Got The Sarno Fever No More

There we were, all the way from Finland, standing in front of the stage of the 'Hyde Park', a rather big club in a rather small town in northern Germany, waiting for Rochee and the Sarnos to enter the stage and to entertain us in the way only Rochee can, playing their and other classics, songs like 'Sarno Fever', 'Rochee is a Monster' and Myron Lee's 'Aw C'mon Baby'.

I saw the band the first and last time 1985 at the Rotterdam Psychobilly Festival, as I managed to miss each and every Reunion show they played over the years. When Rochee announced last year that the band wouldn't perform anymore(due to him having depressions) I was mad at myself for having not put more effort into seeing them again. Than another gig was announced. The band would perform again November 2009 at the Rock'n'Roll Hellfest, Osnabrück. I told my girlfriend that no matter what WE HAD TO GO! Of course she agreed and flights were booked. The rest of the line-up wasn't that bad either from a Psychobilly point of view. Tazmanian Devils, Phantom Rockers, Mad Sin, Batmobile and Hungarian trio Gorilla would play their first show in years there. The night before we had been to the pre-party of the Westside Teds and Rockers Dance in Oberhausen where the Town Rebels from Darmstadt played. Compared to Finland the beer was VERY cheap and VERY VERY good so we had a lot of it and a huge hangover the next day. I don't know if that was the reason why I couldn't enjoy the festival at all, or if the bands were really as bad and boring as I thought they were. Tazmanian Devils have a great guitar sound but need a better singer and better songs, same goes for the Phantom Rockers. There's a reason why after 20 years they are still playing early on the bill. Gorilla had technical difficulties with the guitar amp and sound but at least they have some nice melodic songs. I never was a fan, but so far they were the best band. But not for long. Now the Sarnos would play. No, they wouldn't. Rochee had disappeared. He had come to Germany the day before but now no one knew where he was and he wasn't answering his phone. Great for everyone who went there because of them, maybe even from abroad. Maybe his depression kicked in again, I don't know. And I don't care. If so, take your medicine and play the show for the people who spend a lot of money to see you! The band, well Rob Glazebrook at least, the only original Sarno in the line-up, was def pissed(not drunk) too and I guess that's it for Rochee and the Sarnos. To save the day Rob and the other guys(The Houserockers) played a bunch of Rockabilly/Rock'n'Roll classics that went very well with the Hellfest crowd. They even played 'Aw C'Mon Baby' and 'Mudboat'. The audience's positive reaction showed one more time that Rockabilly bands do great at Psychobilly festivals so I hope promoters will book more of them in the future and not just Caravans, Rockabilly Mafia, Restless and Space Cadets. Next on the bill were Mad Sin and Batmobile. Both bands always deliver a top performance, real value for money, but still we left to spend the night at my family's. We came to see Rochee and we didn't, so no need to stay. We had just seen Batmobile in Berlin in September and I once toured with Mad Sin for 6 weeks. I guess I can sing every song in my sleep.