Rico Bell Been A Long Time CD-EP

Been A Long Time is a limited edition of 1000 CD-EP spanning several phases of Rico Bell's long and curious career in the musical backwaters of England and the US.

Known best as the long time accordionist/singer for the first wave punk pioneers, The Mekons, Rico has carved out a ragged and romantic identity all his own through his solo material. Rico, in contrast to the blustering chaos of the Mekons, is decidedly a downtrodden softy. His songs reflect the transistor radio he was glued to growing up in Leeds in the heyday of the Mersey Beat. Simple, sad, tear-jerkers with nods towards soul, country, pop, a fantastic version of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero." and R+B, all sung with an end-of-the-bar growl and a weary tenacity.