Live - Fun Lovin' Criminals > Reviews > Bag of Hits

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Funky, brilliant
Disadvantages:	CIAO won't add it to new products

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I’ve got to admit that I was barely listening to the Fun Lovin’ Criminals when they first appeared in the UK. This was more the era of my older brother, which then rubbed off onto my mum, which in turn I grew up listening to. So when the greatest hits album was released a few months back I thought I’d set aside my £8.99 on cdwow.co.uk to get all the best hits of the Fun Lovin’ Criminals (…and this way I could secretly replace all of the previous albums I had nabbed out of my brothers room-hehe).

~Background~
The Fun Lovin’ Criminals consisted of Huey Morgan (oh my god, don’t get me started on him), Fast and Steve-O. The guys met in a bar in New York where Huey was working when he left the marines. Fast and Steve-O had already met and formed a techno act together. The three of them decided to “jam” together and began writing some music. The band had a change around in 1999 and previous drummer Steve-O was replaced by Mackie. It is said that the entire band recommended Mackie and that they left on good terms (if this is true or not I have no idea). Anyway for the past three years the Fun Lovin Criminals have consisted of Huey, Fast and Mackie.

~Who are they?~
Huey: Huey is the ultimate bad boy. He got into a fair bit of trouble in his early days and was sentenced to choose between jail and a stint in the marines. For obvious reasons he chose option two and spent the early part of his years in the Marines. After leaving the marines he moved back to New York where he got a job in a bar. The already formed techno band of Fast and Mackie happened to hang out in the bar and the three got chatting. From this point onwards the Fun Lovin Criminals were formed. Huey is the front man of the band being the face that appears on all promotional tours and programmes. I admit if he walked down the street with the others I would only know who he was. Huey is “the don” and has been linked with a fair few famous females including Cat Deeley.

Huey is the one who seems to hit the entertainment news the most from the band and this could possibly be because there is no set background for the other two.

Fast: Fast plays Bass Guitar, Keyboards and horns and is often seen hibernating at the back of the stage when playing. There are several background stories behind him including the fact he’s an ex conman, an heir to an oil fortune or that he is the son on a US admiral. What is known is that he moved to New York in mid 1990s where he joined forced in a techno band with former band member Steve-O.

Mackie: The new boy of the band. He is the replacement drummer for Steve-O and joined the band in 1999. He has previously been involved with other bands before joined the Fun Lovin Criminals but they were punk/rock bands. For those of you who know the American punk scene, Bad Brains was on of the bands he was involved in.

~The Album~
Getting back to the album in question. This album is the greatest hits from FLC “bag of Hits” and before someone goes and says, you’re in the wrong category-I know!!! There is a reason behind this and this is that I tried to add this as a new product soooooooooooooooooo many times and it wouldn’t work so I though ay up, up it here and as soon as Ciao get it working again I will move this to the new category (please don’t take this against me).

~Where can it be bought/Price~
The album will cost you the best part of £14 if bought in a high street music store such as HMV, Virgin Mega store etc. Ourprice used to be cheaper but seeming I haven’t been in there for a good few years and that its raining outside today I am not making the trip into town to check (sorry!!!!). If like me you want them cheaper I would suggest cdwow.co.uk for the small price of £8.99 including postage and packaging which I think is pretty good. It took them 2 days to deliver this one to me as soon as it came out so that can’t be bad!

The copy of the album I managed to get from cdwow.co.uk was the special edition 2 CD one that is two CDs of the same songs (sounds stupid I know). CD one the normal tracks and CD two the remixes. I like this because I am not into remixes so I don’t have to sit through them on this album.

~Tracks~
1. The Fun Lovin Criminal
Originally taken from the “Come Find Yourself” album. For me this is the originally fun loving criminals album, possibly because of the lyrics “Stick em up punk, the Fun Lovin Criminals”. There’s a background guitar along with this track.

2. Up on the Hill
Originally taken from the “100% Colombian” album

3. Loco
Originally taken from the “Loco” album

4. Korean Bodega
Originally taken from the “100% Colombian” album

5. King of New York
Originally taken from the “Come Find Yourself” album

6. Run Daddy Run
Originally taken from the “Loco” album

7. The Grave and the Constant
Originally taken from the “Come Find Yourself” album

8. Swashbucklin in Brooklyn
Originally taken from the “Loco” album

9. Love Unlimited
Originally taken from the “100% Colombian” album

10. Bump
Originally taken from the “Loco” album

11. Scooby Snacks
Originally taken from the “Come Find Yourself” album

12. Smoke ‘em
Originally taken from the “Come Find Yourself” album
13. Couldn’t get it Right
Originally taken from the “Mimosa” album

14. Big Night Out
Originally taken from the “100% Colombian” album

15. We have all the time in the World
Originally taken from the “Come Find Yourself” album

~Packaging~
The CD is a two CD album. The front cover is of a t-shirt (female wearing it). The T-shirt logo says “Fun Loving Criminals” and the parental advisory is sneakily added to the t-shirt. At the bottom of the t-shirt is the title “Bag of Hits” and details of the CD.

~Advantages~
If you like the released songs from the Fun Lovin Criminals then this would be the album for you.
If you like dance tracks versions this would also be for you.
Really as long as you like rock (light) good beats then I don’t see a reason why you’d dislike this album. (Well put it this way my CD collection also includes A1, Blue and Westlife!)

~Disadvantages~
The only disadvantage I can think of is, if you don’t like the music don’t buy it but that’s pretty obvious right?
Oh one last one is that ciao won’t let me add this as a new product!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!