SIMON STOKES
Honky (Uppercut)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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I must admit to professing almost complete unfamiliarity with this guy, except from little bits I'd heard. Well, in reading the press kit, I was most elated to find out that, among other things, he was the man behind one of my all-time fave '60s punk tunes, "Mini-Skirt Blues," a standout track from Highs In The Mid-60s, Vol. 3. Turns out he was actually involved in penning songs and producing records as far back as the late '50s, including the insane "The Roach" by Gene and Wendell (later to appear on the great "Hairspray" soundtrack). I also know of his legendary banned album and reputation as an outlaw and freedom-loving individual. Producer Bruce Duff, upon hearing some of Stoke's recent songs, ushered him into the studio to record them. The results are, to put it mildly, most impressive. There's fine musical backing from Duff on bass and guitars, plus drummer Pete Finestone (ex-Bad Religion), and Stokes himself on acoustic guitars, as the core group. The slew of guests reads like a who's who of rebel rock and roll luminaries: Wayne Kramer, Texas Terri, Lisa Kekaula (Bellrays), keyboardist Paul Roessler (who's played with everyone from the Screamers, 45 Grave and the Dead Kennedys to Nina Hagen), Jon Wahl of Clawhammer fame on sax, Chas Smith on pedal steel and Brantley Kearns on fiddle. This really stands out.

© 2003 - Alan Wright