Gaye Bykers On Acid
NOW AVAILABLE ON CDR £2.99 +P&P
Killer Teens in New Orleans
S.P.A.C.E.
Radiation/ John Wayne's A Fag
Iguana Trifle
What Happened To Malcolm
Disinformation Rise And Shine
T.V. Cabbage
Face At The Window
Don't Be Human Eric- Let's Be Frank
Delirium
Everything's Groovy Baby
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G.B.O.A reviewed by teamfreak
It dawned on me this afternoon that I joined Epinions one year ago today. We were experiencing the beginning a major blizzard here in Denver, and the beginning of the invasion of Iraq was just ahead. What else was there for a concerned citizen to do, than to sit down and submit a review for a bike lock?
Since this is somewhat of a milestone review, I probably should do something special with it. I could write about my year here, for instance. I could write about all the writers on the site who have influenced me and I enjoy reading. I could write about some of my favorite reviews that both others and myself have written.
I could do that, or I could just review a Gaye Bykers On Acid CD.
I choose the Gaye Bykers On Acid CD.
Gaye Bykers On Acid released this self-titled CD in 1992. It has an amusing/disgusting cover - a guy grinning at the camera while his scalp is pulled back to display his brain. No band member is credited, nor is a producer. I know the singer is called Mary Byker because of his affiliation with Martin Atkins' Industrial supergroup Pigface. Luckily, AMG Music Guide bails me out here - joining Mary Byker are Robber (bass,) Tony Horsfal (guitar,) and Kevin Hyde on drums.
Sure, the cover might drive most people away, as will the name of the band. However, if one can get past that, and accept some potentially offensive dialog samples, this is a fun album to listen to. Horsfal's guitar playing is a highlight throughout the CD, and several songs have an undeniable groove to them.
Killer Teens In New Orleans uses thick slabs of fuzzy guitar over a Hip-Hop-style rock drumbeat, for instance. The guys channel the Beastie Boys vocally, Mary raps, while the others finish his sentences or match certain words with him. Sample-wise, quotes about S & M and drug use are thrown in, making it perfect background music for your next friendly neighborhood rave. During your backyard rave, you should leave S.P.A.C.E. on for your guests to dance to. Horsfal throws in generous amounts of distorted tremolo effects in addition to a little funk-guitar here and a little screaming guitar there. Meanwhile, Robber and Hyde lay down 11:14 of high-energy dance-rock groove.
Listeners offended by homophobic content might want to skip Radiation/John Wayne's a F*g, or at least be aware an offensive sample exists on the track. I don't know where the band found this sample - it is not familiar to me as being from any movie I remember seeing - but the song features a sample of a group of guys questioning John Wayne's sexual preference, getting more offensive as it continues. Don't say you weren't warned. Luckily, it isn't the only sample, only the most offensive. If you are able to get past that, however, you get another 11-plus minute dance-rock marathon.
Disinformation Rise and Shine starts as a tasty piece of psychedelic rock thanks to Horsfal's groovy guitars. Hyde and Robber play a hard-driving rhythm section here, and Mary's vocals revert to his normal singing voice - this song wouldn't be too out of place on the Bykers 1989 release Stewed To the Gills. Robber and Hyde sound like Black Sabbath meets the Sex Pistols on TV Cabbage - it's a fantastic mess of fast, steady, dark riffing. Horsfal opens the song with some lightning-quick, distorted guitar heroics before the others kick in. He then adds tons of quick, distorted punk riffs - while finding time for fast solos and quick flourishes. Throw this one on to turn your backyard rave into an instant pogo pit!
Face At the Window keeps the rocking-out going, albeit in a fairly funky manner. Robber plays a fat, funky bass line, and Horsfal is once again all over the place on guitar- tight, distorted riffs alternate with standard rock solos. Mary kind of grunts the majority of his vocals here, and it all works together well. Don't Be Human Eric - Let's Be Frank is another high-speed pogo pit number. Hyde and Robber's tight rhythm's drive along relentlessly, even speeding up about halfway through. Horsfal riffs constantly throughout but stays within the confines of the song on this one. For good measure, toward the end, the band even throws in a nice fake fade-out like rock bands did back in the 1970's! Delerium is built around the Twilight Zone theme before it becomes a showcase for Horsfal to show off a bit more.
The CD might seem a bit inconsistent to some - it seems as if the band couldn't decide if it wanted to be the Gaye Bykers On Acid that used lots of samples and dance beats, or the Gaye Bykers On Acid that rocked out. On GBOA they decided to be both, and to me, it works. Diversity is good, and here one can dance and rock out within the confines of the same CD. And if that weren't enough, the photo on the back shows the band onstage - Mary Byker is wearing the exact same pair of skater pants I used to own years ago. It was my destiny to purchase this CD. It can be yours as well.
Bonus - no blizzard this weekend. As I write this, we'll have 70+ degrees for the weekend, and I'll be mountain biking. Mountain biking and writing reviews. And I'll see you on March 17, 2005, for year 2. Thanks to everyone who's bothered reading so far - you rock!
Recommended
Yes