Mike Bennett On Rendacium & Honouring The Late Steve Priest

Mike Bennett, UK producer, famous for his works in music and film in Europe and America. The portrait painting of Bennett pretty much sums up the producer in his unique forward style thinking and no bullshit attitude. Bennett who has worked with everyone from The Stranglers and The Fall to Ian Brown (Stone Roses) and punk princess Toyah Wilcox. Bennett talks about Rendacium, the new Neo-Punk British 3 piece band, discovered by Polyfest legend Debbie Alan who spotted the group’s individual aspects and contacted Bennett. It wasn’t long before people were throwing in ideas and a major label who the group is in negotiations with as we speak suggested The Pushbike Song which is in fact an old skiffle song. However Bennett has turned the track into a swerve ball, bringing out all the best using influences with the British New Wave scene when you hear this fast and furious ‘thrashy’ tale of a man pursuing a girl on a pushbike you can definitely hear elements of The Buzzcocks, Toy Dolls, The Members and strangely the chugging guitars have a nod towards American Punk icons The Plasmatics.

 

The strange thing is that Rendacium has been involved in the celebrations of the late, great Glam rocker Steve Priest of Sweet, who has just passed away in California. Bennett honors the late rocker by saying, “Steve Priest of Sweet was a genius behind both glam metal and punk music.”

Bennett goes on to explain how the guys went on a Teenage Rampage stating, “I had a meeting with Debbie Allen who was keen for me to do a mix of Teenage Kicks by The Undertones. I like the Undertones, nice guys, however, I explained I had already done 7 cover versions of that track and it was not a great idea to do the herd mentality thing. Straight away she said what about Teenage Rampage by Sweet with whom I have had an association with over the years. I said it was a great idea but they should keep their Punk ethos and not go totally Glam for the sake of it. A lot of thought needs to go into the producer overseeing the bands on ‘sound and vision’ if you’ll pardon the David Bowie reference. Unbelievably the record was made just before Steve Priest died and Sweet wanted it for the fan page. So it’s up there as a mystery band but I might as well leak it to you.” 

Bennett leaks the mystery band on youtube below to The Punk Site for this article:

Benett also further states, “I can now confirm that this is Rendacium ft. Steve Etherington who has played with many Punk Rock artists including Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) and Mark E Smith (The Fall).”

Now, introducing the official video for Rendacium’s track titled “Breakout” via youtube. Notice that their sound seems to take influences drawn from the Dictators, MC 5, and The New York Dolls, which is surprising considering they are so young or perhaps they’ve been peeking through their dad’s record collections or are just simply on the ball with their Punk and Glam history.