If you have never seen the 80s cult movie “Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains!” I suggest you quickly find a copy and bring yourself up to speed. The picture inspired riot grrrl movement in music (having a lasting impression on members of Bikini Kill and Bratmobile) and has been a fan favourite for years. But recently, fiction became reality.
Ladies and Gentlemen – let us introduce The Red Stains. The Manchester quarter is the hottest, most tipped for greatness band on the indie circuit at the moment. They are barely on their second single, formed less than two years ago and in this short period of time managed to appear on every station and in every magazine in the North of England. They have Tom Robinson in their corner who lauded their music and their image on BBC 6. Band`s name is being scribbled on toilet doors at local venues and manga fanarts of the members appear faster than you can say “dear god, The Stains are awesome”
It`s hard to squeeze Stains into one particular box. They seem to be equally inspired by 80s post punk and cold wave as well as the Britpop era. The band creates hypnotic soundscapes using bass, drums, keyboards with shouty vocals that remind me of early Shampoo. Their image is flashy, outrageous and yet chic. They are not shy to involve themselves in politics, radical feminism, anti religious sentiments and it will always be delivered with an in-your-face manner. The Stains are unapologetically working class (extra points from me), accurately pointing out shortcomings and absurdities of life in the Disunited Kingdom. If you take Blurs “life is paranoid” attitude and hand it to Manic Street Preachers in their Suicide Alley era, you can get as close to the essence of The Red Stains as possible. It`s not only music they excel at. It`s their fashion sense, the way they dress to make a statement, how they express themselves creatively, how they pose to the cameras, what they do in their videos. It`s all planned to the tiniest detail. They have a master plan, artistic skills and big mouths to deliver. Absolutely amazing to witness.
Take their new single “Freezer Jesus”. Strategically released at the beginning of December, the song mentions the second coming but there is no end of the world. Jesus is quietly shopping in Iceland for frozen food as the lyrics point out while the band bakes Barbie dolls into pies, tries to sell you a second hand car and pose in Little Baby Nothing dresses with tiaras. The music pulsates with a monotonous keyboard lead and best bass lines of 2020, like a tribal Hacienda banger or a primitive Manchester sound. And then there is a flute or something equally insane thrown into the mix for good measure and you realize The Red Stains are learning from Poly Styrene`s playbook: music is anarchy, the instruments are there to confuse as much as to entertain you. “I have better things to follow” – shouts Natalie Emslie about Jesus, religion and his shopping habits. Her voice is crystal clear and it soars.
There is not a single note out of place in “Freezer Jesus”. It’s a perfect indie record that would make any band in the last 30 years proud. I can`t tell you how long the band will remain unsigned because they seem to have caught the ears and eyes of the people in the industry. For starters they have been invited to Kendal Calling by Tim Burgess himself.
You may be lucky and see The Red Stains in Birmingham in 2021. And you know what? You should do not miss that. Watch this space!
The Red Stains are Natalie Emslie on vocals, Sterling Kelly on bass, Ella Powell on keyboards and Ben Dutton on drums.
You can follow the band on socials:
https://theredstains.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/theredstains
https://www.instagram.com/theredstains
Additional reads:
https://www.musicistoblame.co.uk/2020/12/the-red-stains-talk-freezer-jesus-and.html
https://www.mancreview.com/2020/12/single-of-the-week-freezer-jesus-by-the-red-stains
Edit: In 2024 the line up changed to include Robyn Elliot on guitar and Grace Allport on drums. The single is currently off the streaming platforms so I replaced the original video with a live version which shows the incredible charisma of the band on stage.
This article appeared elsewhere but I am migrating all my works back to Indieterria (just like Taylor Swift would do) because I want to have rights to my own articles and to make sure that my work will not be published on web pages that do not align with my values or with values commonly associated with civil society in a wide sense of the word.
Malicia Dabrowicz
Indieterria 
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