Where have you gone? the Getaway People

Really, there is nothing worse that falling for a band/artist looking forward to what's coming next, to only find that there is no next.  Back in college, I was receiving the CMJ New Music Monthly, at the time a premier music magazine full of reviews, great articles and awesome musical tidbits.  My favorite were the R.I.Y.L. section of the album reviews.  The reviewer would mention a couple other bands that were similar or reminiscient.   It always made me think, rather than hey here's four bands just like this new band, I'd much rather read, something like the classic Tenacious D intro:

"Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Molly Hatchet could not be here tonight, but they all had sex and are proud to announce the birth of their two-headed baby, Tenacious D."

In the case of the Getaway People, after hearing 'She Gave Me Love' via CMJ New Music Monthly  I felt Beck and  G. Love had many an every so poptastic funky offspring.

the Getaway People - 'She Gave Me Love'


I couldn't wait to find out what was coming next?  More keyboard & scratching?  More bluesy, soulful lyrics?  More funk?  This was a great time for music exploration for me.  I was discovering ska, electronica, and live albums.   But, I was ever so joyed to find this little pop heaven.     

The self titled Getaway People from 1998 did not disappoint.   My favorites have always been the funky 'Chocolate', which has always puzzled me, why it never became popular.   The simple lyrics have a wonderful way of explaining how totally IN to a female the writer is/was.

Excerpt of 'Chocolate' by the Getaway People

"She's chocolate in my pocket, she's gum in my hair

She's the kind of girl that drives you crazy

But I don't really care

She's a superstar on my stage, she's the sunlight in my shades

The sweetest scent that fills the air

You will always find her there"

After those two aforementioned love songs, two more super fun tracks are "Plastic People',which could have easily have had parts written by Stevie Wonder, and 'Get A Handle On It' (best started at 0:21).  The songs no longer about love, have more serious messages, despite having a beat to bounce around to, and cheery chorus.  Boots, the lead vocals and at minimum the co-writer for each track, focused on beating drugs, abuse, and racism.  'Blind' is a look beyond the high.  'Mr. E' is about a band's source of drugs and breakup.  'Rockin' The Cradle' about abuse of a young girl cutting her life short.  Finally, 'Does My Colour Scare You?' is an interesting soulful look at seperating skin color from hard times.

All things considered, over ten years later I can still listen to 8 of the 11 tracks on the album repeatedly.  Wishing each time that more success had come for the band. 

Some commercial success did follow the Norway band's second album The Turnpike Diaries, following the lead single 'Six Pacs' .  The song itself was partially used for a theme song for an American TV show Young Americans.

Excerpt of 'Six Pacs' the Getaway People

"Six Pacs and bigmacs keep us rollin’ down the road
Cigarettes and coffee where ever we go
Learn to appreciate those simple little things
And open up my arms to what the road might bring

Cramped in a van
And we do the best we can
On a journey filled with tears and laughter
From the Jersey Turnpike we set sail

On the getaway rafter" 

The second album still has it's share of serious lyrics with 'Soi Cowboy' about a Thai stripper with big dreams, or 'Change' about improving yourself.   There is also a comical look at a female scam artist doing what it takes to make it big in 'There She Goes'.  Another look at take at not doing what it takes to be popular in 'All About It' including the humerous lyric:

Excerpt of 'All About It' the Getaway People

"Ain't got no piercings to show for myself,

cause my nipples are free to be what ever they want to be

without no presure to follow the leader.

I don't care about your tribal connections

which you lied about

Which really came out of a knitting pattern

from your momma's old magazines"

Lastly, there's the old stand by of love with 'Come Love Me'.  The free spirited lyrics that are in the first album comparing a messy pocket chocolate to his overwhelming feelings for a girl, are back with the simplistic reasonong for loving someone.

"Gonna Be a Long time coming till Hell Freezes over,

so baby come love me"

The album wasn't as solid... only 6 of the 10 tracks can stand alone still today.  After the album, the band sorta faded away.  Nothing else could be found online for tour or albums etc.  Even the wikipedia page has barely a sniff.  Unfortunately this band just ended, and nothing quite as fun has matched it since. 

For more info... good luck.. there's none out there.

But to check out the albums try Amazon or iTunes