Jack O' Fire - "The Destruction Of Squaresville" (CD, Estrus - 1994)

If you're really into this 'blues punk' thing there are good chances to know or sitting on this CD already. Jack O' Fire were made of the same clothe the Oblivians, the Raunch Hands and the archetype Blues Explosion been made also. If my memory serves me well, Tim Warren is a huge Jack O' Fire fan if that says something (I know it says actually). They've been created to create mayhem by doing punkish covers on blues and soul standards and bluesy renditions of punk rock stiffs. And they had Tim Kerr on guitar and Walter Daniels on harp and vocals. Any gang with these two punks involved worth its salt, right? As Big Daddy Soul putted once (whoever this BDS guy is anyway): "Jack O' Fire is on a mission to educate, liberate and inspire the young masses by the only means necessary... Rhythm & Blues". Dig?

The Berry Pickers - "Watcha Tryin' Todo/ All Aboard / Wee Wee Hours" (7" single, Dionysus - 1986/87)

The Berry Pickers were an excellent and dirty R&B band from East Hollywood, with a hard fixation for Chuckster as their name proudly announce (and two outta three songs on this slice), Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker. As far as I know as long as they were together, they released only this EP on Dionysus but there are rumors for some more recorded material that stays in the can and waits patiently to breath. I dig them obviously cause they chose the hard way back then for not going psych or garage as the trends ordered. OK, I dig them actually cause I'm too a totally R&B oriented one track mind prick but you know that already, don't you?! Very much in The Crawdaddys and Tell Tale Hearts style and look (Rolling Stones circa 1964 in fact). Don't know also if it's in real MONO, but any band that wore proudly its monophonic obsessions, are this blog's pets!


PS: Happy new year! Hope this new run of months to bring everyone better news and a better life. Health and joy, nothing else matters.