5 Day countdown to the release of We don't live in America by The False Dots - Rambo's Rampage!

5 days to go to the launch of We don't live in America, the brand new album by The False Dots. Today, we preview what is to me, perhaps the most personally important. We are a band. We are not just a bunch of blokes that play together, we are friends. I would see all of the members still, even if we stopped playing. We make music that we enjoy and we can have a laugh about. Of all of the current members, our drummer Graham 'Rambo' Ramsey is the one I've known longest. Graham has been involved in the band, on and off since 1985. Before we had partners and children we had holidays together and have always enjoyed a beer and shenanigans. In January 2021, Graham had a huge personal tragedy, when his son Daniel took his own life. We were in lockdown, Graham had covid, so couldn't leave the house. We couldn't meet to support him. Allen Ashley, our singer was unable to rehearse or perform with us when lockdown lifted, but we realised it was vital to get Graham out and playing ASAP. So we started playing as a three piece. I took over on vocals as a temporary measure. I'd not sung with the band since 1982, I'd stuck to guitar. But needs must. I realised that most of my songs were written for someone leses voice and style. So we needed new songs.

Luckily, I am pretty prolific, but part of my personal brief was to put a smile on Graham's face, as we did what we could to support him. I had a few numbers that I could just about manage, but I got busy. Luckily inspiration was not too hard to find. At rehearsals, we'd stop for a cuppa and Graham would chat about life. We encouraged him to talk. He opened up. He started telling us stories and anecdotes, and I realised we had a rich vein of unexploited inspirations. Songs like "Sunday in the 70's contained some of his anecodotes. As we started gigging, we realised that the new material worked really well. So we developed more of it. Our first post covid album "Don't be afraid of a finger in the Sun". Eight of the eleven songs were hastily cobbled together, a couple were from the early days, and one was a number we were working on with Allen before covid. Boz Boorer did a fine job producing the album. The only small issue was that by the time we released it, Tom Hammond had joined the band on Trumpet and our sound had moved on. Tom has played an increasingly important role in the development of the songs. One of the first songs he helped us develop was a song I wrote as a tribute to Graham. It is called "Rambo's Rampage" and is based on stories Graham told us about how he got into music and mod culture. Tom added some amazing trumpet to it. The first time we played it, it got an amazing reaction. It is worth noting that Tom was born the year Graham joined the band, so in many ways it has a lot of synchronicity to it. The song starts as a full on Rock track and then breaks down into a British Ska groove, with an amazing trumpet line over the top. To say I was happy with the number is an understatement. Boz Boorer did a great job on the production as well. I don't think any song demonstrates the different aspects of the current line up of the band as well as this one.

Rambo’s Rampage
 
V1
He went up to the Gaumont up at Tally Ho,
The Who had made a movie, he knew he had to go
He bought himself some popcorn, he bought a Jubberly
And waited for the punchup down on Brighton Beach

--- V2
But half way through she appeared on the screen
He got real excited he nearly spilled his beans
Suddenly he realised there’s better things than cash
Most of all on the screen the lovely Leslie Ash

- Chorus
Quadrophenia blew Rambo Away
HE’s never been the same up to this day
He got himself a scooter, he got himself some blues
He’s got a brand new hero and it isn’t Rodney Bewes

-- V3
Rambo took his Scooter down to Brighton Pier
He’d just had a rebore he had to stake some care
He only could do 20 or it would blow up
Arrived after midnight he wasn’t very chuffed

- Chorus

-V4
He walked along the seafront looking for Lesley Ash
But he bumped into a dealer and parted with some cash
He danced till the early hours he didn’t have a care
He lost his mind in Brighton and maybe it’s still there

- Chorus

-Coda
It wasn’t Rodney Bewes
He bought himself some blues
He had a brand new hero
And it wasn’t Rodney Bewes

@falsedotsrog 5 days to go until the release of #thefalsedots brand new album - #wedontliveinamerica today’s quick snippet is Rambos Rampage where #modculture meets #ska - inspired by our drummer Rambo’s early life as a #mod ♬ original sound - The False Dots

And here's the canvas.