The Starting Line – Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us

By paul

Bands – this is how you put together a live CD/DVD package. So many bands/labels put out pre-Christmas releases that offer nothing new yet still rape fans of their hard-earned cash. And as The Starting Line look at re-forming and take their hits back on the road, this CD/DVD featuring the band’s final Philly show and an interesting documentary on the band’s lifespan hits the shops. It’s excellent all round – from a brilliantly shot and recorded live set of 18 songs and 80 minutes, to a very good behind-the-scenes interview set. It’s essential viewing and listening for the die-hard fan and enjoyable for the casual viewer too.

I was about 20 when The Starting Line broke out – their target audience. I knew exactly what Kenny was singing about even though he was younger than me. And I know there were thousands of other fans who felt the same way. This live CD/DVD is a timely reminder, from the first EP (‘Greg’s Last Day’) to the very last songs the band wrote (‘Direction’, ‘Island’). Scratch the surface and this is a fun record to listen to and an even better one to watch. Kenny’s vocals are spot on and the band have never sounded better. If you’re a fan then as a live DVD you will get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

But what I enjoyed most was the ‘extras’ on the DVD. It sets this release apart from the festive cash-ins. Set around a number of interviews with the band, it tells the band’s life story, from signing to Drive Thru, MCA, Geffen and then Virgin, all the way through the trials and tribulations of being in the band. There’s a desperate feel that they didn’t do exactly what they wanted, nor did they do what they felt they deserved. From turning down Neal Avron (who went on to turn Fall Out Boy into megastars), to signing to two labels who treated them like utter shit, it’s an interesting insight into the band that the fan usually doesn’t have access to. Having watched it it looked as though the band’s hiatus may have been down to two members who no longer wanted the touring life, while two members probably would have carried on.

When the band walk off stage during last song ‘Best of Me’ it will take a man with a heart of concrete not to release that a generation of kids were influenced more than they would like to admit by this band. They may not have had the success of the likes of FOB or New Found Glory, but The Starting Line‘s lasting legacy is bigger than they probably know.

Three more album reviews for you

Fortune Teller – ‘PREMONITIONS’

While She Sleeps - 'SELF HELL'

USA Nails – ‘FEEL WORSE’