Simona with the Japanese crew...
As a frequent visitor to Roy's web page, this is a perfect medium for my first Big Rumble review. The flight on Friday was long but uneventful. My friend John (who I met through the Guestbook) picked me up at Heathrow and we met up with the ‘crazy Swedes'- Paer-Anders of the Home of the Rebel page, Ray, and Frederick. They left on the train, and we picked up the (in)famous Roy and Simona before driving to Great Yarmouth. Due to stop and go traffic, the 3 hour drive became a 6-hour hellride! Roy's great sense of humour, Simona's charming insanity and John's ‘Englishness' made the ride thoroughly enjoyable, even as the jet-lag kicked in...
We made in halfway through the Caravans' set, so I can't comment on the Hangmen. Judging by all their t-shirts and jacket-logos, the Hangmen are pretty popular. The Caravans played a hot set of boppin' rockabilly, but I missed all my favourite numbers. The Frantic Flintstones really got the crowd going with a set of Frantic-favourites including Necro Blues , Alley Cat King and Boneshaker. Then Chuck ‘ lectured' the crowd on the dangers of illegal substances during Drugs in the Valley! Next the Klingonz exploded onto the stage, all day- glo body paint and spiky shoulder-armour. Their sound has evolved into a thicker, more powerful punkabilly and the crowd responded with a ft of wreckin'. The Klingonz peppered their set with killer covers of Too Drunk to Fuck and the Spider man theme to compliment their rippin' originals like Brainstormers from the Planet Sex and Oompa Loompa. I liked the stuff I'd heard from the Lost Souls, but the flight, drive and beer forced me to retire to our freezing caravan.
I spent most of the night shivering, so I missed the Saturday ‘morning' (actually 1PM) set of the Cenobites. Ray said they were ‘really good!', and I believe him! Kill Van Helsing was next, and they blew me away! Even without a bass, their mix of twangin' Gretsch, growling Gibson, and rumbling drums made for quite a roar. Gretschman Gavin was equal parts Setzer and Strummer on vocals and stage mannerisms, while drummer Badger punctuated songs with wild faces and obscene gestures. Songs like Lon Chaney's Mask and I Was Decapitated by a Manic Fiend went over great with the psychos. Watch for these guys- they're gonna be big! I only caught one song from France's Atomic Spuds- a rockin' surf tinged number. After a 2 hour booze break came a trio of heavy hitters: Skitzo, Mad Sin, and Demented are Go! I've never been a huge Skitzo fan, but I was definitely impressed by their live sound. They jumped between psycho and rockabilly with ease as singer Phil stalked around. Then Mad Sin stormed the stage- I could go on and on about how fantastic these guys are, but then Roy would need to start another Page! The crowd went nuts as Mad Sin pumped out one Psycho-anthem after another. Their stage show is incredible: Kofte rolling around smashing his head with the mic, Holly's ferocious bass slapping, even a fire-breather! Their new CD ‘God Save the Sin' absolutely rips, but catch ‘em live for maximum chaos! I thought it'd be impossible to top Mad Sin's set, but Demented are Go definitely matched their intensity.
Everyone I've talked to says this is the fiercest set they've done in a while. Demented rampaged through old songs and new, with Sparky's face a tattered mess of red latex scabs and scars. The place was a rolling mass of wreckin' bodies, and Demented fed off this energy as they ripped through Pervy..., Mongoloid, and my fave Who Put Grandma Under the Stairs? With Ant and Graham's rumbling rhythm, Lex's biting guitar and Mark's growls and howls, Demented are Go take psychobilly to the next level.
After such a wild night, Sunday seemed bound to be a let down. But a ‘surprise' set by the Long Tall Texans (to replace the missing-in-action US bands and the Bad Dooleys- anybody know what happened to them?) started the day off on a remarkably high note. Despite the bleary eyes and ringing ears of the crowd, the Texans got everyone goin' with favourites like Bloody, Notice Me, and Long Tall Texan. Some don't like the saxophone, but I think it works on the newer songs from Aces and Eights. The Texans are so rockin' and melodic that ya can't help but move yer feet. I had a great big grin plastered on my mug after their set, and my hangover had just faded away... great band those Long Tall Texans! As for the rest of the day's line-up...well...the Highliners were a helluva lot o' fun. They had conga lines, champagne showers and songs like Fetish Party and Henry the Wasp- a total blast of rock n' roll fun. I really like the Coffin Nails, but their ‘new' sound just doesn't cut it for me. It's not enough of one thing, but not enough of another, if ya get my drift. Don't count em out though, cuz the classic Nails cuts were great. The less said about the Pharaohs and the Gazmen the better...
All and all it was a fantastic weekend, with Demented are Go, Mad Sin, and the Long Tall Texans really standing out. Keep an eye out for Kill Van Helsing, too! I'd like to say Hi to everyone I met at the Rumble, I hope to see you all again next year (hopefully with some more Yanks in tow!) A special thanks to all the new friends I made for making this trip so memorable: the Ricki Lake Fan Club of Sweden (P.A., Ray,& Frederick), the wonderfully M.A.D. Simona, the Birmingham Boys (‘lo Jim!), and especially Roy for being as the coolest guy you could hope to meet. (Ya gotta come over to S.F.- we'll tear that town up!) And of course, eternal gratitude to John Beeson for being such a gracious host and good friend. You've all got a place reserves on my couch if yer ever in San Francisco- keep in touch everyone...
A special note to any American psychos who read this: there's NO reason we can't put together something like in the US. Every band I talked to, including Demented, Mad Sin and the Klingonz (thanx for the scotch, Titch) wanna come to the States, but have horror stories about being fucked over by promoters. The Meteors and Guana Batz tours on the west coast were successful from what I hear- somebody get in touch with whoever put them together and let's get somethin' goin'! The California Psycho-scene is going pretty well and I hear rumblings from the Northwest too. This Internet thing makes it too easy to get in touch- maybe Roy's Guestbook (if that's cool, Roy?) can be used to help coordinate it. A festival or tour or somethin-maybe with some rockabilly, ska, and or punk to mix it up and bring in more people? Let's start talkin', people !