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The Jive Cats

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The Jive Cats – My Lovin’ Baby

MAC 107 [1977]
My Lovin’ Baby / Big Guy

I don’t know much about this Dutch band.The Jive Cats were two girls who sung in harmony. Both songs are penned by Norbert Balicki, aka Burt Allis. Maybe he also played some instruments on it, but I couldn’t find more info.
Anyway, this single is genuinely unique. It’s female Rockabilly at its finest. It’s short (the total time of both sides doesn’t exceed 2’20”) and goes straight to the point, though they never rush, and they manage to have two hot guitar solos on each side. The sound is raw and mainly acoustic, with just a light electric guitar.

the Jive Cats
The Jive Cats

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Archie

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Archie – Listen to What Archie Sez

Archie

Kix4U 4U2224 [1986]
Listen To What Archie Sez – Eat The Worm – The Creep – Steelcap Stomp – Radar Love – The Hottest Rod – Casting My Spell – In Search Of The Lost Prairie

Born out of the ashes of Honey Hush, Archie released a short yet powerful album in 1986 in a more modern vein. This is a total success on every level. The self-penned songs are excellent and original, each sounding different from the previous one. The two covers – Golden Earring’s Radar Love and a version of Castin’ My Spell clearly inspired by the Pirates – are very well-chosen. The production is top-notch, and the band’s musicianship allows them to go where they want to go. The drummer is one of the keys to their sound. He participates in creating the originality of the tunes with breaks, rolls on tom-tom etc. 
Moreover, there’s no room for weak songs with only eight tracks on this album.
With Listen to What Archie Sez, Archie released one of the landmarks of Psychobilly in the Netherlands. Strangely (and sadly), this album was their sole release.

The Radioactive Kid

Toxaemia

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Toxaemia – Invasion Of The Rubber Dolls

Jungle Noise – APECALL 003 [1990]
Pig Headed Woman – Get Out You Crazy Bitch – Friday Night 8 P.M. – All Alone – I Still Love You – Space Invaders – Doll(e) Nellie – Defloration – You And I – Midnight Cruise – Down In Memphis – Badge Of The Assisin – Toxic Blood

Even if Psychobilly was not a commercial genre compared to mainstream music, it sold well enough to see labels sign bands, even when the musical level of those bands was not up to the standards one can expect from a recording project. One of those bands was Toxaemia, a combo from the Netherland whose line-up consisted of Marco ‘Bigfoot’ Emmerig (Guitar, Lead Vocals), Frank ‘Fried’ Jager (Double Bass) and Björn ‘Yeti’ Cremer Drums, Backing Vocals.
There are very few things to save from their debut album.
Their singer sings with a high-pitch and croaky voice; imagine Mark Phillips mixed with Olga of the Toy Dolls but with the talent of none.
The band is not better, especially the guitar player, who is particularly uninspired. The songs are predictable, and for a band that doesn’t have many ideas, they manage to record songs that go beyond the four-minute mark (and they seem even longer.)
The final result sounds more like a joke between friends than an actual album.

The Radioactive Kid

Chessnuts (the)

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chessnuts

The Chessnuts – EP

chessnuts

NUTS – NUTS 001 [1989]
Lollipop Lover – Hungry For Your Lovin – Everlovin – Beyond The Sea

The Chessnuts were a Dutch band formed by Ronald Balten (vocal and double bass), Kees Stigter (vocal and lead guitar),  Jeroen Haagedoorn (vocal and rhythm guitar) and Jan Van Leeuwen (vocal and drums). This EP released in 1989 on their own Nuts Records contains four tracks. Danny Dill’s Hungry For Your Lovin’ is a traditional Rockabilly. They turn the Davis Sisters’ Everlovin into a soft Rockabilly tune with some doo-wop thrown in for good measure. Lollipop Lover (aka The Three Chuckles’ Cinnamon Sinner) and Beyond the Sea (Bobby Darin) show some jive influences and wouldn’t be out of place on a Keytones album.
Jan van Leeuwen later played with the Haystack Hi-Tones and Jess’n’Jill and the Sinners and both Kees Stigter and Jeroen Haagedoorn formed the Barnstompers.

Fred ‘Virgil’ Turgis

Bugaloos (the)

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bugaloos

The Bugaloos – In the Mood

bugaloos

Rockhouse Records – ROCKCD9318 [1993]

Rockabye Boogie – Most Of All – Be Bop Baby – Baby I Love You So – At The Old Town Hal – Love Me – Rocky Road Blues – In The Mood – Crazy Real Gone Blues – Bye Bye Blues – Frankie’s Out On Patrol – You Can Do No Wrong

The Bugaloos were a three piece female harmony band from the Netherland, featuring Lil’ Esther.
Their sound was a mix of “sisters” bands (Fontane, Davis, Dinning, Miller) as well as Nita, Rita and Ruby with a dash of Rockabilly à la Collins Kids thrown in for good measure.

In the Mood is their second album and benefits of the presence of Jelle aka Joe Sixpack (who later joined the Ranch Girls and the Ragtime Wranglers) on guitar. This guy is one the great masters of the Rockabilly guitar on the modern scene next to pickers like Deke Dickerson, TK Smith. He brings rockabilly to their swing and swing to their rockabilly.

All songs are covers but the band is good enough to always turn them into something new and interesting. Even an ear worm like In the Mood that makes me cringe even when played by Bob Wills is pleasant here. But how could you resist to the charm produced by the sweet voices of those three girls.
From Hillbilly bop with a hint of western swing to a sweet ballad with Rockabilly in between and a bit of jazz, you’ll sure enjoy this moment with the Bugaloos.

After the Bugaloos disbanded Esther and Marga formed Jess’n’Jill & the Sinners before singing as a solo act. Read more about all that here.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Bugaloos with Lil Esther
The Bugaloos
Bugaloos
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