Not only are Motherwell’s The LaFontaines the latest band from the hot bed of talent that is west Scotland, but they’re quite possibly the most diverse and compelling rock act it has produced yet. Swaggering confidently across the divides between the distinctive Scot rock sound and both hip-hop and mainstream R’n’B, the quartet turned plenty of heads with their debut album ’Class’ in 2015.
As they prepare to drop their hotly anticipated sophomore long-player ’Common Problem’ later this month, guitarist Darren McCaughey talked Already Heard through the band’s top tracks from the other occasions the rock and hip-hop worlds collided.
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NERD – Rock Star
I would always hear this at the local ice rink when I was like 11 and never knew who it was by. Eventually I saw it on Kerrang after school one day, its set in a gym hall and people are skating and stuff. I knew I had to find out more about Pharell which then turned me on to so much more great music.
Gym Class Heroes – Taxi Driver
I think we covered this and another Gym Class Heroes song at one of our first rehearsals. It’s pretty impressive how many punk/emo band references he manages to fit into such a short song.
DIDDY – Bad Boy For Life
We also covered this in a very early incarnation of the band, it definitely has a slept-on riff and nice guitar tone. It would have been cool if they had done an album with the all star band in the video (Travis Barker, Diddy & Dave Navaro).
Crazy Town – Butterfly
Another song that we have jammed before. I really want to do a proper cover of this, but I don’t think anyone is bold enough to give the chorus vocal a go. To be fair I don’t think those lyrics will sound great in a Scottish accent.
Limp Bizkit – Take a Look
I’ve not seen any of the ‘Mission Impossible’ movies, they don’t really look up to much, but the soundtrack is fire. The way they work all the riffs from the main theme into the track is perfect, I’m pretty sure Metallica – ‘I Disappear’ is also on the soundtrack to this movie – another banger.
Action Bronson – Easy Rider
This whole album (‘Mr Wonderful’) has a great mix of Bronson’s flow over Jimi Hendrix style guitars and 60s drum samples. The line “Left hand that would make the fender cry” always sticks out for me.
Rihanna – Bitch Better have my Money (Korn remix)
Not sure why Korn felt compelled to put this out on YouTube mid-2015, but I’m very glad they did. The Half time mosh part at the end is great.
Rage Against The Machine – Bombtrack
The greatest Rap/Rock combination of all time hands down. Tom Morello is an amazing musician, and has always been a big inspiration to me. When they reformed in 2008, I was lucky enough to catch them a few times. Being part of a 50,000 crowd of people all bouncing in unison to this 1 note riff is totally class.
REDGLDGRN – Lootin in London
Another slept on group, I’m not really sure what happened with them. They seemed to be about everywhere for like 2 months in 2013, never to be seen again. The track has an excellent groove courtesy of Dave Grohl.
The Knux – Run ft. Kid Cudi
I heard this song on Hype Machine in 2011 because Kid Cudi was featured, and it sounds like The Strokes with rapping. From looking into them to write this, they seemed to have ditched this sound in favour or more electronic beats, but their stuff with guitars is definitely where it’s at.
‘Common Problem’ by The LaFontaines is released on October 27th on A Wolf At Your Door Records.
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Main Photo Credit: Ryan Johnston