I knew there was something special here the first time I heard Kula Shaker during the Brit-pop explosion in the mid-nineties. Their debut album, K, is not only one of the best-selling UK debut albums of all time, but it also pushed the genre into a new, unexpected direction that has yet to be matched.
Sure it had all the elements that made Brit-pop great; Stone Roses-type grooves and the attitude and snarl of Oasis, but frontman Crispian Mills added a spiritual element that elevated this sound to another level. It was rock, it was pop, it was psychedelic, but most of it, it was original—and really, really fucking good.
I never got to see Kula Shaker when I was living in the States, at least I don’t remember it, but they have always been a band that I go back to for those first two albums. I thought the follow-up, Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts which came out in 1999, was a more interesting record even though it didn’t have a string of “hits.” However, I saw the band back in 2016 at the Kentish Town Forum and thought they were excellent, but what I saw at Shepherds Bush Empire was different; it was next level.
There is a fire burning in Crispian that wasn’t there six years ago. This guy was electric, almost possessed with the music, and he made the guitar an extension of his body. At times I thought that he was in a guitar battle with Jimi Hendrix, and he made it look easy, like he was born to do this.
Maybe it was the excitement and energy from the slew of new music exploding from the band over the past year, including a stellar return to roots album called The First Congregational Church of Eternal Love and Free Hugs, or the two most recent singles, including a straight-ahead cracking version of the Lennon classic “Gimme Some Truth.”
Hell, there were even two songs played live that I don’t think have been released yet. The standout I think, is called “Taxes,” and it was a cracker as Crispian belted out “I don’t wanna pay my taxes,” over the top of a righteous ’70s funk-inspired groove. There’s a creative resurgence happening here, and it was something to behold.
The setlist was a mixed bag but in a good way. Opening up the show with “Hey Dude” set the stage for lots of newer material, unreleased songs, and a couple of covers. “Tattva,” “Govinda,” and “Hush” whipped the crowd into an arm-waving, singalong and dance frenzy. “Gingerbread Man” melted some faces, as did “Narayan,” the song Crispian contributed to The Prodigy’s breakthrough in 1997.
Curiously missing from the set was my favorite song, “Mystical Machine Gun,” but I guess you’ve gotta sacrifice something to squeeze in the new songs, but why, oh why did it have to be this one? The night ended with The Beatles’ classic “Twist and Shout,” which turned into that scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with the stage being taken over by everyone behind the scenes and the crowd screaming at the top of their lungs while balancing multiple drinks as if New Year’s Eve had come a few weeks earlier.
It’s no coincidence that this show happened on December 8th, 42 years to the day John Lennon was gunned down by an obsessed fan. And it’s no secret that Crispian himself is a massive fan as he launched into “Gimme Some Truth,” which was just released as a new single. The iconic protest song from 1971 was given a proper, edgy treatment which made the song sound like it was written yesterday with its content ringing truer than ever. All in all, it was a brilliant night, and I can’t wait to see these guys again in 2023. They proved that they are at the top of their game and still have plenty to say.
