Back to basics

The Shods and the Racketeers

Cellars by Starlight by Brett Milano

I could tell that the Shods were my kind of band when their CD-release party, at T.T. the Bear's Place on March 27, opened with two songs whose respective refrains were "yeah, yeah, yeah" and "whoa, whoa, whoa." If that wasn't enough, a song that went "hey, hey, hey" came along later. There's something about basic, old-fashioned punk rock that can still sound like the most meaningful stuff around -- especially when the band don't give a shit if it's basic and old-fashioned. So it was that night, when the audience included at least two generations of scenesters -- some of the young rockabilly crowd, and some of the folks who normally pack the old-school shows across town at Club Bohemia -- and the Shods came on like conquering heroes.

They've earned the right to be a little cocky by now. Two years ago they were being groomed as one of the flagship bands on the Fort Apache/MCA label. The buzz was being worked up and a big-sounding album, produced by Tim O'Heir, was in the can. Then the Fort Apache/MCA liaison fell apart, the album was shelved, and the Shods weren't allowed to re-record any of the tunes (they've since negotiated to get the rights back). Instead they wrote new songs and started their own label -- Poorhouse, run out of their Lowell homebase. Now they've just released their first CD, Bamboozled, Jilted, Hornswoggled & Hoodwinked. Draw your own conclusions as to the implications of the title, and the album's touching dedication: "The Shods would like to thank all of those who believe in us, the rest can screw."

The Shods prefer not to bitch about their label history. "It's not like anyone's holding any grudges," says lead singer/guitarist Kevin Stevenson when I talk with the band at the Middle East bakery. Adds guitarist Dave Aaronoff (drummer Scott Pittman and bassist Craig Silverman complete the line-up), "The short version is that we signed a couple years ago and were real excited about the record we made. Then they lost their MCA funding, and we negotiated a way to say goodbye. It's fair, because we worked hard for it to be fair." Even the loss of a completed album didn't seem to hurt them much -- though the unreleased tapes include "Jezebel," a '50s-style rock ballad that's the most obvious hit in their repertoire. "Nah, we didn't care at all," says Stevenson, who explains that they've written two more albums since then. "We got more popular and did better things after it all went down."

The Shods aren't a rockabilly band, but they could play one on television. They certainly look the part, with the sideburns, sharp jackets, and stage moves (Aaronoff, who played in a genuine rockabilly band when he lived in London, does that Eddie Cochran trick of spreading his legs and bending his knees during solos). Their fanbase overlaps with the rockabilly crowd -- their pals the Racketeers were at the release show. But their real roots are in hardcore: Stevenson played in Only Living Witness before rediscovering older rock from his dad's collection. As for the ducktails, he says, "I just feel better looking good on stage. I don't want to be a long-haired rocker, and there's no other style I like." "My hairline's receding, so I've got no choice," adds Aaronoff.

The rockabilly garb brings up the Shods' most obvious comparison: the Clash, who adapted the same style during their London Calling era. And on a musical level, "The Alternative" on Bamboozled is reminiscent of the Clash's "Remote Control." The feel of the album harks back to late-'70s London, when a similar back-to-basics movement was going on: "Lucky" and "Musta Been Drunk" could be lost singles by any number of good punk bands, shout-along choruses and all. The biggest departure (aside from a bonus track that evokes early-'80s hair-metal) is "You've Got It All," a semi-ballad that harks back to early Bowie. And some similarities are so obscure that you have to wonder whether they were intentional. The opening "I Know a Place," a nifty little rock anthem, recalls two non-obvious numbers: the old Petula Clark hit of the same name, and ELO's "Sweet Talkin' Woman" (which has the same opening line, "I was walking down a dead-end street"). Writer Aaronoff hadn't heard the ELO tune, but he realized the Petula Clark connection after he wrote it. "It was one of those unintentional things. I heard her song on the car radio and I thought, `Hey, this woman's ripping me off' "

One has to notice the big irony here: just as the '70s punks railed against Rod Stewart and Yes, there's a trend among current ones to finger alternative rock, which supposedly grew out of punk, as the enemy. The Shods' "The Alternative" fires back at a trendy scenester, with a chorus of "I'm the alternative to your alternative." As Aaronoff explains, "Once alternative music became mainstream, it was hip to be ironic and pretentious, and we're not about that -- we just like regular, blue-collar rock and roll." Adds Stevenson, "We're trying to say that rock and roll isn't just your father's music. You can put a new twist on it and it's accessible again. It's great that bands like us are being accepted, instead of being seen as fuddy-duddy music."

In other words, chasing trends is fine, but there are always times when you've got to have a little "yeah, yeah, yeah" and "whoa, whoa, whoa."

RACKETEERS

If the Racketeers could ride a time machine back to 1956, there's no doubt they'd go -- and the first thing they'd probably do is ransack the local stops for Sun singles, then find a weekend function to play at. "Sure, I'd love to go back, but with a knowledge of today's music," admits drummer/frontman Dana Stewart. "You listen to Johnny Thunders and the Circle Jerks, then go back and get Sam Phillips to sign you up. You'd probably have a hell of a rock-and-roll band."

That's not to say he hasn't got one already. Listening to The Racketeers (on their own Scollay Square label) you'll hear a band who obviously live and breathe the '50s cool-cat ethos. The sound is absolutely faithful: lead-guitarist Tom Umberger has the Scotty Moore tone down pat, and Spike Katz's slap bass and John Porth's acoustic guitar create that unmistakable Sun Studios ambiance. Although the tunes are all original, they're heavy on old-fashioned delinquent swagger. (The modern-day slang on "Jeez Louise" is the disc's only anachronism, but someone had to use that title sooner or later.) Other period touches include the lyric references to the Boston Brinks job and Scollay Square and the '50s-style label on the CD.

"That's something we take a lot of pride in and do research on," Stewart says, "from collecting 78s and watching a lot of the old '50s and '60s movies. You get a feel for the lifestyle and it helps you write as if you were in that era." A former drummer for the Bristols, Stewart picked up his '50s jones by loving punk rock and following it back to the source. More recently he was in the Amazing Royal Crowns. Then he decided he'd rather play pure rockabilly than an update. "I grew up on hardcore punk rock and found rockabilly to be the same formula -- just good three-chord rock, same as the garage rock that first caught my attention."

Call him a retro and he'll see no shame in that, though he notes that the Racketeers' album has less of a throwback sound than their previous EP. "We tried to make it more of a crossover. One part of that was bringing the bass up front, which you couldn't hear back then. But yeah, people seem to want more of an authentic sound now, and it's almost a challenge for us to make the music sound like it used to. Anyone can appreciate good American rock and roll, that warm feeling you get when you hear Carl Perkins or Billy Lee Riley."

So chalk the Racketeers up as another band who're proud to be an alternative to the alternative. "Yeah, it sure is a sad day when alternative music becomes mainstream, and you have to run back into a cave to find out where it all came from."

MASSCANN BENEFIT

Expect things to get very theatrical at this year's benefit show for MassCann, the local organization devoted to "ending marijuana prohibition for medical, industrial and recreational use" (note the order of priorities there). The gig takes place this Saturday at Mama Kin with co-headliners The Elevator Drops and the Bentmen, who promise to outdo each other in terms of stage presentation. The Bentmen, who haven't played out in nearly a year, will possibly have sometime member and Bowie collaborator Reeves Gabrels on guitar; The Elevator Drops will definitely have their fractured pop and subversive streak in tow. Allston band Random Road Mother will open.

MassCann was partly responsible for Governor Weld's signing a bill allowing the use of medical marijuana last year. This weekend's benefit will fund a free pro-hemp magazine, Common Sense, and help put on this summer's Freedom Festival, the annual Boston Common show that, according to High Times magazine, is the largest pro-hemp event in America.

COMING UP

Last week's "Cellars" stars Damon & Naomi have their album-release party at T.T. the Bear's Place tonight (Thursday), with members of their favorite band, Ghost, in from Japan to guest. Also tonight, lots of loud women are at the Linwood, with Purr, Binge, Frigate, and Girl on Top; and blues legend Magic Slim is at the House of Blues . . . Tomorrow (Friday), Throttle have a CD-release party at the Middle East with Come's Thalia Zedek and Chris Brokaw guesting, Barrence Whitfield & the Movers play Johnny D's, guitar slinger Kid Bangham plays with Amyl Juston at Harpers Ferry, Drill Team, an LA band with some Cheap Trick influence, make a local debut at Mama Kin, the Lizard Lounge has the Declans, who feature local folks doing Elvis Costello tributes, and former Lemonheads bassist Nic Dalton plays acoustically at Café Soho.

On Saturday, the Ghost of Tony Gold play the Middle East with Betwixt; Richard Davies and Fuzzy are at T.T.'s, Mighty Sam McClain's at the House of Blues, and Boy Wonder, the Ape Hangers, and January are all at the Linwood . . . Sunday brings the jazz band the Noah Howard Trio to Charlie's Tap and Mono to the Paradise . . . Tuesday it's Superchunk at the Middle East, and Eric Clapton at the FleetCenter.