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The CUTTERS: 21st Century American "British" Rock and Roll
The most fun I've ever had at a rock and roll show was watching The CUTTERS play.
I sure as hell ain't no dancer, but there's no way you can keep me from shaking my sweaty ass at a CUTTERS show. Absolutely no way. And there are hundreds of other people in Humboldt County who feel the same way: Northern California bars go absolutely ape shit when The CUTTERS play. I can't help but associate their music with getting rip-roaring drunk and having a whale of a good time: Throw back some Madras, a half dozen cold Budweisers with Red Bull chasers, and you're in CUTTERS' country.
The CUTTERS are a great rock and roll band. Guitarist Mike Wilson tosses down loud and classy reverb-drenched chords, Tad Sutera thumps out raunchy bass licks alongside Ray Johnson's well-crafted drumwork, and super-talented singer Angela Brown (the frontwoman) belts out the catchiest singalong choruses heard since early '80s British New Wave (locals knew all the songs and lyrics even before The CUTTERS released their debut CD Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!).
Wilson, Sutera, Johnson and Brown have been playing around in bands in the flourishing Humboldt punk music scene for years, and since forming in 1999, they've toured the West Coast and opened for the likes of Dee Dee Ramone, Jonathan Richman, Long Beach Dub All-Stars, G. Love and the Special Sauce, The Minders, No Means No, and even The Beatles (no joke--ask them to tell you the story). Not surprisingly, they've evolved into a god-damned tight rock and roll band. "Professional Bar Rock," I like to call it.
Calling
them "Pop Punk" isn't right, because that makes them
sound like a bunch of "emo" pussies (which they ain't).
They're too much of an old-fashioned, dirty rock and roll band
to fall into that category. And yet, Christ almighty, they sure
are catchy--just like "Pop" is supposed to be; Sunday!
Sunday! Sunday! and the just released In the Valley
of Enchantment would fit in very nicely in any Route 66
tavern's juke box (or any London juke box, for that matter).
Moral to
the story: Go see The CUTTERS or buy their CDs if you want
to treat yourself to some good, fun, rhythm and blues, new wave,
raw, punk, catchy, dangerous, American "British" rock
and roll dance music.
Perfect for drinkin'. |
