Wes Dodd, Oct 10, 2008
Turbo Lovers
Outstanding
The Turbo Lovers started back in 2004, but their new album, Outstanding,
is the first time founder and guitarist Bradlee Van Lisko recorded with an
actual band and not just hired musicians. On first listen, the guitar
tones sound too much like AC/DC. After a few more plays, however, songs
like "Turn Me On" grab the attention of even the most cynical listeners.
Lisko, who's been part of Youngstown's rock 'n' roll scene for years,
sings about boredom and frustration in "Another Red Light" and "I Want It
All." These lyrics actually have a point, unlike what passes for punk
these days (you know, like the street life complaints of a 17-year-old
from Orange County, California, whose parents own a $20 million house).
Memphis Mike, Big Beat Of The 50's Magazine, Australia
Big Myke Destiny really likes Link Wray. This fact is evident in the bands he signs to Cracked Piston Recordings. Big, loud, twangin’ guitars seem to be the house rule.
Cracked Piston Recordings was born, as Big Myke puts it “out of my passion for American Roots Rock, R-n-R, Jump Blues, Rockabilly, Psychobilly and pure Footstompin’ TWANG”.
For 14 years (1987-2001), he hosted The Big Guitar Show radio program on KFJC 89.7 FM in Los Altos Hills, California. During this time, he got to know and befriend many of the bands that performed on air. This afforded him the opportunity to start his own independent label. Big Myke noticed that there was no shortage of bands needing help with production and distribution. (Amen Brother! – MM)
Cracked Piston isn’t shooting for the next big thing. They’re more interested in bands that need to release 100-500 CDs to get their music out there. The bands on the label are not likely to become household names anytime soon…but nonetheless, they produce some great music!
If what you’re looking for is a carbon copy of the 1950s or a Stray Cats-wannabe band, Cracked Piston might not be your best bet. But if you’re looking for real, raw, American R-n-R, stick around!
In 2000, Cracked Piston Recordings released their first CD “TOKYO” by The Legendary Stardust Cowboy. It would be fair to say that The Legendary Stardust Cowboy (born Norman Carl Odam) aka The Ledge, has a unique vocal style. It would be more honest to say that his vocal abilities are more akin to the likes of Hasil Adkins. This man has been a cult legend since the late 60s and he’s giving the world more of his rock & roll insanity with this release which features, among other gems & nuggets, his version of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”. If you like your music a bit edgy & weird, this is IT! I almost hate to publicly admit this but I LOVE THIS STUFF!
A common thread among indie labels is the themed Various Artist compilation. Cracked Piston Recording’s release “A Town North of Bakersfield” (CPR-013) is a standout in this category! 25 tracks of what should be honky tonk classics. Compiled by Jose Seque of www.hickswithsticks.com, this disk starts with Jinx Jones’ “License to Twang” and ends with author Amy(“Joy Luck Club”) Tan’s take on the Nancy Sinatra classic “These Boots Are Made For Walking”. This disc takes you, the listener, on a trip to the world of great country jukeboxes. Rockin’ tracks like “Evil Six” (The Chop Tops) and tearjerkers like “This Property’s Condemned” (Red Meat) fit nicely alongside pure honky tonk tracks like “My Mama Told Me” (Cari Lee & the Saddle-ites) and the Shut-ins hulabilly take on Blondie’s “Dreaming”! “Granddaddy” (A.J. Roach) is one of the best country songs I’ve heard in ages. My old buddy Dave Crimmen’s “Old Enough” is sure to become my new theme song! If you don’t dig at least most of this disk, there’s something wrong with ya!
Out of all of the Cracked Piston Recordings releases, I have to say that “Fifty More Miles” (CPR-008) by The West Coast Rollers is my fave! Imagine The Paladins early in their career but with a bit more of a surf influence and a healthy dash of Link Wray thrown in. The instrumental “Gato Diablo” alone is worth the price of the CD. 11 tracks and not a bad one in the bunch! If you only buy one CD this year, give this one serious consideration.
If you like your rockabilly with a bit of a dark Southwest flavor, then The Cadillac Angels are the band for you! The most prolific artists on the CPR roster (with the possible exception of The Ledge), The Cadillac Angels have four releases, “Illinois Boy” (CPR-007), “16 Tons of Twang” (CPR-009), “Men Don’t Disco” (CPR016) and their latest “Fool Me Twice” (CPR022). The Angels, led by Tony Balbinot have forged a unique sound…parts madhouse rockabilly, Link Wray fanaticism & haunting music. Rick Teverbaugh of radio station WAXT-FM in Indiana says it best: “If the rockabilly revival ever becomes as big as it deserves, this band will be among their leaders”. Robert Plant (of Led Zeppelin fame, a lifelong r’billy fan) adds “Brilliant…just brilliant!”. I’ve worked with these cats and loved when they backed Wanda Jackson at the 1st Rockabilly Hall Of Fame festival in Jackson, TN back in 2001.
Among the other bands on Cracked Piston are the Turbo Lovers and Hellvis. The Turbo Lovers, I feel, owe more to AC/DC and Kiss than Link Wray so I’m not going to give them much space here. Their music is good if/when you’re in the mood for hard rock. Hellvis, on the other hand, is an old friend of mine. When front man Ted Laskowski & I 1st met, twenty some years back, he was a skinny lil greased up rockabilly. He & his brother Rick were trying to get their band, The Stompin’ Pompadours, off the ground. We lost touch off & on throughout the years. The boys bought my band’s old gear and went on to film a “How To Play Rockabilly Guitar” video with Paul Burlison. By the time Ted & I ran into each other again, he’d done time, hardened up a bit and become Hellvis. One part rockabilly, one part punk, one part white trash troubadour. His playing had improved, his voice had become more of a growl and his performances had become more explosive. Hellvis is not for traditionalists! Hellvis is however, great stuff! Link Wray would be proud. While not exactly psychobilly, I think fans of the genre would really dig Hellvis. With two releases on Cracked Piston Recordings: “Rock -N-Roll Mother F*ckers” (CPR-006) & “Dixie Fried Hellbilly” (CPR 0021), I think it would be easy enough for you to find out!
Last but not least are The Flat Tires, who should have a new release out by the time you read this. These guys just knock me out! Their eight song EP “Payin’ Dues…Again” (CPR-018) is a flat out aural assault of trash, twang and thunder! Again, if you like it fast & loud and Link Wray-ish, you’re gonna love these guys!
On the horizon is a projected 27 October, 2007 release by San Jose, California’s The Ballistic Cats; which promises to be chockfull of west coast “twang jump blues”!
For you trivia buffs, Big Myke Destiny gave me the following quote regarding the Cracked Piston name: “I came up with the name Cracked Piston when I was cruisin' down a California freeway in my 1964 Cadillac Sedan Deville and a piston broke - cracking my engine block. The piston in my logo is the actual one from the block; it just has the crack enhanced. I had the engine rebuilt and ran the car until I moved back east”.
In closing, one of the things I enjoy most about my fellow Americans and their music, is their fearless approach and their risk taking. We keep on taking good old-fashioned rockabilly, R-N-R, country, etc. and keep breathing new life into it. Our Australian cousins are very much the same. Who knows, maybe Big Myke at Cracked Piston Recordings may one day release a compilation on the best of Aussie rockers. I know I’d buy a copy…or three!
Until next time kids, If ya can’t be good at least be good at it!
-Memphis Mike
Feel free to send comments, questions, suggestions, hate mail, etc. to memphis@memphismike.com