Torment – Live at the Klub Foot
Trophy Records TR003
Introduction – Torment – The Source – Slow Down – Rockjet – Conscription Plan – Uncle Sam – Satisfied – The Last Time – Pass It On
A couple of years ago Alan Wilson (of Western Star and the Sharks fame) found a box full of tapes recorded at the Klub Foot, the mecca of Psychobilly and Neo-rockabilly in the mid-80’s. These tapes needed to be restored and cleaned, a very costly process and two of these shows (Batmobile and Sting Rays) were released on Anagram/Cherry Red Records. Sadly the sales weren’t enough for the label and they called it quit. Knowing he had history in his hands, Wilson created a sub-label to his own Western Star to keep on releasing this stuff.
Torment was a highly original band of the Psychobilly movement. They counted among those bands – like Frenzy – that weren’t just happy to sings songs about werewolves, zombies, ghouls or to stick with a brand of Psychobilly that was just uptempo Rockabilly. Sadly, in the early 90’s, the sudden death of Simon Brand their lead singer – guitarist and main composer pulled the final curtain on a rich discography. With this in mind and considering that they never released a live album, this record sounds like a time capsule saved from the past. Some of the songs featured here have already appeared on previous Klub Foot compilations (the “original” serie) but in term of sound there’s no comparison possible. It’s like hearing brand new recordings. What can I say ? If you dig Torment you probably already own it (or you plan to), if you don’t, remember that Torment deserves to be in any decent Psychobilly collection and this album is a good start.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
