Videos
Reviews
"The once-noble genre of
'rhythm and blues' has been bastardised so
much it now describes no more
than some squeaks and farts snatched off
GarageBand. Tonight Danny Connors
it here to claim it back. The former
singer with The On Offs has
corralled a new gang of acolytes to aid him
in his quest. They're part Stones
swagger, part James Brown showmanship,
part P-Funk, and all awesome.
They could be the band to save us from a
world of Akon and Flo Rida."
Joel Reynolds, NME
Danny Connors, ex frontman of The
On Offs, is back with a new solo
project with his band The
Ladders. A travelling man who cites Ronnie
Lane as a big influence on his
life, his movement through scallydelica,
60s Kinks-ish pop, reggae-lite,
punkish new wave and even rap make
comparisons to Edgar Jones apt.
But his new four-piece outfit is perhaps
his best move to date. Motown
rhythms, melodies and arrangements that
recall The Style Council and
early solo Paul Weller and a commitment to
the sounds and message of funky
soul, personified by Curtis Mayfield,
have brought much reward.
Modculture
"Danny Connors used to be the
frontman in the On Offs. They were good,
very good. But nothing prepares
you for the “yeah yeah yeah” harmony
that opens “If You Could See”,
the first track on their My Space. Its
full on, its vital and that
delicious Hammond is as sharp as the creases
on the sleeves of your button
down. The four tunes that follow - “We Can
Have It”, “ The Temperature”,
“This Is My Heart” and “I Will Be At Home”
- are equally strong. There are
melodies, incisive guitar signatures and
perfectly crafted song structure.
Not to mention the quality of the
playing and those oh so soulful
vocals. This is a band to keep an eye
out for. They’ve got some gigs
coming up at various locations over
coming weeks. In the meantime,
its enough to melt the Winter snow and
put some fire in your heart."
Rob Massey, Soho Strut
"Northampton’s The Ladders, just
back from supporting Paul Weller on
tour, closed the evening’s
proceedings in brilliant style - their
soulful cocktail of Marriot and
Lane meets Otis, providing a
surprisingly complementary
contrast against the previous band. Led by
the exceptionally talented Danny
Connors, The Ladders picked up a legion
of new fans in Blackburn,
impressing with their incredible musicianship,
super-cool songs, and an enviable
talent for keep the party vibe going
right through to the death."
Ian Hodgson, Lancashire
Telegraph
"The swollen anticipant throng
did not faze or dull the swagger of Danny
Connors lead rung of The Ladders.
After a brief introduction he and they
launched full force into song
number one. There is no doubt that Danny
Connors means it! The other rungs
are tight and together but there is no
doubt also that the boy Danny is
the focus. So what has he got for us?
Well, a Mayfield/Gaye/Who/Small
Faces inspired English soul band,
grappling to revise, refresh and
reinvent, in the same way that Mr
Weller has been grappling to
revise, refresh and reinvent for the last
thirty years. With only the
briefest of moments to show what they have
the two tracks that stuck to me
were: The Ladders own "We Can Have it"
and a supercharged version of the
Small Faces "Don't Burst My Bubble".
Heartofapunksoulofarasta.com
The Ladders
Danny Connors
Joe Kenny
Lee Canham
Greg Coulson
Contact
Toni Jones - Management | toni@retrotonic.co.uk
Lee Taylor - Bookings |
bookings@selectbookingagency.co.uk
