MAD RAT MAG editor I personally would like to thank every- one who continues to help make Mad Rat Magazine a success. Without you the Mag just wouldn’t happen every 2006 and all is well? month, we are only as good as your support, equally you bands are only Happy New Year!!!! Hope you all had as good as your audience, you clubs a fantastic Christmas and are busy are only as good as your attendance getting ready for the new rockin’ year, and the rockin’ scene is only as good I know I am and can’t wait. Bring it as you all, so should you feel like on!!!! causing a rockin rebellion this year Last year saw poor attendances, sell please stay home..... out shows, backstabbing, politics, agent bashing, band trashing, band Current trends, brings back the rea- worshipping, club closing, club open- son we all got into it in the first place, ing, club reopening, band members Rock’n’Roll yeah I know I’m kidding leaving, band members joining, band but just remember that Rock’n’Roll is members rejoining, club refurbishing, an umbrella that protects all of us general moaning lip smacking from pop music and gives us all the rockin’........Don’t you just love this variety and choice of several genres scene ?! of music that formed the musical eras that we love. Well, I just can’t wait to see what this year will bring, I’m sure it will be enter- Again this year, I would like to remind taining and I am not talking about the you before you shoot the DJ’s from performances! the New Years events that The Twist was written in 1959 although wasn’t released until 1960.... Ha Ha Ha!!!! Well I’m off, (my trolley?, on holiday?) no just off to start the New Year the way I mean to go on, Rockin’ My life away, day by day. See ya out there Rockin’ regards SPIKE 3 MAD RAT MAG feature LINK WRAY - (1929-2005) their next big hit, "Jack The Ripper." The song was later used in the '80s remake of the film "Breathless," starring Richard Gere. The The guitarist Link Wray, considered as one of company was short-lived and the Wrays the pioneers of the American rock scene, cult found themselves at U.K.-based Swan figure and a man who many said was way Records, where they were given free rein to ahead of his time, passed away at the age of create what they wanted. What followed was 76 in Copenhagen, where he lived for two a decade of improvised, guitar-heavy decades. records issued under strange names such as the Moon Men and the Spiders. Rock guitarist Link Wray was born on May 2nd 1929 in North Carolina. In his 1958 The '70s were filled with ups and downs for instrumental hit "Rumble," Wray invented the Link Wray. In 1971, his self-titled solo album power chord, the basis of modern rock gui- was critically lauded but didn't sell, and none tar-playing from thrash to heavy metal. He is of his other releases made a splash. He the missing link in the history of rock guitar in spent some time backing Robert Gordon -- that he is not often given credit for being the the singer for New York punkers the Tuff connection between early blues guitarists Darts -- on a rockabilly project and also and the late '60s gods (Jimi Hendrix, Eric recorded several albums in the '80s that Clapton, Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, etc.). relied heavily on drum machines. He attract- Wray began his career in the early '50s as a ed attention with rare live appearances in member of Lucky Wray and the Palomino which he proved that he could still wow 'em Ranch Hands, a band that he formed with his with the guitar style he pioneered. Above brothers Vernon and Doug. They moved write up courtesy of The Rockabilly Hall Of from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., Fame where they recorded an EP. Soon after, Wray began concentrating on guitar, since an ear- Of late, Link Wary enjoyed the revival of his lier bout with tuberculosis began to make music to today's audiences. His appearance singing increasingly difficult. He then devel- at venue's such as Hemsby has been denot- oped his guitar style: a slow drag across dis- ed as simply breath taking. At present it torted strings in a simple chord progression. isn't known what caused his death, This led to his recording of "Rumble," which nor has there been a date to which cracked the U.S. top 20, despite being he died. Link Wray was buried banned by some radio stations because its this week in the intimacy of the title connotated gang violence. The Wrays Church Of Christian in the then signed to Epic Records after disagree- neighbourhood of ing with their original label, Cadence, which Christianshavn. What wanted to tone down the tough image they can only be named began to have from "Rumble." The Wrays' as his theme tune, next single, the pounding "Rawhide," went to The Rumble will No.23 and was a hit among leather-jacketed, live on. motorcycle-loving male youths. Link Wray was becoming the hero of juvenile delin- Rest In Peace quents and this scared record companies, Link Wray who forced him to record non-rock songs such as "Danny Boy" with orchestras. Mike Cookson The Wrays tried forming their own record company, Rumble Records, which produced 5 MAD RAT MAG the charts, a small studio where Rainwater ROCKERS REUNION had recorded early demo tapes sold the tapes to a number of disreputable record This year's Rockers Reunion Winter Party labels; the companies dubbed new tracks is the 23rd event of this name. Again, a over the demos and released great line up is provided. Below is a brief them. A common story from profile of some of the acts appearing for times past ………….. feature your rockin' pleasure; The seventies rock 'n' roll icons Marvin Rainwater is a country from Newport, South Wales and rockabilly music legend and add UK celebrity and solid back in the UK again to headline rocking to the line-up. Crazy Cavan with this year's Rockers Reunion. his band The Rhythm Rockers has been Now in his seventies, Marvin has described as "a dynamic, mean-looking had a long and successful career. His early and rubber-legged singer with the longest days were spent singing and playing hillbil- pair of drainpipes in the business". In 1964 ly tunes in the then depressed area of his career or hobby back then, started with Oklahoma. A minor mishap at the age of fif- a band called "Count Dracula and the teen led to him chopping off part of his Vampires" which later progressed to "The thumb which, although painful did not Sundogs". In 1970 this band was joined by thwart his passion for performing. In the Don Kinsella and Mike Coffey it was the early fifties Marvin was fortunate enough to start of "Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm get a showcase on the Arthur Godfrey pro- Rockers". For four years they built up fame gramme called Talent Scouts, which he as a semi- professional unit, playing their won. In 1953 his MGM recording "I Gotta own music, which was influenced by rock- Go Get My Baby" was performed with Mr. abilly, rock 'n' roll and country music. The Godfrey. Arthur Godfrey was definitely the demand for a recording was satisfied by man to impress during this time and Marvin the release of a single and EP on their own did that by promoting himself in his Chero- label. In 1973 the Band landed a headline kee Indian persona. He wrote about his so spot at the Lyceum Ballroom. Their popu- called Cherokee brothers and wore the larity grew and grew, which no doubt had costumes and insignia headband that we baring on the signing of a recording con- have seen on some early publicity shots. tract with Charly Records. Their style is By the mid-fifties, Rainwater had started simple and direct, influenced by Rockabil- mixing straight-ahead country and western ly, Country and Rock 'n' Roll, but interpret- with the emergent, big-beat rockabilly ed by the individual musicians to create a sound. It cost him some fans, but in 1957 unique musical form which they describe he recorded the song he's best known for - as Crazy Rhythm. We look forward to see- the song he refers to simply as "the Blue- ing them do it all again at this year's Reu- bird" . "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird" went to nion. number three on the country charts and 18 on the pop charts at the same time - one of Johnny Red also per- the earliest crossover hits. It made Rain- forms at the 23rd RR. His water an attraction overseas as well - band, Johnny & The Jail- another hit, "Whole Lotta Woman," pushed birds, were formed at the Elvis Presley out of number one for six end of 1973, when Johnny weeks in England in 1958 and was per- Red moved from London formed at the London Palladium. But suc- to Northamptonshire. An cess was slippery. After he began hitting advert was placed in a 6 MAD RAT MAG feature local newspaper to recruit musicians inter- ested in forming a rock'n'roll band. The response was immediate and after a few rehearsals and the first gig in a village club, Johnny & The Jailbirds were born.