EVIL SAVAGE VOODOO is the sophomore album by the EVIL FUZZHEADS. The band is led by Eric St John, Guitar and vocals (The Vice Barons, The Mighty Gordinis, The Ratboys, to name a few). His daughter Iris St John is playing the bass.
This time around, Magic Nico (Mighty Gordinis, The Moon Invaders,The Caroloregians and to many other bands to mention) has joined behind the drum kit and on Hammond Organ.
The result is stellar: the sound is crisp and The Hammond and the fuzz are battling on every track. The tempo is steady and the groove is tight. The songs are fierce yet catchy as hell and are soon to be classics of 60's influenced garage.
This is an album by a brilliant Parisian duo that was released early this year but the band took so long to answer the questions for the interview that it is only published now. Great stuff anyway, give it a listen! It's really worth it.
1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about Gasoline to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band? What are your various individual backgrounds?
Gasoline is a french duo composed by Théo Gosselin on the drums and Thomas Baignères on guitar and vocals. Théo Gosselin is a french photographer, famous for his road trips and rock'n'roll pictures. Thomas Baignères, before joining Gasoline, played in several bands, including "leSpark", "Flare Voyant" and "Les Darlings". Both of them united by some common friends created "Gasoline" a powerful rock'n'roll duo inspired by the sixties, seventies, Swinging London, Woodstock, with a great combination of Thomas iconic voice, guitar riffs and Th?o's heavy drum . We formed the duo in 2019.
2) About the full length record "The Orange Album", can you explain the choice of this title? What can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?
Theo chose the orange as the color of this first album. The second one will be "The Green Album". This choice is more esthetic than anything else. About the recording process, we have been recording really quickly, three days for the takes and three days for the mixing! That was a live recording but we added afterwards some overdubs.
3) Do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?
We have been using both! First we managed to do a digital recording, but then the final result was on a tape.
4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?
We both compose music and write songs! Even if Theo is the drummer, he has a lot of ideas of guitar riffs and lyrics!
5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write the lyrics to a new song?
Rock'n'roll is obviously the main subject, we would say that there are a lot of topics related to rock'n'roll: not only sex and drugs, but it is a whole universe that we love to talk about.
6) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.
Thomas : For me that would definitely be the Rolling Stones, and all the blues men that inspired them: John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf. This music still inspires my work today of course!
Théo : As a teenager I listened a lot of grunge and then punk rock and hardcore.They influenced a lot my way of drumming and the gear I used. I’m loud, very loud And I need really strong gear. I basically learned to play drums watching Dave grohl. He is powerful and simple and visually extremely interesting That’s why it’s so important for me to move a lot and show to the audience I’m having fun!I hate lazy drummers ! If you play rock roll you have to push yourself and give 100% !
Here are 3 bands that changed my life ! They are obvious but so important: Nirvana, Graveyard, Comeback kid 3 styles but they are my childhood. Now I listen more to rock roll music, Old and independent rock and folk music
7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the full length?
8) What can concert goers expect at a gig of Gasoline? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the gig?
We used to play "Gloria" but we don't play it anymore. Anyone coming to Gasoline gig can expect a good and strong rock'n'roll vibe!
9) Are there any bands in France you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?
Most of the band we like would be in the USA or UK! But we love and feel really close to the bands from our label "Celebration Days Records" such as "Cheap Wine" for example!
10) How would You describe the music you're playing? Is this Garage Rock or do you consider there is way more than that?
Garage rock of course mixed with blues and a little bit of punk rock, but at the end it's only rock'n'roll!
11) What are the plans for 2022 as far as Gasoline are concerned?
Now that the album is released, we will keep playing live and work on the record of next album!
In the woods of West Virginia, in an isolated hollow, a young boy thought he was a peacock. When he realized, much to his dismay, that he was not a peacock, he picked up a guitar. "Pronounced Jah-See" is his official debut full length released on Alive Records And it's brilliant. Gyasi is the new face of Glam Rock.
1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about you and your musical background to introduce yourself? Can you also introduce the other guys who participated on the recordings? Are they going to be part of your "live" backing band?
Well I grew up in a holler in rural West Virginia with parents that were part of the "back to the land" movement who had moved there to live close to the land and learn old ways of farming and living primitively. They had an amazing record collection of early blues, jazz, world music, and rock and roll records so I was exposed to a lot of music that most people my age were not at that time. I got a guitar at age 6 and began playing along with records and learning everything I could. I started playing shows at age 12 with my first band and writing songs. After high school I went to the Berklee College of Music to study music further, playing mainly hot jazz in the style of Django Reinhardt. As I began writing more I decided to combine all my interests into one project which led to the recordings on this record.
The recordings and live band differ a bit. Most of the sessions were done by just me and a drummer named Ammed Solomon. Some tunes are me playing all the instruments, and some are my full touring lineup. It all depends on the circumstances of the writing/recording of the song. About half were recorded at my home studio and the other half were done at Blackbird Studio in Nashville. The current lineup is Cole Bearden on bass, Sam Skorik on drums, and Ricky Dover Jr. guitar.
2) About your new released full length album "Pronounced Jah-See", what can you tell about the 5 tracks that were already on your self released CD "ANDROGYNE" from 2019? Were these 5 tracks re-recorded for the new release or are they the same recordings than the one on the previous CD?
They are the same recordings but they were remastered. These were songs that the label really liked and wanted to give them a vinyl release. This album’s overall goal was to serve as an introduction. That’s why I called it “Pronounced Jah-See” because the first thing people ask when they discover me is how to pronounce the name. Both Alive Records and I thought those songs were important to include as a good introduction to my music.
3) Do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you only work with analog machines in analog studios?
I basically use an analog/digital hybrid setup now where I will record to tape and then transfer to digital for overdubs and mixing. Some songs have been all tape and some all digital. Just depends on what suits the song at the time. Generally I prefer tape, or at least working in a similar workflow to recording to tape. I find it usually yields performances and recordings with a certain energy that seems harder to get with digital for some reason.
4) Would you agree to say that the cover pictures (and even the title) of the self released CD were more sexually orientated, almost like a statement. The pictures of the new CD/LP - although really great, specially the back picture- are a step away from this statement. Is this an attempt to avoid shocking the larger masses?
Mmmm no I don't think there was any conscious thinking that way. I’m not afraid of shocking the masses. It’s just a different collection of songs. In this case it's more of an introduction so that was how I packaged it. It's not as much of a conceptual album per day. "Androgyne" is more provocative because that was more of what those collection of songs was about.
5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write the lyrics to a new song?
I tend to write about characters who are searching for identity and reinvention. I grew up in a very narrow minded environment (in public school) and had to break out of that and find my identity so that seems to come pretty easily as subject matter. Also sexuality, desire, love tend to be common topics. But my hope is that I can write about anything. Working on branching out my lyrical topics on some of the new tunes I’m working on.
6) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the new CD/LP??
I don't have any new music videos at the moment. Just some recent live videos. That’s something in the works now so stay tuned for some new music videos in the near future.
7) What can concert goers expect at a Gyasi gig? Are you playin' any famous cover songs during the gig?
I want my shows to be transportive. I try to create a world in my music and performance. I think of it very much like theatre. To cast a spell beyond just the performance of the tunes but to take the audience somewhere they may not have been expecting. The best shows I ever saw were like that so I’m always trying to achieve that magic. There really is nothing better than the power of live performance. That is where I feel most at home. Sometimes I'll throw covers in. Usually they tend to be blues songs that we’ll put in the middle of some tunes. Sometimes we’ll do “Waiting For the Man" by Velvet Underground or “Cosmic Dancer” by T. Rex.
8) Are there any bands in The USA today you consider yourself close to musically speaking?
Hmm not too many these days. In the US at least. I really like the band Starcrawler. They rule. They're a bit different from what I do but it's great theatrical rock and roll.
9) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have an influence on your own work today.
As a teenager I listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin. I was obsessed with that music. It took hold of me and I wanted to learn every note of it. Also the White Stripes were a huge influence, and the only contemporary band I listened to at that time. T Rex was another favorite band of mine at that time that still is a big influence.
10) What are the plans for the rest of 2022 as far as you're concerned? Are you going to tour Europe in support of this new record?
We’re currently working on a new record as well as playing a weekly residency in Nashville. We’ll be touring in the states a fair bit. European dates are in the works! No specific dates to announce yet but it’s looking like a fall tour, which is very exciting as I’ve wanted to come to Europe for a long time.
11) Anything you wanna add?
Thanks so much for the interview and I hope to see you at a show in Europe!
Excellent tribute to the seminal SUNNYBOYS by 18 Australian bands delivering recordings from the powerpop smarts of Melbourne's Even & Brisbane's Shifter to the all girl garage action of Melbourne's The Shimmys to the straight out rock n roll attack of the Naked Eye and Cherry Smash.
Michael Giblin put together a rock'n'roll supergroup and "Another Cinderella" is their sophomore album. They play what they call "Big Dumb Rock". Check it out, this blog loves it and you gonna love it too!
1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about The SPLIT SQUAD to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays? What are your various individual backgrounds? How did you manage to gather this "super-group" of musicians?
The Split Squad is composed of myself, Michael Giblin, (bass, vocals, guitar, keys), guitarist Eddie Munoz (The Plimsouls), guitarist/vocalist Keith Streng (The Fleshtones), drummer Clem Burke (Blondie), and keyboardist Josh Kantor (The Baseball Project). We all knew each other, through various musical projects, and decided to make a record together in 2013. We had so much fun, we turned ourselves into a real band, and have been playing together a few times a year, ever since.
2) About the new full length record "Another Cinderella", can you explain the choice of this title in regard of the cover artwork?
In American sports, the term "Cinderella" is used to describe a person or team that is succeeding where they aren't expected to. In boxing, it's referred to as someone who is holding his own against a much stronger opponent. Given the current fractured state of the music business, we thought it was a good metaphor for releasing an album independently these days.
3) What can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?
Our process is that generally myself, Clem, and at least one of our guitarists will record the basic rhythm track, and then the rest will overdub their parts and vocals. We like to record like a "real" rock band as much as we possibly can. We did the first album that way, essentially completing it all in about 3 sessions. The new album, however, was a bit different, due to the restrictions of the pandemic, and the fact that no one could travel for almost an entire year.
4) Do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?
All of the actual recordings are digital, but, depending on where we are working, there will be a number of analog components involved, with regard to preamps, signal processors, eq's, etc. I have my own studio (Red Chuck), where most of the new album was done, but we have also done a lot of tracking and mixing at a wonderful old school studio near Boston called Woolly Mammoth Sound.
5) Are you the main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?I mean do you arrive at the rehearsal with a full demoed song where the other guys play what you tell them to play or do you only give the global direction and everybody plays what he wants?
Keith and I write the majority of the songs, but everyone is most definitely involved when it comes to arrangements and such. I like to demo my songs (because with my studio, I CAN), but Keith will generally just have an idea and show it to us to learn. I'm not fussy about my demos. If the band comes up with something different (and usually better!) it's always a good thing.
6) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write the lyrics to a new song?
When I write for The Split Squad, I try to keep the subject matter "not too serious". In fact, I often refer to our sound as "Big Dumb Rock". But there are a handful of our songs that have deeper, more personal meanings, such as I Can't Remember, which was inspired after the death of my wife.
7) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.
I was a teenager in the late 1970's and early 1980's, and the music that inspired me the most was all of the great cutting edge New Wave and Punk music of the time. The three bands that continue to influence me, are also the bands that were my favorites at the time: The Who, The Clash, and Elvis Costello. They have always stuck with me.
8) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the latest full length?
Yes, we do! For our first single, "Hey DJ"
9) What can concert goers expect at a gig of The SPLIT SQUAD? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the gig?
As a live band, we are very high energy and kinetic. We take that from The Fleshtones, as Keith is a non-stop, perpetual motion machine. Our set consists of an equal sampling from both our albums, as well as some fun covers from The Heartbreakers, The Small Faces, AC/DC, and a few surprises!
10) Are there any bands in the USA today that you consider yourself close to musically speaking?
We take a little bit from a lot of different styles and genres, so it's tough to say we are close to any ONE band, but we are never very far away from The Fleshtones and The Plimsouls.
11) How would You describe the music you're playing? Is this POWERPOP, is it Garage rock or do you consider there is way more than that?
As I said before, we call it "Big Dumb Rock"! Musically, it's some 60's-inspired Mod rock, some Power Pop, some Garage, some Soul, etc. Everyone in the band is so musically adept, that we feel confident trying just about anything, and making it sound like us. There's even an unreleased instrumental track from the album, where Keith said "let's play it like The Meters!", so that's what we did!
12) What are the plans for 2022 as far as The SPLIT SQUAD is concerned?
Now that "Another Cinderella" is out in the EU (on FOLC Records), we have plans to play over there a few times this year. We will be in France in June, The UK in July, and then Spain in the fall.
13) Anything you wanna add?
It's been a rough couple of years for musicians, so we are excited to get back out in front of some people with our rock and roll circus!
When I first heard the single "Hot Cold Fever" I must admit that I was a bit confused -to say the least. As a musician myself, I totally understand that, at one point, every band is entitled to make a change in its musical style. But in this case the change was RADICAL.
What the hell happened to FAZ WALTZ that everybody loved for their take on BOVVER rock? It was almost like, in the early seventies, SLADE had morphed overnight into Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers.
Nevertheless, now that the full length "On the Ball" is out everything seems to make more sense. After all, it's only rock'n'roll and as long as the songs are good everything is fine. And Faz knows how to write great songs! So why complain?
1) This radical change in sound and in look, is this something that happened during the pandemic or is it something you had in mind since a long time.
Faz La Rocca: It's something that came naturally, always loved the roots of Rock'N'Roll and it shows in many other songs during the years: "Shakin' Like An Hooligan", "Millionaire", "Last Train To Nowhere" and others.
2) Aren't you afraid to lose the old FAZ WALTZ fans? Why have you not tried this new musical style under a different band name?
Faz: No, I'm not afraid of losing old fans... I've never wrote my music to please somebody else, I write for my pleasure and for what I feel. I think fans should follow the musical evolution of the artist, not the opposite. In eight albums I see a progression in many ways, but basically it's always been Rock'N'Roll. Why should I play my music under a different name? This is me.
3) what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? Did you overdub the piano parts yourself?
Faz: We recorded the rhythm section first (drums / bass) playing all together, then I've added guitars, piano, vocals and percussions. Yes I've played all the piano parts on this album.
4) For this new album did you use the nowadays recording technology or did you only work with analog machines to reproduce the 50's sound?
Faz: We used both technologies, old and new. Anyway we love working in studio, not at home like many do today. Thanks to Brown Bracella, who always produce the records with me, we can use 50s/60s microphones and preamps, of course going through a real vintage mixer.
5) During concerts are you going to keep playing old numbers and mix them in the set with the new ones or will it be a total new set focused on the new album?
Faz: Yes, we're playing many songs of the new album but we always add some from the old repertoire.
6) When it comes the rock'n'roll pioneers of the 50's who are your main heros? I, for one, hear a lot of Eddie Cochran and Little Richard influences in this new record.
Faz: Well, I've always been a big fan of 50s Rock'N'Roll, I think my favourite are Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Buddy HOlly and... John Lennon. Yes, I consider him one of them, a real rocker.
7) On every FAZ WALTZ there is a John Lennon's tribute. On this one, it's "Shining Teeth". Can we expect a full "Lennon" album one day ?
Faz: No, just expect a new full "Faz Waltz" album as always.
8) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release?
Faz: Yes, the first single, "Hot Cold Fever".
9) What are the plans for the rest of 2022 as far as FAZ WALTZ is concerned? Are you guys planning to tour Europe to promote the album?
Faz: Yes, we're on tour and playing in Italy now, Germany in July, Spain in October, we're working on a new U.S. Tour in 2023.
Hey Guys and Girls, check out the debut release by LOS ABISMOS, a band that may or may not feature some members of the VICE BARONS. It's way cool and super groovy, just the way we like it.
The Sign Record recently released the long awaited vinyl version of Märvel's debut album Five Smell City titled after their hometown Linköping (known locally as the city of five smells) that was originally released in 2005. So it was high time for this blog to try to find out who are the guys behind the masks.
1) For the sake of the argument, let's say that a very young viewer stumbles upon this blog for the first time and doesn't know who MARVEL is: what would you tell him about the band to introduce the various members, the history of the band and also your body of work?
Hello young person! People playing music together is sometimes referred to as a "band". Märvel is a band from Sweden. Sweden is a land famous for making watches, chocolate and soft porn. There are different kinds of music. Märvel's music is sometimes described as sweaty group sex with The Hellacopters, Turbonegro and Electric Six at a KISS-themed children's party. If you throw some 60's soul and 80's metal (the good kind) in the mix you are getting pretty close to the truth.
Märvel has three steady members - The King (guitars & vocals) - The Vicar (drums) and The Burgher (bass). This band setup is sometimes referred to as a "power trio". Because we are sought after by the police we wear masks to hide our faces. We also wear masks to hide our bad and tormented skin. People all over the world like our music. Those people have formed fan clubs called "Märvel Army". With the new album we're releasing this spring we have made 9 albums. That is quite impressive. On the other hand, we have been around for twenty years so it's not so impressive after all.
2) About the newly reissued debut album, "Five Smell City", that finally receives the vinyl treatment, do you remember the recording process back then and what can you tell us about it? Was it a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?
Five smell city was originally released in 2005. Prior to that we released a few vinyl ep's. The debut album consisted of a handful of songs from those earlier EP's as well as ~7 new ones. We recorded all those songs in Soulmine Studios in Linköping with awesome producer and friend Jörgen Wärnström.
All basic tracks were recorded live in a one take fashion with us all standing in the same room. Vocals, solos and percussion were added afterwards. There was probably a lot of cheap cookies and strong coffee involved in the process. Besides the King and the Vicar, the band at that time had Speedo (aka Ulrik Bostedt aka Animalizer) playing the bass. He (most likely) used a vintage Burns bass through a Fender Bassman 100 for all the songs. The King played his Gibson Les Paul '78 through a Marshall JCM 800 with bad tubes. The Vicar played a vintage Ludwig drum kit that previously belong to someone who moved to Australia (no, it was NOT Uffe Stenport's drumkit!).
3)As far as your more recent recordings are concerned, do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you still keep on working with analog machines in analog studios
We have built our own studio, Solskensfabriken (the Sunshine Factory) and it facilitates both analog and digital equipment. We're not to anal about that stuff as long as it sounds good in the end.
4) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write the lyrics to a new song?
Most of our lyrics are inspired by the TV-show "Eigen Kweek". Other than that, there's no special theme. Some songs are about a state of mind or a feeling. And sometimes it's about a made up character or scenario. It could also be about something personal that's happening has happened or is about to happen in the future.
5) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.
If we have to choose just 3 it's Pedda P, Gurra G and Doktor C. (note : Swedish hip hop trio formed in Stockholm in 1990. Looks awful!). They made a very strong impact on us as kids. We also listened to Kiss, Iron Maiden, Dire Straits and WASP.
6) Now that your debut album as been reissued on vinyl, do you also consider reissuing other albums as well. Have some of them never been released on vinyl so far?
The only album that hasn't been released on vinyl is our first cover album "Unleashed" from 2006. Hopefully that will happen in the future. Thunderblood Heart, Hadal Zone Express and The Hills Have Eyes sold out or very close to sold out so it definitely time for some reissues of those albums.
7) Are there any artists in SWEDEN today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?
Not really. The Scandinavian rock scene is thriving with so many bands releasing new music all the time. That's great but we've never really felt like we're part of that scene. We've always been too late or too early to the party, yet somehow we managed to stick around. After 20 years in the bizniz we've seen it all.
8) Do you think it was different to be in a rock'n'roll band way back when you guys started than it is now? What has changed, according to you?
People are so young nowadays. Of course, social media was not a big thing and you more or less had to have a record deal to get heard. Do you remember that singles were released after the album, not before like today?! It feels like music in general was a bigger deal for young people back then. But that could just be a sign of us having lost touch with reality.
9) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?
The King writes the songs but the band works on the details of the arrangements together.
10) You guys are now The Sign Records recording artists. Is this the label that suits MARVEL the best And if so, why?
It suits us fine. We know them since many years and they're situated in the same town. They give us a lot of creative freedom and they're very passionate about music. They release insane amounts of music every year.
11) What are the plans for the rest of 2022 as far as MARVEL is concerned?
Our new album "Graces Came With Malice" (our ninth!) is out April 22nd. We'll be celebrating the release with a release party and gigs around Sweden. We're also turning 20 years as a band which means we're celebrating this the whole year. We've got a festival planned for the summer and a greatest hits double album for the fall. We're also digging in the archives and will be sharing historic events, gigs, demos, etc with our fans through our social media channels.
A little while ago, AREA PIRATA Records released the debut full length album of BARMUDAS and the finding is plain and simple: these days, all the good rock'n'roll bands with the perfect early seventies sound seem to come from Italy.
So if - like this blog- you think that the best grooves around are the ones produced by the likes of Giuda,Faz Waltz or Mad Rollers, check out this quartet from Firenze.
Time for this blog to talk to King-Dom, the guitar slinger of the BARMUDAS!
1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about BARMUDAS to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?
Hi guys , for us Barmudas isn’t just a band. We consider it is something Closer to a state of mind: The Free State of Barmudas! The band’s name comes from the Barmudas district in Florence’s old town, an imaginary triangular neighborhood, still unknown to the hordes of hungry zombie-tourists looking for cheap Italian food, style and art; a place infested and haunted with outsiders, losers, boozers, and strange people with poor taste in look, music and artistic stuff (often disappearing into the void after passing the night getting high in the area). From the strictly musical point of view we play together since 2017. Here’s the line up:
Smendock : Microphone screamer and Zombie Teacher
Luca Nacker: Bass howler and Digital Outlaw
King-Dom : Guitar griller and Zombie Teacher
Zak : Skins beater , Roadrunner and Taxi Driver
2) About the "Every Day Is Saturday Night" full length record, what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?
We recorded "EVERY day is SATURDAY night " in Siena, in The same studio we used for the last 7 inches single "Rock The Barmudas". We felt very at ease there the first time around so we decided to go back for the recordings sessions of our full length album. We Also reserved the same restaurant in which we ate the last time. Food and drinks play an essential role in our recording process. Basically we played live all the tunes in just one day and recorded the main core of the album, then we used the remaining two days to overdub choruses, and some guitar licks. We also had a lot of fun recording a real cocktail shaker and the motor engine of an old Ciao Piaggio. Then we passed the tracks to our friend and brother Nico, who made a brilliant work in mixing the record that sounds awesome.
3) Do you guys use the nowadays recording technology or do you only work with analog machines in analog studios?
This is stuff that we should ask our producer but he's not available these days.
4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?
Everyone is involved in the creative process. Someone comes with an idea that can be a riff, a melodic line or just a title with some lines and then we work on it together until we’re satisfied with the result.
5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write the lyrics to a new song?
The main topics of our songs deal mostly with the night life in the Barmudas, we sing about bars, drinks, parties, love and friendship, the few things we know well. We don't try to look smarter then we really are.
6) How would you describe the music BARMUDAS are playing? Is it glam-rock/Bovver Rock? Or do you consider that it's way more than that?
We play what comes out of our heads and our fingers without making any plan. The result is a glittered shiny cheap mixture of wild Rock N Roll and killer Ass-shaking tunes. We like to call it Beer Punk!
7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the LP??
We have Two videos out. The first is Rock The Barmudas that testifies the explosion of The BArmudasMania in our district, The second is "EVERY day is SATURDAY night" Made with SHOTS of some of our friends drinking, cheering and shouting the title of the song, some of them in their homes in their troubled lock down days. Each video was shot with a budget of just 99 cents.
8) What can concert goers expect at a concert of BARMUDAS? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the gig?
During our Gigs we play mostly our own songs from the latest record and some outtakes. Sometimes we play some covers from bands we love, like The Boys, The Heartbreakers, Sham 69 among others. It is not unusual for us to also play some brand new tune to see how people react to the new material.
9) Are there any bands in Italy today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?
In Italy in the last few years we have a bunch of pretty good bands that play amazing rock 'n' roll like Giuda, Faz Waltz,Mad Rollers among the others but every band is different and has got its own unique style and attitude. We truly appreciate bands like The Dirtiest, TV Shock, The Asteroids (because they feature ourselves in the line up). Actually there are a lot of Italian bands that we love also because we had the opportunity to share the stage with them or because we often meet at our or their concerts: The Cogs, Movie Star Junkies, Barsexuals, Offesi, Female Trouble, Trip Takers, Toni Crimine, Trip Hill, The Devil Town, No Deal, X Nipples, Haywire Desire, No Deal, even if they don't play our kinda stuff.
10) What are the plans for 2022 as far as BARMUDAS are concerned? Are you gonna tour Europe to promote the record?
By now, due to covid restrictions, we 're playing just a few Gigs in Italy, not so many as we wanted to. We already have 2 concerts scheduled for May in Liverpool and we're planning to tour France and Sardinia in the coming summer.
11) Anything you wanna add?
Thanks a lot for your interest and we hope to see you guys soon somewhere on a stage or in front of it! cheers!
A couple of months ago, the German label Contra Records released "Get Mad", the full length debut of MAD ROLLERS, a five piece hailing from Roma, Italy. The album is described as an overdose of catchy Pub Rock / Bovver Rock anthems.
So If you like 70's Junkshop Glam like HECTOR , Terrace Stompers like The Hammersmith Gorillas or the bigger names in Glam like SLADE with a bit of pub rock thrown in for good measure, The MAD ROLLERS are gonna be right up your alley.
Their rendition of "Bish Bash Bosh" made famous by The JOOK is brilliant and worth alone the price of admission. It's also the proof of the good taste of these five Roman gentlemen!
1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about Mad rollers to introduce yourselves? How long are you together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?
We are Mad Rollers, a band of five rock'n'roll and punk lovers. Marco is our lead vocalist and Alessio is the lead guitar, then we have Filippo on rhythm guitar, Oliver on bass and finally our engine Raoul on drums.
2) About the "Get mad" full length record, what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?
The recording of “Get Mad” was been pure fun! We made it through two “live in studio” sessions, say four days, where we tracked drums, bass and both guitars. Once the main core of the record was recorded we overdubbed lead and backing vocals plus a bunch of tracks like synths, percussions and a few guitar licks. A very natural recording process that lead us to a powerful and crunchy analog mix! Getting into minor details, a crucial role in the making of the album has been played by a long pre-production period, months during when we rehearsed very hard to push ourselves, and our tunes, in great shape for the final recordings.
3) Do you guys use the nowadays recording technology or do you only work with analog machines in analog studios?
According to our producer's philosophy, we used an hybrid (analog/digital) technology to achieve the specific sound you can hear on the album. A set of modern and vintage microphones as well as tube and “class A” solid state mic preamps were used to send the signals into the converters of the HD recording system. The mixing process it's been made through an analog desk (Soundtracs Quartz) enhanced by the use of outboard gears like Urei 1178, Lexicon 480, API 2500, etc... the final stage of our mixing chain was a stereo ¼ inch tape recorder, a beautiful Revox A700 which gave us the last touch of warmth.
4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?
Most of the time the song writing process starts with the guitars and later on the pieces are arranged by the voice in order to find melodies and choruses, each of us does his best and not infrequently we are inspired by the music we’re into at the moment.
5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write the lyrics to a new song?
Many times we take inspiration from real life events, something that happened to one of us or people we know, then we spice these stories up with some fantasy elements and they become songs. Generally we express our feelings and emotions through music, we talk about love as well as anger, the spirit of revolt as well as the simple need to have fun and to be able to live life to its fullest.
6) How would you describe the music Mad rollers are playing? Is it glam-rock? Or do you consider that it's way more than that?
Let's say that we simply play what comes out, we do not plan much beforehand. Of course we do love glam but we are also pretty much into 70's proto punk sound and we try to bring it out in our songs. On numerous occasions, we are defined as a Bovver rock band and actually, we don't mind it.
7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the LP??
We are currently still working on an official video but you can check on YouTube for our most recent upload, which is a video cut took from the 1976 Notting Hill Carnival riots filming featuring our track “I trust nobody”, it seemed to us that the song suited a lot the events represented so we decided to release it.
8) What can concert goers expect at a concert of Mad rollers? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the gig?
Except for "Bish bash bosh", which is also a part of our new album we don't play covers, most of our songs are original compositions. Still, if you're a 70's punk and rock'n'roll sound lover and you don't mind hanging out on a fun night among gallons of good beer you will definitely find something to sink your teeth into coming to one of our gigs.
9) Are there any bands in Italy today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?
Undoubtedly the Italian rock'n'roll scene of the past years has been greatly influenced by Giuda, as they brought back those 70's sounds that seemed long lost, progressively many others followed their example, groups like Mash, Dr Boogie, BBQT, Hard Wax and some others may be considered similar to our genre. Nevertheless we are glad not to be associated with Giuda as some kind of imitation band but we are rather seen as something close yet different in sound. I guess we play a bit out of the box and just do what comes our way.
10) What are the plans for 2022 as far as Mad rollers are concerned? Are you gonna tour Europe to promote the record?
After London gigs in September we are planning a tour in Germany with our booking agency, it will take place in March and include such cities as Hamburg, Berlin, Hanover and others. Unfortunately in these times because of the covid situation you can never be sure that something will not be canceled or postponed but we want to stay optimistic and ready for this new adventure.
11) Anything you wanna add?
We wanted to thank the guys from Contra Records for the excellent work they've done.
Can you judge a record by its sleeve? Hard to tell. But at least it should give you a clue to the type of music a band is playing. Putting the picture of a vintage Fireglo Rickenbaker 330 is a pretty strong statement in itself. Considering Paul Weller, Tom Petty or John L., to name a few, all played one, this should already give you a serious hint.
Putting a TWELVE strings Rickenbaker 330 is an even bigger statement. The doubt is no longer allowed and you know exactly what you are in for: 60's influenced rock'n'roll with a good dose of 70's power pop thrown in for good measure.
The WARMBABIES, all veterans of the rock'n'roll scene of the French Riviera, sure know how to write good tunes with a really punchy rhythm section, sizzling guitars and perfect vocals to match. This LP is full of soon to be classic Power Pop songs. Very Highly Recommended !
1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about The WARMBABIES to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays? What are your various individual backgrounds?
Serge : We are a quartet of "classic" rock and we live in Nice, at the french Riviera. The Warmbabies, in the present form, exists for about 5 years. With Marc Galliani on guitar and lead vocals, Olivier "Bratch" Nemejanski on guitar, Serge Ceccanti on bass and Daniel Aprosio on drums. As far as our various individual backgrounds, we would only mention one : The Bratchmen.
2) About the full length record "Let's Live Underground", can you explain the choice of this title? What can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?
Marc : "Let’s live underground" is one of the first song from "Bratch", that we rearranged for my voice. A starting point. Rehearsals and concerts were so far apart that we couldn't show ourselves as a band. We were an Underground band, by force of circumstance.
Serge : The title of the album was suggested by the graphic designer. A good idea that was unanimously accepted! The recording of the album was disturbed by the first pandemic but in the end, it gave us a lot of time to refine some titles. Bass, Drums and Rhythm guitars were recorded live, all the rest was a re-recording.
3) Do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?
Photo : Sandra Rinaudo
Serge : Our choice went to a digital studio. But all the instruments and amp we used are analog! All the guitars and basses used on this disc are vintage gear over 50 years old! We are simply fascinated by the beauty and the sound of these old instruments.
4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?
Marc : Everybody is involved. This album would not have been possible without one of us. The material on this record is made out of old songs from "Bratch" and Marc. The next record will contain more of Serge songs.
5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write the lyrics to a new song?
Marc : The pop format we like for this project fits better with stupid love songs. Someone said , The more stupid they are the truer they are…
Serge : Love, birds and the sun ! But the next songs will be darker : Lost love, frozen birds and rain !
Photo : Richard Prompt
6) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.
Marc : Can I name 4 ? John, George, Paul and Ringo
Serge : We are clearly influenced by the rock 60's. But not only... I will quote three groups : Plimsouls, Fleshtones and Teenage Fanclub, But there are many others.
7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the latest full length?
Marc : We have no money left for video, so we are pirating images for our songs. We are going to do something …Serge : No money, no time, finally is it really useful ?
8) What can concert goers expect at a gig of The WARMBABIES? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the gig?
Marc : We used to play Kinks, Big star, Plimsouls, but mainly our songs.
Serge : We like to integrate a few covers in our concerts, just for pleasure.
Photo : Sandra Rinaudo
9) Are there any bands in France you consider yourself close to? musically speaking?
Marc : Doc Vinegar from Aubagne
Serge : There may be but we do not know...
10) How would You describe the music you're playing? Is this POWERPOP or do you consider there is way more than that?
Serge : Our music is impregnated with the music we love. A mix of power pop / 60's rock / garage rock, no doubt.
Marc : We are doing our stuff with our influences, we would be happy to be classified in power pop but that was not planned at all.
11) What are the plans for 2022 as far as The WARMBABIES are concerned?
Marc : We would like to play festivals or nice venues, specially abroad, Belgium, Spain, North of France. With the covid situation we just don’t think about it. But we are affordable for private request as well.
Serge : We work hard on new songs. Our goal is to compose the ultimate pop song ! Recording in autumn, hope.
12) Anything you wanna add?
Serge : Recording an album for a band like us is always a "small adventure" hazardous, with lots of problems to solve. We have completed this mission and we are very proud of the result !
Hey Viewers, don't go away......While you are at it, check out this other band hailing from the French Riviera, and one that includes some of the members of the WARMBABIES, or is it the other way around: THE BRATCHMEN.
The cover here is a little more misleading, I give you that. Judging by the cover you would have every right to expect some French FLESHTONES.
Well, not at all, here we are closer to the Everly Brothers or the early HOLLIES but all the tracks are very neatly performed and the whole record is really enjoyable. You should definitely give it a try.
