In the sorted world of Shite N Onions, nothing could fall further from the genre of Irish folk than French Oi! which is exactly what the Veros are. So, this review is primarily of interest to the skinhead/punk contingent among the readership, and if there are none, then this review is primarily for me, because, well, the Veros are too good to be overlooked.

For those of you familiar with French Oi!, the band Snix is considered a classic of the genre, and along with such earlier bands as Tolbiac’s Toads, the Warrior Kids, Brutal Combat and others, defined the movement in France and often times bettered their English counterparts.

Boni, the drummer for Snix, is the lead singer and guitarist for the Veros. With this release, he, along with bass player Vero and drummer Denis, show why the Veros are a new classic – they haven’t forgotten their roots.

The Veros are a three-piece and their sound is primarily inspired from their French forefathers and from such English acts as Cock Sparrer, the Last Resort, 4-Skins, early Skrewdriver, Stiff Little Fingers and the like, yet all the while retaining that esoteric French sound. Mid-tempo, with clean guitars and catchy choruses throughout. All sung in flawless English (except for the covers of French Oi!)

This interactive CD-R includes two Veros originals, “The Way I Feel” and “Got To Get Away” both of which are top-notch, and “The Way I Feel” already has my vote for Oi! tune of the year. The interactive portion includes a web page with band pictures and profiles, as well as an MP3 section where the band cover the 4-Skins, the Last Resort, Skrewdriver and several others (7 total.) Also included are 4 videos, featuring “The Way I Feel” and Cock Sparrer’s “We’re Coming Back.” It’s all very professional and well done.

This release is easily one of the best things I’ve got in months and deserves to be heard by any and all fans of Oi!, streetrock, etc. Hopefully, the Veros will be putting out a full-length (or at least more singles) soon. By paying homage to the past greats, and being led by one who was involved, The Veros are the immediate present and future of French Oi! To order this interactive CD-R, go to Pure Impact records at pureimpact.com.

February 2002

Review by Sean Holland