JOHN FELICE & THE LOWDOWNS - Nothing Pretty

JOHN FELICE & THE LOWDOWNS Nothing Pretty  LP/CD  1988 

Don't Be Telling Me / Ain't We Having Fun / I'll Never Sing That Song Again / Not The One / Perfect Love / Nowadaze Kids / Nothing Pretty / Dreams / Don't Make Me Wait / Can't Play It Safe
Produced by Richard W. Harte.

John Felice & The Lowdowns: John Felice: guitar, vocal / Martin Paul Rowland : bass, vocal / Billy Borgioli : guitar, vocal / Pete Taylor : drums.

John Felice will always be best known as the beer-fueled, hot-wired frontman for Boston proto-punks the Real Kids, but that band's work didn't represent the full range of his musical abilities, and in 1987, with the Kids temporarily on the rocks, Felice offered fans another look at himself with his short-lived solo project, John Felice & the Lowdowns. With the Lowdowns, Felice wrote tough but thoughtful songs about broken hearts, busted lives, and the dark side of life in rock & roll, and he put ten of them on wax with the album Nothing Pretty. But for an album that dealt so strongly with lives gone wrong, it was sadly appropriate that the album died before it ever had a chance -- it was released by Ace of Hearts the same day their distributor went bankrupt, which prevented nearly the entire press run from ever reaching stores. It's a shame that it has taken 16 years for the album to finally get a proper release in the United States (thanks to longtime Real Kids boosters Norton Records), but a listen to the disc proves it was worth the wait -- conjuring up a stripped-down ghost of the Rolling Stones with its lean, guitar-based sound (built around the intertwined guitars of Felice and fellow Real Kid Billy Borgioli), "Nothing Pretty" is a superb piece of street-smart, no-frills rock & roll, and Felice has never shone brighter as a songwriter, especially on the bitter junkie's lament "Ain't We Having Fun," the post-breakup kiss-off "Not the One," and the heartbreaking "I'll Never Sing That Song Again," a sad but unsentimental look at a rocker nearing the end of his creative road. In his liner notes for the reissue, Felice says, "I am still more proud of this work than anything I have ever done," and it's not hard to see why -- on "Nothing Pretty", he dug deep into his heart and soul and came up with a minor masterpiece, and while it may have slipped though the cracks before, there's no reason for anyone who cares about smart but hard-edged rock to pass it by this time. Source

Entre Real Kids, Taxi Boys, Primevals, Devotions puis Real Kids à nouveau, voici venir, en 1987, dans la chaotique "carrière"  de John Felice, les Lowdowns ! En fait un album solo de John Felice épaulé par la guitare de Billy Borgioli. Un lp qui reçut de bien mauvaises critiques!

Etait-ce le son ? La noiceur des textes ? Ou l'époque qui commençait à sérieusement merder ?

Il y avait pourtant toujours "...haut perchée, avec juste ce qu’il faut de fêlure, l’incroyable voix de Felice." , comme le disait si bien Monique Sabatier dans le N° 25 de Nineteen,  biblique fanzine des 80's !
Comble de malchance le distributeur de l'historique label Bostonien Ace Of Hearts fit faillite juste avant la sortie prévue de l'album ! New Rose sauvera les meubles et sortira "Nothing Pretty" en France mais les compatriotes de John Felice durent attendre que Norton s'y colle en 2004!

Il va falloir réévaluer ce disque car il contient de grandes chansons: John Felice n'en a jamais écrit une seule mauvaise !

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THE DEL FUEGOS - The Longest Day

THE DEL FUEGOS  The Longest Day  LP/CD  1984/2008
Nervous And Shakey / Backseat Nothing / Should Be The One / Missing You / Anything You Want / When The News Is On / Longest Day / Out For A Ride / Mary Don't Change / Have You Forgotten / Call My Name.
Produced by Mitchell Froom.
The Del Fuegos: Dan Zanes: lead vocals, guitar / Warren Zanes: guitar / Tom Lloyd: bass, vocals / Brent "Woody" Giessmann: drums, vocals + Mitchell Froom: keyboards / Jorge Bermudez: percussion.

Kicking up a ruckus on the more garage-oriented side of the 1980s' roots rock boom, the Del Fuegos were a four-piece band from Boston who (at least for a time) won critical favor and a loyal cult following at home and on the road for their passionate, no-frills style. Formed in 1980, the Del Fuegos consisted of guitarist and singer Dan Zanes, his brother Warren Zanes on guitar, bassist Tom Lloyd, and drummer Steve Morrell. Steady gigging on the Boston club circuit won the band a potent local reputation, which began to spread along the East Coast with the band's first few low-budget tours. While the Del Fuegos began recording an album for legendary local label Ace of Hearts Records, in 1984 the famed Los Angeles indie Slash Records stepped in and signed them, releasing their first album, "The Longest Day", in the fall of that year. By this time, Steve Morrell had parted ways with the band, and former Embarrassment percussionist Woody Giessmann had taken over the drum kit. One of the first albums produced by former Ronnie Montrose keyboard man Mitchell Froom, The Longest Day's mixture of attitude, guitar firepower, and heart-on-the-sleeve emotion clicked with both critics and fans, and the Del Fuegos seemed poised for a commercial breakthrough with their second album, 1985's "Boston, Mass".

While "Don't Run Wild" and "I Still Want You" earned some radio and MTV airplay and the album received rave reviews, it wasn't the hit some were hoping for, and the more self-consciously hip members of the music world began to turn their backs on the band after it appeared in a widely seen beer commercial. The band began reaching for a more ambitious sound and wider musical range on its third album, but 1987's "Stand Up" received harsh reviews and little support from fans, despite the Del Fuegos' appearance on an extended tour with noted fan Tom Petty (who also guested on "Stand Up"), in which the group shared the opening slot with the Replacements. After Stand Up's disappointing reception, Woody Giessmann and Warren Zanes both quit the Del Fuegos, and the band was dropped by Slash. In 1989, Dan Zanes and Tom Lloyd decided to give the band another chance, bringing aboard guitarist Adam Roth and drummer Joe Donnelly and cutting a new album, "Smoking in the Fields", but while critics were kinder to the new set than "Stand Up", the album was a commercial bust, and within a year the Del Fuegos were history. Dan Zanes went on to a solo career and in time found success with a series of acclaimed children's albums, while Warren Zanes returned to music in 2002 after many years in academia with a fine solo album, "Memory Girls". Allmusic.com

The Del Fuegos were proud sons of Boston, Massachusetts, but you might not have guessed that by listening to their debut album, The Longest Day, which mixed the swaggering thunder of heartland garage rock with the rootsy twang of Dixie-fried rockabilly and roots-conscious rock 'n' roll. While the band would later claim that producer Mitchell Froom slicked back their sound considerably from that of their raucous club shows, which earned them their hometown reputation, the results actually capture the band's swing and stomp without an excess of sonic affectation (something that would later become Froom's hallmark), reveling in the crack of Brent "Woody" Giessmann's drums, and the bark of Dan and Warren Zanes' guitars. And if Dan and Warren's songs didn't exactly stretch the boundaries of early rock archetypes, they honored the traditions in the best ways -- by playing roots rock with sweat, fire, good humor, and a lot of heart and soul. And you just can't argue the genius of this line from "When The News Is On": "And sometimes love is a lot like a shoe/ You run around too much and it'll fall apart." The Longest Day isn't the sort of album likely to change the way you look at rock and roll, but it will probably remind you why you love the stuff, and that's more than enough reason to slap it into your stereo and turn it up. Allmusic.com

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HEALERS - Secret Show

HEALERS  Secret Show  CD/LP  1990
01 Wildfire / 02 Ghosts / 03 Secret Show / 04 Blood / 05 What I Said / 06 Margaret / 07 Goodbye Joe / 08 That's The Way Charlie Goes / 09 Gutterward Angel / 10 It Ain't Me Babe / 11 Dark Country (cd bonus track).
Produced by Healers & Norbert Roth.
Healers: Graig Hallsworth: guitar, vocals / Jim Butterworth: bass, vocals / Miles Hitchcock: drums / Tony Vespoli: guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals / Lorne Clements (tracks 6 to 8): keyboards.
After the the Bamboos' split , Graig Hallsworth went on to form The Healers with Tony Vespoli (lead guitar), Jim Butterworth (bass, vocals) and Miles Hitchcock (drums).The Healers played driving rock'n'roll with Johnny Thunders-inspired lead guitar laid over the top. The band issued two 12-inch EPs, `Wildfire' and `Dark Country' (both 1990), plus the album 'Secret Show' on the Rattlesnake label.

"...There are other drawbacks in Perth as well. Perth is like haunted by the ghost of the Triffids immensely. I would say that true good rock and roll bands, there's only two good true rock and roll bands in the whole of Perth. One of them is the Kryptonics and the other is this band called the Healers, that you'll probably hear about because I think they're going to have a mini album out. The thing about the Healers is that it's Craig Hallsworth from the Bamboos, it's his new band, and they're absolutely great. He's written some fantastic songs, heaps better songs than he wrote in the Bamboos, that's for sure. But nearly all the bands that form here are like acoustic-y sort of arty pop bands or they're like jangly American-style power pop bands, which is really popular in Perth, mainly because of the Stems and the Someloves and bands like that. But the Triffids have had an influence on Perth music which is a real pain in the ass because not a lot of people really dig rock and roll. It's strange, Perth's not a rock and roll town at all. We'll do a gig at one of the best venues in town, and we'll promote it really well, and we get a reasonable crowd, but a lot of them sit on the floor because they're so used to going to see these sort of arty, acoustic sort of acts that they can't rock out to and cut loose, so they come and sit on the floor. But we do a gig and we're up on stage rocking out really loud and there's piles of people sitting on the floor. It's just absolutely stupid...."
Ian Underwood (Kryptonics, etc) interview by Steve Gardner in Noise For Heroes
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Thanks to Mr D. !

DOGMATICS - 1981-86

DOGMATICS 1981-86  CD 1996
01 Sister Serena / 02 You Say / 03 MTV O.D. / 04 King Size Cigarette / 05 Gimme The shakes / 06 Pussy Whipped / 07 Good Looking Girls / 08 Hardcore Rules / 09 Shithouse / 10 Everything Went Bad / 11 Cry Myself To Sleep / 12 Teenage Lament / 13 Saturday Night Again* / 14 Drinking By The Pool / 15 My Little Sister's Got a Motorbike / 16 Thayer St.* / 17 Tell Me / 18 Public Service / 19 Rockabilly Ramble / 20 Sex Bomb.
Produced by Johnny Angel except * produced by Jonathan Paley.
Dogmatics:  Jerry Lehane: guitar, vocals / Peter O'Halloran: guitar, vocals / Paul O'Halloran: bass, vocals / Tommy Long: drums + Johnny Goetchius & Brother Cleeve: piano (12 & 13) / Skin Tones Horn Section: Mike Evans: sax / Carlo Tacky: trumpet / Bill Murphy: trombone (01) / Johnny Angel: lead guitar (04 & 06) / Steve LeGrega: sax (05).

The Dogmatics were no different than any other talentless, self deprecating, beer swilling, girl chasing lunk-heads with guitars. They were young, selfless, and affable. Playing was the only thing that mattered. Money, of course, was unexpectedly welcomed but catching a girl’s eye, a free round of drinks, or simply completing a song in unison were their rewards.

The sound and sight of the Dogmatics was consummate, raucous rock and roll – three minute spurts of high energy garage slop-pop played by possessed rubber faced hooligans with manic fervor. Think Eddie Cochran meeting Johnny Thunders at a keg party hootenanny and shamelessly, though effectively, steamrolling through everything from Jimmy Reed to Thin Lizzy. It was intoxicating and uplifting. They took and then passed on to their audience punk rock’s most important message; “Hey I can do that”. It was an attitude they adopted and encouraged. Music didn’t have to be pretentious and idolatrous as it had become in the late 60’s and 70’s. It wasn’t meant to be professional, excessive and pretty, but rather like the Dogs themselves, reckless, volatile and ugly.
After paying their dues on the local club scene, the Dogs started gaining notoriety and a loyal following. People who saw them once tended to come back with their friends. They were quick witted, always teasing, but never malicious. They made as much fun of themselves as they did anyone else. Jerry was the instigator, always looking for an angle. He was the king of the pop hooks and girl songs. Pete snarled rockabilly grit while wailing on his telecaster. Paul brought in a touch of New York Dolls, social satire, and big fat bass lines. Tommy Long was the Dogs steady, fluid engine. With his sideways smirk and ever present smoke, he was the last line of defense in the occasional concordant collapse. Towards the end they were joined by JG “The Big Baby” playing mad, boogie woogie licks on the piano.

The Dogmatics helped create a strong sense of community and camaraderie within the Boston scene. Their Thayer St. loft in Boston’s South End played host to many a wild after hours party. If your band was in town, chances are you’d end up on Thayer St. Everyone from Blood in The Saddle, to The Del Fuegos, to The Replacements put in long hours of debauchery at the loft. It was a unique time. There was an abundance of talent, interest and support for musicians, fans and promoters. Bands such as Last Stand, Gang Green, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Scruffy The Cat, Turbines, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Lyres, The Flies, Cheapskates, Outlets, Neats, Future Dads, Classic Ruins, Mission of Burma, Negative FX, SSD and Stranglehold were but a few that made Boston “the place to be” in the mid-80’s. You didn’t dare stay home because you had no dough. There was always someone waiting with a cold beer and a plan to scam you in the door. The Dogs in particular had an uncanny ability to get twenty people through the door on a 4 person guest list and always conned the club out of enough “band beer” to lube everyone up.

1985-86 saw the band step things up. They scrounged the together enough gig money to put out their first single on their own Cat Records label which then led to two LPs on Homestead Records, “Thayer St.”, & “Everybody Does It”. The gigs got better too. Sharing bills with The Replacements, Los Lobos, The Bangles and Long Ryders, gave them inspiration to jam seven guys in to a van and hit the road, where they of course, made friends everywhere they went.

In October ’86, a few days after returning from tour, Paul was riding on the back of their roadie Eddie’s motorcycle when a tire blew out. Paul was killed instantly Eddie was OK. Most of the Boston rock community came together for the funeral. While some aunts might have been a bit freaked out by shaved heads and pierced noses, Paul’s mother was totally moved by everyone’s coming. Paul was buried with his bass and there was a bonfire jam on the beach near his folk’s house. The rock community (led by Lilli Dennison) also put together a benefit for Paul’s family at The Rat. Twenty plus bands played including Scruffy, Treat Her Right, Classic Ruins, The Turbines, Unnatural Axe, The Titanics, The Reducers, The Neats and The Oysters. A photo show of Paul was upstairs. Paul touched a lot of lives and his spirit still lingers. As T.K. said, “If you didn’t love him, you didn’t know him.”

Without Paul, no one had much heart for keeping the Dogmatics together. Jerry continued on in various bands (The Matweeds, Hotbox, The Hornets). Tommy occasionally joins him. Pete mostly plays acoustic, drunken Irish music – torturing his family with his concertina playing… Kate Roper, Jeebs, and Jerry
Liner Notes from The Dogmatics 1981-86 Compilation

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THE BEASTS OF BOURBON - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney 2 April 2013

Beasts of Bourbon performing at Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on 2 April 2013
Beasts of Bourbon are an Australian alternative rock, blues band formed in August 1983.
The line up currently consists of Tex Perkins on vocals, Spencer P Jones on guitar, Brian Hooper on bass guitar, Charlie Owen on guitar and Tony Pola on drums.


Watch Beasts of Bourbon and other great gigs on Moshcam.

THE BEASTS OF BOURBON - The Axeman's Jazz

THE BEASTS OF BOURBON  The Axeman's Jazz  LP 1984 CD 1990/2009
Evil Ruby / Love & Death / Graveyard Train / Psycho / Drop Out / Save Me a Place / Lonesome Bones / The Day Marty Robbins Died / Ten Wheels for Jesus / Good Times (bonus)*/ Sometimes Goodguys...(bonus)*.
Recorded live at Paradise Studios by Tony Cohen & *Recorded live At The Old CivicTheatre (Perth).
The Beasts Of Bourbon: Boris Sujdovic: bass / Kim Salmon: guitar, slide / Tex Perkins: vocals / James Baker: drums / Spencer P. Jones: guitar + Tony Thewlis: guitar / Brett Rixon: drums.

The Beasts of Bourbon are an Australian alternative rock, blues rock band formed in August 1983, with James Baker on drums (ex-Hoodoo Gurus), Spencer P. Jones on guitar (The Johnnys), Tex Perkins on vocals (Dum Dums), Kim Salmon on guitar and Boris Sujdovic on bass guitar (both ex-The Scientists). Except for mainstays, Jones and Perkins, the line-up has changed as the group splintered and reformed several times. Their debut album, The Axeman's Jazz (July 1984), was the best selling Australian alternative rock album for 1984. Their debut single, "Psycho", is a cover version of the Leon Payne original, and was the best selling Australian alternative rock single for that year. However the group disbanded by mid-1985 and each member pursued other musical projects. They reformed in 1987 and issued a second album, Sour Mash, in December 1988 on Red Eye Records. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, it "virtually redefined the parameters of guitar-based rock'n'roll. The Cramps-influenced swamp-rock of old had been discarded for a more adventurous slab of gutbucket blues and avant-garde weirdness. Perkins' voice had matured into an authentic blues growl". Their fifth studio album, Gone (January 1997), reached the Top 50 ARIA Albums Chart. Their seventh studio album, ''Little Animals (21 April 2007) on Albert Productions, which also peaked into the Top 50. Source

The first sonic blast from this Austral indie supergroup was recorded in one afternoon by members of the Scientists (Kim Salmon, Boris Sujdovic, and James Baker), Salamander Jim (Tex Perkins and Salmon), the Hoodoo Gurus (Baker), and the Johnnys (Spencer Jones). Although several hailed from remote Perth, the band was actually formed in Sydney, where all were based by the early-'80s (Perkins had migrated from Brisbane). Like the Scientists, they were influenced by Hank Williams, the Rolling Stones (see "Beast of Burden" on 1978's Some Girls), and the Cramps. The group wasn't necessarily meant to lead to a career, but for several of the musicians -- most notably Perkins (also of the Cruel Sea) -- it has. Considering how little time was actually spent on recording it, The Axeman's Jazz is a surprisingly accomplished debut. If not quite as successful as 1988's follow-up, Sour Mash, it remains an energetic collection of grungy swamp rock with a side of countrified blues. Things get off to such an auspicious start with lead track, Leon Payne's "Psycho," however, the rest of the album pales a little in comparison.

If Perkins sounds like a guilty man on the other songs, he sounds appropriately innocent on "Psycho," the twisted tale of a murderer lost in the depths of denial (as if in anticipation of Nick Cave's Murder Ballads, on which Jones would guest, the self-deluded narrator kills pretty much everyone he meets). "Psycho" was also released as a single backed with the Easybeats' "Good Times" and the Standells' "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White." "Good Times," which is featured on the full-length, was recorded live at the Old Civic Theatre in Perth with Tony Thewlis and Brett Rixon, from a later incarnation of the Scientists, on drums and guitar. If the U.S. were said to have an equivalent to the Beasts, it would have to be the Monkeywrench, which counts members of Mudhoney, the Big Boys, the U-Men, and Aussie band, Lubricated Goat, among its ranks (the Goat's Stu Spasm has even done some time in the Beasts' constantly-evolving lineup). Allmusic

In celebration of their 30th anniversary, Beasts of Bourbon are releasing a three-disc live album as well as performing six special shows in Sydney and Melbourne this August.
The band will play three dates in each city with a nightly rotating lineup. The formation will vary from the current incarnation, which includes Tex Perkins, Spencer P. Jones, Charlie Owen, Tony Pola and Brian Hooper, to the original lineup where Perkins and Jones will be joined by Kim Salmon, James Baker and Boris Sujdovic as the players who recorded their seminal 1991 record, "The Low Road".
The scheduled live album, titled "30 Years of Borrowed Time", features performances from three different sets that took place this year. It marks the band’s tumultuous 30-year career, which has seen them release six albums and tour Australia and Europe countless times and play at the inaugural Big Day Out Sydney in 1992.Source
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LITTLE BOB STORY - Livin' In The Fast Lane

LITTLE BOB STORY  Livin' In The Fast Lane  CD 1991/96  LP 1977
Little Big Boss° / All Or Nothing° / I' m Gonna Dress In Black° / 'Round The Corner° / Riot In Toulouse° / When The Night Comes° / Baby° / You Make Me Crazy° / Mister Tap° / Nothin' Else (Can Give It To Me)° / Hot N' Sweaty °* / Music Of Our Life* / Suzy* / Night Could Be Easy* / You Don't Need To Know* / She's A Heartbreaker* (* bonus tracks).
°Produced by Sean Tyla
Little Bob Story: Little Bob: vocals / Guy Georges Gremy: guitar / Dominique Guillon: guitar / Barbe Noire: bass / Mino Quertier: drums + Sean Tyla: swamp guitar in "Riot In Toulouse" / Bob Andrews: piano & John Earl: sax in "All Or Nothing".

Without mistake, one can only say what a legend Little Bob is regarding Rock'n'Roll History. Neither success, glory, hits, airplay nor homage could ever testify enough of his contribution to music.
It all goes back to France’s main northern port. A tough mother of a rain-battered grey hole called Le Havre. Le Havre is the closest France ever gets to the look and feel of Liverpool or New Jersey : oil terminals, super tankers, refineries, chemical plants, warehouses, longshoremen, etc. Little Bob comes from here, and for those to whom such things matter, Little Bob’s Story features all the rights Rock & Roll ingredients. bob can out mean-street anyone.

Bob's been at it for a while, playing every armpit France has to offer with his legendary band called Little Bob Story, Bob even ventured to England (300 gigs) attracting the ³gunslingers² of British rock critics, opening ³the road as he traveled it, playing all around Europe, singing on every single stage on this road from Irish pubs to Hells Angels bars, from universities to big festivals. Literally setting venues on fire ! Touring as if the fate of the free world depended on it.
Today, Little Bob leads a new band (since 7 years), released 4 solo¹s albums, and his rock has changed. His music is drawing deeper into the roots of blues. A mixed up of tribal rock with burning emotion and powerful feeling.

The greatest have always considered Bob as one of their own. Recording with Steve Hunter (Mytch Ryder, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper...), Charlie sexton (the Texas Boy Wonder), Kenny Margolis (of Mink Deville and Cracker), Dave Alvin (The Blasters) and on stage with Maria McKee & Benment Tench in Hollywood, Dr Feelgood, Beverly Joe Scott & Southside Johnny in Paris, Willy DeVille & Johnny Thunder in England.
Little Bob cherishes the way of singing of classic rock and blues singers from Little Richard or Howling Wolf to Eric Burdon. Bob’s Got the secret magic ingredient which makes all the difference in the heart of his fans : the innocence, the fervor & the ingenuity. Bob pulls it off, never blinks, never winks, he discards the "Camp", easy way-out, gambles on the power of bare emotion, and comes out a winner. his look and tremondous voice make him unique to the audience.
Each time little Bob’s release a new album it is a good news, if anything because, as wise men say, "whenever a dreamer fulfills his dream, other dreamers ought to celebrate". Source
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& check his last album "Break Down The Walls" HERE!

CITY KIDS - The name of the game (Re-Up)

CITY KIDS The Name Of The Game LP 1983
State Control / Mad Shadows / Name Of The Game / Speeding /Security / Old Man Skin.
Recorded live in Le Havre.

Produced by Rob Younger.
City Kids: Dominique Comont: vocals, keyboards / Eric Houllemare: bass / Stéphane Lesauvage: drums / Pascal Lamy: guitar.

Indissociables de la ville du Havre comme Little Bob Story ou Fixed Up , les City Kids débutent leur carrière avec ce mini lp enregistré live en 1983, sur leur propre label, City Kids Records ! "The name of the game" propose un rock sous forte influence australienne : s'y côtoient Radio Birdman , les Visitors et Died Pretty ! Avec grande classe , les havrais nous assènent des originaux parfaitement enregistrés live et produit par Rob Younger lui-même! Tout au long des six chansons de "The Name Of The Game" le piano vigoureux et la voix grave de Domnique Comont font merveille! Il se dégage un lyrisme à la Doors de ces chansons portées par une rythmique parfaite,, celle du duo basse-batterie composé d'Erik Houllemare (le frère de Christian , membre des Bad Brains qui "commirent" la même année, un excellent mini lp "Legends From The End Of Time" sur Closer Records, d' Happy Hate Me Nots , des Someloves et des New Christs) et de Stéphane Lesauvage à la batterie ! L'incisive guitare de Pascal Lamy orne chacune des chansons et sait durcir le ton quand il le faut !

Les City Kids savaient rocker de façon originale et addictive! Le Havre se souvient encore de cette nuit-là: quelques uns de ses plus électriques enfants enregistraient live pour la posterité et avec un énorme culot pour un premier disque, un témoignage essentiel auquel le grand Rob Younger apportait sa caution de producteur!

The City Kids were a french rock band from Le Havre.Formed in August 1980, their influences are diverse: the Anglo-Saxon rock of the seventies (MC5, the Stooges, the Who), the punk ( with the Damned, Saints, Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers ...) and especially the Australian rock underground (Radio Birdman, Died Pretty). Since the mid-seventies, Le Havre city has a reputation for being "a heavy rock town"...Thanks to Little Bob Story at the time the only French rock band singing in English to perform across the Channel.

City Kids will soon imitate their elders in 1981 for 25 dates with Doctor Feelgood.The City Kids has performed in France and in Europe with about a hundred dates a year with Iggy Pop in 1990 at the Zénith of Paris. Against the current musical fashions of the moment, City Kids did not got successful beyond a certain part of the rock audience.

Produced by Rob Younger, the first City Kids mini album "The Name Of The Game" was recorded live in their town of Le Havre. A solid album: one of my favorite french rock albums !

Thanks to Max for the cd artwork...

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ROADRUNNERS - ... A Frog In My Throat...

ROADRUNNERS  ... A Frog In My Throat... CD  1989
Love Infection / A Frog In My Throat / Just A Drop / Big City Lights / You Change All The Time / Clean And Reasonable / Snake In The Grass / Wrong Track / Vacant Box / Jessie James Theme / Dolores / Sleep Tight.
Produced by Boucherie Productions.

Roadrunners: François Pandolfi: lead & backing vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, keyboards & sound effects / Nito Rodriguez: electric & acoustic guitars, backing vocals & sound effects / Ludwig Leroy: drums, tambourine / Thierry Effray: bass, backing vocals + Gene Clarksville: keyboards / Ti' Joe: 12 strings guitar & backing vocals / François Hadji-Lazaro: banjo / Pat Campell: coyote howls & Remington gun / Jeff, Poulpe, Mamac & Peter: brass.

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THE JET BOYS - Just Wanna Talk To You

THE JET BOYS ‎ Just Wanna Talk To You  7'' & 12'' 1989
Just Wanna Talk To You / You Talk Too Much / Like A Shooting Star.
Produced by Si Freddy Di Angelo

The Jet Boys: Freddy Lynxx: guitars, vocals / Vic Vixen:  guitars, vocals / Poker Alice: bass, vocals / Nick Hell: drums, vocals + guests: les 3/8: brass section / Paul Wallfisia: piano

About The Jet boys
« Freddy Lynxx was playing in a band, the Aristochattes, when he first saw Thunders play in Paris in 1983. Lynxx left his band to start working as a roadie for Thunders then started a new band. When it came time to name the group, the top three choices were Jet Boys (the name of a Thunders song), Flying Pizza and Vendetta (Vixen/Alice’s choice). To settle it, Lynxx took his mates and the three names over to Thunders to ask him which was best. « How could he not choose the one after his own song? » Lynxx said. « I picked Jet Boys the way the Rolling Stones took their name from the Muddy Waters song. Going to Johnny Thunders for the name was like a little boy going to church and being given his church name ».
Scott McLennan Time Out 1994.

 The Jet Boys – Year by Year
1984 - The Jet Boys took off after 3 weeks of rehearsals with a guy named John as their drummer, they were asked by Johnny Thunders to be his supporting act at the Gibus Club in Paris on September 26th & 27th. The second night, while playing « Can’t Keep My Eyes On You », a suitably impressed Johnny Thunders jumped on stage to grab the mic… that’s a double rock n roll confirmation of biblical proportions! They also played the Gibus club with the Flying Padovani’s in November & December as the word spread like napalm and the band moved up a gear. John was ejected from the drum stool and replaced by Phil Nodon in September 1985 and the next logical step was to get into the studio.
1986 - In January, the first demo is recorded with Johan Asherton, Mickey Blow and mixed by Dominique Laboubée (Dogs). The studio was so small that Phil had to use a drum machine. They later played the Gibus again with The Vibrators.
1987 - Phil left the band for unknown reasons and was replaced in 1988 by Nick Hell. They recorded their second demo in February and narrowly escaped death when a landslide destroyed part of the studio while Freddy was recording his guitar; the song « Like A Shooting Star » was born before the dust could settle.

1989 - From March 8th to 11th they returned for more shows at the Gibus club, again with Johnny Thunders. Then on April 4th they recorded the « Larger Than Life » album in 3 days at Mesa studio, on glorious 8 track, and after 2 days of mixing on 19/20th for a total cost of 6035 Francs (£920) including the master tapes, the deed was done. A month later a Debut single “Just Wanna Talk To You“ in pink vinyl is released on Sucksex Records (pronounced Success) and is quickly re-pressed in black vinyl in September when it sells out. Meanwhile, The Jet Boys keep busy touring and playing with The Del Lords, The Fleshtones, The Inmates and Dogs D’amour. October saw a release of a pink vinyl 12 » followed by the album in December. Heaps of great reviews in the worldwide music press followed, even without proper distribution; but it proves to be too little, too late, and believe it or not the band splits up because of Vic Vixen complaining about a missing credit on the inner sleeve! Only Nick Hell and Freddy remain, and quickly bring in Mad Engine on Bass and Fuzzfox on guitar.

1990 - Touring mostly in France and Spain and with new demos recorded in Lille attracting attention, the band is approached by Musidisc Records. In December, Johnny Thunders is playing an acoustic gig at the Gibus Club and Freddy brings him the tape of the album. Talking about project, Johnny tells Freddy he knows the people from Musidisc and would be interested in producing the album himself. Tragically, it will be the last time they speak.
April 1991 - and new demos for Musidisc , but the band has already planned to use 2 of the songs on a single in memory of Stiv Bators and the sleeve poster bag is already printed. During the mix on 23rd April, the phone rings and Marc Zermati tells them the sad news about Johnny Thunders… From that moment on everything goes wrong so they decide to mix in a different studio with Phil Sevin who was an assistant engineer during the last Stiv Bators studio sessions! Meanwhile, back from a Spanish tour, Musidisc don’t return their calls…
1992 - Mad Engine is leaving and is replaced by their roadie, Ian Dollz. They tour France, Belgium and Spain where they get a contract to release « Larger Than Life ». Marc Zermati asks Freddy Lynxx to help him produce a Johnny Thunders tribute album and secures a deal for « Larger Than Life » and the tribute album at the same time, on Meldac Records in Japan.
1993 - Ian Dollz and Nick Hell quit the band. A New York girl called Big G is recruited but it’s difficult to find a permanent drummer, with Jean-Lou Kalinowski (Shakin’ Street) sitting in for a while before Big G suggests they hire the drummer Yo, from her other band Loco Lizzards.

1994 - Freddy Lynxx asks Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids) and Julian Standen (who produced The Lemonheads and London Cowboys to name but two), if they are available to produce the Jet Boys. Live action continues with gigs at the Gibus club in June 4th and 5th with guest Rick Blaze & the Ballbusters from New York and results in some return gigs in the America. In August, touring in the United States with The Ballbusters, It appears Arista are interested in the band after they play up a storm at the Webster Hall in New York City. They even manage to secretly record a demo at Edison Recording Studio on 46th St while the big boss is on vacation. However, the relationship between Big G and Yo is becoming intolerable so it’s back to France, and Freddy calls it a day, bored of feel ling like a baby-sitter. Back at base he is soon busy with a Japanese split single with the band « The Golden Arms » released in the US on Jeff Dahl’s label Ultra Under Records, and another in the pipeline.

1998 - Freddy plans to re-release « Larger Than Life » and asks Jean Cataldo from Action Records to do some remixes. Something is in the air and by pure coincidence he’s then contacted by the US label Triple XXX (via Jeff Dahl’s connection) and offered a 3 album worldwide deal including The Jet Boys album! Since 1994 The Jet Boys have been in financial debt to Skydog manager Marc Zermati , when Marc asks Freddy to let him release « Larger Than Life Dusted » the debt is written off.
In conclusion: The Jet Boys have never been a big success but sold something like 7000 copies of Larger Than Life with minimal, or bad distribution. You can find the « Dusted » version on Amazon but expect a « Producer’s Cut » one day, including all of the demos mentioned above. In my humble opinion, you are encouraged to seek any and all of the Jet Boys recorded output by regular searches on the www, e-Bay, Record fairs and the usual methods of tracking down the good stuff. A small caveat, dear reader, since the crash and burn of THE original Jet Boys there are a few bands out there who share the same name, but only the line-up with Freddy Lynxx carries the trademark of quality you can trust.

Finally, this page is dedicated to Nicolas Chante aka Nick Hell who was defenestrated in Costa Rica in 1998. May you be remember as « THE’ Jet Boys drummer!
Tom Crossley
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