Holley 750

They used to plug themselves as “the loudest band in Denver” on their MySpace page but nowadays Holley 750 consider themselves to be “the most hated band in Denver”. Perhaps they’re hated because of the loudness? Perhaps by the people living next door to the rehearsal studio? We may never know the answer to this question…and we don’t really care.

Holley 750 aren’t a bad band, judging by the tunes on their MySpace page, but they do need some work if they want to be taken seriously. The music is pretty well executed (though a bit generic) but the vocals do leave a lot to be desired. There is no need to scream (growl) from start to finish of every single song, is there? Maybe they should seriously consider taking on a new vocalist, as it could really help to push these guys to the next level. But perhaps they’re happy where they’re at. I don’t know….

I’ve yet to see this band live so I can’t judge that aspect but I could tell you that if you like bands such as Zeke (which seems to be their main influence) then you might have some use for Holley 750.

www.myspace.com/therealholley750

Looker – Built to Burn

These Laramie, WY rockin’ slobs sure know how to kick it with the best of ‘em. As a matter of fact, since getting this disc a couple of months back it’s been in constant rotation at home and on the car CD player. Actually, it’s an AMAZING disc to drive down I-25 or I-70 in the middle of an icestorm with. Yeah…pedal to the metal, motherfuckers!

How can you possibly go wrong with killer songs like “Since the Coke Ran Out (You Ain’t Seemed Right)”? Not only is it quite possibly the awesomest (is that a word?) song title ever…but they back it with some intense rock n’ fuckin’ roll, to boot! Yeah…they deliver the goods, no doubt about it.

Who would ever think that rockin’ sounds like these would come out of cow country? Or maybe that’s the point – when there’s nothing else to do, rock the fuck out!

If you’re a fan of AC/DC, Turbonegro, Zeke, the Backyard Babies, and the like then you cannot go wrong with Looker. I very highly recommend this band…and this disc. Fuckin’ hell yeah!

www.myspace.com/lookerwy

Danzig / Horrorpops / Gorgeous Frankenstein / Suicide City – 11/07/07 @ Ogden Theater (Denver)

This was my first Danzig show in quite some time and I was pretty anxious to see if the man still has what it takes…but we’ll get to that in a bit. First we must discuss the openers. After all, it’s only fair.

The first band to go on was Suicide City. This Brooklyn, NY band consists of some chick on bass who used to play with Kittie and also that guy Billy from Biohazard. Their sound was a weird mix of nu-hardcore, screamo…and Guns ‘N Roses style hard rock. Overall, they weren’t horrible but most certainly were VERY forgettable. Nothing really stands out about them other than their killer drummer…and how incredibly idiotic and annoying the singer was. Granted, they did get some positive response from the crowd…but it was minimal, at best.

Next up was a new band named Gorgeous Frankenstein made up of ex-Misfits guitarist Doyle on guitar, Blitzkid’s drummer and bass player, and Doyle’s wife Gorgeous George on…the stripper pole. Oh, yeah…Goolsby (Blitzkid’s bassist) also handles the vocals. Anyhow, while the band has a pretty good (though nowadays a bit overdone) look, the music is (yet again) pretty forgettable and generic. Yes, it’s great to see Doyle up on the stage again but, overall, the band seems like nothing more than background music for George’s stripper act.

Third up were Horrorpops and they surprised me. Nice stage presence, complete with two very cute dancers, as well as some very catchy and hooky rockabilly infused tunes. Not exactly my preferred cup of tea but very good, nonetheless.

Finally Danzig took the stage and proceeded to rock the fuck out of the capacity Ogden crowd . Hard to believe that he’s 50+. The man most definitely still has it! This time around he’s joined on stage by Todd Youth (guitar), Steve Zing (bass)…and I forget who the drummer is. Oddly enough, ex Danzig guitarist Tommy Victor was also playing on this night at the Larimer Lounge…with his band, Prong. But, anyway, they played most songs that you’d want to hear from the Danzig catalog as well as some from the recently released Lost Tracks of Danzig disc. The man himself had a ton of energy, which was surprising, considering how he was playing with one arm in a sling. He was also in a GREAT mood…and it’s always cool to see him having a good time on stage. Yep…killer show! But one of the biggest surprises was yet to come…

Right before leaving the stage Glenn mentioned there being another band still to come…and then out came Doyle again, joining the band on stage for a short set of Misfits classics – “Vampira”, “Demonomania”, “We Bite”, and “Skulls”. That, my friends, was (for me) the highlight of the night. Jerry Only may still be out there in a band using the Misfits name…but THIS was a much better version. It was also the closest we will likely ever come to a full Misfits reunion.