In addition to its role as a showcase for emerging culture, POP Montréal is also an occasion for resurrections and the revival of coolness. Beverly Glenn-Copeland was the big catch this year. The Fleshtones’ protopunk-infused garage rock was also a prime catch.
Since the 70s, these creatures from New York have been raking, ploughing and ruminating on a rock that’s still as wonderfully unfinished as ever.
This crookedness, a little soft and clumsy in execution, this groove a tad Stonian at times, could have produced a short-lived effect. And yet, 40 years on, The Fleshtones are still throwing us a good sludge! They themselves are part of the work, it has to be said. Their energy isn’t that of their 20s, but that of their 60s remains remarkable and inspiring for younger fans of the rock thing, who weren’t able to experience that rock effervescence in New York in the 70s and 80s.
In 2024, Peter Zaremba knows how to lead the slams, interspersing his introductions with charming phrases in French for the MTL audience, and quoting the feats of arms of the Fleshtones and colleagues of their era – Television, Stooges, Blondie, Ramones, etc. Fellow bassist Ken Fox can count on a screaming voice à la Brian Johnson (AC/DC), he contributes to Bill Milhizer’s groove on drums, while guitarist Keith Streng feeds them with gravelly riffs.
In short, Zaremba and his henchmen still know how to shake the cage, or more precisely, Pop Montreal’s marquee (Marché des Possibles). The set ended with an impromptu parade of Fox and Zambera around the sound console, after a series of joyful encores.
Nice!
