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Italy

Johnny Loda Trio

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Johnny Loda Trio – Godforsaken Land

Part Records – 675.002
Fish Outta Water – Holiday – Hotrod Cafe – The Rockin’ Gipsy – Its Always A Sunny Day – Her Love Rubbed Off – Godforsaken Land – Johnny’s FXR – There Was A Time – BBQ Ribs Party – Summertime Blues – Tribute Bands – Surfin’ Cowboys – Marina – Funnel Of Love

Released in 2012, this album of the Johnny Loda Trio features Ettore Chiavinato, aka Johnny Loda, on guitars and vocals, Davide Boschetti on bass, and Renato Ardizzoni on drums. Rick Miller of Southern Culture On The Skids mixed it and Dave Harris, who worked with the Reverend Horton Heat and Hank Williams III, mastered it.
Godforsaken Land is one hot rocking platter on which one can hear the influences of Ronnie Dawson, The Paladins and Brian Setzer. The band mixes with success Rockabilly, Blues and Country and Western, some with a pedal steel guitar.
Most of the songs are Loda’s originals (ten out of fifteen), and they’re excellent. Actually, except for Ronnie Dawson’s Fish Outa Water, the covers are pretty well known (Funnel Of Love, Summertime Blues, Her Love Rubbed Off, The Rockin’ Gipsy) and don’t bring much to the records.There’s a booklet with the lyrics, which is an excellent idea, as Loda tries to avoid the usual Rock’n’roll cliches like “Drivin’ in my hot rod with my tattooed pin-up” if you see what I mean.
For example, Tribute Band is a rant at all those types of bands that ends with “Please kill me if I’ll play in a tribute band”. Perfect!

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Rockin’ Bonnie & the Rot Gut Shots

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Rockin' Bonnie - Cocktail Jubilee
Rockin’ Bonnie – Cocktail Jubilee

Rockin’ Bonnie & the Rot Gut Shots – Cocktail Jubilee

El Toro ETCD3024 {2009}
Bell Bottom Boogie – Gotta Honky Tonk – What Am I Worth – Kitty Kat Corner – All Of This – Burnin’ – I’m Hurtin’ Again – I Love Booze – I Wanna Make Love – I Heard About You – I Start Messin’ Around- Juke Box Blues – Papa Boogie – Bring Along Your Lovin’ – Time’s A Waistin’
The debut album of this young Italian lady was one of the good surprise of 2009.
 Backed by a bunch of well know faces who happen to be brilliant musicians too (including Nuno from the Boppin’ Boozers on slap bass, Max from the Starlighters who wrote six originals- on guitar and steel guitar, Manuel from Hot Tubes on drums and Jerry on piano from too many bands to mention here).
The band takes great advantage of Jerry’s pounding piano and opens the set with the fantastic Bell Bottom Boogie. The core of the set is made of hillbilly and hillbilly boogie, some very rural (I Heard About You), others with fine bluesy licks (I Wanna Make Love), but you also find country waltz with harmonies (All Of This close to the early Ranch Girls stuff), wild rock’n’roll with Jerry in full Jerry Lee mode (Burnin’), rockabilly (I’m Hurtin’ Again, Kitty Kat Corner), jazz (I Love Booze) a bit of western swing (Papa Boogie).
As said before the musicianship is top notch, but that’s Sabrina (Rockin’ Bonnie)’s voice that steals the show. She rocks like Lorrie Collins, has the country flair of Patsy Cline and shares with June Carter the same fun and abandon.
Highly recommended.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Boppin’ Kids

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The Boppin' Kids - Still Rockin' EP
The Boppin’ Kids – Still Rockin’ EP

The Boppin’ Kids – Still Rockin’

[1987]
Maybe One Day – You’ll Never Loose – Brand New Cadillac

This is the first recordings made by this Italian band and it’s a good neo-rockabilly Ep typical of the sound of the mid-80’s. “Maybe One Day” falls somewhere between Frenzy’s earliest work, Dave Phillips and Restless, “You’ll Never Loose” is faster and leans more toward psychobilly and Batmobile. The last song is a cover of Brand New Cadillac and is not quite as good as the other two.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Starliters – Stop Kiddin’

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the Starliters - Stop Kiddin'
the Starliters – Stop Kiddin’

El Toro3023
Come On Stroll – Don’t Wanna Fly Back Home – I’ll Do It Every Time – I’ll Never Be Your Man – I’m Not A Kid Anymore – I’m Wasting My Time – It’s All Your Fault – Little Grass Shack – Long Gone Train – Once Again With You – Take And Give – Tennessee Local – The Honky Tonk Dream – This Chick Drinks More Than Me – Where My Little Love Has Gone – Who Who Boogie

There’s not that much Italian bands, but quantity doesn’t matter, quality does. And you’ll find quality with the Starliters. Featuring members from the Tribal Bops, this combo has, since the mid 90’s established a solid reputation with releases on On The Hill and Tail. With 16 tracks and 9 originals, their latest release is loaded with excitment, joy and first class musicianship. You’ll find a stroller (the opening track), two wild and frantic rockers (Don’t Wanna Fly Back Home and I’m Wasting My Time), hillbilly boogie (Who Who Boogie and Tennessee Local sung by drummer Frank who is very close to Tenneessee Ernie Ford; both featuring guest Jerry Boogie on piano), western swing (Cindy Walker’s It’s All Your Fault, the excellent This Chick drinks more than me), a ballad (Once again with you) and a BR5-49 type of song (Honky Tonk Dream) and some excellent covers (especially Johnny Horton’s I do it everytime). Icing on the cake,  Rockin’ Bonnie joins force to sing duet on the classic Take and Give.
Available at El Toro
Fred “Virgil” Turgis