**ALEX GALL (guitar), **YOON (guitar and vocals), **KEVIN SPAFFORD (drums), **MADDOG (congas and vocals), **CHAIRMAN (bass, keys, vocals), **CHAD DEITCHLEY (bass, keys, vocals)
Influences
Let's start with a few movies, then we'll go to the other stuff. MOVIES: Over the Edge, Rock & Rule, Foxes, Decline of Western Civilization (1 through 3), Suburbia, Taxi Driver, Urgh!! A Music War, A Woman Under the Influence, and of course Back to School. OTHER STUFF: the artwork of Portland artists Vo Minh McBurney & Brett Superstar, LOVE (60's 'Arthur Lee' Love, that is..), The Runaways ('Live in Japan' rules the universe), Stork from 'Animal House', Giorgio Moroder, Leatherface (of course), Bun E. Carlos and his band CHEAP TRICK, Patti LaBelle, Klaus (Nomi AND Meine!), the positivity and charisma of Axel Foley, and way way way too many more to mention here. And burnin' Vernon Reid.
Sounds Like
"Drats!!! delivers a well produced, exciting sound" - THE RISE AND THE FALL (the lovely San Pedro, CA music zine),
"This ear candy amuses and edutains simultaneously. It’s weirdo rock but it never not rocks, and the songs are catchy in a Big Star and dB’s kind of way." - MARK KARGES, DELUSIONS OF ADEQUACY,
"They have applied punk/indie tools and energy to prog/art rock forms in a way that is original and entertaining." - LUKAS SHERMAN, WEST COAST PERFORMER MAGAZINE,
"Imagine Zappa jamming with Pere Ubu and you’re close. However, this stands up on its own as an enjoyable art-punk album. Recommended!
- ADAM NAWORAL, MOVEMENTMAGAZINE.COM (on ’Welcome to New Granada’),
"Hyper and half serious, this is one hell of an artistic vision." - MARJORIE SKINNER, PORTLAND MERCURY,
"Extremely polished and constructed to demand repeated listens...frequent dynamic changes are packed with brilliant and fleeting moments." - JASON SIMMS, WILLAMETTE WEEK,
"For those of us for whom Over the Edge was a formative experience, it’s good fun, indeed." - STEPHEN SEIGEL, TUCSON WEEKLY (on ’New Granada’),
"Like a musical slap in the face, the band will command your focus and raise your heartbeat." - NATHAN SKIDMORE, THE OREGONIAN,
"Their syncopation and eclectic melodies make listening to this album over and over again a pleasant experience with something new popping out with each new hearing." - KENT MANTHIE, REVIEWER MAGAZINE (on ’New Granada’),
"This is totally bizarre...fun and witty music" - STUBBLE MUSIC MAGAZINE,
**DRATS!!! feature article here: http://www.medleyville.us/2007/02/cinematic_sounds.html
Hey all - our 'Over the Edge'-based rock opera CD called "WELCOME TO NEW GRANADA" is available now at our shows and also at:
***THIS CD IS A ROCK OPERETTA BASED ON 1979'S LEGENDARY TEEN REBELLION CULT FILM, OVER THE EDGE!!!
We are very happy to report that CHARLIE HAAS has received a copy of this CD. Charlie is the co-screenwriter of OVER THE EDGE, which is the BEST teen rebellion film EVER - and it's also Matt Dillon's first movie.
This is what Mr. Haas had to say about WELCOME TO NEW GRANADA (and the song "Johnny the Mute"):
'I got the operetta from CDBaby and it's great. "Johnny the Mute" put me into an out-of-body experience, in which I was once again working on the script with Tim Hunter at his place in Hollywood till 2 AM, followed by red beans and rice at the all-night South Town Soul Food on Wilcox.'