked me to sing some bits on a song which was excellent fun...it did cross my mind that an ATS gig might be a good wheeze, trouble is, i’m a bit fat.......and bald… Still you never know. Hank Starrs

Hank Starrs : 20/03/2007 18:39:58

As a fellow paper jammer / occasional contributor, Jim has been banging on about ATS to me for years, but in my lazy-arsed way I hadn’t got around to listening - you know, the normal excuses, work, family, something interesting on Discovery Channel. Having now been awakened to the simply sublime music of ATS, I would now like to profusely apologise for being so slack - and Hank - I don’t care if you look like my Gran (and she’s been dead for 20 years) - I’ll be there for a gig and will press-gang an audience if necessary.

Nick : 25/03/2007 00:22:24

Whilst I have nothing of any great import to add to this thread, I felt the need to add my name to this select gathering.

ATS are truly one of the most overlooked bands of their generation and Faded Glamour is, in my humble opinion, one of the finest singles never to be a hit.

Maybe it was to do with growing up in a crappy seaside town (Clacton, to be precise) but boy did those lyrics hit home.

Ian : 16/07/2007 17:23:25

You’ve got at least one fan in the States...make another record

Erik : 07/08/2007 15:41:22

It’s amazing to come across this thread. I hadn’t thought about ATS for ages until a good pub discussion a couple of weeks ago when I was holding forth on my favourite lyricists - all of whom happened to be American (David Berman was no.1). When someone asked if I rated any British lyricists, out of a couple of years lapsed thought, Hank Starrs came up. Needless to say had to repurchase all the CD and can’t help wondering on how amazing they are. When you can leave a song as great as ‘The Greenhouse’ off a Best Of.. then you know you are onto an a winner.

Next time, that Time Out publishes one of its vile art-school-idea articles on trendy-areas-of-London-that-are-actually-a-bit-rubbish, I’m going to march down to their offices and make them listen to ‘Faded Glamour’ until they see the error of their ways.

Jeremy : 17/08/2007 15:32:49

Tell you what, Jeremy, it’s amazing that you people are still talking about us...let alone listening...top work. By the way, Hank is not fat......A bit bald though...We’ve talked about playing together again....and maybe a record. We’ll let you all know...Thanks ...

Al (ATS) : 30/09/2007 00:53:24

Al, that would be absolutely fantastic. It would be great to hear some new stuff. And in the meantime, I’ve got all these great records to rediscover! Hope all the ATS’s are doing well.

Jeremy : 09/10/2007 11:25:23

Deffo should record another album and play again.

ATS, by far the most underatted band ever IMHO.

Wonderful, wonderful band deeply missed by me.

Gary : 31/10/2007 00:07:01

Deffo should record another album and play again.

ATS, by far the most underatted band ever IMHO.

Wonderful, wonderful band deeply missed by me.

Gary : 31/10/2007 00:08:10

Took me a long time to find this, can’t really say much more than ‘this piece what I wrote’ last year, as a blog on my MySpace page…

WHY DO I LOVE ANIMALS THAT SWIM?

As I near 40 I find myself listening to one of their classic tracks from their (sadly) final album, ‘Happiness from a Distant Star’. It’s called, ‘Seven Days’ and the days referred to are the writers 10th birthday (where he dances naked on the lawn making rain fall from a red watering can) through 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th to his 70th (where he eats a fine meal with friends then collapses gently on the table, spilling twenty year old brandy as he expires).

I first ran into Animals That Swim supporting Hurrah! in New Cross. The crowd numbered about ten and both bands were on blinding form. I already knew Hurrah! but was too shy to approach ATS, so I made Ann-Marie go and buy their little 7” single, ‘King Beer’, in its plain white sleeve. Singer Hank also played an array of drums and spun round something that looked like a colourful dustbin lid. I should have recognised their genius then and followed them the length and breadth of the country, especially after their second single, a fantastic Elvis-baiting tribute to the wonderful ‘Roy’ (Orbison).

Two albums followed, ‘Workshy’ (with the wonderful singles ‘Madame Yevonde’ and ‘Pink Carnations’) and my favourite, ‘I Was the King, I Really Was the King’. ‘King’ features the truly beautiful ‘East St. O’Neill’ (where people lay flowers beside the ribena stains on the pavement) amongst other classics like ‘Faded Glamour’, ‘The Greenhouse’ and ‘Kitkats and Vinegar’!!!

The band were listed to play Harlow Square and we duly made the trip down to see them again. They weren’t there, promoters error, but we did get to see the excellent VERSUS (all the way from the States) and the dreadful ROSA MOTA (all the way from Harlow I believe). Instead, we caught up with them at Cambridge Boat Race (15/10/97) and they were incredible! Got to speak to the wonderful Hank at this gig and I vowed that, this time, I would follow them the length and breadth of the country!

However, only one album came after this, ‘Happiness’ and then the band split, leaving a cracking ‘Best Of’ (Faded Glamour) which is a great starting point to strangers of the band.

Back to ‘Seven Days’...
According to the song, this Saturday I should be staying at home ignoring the door and the telephone (ten years time I’ll be losing a fight and finding myself inside with bruised muscles - looking forward to that already!), but I’m having none of that, me and Mrs ‘67 are off to Gothenburg to drink and be merry (and cold)!

I don’t know how accurate the song is (I don’t remember wearing Rheannon’s make up and pearls on my 20th), all I know is it is a truly wonderful piece of observation. Of course it’ll make you cry and you may vow never to listen to it again as you’ll only get upset but, hold on, can you believe what the bastards do??? They follow it up with ‘A Good Day for Everyone’, a wonderfully optimistic tune, with words to match, that leave you with that stupid grin firmly planted back on your chops.

And the question is not, “Why do I love Animals That Swim?” but “‘Why Doesn’t Everyone????”

I’m sure all of you feel this way too!!!!

Tony : 24/11/2007 18:18:00

an excellent band , im now 28 and have been listening to them since a friend passed me a tape of ‘i was the king…
about 10 years ago. it’d be great if they put another record out sometime. there are still two people over here in dublin who would buy it.!!

alan mc donnell : 16/12/2007 01:09:12

There was actually a small group of ATS fans on OiNK before it got shut down. Ironically none of us had downloaded any ATS nor needed to share it because we ripped our own copies, and that was only really because no tracker ever had it available. It’s terrible how underexposed and forgotten this band was.

mealypotatoes : 30/12/2007 06:56:46

Again, I would just like to add to the growing list of gushing testimony to ATS (particularly the one above that also seems to offer helpful pharmecutical advice!). I’m now a 41 year old geezer, but one who still listens regularly to ATS albums, after discovering them from a clip shown on a late night tv show in, i guess, 96 or 97. I think the song they played was King Beer and I was instantly hooked. I bought the first album later on that month in the Tower store in Hollywood (I was working for a couple of weeks in Buena Park) and have since bought all the others.

About a month ago, after much consideration and internal turmoil, I announced to my wife that ‘Faded Glamour’ is the most perfect song ever, to which she said ‘what are you on about’ as she hadnt asked me and was instead doing the ironing whilst watching eastenders.

Hank you’re lterally and metaphorically a star and a genuine songwriting genius. Make sure you let this site know if you ever decide to play another gig as I never got to see you live and would the chance.

Oh and I have never managed to convince any friends about ATS although I have tried (one said they reminded him of the Tindersticks!!!)

’I could move away.........
probably will someday’

paul : 31/01/2008 16:23:03

Just had my Ipod on shuffle and “How to make a chandalier” came on. It made me smile. Only saw Animals that Swim once at the Reading festival years ago, but they were one of the main reasons i’d gone there. A truly great band!

Chris : 15/07/2008 15:46:14

Saw these a few times. Probably one of my favourite bands!

Steve : 01/09/2008 20:12:06

Tony, thanks for the comments on Seven Days. FWIW, I wrote that song, and the 10th, 20th and 30th birthdays are vaguely truthful (in particular Rhiannon’s pearls and the Rose and Crown) but I was guessing after that as I was in my early thirties at the time. I’m a few months older than you - I actually ended up spending the 40th going to the Camper factory in Majorca then a night out with my wife and daughter, so it wasn’t as grim as prophecied.

Also, we never actually split up, just don’t do anything any more. There’s a few new songs so you never know we might get round to an acoustic album sometime between now and 2015.

Hugh

Hugh : 03/09/2008 14:17:27

Hugh, thanks for that! I’ve had a couple of messages from Hank and understand that you’ve written a book on the industry - I’ll pick up a copy sometime! There are so many great ATS songs but ‘Seven Days’ ... “it gets me everytime”!!! Coincidentally, the day I read your message I’d been playing the album in the car. I took that, ‘Abbey Road’ and the Specials debut album - that’s the kind of company it keeps in my collection and how highly I regard the bands’ albums! The promise of further tracks and an album in 2015 is something to look forward to! I’m slightly impatient though, could you not consider setting up a MySpace page for us all to keep in touch and maybe, just mybe, post some of the new recordings for those of us who ned to hear more? Just a thought, hope you are well and for now I’ll just keep looking forward to 2015!

Tony : 08/09/2008 14:33:36

Myspace would be good. Terry De Castro has a MySpace page. She played bass on the third ATS album and recently recorded a solo album of covers, mostly written by bands she has played in. There’s a really nice cover of East St O’neal on there. Terry also tours and writes with the current Wedding Present line-up. I recently sang a bit on an ART BRUT track “Direct Hit” which is on their most recent album.

Hank Starrs : 16/10/2008 17:48:16

Test message
Sorry me noob…

RepPeteNore : 02/11/2008 02:19:40

For what it’s worth, I’ve just stuck a flag in the ground on The Word magazine’s site, nominating “I Was The King...” as my favourite album of all time, and simultaneously throwing in a reference to ATS as the most criminally neglected band of all time, per this long-running discussion. If anyone else fancies backing me up, perhaps we can knock “Quadrophenia” and “Abbey Road” off the top spot!

I’ve only just read Paul’s post above, mentioning TIndersticks as a reference point - I made the same comparison on my post on The Word’s site. I tried (also vainly) to sell ATS to friends as ‘Tindersticks on happy pills’... OK, maybe not the greatest sales pitch ever, but I meant it in the best possible way!

I no longer worry whether I can convert anyone else - I’m happy enough just to hug the band close to my heart and weep at the beauty of it all.

“East St O’Neill”, “Seven Days”, “Faded Glamour”, “50 Dresses” - sheer perfection, it’s very rare that I can get to the end of any of them with dry eyes (which can be very embarrassing on the train on the way to work!).

It’d also be very rare that a week would go by without at least one of the ATS albums getting a play. If there’s ever any possibility of a new album (even an EP!), I’ll be there…

Sadly, I never saw the band live, although I did see Del playing with Bark Psychosis a couple of times - bloody fantastic he was, too! I live in Sydney now, so probably wouldn’t make it to any reunion shows, but I’d be there in spirit!

MB : 02/11/2008 05:20:08

Nevermind ATS, how about Reno & Rome reunion gig?
(Hank and Hugh’ll know who I mean!)

Dave Milligan : 17/11/2008 12:57:08

Dave, my old son - I would do that. Still at the BBC?

Hank Starrs : 25/11/2008 21:53:19

Hello old thing.
Yep. Still at the firm.
Running a little label (Sitting Target), playing in a couple of bands. (Arco & Penguin Party)
Enough about me!
I actually stopped my car on the westway in shock when Mme Yvonde came on GLR back in 1907 or whenever it was… “That voice can only belong to one man”, and all that...Loved “Workshy”, adored “Happiness”...Never really got “I Was The King” for some reason...probably my fault : )
Just bought Hugh’s excellent book.
Very proud to have been associated with you talented chaps. I learned a great deal.
Keep us posted on any developments.
Thanks for King Beer, All Your Stars Are Out, A Good Day For Everyone and the incomprable Pink Carnations. Never get a proper job!
All the best, say hi to Hugh for me,

Dave

Dave Milligan : 26/11/2008 15:41:34

Drat!
just realised I spelled ‘Madame Yevonde’ wrong in that waffly post.
Sorry!

Dave Milligan : 26/11/2008 15:43:26

Very Kind! Glad to hear you’re still playing music. I did get a proper job actually. Watch for my first feature film in 2009 - BLOODED.

Hank Starrs : 28/11/2008 15:41:12

aaaDutTertearbal : 01/12/2008 06:47:39

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