It sucks when great bands don't get the pub they deserve. This seems especially true of the Von Bondies, who were on the brink of stardom when Jack White kicked lead singer Jason Stollsteimer's ass in a Detroit bar in 2004 and derailed them for good, killing any street cred along the way. Shame, since they could easily clean the White Stripes' clocks on dirty, groovy, Detroit garage rock.
See, Jack produced their first album and the two were friends, hometown homies. But, then the fight happened and photos circulated on the Interweb of Jason's bloody, swollen face. Jack's a God, let's face it. So, Jason looked like the biggest nerd in school at that point.
That was just as their last album, Pawn Shoppe Heart, was about to be released. That thing is a monster, and could have been the biggest thing since White Blood Cells. Instead, they managed one sorta hit in the perfect and infectious "C'Mon C'Mon" which is one of those songs you've heard somewhere before.
I managed to see them play a bowling alley the other night with about 50-70 in attendance. Man, these guys and gals deserve better. The word that keeps coming to mind is "greasy". Like the Stripes or Strokes deep fried in 10 lbs of lard. That garage rock boom that started and stopped a couple years ago was the perfect foray for their sound, but they should have, and may still, last longer. The show was loose. No set list. They played what they felt when they felt it. 15 or so songs packed in about 58 minutes. That is the perfect show in my book.
The band is two dudes and two chicks and the chicks rock. The bass player, Lauren something, is a mammoth on her instrument, yet she's as pert and cute as Christina Ricci with a chin. The other plays the fuzzed out rhythm guitar like she was in Black Sabbath. Can't remember her name, but she looks like a pint-sized Courtney Love. Like miles of heroin soaked highways are in her history. The guys bring it. The drummer is Asian. Multi-culti, eh?
Check these guys out. Give them a chance. They're so good.
See, Jack produced their first album and the two were friends, hometown homies. But, then the fight happened and photos circulated on the Interweb of Jason's bloody, swollen face. Jack's a God, let's face it. So, Jason looked like the biggest nerd in school at that point.
That was just as their last album, Pawn Shoppe Heart, was about to be released. That thing is a monster, and could have been the biggest thing since White Blood Cells. Instead, they managed one sorta hit in the perfect and infectious "C'Mon C'Mon" which is one of those songs you've heard somewhere before.
I managed to see them play a bowling alley the other night with about 50-70 in attendance. Man, these guys and gals deserve better. The word that keeps coming to mind is "greasy". Like the Stripes or Strokes deep fried in 10 lbs of lard. That garage rock boom that started and stopped a couple years ago was the perfect foray for their sound, but they should have, and may still, last longer. The show was loose. No set list. They played what they felt when they felt it. 15 or so songs packed in about 58 minutes. That is the perfect show in my book.
The band is two dudes and two chicks and the chicks rock. The bass player, Lauren something, is a mammoth on her instrument, yet she's as pert and cute as Christina Ricci with a chin. The other plays the fuzzed out rhythm guitar like she was in Black Sabbath. Can't remember her name, but she looks like a pint-sized Courtney Love. Like miles of heroin soaked highways are in her history. The guys bring it. The drummer is Asian. Multi-culti, eh?
Check these guys out. Give them a chance. They're so good.
1 comment:
a) your writing is too good not to be noticed as a real music critic. Why can't we push you out there more?
b) i'll try von babies, but Jack is a prophet and if he labels these jokers, i can't disobey
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