Interview with the band BAMBOOZLE

With a new EP out called Red Right Hand, Bamboozle are a 50’s influenced rockin’ band, with a modern sound. Being one of the only bands to have a sexy gal on rockabilly slap bass, a world class pedal steel player, one of the scenes top rockabilly guitarists and a top class swingin’ drummer, with mesmerizing four part harmonies, Bamboozle are the band to see! Let's chat with Serena Sykes (bass) & Jim Knowler (guitar)

Who got you into Rock & Roll?

S: I guess it’s always been a part of me. Growing up, my Mum was crazy on Cliff, but also had a great collection of Elvis and a few others on vinyl. I had a great old record player that was bright red, and I’d spend hours playing through her collection, but it wasn’t until I met Jim that I considered playing bass and doing it myself. Living with Jim means you can’t avoid anything 50s, and it ended up becoming a big part of me too. After watching some of the great bassists, I had to learn how to play proper rockabilly bass, it was just the coolest thing.

J: My cousin Andrew Knowler. I was about 13 years old and when I'd visit him he'd always had Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and various doo wop, rhythm n blues playing and I just fell in love with the energy of it. So when I started learning guitar it was the obvious path to take.

How do you see today's Rock & Roll scene?

S: A little bit divided… It’s great that its around, I love it loads, but it used to be more people who just liked 50s music, and old style stuff, but its broken off into sections a bit, rockabilly, jive, doo wop, and if you cross over between genres, not everyone likes that, but it’s still a great scene and so far, everyone has been really welcoming and positive about the band, which means a lot to us. I hope it continues.

J: It's changed a lot. I remember when there were just a handful of weekenders, all-dayers and rock n roll clubs, and the music was just 1950's music including rock n roll, rockabilly, doo wop, jive etc ...now the music has divided into rockabilly weekends, jive weekends, rock n roll weekends, which for me is a shame because I feel it divides the scene. 

I understand if you're someone who only likes rockabilly or jive, but for me it's only a shame because I love all the styles of music from the 1950's. However the main thing for me is that the scene is still thriving, and there are events that keep the music alive, and hopefully appealing to the younger generation so it carries on forever! Rock n' Roll is here to stay!!!

What are the bands plans for 2017?

S: Play as much as we can! Being so new, we just want to get out there, and see what people think of the music. We’re all working hard on writing too, Jim and I have already got original songs in the set, and our next one was written by Dave. Hopefully we’ll have a full album of stuff by the end of the year.

J: We have just released our 4 track EP RED RIGHT HAND. So promoting that on gigs, radio all over Europe. Build up a following that enjoy what we are doing. Then at the same time we are all working on writing new songs as we want to record an album with mainly originals on it.

What are you all-time favorite Rock & Roll artists?

S: Wanda Jackson and Janis Martin are my top ladies and big influences of mine. They had real grit, and talent. I love them. I’m also a big fan of Johnny Burnette, he had such a raw energy in his stuff.

J: There are so many, but for different reasons. Elvis Presley is an obvious one, as he influenced so many people. Eddie Cochran one of my early guitar influences.

Gene Vincent has got to be one, great sound! 

I love vocal harmonies so lots of doo-wop groups The Five Keys, The Flamingos, The Crew Cuts, and that's just a few! The Everly Brothers were a massive early influence. My cousin Andrew and I learnt nearly every song on the greatest hits album and we'd perform them at family parties. I'd say the Everlys taught me how to harmonise, I owe them a lot.

You got any wild stories that have happened to the band?

S: Well, we haven’t been around for even a year yet, so our ‘wild’ history is a bit dull ;) I think this year is the year to make a few though! We’ve got a lot of long road trips coming up, so I can’t imagine it all being a sensible, easy ride!

What makes Bamboozle the band that it is?

S: The mix of the players and their skills. We all come at it from a slightly different angle. Jim loves his vocal harmonies, and anything with a swing and cool chords, Shaun is really into proper rockabilly, Dave comes from a more of a country and western swing background, and I love a lot of the classics, but also have a bit of a modern edge to what I do too, and I think the combination of what we all bring together makes the band a bit different to what’s out there at the moment. Hopefully people will like that!

J: Its the the collaboration of all the band members different influences. Rockabilly, jazz, Western swing and country. All this is mixed in a great big pot and poured into a large glass and there you have it, beautiful refreshing Bamboozle juice! 

Hopefully everyone will want to try some ;-)

What is the bands history?

S: It all kind of came about by accident really. Last year, Jim decided he wanted to make a change in music, as he had been working with his function band, Hullabaloo for 18 years, and needed a change. It was a scary time, as it meant we would have to find something to replace the full-time income, so it was a lot of pressure.

He had met Dave, (Pedal Steel), a few months before, and it had planted a seed to do something on those lines, as he’d always been a fan of Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant. We started with some ideas, gave Dave a call, and it happened to be perfect timing, as he was looking for a new project himself.

It did get off to a quite rocky start behind the scenes, as when Shaun decided he wanted to come on board, it was a difficult decision due to them being two thirds of The Keytones. Their intention wasn’t to quit, just to have a break from it for a while, renew their passion for music and go in a slightly different direction, but it did sadly end in the break-up of the band, which I know was hard for a lot of people.

It was a tough thing for everyone to face, and I don’t think they guys were ready to put it to bed for good, but we all invested that energy into Bamboozle, and worked hard to get the band out there and put the past behind us.

We’ve still got a long way we want to go musically with Bamboozle, it’s still in its infant stages for us, and we all have so many ideas of where we want it to go. We’re really excited about creating our debut album, but we want to take our time and get it right, really make it something special.

It has even inspired all of us to write too. Jim as always been the songwriter in his previous incarnations, but with Bamboozle, alongside Jim’s fantastic songs “Just Like You” and “Ice Cold Beer”, from our debut EP, we have introduced one of my original songs, “Daddy’s Girl”, which we hope to release as a single in the next few months, and have one by Dave in rehearsal, which we’ll try out live soon. Shaun also has a couple of numbers on the way. Hopefully the new album will show a bit of what everyone can do.

J: Well we are coming up to our year anniversary, so not a long history yet, but we certainly hope to make some!

Describe the band in 3 words?

S: Exciting, passionate, musical.

J: Fan, Dabby, Dozy!

What are your rock & roll turn on's?

S: Anything with a swing and passion! I love people who just get lost in their music. Elvis was a great example of that, you get drawn into their world and its great. You can see it in instrumentalists too. Steve Whitehouse is an influence for me, he really performs when he plays, it’s great. You can’t beat that.

J: Wild guitar solos! and anything by Jimmy Bryant.

What’s your favorite rock & roll movie?

S: I must admit, I listened to the music a lot, but haven’t seen anywhere near enough of the movies. I have seen most of Cliff’s movies, as my Mum would have one on almost every weekend, and a few of the Elvis ones too. My favorite scene is “The Lady Loves Me” from Viva Las Vegas. I love the interaction, it’s so fun and light-hearted. It really sums up the era for me.

J: Rock Rock Rock. I love the mix of live artists, Frankie Lymon, Johnny Burnette trio, Lavern Baker, the Moonglows. Also I've always been a big fan of The Three Chuckles who are featured a lot in this movie.

Interview with wild guitarist JETT 'DAMIEN' DEAN

Speaking with guitar hero Jett 'Damien' Dean - Brutish power chords & flamboyant rockabilly solo's mixed with bad-trip psychedelia

Whats it like being know as one of the wildest live guitarists around?

When Im on stage it's just a blur, I look down and I've got broken strings and blood all over the guitar. I just cant stand still I've tried it but it's not for me, soloing mid air and using the guitar as a weapon is more fun.

You really go for it on stage where do you get your energy and passion from?
It's always been the same, whenever I hear music I just lose it 100%!!...All these different characters come out, Im a natural onstage, I love to see the audience's reaction and to give them a party, it's the greatest high in the world, all the other bullshit is worth it just to get on the stage and unlock the key.

Where do you get your middle name from?
From my parents, but in Italian it's Damiano. 

I also read that you're into the occult?

Yes, I was brought up near Salem and people are very superstitious around there. We used to hang out in graveyards and on plantations at night and I'd play guitar, crow's would gather around as we wailed. To this day I still put graveyard soil in my guitar case, just feels natural.

How would you describe your music? 

Bonkers rock & roll, just that really raw primal sound. The crowds want something that will shake them up, mean licks with nothing too fancy, any new guitarist can copy my style. It's about being sloppy, aggressive and tasteful all at once, that to me is exciting playing. The rhythm of rock & roll is an atomic bomb, pure excitement anything from 1956-1966, to be able to play those songs is beyond arousing. There's something about that time period in music. I must be a  reincarnated 60's pop dynamo (haha)

That's what appeals to me, the mixture of your influences.

For me rock & roll has to have that mutant side to it, people like Screaming Lord Sutch did it with 'Jack The Ripper' or The Phantom's 'Love Me' nailed it, cult music. It's gotta be frantic, there's never been any other music that's even come close to the guts of rockabilly or psychobilly. The greatest stars are a pure mixture of God and the Antichrist, it's an exciting combination.  

How long have you been playing guitar?

I started when I was twelve and took lessons for a bit. Learnt my minor chords, but then my guitar tutor disappeared and a week later the police reported him as missing, but I kept learning by ear from records. Bands like Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Charlie Feathers, Bo Diddley, Hasil Adkins, Link Wray, The Damned.

Your influences are mixed with punk?

Absolutely it's all part of the same DNA, I see punk as an update on rockabilly. I love witchy girls and cult B movies like Plan 9 From Outer Space or Hammer Horror one's like Plague Of The Zombies. The audiences who come and see us deserve a show. On any given night I can be either a mixture of Mocata, Frankenstein or Dracula, I can tap into their energy. 

What are your future plans?
Well on the day that Honey Don't fired me Chuck Berry died.........so I'll leave it to you to figure that sign out.

The Del Sharron's Interview

Talking today with Sharon Thurston, lead singer & guitarist of the Del Sharron's. They are a five piece band based in Leicestershire.  

The band first formed in 2009 when we were just three close friends with a passion for 50's music and we started out as a trio. We cover many songs from the fifties, mainly Doo Wop, Rock & Roll and Rockabilly but have also started to write our own songs In a fifties style. 

I have been playing guitar since I was thirteen years old, I first had a love for this music from a very very young age and remember listening to Buddy Holly and Elvis a lot as a child but it was my parents love for the music that got me into it. 

Today's rock & roll scene is still going strong if you know where to look, with many bands on the circuit who are keeping rock & roll alive.
In 2017 we aim to play lots of gigs and to try and conquer the rock & roll scene by 2018 whilst trying to write our own songs.

They're next gig is on 4th February at Ibstock rock n roll club Leicestershire https://www.thedelsharrons.co.uk/