The band was formed in the summer of 2000 during Ghent’s (surfcity Belgium) famous surf explosion. They originally played more traditional surf rock like Dick Dale, Bobby Fuller Four, The Chantays, Surfaris, the Ventures, Lively Ones and Blue Hawaïians. You can hear these influences on their first studio session which was recorded at the end of 2000 at yellow tape studio. Later on they developed a more trashy sound with more garage and sixties influences and started to write their own tunes. Some of which were even used for publicity clips and for soundtracks by a local cinema chain and a German hot rod magazine.The High spot of 2001 for the band was when they did the support for British Garage Gods The Prisoners, but the band also gigged with a number of cool surf bands like Jon & The Nightriders, Slacktone, The Wangs among others, all the time they were honing their sound and finding their own place among these contemporaries.
Speedball JR continue to Gig all over Europe, bringing their intense reverb soaked liveshow to festivals and venues near you! So put on your shrunken head necklace, steal your grannies ironing board and surf on down to a venue near YOU!!! - Ike Andrews, Café the fairplayers, Ghent, 2006
Speedball JR consists of Frantic Fre on guitar, Beatgirl AleXandra on Bass, Freaky Frank on drums and Nitro Nikky on hammond.trax:
1. U69 2. Inferno 3. Orient Express 4. Laguna Beach 5. Scalped 6. What a Way to Run a Railroad 7. Sudden Billy 8. El Camino 9. Caramba! 10. Pipeline 11. Le Chat Noir 12. Rudolph's Secret
...With plenty of traditional C&W riffs underscored by the brilliant pedal steel of one-time Ernest Tubb steel player Buddy Charleton and the powerful piano of Mitch Collins, this project is more than mere buried treasure that contemporary radio overlooked. Kirchen, a living legend of sorts, takes a very broad stance and combines the best elements of C&W, hillbilly, blues, rockabilly, and honky tonk music to come up with cuts like "Bottle Baby Boogie," a rip-it-up rockabilly tune that shows off Kirchen's guitar master skills, and "All Tore Up," another rocker. The Farrell-Preston song "Fool on a Stool" is given an outstanding retooling with plenty of steel that is true to the tenants of C&W music. Covering Johnny Horton's hit "One Woman Man" is a brave move that comes off convincingly and sounding as honest as the original. Teaming up with bassman Jeff Sari and wife Louise Kirchen, this triple threat not only displays Bill Kirchen's songwriting skills, but a spectacular piece of music in "Secrets of Love." Also noteworthy is "Think It Over," a Donley-Meaux tune that is haunting in the hands of a master. With a nod to friend Nick Lowe, Kirchen adds the beautiful harmony vocals of Louise to his own multi-faceted vocal style on Lowe's "Without Love," to come up with a moment that leaves time standing still. A mighty accomplishment in musical terms. This disc is only an indication of what the future holds for one of the few solid survivors of the country-rock phenomenon of the 1970s. With all his talent on display here, it is easy to understand why Kirchen has survived, even in the face of the '90s pop-bubblegum-country cookie-cutter mentality. - AllMusic Review by Jana Pendragon
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...Indeed, Colin Escott’s entertaining liner notes relate how Sun’s promo man set up a meeting with Jerry Lee to talk about improving his image, but the Ferriday Fireball skipped out early; he had to catch a double feature of “Return Of The Werewolf” and “The Bride Of Frankenstein Meets Godzilla”!! Jerry Lee turns in fabulous versions of “Bonnie B’, plus solid rock ‘n’ roll and rockin’ hillbilly. (Frank Scott)
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... The first full CD “Whiplash” was recorded in 2003 at Zamans Catfarm studio and was released by Drunkabilly Records. The album consisted of eight self penned tracks some of which are already considered classics, and two covers [Pullout: Fré.74 on guitar and Beatgirl AleXandra on Bass.] from the English band The Charles Napiers. This album is also available on vinyl. The Sleeve design is a masterpiece of hotrod trashart by Mighty Sam the renowned graphic artist. This album also includes a video which was shown on the TMF, the Belgian MTV.
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…Rockin' Big Sandy compiles 15 cuts from six albums he cut for the Hightone label (including his solo album devoted to R&B and doo wop covers), along with one non-LP single (the "X-Rated" version of "Backdoor Dan," which achieves a truly impressive filth level -- the more "family-friendly" version from Feelin' Kinda Lucky is also included). While this compilation is something less than ideal -- the sound of the records involved is often different, and the jump from the punchy "Yama Yama Pretty Mama" to the comparatively sparse "Hey Lowdown!" could have been smoothed out with a better sequence or more careful mastering -- it's a fine introduction to Big Sandy's sound, and every cut shows off his strong voice, buoyant vocal style, and superb taste in backing musicians to their advantage. The original albums are more cohesive, but if you're looking for a sampler or a one-stop overview of his back catalog, Rockin' Big Sandy is just what you need, and it sure lives up to its title. (Mark Deming, Allmusic)
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Here's the bootleg in 320kbps MP3. I had a four-track, 3-mic setup to record my friend's band, and I figured why not roll on Ugly Beats as well? - Billy K
Surf punk deluxe, like Dick Dale teaming up with the Dead Kennedys and delivering high speed instrumentals - three songs Feature guest singers from The Peacocks, Jancee Pornick Casino and My Favourite Mixtape. - cdbaby
...Usually, these are stripped down so they rely on acoustic instruments, but that doesn't mean this is a typical "unplugged" release, one that showcases the group's unacknowledged sensitive side. No, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys still can cook with gas here -- "Missouri Gal" genuinely grooves, "Glad When I'm Gone" skips along like good bluegrass -- and this variety helps keep the record kicking, while underscoring how one of the group's great strengths is their versatility. At their heart, they're country-rockers, but they can play almost any kind of American roots music -- "(You Mean) Too Much to Me" uncannily captures the ghostliness of Elvis Presley's Sun sessions, while "I Know I've Loved You Before" crackles with Tex-Mex -- and this anniversary album may showcase this skill better than any one of their studio albums. - AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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Get Hip proudly presents the outstanding Debut album by Austin, TX. Hottest Garage combo. Each and every beat on this platter was carefully designed to make your hips swing and your feet shake. Now you dont have to travel to Austin, Texas to experience the off-the-hook farfisa-infected sounds of The Ugly Beats. Just drop the needle in the groove and let your feet do the rest. The heartfelt vocals and tight rhythms on all 10 originals and 2 covers (Easybeats and dutch Outsiders) will be reason enough to convince you that this band is the new garage real deal! The Ugly Beats are one of the grooviest, slamminest, poundinest, wailinest garage bands to ever come out of Texas and here´s your invitation to their consummate dance party. Entertainment guaranteed! from soundflat
The Ugly Beats:
21st Century Surf, a very danceable mixture of twang guitars, punk power and melodies as big as the ocean that sounds like Dick Dale on speed. - cdbaby
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...It's truly a matinee, a relaxing visit to another time and place, ideal for a hot summer afternoon. "Spanish Dagger"'s seductive bossa nova beats and the Byrds-esque "Ruby Jane" conjure up the image of relaxing poolside -- the taste of a cold pilsner coupled with the scent of sunscreen and perspiration. Fans of Big Sandy's dedication to and affection for the "golden age" of American music will be pleased as the veteran utilizes his talents to spotlight a variety of the band's influences, such as classic soul music, which hadn't made such a standout appearance on previous albums. Turntable Matinee incorporates folk-rock, '60s-era Memphis soul, rockabilly, and retro swing, all floating along smooth waves provided by a solid rhythm section (deeply rooted in plunks of an upright bass) and perfectly placed pedal steel. Big Sandy taps traditional country influences in "Lonesome Dollar," with welcome licks on the ol' dobro. But the album's "most unique" award goes to the catchy, saxophone-infused Memphis soul track "Slippin' Away." Its active bass and saxophone medleys could easily have broken onto radio waves during soul's bygone heyday. The album's energy peaks and dips throughout its entirety, beginning and ending with separate but nearly identical (with the exception of length and improvisation) versions of the fiery rockabilly number "Power of the 45" (the title of which introduces and perpetuates the album's vinyl affinity). The tune is addictive, with an intriguing chord progression and catchy shuffle -- a common theme throughout the album. Though clearly worth mention, "Power of the 45" isn't the only song on the album that will give you a lead foot on the highway, but it does stand out from the album's more unhurried crooners, such as "I Know I've Loved You Before" -- a song that's more or less begging for a slow dance. The album's instrumentalism, though radiant as it is, takes a back seat at points in "The Great State of Misery" when Big Sandy's classic storytelling and clever lyricism ride shotgun. "Tears are fallin' tonight as her pen runs dry/The train is calling to bid Missouri good-bye/Seventeen and tired of crying/Doesn't drive, scared of flying/California feels so far away today/From the great state of misery." It's a classy retro tune tinged with twang, canting the tale of a pretty young Midwestern lass yearning for a more exciting life in California, as they often do. Turntable Matinee is another smooth, solid, and catchy tip of the hat from Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys to days unfortunately gone by, a tribute to the vinyl era in the iPod age. - AllMusic Review by Megan Frye
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Out of the same mold as L.A.'s Paisley Underground bands, True West didn't fit because they were from Davis, CA (operating out of the nearby nexus for guitar bands, San Francisco) and a little darker and less dreamy than the others. They debuted with True West, an EP in 1983 on Bring Out Your Dead Records. It was produced by the band's Russ Tolman and the Dream Syndicate's Steve Wynn. Hollywood Holiday, released by France's then-very hip New Rose label that same year, contained the debut EP as well as some new tracks. By 1984, the band signed a deal with U.S. indie label PVC for Drifters. Drummer Josef Becker left to join the similar, though darker California-centric roots band Thin White Rope, and after recording, so too did Tolman. 1986's Hand of Fate for CD Presents features guitar work by the Rain Parade's Matt Piucci and Green on Red's Chuck Prophet in place of Tolman. Shortly after, the band called it quits. West Side Story (Skyclad, 1989) is an odds-and-sods collection, Best Western (Skyclad, 1990) a compilation of of old demos, and TV Western (Skyclad, 1990) adds some live tracks to the demo sessions. Singer Gavin Blair and guitarist Richard McGrath worked as Fool Killers after the breakup, and Tolman is a prolific singer / songwriter. Becker went on to play with Game Theory. The group's bassist was Kevin Staydohar. - Artist Biography by Denise Sullivan
True West was an American rock band that originated in 1982 in Davis, California. They were considered part of the Paisley Underground, a psychedelic-inspired rock music movement in California during the 1980s.
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There’s no beach in the area of Wiesbaden, Germany and the sun doesn’t shine too much, but with the love of surfmusic in their hearts, the four musicians Rob RAZORBLADE lead guitar, Rocco RAZORBLADE rhythm guitar, Ray RAZORBLADE bass guitar and Romeo RAZORBLADE drums created a style that is now known as 21st Century Surf. a very danceable mixture of twang guitars, punk power and melodies as big as the ocean. Influences range from old school master Dick Dale to Neo-Surf acts like Slacktone and The Mermen. - from cdbaby
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„There‘s too much mainstream“ says Rob Razorblade, Guitarist, Songwriter and Mastermind behind THE RAZORBLADES“. Everybody listens to the same music, watches the same crap on TV and follows the latest social media trend. We prefer to do things our own way... that’s what Rock ’n Roll is all about, being different from the rest of the world.”
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...That having been said, the '90s revivals of genres such as swing and ska have taught us that it's one thing to approximate the sounds of a stylish era, but it's a whole different thing to play traditional music really well. This releases attests to the fact that Big Sandy and company do just that -- in fact, they inhabit it, from Western swing to doo-wop to R&B. And if that doesn't mean anything to you, no matter. On this six-song album, recorded after the members of the group came back from a sabbatical to explore other projects, all you have to do is listen to the big man sing. The velvet-throated Big Sandy is a vocalist and songwriter of the highest order. Highlights include "First and Last Blues," "Buddy I Ain't Buyin'," and "It's a Mystery to Me." - AllMusic Review by Erik Hage
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The Q’s first full-length release, The Deep End [1981], reissued in 2001 as a deluxe CD, was an immediate classic of the new creative pop sound being forged in Atlanta and Athens at the turn of that decade. The band signed with A & M Records in 1984 and released two highly acclaimed albums, The Swimming Pool Q’s [1984], produced by David Anderle with Ed Stasium, and Blue Tomorrow [1986], produced by Mike Howlett. "Visionary pop eccentrics from Atlanta," noted Melody Maker. "Some of the most compelling rock sounds in all of America...lofty architectural style distinguished by the elegant and muscular guitar duets between Jeff Calder and Bob Elsey and [Anne] Boston's rhapsodic alto phrasings," said The Village Voice. In Rolling Stone, Kurt Loder wrote, "Overlaid with Calder's unusually literate songwriting sensibility, this musical melange is one of the freshest sounds coming out of the South." The Swimming Pool Q's were chosen as support act for LOU REED on his New Sensations comeback tour. from: http://www.swimmingpoolqs.com/
Surf music for the 21st century: Powerful, twangy, reverbed guitars, a stompin´beat and the hottest rhythm section in european surf music paired with all original songs that tell tales of the waves. - cdbaby
…Recorded with pianist Dewey Terry, one-half of the '50s rock & roll duo Don & Dewey, the album features what is perhaps Big Sandy's finest vocal work to date, with lovely and soulful performances of largely forgotten ballads like "Lonely Guy," "Gloria," and "Death of an Angel." Clearly a labor of love, Dedicated to You is one solo project that's driven not by ego but by genuine affection, as well as an honest desire to try something new. - AllMusic Review by Jason Ankeny
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…These are anything but leftovers, however -- indeed, they constitute the best Desmond / Hall album since Take Ten, more varied in texture and mood, and by and large more inspired in solo content, than Bossa Antigua and Glad to Be Unhappy. As a near-ideal example of this collaboration at its intuitive peak, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" opens with Hall paraphrasing the tune, and Desmond comes in on the bridge with a perfectly timed rejoinder that sounds as if he's asking a question. "Here's That Rainy Day" is another apt match of a standard to Desmond's sophisticated personality; he is at his dry, jaunty best on the uptempo "That Old Feeling"; and both have a ball jamming on the blues in Desmond's wry, quick "Blues for Fun." [Some reissues add a pair of outtakes, plus "Rude Old Man."] - AllMusic Review by Richard S. Ginell
This is a fine compilation of tracks from the formative years of one of Austin's most unique instro bands. While all of the tracks on this disc are previously unreleased, some were circulated as demos in the early days. A splendid set of music, and well past due seeing the light of day! Thanks to Howard Raucous for putting this out. - Phil Dirt
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...The band's spartan instrumentation leaves nothing for a weak vocalist to hide behind; luckily, Big Sandy has a rich, cultivated tenor that harks back to the glory days of Tommy Duncan while also invoking some of Hank Williams' haunted edginess. He also has an amazing idiomatic facility -- without looking at the liner notes, it's difficult to distinguish the oldies from the originals on any of the band's three albums. Their third release departs not at all from the band's winning signature style: steel player Lee Jeffriess carries on a constant good-natured duel with lead guitarist Ashley Kingman (whose bag of jazzy licks is seemingly bottomless), while Sandy croons above and the bull fiddle and drums hold things down gently below. The only letdown is a touch of fatigue that slips through Big Sandy's voice from time to time -- it's as if he tires out as the album progresses. By the end of "Backdoor Dan," the album's closer, he sounds a little bit like Bootsy Collins. Which, actually, is kind of cool in a twisted sort of way. If you had to pick just one Big Sandy record, go with the debut -- but there's no reason not to own 'em all. - AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson
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...The latter was nothing new in the world of psychobilly, of course, and Heat's music certainly kept the trashy aesthetic of his spiritual forebears. The Reverend's true innovation was updating the psychobilly sound for the alternative rock era. In his hands, it was something more than retro-obsessed kitsch -- it had roaring distorted guitars, it rocked as hard as any punk band, and it didn't look exclusively to pop culture of the past for its style or subject matter. Most of the Reverend's lyrics were gonzo celebrations of sex, drugs, booze, and cars, and true to his name, his concerts often featured mock sermons in the style of a rural revivalist preacher. The band's initial recordings were released by that bastion of indie credibility, Sub Pop, at the height of the grunge craze; after a spell on the major label Interscope, the Reverend Horton Heat returned to the independent world, still a highly profitable draw on the concert circuit.
After several years of development, Mark Stultz' band the Sandblasters has delivered a very solid CD of crunchy Spanish influenced western visionary surf and twang. The thing that struck me about this disc is the quality of the performance. It is not just solid, but Mark doesn't need to rely on volume of speed. Much of the material is mid tempo, yet it's powerful and magnetic. His bandmates Spencer Clarke - drums, and Drew Shuller - bass provide a crisp foundation. Much like Mark's work here, it is conspicuous in it's most appropriate and well defined support role, instead of obviated by the players egos. There is a definite sense of ensemble here. Most of the songs are longer, some are quite dramatic, all are very artful. Solid CD. - Phil Dirt
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...Big Sandy (born Robert Williams) grew up listening to his parents' collection of jump blues records. Inspired by the rockabilly revival of the early '80s, he began to perform with a variety of neo-rockabilly bands in southern California. Formed as a trio in 1988, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys soon expanded to its lineup featuring Wally Hersom (bass), Lee Jeffriess (steel guitar), Ashley Kingman (guitar), and Bobby Trimble (drums). Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys represent an international collaboration with Kingman and Jeffriess hailing from the U.K. Although they released two albums as Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Trio, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys' proper debut album, Jumping from 6 to 6, was produced by ex-Blasters guitarist Dave Alvin. While their second album, Swingin' West, released in 1995, focused on the Western swing influences on their sound, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys took a more eclectic approach with their effort Feelin' Kinda Lucky, released in 1997.
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It's just me having fun with my 45's and whatever random record I pull out of the boxes. I will try to give both sides of the 45 unless one side is dull, unbearable or unplayable. I hope you enjoy. (Gyro1966)
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Instrumental Surf Spy-Fi Spaghetti Western Space Cowboy Experimental Art Rock for Life's Adventures. The Sandblasters are an Austin, Texas band that play original Spanish and Tex Mex influenced western visionary surf and twang. The songs on this 1st CD "Space BBQ" are all original, written by Mark Stultz and recorded at the legendary Cedar Creek Studios in Austin, TX. Engineered by Tim Dittmar and produced by the Sandblasters Sandblasters have played with Dick Dale, Man or Astroman MOAM, Southern Culture on the Skids SCOTS, the Mermen, Deadbolt, Slacktone and at SXSW. Their music has appeared as soundtracks on Jon Keeyes Hyland Myst films, MTV Games and Reality shows and PBS specials.
...Big Sandy (born Robert Williams) grew up listening to his parents' collection of jump blues records. Inspired by the rockabilly revival of the early '80s, he began to perform with a variety of neo-rockabilly bands in southern California. Formed as a trio in 1988, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys soon expanded to its lineup featuring Wally Hersom (bass), Lee Jeffriess (steel guitar), Ashley Kingman (guitar), and Bobby Trimble (drums). Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys represent an international collaboration with Kingman and Jeffriess hailing from the U.K. Although they released two albums as Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Trio, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys' proper debut album, Jumping from 6 to 6, was produced by ex-Blasters guitarist Dave Alvin. While their second album, Swingin' West, released in 1995, focused on the Western swing influences on their sound, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys took a more eclectic approach with their effort Feelin' Kinda Lucky, released in 1997.
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