Music
Press
The big surprise of the night was Bear Vs Manero with the eccentric Dan Toms spitting and yelping his preachings on the downstairs stage. Set highlights include ‘Furthur’, ‘Now is Not the Time for Impressions, Rory Bremner’ and ‘The Tale of the Chameleon and the Malcontent Cockroach’ and with fuzz coated pumping bass lines and grinding riffs combining to create a very progressive and unique sound it would be safe to bet that you will be hearing a lot more from this exciting four piece in the near future. - Artrocker
This is a little old shit kicker and no mistake. Bear vs Manero can gonzo the living crap out of their material and call it post-apocolyptic ballet if they like, but we know they’re smart and noisy and you should download this before the internet is killed - Unpeeled
The evil bass rumble, piledriver riff and unhinged delivery land in the not too comfortable space somewhere between 80’s Matchbox and the Jesus Lizard. - Sweeping the Nation
With a sound mixing psych, stoner rock and grunge, Bear Vs Manero got us going straight away; scuzz soaked guitars, sexy bass lines and brilliant vocals verging on glam theatrics at times, this London four piece impress. - Room Thirteen
Daniel Radcliffe reviewed them in TimeOut by saying “they have a fucking amazing guitar sound”, and to be fair to the boy wizard, he's right about this lot. Bear vs Manero (Queen of Hoxton, Thursday) were part post punk noise and another bit Rock'n'Roll at its most driving. Good to see a front man who also had an on stage persona which is actually engaging. - Artrocker
“It's loud, and that guitar sound is fucking awesome. And his voice is great. I like bands that have a screecher at the front. Someone who's not afraid to be a bit weird. It’s like if The Stooges were fronted by David Byrn This is the kind of thing that I just love. I would like to feel it live, vibrating my vital organs” - Time Out
Discography
'Now is Not the Time for Impressions, Rory Bremner' (single Spring 2012)
Radio support:
Radio 2
Kerrang Radio
Xfm
Absolute Radio
Q Radio
'The Tale of the Chameleon and the Malcontent Cockroach' (single Autumn 2012)
Radio support:
6 Music
Kerrang Radio
Absolute Radio
Artrocker Radio
BBC Kent
Photos
Bio
In the blue corner, weighing in at 950 pounds, the fury from the forest, nature’s destroyer, the brown bear...;
… and in the red corner, weighing in at a more modest 145 pounds, the hot footed fancy from Brooklyn, Tony Manero!
A match made in nobody’s mind bar four ambitious males from the south, Bear vs Manero were formed early 2011 in a small, dirty rehearsal studio in South London by Dan Toms (vocals), Luke Ellis (guitar), Peter Bevan (bass) and Darren Woolley (drums).
Taking more direct musical influences from the likes of the MC5, Stooges, Jesus Lizard and Black Sabbath, the quartet also plough the less obvious routes, being additionally inspired by the stagecraft, songwriting and general awesomeness of the likes of Neu!, Scott Walker and James Brown.
BvM released their debut single ‘Now is Not the Time for Impressions, Rory Bremner’ in the Spring on 2012, picking up a tidy bundle of radio support, enthusiastic reviews and a bizarre celebrity fan.
The next single, ‘The Tale of the Chameleon and the Malcontent Cockroach’, was released in December and caught the ear of Tom Robinson at 6 Music amongst others.
Regular gigs across London and the South East have allowed the four piece to hone their live show into crisp, organised mayhem, mixing equal parts pride, contempt and abandon.
The band are putting plans together for an EP release in 2013 whilst carefully building up to their debut album release late 2013/early 2014. They recorded the songs with Tim Cedar of Part Chimp at Dropout Studio in South London.
Links