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 and 2008 they've been gigging constantly with the likes of Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby (an acoustic set), Richard Bacchus (ex D-Generation), The Dangerfields, Hyperbubble (an electro set) and the Lurkers. Having written their 3rd album they 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 early 2010 - the acoustic album is available to download for free at www.myspace.com/shockandaweaccoustic
They've been played on the radio worldwide from
San Pedro California (several times courtesy of fan and friend Mike Watt from the Stooges/fIREHOSE/minutemen) to Japan
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?"
THURSDAY IS MY DAY.....AND SAMS GOT A DAY.......IM GONNA FIND OOT WHAT TIMES ROOM CAN BE USED.......EVEN IF YOU FANCY DOING...DUB PUNKS....AND A SHOCK AND AWE PRACTISE........DUB PUNKS WOULD BE RUNNING OVER THE TWO NEW TUNES............THEN DO THE REST AS A SHOCK AND AWE THING.........WE GOTTA PRACTISE THE VIC GODARD SET!
AYE MAN WE COULD GET THAT REHERSAL TOGETHER..........KILL TO BURDZ WI ONE STONE,,,,,,,,,,YOU COULD DO THE RECORDING AS WELL........SAM HAS A NEW DRUM KIT IN THE ROOM....RECORDED IT LAST NIGHT ITS FUCKIN MAGIC!.........WHAT DAYS TIMES YOU FREE?
just been on his site man ............totally gutted, thats the stray cats (although i saw them in london) and now Chuck berry cancelling Scottish Dates, i can take the berry one is due to ticket sales at £45 it was a bit steep, although would prob ahve been worth it
KEEP ON DOIN WHAT YOUR DOIN WITH THE MATERIAL MAN!.........WE PROBABLY MUCK ABOUT WITH SOME PARTS IN THE SONGS....AND I GOT TWO NEW TUNES...........ONE IS STRAIGHT FORWARD PUNKY POP....HAPPY ........THE OTHER IS FUCKIN DARK!..........ABOUT THE CHOST OF A MAN MURDERED IN A BUS SHELTER IN EDINBURGH!.....ITS CALLED .....THE NIGHT BUS.................NOT SO HAPPY!............WILL....HE WILL TRY FLOCK IT MAN!
CANNAE FUCKIN COPY AND PASTE!.........WANNA HEAR THE SONGS!............HEY WE GOT A REHERSAL TONIGHT AT ROOM..........IF YOU CAN MAKE IT BE BRAW!.......IF NO THATS COOL DUDE...............SAM HAS GOT HIS NEW DRUMS!........GONNA SET THEM UP........IF YOU CAN MAKE IT ANY CHANCE O BURNING GIG ON TO CD?
I GOT A COPY OF THAT SONG...........BASS SOLO IT IS!.........JUST GOT ASKED TO SEND A CD TO JOHN PEEL FESTIVAL.......RADIO STATION IN GERMANY FOR AIR PLAY..........SO ITS GOOD PEOPLE TAKING NOTICE....AND FOR JOHN PEEL!
IM JUST GONNA LET YOU START IT...........WHATS IT CALLED?..............AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THAT GUITAR?.........DO YOU KNOW IF ANY ONE ELES IS ON TOMORROW YET..........IM GOIN ABOUT LETTING FOLK KNOW.. I MAY WEAR SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THIS CONCERT!
AH CHECKED OUT THE LISTINGS.....IT WAS ONLY SHOCK AND AWE MENTIONED.....THATS THE ARK FOR YOU!.....LOOKIN FORWARD TO TOMORROW..........BOTH SETS!...........NEW SONG!.......ANY CLUE HOW IT GOE........NEVER FUCKIN MIND............................IT WILL BE FAST!
RIGHT MAN..............ARE WE PRACTISING FOR THIS TUESDAYS GIG.........I DONT THINK THOES NAUGHTY BABYLON DUB PUNKS ARE!.........WE WILL HAVE TO SHOW THEM UP ON THE NIGHT!...............HERD THEY FUCKIN HATE US!........ALSO HERD FROM A MATE OF A MATE BY A PALS GIRLFRIENDS UNCLES GRANDADS BROTHER..THAT ALL DRINKS ARE TOTALLY FREE AT THE ARK FOR THIS TUESDAYS GIG.......WITH SHOCK AND AWE.........AND THOES WANKERS FROM THE EAST COAST! GRANDADS BROTHER HAS BEEN DEAD FOR 34 YEARS SO THAT INFORMATION COULD JUST BE A RUMOUR...........THIS GIG SHOULD BE DYNAMITE.....COULD BE A FIGHT!
THAT SOUNDS FUCKIN MAGIC!.........GREAT MOMENTS!.......COOL MELODIES FROM YOUR GUITAR MAN..........CANT BELIVE I GOT THROUGH THAT..........AYE KEEP THE STRAP THING MAN..........DIDNT NOTICE!.........CHEERS MURRAY.........WELL TUESDAY SHOULD BE FUN.....WHATS THE PLANS?...........THATS BOTH OF US AINT IT?....SHOCK AND BABYLON.........IS IT?............FUCK THERE GOES MY LAST BRAIN CELL...........SHUT DOWN COMPLETE!
OCH SALLYS OOT AND I DONT KNOW HOW TO PASTE AND COPY THE LINK!..... GONNA HAVE TO WAIT!............GOT A BIT O VIDEO FOOTAGE!....UGLY BABY INTERUPTED SALLY SHOOTING IT!.....SO SHE HAD TO STOP!......BUT THEY ENJOYED THE GIG AND EVEN BROUGHT A CROWD!......I HAD TO GET HOME QUICK AS I WAS NEAR DEATH SO COULDNT SAY BYE TO FOLK!......BUT YOUR MATES ENJOYED THE GIG AND GOT GOOD FEEDBACK ALLROUND!.....CREDIT THE ENGINEER HE PLAYED WITH THE DELAY ON THE DESK FOR LIVE DUB SOUND....IM RIGHT INTO THAT KINDA THING.....................LEAST AM ALIVE!
YO MAN.......FUCKIN OUTSTANDING TONIGHT MAN!........THE SOUND WAS CUTTING THROUGH........CHEERS MURRAY....YOUR OUR GUITARIST NOW MAN!.....WEATHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!..................DOIN IT 100% on tuesday AT THE ARK..........PUT YER SLIPPERS ON AND PUT YOUR FEET UP............GOOD STUFF AND GOOD FUN!
MONOTONIX Saturday 28th November Nice n Sleazys, Glasgow
The release of their new album tops off a whirlwind year of touring, the infamy surrounding their charged live perfomances steadily mounting. Rightly so, check out this youtube link- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmEHu-QAgNE&feature=related - and marvel at one of the typically unpredictable gigs of the band that Spin have declared the "most exciting live band in rock'n'roll."
Have a listen www.myspace.com/monotonix
Support from The Elvis Suicide
Tickets Available from www.tickets-scotland.com 0141 204 5151 www.ticketweb.co.uk 08444 77 1000