Virgil

Spud Sims

Spud Sims & the Beltways – Yours Truly

Shed Stomp Records [2023]
Yours Truly /True Love Is Waiting

Spud Sims & the Beltways

Single after single, Spud Sims continues to enchant us with his sweet melodies and talent as a songwriter. His last two titles are no exception to the rule. The delicate Yours Truly is embellished with a twang guitar played by the faithful Scott Cater (who also plays bass) with Paul Ward (Cave Catt Sammy) on drums. True Love Is Waiting is even better (and for what it’s worth, my favourite Spud Sims song so far), with its very marked Buddy Holly feel (who would complain?) reinforced by the drum pattern. I’d love to have an entire album of songs in this genre because two songs are way too short, so we find ourselves listening to them repeatedly.

Available here: https://shedstomp.bandcamp.com/album/yours-truly-true-love-is-waiting

Spud Sims & the Beltways – For Lovers Only

Shed Stomp Records [2023]
Sweet Rockin’ Betty – Lonesome For You – If You Love Me (I Want To Know Tonight) – Always In My Heart

Spud Sims

Spud Sims returns with four brand new songs centred around love, recorded with Scott Cater on bass and rhythm guitar, Brian Duarte (Lil’ Bit & the Customatics ) on lead guitar, and Paul Ward (Cave Catt Sammy) on drums.
Sweet Rockin’ Betty is a mid-tempo rocker with a groove akin to Ricky Nelson’s Believe What You Say. The band delivers a tight tension throughout the song, with the electric guitar bursting into a short yet electrifying solo.
Lonesome For You You is a beautiful ballad and already sounds like a long-lost classic. Spud Sims’ voice is tailor-made for this kind of material, and once again, the band does a perfect job. The success of a ballad of this type lies in the balance between the voice and the instruments. Here, the group perfectly highlights the voice but remains sufficiently in the background so as not to interfere — excellent production work from Jason Chronis.
Back to Rock’n’Roll, with a slight 60s vibe and a twangy guitar with If You Want Me (I Want To Know Tonight). The singer and the band perfectly capture the spirit of the genre without trying to copy anyone or anything.
The set ends with Always In My Heart, another delicate tune with a slight Buddy Holly feel in the drums, but still, once again, 100% Spud Sims & the Beltways. As I already said, I’m more keen on Buddy Holly and Ricky Nelson than frantic Rockabilly. Writing a beautiful melody with simple elements that sounds natural and obvious is, for me, a higher achievement than playing 200 notes per minute for a sterile solo. This is why I am particularly sensitive to the voice and songwriting talent of Spud Sims.
Trust your ears and heart and go to Bandcamp to listen and buy Spud’s latest EP.

Spud Sims & the Beltways

Shed Stomp Records [2021]
Baby Come Back to Me / My Eyes Are Only for You

Spud Sims

Behind Spud Sims and the Beltways hide Micah Sims on vocals and guitar and Scott Cater on guitar, bass, etc.

This young fellow, I believe he was born in 1994, counts among this new generation of singers, like Colton Turner and the Mellows, to whom his voice is close or Marcel Riesco, who favours the melody rather than the wild side of roots music. That’s a good thing! As a fan of Ricky Nelson and Buddy Holly, I’ll be the last to complain!

This single is perfect in its simplicity. The songs are simple yet elegant, and the lyrics have timeless obviousness. “My Eyes Are Only for You” is a love song, but unlike many, this guy makes you feel something. These are not just words. Not only that, but Sims really knows how to play with his voice and his diction, to make one note last and then catch up time. In other words: he sings. 

Behind, the music is sweet with that slight raw edge on the sound to avoid all idea of sentimentality (in the bad meaning of the term).

Two songs are way too short, but that’s also the beauty of the thing. I sincerely hope there will be more from Spud Sims in the future.

Single available here.
Spud Sims on Facebook and Instagram.

Fred ”Virgil” Turgis

Catfish Trio (the)

catfish trio

The Catfish Trio – Money Makes the World Go Round

Cat Noise 76.13079 [1986]
Money Makes the World Go Round / Nervous Boy

The Catfish Trio - Money Makes the World Go Round

The Catfish Trio formed around 1984 in Augsburg, Germany. Igor Velican (guitar and vocal) teamed with Geza Varga (double bass) and drummer Klaus Miehlich to form a Rockabilly band. Igor Velican previously played in the Rockin’ Rebels and X-Raycats

In March 1985, Miehlich left the band to be replaced by Franz Rieth (drums). The following year, the trio released its debut single. On the A-side, there’s a perfect Neo-rockabilly tune, highly melodic, in the style of Restless, with powerful slap bass and excellent guitar work, but the B-side is even better. Nervous Boy has a jazzy flair (the melody reminds me of Sweet Georgia Brown) that the band has the good idea to mix with a slight hillbilly touch. Excellent!

Fred ”Virgil” Turgis

Catfish trio

Raiders (the)

The Raiders – S/T

Lost Moment Records – LM12 038 [1986]
Two Cold Potatoes And A Bottle Of Wine / Coffee Colored Cadillac – Barking Up The Wrong Tree

raiders (the)

The Raiders were a British Rockabilly quartet. Despite my research, I couldn’t find detailed information but I guess the lineup was Eugene Norris, Kevin Lovatt, Martin Fagg, and Martin O’Hanlon (according to the song credits). Their musical legacy is relatively small, with only one EP in 1986 and one song on a compilation album (Please Don’t Leave Me on “Rockin’ It Up! vol. 2”). Surprisingly, their EP was produced by Andy Partridge (XTC), which is not a name that you would commonly associate with Rockabilly.
Despite that, or thanks to Partridge’s experience, the result is a solid Rockabilly EP, halfway between traditional and Neo-Rockabilly. There is nothing earth-shattering or revolutionary, but the Raiders know how to play and compose, and their singer is more than competent. Between the lively and bouncy Rockabilly of Two Cold Potatoes And A Bottle Of Wine, the excellent stroller Coffee Colored Cadillac and their good cover of Don Woody’s Barking Up the Wrong Tree, this record is highly recommendable.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Buck Owens

Buck Owens – The Many Sides Of Buck Owens

Atomic ACCD 027
Hot Dog – Sweet Thing – Excuse Me – Foolin’ Around – Above And Beyond – Kickin’ Our Hearts Around – Down On The Corner Of Love – Nobody’s Fool But Yours – It Don’t Show On Me – Right After The Dance – Second Fiddle – The House Down The Block – Under The Influence Of Love – You’re For Me – Under Your Spell Again – Save The Last Dance Dance For Me – Mental Cruelty – Loose Talk – Bop – Go Crazy Man – Looking Back To See – Goose Rock – Sad Singin’ And Slow Ridin’ – Whatcha Gonna Do Now – Flash Crash And Thunder – Hey, Miss Fannie – I Gotta Know – Rhythm And Booze – Take Me

Buck Owens

As its title indicates, The Many Sides Of Buck Owens covers the whole career of Buck Owens. You’ll find his recording debut for Pep records in 1956, heavily influenced by Hank Williams (but who wasn’t), his first-class 1957 Rockabilly single under the name of Corky Jones, the development of his trademark Bakersfield sound, and some excellent duets with Rose Maddox. There are also plenty of songs with Owens as a session man on guitar, ranging from hillbilly (the Farmer Boys, Jean Shepard), proto Rock’n’roll (Bill Woods) to Rockabilly (Tommy Sands, Wanda Jackson). One could argue that this compilation doesn’t include any song with Gene Vincent (Buck played on Gene Vincent Rocks and the Blue Caps Roll), but frankly, I know you already have this album in your collection. Why complain? A superb compilation from start to finish.

Fred ”Virgil” Turgis

Rocco and the Rays

Rocco and the Rays – Palmdale Sun

RR 69 [1987]
I Get Excited – The Cat Blues / Wild Train – The Rider

Rocco and the Rays

In December 1984, Rocco (ex-Rocco et ses Frères, named after Visconti’s film) joined forces with Johnny Delco and Bruno (ex-Stalin Girl) to form the Jivaros. Playing wild Rockabilly, the group kept that line-up for a while. Finally, in September 1985, the trio was joined by Claudio, the Rocco et ses Frères drummer, and the group became Rocco and the Rays.
In 1986, the group recorded their first album, a four-track under the leadership of Marc Police (Wampas, Pasadenas) and Alain Wampas (Wampas, Los Carayos, Happy Drivers).
The result, although frustrating by its shortness, is no less dazzling. The four songs skillfully mix influences and, in just four tracks, build the band’s legend. The group introduces Morriconian influences into its Rockabilly, bordering on classicism, to better distance itself from it the next minute. From I Get Excited, a snappin’ Rockabilly all in contained savagery, to the hillbilly of the title track, there is absolutely nothing to throw away on this mini-album. The production perfectly highlights Rocco’s superb voice, who knows how to be captivating and, the next moment, switch to the wild or a torrid style akin to Gene Vincent.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Son Demon and his Holy Boys

Son Demon & his Holy Boys – Boptized

Bluelight Records BLR 33236 2 [2023]
Guitar Rock – It Would Be A Doggone Lie – Keepin’ All My Lovin’ – Alabama Jailhouse – Old Moss Back – Darlene – False Hearted Girl – Did You Tell Me (You Don’t Care) – Done Told You – Home In My Hand – Laughin’ and Jokin’ – Ahead On – Don’t Mean Maybe Baby

son demon & his holy boys

After their EP, released in 2022, this drummer-less Finnish trio returns with an entire album of thirteen new recordings. The pleasure I had while listening to this album made me think I had been a little too harsh with their previous release. Sure, like the EP, this album contains only cover versions, but when I usually complain about the Rockabilly albums that are too often too long, here, the length works to the band’s advantage. Throughout the 13 tunes, the trio has more room to develop its sound and personality, and one can hear all the subtleties of the musicianship. And finally, the style of the band takes over the cover. Of course, I like bands who write their own songs and make their contribution to the long story of Rockabilly. But remember bands like Ray Condo or the Planet Rockers. Both were playing only covers, and no one would argue about their lack of personality. This is the same here; you hear the band first and then recognise songs you already know. A superb production and recording job, with a raw, almost primitive sound, contributes to the success of this excellent album.Don’t hesitate, get boptized!

Son Demon and his Holy Boys

Bluelight Records BLR 45176 7
When My Baby Passes By – Blues Stop Knockin’ / Too Hot To Handle – Wait for Me Virginia

Son Demon and his Holy Boys

Son Demon and his Holy Boys is a Finnish group formed in late 2021 by Vellu Lehtonen (Son Demon) on vocals and guitar, Iikku Riepponen on double bass and Viiljami Kujansivu on guitar. Riepponen is also known for playing double bass with Mike Bell & the Belltones.

It’s a traditional Rockabilly trio with an authentic, almost primitive sound. The band is good, the singer has a good voice and sings well, the guitarist does a good job and the rhythm is solid. All the ingredients are there to make this record a good Rockabilly record. It just lacks a hint of originality. The group does not have, for the moment hopefully, that little extra that can differentiate it from the others. Moreover, the fact that this EP only includes covers (Glen Bland, Al Ferrier, Vince Anthony and Ben Wasson) does not really allow us to judge the band at its fair value. A group to follow, hoping to find them over a longer distance with their own songs.

Also available on CD.

Fred ”Virgil” Turgis

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