Monthly archive

January 2015

The Rockats (2)

Country: Holland
Genre: Psychobilly

Martijn Spanteren: guitar, vocals
Arjan de Witt: electric bass, vocals
Jottum: drums
Remko Visser: drums

The Rockats, not to be confused with the famous American neo-rockabilly band, were a psychobilly trio from Amsterdam. They formed in November 1987 and in May of the following year they recorded their first album “The first Take Off” for Tombstone Records. It contains some good songs but the global sound is a bit “young”. One year later they released “Keep On Turning”, still on Tombstone, with their new drummer Remko Visser. “The Last Crusade”, their third and last album appeared in 1990 showing a slight change in the sound with more agressive melodies and metal influences.
After the band split, Remko Visser remained active, playing with Asmodeus.

The First Take Off ‎- Tombstone Records Tomb-Disc 671 (1988)
Keep On Turning ‎- Tombstone Records Tomb-Disc 675 (1989)
The Last Crusade – Tombstone Records Tomb-disc 687 (1990)

Jive Bombers (the)

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The Jive Bombers - Hit the deck, it's...
The Jive Bombers – Hit the deck, it’s…

The Jive Bombers – Hit the Deck! It’s… the Jive Bombers

Texas Jamboree TexJam0068  [1999]
Whirlin’ – Walk the Chalk Line – Home Cooking – Daddy Likes to Mambo – Misunderstood – I Don’t Believe – Each Day – The Wine Goes in (And the Truth Comes Out) – Gotta Gimme What’cha Got – Oh, What a Dream – Walkin’ Slippin’ and Slidin’ – The Hucklebuck – Travelin’ Baby – Missouri Pacific on Santa Fe – Beat on the Boogie

The Austin based Jive Bombers formed in Fall 1997 on the ashes of the Big Town Swingtet. They consisted of Dana Dattalo (Jubilettes) on vocals, Vance Hazen on bass, Bobby Horton (Horton Brothers, Deke Dickerson…) on guitar, T.D. Motycka (Nick Curran) on saxes, Derek Peterson (Kidd Pharaoh) on piano, and Shaun Young (High Noon) on drums and vocals and they played post-world war II jump and jive and hot rockin’ rhythm’n’blues. Dattalo has a superb and powerful voice that suits that genre perfectly and Shaun Young sings a couple too, including some duets with her. Billy Horton produced it at Fort Horton, so you can expect warm and vintage sound.
They covered songs from Julia Lee, Ruth Brown, Buddy Johnson, Ann Cole but have solid originals mostly written by Young. Most of this songs has a strong dancefloor appeal and are sure to make you move your feet.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Jive Bombers (Shaun Young, Dana Dattalo, Bobby Horton, Derek Peterson, Vance Hazen, Murph Motycka)
The Jive Bombers (Shaun Young, Dana Dattalo, Bobby Horton, Derek Peterson, Vance Hazen, Murph Motycka)

Planet Rockers (the)

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planetrockersPlanet Rockers (the) – Return of the Planet Rockers

Witchcraft WCILP/CD 106 {2014}
Saturday Night In Oak Grove – Stranger Dressed In Black – Snakebit – Showdow – Heavy On My Mind – Moon Over Memphis – Man Whitout A Star – Voodoo Woman – Whatcha Gonna Do – Jenny Lee – Hold On – Dateless Night – Long Gone Daddy – Sinnerman – Southwind – Indian Giver – Nashville Woman

The Planet Rockers are back!  The original line-up: Sonny George and his deep voice, Eddie Angel with his sharp riffs and one of the best rhythm section in activity, Mark Winchester and Bill “Thunder” Swartz respectively on double bass and drums.
When you listen to this rockin’ platter you wouldn’t believe that 20 years have passed since the four of them recorded theit last album together. they sound as fresh and powerful as yesterday. No they’re even more powerful.
Recorded in Memphis, Tennessee at Sam Phillips recordings, this brand new album finds them mixing swamp blues, rockabilly, country rock, rock’n’roll to create their own Planet Rockers style with songs borrowed from the catalog of Cordell Jackson, Hayden Thompson, Tony Joe White, Frankie Laine, Jerry Reed, Dale Hawkins, Simon Stokes and the Nighthawk and more surprising Electric Light Orchestra. The lack of originals (only two, one by Eddie Angel, an instrumental, and another one by Mark Winchester)  is not a problem for once these four men play a song it becomes instantly a Planet Rockers song.
With that album, the Planet Rockers are back to the one and only place they deserve, the top! Welcome back, guys, we missed ya a lot and don’t make us wait too long for the next one!

The Planet Rockers – Coming In Person

planet rockers

No Hit Records 005 [1991]
Trouble Up The Road – Big Wheel – Tennessee Woman – Big Daddy – One’s all the Law will Allow – Spin My Wheels – Gotta Rock – Truck’s Driver Rock – Yes I Do – Trouble Time

For a long while, the Rockabilly scene was dominated by the European bands. But in the end of the 80’s, all of sudden, the States took the bull by the horn and came back to claim their heritage with bands like Big Sandy, High Noon, Dave and Deke and of course the Planet Rockers.
Their debut album was an instant revelation. Coming from Nashville, they were as far as possible from the modern country sound that dominated the town and played a brand of rock’n’roll/rockabilly with a strong country rock feel and blues elements thrown in for good measure.
Their style sounded like a cross between Tex Rubinowitz (not surprinsing since Eddie Angel originally came from the Washington scene) and Sleepy LaBeef. The Planet Rockers were the agregation of four strong personalities, each bringing its own touch to forge their sound. On the front, their was Sonny George’s distinctive deep voice. Eddie Angel on guitar sounded like Scotty Moore, Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Earl Hooker and James Burton all rolled into one. 
The rhythm section was also top notch with Bill Swartz on drums and Mark Winchester on double bass (he later joined Brian Setzer).
Accept no substitute, this is the real sound of American Rock’n’roll. Essential with a capital E. 

Raw Deal (Paul Fenech, Nigel Lewis, Pat Panioty and Terry Earl)

Raw Deal - Pat Panioty, Paul Fenech, Nigel Lewis and Terry Earl.
Raw Deal – Pat Panioty, Paul Fenech, Nigel Lewis and Terry Earl.

Though Raw Deal lasted less than a year a performed something like 15 or 20 gigs together they remain a very important band in the burgeoning rockabilly scene of the late 70’s.
Raw Deal (named after the Junior Thompson’s song whose band was named… the Meteors) formed after Rock Therapy disbanded in mid 1979. Rock Therapy was Paul Fenech (guitar, vocals), Nigel Lewis (bass, guitar), Steve Burrough (guitar), Pete Taylor (guitar) and Rob Glazebrook (drums). Burrough and Taylor were the first to leave and soon Glazebrook announced he no longer wanted to play drums but guitar instead.
Through Nick Garrard Lewis and Fenech met Terry Earl who had left Flying Saucers. Earl brought Pat Panioty (who played in the Phantom and previously Rebound) and the Raw Deal was born.
All those who saw them were very impressed but sadly they never had a record out.
By all accounts they were very raw,  savage and wild, with Fenech and Lewis pushing the boundaries of traditionnal rockabilly which eventually led Terry Earl to leave in the first half of 1980 soon followed by Panioty.
Pat Panioty went on to form the Deltas, Earl joined the Dynamite band then the Rapiers and the Avengers and Fenech and Lewis recruited Mark Robertson and the Meteors were born. The rest, as they say, is history.