Join the club at the Cluny; ALAN NICHOL has the latest news from the roots music scene

Byline: ALAN NICHOL

MUSICALLY speaking, 'cult status' usually translates into little commercial success, but a loyal fan base which ensures a long career.

Tomorrow's guests at the Cluny, American Music Club, undoubtedly fall into that category. AMC, led by Mark Eitzel - once saddled with the crass handle of 'America's best songwriter' by Rolling Stone magazine - have been associated with any manner of descriptions, from "slowcore" and "sadcore" to the hardcore-punk offshoot, emo (emotional hardcore)!

It is more accurate to place them in the area where rock, country and folk collide.

A bit of the punk attitude can be added to the mix at will, of course.

Further support from avowed fans like Radiohead and Coldplay all adds to the band's standing.

Eitzel himself spent much of his early youth in the UK and then Ohio before he settled in the San Francisco area. In 1980 he was leader of the band which rejoiced in the name Naked Skinnies, before he put together AMC and issued the debut recording, Restless Stranger, in 1985.

His travels were reflected in subsequent album titles, California (1988) and United Kingdom (only released in the UK) a year later. Already, the band had established a firm base in Europe and that continues to this day.

The album which has been cited by many as their masterwork, Everclear (named after a particularly potent transparent liquor), was released in 1991. Strange then, that only a couple of years later the band would dissolve before reappearing some 10 years later with the well-received Love Songs For Patriots (2004).

The band has now relocated to Los Angeles and returned to a five-piece format, Sean Hoffman departing and Dana Schecter re-joining and Jonathan Heine (guitar/keys) being added to the line-up which played here at the beginning of the year.

Eitzel certainly has a way with a song title, 1993 album Mercury contained the unique gem, What Godzilla Said To God When His Name Wasn't Found In The Book Of Life!

He also produced a couple of solo efforts, 40 Watt Silver Lining and a collaboration with REM's Peter Buck, West.

The band, however, returned to form earlier this year with The Golden Age (Cooking Vinyl), a release which ensured their cult following received a few more recruits and a little more critical praise to add to the archive.

Catch American Music Club at the Cluny tomorrow night.

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THE LINE-UP - American Music Club led by Mark Eitzel, second from right, are playing at the Cluny tomorrow night

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