Music
Press
The links to the original reviews are embedded in the page:
http://onceuponatimemusic.co.uk/press-2/china-rats-press/
“Indie pop of the highest order” (Amazing Radio, UK)
“Joyous-fun indie-cool rock” (Q Radio, UK)
“Too short! I would love to hear this tune to go on forever!” (Roosmarijn Reijmer, Radio 3FM, The Netherlands)
“The 50's pop feel and sunny harmonies are hard to resist – it’s slick, catchy and likely to get you doing a little chair dance at your desk” (BBC Introducing, UK)
“I liked that a lot (…) is very very good” (Fearne Cotton, BBC Radio 1)
“Glorious.” (Tom Deacon, BBC Radio 1)
“A great new track.” (Greg James, BBC Radio 1)
“A fine single that most of the country can relate to.” (Alan Raw, BBC Radio Leeds)
“A very bright future ahead…” (Chris Hawkins, BBC 6Music, UK)
“These four young guys from Leeds know how to build a classic British pop song” (3voor12/3FM, Holland)
“Is likely to be bothering your eardrums for some time yet” Track of the day (Killing Moon Limited)
“Might just be what the next Generation X needs in place” (Contact Music, UK)
““To Be Like I” is a hit: cheeky, loud-mouthed, a bit tongue-in-cheek and sexy” (FM4, Austria)
“China Rats, where have you been all my life? “ (Dingus, US)
“Insanely catchy” (The Blue Walrus, UK)
“China Rats have developed a unique, exciting style” (Vulture Hound, UK)
“10 artists no one should miss at FIB” (Je Ne Sais Pop, Spain)
“This is classic, spiky, adrenaline fuelled indie punk” (Clash Music, UK)
“Ploughing the kind of rough ‘n’ ready rock ‘n’ roll which made The Ramones or The Clash so beloved” (Clash Music, UK)
“Looking for a tune to blow the Indie Disco apart (if you can find one nowadays)? Look no further” (Artrocker, UK)
“The one thing better than finding out about a great new band, is finding a great new band with a box of tunes that all live up to the promise of the first one you heard” (Squeaky Sneaker, UK)
“A genuinely exciting young band” (Shout4music, UK)
“The EP’s three tracks are underpinned by a sense of urgency; they are fast, frantic and brimming over with exuberance” (Spindle Magazine, UK)
“The track is a big, arena-rocking track complete with wall-of-guitar sound and driving drums” (Surviving The Golden Age, US)
“Just pure, straight to the point rock and roll “ (Vulture Hound Magazine, UK)
“It’s a perfect mix of pop and punk; it’s lyrically very punk but with an infectious rhythm that could make it the stuff of chart music” (Contact Music, UK)
“I’ve had this one on repeat for half an hour, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon” (The Tune, US) - Once Upon A Time Music
Discography
China Rats – “To Be Like I” EP – 14 May 2012
Photos
Bio
In July of last year China Rats, an unheard of band from Leeds in the UK, were booked to play the tiny Villa Camp stage at massive European festival BENICASSIM the night before the start of the main festival. The result was an impromptu mosh pit and a festival booker who secretly wished he had booked them for the main festival. Except the following day, Bat For Lashes, who were booked to headline the 2nd Stage, couldn't make it onto the site and the booker had his chance. China Rats stepped up to the plate, bigger mosh pits ensued; it is the stuff of Rock n Roll folklore.
China Rats formed in Leeds in the Summer of 2011, released their debut EP 'To Be Like I' in May of last year and quickly earned the attention of BBC Radio 1's champion of new bands Huw Stephens as well as a flurry of European radio support from the likes of Absolute, Q and BBC 6 Music in the UK, 3FM in Holland, FM4 in Austria, national radio RN3 in Spain, P3 in Sweden amongst others.
As Well as “To Be Like I” Stephens also fell for the band’s song “N.O.M.O.N.E.Y” and a demo of the song was playlisted on the BBC Introducing List on BBC Radio 1 less than a year after the band formed. It’s a song that perfectly encapsulates the dilemmas of young people everywhere: “I got no money and I wanna die, I got N.O.M.O.N.E.Y” goes the opening line. It is an anthem in the making.
However, it was debut single “To Be Like I” that captured people’s imagination in Europe and led to the band playing influential tastemaker festival “London Calling” in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) alongside Grimes, Howler, CITIZENS! & Spector before they even had a booking agent and of course Benicassim. With further shows in Spain, Germany and The Netherlands as well as a first UK tour under their belts China Rats have also recently appeared at Les Transmusicales (France) and Eurosonic (The Netherlands) and are confirmed for their first US shows at SXSW 2013. And all this with still just one self released EP to their name.
China Rats are:
Graeme Thomson – Lead Vocals / Guitar
Luke Smith – Lead Guitar / Vocals
Jedidiah Allcock – Bass / Vocals
George Riley – Drums
http://facebook.com/chinarats
http://chinarats.co.uk
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