Origin of the species: Speedo's
early origins are basically a who's-who of classic punk rock. Taking inspiration
from local San Diego heroes BATALLION OF SAINTS as well as other punk titans
like BLACK FLAG, DAG NASTY and THE DEAD KENNEDYS, his own guitar assaults
began to take shape. Over the years, he developed a knack for four-chord
anthems laced with a one-of-a-kind, demolition derby guitar style. The original
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT material oozed with die-hard MISFITS obsession and
a propensity for 70s soul and funk like JAMES BROWN, THE METERS and FUNKADELIC.
But Reis' other somewhat more guitar-driven projects with Rick Froberg recall
everything from SQUIRREL
BAIT to LINK WRAY to RADIO BIRDMAN to obscure
power pop bands and everything in between. He's a restless sort, constantly
starting up multiple projects for a few albums and eventually dissolving
them. His more recent albums are peppered with spontaneous clungy surf-style
guitar excursions woven with Froberg, which share a remarkable similarity
to the early shakin' sounds of Ed Kuepper from THE SAINTS and the DK's East
Bay Ray (think "Police Truck"). Always straddling the line between the abrasive
and melodic, John Reis is a study in primal rock 'n roll spirit and addictive
anti-guitar hero godliness.
First, buy: - HOT SNAKES - "Suicide Invoice",
2002 (Swami) - "And when I drink, I keep my promises to you!" Give
this disc a couple of spins and you'll find yourself chanting these lyrics
in your sleep. Somehow, this album pulls it all together -- the short bursts
of power from Reis' RFTC days as well as the adventurous, atonal wanderings
of PITCHFORK and DRIVE LIKE JEHU. The result is a booming, reckless guitar-driven
escapade that never lets you come up for air. Speedo's unrestrained attack
in "Gar Forgets His Insulin" and "Bye Bye Nancy Boy" recalls Deniz Tek (RADIO
BIRDMAN) at the height of his surfy belligerence. Lyrics to stuff like "Paperwork"
and "Who Died" are as strange & snotty as
they are engaging. Throw in the relentless, pounding
percussion of Jason Kourkounis and you've got a sure-fire classic on your
hands. Who needs bread, milk, or gasoline when you can spend your money
on this?
Then buy: ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT - "Scream
Dracula, Scream!" 1995 (Interscope) – It's no easy task to pick
the best album from a band like RFTC. They've just conceived so many arse kickers
since forming in the late 80s (we could easily do a feature like this dedicated
to them). But for folks that worship the MC5 and the early SAINTS material,
this is a great place to start. The disc is packed to the rafters with greasy,
three chord, horns-a-plenty blasters like "Used" and "Come See, Come Saw".
Originally, Speedo brought a full orchestra into the studio to record sweeping
passages between the songs. The intent was to create an artistic 'feast
for the ears' sort of thing.
At the last minute, all the orchestral stuff was
scrapped, leaving behind only the material that qualifies "Scream Dracula,
Scream" as the 90s rock album most likely to cause bruises. Rumor has it
that in early 2006, the band will officially close up shop for good. Moment
of silence please...
Then buy – DRIVE LIKE JEHU - "Yank Crime"
1994 (Interscope) Beautiful torture. Controlled mayhem. The sound
of a powerful band teetering on the brink of collapse for about 45 straight
minutes. DRIVE LIKE JEHU made a mockery of all the watered-down JAWBOX imitators
that popped up in the 90s. "Luau" lurches along like an angry bull with
two broken legs. "Do You Compute" is fingernails scratching 45 chalkboards
in unison while somebody puts a sofa through a meatgrinder. If you're skeptical,
that's fine. Just let "Yank Crime" violate you a few times. Stew your brain
in these chaotic damaged, guitar-heavy fender-benders for awhile, and see
if it doesn't modify your traditional
definition of "guitar rock album". Undoubtedly Speedo's most
sonically ambitious achievement. How this band snuck its way onto a major
label is still beyond me.
Then buy - ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT - "RFTC",
1998 (Interscope) - As opener "Eye on You" spells out crystal
clear, the band's second major label release is a highly polished affair
with a thick slathering of horns complemented by a sprinkling of female
vocals. Not to worry, though… by no means is this a pop record. "I Know"
and "Panic Scam" have those raucous riffs we've come to expect, but this
album also explores a lot of uncharted territory with the Latin rhythms
of "You Gotta Move" and the unabashed juvenile humor of "Dick on a Dog". What really sets this album apart from the band's earlier work, though, is the infectious theme of playful love throughout. After all, what pathetic lovesick loser
doesn't want to live though the experiences recounted in "Lipstick" and "Let's Get Busy"? Exactly. "RFTC" may not make your life 100 percent fun-filled and carefree, but at least it'll sound like it is.
Then buy - ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT - "Circa:
Now!", 1992 (Headhunter) - The second album from RFTC, this was the moment
that catapulted the band from humble beginnings to major label exposure.
Speedo and the boys still have some rough edges, and Apollo 9's sax doesn't
have much spotlight time yet, but what really matters are the songs themselves
- and they're here by the truckload. And they don't waste any time delivering
the goods either, as "Short Lip Fuser" gets them chords a-pounding right from the word "go". From there, RFTC really gets the party moving with "Hippy Dippy Do" and the frantic "Killy Kill", gives folks a glimpse of their sensitive side with "Ditch Digger" and
"Little Arm", and hypnotizes listeners with the seemingly endless loop of album closer "Glazed". Sure, it may not be the band's most well-known or revered album, but when has that ever been top priority around here?
Live pick: MICHIGANFEST 2002 DVD -
As long as Reis and Co. have been making music, and with all the subsequent
touring for multiple projects, one would think a truckload of live material
would be available. Well, it just ain't so. But on this DVD, the SNAKES
bash out a lightning version of "Automatic Midnight" that will confirm at
least two of your sneaking suspicions. One, Reis is responsible for just
about all of those twisting, convulsing lead/rhythm melodies that are such
a staple for the band's sound. He delivers them here with demonic Dick Dale-ish
fervor. Second, Reis could definitely get away with rolling cigarettes up
in his sleeves if he wanted without anyone giving him a second
glance or making Danny Zuko jokes. All in all,
lots of cool footage and more than a few great performances by bands like
the aforementioned SNAKES, RYE COALITION and OXES make this a DVD worth
having all the way around.
Avoid: ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT ALL THE SINGLES
- Yes, I realize this may be easier said than done. Printed on
the CD version of the s/t DRIVE LIKE JEHU disc are the words, "CDs really
fucking blow" and we're really not in a position to disagree. After all,
RFTC has done splits with just about everybody from SEPTIC DEATH to THE
HELLACOPTERS, with lots of nifty collectable goodies for the 7" and 12"
mongers to drool over. But let's get our priorities in order. Do you have
a decent copy of THE BOYS early stuff? The LAMF album? How about that MC5
bootleg anthology thing? The first ROSE TATTOO disc? See, you most likely
have some work to do before blowing tons of cash on these collectables.
Fortunately for you, most of the tunes on these
singles can be found on the excellent 2 volume "All Systems Go" collections
at prices that won't require you to sell off body parts. Remember, be a
music collector, not an obsessive vinyl weenie. And if you do have all of
the above, save your money for one of those cool RFTC tats. Personally,
I always thought the "Yank Crime" cover would look good in ink, anyway.
Closing tidbits: Are we seeing
a pattern here? Whether you're an RFTC fan or not, there's no denying that
Reis has been the common denominator in some of the most captivating guitar
punk platters these past few years. A string of such consistency is quite
an anomaly these days (and I didn't even get a chance to mention THE SULTANS,
BACK OFF CUPIDS, etc.) and while most of his projects last for only a handful
of albums, I'd say no collection of raunchy devil music is complete without
a little Reis on the side.
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