The Silvertones...........Trapped By The......

http://www.cherokee-records.com/html/silvertones.html

The Silvertones are one of Germany's many great but unsung rockabilly groups, these guys have been rockin' out for over 20 years, having originally formed in Wolfenbuttel (Pub quiz fact 2, Wolfenbuttel is where one of my favourite tipples, Jagermeister comes from) in 1991. Now these guys are the masters of taking things slowly...believe me, it wasn't until 1995 they played their first gig ! and it wasn't until 2008 that they released their first album 'Hi Ho Silver Radio'. Jenne-O-Staar the guitarist, Pete Oh the bassist and Moskito the drummer don't like to rush things and so they waited until their kids had all grown up and left home before releasing their next album (Well, not really but 6 years all the same).

The Silvertones

The fabulous 'Trapped By The'............This is a great album and made all the better by only being available on luscious vinyl and not only that but they cover a couple of my all time faves...The great Lavern Baker's 'Bumble Bee' and Wanda Jackson's 'Funnel of Love' What struck me was that the choice of covers were originally done by female vocalists and there is a distinct lack of Estrogen in The Silvertones ! But hey, if it's good enough for Heavy Trash and Demented Are Go.....why not ? 
This album really does rock out, authentic sounding rockabilly but not in that safe, cliched way...the original compositions are solid, 'Only The Devil' sounds as if it could have been a lost Phantom Chords track, while 'Do You Love Me' has a real dirty, bluesy feel to it and some seriously scuzzy vocals going on. 'Mouldered Johnny' is a moody, brooding tune until the guitarist lets rip and then it slows down again, very cool indeed. 'Stack a Records' is standard neo-rockabilly fare, nothing wrong with that either ! 'Lover's Rock' is a cover of the Johnny Horton classic and is for sure one of the better versions I've heard, The last track was a total revelation to me and while I admit that 'swing' inspired RnR isn't my thing at all, I was intrigued by the 'politically incorrect' (Not that I give a monkey's about being P-C, incidently) title of 'Black Boy Jacky' It's a track originally released in 1957 by a German guy called Paul Wurges (and his Rocking Allstars) and if Swing is your thing then you'll love this.While the choice of cover versions for this album is great, it's the self penned originals that really make the LP.
As a by the by, any rockabilly band that takes on the mighty 'Ace of Spades' and actually pulls it it off, deserve unlimited kudos....Check this out : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7lh0dY5b4E

Their 1st album, only 15 years or so in the making !

The guys play regularly and all their gig dates can be found on their facebook page, just follow the link : https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Silvertones/208057102557382
Or : http://www.the-silvertones.de/

And you can buy their releases here : http://www.rockabilly-record-shop.de/

Laters 'Gators

The X-Men,.......Trash Legends ! (Reform for a one-off gig).

Bloody awful picture, anyone have better ?

Well, well, well.....What a treat !  I'm quite excited by this ! The fabled X-Men, who for me are the archetypal band of that uniquely British phenomenon that was 'Garage Trash' are reforming for a one off gig at the fifth Pompey Rumble in November (2014), the 8th to be exact.
In the early and mid-80's this label was given to a raft of bands that weren't strictly 60's Garage revivalists, they weren't Psychobilly and they most certainly weren't purist Rockabilly BUT a lot of the sensibilities and influences all came together creating not only the unique visual spectacle of  be-quiffed, rockabilly styled guys belting out 60's garage classics to crowds of shirtless psychos and turtle necked mop tops but the use of the Double Bass to drive scorchers originally done by the likes of the Electric Prunes (The Vibes, Clapham South Escalators) Love, The Modds (X-Men), Emporers (Sting Rays) and a plethora of others.
Dig up a copy of 'I Was A Teenage Cavemen' and you'll have a set list of some of the originals that these guys plundered and gave their various treatments to. (More on this subject later).

Reads like a set list at a Vibes gig !

 Back to the X-Men, forming around the tail end of '81 in their first incarnation and made up of Mark (various pseudonyms) Stollar on vocals, Tim Hosking (Brother of Mark Hosking from The Sting Rays) on Bass, Tom (Thumb) Cullinan on Drums and Miles Aldridge on guitar. Here's a link to them doing a cover of the Sonics 'The Witch' sometime late '82 :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlu2jfJnghs&list=UUURUc-AmcY2WEdCWaoagD_A  

Over the five years or so that The X-men were active the line up was expanded to include a couple of female backing singers, the girls joined the band (probably) sometime in 82 one of which, Debbie Green (Yes, she of Headcoatees fame) would occupy the drummers stool at times, Sue Feighery being the other addition, both of whom are given dual vocal and percussion credits. Miles left the band following them recording a session for John Peel (4th Sept 1984), produced by Mark Radcliffe, they recorded 4 tracks 'The Witch' (The Sonics), Little Girl (Syndicate of Sound), Extremental (X-Men) and another self penned ditty 'Count Von Black', none of which have seen an official release (although they're on youtube) Someone might like to let me know if it was the Peel Session version of 'Little Girl' which appeared on Meltdown on Media Burn ?  Miles was replaced by Tom Cullinan (and Debbie Green took the sticks) following their signing to Creation Records and after their first release (Cre 006) in 1984, the fabulous 'Do The Ghost' backed with 'Talk' (Miles also did the artwork for this single).

First single for Creation Recs 1984, also comes in Blue & Orange sleeve.

The second, and last, vinyl outing for Creation was the equally brilliant 'Spiral Girl' with the flipside being 'Bad Girl' (of Zackery Thaks fame) Cre 013, 1985. A pounding, rhythmic stomper of a song but obviously out of sync with the Creation vision (Think Primal Scream, Pastels etc)

2nd and last single from The X-Men, 1985.

Not sure if there was an album in the pipeline but The X-Men were under contract including publishing with Alan McGee and no album ever came about, to get around this it was proposed to them by Stan Brennan of Media Burn (You NEED to own everything on this label) that they do an album of covers.

For Pussy Lovers Everywhere.

The 6 track mini album that came out in 1986 entitled 'Lillies For My Pussy' (MB 011) would be the last time that anything of consequence would be released and there is still no collected output or compilation on any format. The tracks were 'Hard Coming Love' (United States of America), 'Don't Break This Heart of Mine' (? & The Mysterians), 'Ballad of You, Me and Poohneil (Jeffersen Airplane), 'You I'll Be Following' (Love), 'Can't Help Thinking About Me' (Dave Bowie & Lower Third) and 'Leave This House' (The Modds), this last track being truly amazing for it's scuzziness, although it must be said that for sheer trash value it doesn't come anywhere near the amateurishness of the original.....Listen to it below !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3SicHl4dZA

 Obviously, no-one can talk about the X-Men without the subject of Mark's quiff coming into play...Now how to approach this subject of, how shall we say, 'Quiff' envy ?  Well, you can forget that eejit from the 'Stray Moggies' (I never liked them)....for truly amazing, gravity defying quiffs it would be hard to beat the monster sported by our boy Mark at the time, I can only think of two who could have been in contention (The Leningrad Cowboys don't count either !) and that would have been Bal of the Sting Rays or Sparky from Demented Are Go.....quite handy his name came up as it allows me to seg in nicely what I wanted to mention next, namely the Pompey Rumble V (five). As I mentioned earlier, The X-Men are reforming for a one off gig at the aforementioned all-dayer on the 8.11.2014 (for our friends in the US that's the 8th Nov, so you haven't missed it yet !). I have it from an excellent source that it's the original members with one exception and that being Tom Cullinan who is being replaced by the guitarist from Mark's current band the Brighton based 'Wampus Cats'......I'll post a bit about the line up and info during the week.

Click Me !!!

     
 Playing as The X-Men for the first time since 1986 !!!
 

The Fleshtones..........by Chris Sick.

The Fleshtones – the lost nugget

There are millions of bands that should’ve ‘made it’ and most of ‘em didn’t, simply cos they weren’t good enough. Some split up before getting a chance to prove themselves. Some just weren’t in the right place at the right time. But very few unknown bands truly deserve the suffix ‘-they should’ve made it big’.

Their first serving of vinyl, on Red Star 1979.

 The Fleshtones are one. The main reason was that they could never record the atmosphere of their sweaty, euphoric dancing party live shows on to wax. This happens to only a handful of bands, The Monotonix being the most recent receiver of that accolade. Record labels like little boxes of units that they can sell and some bands are just that – bands, not unit-manufacturers.

1982 'Blast Off' Tour poster

Plagued with bad luck, the Fleshtones play Garage Punk like it’s an extension of traditional Americana music. They have never hit the zeitgeist and therefore will always be timeless.

1984 IRS Release of 'American Beat'

Formed in ’76 in the sleazy filth of the Bowery, New York City. They were always outsiders to the New Wave & Punk scene as they weren’t angry young men with a F**K YOU on their shoulders. They wanted to dance the shimmy, shake, frug and watusi (and drink). Seen as a bunch of outcasts who formed a mindless twist band, record labels overlooked them when searching for that CBGBs market (like Blondie, Ramones, Cramps & Suicide).

The Fleshtones, CBGB's 1976

A degenerate party band with a DIY punk ethos and energy but without the politics. In a time where bands forgot they were entertainers and crowds just stared blankly at the stage, these guys partied & played their take on ‘60s frat rock, born out of long teenage days getting high and listening to The MC5, Stooges, Kingsmen, Kinks, Stones and countless black R&B artists of the ‘50s.

UK Tour 2014

This band has toured relentlessly for 35 years. Driving into town, partying the crap out of it and moving on like Rock ‘n’ Roll pied pipers, usually leading the kids astray in a procession down the street. Never pretentiously cool in the scenester way, never fashionable, this band play timeless RnR to goofballs, outsiders and geeks. If you were too embarrassed to dance at the school disco, then make up for it now. You won’t be alone! Get diseased by the infectious beats of the Fleshtones, designed for drunken dancing…

Another Great sleeve by Serge Clerc 'en plus'

 UNLUCKY FOR SOME

1. 1979 - their first record was shelved when the label went belly up. “BLAST OFF!!” was not to see the light of day till ’90.
2. 1985 - Their chance to finally record a live album and finally show them at their best was scuppered as the recording was under-equipped, rushed and released in a week. Oh, and the singer was suffering from laryngitis
3. 1987 - much in need of good press and exposure, they were asked to produce the title song to an up-and-coming film. However “I Was A Teenage Zombie” was panned by the critics and after a very limited run it sank without a trace.
4. 1995 – Steve Albini, fresh from his Nirvana success, produced a technically perfect (to the point of sterile) album. It might work for Grunge but not for Garage… where’s the soul, Steveo?
5. A rolling rosta of managers, bass players, record labels, low turnouts due to bad promoters, under promoted records, poor radioplay, ignored by MTV, perversely juxtaposed with overwhelming critical acclaim and audience adulation.
   
   

   

   Always well received in France !

   With over 20 LPs over 35yrs, where do you start to get the taste for flesh? Most suffer from trying to translate the drunken, messy, fun of their trash ‘n’ roll live shows into a seriously sellable album. Over-produced, under-prepared, over-budget, under-promoted, unfashionable, these guys have been through it all… so here’s my top 10
   
   

   

   Fabulous !

1.  American Beat
2. I was a Teenage Zombie
3. Screaming Skull
4. Hitsburg USA
5. Hide & Seek
6. Shadowlines – Urgh
7. Hexbreaker
8. Dick Tracy
9. Roman Gods
10. Candy Ass
    
    

    

    The Full Story.

    For the full story of the bands helter skelter ride of a career to date, pick up a copy of  'SWEAT', The Fleshtones story.
    
    The Fleshtones on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fleshtones-Official/177240861436
    
    Keep it real !

Marcel Bontempi.....New album, sneak preview !

Ok Hipsters, here's a little preview of the upcoming album from Germany's master of Cool, the one and only Marcel Bontempi (round of deafening and rapturous applause) ! Released by those purveyors  of all things great..... Stag 'O' Lee     http://stagoleeshop.com/

Could this be the cover ?

This long awaited slab of vinyl and no doubt corresponding shiny place mat (That's CD to all you vinylophobes) will be seeing the light in a few months time bringing together selected tracks from his solo 7" releases of the last five years, 09-14 (I know it says 2013 on the cover ! but you'll have to take that up with him), as well as some previously unreleased tracks and alternate versions.......Mambo influenced version of Spiderman anyone ? And surprisingly, a cover of the 'The First Edition' classic.....I Just Dropped In,  recorded as part of an upcoming movie score....genius.
Not wanting to give everything away, I'll just zip it for now and leave the rest as a surprise.

Or is it this one ?

And you can catch both The Montesas and Dr Bontempis Snake Oil Company in a few weeks time at the High Rockabilly Festival in Calafell, Spain from 10th to 14th Sept !

4 Days of cool tunes & warm weather !

 Really easy to get to (Unless you live in Alaska or Japan) as Ryan Air fly direct to Reus and the main international airport n Barcelona, so a perfect opportunity to get a bit of sun and dig the great line up.

That's all folks !

New Kogar comp....Bottle Up & Do The Hunch...........killer vocal tracks.

Kogar is the guy behind compiling those super fine collections 'Lux & Ivy's Favourites' and he's done it again with this amazing comp of Doo Wop and R&B killers. 32 Hunchin', Munchin' and Crunchin' tracks carefully selected for your aural pleasure......ambrosia for the ears !
Love the The Twilights 'Little Richard'  kinda Monster Mash(ish) meets Alley Oop, Doo Wop style, Check out the moaning on The Starfires 'Three Roses'..........I was nearly crying listening to this, with laughter !
Just click on the link below to download and it will take you straight there.

Comes with free crackles, pops and skips

 Here's the link : http://wfmuichiban.blogspot.ie/2014/08/bottle-up-and-go-do-hunch.html

While we're on the subject, Cramps obsessed Kogar is also the singer of Thee Monkey Butlers (As well as being the prim(at)e mover behind a lot of the Lux Lives nights on the East coast of the US) and if you don't have their seven track release 'I was a Teenage Monkey Butler' (On Spider Bite Records and Dirty Water Records) then you're seriously missing out, worth the price of admission alone for their version of 'What is a Fisteris'. A long time Lux favourite, it's a simian take on the Pete Myers (The Mad Daddy) classic.......Way cool.

Something to throw peanuts at !

Enjoy..........

The Go Go Cult !......Trash Meisters from Reading.

Hailing from Reading, The Go Go Cult have been knocking out their brand of sleazy, trashy 50's style voodoo. psycho-delic, surf punk (It's all in there !) since 2010. Their first album came out in 2012 on Bristol's Western Star Label, 'Into The Valley Of The Go Go Cult' and is an absolute killer, think The Tall Boys meet The Cult Of The Psychic Fetus meet the Cramps and you're not far off !

Rocket to Neptune (Live) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agUscjnLaFI

The dastardly Go Go Cult.

There really isn't a weak track on the album and they're all self penned originals, albeit with a few nods in the direction of the likes of Johnny Fortune (I'll Drive), Ghoultown (Devils Cowboy) and some superbe 'surfabilly' (Rocket to Neptune).....my only complaint being that it isn't out on vinyl, hopefully their label may cop on and see the error of their ways someday ?

Devils Cowboy (Promo Vid) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3xB3QfyP4k

Still available here: http://www.western-star.co.uk/

Their second album, 'This Is The Voice Of'  only came out in June (2014), again on Western Star and again unfortunately, only on CD. It carries on in the same vein although the 'Rockabillyish' influences have been a little diluted, giving it a slightly more trashier, garage punk edge. 17 originals, no covers and to my ears, seriously good......although I'm not quite sure how they ended up on Western Star as they are most definitely not the usual fare released by the label which is run by Alan Wilson, formerly of the 80's Neo-rockabilly band 'The Sharks'................but glad they are all the same.

Nosferatu Crawl : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf-L7iHj5RM

Going to the Go Go...checking out the MoJo !

Go Go Nige and the boys will be back in the studio (Down the M4 to Bristol) during September and hopefully a lovely little slab of 7" wax will follow not too long after, but while we eagerly await that, you could do far worse than go see them, they've a few dates lined up too, so you can catch them at.
Flairz in Hastings on the 26th Sept 2014.
The Hope in Brighton on the 1st Nov 2014.
The Doghouse in Nottingham on the 7th Nov 2014.  
Check their website (Click on the patent Hypno-wheel in the panel) and/or facebook thing for more dates, info etc.

Just missing the 'Swag' bags !

Contact them here: http://thegogocult.com
Buy their CDs here: http://www.western-star.co.uk/


In the meantime.............Keep it Go Go !

STAY SICK,.......An institution.

A couple of guys, one objective!......Stalwarts of the Brighton music scene, Chris & Neil of Stay Sick have been preaching the gospel of primitive Rock 'n' Roll for a good while now, with their gigs and events taking on almost legendary proportions. I found Chris nestled in his mancave located deep in the wilds of the Sussex Downs, after enticing him out with a bucket of raw meat and the promise of copious amounts of free liquor..... here's what he had to say about Stay Sick and their ongoing crusade to keep it real.

Ahhh.....Someone's happy !

The sounds! Sleazy and greasy rock n roll from the fifties & sicksties including Tarantino surf, boppin' rockabilly, girl groups, swingin' rhythm and blues and twistin' tittyshakers for all of ya to go-go, grind, shake, shimmy, watusi and jerk to! Plus 60s primitive garage punk n 70s US/UK punk for all you bone necklaced, brothel creepin', striped t-shirted sicksties cavemen, cavewomen and black leather clad rockers out there. Always vinyl, always rockin’!

The Dynamic Duo ?

How it all started. Way back in 2008, a DJ, a punk and a drunk (all with an unhealthy obsession with the Cramps) met up to to discuss why there weren't any clubs like CBGBs in Brighton. After a few beers, and a few more, we drunkenly decided to put our money where our mouths were and start an underground garage punk night, putting on obscure and unknown bad ass bands from around the world and spinning sleazy scratchy rock 'n' roll records to tipsy dancers. And it worked! We started promoting bigger shows and DJing anywhere you can plug a pair of decks in. To date, we have put on over 150 bands from Billy Childish, Kid Congo from the Cramps, Monotonix, Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster to Thee Oh Sees.

T'was a great night (2013)

Mission statement no less! With bands from Japan, Germany, USA, France and even Croatia (to name but a few), we have made it our mission to track down, kidnap and present you with the best bands from all over the globe!

Dark forces at work!

The Highs! The best gig to date, that's a tricky one. I have loved putting on heroes of mine like Cramps royalty Kid Congo, John Spencer, the 5678's but I think the most fun I've ever had was CBGB's stalwarts the Fleshtones. We were originally worried that these guys may not cut it. Sometimes seeing your favourite band years after their hayday can be sad and disappointing. But the Fleshtones never had a hayday, they are still playing and partying as they did back in the day. I smiled through out their whole gig and danced like a loon. 

Satisfaction guaranteed.

The Lows! The worst experience. Well, almost everyone I have met doing this promoting lark had been lovely, lovely people. A couple have been moody, a couple rude, and a couple arrogant. But the one person that sticks out as being a total arsehole was a tour manager who wanted to argue about the price of everything on the rider and the number of tickets sold (when we had saved the gig after another promoter cancelled a week earlier). After a long time justifying our figures I had missed the band that I had paid to fly half way round the world and play. I literally, caught the "CRANG, CRASH, thank you and good night..." bit.

The Good Man Himself.

Lux Lives!  It was a shock when I heard the news that Lux died (mainly because I thought he was undead). I never got the chance to see them live, Neil, my sick partner in crime, saw and met them a few times as a goth growing up. Every year since we have celebrated the records he, Ivy and the 20 odd other band members gave us on the Feb 4th. We also play records that influenced them (Songs the Cramps Taught Us and Lux and Ivy's Favourites style). We have been thinking of getting a few bands together to do live covers of their favourite Cramps tracks so watch this space. It's amazing to see all the Cramps fans crawl out of the woodwork to worship at the alter of our lord Lux. 

In The Pipeline. It has been a plan for a long time to release a record. As vinyl addicts and lovers of great bands, it seems like a natural progression. We have a few things up our black leather sleeves but at the moment we are just a bit busy. I also work for a German record label, Stag-o-Lee, as a designer so I get my wax fix fulfilled doing the artwork for things like "Beats From Badsville vol 3 - Trash Classics from Lux and Ivy's Vinyl Mountain". double 10" gatefold (drool...).
 
Check out their website for regular upcoming gigs and news (Just hit the STAY SICK link button on the panel) and if you're lucky enough to be in that neck of the woods, at the right time, you're in for a real treat !

Stay Sick People. 

The Cramps...'Blues Fix' vinyl release !

Finally and at long last a vinyl release of The Cramps 'Blues Fix' EP.

Release date 29th Sept 2014

This is long, long overdue......22 years is a wait and a half !  Four cover versions all produced by Poison Ivy incidently.

A-Side: Hard Workin' Man (Capt Beefheart). It's Mighty Crazy (Lightnin' Slim).
B-Side: Jelly Roll Rock (Walter Brown & The Alleycats). Shombalor (Sheriff & The Ravels).

Apparently, this is a limited edition of 1000 on 10" black vinyl although on the ACE website it is listed as an LP ?

If you want to be sure of getting a copy ?  You can pre-order it on the ACE Records website by hitting this link: http://acerecords.co.uk/blues-fix

Turnin' Blue !