I ain't homesick but have some of this

Not the greatest moment in the career of blind string picker Riley Puckett, but for sure a funny one. What caused him to sing a song about one of the worst German inventions ever is beyond my imagination, and bad it sure is. I know what I'm talking about, I was forced to eat it as a kid.

BTW, he's not saying 'N****r*, it's 'Vinegar'. But knowing some songs he recorded with the Skillet Lickers one could think so...

Rock'n'Roll Is Here To Stay

It sure is, especially in Finland, my home for 5 years now. Rockabilly is not nearly as much 'in your face' here as it used to be in the heydays of the big revival, but maybe it can happen only In Finland that you walk into a Pizza place run by a couple that looks way more 'modern day Hippie' than anything else and have the Flying Saucers blasting out from the speakers. Then, while enjoying your nice cold beer on that rare hot summer day, you notice this on the wall next to you: 

and get reminded that the streets of this country once were ruled by the Teds and that Cavan got gold records here. To be fair, the country's population is so small, I'd guess what you have to sell here to get a gold record would be considered a flop anywhere else. But still! Talking bout still, Cavan and his Rhythm Rockers are still rockin' as you will know. And tomorrow in Finland at the Real Gone Teddyboy Weekender. Just in time I got a Cavan Tattoo done, yesterday evening. It was about bloody time.

Winter Wonderland

Winter finally has arrived. It has been constantly snowing since last night and the weather forecast for the next 5 days promises minus temperatures day and night. And that is what it will be like, more or less, until April 2011. I won't complain, yet, as that is what you get when living in Finland I suppose. So suddenly this sleepy smalltown where I live looks much prettier. Everything is covered in fluffy white snow: the streets, the roofs, the trees. But tomorrow evening things will get ugly again. There is a Psychobilly and Punk-Rock showcase at Torvi(the oldest still running club in Finland):

I'd say 'See you in the pit' but as this is Finland we all know there are no 'Wreckin' Pits'.

A Rockin' Good Read...Or Not? Part 8

Wow, this book had A LOT of words. And not a single picture. So no wonder it took me all summer and parts of autumn to read it. But it was worth it. It was my first book on Buddy Holly and I must say, I know definitely much more now than I knew before. Even stuff I wish I wouldn't know because the image it creates in my head is just wrong. But more about that later.

Author Spencer Leigh is English and that might be a good thing, because there is the typical British humour to be found within the pages here and there which is refreshing. On the other hand he focuses a lot on Holly's influence and acceptance on the British music scene(mostly of the 60s), which I personally don't care much about. But as the book was published in Britain and probably aimed at the UK market...fair enough.

The concept behind 'Everyday: Getting Closer To Buddy Holly' is interviews, interviews and more interviews. Instead of transferring information given in interviews to text Leigh quotes A LOT. But that turns out to be a clever move as it makes even the uninteresting, unimportant bits quite readable. I mean hey, I really don't care what was so-and-so-called-english-musician-of-a band-I-never-liked-in-the-first-place's age when he heard Buddy Holly for the first time. But somehow this way it's bearable. So yes, he interviewed many, many English musicians for the book but also for example the living Crickets, Holly's widow, Big Bopper's son AND Bob Montgomery(!). Holly recorded his great Rockabilly songs together with him, in case you didn't know.

The book does not only cover Holly's complete musical career(the sessions, the quarrel with Norman Petty etc.) but also tells what the Crickets did after his death, talks about the movie, the musical, cover-versions(mostly by artist I had never heard of, and crap like Leo Sayer. The 50s Rock'n'Roll scene is not present in the book anyway, except a short mentioning of Darrel Higham for doing an - quote- excellent version of 'Down The Line'.) and other sub-subjects.

And there is the spicy info that Buddy Holly was involved in a group-fuck together with Larry Willams(read more on him here - really interesting: Heebee Jeebees) with Little Richard standing in the corner, wanking. Not the picture you want to have about the man who sang 'Heartbeat', right? Well, have sweet dreams tonight y'all!

Psychobilly - Fashionbilly - Restabilly - Whocaresabilly NEWS

Demented Are Go are not gone anymore. The new line-up consists of Sparky(vocals), Grisha(bass), Holger(guitar) and Chris Damage(drums). Holger is, like Grisha, from the Pitmen and played a couple of DAG shows already in late summer and autumn. Chris Damage is, of course, the ex-DAG drummer that replaced Ant once already and now he does so again. Today the band plays a Halloween show in London with guest-guitarist Lex Luther.

Sparky's Rotterdam band '69 Demented' has a My Space site now and the first songs have been recorded, just not published yet. Gigging is planed to start early 2011. 

http://www.myspace.com/69demented

The Mad Dog Cole band now are Phil Nowak from the Lucky Devils on guitar, Mark Palmer on bass(Radiacs and many other bands) and original Psychobilly-Krewmen drummer Dominic Parr on, well, drums. Just when the new album 'Son Of Satan' will see the light of day remains a mystery. A promo-video put on You Tube by Mag Dog Cole was taken down after a short time. If negative comments about the sound/recording of the new album made on a popular Psychobilly forum were the reason is unclear. Rumours are that even the record company refused to publish the album the way it was. 

You want Old-School Psychobilly with BILLY written in capitol letters? Check out the Magnetix from Russia, the new band from Stressor guitar player Taras. But now things get a bit confusing. The recordings you hear on that site are new Stressor recordings. But as Taras left the band some months ago and he wrote these songs he took them with him. So what you hear is actually Stressor, not Magnetix. I think...Anyway, nice old Batmobile style! 

http://www.myspace.com/psychobillymagnetix

The Sharks are back together, recording a new album, right now as I'm typing this. Gigs are very unlikely to happen as Alan Wilson keeps on repeating for years that he is not interested in playing life again.  Fair enough. I just hope this album will  have more 'Take A Razor' than 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' moments. I mean, come on, fuckin U2?!

Scum Rats guitar-player Serge Baxley's Neo-Rockabilly band '56 Alley Chaps' has just released their debut CD 'Ticket To The End' on Crazy Love Records. The band started already in  2002 but obviously was not in a hurry to put a record out, like many other bands. Check out the result here: Alley Chaps

Demented Are Gone

Picture by Jeffrey Slangen

Some months ago, while on tour in Spain, Demented Are Go as we knew them broke up once again. For some very few shows in England and Germany(last saturday) a 'very special' line-up was put together with Grischa and Holger(both from the Pitmen) and Mad Sin's Köfte on drums, but most summer shows got cancelled. At the moment the band's booking agency Destiny has 3 DAG shows announced for October and November. I'm curious to see what happens, as Sparky himself just said in an interview he gave to psycho.rockabilly-online.com that the band doesn't exist at the moment. But the big news is that Sparky has a new band: 69 DEMENTED. 

Living in Rotterdam for 3 years already he teamed up with local boys 69 Beavershot and together they will deliver a mix, as he said in above mentioned interview, of old-school Rockabilly, old-school Demented and new songs he wrote as well as Beavershot's bassist Mars. Sounds like a party to me!

Saturday Night At The Bus Station

Cast Iron Arms

The Lo-Lites

A Music World Full Of Assholes

Not only record-collectors are assholes, bands and record-labels are assholes, too. Not that it's a new discovery, I just got reminded again. I stumbled across the official Mummies news from last August that they would release a new 45 but sell it ONLY at their show in Portland the same month. Now how uncool is that?! Did they ever give a thought about their fans who don't live within travelling distance to Portland? Did it ever occur to them there might be people living overseas who would like to buy that 45 as well? Obviously not, otherwise I don't know why they came up with this stupid idea. Unless they don't give a fuck about their fans.

But they are not alone. More than once I read bands' announcements saying something like 'We recorded 4 new songs which we will release on an EP, but it will be available on our Japan tour only!' or 'There will be a special Japan release with 2 songs not on the European version'. Well, fuck you very much!

Remember the times when CDs were released with bonus-tracks(or is it still a common practise? I don't know. I don't buy CDs if there is a LP version. In fact I bought only 1 CD this year but tons of vinyl - just for the record)? Why do you get a bonus when buying a crappy little disc? Because the label makes much, much more profit than when you buy the LP version, as CD production costs are a joke compared to LP production costs. Still they (used to) cost around 50% more than a vinyl album. Nowadays things seem to have changed. Often LPs are released with bonus songs or new versions/mixes.

But worse than that are those labels(usually very small one-man indies, run by record-collector assholes) who put out releases on formats the average record-player is not able to play(fekkin' 5" or even smaller singles - records which play on 78 rpm - both incredible stupid ideas). But they don't stop there, they get their kicks out of releasing records in very, very small quantities, somewhere between 10 and 150 copies. It's okay if it's a record of some 3rd rate Blues-Rock band's rehearsal room recordings and only family members would buy it anyway, but often these releases would appeal to a much larger audience. So my question is: What the fuck is this about? Is it done so they are able to jerk off over the fact that they are part of a very small, exclusive group of people who own these extremely rare records? Could be. What ever  sick reason they have, it doesn't change the fact that it is an artificial market and that makes the ownership of these records insignificant.

And it doesn't stop there. Some labels run vinyl clubs you have to join to be able to buy limited and overprized releases. But even sadder than this 'idea' is the fact that  many bands/artists work together with these labels and support the idea that only a small circle of wanna-be elitists is able to get and listen to their new releases  Bravo!

Thee Cave Comes Alive - Garage News

Not only the -billy world has festivals happening all year round all over the world, the same is going on in the 60s/Garage scene. Some upcoming events you don't wanna miss are:

24th and 25th of September: The Turbo Rock Festival - Santanader/Valencia, Spain
http://turborock.es/

9th - 11th of October: The Funtastic Dracula Carnival - Benidorm, Spain
http://www.funtasticdraculacarnival.com/

22nd and 23rd of October: The Soundflat Ballroom Bash - Leipzig, Germany
http://www.myspace.com/soundflat_ballroom_bash

20th of November: The Dirty Water Garage-Rock All-Day Festival - London, UK
http://www.dirtywaterrecords.co.uk/gigsListing

29th of January 2011: Crypt-Style Hop Winter-Dance - Oberhausen, Germany
http://www.myspace.com/cryptstylehop


THE NOW SOUND

Two vinyl releases from the Garage side of Rock'n'Roll you might want to add to your collection are both Hi-Risers LPs that Soundflat Records just put out. It's the band's 3rd and 4th album 'Lost Weekend' and 'That Rock'n'Roll Beat' who were so far available on CD only. Both albums are limited to 500 copies.

Talking bout Germany, as that's where Soundflat is from, I just came accross some nice 60s bands from thee Fatherland. First from thee Hauptstadt there is The Magnificent Brotherhood who will release their 3rd album next month. They play some great 60s tunes, not 'just' snotty 60s Teen-Punk, they have much more to offer. I can hear Doors, Love, and Music Machine influences and that sure ain't a bad thing! Give them a listen here Brotherhood.

Thee former Hauptstadt Bonn is where the X-Ray Harpoons dwell in cellars and on graveyards. That must be the reason why they play straight 60s Punk with B-Movie lyrics. They have it all, tight black turtlenecks, striped shirts, fuzz-guitars and organ. Their debut 45 came out in April on Hamburg based label CopaseDisques, right now they are on tour in France. Check out the dates above. And their sounds here: CHICKEN BONES


Finally, for today, there is a band worth checking out that's based in the Harpoon's neighbourhood, in Köln. The name: Beat Revolver. This 60s 4-piece is around since 2003 already and plays Garage AND Mod tunes. You don't believe me, check out the boys:

Their debut album needs to be released still, but it's recorded and judging by the songs on their myspace, it will be ace! WE ARE THE MODS

Garage from the edge of the world: Davila 666

I'm still amazed when I hear about Rock'n'Roll bands - Rockabilly, Garage, Punk-Rock, what ever - from places in the world which were considered 3rd world countries when I grew up(in those dark pre-internet times). All we knew about them was from TV, documentaries or on the news, and it was hardly ever good news. Nowadays we know that there are Psychobilly bands in South-Africa, Punk-Rock bands influenced by Finnish 80s Hardcore-Punk in Brasil, Skinhead bands in Indonesia and Garage-Rock bands in Puerto Rico. At least one: Davila 666.  And they are doing their job well. Their debut album was released 2008 by In The Red Records, USA, and they seem to be constantly gigging. They will do so in October and November all over Europe with gigs from Italy to Poland, from Spain to Germany, from Sweden to Finland. Check out their tunes and dates HERE.

35 Years Bear Family Records

Who doesn't know, who doesn't own a couple of Bear Family Records records! This year the German collectors label is celebrating its 35 year and to do so they released a 3-CD set with all exclusive songs that center around bears or the label itself. It's a total of 68 songs and 2 of them are from Finland. New rising stars at the international Rockabilly-sky Mike Bell and the Belltones contributed the 'Crazy Bear Rock' and the singer's Surf/Instro band The Atomic Blast the track 'The Amazing Hypno-Bear'.

Send More Cops - The Art Of Antoine Bernhart

French artist Antoine Bernhart will be best known within the Rock'n'Roll scene for his legendary Tall Boys skull and other pieces of art he designed, such as the Rattlers' rattlesnake, the sleeve for Nervous Record's 'Zorch Factor 3' LP, the Elvis on Ace Record's 'Rockabilly Shakeout' LP or the gig-posters he did for the Vibes to name a few. I found one of his pieces also used for a Cramps LP-bootleg in the 90s. It actually, but not surprisingly, fitted very well.

But like every artist Bernhart's output is much larger and versatile than these examples might suggest. Berlin bases gallery and publishing company Bongout released a collection of his art in 2008. It's the 224 pages book 'Skull Skool Royal". It includes small prints of his record-cover and poster works and tons and tons of unseen pieces where Sex, Death, Monsters, Nazis and Rockers rule the world. Partly disturbing, partly weird, partly brilliant. Definitely unique. Get your copy: SICK SICK SICK

Psycho-Rama Helsinki: Old Men Do It Best

Polecats

It's safe to say that what is true for wine is also true for Rock'n'Roll these days. The older the better. By far the best band of yesterday's Psycho-Rama Festival's first day in Helsinki were the Polecats. All in their late 40s(I guess) they played with so much energy and fun, it was easy to see that they were enjoying what they did a lot. And the audience loved it and loved the band. They played a great set, much more 'old' songs than when I saw them last autumn. They even did my 'are Go' favourite 'All Night Long' AND - drum roll - 'Make A Circuit With Me'. It will sound emo but that made me very happy! I was then hoping for the even better 'Juvenile Delinquent From A Planet Near Mars', but it wasn't in the set this time. After encores they closed with a song by one of the best bands in the world, Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers' 'My Little Sister's Got A Motorbike'. What a perfect way to end a great night.

Two Patsy Walkers

And it sure was a great night. Organized just for the second time I have the feeling this will be a regular and popular event in Finland. It was well attended, a good mix of styles was presented and the place was great: Good sound and easy to access with public transportation(which means you don't need a car to get to the festival and get a hotel room because the event takes place in a hotel in a small town in the middle of nowhere, like so many other -billy events in this country).

 The Arkhams

First band were the Verticals, a Surf/Instro band from Lappeernranta, followed by Helsinki 6-piece all-female Garage band the Patsy Walkers who were all dressed as the 'Bride of Frankenstein'. Both bands were okay, but no really impressive or memorable in their styles of music. The festival's first Psychobilly band to play were the Arkhams from New York who put on a great show, bursting with energy. One of the hardest working bands of the scene was next, the Peacocks. As always they delivered value for money with a show full of energy, sweat, catchy tunes and rebellion: Singer Hasu smoked on stage and smoking inside buildings is forbidden in Finland! Closing the evening were the Polecats and as I just mentioned, they ROCKED the house!

 Peacocks

Polecats

Polecats

Fin-A-Billy Part 10: Flatbroke Trio

Now this is one fine Rockabilly 3-piece from Finland. The boys hail from the beautiful town of Turku, right on the West-coast and are around for over a decade already. A decade of Sun-Rockabilly(you know, don't you? That drumless Rockabilly sound the Memphis flash made so popular in 1954) and 50s Country. But live you will also hear them play the Neo-Rockabilly classic 'Live Fast, Die Young' from the Blue Cats. The Trio definitely knows what's good. Gigs of the band are rather rare it seems. In 2009 they just played one time, but in 2010 they are doing a few more gigs.

The bands' debut record was a 5-track CD called 'Beggin' For More' released 2003 and their first full album came out the following year on Jungle Records, entitled 'Dust & Diesel'. 2007/2008 Jungle released the bands' next record a 4-track EP, available on vinyl and CD, and their latest release so far is the 10"/CD 'Still Searchin' from last year.

I had the chance to catch them live at this years Ruuhijärvi Rockabilly Festival, Nastola, Finland(see picture above), and to me they were the winners of the night.

The Spits Beat You Up

Considered Punk veterans in their hometown Seattle,  the city once known, as we all will remember with an expression of pure Horror on our faces, as home of Grunge, I had never heard of the Spits when I went to see them at the famous Crypt-Style-Hop in Oberhausen, Ruhrgebiet, Germany, where they played during their 2006 European Tour. Just one word can describe the experience: Awesome! The band played the most melodic Punk-Rock since the Ramones and early Misfits mixed with synthesizer sounds and early Electronic coolness. In some review about them I read the term 'Electro Punk'. That's fine with me as the keyboard definitely doesn't sound like an organ, much more like a synthesizer and is the main ingredient that makes the Spits' sound so unique. In addition  to that on record they always sound low-fi, like 4-track demo-recordings and that's another nice feature. 

4th 'official' album

The Spits were formed 1994 in Seattle, as I said,  by brothers Sean and Erin Woods who are originally from Michigan, but didn't  release their debut album(CD) untill the year 2000. Since then 3 more official albums followed, the latest 2009 on their own Thriftstore label(LP version, CD got licensed). Official because other albums - two Live-LPs, one of them released under two different names and one compilation of old material - are never mentioned or counted as regular output, not even by the band. Each 'official' Spits album is called 'The Spits' and they are unofficially numbered from 1 to 4. Confused? Well I am. A bit.
In their self-image they are no Punk band, they are a Rock'n'Roll band. Sean White:  We’re labeled punk rock, but I consider us rock and roll. If you take most of our songs and slow them down, you’re going to hear rock. It’s intense rock.  Punk, Garage, Rock - what ever it is, what ever you fancy, in the end it's all about the same thing, having a good time and that's what the Spits are about. Or as Sean White puts it: We’re entertainers and we like to party. 
If you want to check them out, here's their My Space site: THE SPITS.