Monthly archive

June 2014

Quakes (the)

The Quakes - Chris Van Cleve, Paul Roman and Rob Peltier
The Quakes – Chris Van Cleve, Paul Roman and Rob Peltier

The Quakes are one of the first (if not the first) american psychobilly band. Like their compatriot the Stray Cats they crossed the sea to find fame in Europe where by the time the psychobilly scene was growing bigger and bigger. Roy williams and Nervous record quickly signed them and released their first album, which soon became a raw psychobilly classic. Their second record “Voice Of America” was more neo-rockabilly, and stands for me as their best. They then find a big audience in Japan with sold out shows and albums like Quiff Rock and New Generation where they mixed the usual rockabilly and psychobilly stuff to Billy Idol and Adam & the ants influences.
This interview with Paul Roman took place in 2005 for the release of  “Psyops”. More infos abot their recent albums on their website
www.thequakes.com .

by Fred “Virgil” Turgis

How did you become interested in music?
I was always interested in music as a kid.When I was 9 or 10 I started buying records. I was a big fan of The Beatles- The Rolling Stones- The Kinks- Monkees. I had older brothers and sisters who left those records behind when they moved out.

In what kind of musical background did you grow?
My parents always had music on in the house. My dad was from Poland and he liked polka music and my mom would listen to big band stuff. My oldest brother had a band and I used to watch them practice in the garage.

When did you start playing guitar ?
When I was 15 or 16, Dave “the ace” Hoy got an acoustic guitar for Christmas and we went out in the garage to jam. I was playing drums on garbage pails because I used to have a snare drum and cymbal when I was 12 but I sold it cause I never played it. Anyway, we switched instruments and found that Dave was a better drummer and I was a better guitar player- that’s how the whole band thing started.

Did someone influence you to choose that instrument?
YES! Absolutely- It was Brian Setzer- When I saw the Stray Cats on MTV I knew what I want to do! I had the snare drum like I said and that went no where and then I bought a keyboard because I was into New wave bands like the B-52’s and Devo etc. but I lost interest in that to -but when I saw the Stray Cats it was like I found my thing.

I assume you play bass too…
Yes- I bought an upright bass when I was 17 cause we couldn’t find anyone to play it so I decided to get one and learn how to play then I could teach someone. (Ed. Paul plays bass on some of the Quakes’ recent cd’s)

In your bio, you’re talking about the Quiffs. Were you in other bands before?
Yes but they were all with Dave and me- there was The Runaway Boys-The Teenage Rebels- Rockin Wildkats

What was the style of the Quiffs,? Was it a pre-Quakes kind of band?
We played obscure rockabilly and modern covers and originals- it was kinda pre Quakes again with Dave Hoy playing bass and Chris Van Cleve on drums. We recorded some stuff in a studio but its terrible. We were not very good in those days but we had fun.

When you start playing with the Quakes, were you aware of the European psychobilly scene?
Well… yes and no- I went to London to try to start a band in the summer of 1985 and at that time I had heard some psychobilly and I hated it- to me it sounded like punk rockers trying to cash in on the rockabilly scene- I didn’t understand it. I was a real ROCKABILLY GUY. Then in 1986 I went to London again to try to start a band and I was staying right down the street from the Klubfoot- but I wasn’t gonna go there…My friend had just bought the first Guana Batz album and I remember I liked the song “Down on the line” but I didn’t like the rest of it- I didn’t get it. I was hanging out at all the rockin clubs in London listening to Curtis Gordon etc.When I went back home- I put the Quakes together but we were trying to be a modern band like the Stray cats-Rockats-Polecats etc.The things that lead us to psychobilly were 1) we couldn’t play our instruments like the bands we wanted to be like (frustration) and 2) no one was paying any attention to us around town(more frustration) So I started writing these songs like “You’re Dead” and others because I was pissed off at everything-we changed our look also at that time. After that the hardcore kids would all come to see us and we started getting more gigs. Hardcore music was real popular in Buffalo at that time so we tried to incorporate some of those ideas into our stuff. “Psychobilly Jekyll & Mr Hyde” is an example of the slow part- fast part thing from the Hardcore scene-a perfect example would be “institutionalized” by Suicidal Tendencies which was a big song at that time. I think all those “HEY”s in our music came from the Ramones which I always liked.

Is this what led you to move to London?
We moved to London because after realizing that there was this big scene over there, we wanted to be a part of it. We had sent a couple of demo tapes to Nervous and Roy said we were too slow, so naturally we thought the secret to success is just play fast so that’s what we did. We knew that the Stray cats had sold all their stuff and moved to London so we were kinda going the same thing. I was 20, Rob was 18 and Dave was 16.

How was the American scene at that time?
Ha ha there was no scene at all, people laughed at us?! That’s another reason we wanted to move to London.

Your first album was a graphic reference to the first Stray Cats album…
We did what they did by coming to London and getting a record deal. I thought it was a good Idea- I had seen pictures of the Bluecats album that references the Gene Vincent album and some Polecats pictures that were like the Beatles album cover standing over the railing. It was a cool idea and it worked for us.

Didn’t that deserve you, due to the fact of stupid people who classified you as Stray cats followers?
Well the sad reality is…if I COULD have sounded like Brian Setzer, I probably would have. We had no choice in the fact that we had our own sound-it was that way because we sucked ha ha.

Did you have reaction from the Stray Cats about this homage?
Yes- they saw it when they came over for the BLAST OFF tour in 1990 and I got to go to two shows and meet them backstage. Slim Jim says he still has it on the wall at his house!

During the first “split” of the Quakes you played with Demented Are Go. How did it happen?
I was in London working on a solo album (never happened) and I was living in a squat. I saw Ant Thomas in the laundry mat by my house-it turns out that he lived in the same neighborhood. He said that Lex had quit and they had a bunch of shows lined up that they were going to have to cancel so I said I would do it. It was a lot of fun but I wanted to do my own thing.

Even if each album has its own sound, the change between the first one and Voice of America was radical. How do you explain this evolution?
Well first and foremost we didn’t have Dave Hoy anymore, he was killed in an auto accident in Buffalo. Any time you get a new guy in the band, the sound is going to change.We also could play our instruments a lot better at that point. After that first record there was no place else to go- I mean..what would we do ? Try to make a faster record?? We did the monster- graveyard- thing and I could see that- that was no where and I didn’t want to be one of “those” bands.
I think the stuff on Voice Of America is more of what we sounded like BEFORE we did the first record.

You started to be quite known in Japan, even had a deal with a major. Did they try to change your sound?
No they didn’t?! In fact they didn’t care about the music at all… For them it was about the packaging?! We argued with them for months about what the cd booklet was going to look like.They wanted to use all this cliché’ stuff like switchblades and dice etc. etc. They also wanted us on the cover with our instruments- we were very against this. We were trying to cross over into a new audience and we didn’t want any obvious references on the cover. The rockabilly/psycho crowd already knew who we were so it was pointless to put all that stuff on the cover for them. That record was only meant for Japan- then Nervous licensed it but I knew our fans would not like it- some did- When we put out the Nervous one we did the cover ourselves and we are still getting crap from people who don’t understand what we were..or ARE about. I think its funny that people said we look GAY on the cover because we are wearing leather pants and make -up. You know to us, we thought all those cds covers with silly cartoons were very stupid- We always wanted to be taken serious- I believe that psychobilly is a valid style of music. Too many people who write for rock magazines see psychobilly as something silly and stupid. We were trying to break that stereo type. Its not a cartoon-its great MUSIC and it doesn’t have to be about graveyards and stupid shit.

Don’t you consider the psychobilly label too limited for a band like the Quakes? On a record like New Generation there are more than just rockabilly and psychobilly influences.
Yes for sure but we sort of fit into this scene- we still play psychobilly- we do all those old songs in our set-we are definitely not rockabilly. Im not interested in those labels-To me its all about the sound of the Slap bass and twang guitar.

You created your own label, is this because you had problems with records labels (you said you didn’t touch anything on the Nervous release of Live In Tokyo)
Ya- we signed a lot of bad contracts- we were kids and we wanted to be on a record. We didn’t bother to have lawyers look at those contracts etc.The “Live in Tokyo” story is a whole story in itself but we got screwed by a Japanese label on that one and now we don’t receive any royalties on that.

Will there be other artist on this label?
I don’t think so- I don’t want to be “the guy” at the record label- in other words I don’t want to be “the asshole” Its a lot of work just to put out the Quakes cds.

So, what about this new Quakes album?
Im working on it and I hope it will be out by May or June (this interview took place in april 2005 ).There is a lot of songs and Im going to have to leave a lot out.The new record will be different than the rest but its still me writing the songs so if you are a fan you will like the new one. Its gonna be what I call “Quiff Rock” rockabilly+psychobilly+hillbilly=Quiff Rock

A last word?
Stick to your guns?!

The Everly Brothers – the outtakes

everly_outtakes2Bear Family BCD 15931AR
Bye Bye Love (take 1) – I Wonder If I Care As Much (take 3) – Wake Up Little Susie (take 1)- Hey Doll Baby (take 4) – Brand New Heartache (take 2) -Keep A Knockin’ (take 5) – Love Of My Life (take 1) – Leave My Woman Alone (take 1) – Rip It Up (take 4) – Maybe Tomorrow (take 3) – Claudette (take 1) – Poor Jenny (one o’clock version/take 7) – Problems (alternative take) – All I Have To Do Is Dream (take 5) – Take A Message To Mary (take 7) – Bird Dog (take 1) – Oh What A Feeling (take 4) – Till I Kissed You (take 3) -Poor Jenny (ten o’clock version/take 3)- This Little Girl Of Mine (take 2) – Be Bop A Lula (take 4) – Claudette (take 7) – Wake Up Little Susie (take 6) – Hey Doll Baby (take 1) – All I Have To Do Is Dream (take 1) – Poor Jenny (one o’clock version/take 5) – That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine (take 2) – Down In The Willow Garden (take 3) – Long Time Gone (take 3) – Oh So Many Years (take 4) – Rockin’ Alone (In An Old Rocking Chair) (take 12) Kentucky (take 7)- Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet (take 15)- I’m Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail (take 2)
Coming in a beautiful package in the form of a magnetic tape box, this collection of unreleased material is the occasion to hear a band at work and be the witness of their quick progess. All the Cadence classics are here in their rough and unpolished forms some substantially different from the issued takes. Made mainly for die-hard fans who can compare to the released version, this is a fascinating journey into the studio with Phil and Don Everly. The set is completed by a deluxe booklet, superbly designed too, including song by song liner notes with rare and unseen photos. Another first rate release from the German bear.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Wheels Fargo and the Nightingale

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wheelsfargoWheels Fargo and the Nightingale – At the Hayride

Part Records {2014}
Intro – Love Me To Pieces – Hogtied Over You – My Hillbilly Boys – It Makes No Difference Now – It’s My Lazy Day – I’m Talkin’, Walkin’ – Jealous Heart – Ugly And Slouchy – Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor – Keep Your Hands Away – Juke Box Blues – Divorce Me COD – Pistol Packin’ Mama – The Christmas Presents’ Blues – Lookin’ At The Moon – Lone Gone Lonesome Blues – Rocky Road Blues – Loose Talk – Bo Weavil

Despite its name “At the Hayride” is not a live recording but a solid 20-song studio album.
Though I wasn’t totally seduced by their previous effort, I must say that this one marks a big improvement. With a full array of stringed instruments (mandolin, banjo, fiddle, steel guitar, guitar…) they rip through a set of Maddox Brothers and Rose influenced stuff with bluegrass, a bit of  honky tonk and some western swing and rockabilly thrown in for good measure. A fine cocktail if there was one.
Antonella – aka the Nightingale – takes the lion’s share of the lead vocals with her fiery, confident and powerful voice, but there’s also some male lead vocals, a couple of duets and some fine harmonies one can expect from such a record.
The musicianship is solid too and they have a secret weapon with Matteo Ringressi who can play most of the aforementioned instruments and take all the lead parts but the electric guitar.
I just regret they didn’t include more original material for their three self-penned songs are very good with a special mention to Christmas Present Blues.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis


Wheels Fargo and the Nightingale - Songs of Calico
Wheels Fargo and the Nightingale – Songs of Calico

Wheels Fargo and the Nightingale – Songs of Calico

Part Records [2011]
Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow – House Of The Rising Sun – Victorian Lady – Night Train To Memphis – Down Down Down – Foggy Mountain Breakdown – Cotton Fields – Foot Prints In The Snow – Rocky Top – Crazy Arms – Calico – The Auctioneer – Molly And Tenbrooks – T For Texas – Littlie Maggie – I Hate My Neighbor

This Italian band defines itself as “the ultimate rocking bluegrass string band” and, guess what, this is exactly what you’ll find on this platter..
The songs come from the catalogs of Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Monroe, the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, the Stanley Brothers and so on. As you can see we’re in well known territory and a little bit more originality in the choice of the songs would have been better. In addition to these covers, Antonella, the lead singer, has penned three songs.
It’s very well played and sung (though the Italian accent could be disturbing at times, but let’s say it adds to the charm) but lacks of that little extra something that makes the difference between average and good records. It’s too bad because their originals are quite good, especially I Hate My Neighbors, and a full album like that would have been far more superior.

.Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Rhythm Shakers – Flipsville

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RhythmShakerfrontWild Records [2009]
No Time On You – Running Out Of Time – Wanted – But Still You Left Me – Flipsville – What You Do To Me – You Have It All – Tu No Me Quieres – My Sweet Revenge – Real Rockin’ Daddy – The Rockaround – Broken Heart.

The Rhythm Shakers are a bunch of well known faces for anyone who likes rockabilly (Omar Romero, Victor Mendez, Angel Hernandez), except for their charismatic lead singer, the young Marlene Perez. But don’t don’t be fooled by her angel face, this girl is WILD! And she has talent too for she wrote 8 of the 12 songs of the album.
With this tight rockin’ band to back her, she alternates hot and… hot. Hot with the screamin “No Time On You“, the Burnette tinged “But Still You Left Me” or “Real Rockin’ Daddy” and even hotter when she mellows her voice like on “Tu No Me Quieres” or “Broken Heart”. This song has often been covered but their version counts among the best ones.
A great slice of rock’n’roll (and beautiful too as it comes in a nicely designed gatefold sleeve) but not for the faint-hearted ones.
Buy it at Wild Records

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Eddie Angel (Planet Rockers, Los Straitjackets…)

eddie_angel_480Eddie Angel really don’t need no introduction. If you’re into today’s rock’n’roll you’ve already heard about him and even if you’re a rock’n’roll beginner, it’s almost impossible you haven’t heard of The Planet Rockers, The Neanderthals and Los Straitjackets yet. Eddie also owns a record label called Spinout on which he released as well as his own stuff, records by The Hi-Risers, The Stumbleweeds, Barbara Burnette, The Kaisers, Sonny George etc.
Now, enough talking, read the facts from the man himself.

by Fred “Virgil” Turgis

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?
Eddie Angel   When I was very young, probably 10 or 12… Music had a magical effect on me

Fans of rock’n’roll are aware of your stuff with Tex Rubinowitz in the early 80’s but what kind of stuff did you play before joining him?
Eddie Angel   Well my first love was rockabilly and 50’s R’n’R in general but there was no opportunity to play that in Albany, NY in the 1970’s so I did whatever I had to do in order to play music… I played in an oldies lounge band “Tino and The Revlons” for a while. Tino, the leader was later murdered in Jamaica….in the mid 70’s i played in a band called “The Star Spangled Washboard Band” which was a jug band/skiffle band but was very successful because it was very entertaining and funny. We played clubs and colleges and bluegrass festivals up and down the east coast. that indirectly got me into Tex’s band because we were very popular in Washington, DC so in 1980 when Tex was looking for a guitar player I got the gig.

What made you move to Nashville?
Eddie Angel   I was living in Albany,NY and had a rockabilly type band with a girl singer who sounded like Wanda Jackson. So we thought “lets go to Nashville” it was the only place where they still made records that featured guitars… This was in 1986. I was determined to make it in music so I wanted to go to a music center. I never thought I’d live here permanently.

How did you come with the idea of a label ?
Eddie Angel   I never really wanted a label… it was initially just an outlet for some of my recordings … we started out just putting out 45’s . I was recording with The Planet Rockers and The Neanderthals in London at Toe Rag. Barney Koumis was putting the stuff out on No Hit Records….so he just gave me some tracks to use for 45’s. it was 1994 and I started touring a lot with Los Straitjackets and surf bands were popping up everywhere so we put out a few instro comps….and then friends would ask me to put out their bands….thats how we did the first Shack Shakers cd for instance.

You once said that your holly trinity of Rock’n’roll was Elvis, The Beatles and The Beach Boys. And Spinout really seems to be a place halfway between Liverpool and the USA…
Eddie Angel   well, for my money Elvis and The Beatles are in league of their own… I hear a lot of groaning out there cos there are lots of wilder records than Elvis or The Beatles made and I agree there are lots of artists who made one or two more exciting,interesting or rockin’ record than The Beatles or Elvis but not with the consistency or overall quality. It was usually a one-off, some hillbilly capturing lightning in a bottle. I love The Sonics and Charlie Feathers and their records are wild but in the end they seem human to me… The Beatles and Elvis don’t seem human to me . The Beach Boys I like a lot, but I don’t remember putting them in the same pantheon as Elvis and The Beatles, but, I think they might be the best American “band”….again taking into account songwriting,recording quality, consistency .

Of course you have to cover fabrication costs and all that stuff, but Spinout really seems to be a labour of love, similar in a way to Deke Dickerson’s Eccofonic label…
Eddie Angel   well everything you do in music has to start as a labor of love. It doesn’t make sense to get into music to make money, there are much easier ways to do that. If you don’t believe me,ask anyone who does it for a living

In another interview you said “I definitely think rock music is way too serious. It bores me to death”
Eddie Angel   Notice I said “rock” music not rock’n’roll. I’m talking about all the crap thats been flying around for the last 20 years or so…. and yes it bores me when someone sings about themselves, I’d rather hear “Surfin’ Bird” or Chubby Checker.

Is this why you did “Young At Heart”?
Eddie Angel   I did “Young at Heart” because I wanted to do a kids record.  It features Cindy Fee, a friend of mine who has a voice like Ella Fitzgerald

Tell us about the idea behind “Meet The Beatles”…
Eddie Angel   I wanted to do songs that were in The Beatles live repertoire before they made it, not Beatles songs themselves, but what were The Beatles playing at the Cavern or the Star Club. A list exists of every song known that the Beatles ever performed, some of them i’d never heard like “One Track Mind”, it was the flip side of “Tossin and Turning” or “Nobody but Me” by The Lafayettes… again a flip side to their hit single.
It was a fun and interesting project and I came away with a few thoughts. They were genius in their choice of songs and totally unorthodox. They were a product of the twist era.

You were approximately 10 when the Beatles “conquered” the USA. Did you have the chance to see them on the Ed Sullivan Show?
Eddie Angel   Yes! I remember seeing them on their first Ed Sullivan appearance. It put me on my life’s trajectory. I actually remember the first time I heard The Beatles. I was in the record department of my local department store and they would play the new records over the PA system. I heard “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and I was knocked out… I thought it was a black group,like The Miracles, anyway I bought the 45 on the spot and brought it home to my sister who was strictly an Elvis fan. She looked at the cover, made a face and sneered “ooh they LOOK like beetles

Some discovered rockabilly and rock’n’roll through the versions The Beatles did of Matchbox, Rock’n’roll Music, Honey Don’t, Words Of Love etc. What about you?
Eddie Angel   Yes to a certain degree, but I also had 2 older sisters who were original rock’n’nroll fans, they had all the Elvis records, some Jerry Lee,Little Richard, Everly Bros etc. so I heard that music growing up. But I don’t think I had heard much Carl Perkins,outside of “Blue Suede Shoes”, but I think I play the guitar the way I do is because my brain was wired at an early age by the 50’s R’nR records my sisters played constantly around the house. R’n’R was the only music I heard growing up, there was no classical or pop standards played in the house.

On “Meet The Beatles” this is the first time, to my knowledge, you’re taking the lead vocal part, at least on a long distance. How did you approach that?
Eddie Angel   Well, I have sung in bands over the years, its just not something I ever gave much thought to. I never thought of myself as a singer… but I’m not bad.

A constant with Spinout’s records and this one makes no exception is the quality of the covers design. It really seems like it’s very important for you…
Eddie Angel   I’m lucky to know a few very talented graphic artists. Kaiser George does most of the covers and I think he’s a genius.

Please tell us more about Ray Wallace described as a “Psychotic Leonard Cohen on Ritalin”. Add to this, songs like “Hitler’s Gone Surfin’ with your Mother” or “When The Partridge Family Meets The Manson Family” to name but two, it’s kinda intriguing…
Eddie Angel   I first met Ray in 1980. Ray was 16 and a troubled youth,when his mother brought him to see Tex Rubinowitz and The Bad Boys… Ray flipped out, went from being a kinda Greatful Dead fan to a full blown Rockabilly and Link Wray fan. I began giving him guitar lessons. He learned every Link Wray song he could and then every Bob Dylan song and started busking.
Ray was kicked out of every school he attended for violent anti-social behavior. His mother finally had to put him in a school for nut cases. He later moved to Denver and started writing all these songs. I thought they were great and put the CD out. Ray is now back in the Washington DC area and I hope he stays out of trouble!

You also released “Eddie Angel Plays Link Wray”. How did you discover Link’s music?
Eddie Angel   I met Link in 1973. I was living in Venice Beach,CA trying to make it as a songwriter. My friend and songwriting partner Dave Bloom came home one day and told me he had gotten a gig playing piano for some guy named Link Wray. I have to admit, I had never heard of him. Link had a new record out on Polydor and was putting a band together to tour. I said “get me in the band,I’ll play rhythm!!” Next thing I know I’m jamming with Link Wray in a garage in North Hollywood. But really it was Tex Rubinowitz that got me into Link’s music. Link was Tex’s favorite guitar player and he turned me on to Link’s early stuff. We used to perform “Rawhide”, “Run, Chicken,Run” and “Jack the Ripper”. This was in 1980, Washington,DC, Link’s old stomping grounds. I took to Link’s playing like a duck to water… it was in my blood.

Do you have a special memory with him?
Eddie Angel   One of my favorite memories was doing “Rumble” onstage in Minneapolis with him and Tony Andreason of the Trashmen. Another time when he played my hometown Albany,NY, he invited my mother onstage and sang a bunch of songs to her!! I wasn’t there, but heard about it…
My fondest memories were just hanging out with him and listening to his stories. He told me how he came to write Run Chicken Run and how he and his brother first discovered R’n’R at Hank Williams’ memorial service in Montgomery, Alabama, they heard a guy doing rockabilly, he didn’t remember the guy’s name but my guess is it was Curtis Gordon. So after that he and his brothers stopped playing country music and started playing R’n’R.

How did you choose the songs? Did you intentionally make the choice from the start to avoid “big” classics like Rumble or Jack The Ripper?
Eddie Angel   Yes.I wanted to stay away from the obvious ones as much as possible.

Another connection you have with Link Wray is Robert Gordon. You produced one of his album, tell us about that…
Eddie Angel   Hakki from Jungle Records in Finland called me and proposed the idea to me. He had seen Robert and me together at Green Bay. I put the band together of guys I know in Nashville and we recorded it in Nashville. The bass player Dave Roe was Johnny Cash’s bass player. Robert has an amazing voice, like an opera singer.

Over the years you had a lot of guest on album and on tour (Dave Alvin, Deke Dickerson, Big Sandy, Peter Zaremba, Kaiser George…). As a heavy touring band is this a way to always have something new to propose to the audience and to avoid you some kind of routine?
Eddie Angel   Yes, exactly….we try to keep things fresh and entertaining for us and the audience.

One last word?
Eddie Angel   “Trust your gut,even if its a beer gut”

Ruby Ann

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ruby ann - run wildRuby Ann – Running Wild

Rhythm Bomb Records – RBR 5752 [2014]
One More Time – Half past Crazy – You Gotta Pay – Always Gone – Anytime – Have A Heart – Bossman – Same Thing – Heartless Man – Watchdog – Got The Feeling – Run Wild
Oh my soul! With the release of “Running Wild”, Portuguese songstress Ruby Ann has entered the very close club of the great singers (in which she’s in very good company with Deke Dickerson, Big Sandy…). Recorded in Chicago at Hi-Style studio by Alex Hall (who also plays piano) it gathers an impressive cast of musicians: Beau Sample (double bass), Patrick Morrow (drums), Bill Pekara (guitar), Joel Paterson (guitar and harmonica), Eddie Clendening (guitar), Josh Bell (sax) and Sophia Wolff (backing vocals).
It features some well chosen covers and a couple of originals tailor-made for the singer from the pens of Big Sandy, Mark Winchester (Planet Rockers, Brian Setzer) and Ken Mottet.
As Big Sandy puts it in his introduction, this twelve-song effort showcases Ruby Ann’s incredible versatility. Whether it’s a country tinged song or a soulful ballad, a rock’n’roll or a British blues invasion number (Anytime by Riot Squad) she’s always on top. Not only she can sing anything (I’d bet she could sing the phone book and make it sound hot) but she has the rare capacity to make covers that sound as if they had been written specifically for her.
In that, she’s very similar to Marti Brom (another permanent member of the “greats” club) who can easily go from All I Can Do Is Cry to I Go To Sleep without effort.
Highly, highly recommended (and let me add one more highly just for the superbly designed digipack.)

Fred “Virgil” Turgis