Jumpin Issue 4.Indd
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The Quakes OWDY FELLOWS. Sorry, this issue took us longer than expected, but look, it was worth the wait. More than forty pages of rock’n’roll, psychobilly, hillbilly, honky tonk, rockabilly and blues (and more...). First we’ve talked with Paul Roman, singer and guitar player for The Quakes. This interview was scheduled for a stick to your guns Hprevious issue and had to be delayed. On December 2nd, The uakesQ issued their newest output so we thought it was the right time for the interview. Earlier this year I discovered a very talented by fred Turgis singer and songwriter on a compilation album : Marcel Riesco founder of Truly Lover Trio. Once I heard the full album I knew I wanted him for Jumpin’. So here’s the interview with this young he Quakes are one of the first (if not and gifted guy. Cari Lee recently proved she was at ease with both hillbilly and rhythm’n’blues. the first) american psychobilly band. Like their compatriot the Stray Cats She tells us everything about this two kinds of music and her bands The Contenders and The Tthey crossed the sea to find fame in Saddle-Ites. Peter Sandmark aka Slim Sandy played many styles with many bands. The release of Europe where by the time the psychobilly scene was growing bigger and bigger. Roy his solo album “This Is Slim Sandy” gave us the occasion to make him talk about Ray Condo, The williams and nervous record quickly signed Crazy Rhythm Daddies and how to play drums, guitar and harmonica in the same time. What them and released their first album, which soon became a raw psychobilly classic. their would be Jumpin’ from 6 to 6 without a touch of wild rockabilly? Read the interview Rip Carson second record “voice of america” was more gave to Long Tall Dave and learn more about this bigger than life personnality. Last but not least, neo-rockabilly, and stands for me as their best. They then find a big audience in Japan Johnny Dilks. This real honky tonk man answered our questions about his youth and his forth- with sold out shows and albums like quiff coming album soon to be released. And if you don’t know what to buy for Christmas, read our rock and new generation where they mixed the usual rockabilly and psychobilly stuff to reviews, it’ll help you to choose the right record for the right person. Billy Idol and Adam & the ants influences. By Mery Christmas the time you’ll read those lines their newest release “psyops” will be out and available on Fred «Virgil» Turgis their website www.thequakes.com How did you become interested in music ? Jumpin’ from 6 to 6 is A big «thank you» to Dave Stuckey ! Contact I was always interested in music as a kid. Editor : Fred «Virgil» Turgis And a big howdy to Fred Hamet for Don’t hesitate to send us some mail When I was 9 or 10 I started buying re- Collaborator : David «Always late» Phisel hosting me on his website and his new [email protected] cords.I was a big fan of The Beatles- The Layout : Fred Turgis for Shooting Star born son Mathieu. or by snail mail at Rolling Stones- The Kinks- Monkees. I had Design. Fred Turgis - 15 bis rue des Teinturiers older brothers and sisters who left those re- About the pictures 14000 Caen - France cords behind when they moved out. A million Thanks to Well, I must admit I borrowed some and of course you can write a message Rebecca Caraveo for taking time to read pics here and there on the web. Anyway on the forum and correct our English. all pictures are © their authors. If you’re http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ Thanks to the owner of the rights of one of these jumpinfrom6to6/ Marcel Riesco, Paul Roman, Cari Lee, pictures and you have a problem with it we’d be more than happy to hear from Rip Carson, Johnny Dilks, Mel, Lil’ Bit, contact me. you. an interview with Paul Roman Roy Kay In what kind of musical background did that there was this big scene over there, we Even if each album has its own sound, the you grow ? Well the sad reality wanted to be a part of it. We had sent a cou- change between the first one and Voice of My parents always had music on in the ple of demo tapes to Nervous and Roy said America was radical. How do you explain house. My dad was from Poland and he is...if I COULD have we were too slow, so naturally we thought this evolution? liked polka music and my mom would the secret to success is just play fast so that’s Well first and foremost we didn’t have Dave listen to big band stuff. My oldest sounded like Brian what we did.We knew that the Stray cats had Hoy anymore, he was killed in an auto acci- brother had a band and I used to watch them sold all their stuff and moved to London so dent in Buffalo. Any time you get a new guy practice in the garage. Setzer, I probably we were kinda going the same thing. I was in the band, the sound is going to change. 20 Rob was 18 and Dave was 16. We also could play our instruments a lot When did you start playing guitar ? would have. better at that point. After that first record When I was 15 or 16, Dave “the ace” Hoy How was the American scene at that time ? there was no place else to go- I mean..what got an acoustic guitar for Christmas and we When you start playing with the Quakes, Ha ha there was no scene at all, people lau- would we do ? Try to make a faster record ? went out in the garage to jam. I was play- were you aware of the European psychobilly ghed at us ! That’s another reason we wan- We did the monster- graveyard- thing and ing drums on garbage pails because I used scene ? ted to move to London. I could see that- that was no where and to have a snare drum and cymbal when I Well... yes and no- I went to London to try I didn’t want to be one of “those” bands. was 12 but I sold it cause I never played to start a band in the summer of 1985 and Your first album was a graphic reference to I think the stuff on Voice Of America is it.Anyway, we switched instruments and at that time I had heard some psychobilly the first Stray cats album. Why ? more of what we sounded like BEFORE we found that Dave was a better drummer and and I hated it- to me it Because we did what they did by coming to did the first record. I was a better guitar player- that’s how the sounded like punk rockers trying to cash in London and getting a record deal. I thought whole band thing started. on the rockabilly scene- I didn’t understand it was a good Idea- I had seen pictures of the You started to be quite known in Japan, it. I was a real ROCKABILLY GUY :-) Bluecats album that references the Gene even had a deal with a major. Did they try Did someone influence you to choose that Then in 1986 I went to London again to try Vincent album and some Polecats pictures to change your sound ? instrument ? to start a band and I was staying right down that were like the Beatles album cover stan- No they didn’t ! In fact they didn’t care YES! Absolutely- It was Brian Setzer- When the street from the Klubfoot- but I wasn’t ding over the railing. It was a cool idea and about the music at all... For them it was I saw the Stray Cats on MTV I knew what I gonna go there...My friend had just bought it worked for us. about the packaging ! We argued with them want to do! I had the snare drum like I said the first Guana Batz album and I remem- for months about what the cd booklet was and that went no where and then I bought ber I liked the song “Down on the line” but Didn’t that deserve you, due to the fact of going to look like.They wanted to use all a keyboard because I was into New wave I didn’t like the rest of it- I didn’t get it. I stupid people who classified you as Stray this cliché’ stuff like switchblades and dice bands like the B-52’s and Devo etc. but I was hanging out at all the rockin clubs in cats followers ? etc. etc. They also wanted us on the cover lost interest in that to -but when I saw the London listening to Curtis Gordon etc. Well the sad reality is...if I COULD have with our instruments- we were very against Stray Cats it was like I found my thing. When I went back home- sounded like Brian Setzer ,I probably would this. We were trying to cross over into a new I put the Quakes together but we were try- have. We had no choice in the fact that we audience and we didn’t want any obvious I assume you play bass too… ing to be a modern band like the Stray cats- had our own sound-it was that way because references on the cover.