As a keen advocate of Birmingham’s astonishingly rich and diverse culture, I was a bit embarrassed at my ignorance regarding the contribution to said culture of original punks The Prefects and The Nightingales. But in my defence, while they were ripping it up at the legendary Star Club in the late seventies (above the communist bookshop where by contrast I often visited), I was immersed in the busy local Mod scene, doing my best to avoid the punks from The Crown who were perhaps their more natural constituents, and who hated and often hunted us down with violent intent. So I was really looking forward to getting clued up on Robert Lloyd and his bands by watching King Rocker, written by my favourite stand-up comic Stewart Lee and directed by Brass Eye’s Michael Cumming.
Cleverly dovetailing the Nightingales head-honcho’s tale with that of another unappreciated Brummie icon, the King Kong statue that stood briefly in the Bull Ring, King Rocker takes the viewer on a fascinating journey through the life and career of one of music’s great outsiders, while reflecting on the annoying Birmingham habit of rejecting it’s own culture. They all obviously had a ball making the film and as one might expect from a documentary about a midlander, brilliantly narrated by another one, it is soaked in self-deprecation, with gallons of gallows humour and oodles of understated charm, particularly when Lee and Lloyd share the screen as a naturally funny double-act, unaffected and unhindered by anything contrived, like a script. When the pair go to view an ancient stone circle to explore the concept of people wanting to be remembered and valued after they’re dead and gone, Lloyd’s response is customarily blunt – “they need to get over it”.
It reminded me of a passage in Mike Skinner’s documentary The Unstoppable Rise of Birmingham Rap, in which The Streets star asked Small Heath’s Jaykae to explain the appeal of Brummie MCs. “It’s because none of us talk s**t” replied Jaykae, and there’s a refreshing absence of hyperbole from the cast of characters in King Rocker too. With Vix and Magz from Fuzzbox and legions of past and present Nightingales displaying typical West Midlands humility, and Ted Chippington so hungry for fame he didn’t even turn up for his interview, it’s noticeable that Lee has to turn to non-Brummies when a bit of pretentious waffle is required.
Lloyd is shown as a maverick in a city of mavericks, refusing to compromise like a kind of less-celebrated Kevin Rowland, and upholding Birmingham’s tradition of non-conformity and individuality, in stark contrast to the uniform (and therefore more marketable) music scenes of other English cities like, I dunno, Manchester for instance. The documentary is entertaining, informative, and ultimately life affirming as Lloyd’s band sound better than ever, forty years deep in their story. The film will hopefully stir interest in their back catalogue and legacy, and stands as a worthy tribute to a man who, whether by accident or design, remained an outsider in a cultural phenomenon, punk rock, that itself purported to be especially for outsiders. As such, and I suspect to Rob’s approval, it’s miles better than a stone circle.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum