Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Rockin' Rebels - Tom Shannon Presents...
| The Rockin' Rebels were Buffalo's most famous act in the early sixties, as instros go anyway. Their sound was a pre-surf R&B based sax-guitar sound. Some of their tracks were hot, others were down right tame. s CD collects a whole slab of their tracks, including their entire LP plus singles, and other rare items. |
Picks: Wild Weekend, Rockin' Crickets, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Another Wild Weekend (Loaded Dice), Rumble, Hully Gully Rock, Flibbity Jibbity (Boss Action), Honky Tonk, Happy Popcorn, Monday Morning, Sweet Little Sixteen, Buffalo Blues, Tequila, Wild Rebel, The Third Man Theme, Wild Weekend Cha Cha, Ram-Bunk-Shush, Telstar, Donkey Walk, The Stripper, Coconuts, Loaded Dice (Another Wild Weekend), Happy Popcorn, Anyway You Want Me, Theme From The Rebel
Track by Track Review
Rock (Instrumental)
This is the one. This is the song everyone thinks of with this band. It was cut originally as a theme for the Tom Shannon Show on Buffalo, New York's legendary WKBW, from whence came free form progenitors Tom Donahue, Bob Mitchell, and Peter Trip. This is growly, dark, evil, chunky, melodic, and features near-surf rhythm guitar behind a raw R&B sax. A great and necessary track.
Pre-Surf Rock (Instrumental)
This track has been done a few times by others. This take features great behind the bridge through an echoplex guitar work, and that raw sax sound that is their trademark. Simple and unpretentious pre-surf fun.
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On MOR Rock (Instrumental)
A sax lead instro version of the Jerry Lee Lewis standard. It's energetic, but unremarkable.
Another Wild Weekend (Loaded Dice) Rock (Instrumental)
A Perez Prado "Patricia"-like bit of fluff.
Pre-Surf Rock (Instrumental)
Vibrato lead guitar, ominous slowness, and a decent delivery, more like the Viscounts than Link Wray. Not special, but definitely worth a spin. Dramatic and big.
Hully Gully Rock R&B (Instrumental)
"Fanny Mae" goes instro, with a no-melody riff lead.
Flibbity Jibbity (Boss Action) R&B (Instrumental)
Lightweight, keyboard driven, R&B fluff. Nothing boss about it, and no action to be discerned.
Honky Tonk R&B (Instrumental)
A pedestrian cover of Bill Dogget's great R&B standard.
Happy Popcorn Rock Fluff (Instrumental)
Take the Marathons' "Peanut Butter," add Billy Joe & the Checkmates' "Percolator," and some brooding sax, and you get this fun but unremarkable track.
Pre-Surf Rock (Instrumental)
Similar to "Wild Weekend,' but slower, less powerful, but still interesting. The sax is less dominant.
Sweet Little Sixteen Fifties Rock (Instrumental)
I'm sure Chuck didn't intend this. It's just a pedestrian fifties instro.
Fifties Mean (Instrumental)
"the Way I Walk Is Just The I Walk" sorta backtrack and growling sax. Mean R&B growler. Cool fifties grind.
Pre-Surf Rock (Instrumental)
A nice treatment of the Chuck Rio classic. Slightly different than the pack, and infectious too.
Pre-Surf Rock (Instrumental)
"You Can't Sit Down" and a surf backtrack and a growly sax. Not very melodic, but interesting anyway.
MOR (Instrumental)
Holy cow, how MOR can we get?
Pre-Surf Cha Cha (Instrumental)
I've always liked this variation the best. It's funny how much difference a cha cha near ska backtrack can make to a song. It's not as powerful as the original, but it's so cool.
R&B (Instrumental)
The R&B standard is done with little feeling or panache.
Telstar Supermarket Rock (Instrumental)
Yeah, right. Think for a minute what lounge singers do to rock hits. That what the sax player does to this usually intense and powerful song. It is a totally unique arrangement, but then it's only fit for the supermarket.
Donkey Walk Novelty Rock (Instrumental)
As the sax cries "E-Or," the band plays a nothing backtrack. It's a novelty song.
The Stripper Lounge Rock (Instrumental)
How can you take a wailing Vegas strip anthem and make it fit for the aisles at K-mart? Simple, play it like you don't want to wake anybody up, and backtrack it with jazzy chords a,d shimmer. Jeepers, what a loungie load...
R&B (Instrumental)
Pretty standard R&B Champs-like instro fair.
Loaded Dice (Another Wild Weekend) Club Rock (Instrumental)
Yet another variation on the theme, even more laid back this time. Smokie club stuff here.
Happy Popcorn Rock Fluff (Instrumental)
Take the Marathons' "Peanut Butter," add Billy Joe & the Checkmates' "Percolator," and some brooding sax, and you get this fun but unremarkable track.
Anyway You Want Me Prom Rock (Instrumental)
Slow dance prom rock fluff for the last dance. Who will remember?
Pre-Surf Rock (Instrumental)
Johnny Yuma was a rebel. This was his TV theme. No, not this version, that's where the song comes from. Odd guitar sound, but a lot more edgy than any of their other stuff. Cool.