Vince and the Sun Boppers – Gone For Lovin’
Rhythm Bomb RBR 5830
Bad Boy Rock – Black Haired Woman – Bunny Love – Dance With Sally – Devil Eyes – Gone For Lovin – Mama Little Chicky – I’m Longing For You – It’s You – Lone No More- Ooh My Baby – You Gotta Be Mine
When he recorded Elvis Scotty and Bill in July 1954, Sam Phillips probably didn’t know that not only he was writing history but more than 60 years later, folks from all around the world, young and old, would continue to play this music.
Vince and the Sun Boppers are one of those bands who perpetuate the tradition of classic Rockabilly (I don’t like the term authentic, for me as long as it’s played with the heart, whether it’s Big Sandy, Crazy Cavan or the Rockats, it’s authentic) These four cats (Vince Mannino: vocals lead guitar, Francesco Ardito: double bass, Silvio Chiodo: acoustic guitar and John Ziino: drums) come from Sicily but had Rhythm Bomb, their label, told me those songs came from a lost Sun session (I guess there’s a reason why they’re called the Sun Boppers) from 1956 I would easily have believed them.
Everything here sounds period perfect. The rhythm section is top notch with a solid acoustic rhythm guitar, a light double bass – unlike too many bass players Mister Ardito knows that you don’t need to slap on all songs when you have a drummer – that perfectly matches with the drummer who manages to perfectly nail that Jimmy Van Eaton/ WS Holland sound. And of course there’s the voice and the guitar.
All these qualities to serve a bunch of excellent self-penned songs that manage to be both originals and in the tradition. As I said Vince and the Sun Boppers’ main influence is clearly the Sun sound but one can also hear the influence of Texas Rockabilly bands like Sid King and the Five Strings on a tune like Mama Little Chicky. Equally great is “It’s You” with its Jordanaires like backing vocals.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis