Live review from The Underground Christmas Show:
1. Jesse was a boy
2. Illegal
3. I got u
4. Spastic donkey
5. El cazanarez
6. Santa Claus
7. Trapped at lunch
8. King been
9. Green wave
There can’t be many bands knocking around Hong Kong who can claim to have a bona fide rock God as their front man. Müchell are a real throw back to the rock bands of old and Manu is their driving force. Him and his eye liner.
This three-piece have a strong punk influence. With Motorhead, The Vines and perhaps Judas Priest present at the birth. Whilst bassist Samson and Max on drums don’t really look the part, they sure as hell sound like it. Manu’s filthy guitar rips through you like a rusty knife. It’s the engine that powers their sound.
This is effortless, pent-up rage but not in your face. They arrive like a gale force wind out of nowhere, leaving everything dishevelled in its wake. This is music to lose your shit to. You don’t care what Manu is singing about but you feel it in your chest. Whatever you’ve got on your plate at the moment, after ten minutes with Müchell you won’t care. They’re here to help you blow off steam and lose your mind for a bit. Such is the gift of rock music.
Samson lived up to his name on stand out song “El Cazanarez” where his bass lines really arrive at the party. Next we’re treated to their own Christmas song, written especially for this gig – with the oh so very rock n roll lyric “well fuck you Santa Claus”.
Unlike other unsigned bands which haven’t been together very long, these guys know what their sound is. All the while not taking themselves too seriously. Their song “Spastic Donkey” epitomising this. It’s much more rock n roll to not give a fuck than to give too much of a fuck and these guys have that balance, with excellent manners. Müchell are monstrous, and for a band only formed in 2016 they will only get better and better.
– Simon Donald Jones