'68 COMEBACK Mr. Downchild 1994

 

Discogs 

 

Artist Biography

by Kathleen C. Fennessy

Not to be confused with the Elvis TV special or Brian Setzer power trio of the same name, '68 Comeback rose from the ashes of Ohio's psychobilly kings, the Gibson Bros., in 1992. Spearheaded by now Memphis-based singer/songwriter/musicologist Jeffrey Evans -- who's said to have a shrine to rockabilly great Charlie Feathers in his living room -- this stripped-down blues-rock monster roared out of the garage (i.e. Evans' home studio) with a series of well-received singles on In the Red, Sub Pop, Get Hip, and a variety of other independent labels. Aside from Monsieur Evans (as he was now billing himself) on vocals, guitar, and blues harp, the initial lineup included Peggy O'Neill (the Gories) on drums, Darin Lin Wood (the Red Devils) on guitar, Dan Brown (Gloryhole) on bass, and Jack Taylor (Monster Truck Five) on guitar. (Yes, that's right -- three guitars.) Evans has claimed that their primary goal was to play live and to as accurately as possible recreate that live sound on record. On the strength of their first two singles, Chantilly Rock (And a Pony's Tail) (Sugar Ditch) and Three Time Loser (Sympathy for the Record Industry), they undertook a 60-day, 42-city U.S. tour. O'Neill was unable to make it, so Greg Cartwright (the Oblivians) took her place on the traps.

Upon completion of the cross-country jaunt, they went straight into the studio and laid down the tracks for their first EP, "Paper Boy Blues" (1993). Their first full-length, Mr. Downchild, followed in 1994. That same year, Sympathy compiled the 45s and the EP (plus a number of alternate takes and unreleased tracks) into the Golden Rogues Collection and continued to release all their full-length recordings. Over the next few years, '68 Comeback issued several more 7"s -- including the double-single Someday My Prince Will Come (1996) -- and contributed to the soundtrack compilations, The Sore Losers (1997) and Shine On, Sweet Starlet (1998). Their most ambitious release to date, Bridge Too Fuckin' Far, hit the streets in 1998. The 21-track double-LP was dedicated to guitarist Jack Taylor (born 1965), who had died of a drug overdose the previous year (that's his picture on the cover). It was followed by 1999's Love Always Wins, which consisted primarily of covers and is widely considered their most accessible release.

In the 2000s, Evans released a solo recording (I've Lived a Rich Life) and produced a number of artists, including Tav Falco's Panther Burns, Mr. Airplane Man, and the American Death Ray, at Tillman Audio Research (which also doubles as his living room). He's a charismatic live performer, known as much for his spirited singing and playing as for his entertaining, self-deprecating anecdotes, and eccentric sartorial statements (bowler hats, three-piece suits, etc.). Just as '68 Comeback's lineup has continued to mutate over the past decade -- with Evans as its only mainstay -- he's also played with other groups, such as Jeffrey Evans' C.C. Riders, the Porch Ghouls, and South Filthy. One way or the other, whether solo, with '68 Comeback, or some other like-minded outfit, it's hard not to imagine Monsieur Evans rocking and rolling on into his golden years just like his hero, Charlie Feathers. 

 

Tracklist

1

Bo Diddley 1969

3:40
2		Don't Judge Me Bad	2:51
3		Richman, Richman	3:08
4		Tobacco Road, Part 1

2:24
5		Tobacco Road, Part 2

2:26
6		Monk	2:11
7		Mr. Downchild

2:32
8		Otto Wood, The Bandit

3:05
9		Slop Jar Blues

3:41
10		The String You Wear	2:47
11		Greenback Blues	2:27
12		Bullmoose

2:45
13		Boogie Woogie Country Girl

2:22
14		Blame It On Time

3:46
15		Ain't It Down

1:23

 

YOUR INVITATION TO SUICIDE Various Artists 1994

 A Tribute to the Songs of Martin Rev, Alan Vega

Discogs

Tracklist  

1	–White Flag With Two Virgins (2)	Speed Queen	7:27
2	–Thin White Rope	Rocket USA	5:35
3	–The Gories	Ghost Rider	3:47
4	–The A-10	Cheere	3:36
5	–Darkside*	Frankie Teardrop	9:11
6	–Mudhoney	Baby Oh Baby	3:46
7	–Honeymoon Killers*	Fireball	2:32
8	–Luna (5)	Dream Baby Dream	5:54
9	–Sonic Boom (2)	R&R Is Killing My Life	4:15
10	–Flaming Lips*	Ice Drummer	4:24
11	–The Nomads (2)	Magdalena	3:55
12	–La Secta	Raver	3:21
13	–Ben Vaughn	Jukebox Babe	4:42
14	–Angel Corpus Christi	Surrender	3:42
15	–Zenith (9)	Bring In The Year 2.000	7:24
16	–Codeine	Two Faced Man	3:04

THE DIRTBOMBS Horndog Fest 1998

by request

Discogs

biography

by Alexandra Zorn

One of Mick Collins' many post-Gories projects, the Dirtbombs initially seemed to exist more in concept than in reality. As if in reaction to the bass-less sound of the Gories, the Detroit-based band brought together two drummers, two bass players, and Collins on vocals and guitar. And other than consistently loud volumes and lots of noise, the Dirtbombs actually displayed a surprisingly diverse sound, composing across a broad spectrum of styles from garage rock, punk, and glam to classic soul and R&B. They began primarily as a 7" band, issuing five singles before Larry Hardy of In the Red convinced them to record a full-length, 1998's Horndog Fest. After issuing another handful of singles, the Dirtbombs released their sophomore album, Ultraglide in Black, in May 2001. An album devoted to vintage R&B covers, Ultraglide in Black won the band a growing following in Europe, aided by frequent overseas touring (including a jaunt with the White Stripes). Collins and company returned to a tougher, more rock-oriented sound for 2003's Dangerous Magical Noise, and came back in 2005 with Billiards at Nine Thirty, a split album with King Khan & the Shrines. That same May, In the Red released If You Don't Already Have a Look, a two-disc compilation that featured 52 tracks comprised of cover tunes, singles, and six new songs.

By this point, the Dirtbombs' revolving lineup had more or less solidified around Collins, drummers Ben Blackwell and Pat Pantano, and bassists Ko Shih and Troy Gregory. The quintet continued to tour, licensed their music for use in several commercials, and returned to the studio in fall 2006 to begin working on a new release. Although originally intended to be a four-song EP, the project soon turned into the band's fourth full-length effort. Entitled We Have You Surrounded, it was released in February 2008. Following this the band released singles for In the Red and Cass, Collins took time to play with a reunited Gories, and the bandmembers plotted their next move. When it came, it was a surprise to many. Released in 2011, Party Store reflected Collins' love of the electronic sounds of his hometown and featured the band tackling songs by the techno scene's founding fathers (Juan Atkins, Derrick May), innovators (Carl Craig), and hitmakers (Inner City) in their inimitable style.

read more

 

Tracklist

1. Vixens In Space   2. I Can't Stop Thinking About It   3. Granny's Little Chicken   4. Bittersweet Romance Song   5. Armageddon Double Feature (Lovesick Blues #4)   6. She Blinded Me With Playtex   7. A Brief Treatise On The Discovery Of Antimatter   8. Pheremone Smile   9. My Heart Burns With Deeps Of Lurve 10. Burnt To Cinders 11. Fox Box 12. Shake!! Shivaree