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LIVE REVIEWS

London Garage, 13th June 2003-

thetripwire.com:

Ahhh, the wonders of being in London. A large number of my favorite up and coming bands are either from London or roll through semi-regularly. Friday night, it was time to go to The Garage for the first time, to check out Winnebago Deal. The stars of Player .041 rip-roaringly rocked their way through a 9-track opening slot and surprised the hell out of me along the way. Recorded, they fuse punk, garage and even a touch of grunge, but live, they are a loud, furious, bludgeoning, punk-fuelled guitar and drum pair that must be heard to be believed. Much of their Fierce Panda debut mini album, Plata O Plomo, was aired out and drummer Ben Thomas must have had a medium helping him beforehand, because he was channeling Dave Grohl, a blur of thrashing long hair and pummeled percussive fury. Player track "Manhunt" was given the serious punk rock injection, completely transforming the song. Luckily for me, I had my earplugs, otherwise I would have been deaf for a week. But, even luckier for me, I got to see them in the first place. Props to Phil at Fierce Panda for his hospitality.

Winnebago Deal set list for June 13 at The Garage, London.

"Maximum Overdrive"
"Crib Job"
"Whiskey Business"
"Just Cruisin'"
"Harold's Dewlaps"
"Takin' Care Of Business"
"Manhunt"
"Dead Gone"
"Two Minute Warning"

- Reported by Jeremy P. Goldstein

www.thescourge.co.uk-

Winnebago Deal are two men, both called Ben from Oxfordshire. They have long hair, look like Wayne’s World extras, and come onstage after a build up of Fugazi songs over the PA. They start up - racing through songs form their mini-album ‘Plato O Plomo’ with an uncompromising ferocity. The unpredictability of the songs makes the setlist merge into one continuous monster noise of guitar, drums and repetitive vocal shouting, causing bodies everywhere to be forced to jerk twist and smash into one another. It is impossible to move rhythmically to Winnebago deal as the drums are so randomly placed, and the boys do anything to prevent any ounce of predictability in their songs. It’s either mass bodies of crashing circle pits, or standing still and letting the noise engulf you. There is no room here for polite foot tapping… as with Smother, Winnebago Deal are here to show you their stuff, and to get the fuck off stage. They have their insane, dry metal riffs and that is all they need. Winnebago Deal encapture their audience, just as they get comfortable, Winnebago Deal will kick them in the face with a flash ending, and crazy unsteady rhythms. Winnebago Deal, their work done, bound off stage leaving people bemused, happy and full of skuzzed up trash grunge-metal-raawwwwwk .
-Claire Thomas

Northampton Soundhaus, 12th June 2003-

BBC Northampton:

These boys' amps really do go all the way up to 11. The 'Deal are simple: two long-hairs called Ben, one on guitar, one on drums, play good, honest, ear-splitting rock'n'roll - our condolences go out to their neighbours.
When the Deal first came up for breathe after hammering out three songs on the trot, no one clapped. Everyone just stood, gob-smacked in a 'what the hell is this?!' fashion. Before anyone could react, the two Bens had already ripped back into their set. These guys are one of the most enjoyable and interesting bands I've seen in a long time.
-Jon Raitt

London Garage, 7th April 2003-

www.thescourge.co.uk-

Winnebago Deal are a gruesome twosome of different proportions. Amazingly some of the better known publications are getting behind them, even though they are English! It is difficult to take in, but with the help of the big guns Ben and Ben the power rock men are entering the spring of their careers. Having already gained a pretty impressive underground reputation, its performances like this that will have to make important people take notice. The set is aggressive, threatening, downright lethal. It is somewhere in between metal and grunge. Grrrrrr-unge I suppose. Whatever it is, it’s loud, and it’s entertaining. From the insane thrashing of ‘Harold’s Dewlaps’ and ‘Just Crusin’’ to the slower thud thud of ‘Takin’ Care Of Business’ ending with the ten minute instrumental freakout that is ‘Dead Gone’, this set is huge. Rather than a bull in a china shop, this is, well, two bulls in a china shop, and these bovines do not appreciate fine crockery. If you believe Travis when they say that all they want to do is rock, then believe me when I say that all Winnebago Deal want to do is destroy the world. For the moment though I would imagine they would settle for getting a room full of people to headbang and punch the air. And it won’t be long before this is the case, for sure. Check out their mini album ‘Plata O Plomo’ out on Fierce Panda now. It is indeed fierce, probably more so than said panda.
-Dan Ormsby

Sheffield Corporation, 3rd April 2003-

www.sheffieldbase.com:

Before tonight i knew absolutely nothing about Winnebago Deal. I'm still no expert on them but i do know they make a lot of noise; especially considering there is only two of them. In fact their sound is surprsingly well-formed for a band consisting of a drummer and guitarist/vocalist. This is metal at it's best; full throttle crushing riffs that take no prisoners combined with stompingly good beats and hair with a life of its own. At one point it seems as though they are about to launch into Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" but instead it appears that they are just unsure as to what to play next. The overall impression is that in front of such a small audience Winnebago have decided to shun conventional gig practice and just have a bit of a jam instead. To be honest their set is probably all the better for it. Winnebago Deal have been described by others as being not so much garage rock but more basement metal, which based on this performance is pretty much spot on. Dirty, powerful, raw, and downright sweaty; this is exactly how metal should be. Thank you Winnebago Deal, you've renewed my faith in the scene.
-Emma Weston

London Kentish Town Bull & Gate, 30th January 2003-

www.thescourge.co.uk:

Setlist: TWO MINUTE WARNING / MANHUNT / MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE / WHISKEY
BUSINESS / THE LINE UP / JUST CRUISIN' / TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS /
HAROLD'S DEWLAPS / DEAD GONE / CRIB JOB

This could be the start of a rock revolution you know (that sounds familiar doesn’t it …). Winnebago Deal are two long haired rockers called Ben, a guitarist and a drummer, with more energy than a Duracell factory. Hell, these guys will be turning on the Oxford Street lights next Christmas – by accident. It is essentially simple stuff. One microphone. One guitar. A fucking big amp. Distortion, Gain, Middle and Bass on 10. Treble on 0. 4 drums, 2 cymbals and a hi-hat. A hell of a lot of noise. If Winnebago Deal are Britain’s answer to garage rock then trust the British to get it spectacularly wrong. This ain’t no garage rock, oh no. This is basement metal. Outhouse grunge. Jailhouse fucking ROCK. Call it what you like, I don’t care. Right now it is un-classifiable, just plain out and out riff work, skin bashing and grunting. It’s just music. Loud music. Loud British music.

Although admittedly there are bunch of American influences here. There’s an obvious early grunge influence – you can tell just from the hair. The duo list Mudhoney, Nirvana and Soundgarden as influences. Add to this the fact that Black Flag are their favourite band, and their parents probably listened to 80s metal and 70s rock, and this is the amalgamation of sounds we have. Played by two people. Loud. For the whole set. There is no let up. Barely any breaks between songs, the longest reprieve we get is during penultimate number ‘Dead Gone’ which involves frantic riffery, crashing drums and long pauses. Which is pretty indicative of the whole set … minus the pauses. ‘Manhunt’, ‘Takin’ Care Of Business’ and ‘Maximum Overdrive’, three songs that have recently featured on the playlists of Steve Lamacq and Phil Alexander at Radio 1 were in there too, each as rocking as the others. In fact, the set works as a whole big noise rather than individual songs. For a half an hour full on assault it is incredibly effective. Its music that makes you wanna headbang, and in my book, this can’t be bad.

Winnebago Deal have a mini album out on Fierce Panda on March 24th, and it will be interesting to see how it comes out. If it is anything like the live show I’m gonna seriously fall out with my neighbours.

London Dublin Castle, 7th January 2003-

www.drownedinsound.com:

I talk to a friend, tonight, of pure rock. The type of rock that needs no prefix; needs no suffix. Punk what. Stoner bollocks. Nu fuck off. Totally unfuckinecessary. Sorry, I’m still mad. Unnecessary when you have Winnebago Deal in front of you. Unnecessary when exactly what you mean is being displayed right in front of you. Power, rhythm, passion, long hair and legs akimbo guitar toting: everything that rock should and hopefully always will be. The primal releases of testosterone all around just surge through you. Fists just beg to pump the air and even the greatest defiance of this urge is futile. You just go along with it. You know that merely nodding your head in time with the chronic drumbeats will never suffice.

You know you will be part of it. You know you have to be part of it. It’s natural. Entirely natural. It is believed that all men are born Good and that they are tainted by society. Society can’t taint this. Winnebago Deal will ignore the rest. Winnebago Deal will only ever dream of playing on Saturday morning television. Winnebago Deal: Rock. It’s gonna be their turn to get a full house.

Gareth's slobbering Winnebago Deal review of the same show:

Maybe this is the year.

We’re seven days in, and I’ve just witnessed a 35 minute onslaught which will inarguably match up to anything else I am set to witness over the next 358 days. Tonight, Winnebago Deal tore down the Dublin Castle in a manner I never before witnessed.

The scary thing is, they were better when I saw them three weeks ago at the Barfly at the Camden Monarch, but tonight was the night that I and a couple of hundred other people realised that this is the band set to take 2003 by the scruff of its mangy neck and shake it into rock n roll delirium.

On a night where the crowd was packed to the rafters with industry people, eager to latch on to the next big thing, jump on the gravy train to short term success and music press kudos, people walked away filled with awe and respect rather than the sound of cash registers ringing through their cynical brains. Because this two piece from Oxford surely are the best band in Britain right now. An absurd, probably unqualifiable comment, sure, but undoubtedly the truth.

Imagine a rock n roll nuclear powered unit of pure power and energy. Then discard all that, because the excitement they generate is beyond that. All you can do is gawp in wonderment and punch the air in reciprocal glee.

There’s already a lot that has been said about this band, and I won’t go into it again here; you can find enough about them on DiS. But I’ll say this; they are playing again at the Bull and Gate on the 30th January and you’d be a fool to miss them. Yeah sure, you’ve read a million evangelical articles like this before, and each time you’ve been duped and fooled by a hyperbolic cretin. But check out articles I’ve written previously, I’ve never said anything like this. Take a chance. Go see the best band in Britain.

London Camden Barfly, 30th November 2002-

www.drownedinsound.com

Somehow two unadorned, Raggedy Anne stealing, grunge bating jailbaits stole my senses and left the building. Winnebago Deal. Fairy tales come with more baggage, rawk bands should not. But it’s always extremely satisfying to know that you were right. Again. As the stage gets louder, the songs get heavier, the team of ickle rock midgets are doing their damndest to make sure that we are tricked into believing that Winnebago Deal are pulling this off on their own. Cliff Burton would be proud, with the steel sound of the golden days of truly great rock bands fading into the noize of tomorrow, a straight laced pastiche of the rock n roll variety. Culled from the farm of a pop Slayer chewing on the introduction to Seattle as read by Green River and Tad. It’s knee trembling, hormonal inspired rawk antics should have been the end of the craziness…

Truck Festival, Steventon, 21st July 2002-

Nightshift:

One band who wouldn’t be without their hair are the awesome Winnebago Deal. We say awesome because they ARE rock and roll. And many more things besides. Like a rampant, unforgiving collision of AC/DC, Mudhoney, Black Flag, Motörhead and something evil from way out west. All dripping with trucker oil and gasoline, set on fire and shot into the crowd with extreme prejudice. They are currently playing at Thor’s birthday bash in Valhalla.

Hope & Anchor London, 16th July 2002-

Neon Promotions:

Winnebago Deal explode into action - the most action packed, highly charged rock duo you will probably ever see - walloping great chunks of guitar rip your head off as the extraordinary front man powers the songs out, aided and abetted by some highly energetic drumming. The songs are full on, in `yer face with no holds barred 100% action, and it is clear that these guys are really into what they are doing - confidence flows from the stage. Good choruses and tight punchy moments complement the energy. A must see band!

Oxford Zodiac 6th July 2002-

www.Oxfordbands.com

Winnebago Deal have a lot to live up to as the replacements for the Dukes of Nothing, and live up to it they do, as their unique blend of glam rock and grunge makes for a very interesting set. The amount of noise that these two people produce is absolutely phenomenal, with the singer prancing round the stage like a pixie on acid. The highlight of their set is ‘Whiskey Business’ with a rip-roaring chorus and unforgettable bouncing drums. At the end of the set, the guitar flew into the audience, and struck an unsuspecting fan on the head, pretty much summing up the maximum ROCK craziness of their performance.

Oxford Wheatsheaf, 22nd May 2002-

Nightshift

Star turn at the Wheatsheaf - and possibly the entire Punt - though are WINNEBAGO DEAL. A pair of emotionally damaged love children spawned by The Fucking Champs and Pantera, they are without doubt one of the most enthralling live bands around at the moment. They're full of uncontrollable energy and passion, at one point producing a whole five minutes of masturbatory feedback and provoking a genuinely violent moshpit, they are the perfect antidote to manufactured metal. The only question about Winnebago Deal is how the hell can one guitar make so much noise?

Oxford Zodiac, 7th April 2002-

www.Oxfordbands.com

In typical 'The Club.' spirit, it's a local band, Winnebago Deal, who kick things off. And from the first fuzz-drenched squeal of lead guitar, we really are in stoner heaven. The band's sound is a melange of classic stoner rock vibes. Allusions to Kyuss and Nebula are obvious, but there's a harder edge there - it's in the 80's metal haircuts, the sheer aggression of their singer's straining vocal chords and the way he strides across the stage with a hunched back, looking like a fucking giant. The band are no doubt sick of White Stripes comparisons (being a two piece drums and guitar/vox lineup), but this unfortunate similarity somehow works in their favour - not once throughout their 30-minute set are we aware that there's anything missing. The crowd won over, Winnebago Deal retire backstage, no doubt for a crate of Jack Daniel's and a few hundred spliffs. And you know what the coolest thing about this band is? They've got a tape on sale for a quid. Now that fucking rocks.

Milton Keynes Pitz, 11th January 2002-

www.concretechaos.co.uk

When it comes to enjoying a powerful, entertaining and raw sounding band, you will find it hard to beat tonight's opening band, Winnebago Deal. The Oxford based two-piece manage to combine monster riffs with a rawness and stage presence which is often lacked by most. Despite being very different in style to the other two bands on the night, they had no problem getting the crowd moshing early on and started off the night in the best possible way. This wasn't the first time I'd seen this band and with classics like "Manhunt" and "Whiskey Business," it definitely won't be the last.

Bath Moles Club, 27th December 2001-

www.purr.org.uk:

Now, if I was alive to see The Rolling Stones in their pre-record deal glory, I can imagine they would¹ve been similar to seeing Winnebago Deal. A two-piece (yes TWO!) with only a tape to their Winnebago Deal sounded as though they should be playing arenas with laser light shows and fire breathing backdrops.

The ambience was so hugely heavy you¹d have been forgiving for think they were playing with a couple of 4x2 pieces of timber for drum sticks and bridge suspension cables for guitar strings. In a word, Winnebago Deal are monstrous. It¹s a wonder how two men, with only a drum-kit and guitar can create the experience of seeing Iron Maiden, The Stones and Kyuss playing It's a Knock-Out. Fantastic!

East Oxford Community Centre, 24th November 2001-

Nightshift:

...To be honest, Winnebago Deal do the noisy punk rock thing rather better. There are only two of them but they kick out a furious old racket and prove that anything American duos like White Stripes do, they can do just as well and after a few years of promising more than they delivered, they look like a decent bet to be one of Oxford's best bands in the near future.