Rockers take on TV

From the archive, first published Monday 5th Dec 2005.

Milford Haven's One Room Down have subverted their reputation as the darlings of the west Wales metal scene to produce a very funny video CD, without appearing to be remotely concerned at the effect this may have on their hard-men-of-rock image.

Distributed free at gigs, this is their third video release. Displaying their creative edge, all five band members are involved in the acting and production, with guitarist Kevin wearing the auteur-director's hat. For all the intended lack of sophistication it is impossible not to be impressed by ORD's facility for comedy, from their eccentric pantomime characterisations to the witty puns and the gusto of their performances.

Not constrained to stage or studio, we witness a band scaling the giddy heights of their comic creative ambitions.

The roots of the video's sketches are at the bawdier end of traditional British music hall end-of-pier comedy, with a lineage dating back to Max Wall, Dick Emery and Monty Python affectionate but funny, with optimum use of intertextuality.

ORD might have aimed this video at a niche audience (ie their gig-going fans) but if there was such a thing as a local TV station these guys would have been signed up by now. And I'm definitely keeping a space in my stocking for the Christmas boxed set. To call One Room Down renaissance men may be a stretch too far, but they have taken up Sickofantic's rock acoustic challenge to perform unplugged, and without the use of a safety net, on Wednesday, December 28th, at the Queens Hall Acoustic Room, Narberth.

MOLL

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