Johnny and the Remains
What can I do? (about that girl) 7”
B/W Born to lose
(Running Eye Records – EYE 001)
This
pink beauty dropped into my mail-box the other day. Johnny and the
Remains is a well known name in the
Trondheim underground punk-scene, but who knows how long we can keep
them a local secret.
This is
raw, low-budget punk rock n’ roll with tons of attitude. I have to admit
I’ve never seen Johnny and the Remains
live yet, but they play a lot better than I expected them to, and I’m
really starting to see that the underground scene is
filled with just as many great musicians as songwriters. For what I can
hear from this 7”, this band has both!
The
a-side on the 7” is their own “What can I do? (about that girl)”. A
catchy tune with clear influences to bands
such as NOFX, Ramones and Pennywise. They also manage to throw in both
boogie-guitar riffs and handclaps,
which we of course all know how to appreciate here at RRAF. Ha, ha.
The
b-side, being a cover of Johnny Thunders, is an instant hit on the
stereo. The song suits the band perfectly, or maybe
it’s the other way around. I don’t know, but they pull it off well! It’s
also particularly funny to listen to how
the backing singer’s voice sounds just like Cartman from South Park. I
highly doubt it’s on purpose though.
I guess punk and comics just have a really close relationship.
This is
the first single from their soon to come full-length debut; “It came
from the basement” –
so stay tuned for more Johnny and the Remains.
If
you’re into fast punk rock like the bands mentioned above, there’s no
way you won’t like this 7”.
You can buy the record at Aftermath or Hotlips in Trondheim, or by
contacting the band.
www.myspace.com/theremainspunk
22. December, 2006
**Billy McBarbie**