Meet The Beat Rats, a four piece band from New York City, who recreate the sound, style and attitude of an early sixties British combo with utter perfection. The best rock and roll has always been built upon a skeletal foundation of a few basic chords, trashy drumming and impassioned vocals, and “A Cellar Full Of Rats!” trembles and shakes on such ground. Energy and enthusiasm are doled out in spades, making for a collection of highly infectious songs.

A happening hybrid of peppy Mersey pop inspired melodies, surf slanted guitar licks and rugged garage rock overtones inhabits each and every corner of the album. Having studied and adopted the finest points of the masters, The Beat Rats are today’s version of The Big Three, The Pretty Things and John, Paul, George and Ringo wrapped in one explosive package. “Only 16,” “She’s Twisted,” Mine All Mine” and “The Beat Rats Theme” are executed so convincingly that you can’t help but be blown away by the band’s undying devotion to the music they play. But “A Cellar Full Of Rats!’ is no cheesy nostalgia type effort, as the delivery is fresh and vital. Scruffy, raw and teeming with danceable grooves, here’s a record guaranteed to warrant repeated listenings.

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San Mateo School of Rock – The San Mateo County Fair (August 22, 2009)

 When rock and roll reared its raunchy head in the fifties, the majority of folks believed the music was just a fad. But how wrong they were. The beat goes on and on and on. Generation after generation, kids are strapping on guitars, picking up drum sticks, screaming into microphones and forming bands. And that brings us to School of Rock, which was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1998. More than a decade later, the school thrives, with operations dotted all over the country now. Read the rest of this entry »

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At the height of their career, Paul Revere & The Raiders were a serious threat to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and all those other shaggy-haired British combos troubling the charts at the time. Born in the Pacific Northwest, the band not only harvested a heap of hit singles, but they were also regulars on Dick Clark’s “Where The Action Is!” television show, which naturally provided them with a double dip of exposure. The group’s faces further adorned the covers and pages of teen magazines, transpiring them into genuine superstars. Decked out in colonial war uniforms, Paul Revere & The Raiders were additionally recognized for their wild and crazy live performances. Synchronized dance steps, coupled with goofy jokes were always part of the program. Read the rest of this entry »

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The genesis of Five Man Electrical Band goes all the way back to 1964, when they came to be as The Staccatos. During the next several years, the Canadian band was regularly heard on local airwaves, earning them a gold star as one of the region’s most respected acts. Personnel shifts occurred, and in 1969 The Staccatos changed their name to Five Man Electrical Band. Read the rest of this entry »

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Does anyone remember The A’s? I somehow missed them when they were around, but became acquainted with them several years ago in the form of “Godfathers of Power Pop” and “The History of Power Pop” collections, which include a couple of their songs. A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania band, The A’s recorded two albums for the Arista label before crawling into oblivion. Read the rest of this entry »

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Equipped with a resume longer than the Mississippi River, drummer Joe Vitale has been playing music professionally since the sixties when he was just a kid. It was the early seventies when he came to worldwide prominence with Joe Walsh via “Rocky Mountain Way,” and since then he has been performing, touring and recording nonstop. Crosby, Stills and Nash, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, Rick Derringer, Peter Frampton, John Entwistle, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Boz Skaggs, Eric Carmen, The Beach Boys and John Fogerty are all but a handful of famous folks he has worked with in one capacity or another. Read the rest of this entry »

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Prior to seizing the airwaves with prickly pop metal prizes like “Stroke Me,” “In The Dark” and “Everybody Wants You,” Billy Squier fronted a Boston, Massachusetts band called Piper. Signed to A&M Records, the group bore an image akin to something of a cross between Raspberries and Aerosmith. Despite the fact Piper received loads of promotion and press, they fell through the potholes and have largely been forgotten after all this time. Together for a few years, they cut two albums, which have been coupled onto one disc. Read the rest of this entry »

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These albums, which are now available on compact disc, initially arrived on the shelves in the early eighties. Pressed in limited quantities via the Wreckord Wrack label, “Off The Wall Volumes One & Two” are nearly as rare and pricey as original copies of the featured singles, which were cut by sixties bands. Read the rest of this entry »

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Are you ready for a new supergroup? If so, cordially cock your ears towards the Brothers of the Southland. Composed of Bo Bice from “American Idol,” along with members of Wet Willie, The Outlaws, The Allman Brothers and The Black Crowes, here’s a band highly educated in the fine art of southern rock, and plays the music in the manner it was intended to be played. Read the rest of this entry »

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Conceived of several excellent interviews author Gene Arceri conducted with Betty Hutton, “Rocking Horse” covers the famed actress and singer’s life from beginning to end. Well written, interesting, informative and laced with a nice personal touch, the book stages a fantastic job of drawing the reader into Betty’s colorful, creative and often complex world. Determined to make her mark in show business, Betty was a hard worker and truly loved her craft. In spite of encountering some hardships, she persevered and became one of the most popular performers of the forties and fifties.

Eventually abandoning show business altogether, and the reasons why are effectively documented in “Rocking Horse,“ Betty went to work for a church, where she found the peace and compassion she was seeking. As is the case with anyone’s life, whether they’re a public figure or an ordinary citizen, Betty had her highs and lows. That said, there are moments of sadness to be had in “Rocking Horse,” but for the most part, the book celebrates her tremendous talents and portrays her as a genuine human being. Not only is “Rocking Horse” a must have for admirers of Betty Hutton, but for movie buffs in general.

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The mere mention of U.S.A. and Destination Records causes obsessive collectors of sixties music, such as myself, to go weak in the knees and turn to mush. Run by Jim Golden, both these Chicago, Illinois based labels (located at 2131 South Michigan Avenue) produced some of the coolest singles of its genre. A generous sampling of these tunes can be heard right here, on this double disc set, which also entails a lengthy history of the operations, an interview with Jim Golden, swarms of photos and profiles on the featured bands. Read the rest of this entry »

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Pinching its name from the third Doors album, “Waiting for the Sun – A Rock ‘n’ Roll History of Los Angeles” was originally published in 1996, then reissued in the United Kingdom in 2003 with a profile on Beck. Now available in paperback, bolstered by an introduction from the author, penned this year, “Waiting for the Sun – A Rock ‘n’ Roll History of Los Angeles” lives up to its lofty title and then some. Read the rest of this entry »

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An impressive debut album can be both a blessing and a curse. One on hand, how wonderful it is to be accepted first time around. But then again, recording a follow up to such a fine piece of work can be stressful since expectations are running high. However, Anna Troy need not worry, as her sophomore release, “Wait Another Day” is just as good as her freshman outing, “Ain’t No Man,” which hit the streets a couple of years ago. Read the rest of this entry »

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The old adage of being in the right place at the right time can certainly apply to We Five. Formed in 1964 by Michael Stewart (brother of John Stewart of The Kingston Trio), the San Francisco based group not only proposed a sound that fit in with what was happening on the airwaves, but the city by the bay was also shaking with action then, as a wildly fertile art scene existed and would eventually blossom into something even bigger and more influential. Read the rest of this entry »

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