Clams Baker Jr doesn’t seem like a man suited to army life. In fact, it’s hard to imagine any member of Warmduscher, one of the UK’s most eccentric (even aberrant) bands, following orders from a barking drill sergeant – but their American frontman especially. Stamped on Baker’s pale rear end is a large tattoo of a laughing hyena; on his arm, another bit of ink reads: “Nazi punks f*** off.” Despite his mother’s wishes, then, army life just wasn’t for him.
He wanted to fight for his country in a different way. As the lead singer of Warmduscher, Baker tackles themes of authority, inequality and capitalism through a potent punk and funk-rock sound. Happily, they have skirted the sprechgesang trend perpetuated by bands such as Black Midi and Black Country, New Road, as well as the more literal soapbox politics of Idles or Shame. With their music, fans have to dig a little deeper into Baker’s frequently abstract lyrics while also enjoying their innately danceable tunes.
