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Moke

Despite a song title like The Long Way on its repertoire, Amsterdam-based band Moke has taken the shortcut to success. Wadda ya reckon? Which band can boast main stage slots on renowned festivals such as Pinkpop, Lowlands and Parkpop at home and Sziget in Hungary in the first one and a half year of its existence? The story so far starts with two support slots on two Paul Weller shows in the tail end of 2006 at London’s Forum theatre. The Modfather invited the band personally, and he’s now doing it again for his upcoming European tour this fall. In between the band has become an overnight success domestically, as is aptly proven by aforementioned festival slots and two sold-out club tours.

Moke hasn't stolen its success. They've worked their butts off to get this far. Not only did they gain the 'Best Alternative Rock Band' title at the 3FM Awards, staged by Holland's public radio station of that name, but dressed by Karl Lagerfeld himself (yes indeed), they also took home the title of 'Esquire's Best Dressed Band'. Does this say anything about the band's music? Certainly, it does, it boosts the instant coolness the band just oozes. Supporting both The Kooks and Razorlight at big arena shows further underline the band's status. Earliest believers of the band were actually footballers. Would you believe that? Debut single Last Chance was used as the absolutely stunning backdrop to the highlights of the Champions League on Dutch public TV. It earned them a handshake, a kiss and a cuddle by the nation's best footballer ever, Johan Cruyff, at the Footballer Of The Year Gala, where Moke played live for an audience of an estimated one and a half million TV viewers. Also, once a month Moke served as the house band on Holland's most popular talk show on the public net.

Picked as the Champions League theme song was way before debut album Shorland came out. Well on its way to gold now, Moke has recently re-released the CD in a special digipack festival edition, including a bonus DVD and all single B-sides. Mind you the album is five singles deep. It gained Moke stints at leading global music conferences in 2008 such as South By South West (SXSW) in Austin Texas (March) and Berlin’s Popkomm.

Call it 'neo wave' or 'Britrock', what you get is a batch of songs that radiates pop sensibility enhanced with good good singing, pounding drums, powerful bass, tasteful keyboards and a truly Big Guitar. Singer Felix Maginn is a Belfast kid, hence the great vocals and the profound lyrics about hope, love, war and peace. Listen to the lyrics of Shorland and you listen to living history set to music. Mind you, Moke is not a political band at all, but this band does not provide mindless pop tunes either. Now the album is also released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Out on PIAS, Moke will happily bring its music to a new, much wider international audience. Far away from resting on its laurels, the band is already recording its second album for a spring release. But that's something for later, first the band and the punters should enjoy the tour.

Text by Moke
Picture by Govert de Roos