Live: New York City 2005. The Reducers

"I think I have something you might like", started the email I received announcing the digital release of a live album recorded 16 years ago. A release by a band I had never heard of, can't say if they still exist, nothing. Being the curious person I am, I gave it a go of course and found an album filled with music that is as original as the Via Appia leaving Rome for the south but like that road that is still around after 2000 years and some, has the quality a punkrock band needs to be interesting to start and end with.

On this album The Reducers combine punk from the U.K. in 1977 and the U.S. from the 1990s. This combination works really, really well on Live: New York City 2005. This results in songs that are melodic and easy to sing along with in the choruses. Playing punk music is no excuse for not having to play songs in my book. When all is said and done, The Ramones played sped up, punked 60s pop songs. The Reducers are playing by the rules of that book here.

So who are or were The Reducers? The band is from New London in Connecticut opposite Long Island's northeastern tip on the Long Island Sound. The foursome, Hugh Birdsall - vocals, guitar; Peter Detmold - vocals, guitar; Steve Kaika - vocals, bass; Tom Trombley - drums, played for three decades as local heroes with a small but global spanning fanbase. The band started in 1977. In 1978 the rhythm section joined and The Reducers were a fact. In 1980 the first single was recorded, followed by three albums. True fame never came but the band remained active until 2012 when bass player Kaika succombed to cancer. The big time not coming never stopped the band from "having a big time in a small town".

Listening to the live record from 2005, when the band was active already for nearly 30 years, I can only conclude that the world was wrong. The Reducers are an incredibly tight band, locking together and have the songs to boot. Breaking big, in walks of life, is not just about being good but also having luck, meeting the right people at the right time and opportunities that are offered, recognised and used. The Reducers always found the joy to remain playing together until life itself stopped the band from continuing. Come 2021 and that live recording that had remained on the shelf will get a formal digital release. To please fans of old and to find new ones around the globe, as the options of sharing music are endless these days.

So, whoever out there likes punkrock in is most melodic form, you better check out Live: New York City 2005. You hear a band playing like its 1979 with the experience of a quarter of a century in its flightcases. The Reducers tear it up all right. How many people were present in Arlene's Grocery in NYC that evening, the story does not tell. Digitally it ought to be millions.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Live: New York City 2005 here:

https://reducers.bandcamp.com/album/live-new-york-city-2005

 

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g