Ones To Watch: Poets Of Anarchy

The King of Funk is a prestigious title, with a certain George Clinton still managing to hang on by the skin of his teeth. But, what naive Clinton doesn’t know is that there’s a new crowd in town – and they’re poised in the shadows, waiting to snatch his gold. The group that are about to claim his almighty throne are quartet, Poets of Anarchy.

The band from Merseyside may be relatively unknown at the moment, but they’re coming. Soon, their names will be plastered on the inside of university halls, up in billboard letters at O2 Academies and their name will always be on somebody’s lips. So, exactly who are the future kings of funk-rock?

Poets of Anarchy consist of four local Liverpool lads who all bring something new, exciting and fresh to this highly-developed sound. The diversity of each member, such as the burly voice of McGirr to the cool and classy guitar of Roderick, adds to the perfectly strange genre that is Funk Rock. A surprising genre that not many have succeeded in, but Poets of Anarchy really make it look like a walk in the park.

On their Soundcloud page, the band have posted five unmistakably different songs over the past eight months. “I’m Feeling Your Love, It’s Coming over My Body” is powered by the slapping, prominent bass guitar, played by Stephen Leach who takes the reins with full force, whereas appropriately named tune – “The Funk” – is a definite nod to the raw and rocky edge of funk; with those guitar riffs slipping and sliding throughout the song, it’s impossible to stop yourself from bobbing along to the beat.

Poets of Anarchy are a band that sound amazing recorded but even better live, which is a hurdle most artists fall flat on their face with (did somebody say Taylor Swift?). Days after announcing the formation of the UK’s future favourite funk-rock band, there was already a date at the Zanzibar with their name on it. The band heaved in a massive crowd and took the venue by storm; something really special happened that night, and only a few live to tell the tale!

The band also recently posted a live version of their newest single, “Flex”, from the Zanzibar, which really cements the craving to see this band perform live. The single fuses heavy rock with the slick sophistication of funk – throw in McGirr’s hounding vocals and we have a recipe for success. To put it simply: the same experience can’t be captured by sitting in your room, listening to the single on repeat. You need to get out there and catch them at every opportunity possible.

Luckily, the Poets have hinted at possible sightings at UK festivals and – if you happen to live in Brazil – there’s a line-up with their name on it. 2014 could be the year that Poets of Anarchy seriously break through the generic mould, becoming one of the most talked about artists in the UK. Kaiser Chiefs seem to think they’re alright, having specifically invited them onto their headline tour. So, if Ricky Wilson thinks they’re worthy of a listen, there’s no denying their greatness.

Ella Scott