RAMONES, STOOGES, NEW YORK DOLLS, DEAD BOYS, DICTATORS, SUICIDE, ROKY ERICKSON, RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS, DICKIES, REPLACEMENTS, HUSKER DU, fIREHOSE, LURKERS, ONLY ONES, CLASH, GENERATION X, SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK, ELVIS, PUNK MAGAZINE, JAMES KING AND THE LONEWOLVES, HANK WILLIAMS, CHARLES BUKOWSKI, DAN FANTE, MICKEY SPILLANE
Sounds Like
RAMONES, STOOGES, NEW YORK DOLLS, DEAD BOYS, DICTATORS, SUICIDE, ROKY ERICKSON, RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS, DICKIES, REPLACEMENTS, HUSKER DU, fIREHOSE, LURKERS, ONLY ONES, CLASH, GENERATION X, SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK, ELVIS, PUNK MAGAZINE, JAMES KING AND THE LONEWOLVES, HANK WILLIAMS, CHARLES BUKOWSKI, DAN FANTE, MICKEY SPILLANE
Shock and Awe are an Edinburgh based guitar band with a lineup of
Bobby Awe - Vocals/Guitar
Tommy Shock - Bass/Vocals
Pedro And - Drums.
They've been continually gigging on a regular basis since their first gig in January 2005 not only in their native Edinburgh but also all over Scotland - Aberdeen, Dundee, Falkirk and of course several times in Glasgow where they co-headlined the recent NoT in the Park festival at Firewater
They released their debut Album "School For Scoundrels" in October 2005 and their second album, "Shock and Awe Go Home" in April 2006 at jam packed partys in the Subway Cowgate, with a very special guest appearance from
In 2007 they've been writing their 3rd album and are currently recording it with guest musicians from around the world adding something to every track - because of the nature of international collaborations this is taking a lot longer than the band are used to so in the interim they've brought out an acoustic album featuring a few previously released songs and a whole lot more that may or may not be recorded for the next 'proper' album which will be out in 2008 - the acoustic album is available to download for free at
They have a reputation for consistently stunning live shows and their recent appearance with those veterans of the 1976 100 club Punk festival the Vibrators, was quite apt for a band whose slogans include "Punk Rock like 1977 never happened" - theres no mohawks or dogs on a string here, just fast, passionate, guitar driven FUN songs written about the real world.
The songs are short and snappy, they get to the point and then leave, each ones a shooting star
Bobby Awe - "I was sick of turning on the TV, seeing an interesting looking guitar band and turning up the volume only to hear some dirge with the guitars submerged under the rest of the instruments, I wanted to hear big guitars and a chorus that was instantly memorable"
Tommy Shock - "There's nothing worse than going along to see a band that play well and have a good sound and not being able to remember a tune after its over - no hooks either lyrically or musically - what a waste of an opportunity - why bother? How do they expect people to get into them if they don't even have a chorus? You don't have that problem with Shock and Awe, the problem is getting it out of your head when you're on the bus the next morning"
The subject matters
Bobby Awe - "Someone asked me if I thought I could get away with having a song that had a title that was the same as the chorus and no verses. I said 'YES' - people get hung up on padding songs out to try and improve them and end up ruining the simplicity. If you get an extra hook that fits, don't just stick it on for the sake of it, make a new song out of it. If you've said everything you need to say well in the first verse, its better to repeat it than write a poor second verse"
Tommy Shock - "We're not teenagers, but we're writing for the eternal teenager that's stuck inside all of us - I know if I'd heard 'Shock and Awe' when I was a teenager they'd be my favourite band"
Fun Fast Fresh
Bobby Awe - "You have to have a sense of humour, it's a pretty ridiculous world we live in and we have to reflect that. Tommy Shock understands that, that's why he had to be in the band. That and the fact that he's called Tommy Shock"
Tommy Shock - "We've got the advantage over other bands in the fact that because our songs sound simple people are singing along with us by the time the song finishes, even if they've never heard it before. We did a gig recently where the band before us had 40 minutes to play and managed 8 songs to polite applause. They were pretty good and they knew how to play. We came on and did over 20 songs and had plenty to say between each of them and still managed to hit the 40 minute mark. Rapturous applause followed and the promoter asked us to play an encore. We know we're doing it right"
What is so special about Shock And Awe ?
Bobby Awe - "You can say there's nothing original in what we do - it's the 21st century, maybe you're right. You can say there's little subtlety in what we do. You'd probably be right. But there's no-one else doing what we do right now so we cant help but stand out from the crowd"
Tommy Shock - "We've got a special gimmick. The gimmick is that the songs are fucking great. Not many bands have that these days. Add to that two front men and a wall of sound. What is there not to like?"
En route to supporting the legendary Electric Prunes, psychedelic Swedes La Fleur Fatale drop in to Pivo Pivo to join us for a Full Tilt Boogie from 8pm on Thursday 3rd July. Support from Bo Deadly and Dennis Law Jnr. www.myspace.com/lafleurfataletheband
Born To Be Wide & Musicians Union Present: Unveiling the mind of a Music Journalist – Thurs 3rd July, 7.30pm @ Voodoo Rooms – FREE entry! PICTISH TRAIL - "Words Fail Me Now"
Email: glasgow@musiciansunion.org.uk - to reserve your FREE place
- THE LIST ( http://www.list.co.uk ) - IS THIS MUSIC? / JOCKROCK ( http://www.isthismusic.com ) - EVENING NEWS ( http://www.scotsman.com ) - DAVID POLLOCK ( http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk ) 9pm - 1am - DJ SETS:
- BROKEN RECORDS ( http://www.myspace.com/brokenrecordsedinburgh ) Edinburgh’s most promising band! - MUSICIANS UNION ( http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk ) Jen Hunter - KEVIN WILLIAMSON ( http://www.kevinwilliamson.blogspot.com/ ) Rebel Inc Founder + WICKERMAN FESTIVAL (thewickermanfestival.co.uk ) Get a pair of Tickets Tonight! – you may need to Moon Walk though. AFTER PARTY (myspace.com/shanghaiprclub ) Email: shanghaiprclub@yahoo.co.uk
SO HOW WAS THE NY DOLLS GIG DID U GET TO PARTY AFTER WITH THEM R THEY NOT THE BEST! I WROTE THE H DRAPES AND SAID YOU BETTER GET MURRAY IN THE AFTER SHOW PARTY AND HE SAID HE WAS...GOOOD! hope it was a great show for all deb nyc
i dont wanna be 15 either, however i am looking forward to being 50...i can speed on the road and steal shit..noones gona say shit, i can always just blame it on my age and my senile-ism..
i sure am! im booking my ticket as is type this, wouldnt miss it for the world! anyone who doesnt go to this show is such a square! and trust me, you dont wanna be a square! so i think everyone should go! and bring everyone and their moms!
dig the flyer. the heavy drapes are supporting the new york dolls at the garage on sunday!!!!!!! words cannot describe....get there early if you going!
oh god! tell me about the match being a nightmare! i almost cried, i was in shock it was terrible just awful! i still cant believe it, some things are just unfair. anyway thats cool about the band, ill check the book out too, i like the song tho.
been outta t'ings ......no PC for a while so missed out on yer gigs......bit o' a bugger,but never mind....see ya at yer next gig.........soon come papa j & the bobo punks????!
i know, the mighty J.V, will be rocking Henry's on the 4th so i'll be missin your gig, but lets face it if i wasn't gigging i'd be working, i have no life! i need a fucking day job
yea its going to be great thanks to Steve this wensday saw them the other night solo show check my space for new pix and of course flickr cos soon it will be flooded..going to GOGOL BORDELLO on the 20th..., man you gotta go see them there great and insane like a huge party great music the show that lasts forever warning do not be frount and middle you will get killed! middle off center to the right always works for me the kids are adorable!
oi meant tho say that old vid you sent me - i've been using that in my visuals for a while - that and some other old public info movies - got them at archive.org :)
the video was dope! you know like you sing about, it made me dizzie and i think i saw a ..... lol jk .. its cool i liked it good job! and thanks fer sharin!
NEW YORK UNDERGROUND 1972-1977 PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL ZONE OPENING RECEPTION JULY 12th 2008 DARK ROOM GALLERY LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA www.drkrm.com SPECIAL GUEST DJ KRISTIAN HOFFMAN FEATURING PHOTOS OF: blondie marc bolan david byrne stiv bators clem burke blessed c.b.g.b. alice cooper wayne county cheetah crome chelsea hotel peter cook divine ray davies jimmy destri eric emenson chris franz ace frehley plesent gehman debbie harry richard hell kristian hoffman duncan hannah hudson brothers david johanson lenny kaye kiss ivan kral arthur kane lance loud pat loud walter lure richard lloyd new york dolls jerry nolan natasha max's kansas city david walter mcdermott christopher makos mercer arts center ron mael russell mael philippe marcade manic panic billy murcia anya phillips iggy pop kid congo powers lou reed ramones joey ramone dee dee ramone johnny ramone tommy ramone martin rev t.rex johnny thunders tish & snookie patti smith stephen sprouse anna sui stooges suicide sparks paul stanley gene simmons chris stien sylvain sylvain richard sohl alan vega cherry vanilla arturo vega gary valentine armand zone miki zone
THE NEW YORK UNDERGROUND SCENE 1972-1977 PAUL ZONE PHOTOGRAPHS "FROM GLAM TO PUNK" JULY 12 - AUGUST 31 2008 www.drkrm.com DARK ROOM GALLERY LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA OPENING RECEPTION JULY 12th 7-11 PM SPECIAL GUEST DJ KRISTIAN HOFFMAN FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHS OF: blondie marc bolan david byrne stiv bators clem burke blessed c.b.g.b. alice cooper wayne county cheetah crome chelsea hotel peter cook divine ray davies jimmy destri eric emenson chris franz ace frehley pleasent gehman debbie harry richard hell kristian hoffman duncan hannah hudson brothers david johanson lenny kaye kiss ivan kral arthur kane lance loud pat loud walter lure richard lloyd new york dolls jerry nolan natasha max's kansas city david walter mcdermott christopher makos mercer arts center ron mael russell mael philippe marcade manic panic billy murcia anya phillips iggy pop kid congo powers lou reed ramones joey ramone dee dee ramone johnny ramone tommy ramone martin rev t.rex johnny thunders tish & snookie patti smith stephen sprouse anna sui stooges suicide sparks paul stanley gene simmons chris stien sylvain sylvain richard sohl alan vega cherry vanilla arturo vega gary valentine armand zone miki zone