Author flabbergasted at all the 'Rural Rock Punk' drama - by N.L. Belardes
I hadn’t been to the distant southern edge of the city in quite a few years. This is the far South, the dark Union district of the Bakersfield music scene where Vinny’s Bar sits like a rustic cowboy icon in the Old West. This is Bakersfield, California, where Nashville West meets alternative sounds and Basque ghosts in the San Joaquin darkness along old freeway 99. And this is the night another ‘Rural Rock Punk’ band debuts in the Bakersfield music scene…
Enter Flabbergasted. Old Three Cent Nickel guitarist Rob Shock burning a hole in punk creativity has started a new band with a new sound. Shock and fellow punks created Flabbergasted, ala the Filthies cutting edge style of nouveau Punk Rock: Rural Rock Punk, a sound many have been labeling as richly deserving recognition. These are new punk textures to old punk sounds, created right here in the dusty Southern Valley of rural landscapes and Nashville West, where old town ways meet LA mountains meet industry pouring from Hollywood and the Southland.
Special guest appearance...
and an old 3-cent Nickel song
JR of Illpressed watches a new era
'Rural Rock Punk' band
Rob Shock sings a cover
song of the Filthies
Now, don’t get ‘rural rock punk’ confused with the twangy sounds of cowpunk. Uncle Tupelo was never a punk rock band. They were just an alternative country band turned slightly mainstream by using occasional fast punk riffs. Rural Rock Punk is a new sound altogether that is entirely punk. Only three bands that I have seen in the past few months currently play this style of punk, as they alone have mastered the subtleties of this area’s new ‘Rural Rock Punk’ sounds: the Filthies, Ridikule, and now Flabbergasted.
Here, grass roots style punk rock has taken on a nouveau light. Where the Dalloways are taking the ‘Quiet is the New Loud’ movement to new heights in Fresno this evening, Rural Rock Punk has been taking punk in a new direction that is part mainstream punk, part rural-sounding working class punk song anthem. Here, strong guitar sounds blend with catchy, almost dancy punk riffs. Pour some Bakersfield-rural style lyrics into the catchy fast-punk sounds and you will have an idea as to some of the poundings of ‘Rural Rock Punk’.
Flabbergasted’s debut marks a new era for the local music scene, one that the Filthies and Ridikule are on the forefront. “We’ve got a new album almost done, and we’re going to push it hard when it’s out,” said leading man Jason of Ridikule. Last night he sported long braids, his trademark bandana, and a super burst of energy that shined in their fast set of punk rock mayhem. Jeff, one of his bandmates had just given me one of Ridikule’s cool new T-shirts as they sport both guy and girl versions with a fun punk hipster cartoon motif. Flabbergasted isn’t quite to the merchandise stage yet, but they’ve certainly hit the scene. Playing under fellow punk artists Ridikule wasn’t a poor start, either.
Drama did come about when Filthies frontman Kenny Mount was supposed to be on hand to bless the entire affair. When he didn’t show, the crowd turned slightly raucous, and the show was almost delayed. It was all in good fun as the Rural Rock Punk papa himself, Kenny finally showed to beg Rob Shock’s forgiveness. “Well thank goodness for cell phones and local writers,” Mount said, as he had listened to Flabbergasted’s tribute to the Filthies via phone. “I don’t know where Kenny is, but here we go!” Shock yelled as Flabbergasted tore into a stylish rendition of the Filthies punk hit, Embalm You.
Where's the blessing?
Rob Shock and Kenny Mount, in love again...
James Dean meets punkdom, or is that Chris of Ridikule
suddenly understanding why Enrique Fuentes loves Kenny
Kenny Mount and band are also in the studio, getting ready to release what is tentatively going to be a 13-song cd release titled, Rare. “We’re hoping for a beginning of the summer release. This is just one of those things we have to get done by getting down to the studio.”
With the Filthies up-and-coming album, Rare, Ridikule’s upcoming cd release, as well as last night’s new addition in Rob Shock’s Flabbergasted, Rural Rock Punk has become the freshest and liveliest punk sounds since California-based Grammy winners Green Day hit just north and to the west of us in the Bay Area punk scene.
More on Flabbergasted...
Enter Flabbergasted. Old Three Cent Nickel guitarist Rob Shock burning a hole in punk creativity has started a new band with a new sound. Shock and fellow punks created Flabbergasted, ala the Filthies cutting edge style of nouveau Punk Rock: Rural Rock Punk, a sound many have been labeling as richly deserving recognition. These are new punk textures to old punk sounds, created right here in the dusty Southern Valley of rural landscapes and Nashville West, where old town ways meet LA mountains meet industry pouring from Hollywood and the Southland.
Special guest appearance...
and an old 3-cent Nickel song
JR of Illpressed watches a new era
'Rural Rock Punk' band
Rob Shock sings a cover
song of the Filthies
Now, don’t get ‘rural rock punk’ confused with the twangy sounds of cowpunk. Uncle Tupelo was never a punk rock band. They were just an alternative country band turned slightly mainstream by using occasional fast punk riffs. Rural Rock Punk is a new sound altogether that is entirely punk. Only three bands that I have seen in the past few months currently play this style of punk, as they alone have mastered the subtleties of this area’s new ‘Rural Rock Punk’ sounds: the Filthies, Ridikule, and now Flabbergasted.
Here, grass roots style punk rock has taken on a nouveau light. Where the Dalloways are taking the ‘Quiet is the New Loud’ movement to new heights in Fresno this evening, Rural Rock Punk has been taking punk in a new direction that is part mainstream punk, part rural-sounding working class punk song anthem. Here, strong guitar sounds blend with catchy, almost dancy punk riffs. Pour some Bakersfield-rural style lyrics into the catchy fast-punk sounds and you will have an idea as to some of the poundings of ‘Rural Rock Punk’.
Flabbergasted’s debut marks a new era for the local music scene, one that the Filthies and Ridikule are on the forefront. “We’ve got a new album almost done, and we’re going to push it hard when it’s out,” said leading man Jason of Ridikule. Last night he sported long braids, his trademark bandana, and a super burst of energy that shined in their fast set of punk rock mayhem. Jeff, one of his bandmates had just given me one of Ridikule’s cool new T-shirts as they sport both guy and girl versions with a fun punk hipster cartoon motif. Flabbergasted isn’t quite to the merchandise stage yet, but they’ve certainly hit the scene. Playing under fellow punk artists Ridikule wasn’t a poor start, either.
Drama did come about when Filthies frontman Kenny Mount was supposed to be on hand to bless the entire affair. When he didn’t show, the crowd turned slightly raucous, and the show was almost delayed. It was all in good fun as the Rural Rock Punk papa himself, Kenny finally showed to beg Rob Shock’s forgiveness. “Well thank goodness for cell phones and local writers,” Mount said, as he had listened to Flabbergasted’s tribute to the Filthies via phone. “I don’t know where Kenny is, but here we go!” Shock yelled as Flabbergasted tore into a stylish rendition of the Filthies punk hit, Embalm You.
Where's the blessing?
Rob Shock and Kenny Mount, in love again...
James Dean meets punkdom, or is that Chris of Ridikule
suddenly understanding why Enrique Fuentes loves Kenny
Kenny Mount and band are also in the studio, getting ready to release what is tentatively going to be a 13-song cd release titled, Rare. “We’re hoping for a beginning of the summer release. This is just one of those things we have to get done by getting down to the studio.”
With the Filthies up-and-coming album, Rare, Ridikule’s upcoming cd release, as well as last night’s new addition in Rob Shock’s Flabbergasted, Rural Rock Punk has become the freshest and liveliest punk sounds since California-based Grammy winners Green Day hit just north and to the west of us in the Bay Area punk scene.
More on Flabbergasted...
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Sunday, April 10, 2005.
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