The Staggerers

KINGS OF NUTHIN'
PHOTON TORPEDOES
THE STAGGERS
September 16, 2000 @ Linwood Grille, Boston, MA
Review by: Susan Slater
Pictures by: Susan Slater

BLOOD on the guitar of Leo from the Photon Torpedoes...FIRE from the Sax and Washboard of the Kings of Nuthin' and raw, rowdy vocals from The Staggers. That is what Saturday, September 16th brought us from the Linwood Grille. I  have not seen this place that packed in a LONG while.  

Seeing the Staggers was like seeing the Misfits meets the Hillbilly Hellcats meets Jerry Lee Lewis at a lo down ho down! With a '64 Gretsch, Joe Blow belts out fast, rough but smooth vocals with lyrics from horror movies, ...and did those vocals really come from him?! Sporting a devil lock, Joe Blow can at times sound like old Misfits with Danzig, but the music is not that at all. It is fast, furious, hard rocking and foot stomping! They just won't slow down! These guys were on an east coast tour from Texas and were formerly called the Riot Squad. A definite must see...and be sure to be rested to keep up with them! Visit their website by clicking here and buy their latest CD from Chicago based Haunted Town Records. I have not stopped playing it since I got it. "Last Man on Earth" and "What Are You So Afraid Of" are the best tracks. The latter reminiscent of Danzig vocals, and very unique indeed.  

Next up the Photon Torpeodes-Psychobilly HELL! With early 80's European Psychobilly influences as well at 80's U.S. punk influences and sing-a-long choruses, The Photon Torpedoes will keep the dance floor moving and bodies flying to the stage to grab the mike. This was the debut of their new bass player, the Kannibal Klaver. He came here from the Netherlands in a loin cloth and bone in his nose, which was a souvenir from his last victim. Humans beware...he is a killer on the stand up bass as well! The band sounded tighter, fuller and had much more pounding energy from the Magic Man for which they never really lacked anyway! Leo played harder, till he bled, spurting blood all over the neck of his guitar (usually it is coming from his mouth). They performed "Midget Porn Boogie," as well as tunes from their new 7" Flesh Eating Bacteria." All in all, these guys seem refreshed and bursting with a fury. They did G.G. Allin's "Tough Fuckin' Shit" with drummer, Ricky Magic doing vocals. Man, it was better than G.G. Allin himself! Be sure to get their CD "It Came From Outer Space" on Raucous Records and their new 7" "Flesh Eating Bacteria" on Baby Doll Records. Click here to get it on-line.

Last but definitely NOT least is the Kings of Nuthin' sporting black suits and thin white ties. I am never disappointed when I see these guys! Seven members with a piano, washboard player, sax, guitar, upright bass, guitar and vocals. This band has got to put on one of the most insane shows I have ever seen, and with this line up they are definitely in top form. Tor (vocalist) lost his teeth, Necros lit his washboard on fire, and the sax went up in flames as usual! Spike slapped on the bass on top of the bar...seeing as how they have seven members and a stage too small for their antics, spreading out all over the club is the only option. Across the room, on the bar, to the top of the speakers, Necros played his washboard and flashed a moon - the insanity prevailed! The music is slow and grinding, then hard, then fast, then slow, crossing barriers of old R&B, 50's rock and roll and a punk mix . Tor's vocals are gruff, raspy and sound like one who has smoked too many cigarettes, but sexy and chaotic to say the least. They are rowdiest bunch of rock and rollers to have ever hit Boston. And when they covered the Dead Boys there was such a rush for the stage and mikes that I think a few bodies got trampled! Kings of Nuthin" will have their full length CD out soon. You can check them out on their page on Tourdates.com