Sick of sparkly vampires? Read the O.G. “splatterpunk” vampire novel, one of my favorite works of literature! Also an Oprah Book Club selection! Okay, it wasn’t, but it should’ve been, if Oprah appreciated ultraviolent vampire fiction. This favorite of mine was recently named a top pick by Barnes & Nobel’s NOOK blog, but you can get it in any format – for Kindle or even in (gasp) bound pieces of paper!

1/24/12 – Koffin Kats – “Our Way and the Highway” (Sailor’s Grave)

Hear an exclusive stream of the first single, For the Good Times @ Bloody Disgusting  (ht: Punk News)

10/6/11 – The Howling Wolfmen – “Asylum Rock” (Razmataz)

Frantic Flintstones know how to build anticipation, with their constant Facebook updates, such as:

Frantic Flintstones (Official)  FF FINISH DA ALBUM—2012.

And a new Ravonettes B-Sides collection is on the way:

The Raveonettes
Listening to the test press of the forthcoming Rarities/B-Sides album at home, sounds sweet! . It’ll be out November 25th.

Romeo & the Frankensteins are ramping up to release their new album, Viva El FrankenBilly! IT’s ALIVE!!!.  Enjoy a new track that will appear on that album, My Hell, on ReverbNation.

Besides being a kick-ass psychobilly band, Romeo & the Frankensteins participated in the (now over) UNICEF fundraising drive featured on the blog, proving they’re good folks!

Rio & the Rockabilly Revival, a talented band led by scorching singer Rio Scafone, the niece of rockabilly legend Jack Scott, is offering a brand new song as a free download.  As you will recall, Rio was one of the hand-picked participants in our (now over) UNICEF drive, proving she’s both a favorite artist of the blog and a good person.

Go to ReverbNation to download the new track, When the Sun Goes Down, for FREE – TODAY ONLY!!!

LIKE them on Facebook, too!

Hear a 35 minute long Mekons concert via NPR.

One of the longest-running bands to come out of the British punk movement’s first generation, The Mekons began making music in 1977. In the past, the group has dabbled in genres ranging from folk to reggae, but the eight Mekons members are still defined by their brand of post-apocalyptic cowboy punk.

The Mekons’ 28th album, Ancient and Modern, is infused with this signature sound, plenty of hooks and clever, thought-provoking lyrics. Younger bands may equate being cool with acting indifferent, but The Mekons’ members aren’t afraid to put everything on the table and have fun doing it.

#rockabilly #psychobilly

The Retro Kustom Honkytonk – Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF 2011 compilation, featuring 11 sizzling rockabilly, psychobilly and outlaw country tracks from eleven varied, popular artists will be available until October 31st.  Then it is GONE, FOREVER!!!!

WHAT IS IT?

It is an eleven track “sampler” of the music that typifies Retro Kustom Honkytonk.  The downloadable album consists of 11 MP3s and full art, including a custom-designed 24 page booklet with info and links about each band.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

As little as $1.

HOW DO I GET IT?

Follow THIS LINK to UNICEF USA.  Donate $1 (or more, if you wish) to UNICEF, through their secure server.

I am given your email address.  I email you a link that lets you download the compilation.

WHERE DOES MY MONEY GO?

You are donating directly to UNICEF USA.  I don’t have anything to do with the processing of your donation.  The fund helps children all over the world, providing food relief, potable water, medicine and public health projects.  It helps kids stay alive during famines.   UNICEF gets high ratings from the independent agency Charity Navigator for being a responsible, efficient charity.

Your donation to UNICEF is TAX DEDUCTIBLE if you are in the USA.

WHAT AM I WAITING FOR?

How the hell should I know?  Go help starving kids with a donation of as little as a dollar and get amazing free music in time for Halloween!  This album is GONE after October 31st.

Here’s a rundown on who’s on the album:

Each artist was invited to participate for their unique qualities and talents, showing part of what makes “Retro Kustom Honkytonk” music so exciting.  This album is made possible by the generosity of the participating bands, labels and producers who kindly supported this charity project.

The digital release RETRO KUSTOM HONKYTONK – Trick or Treat for UNICEF 2011 is proud to feature:

Pat Roberts & the Heymakers – Sweet On Me 
from the album Lonesome & Blue – 2011
Electric Lotus Label’s artists, Pat Roberts exemplifies the Retro Kustom Honkytonk attitude by defying categorization through their expert blend of rockabilly, blues and country.

Voodoo Swing – West Coast Boogie
from the album Keep on Rollin’ – 2011
Electric Lotus Label’s artists, this Phoenix, AZ-based band adds rock-and-roll grit to their rockabilly gumbo.

The 454s – Zombie Ex-Girlfriend
from the album from the EP Granpa’s Whiskey – 2011
This Los-Angeles based band mixes their Latino roots and formative musical influences to create a unique hybrid of cumbia, new wave pop and rockabilly.

Romeo & the Frankensteins – 245 Mainlinin’
from their latest single release – 2011
“Frankenbilly” is the self-described genre of humorous English-language horror punk and psychobilly created by this unique Mexican band signed to BamBam Records.

The Twangshifters – Black and Chrome
from the album The Twangshifters – 2011
This Portland, Oregon band adds full-voiced female blues belting to a rockabilly foundation.

Dirty Charley – Black Yodel #1
from the upcoming album The Dirty Charley Band – Live at The Red Eyed Fly
produced by The Rock Garage – Texas Live Concert Series – 2011
These loose cannons live up to their name, with hard-country ballads penned in booze and bile in Austin bar rooms – captured live by The Rock Garage recording label.

Stomping Rats – Jungle
from the EP Get Drunk, Have Fun, Let’s Wreck!! – 2011
Surf, instrumental and fuzz from these Mexico City scenesters gets the party started!

Rio & the Rockabilly Revival – Rockabilly Gal
from the upcoming album The Midnight Rebel Sessions – 2011
The always classy Rio Scafone, the niece of Rockabilly legend Jack Scott, returns to her musical roots and carries on the family tradition of serving up a heaping dose of old school Rockabilly and Swing!

13 Black Coffins – Sailor Jerry
from the album Where the Dead Girls Go – 2011
This female-fronted psychobilly unit from Houston, Texas can play as rough as any all-male psycho band.

Pure Luck – Broke Soaked & Dirty
from the upcoming album Pure Luck – Trippin’ Balls Live at The Scoot Inn
produced by The Rock Garage – Texas Live Concert Series – 2011
Austin-based Americana from The Rock Garage recording label is loud and rough while remaining melodic.

The Texas Sapphires – How Did I Get So Sloppy Drunk When I was Drinking Neat?
from an as-yet-untitled live album from The Rock Garage – Texas Live Concert Series – 2011
A new country-tinged band blending classic country with honky-tonk, bluegrass and mountain music, smooth harmony vocals and sharp lyrics that makes the band’s sound hard to pin down.

© US Fund for UNICEFMary Emma Allison, co-founder of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, with her children Mary Jean, Monroe and Mickey in the early 1950s.

WHY AM I SUPPORTING TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR UNICEF

For six decades, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has served as The Original Kids Helping Kids® campaign.  In 1950, children across America were inspired to collect coins for UNICEF to aid children abroad enduring the after-effects of World War II.

Today, that mission is as urgent as ever.  1 billion children live in poverty without adequate food, safe drinking water, health care, shelter and education.

UNICEF works in 150 countries and territories to prevent child mortality by counteracting the effects of extreme poverty, focusing on nutrition, sanitation, clean drinking water, prevention of disease and providing medical care, winning a four star rating from the independent evaluation at Charity Navigator.

Read about it, #rockabilly lovers!

Check it out #rockabilly people!

If you’re anywhere near my age, you probably remember the cry of “Trick or treat for UNICEF!” that sprung up every year about this time. Well, it’s back!

Electric Lotus Records, which gives Phoneix-area roots and rockabilly musicians a label that promotes their music, has announced that two of its artists will have cuts on the Retro Custom Hokytonk Trick or Treat for UNICEF 2011 digital compilation album. Pat Roberts & the Heymakers (a review of their new album is coimg soon) and Voodoo Swing (read my review of their record) will both offer up a track from their new albums for the compilation.

Thanks for the feature, Buster!

Dee Ann at Rockabilly-Online.com featured the Retro Kustom Honkytonk – Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!  Thanks for the mention, Dee Ann!

Everyone should have seen it, anyway, as Rockabilly-Online is a great resource for all you cats!  Check ‘em out and become regular readers like I am!

Chris Isaak – Beyond the Sun EPK from VanguardVideo on Vimeo.

10/18 – Chris Isaak – “Beyond the Sun” (Vanguard) – 14 tracks

10/18 – Chris Isaak – “Beyond the Sun” Deluxe Edition (Vanguard) – 25 tracks and a booklet

10/18 – T Bone Burnett –  ”T Bone Burnett Presents: The Speaking Clock Revue” (Shout! Factory) – with Elvis Costello, Ralph Stanley and more.  Marc Ribot (frequent Tom Waits collaborator) was the musical director.  Proceeds from the sale of the album benefit arts and music education in public schools.

Read about it: Paste Magazine review

Okay, so this crop of new releases are a little weak.  A bunch of boomer favorites for the most part hashing through a grabbag of songs and  Chris Isaak dangerously covering the foundational material of rockabilly and rock and roll.

How about getting a fresh music fix in a way that also helps starving children around the world… DONATE A COUPLE OF BUCK TO UNICEF and hear some of my favorite songs discovered through my bloggings… awesome bands like The Twangshifters and Pat Roberts & the Heymakers and Voodoo Swing and Romeo and the Frankensteins and Rio and the Rockabilly Revival… these are cool people who make great music and they’re giving it to you in exchange for a buck or two donated directly to UNICEF, in a safe, tax-free way.   Seriously, this is basically free new, good music with a chaser of moral superiority and self-satisfaction.  You can’t beat that deal with a stick!

Donate a buck or two!  Get awesome music!  Help people!  C’mon, clink through already!

#countrymusic by Honkytonk

The new Jayhawks album, Mockingbird Time is on sale at Amazon for $3.99 – today only.  Pop-inflected Americana – good to mellow you out after a psychobilly overdose.

Here’s what some other people have said about it:

Paste Magazine

NPR: The Jayhawks: Just Like Old Times

SoundSpike review

Roughstock review

#rockabilly by Retro

“I like rockabilly,” I’d say.

“What’s that?” the person I’m speaking to would say.

“Um, y’know, Stray Cats, and all that?”

“Oh.  Okay…. Really?”

That’s been the conversation me and most of you have probably had over and over with friends, roommates and Great Aunts for years/decades.  Brian Setzer and company were often the mainstream’s only reference point for a contemporary rockabilly scene.

Until Irish songstress, one Ms. Imelda Clabby, became an international media darling.  This rockabilly chartreuse bet on herself, her husband, her music and our scene, battling her own label (Decca), who wanted to smooth out her overt rockabilly look and sound.

She’s riding high after making at least three and a half amazing full-length albums, going toe-to-to with Jeff Beck on tour and appearing on THE TONIGHT SHOW for the third time. NBC’s late night francise, despite being diminished after NBC’s Leno vs. Coco fiasco, is still the late night talk show your mom watches.  She’s toured relentlessly, even spraining her ankle in a not-quite-Spinal Tap-worthy accident while jumping a fence.

All that said, it’s funny to get into the Wayback Machine and read the way this reviewer characterized internationally reknown recording superstar Imelda May, as it reflects the way most in the rockabilly world considered her up until her last album, Mayhem took off.  An expanded re-issue, with bonus tracks was just released, fyi… More Mayhem.

Imelda Clabby from Ireland is the wife of one of today’s most popular Rockabilly artists, Darrel Higham. She already had some appearances on his albums over the years and now established herself as a solo recording artist…

- Black Cat Rockabilly

Darrel Higham remains a highly respected artist in his own right, with scores of albums to his credit (with How to Dance the Bop as a recent example).  He is now predominantly sharing the stage with his wife – a real love story, which is always refreshing!  The two of them have always come across as co-conspirators in her rise to fame.  Still, it’s funny that in the rockabilly world, she was “Darrel Higham’s wife” for quite a while, whereas now, I’m sure he’s typically “Imelda May’s husband”.

Which brings me back to the point of this post… Imelda May is our ambassador to the mainstream now.  She’s the name people will use to explain rockabilly to co-workers and folks at the family picnic.  Thankfully, if mainstream audiences were going to anoint a Rockabilly standard-bearer, they had the good fortune or good taste to pick a genuine article!

Here’s some of Imelda May’s more recent media appearances…

 So, a question… do you guys want more links about Imelda May or do you have your fill other places?  I have a file full of articles and interviews, if you’re interested.  Imelda May post – part 2?  Or more about less-well-known artists?

#rockabilly #psychobilly

As anyone who reads the blog knows, I organized a digital compilation by reaching out to bands I enjoyed.  The bands, and in some cases, their producers and labels, kindly and generously agreed to participate, furnishing me with requested tracks and took the time to handle approvals.  I am specifically appreciative of their help.

The idea for the comp, however, dates back over four years ago, when I did some blogging-for-hire about extreme poverty (defines as living on $1 US or less a day).  That work required me to educate myself on the issues in a crash-course way, reading UN reports and books like The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs.  It meant learning about the effects of globalization, the scourge of children soldiers, the price of political strife (such as in Darfur) and the impact of environmental conditions such as droughts.

Once you learn all this, you can’t “unlearn” it.  It says with you.  You start musing about what percentage of your overpriced coffee made it back to an Ethiopian farmer, or the money for the food you don’t need would be better used paying for some high-calorie rations for starving children.

At the same time, you’re not Bill Gates (who is really doing amazing things through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation… more of the “1%” should behave with such foresight and humanity).  After a while, a certain hopelessness descends.  Your awareness of suffering is vastly greater than your ability to do anything about it.  Most people not in the 1% of wage-earners spend most of their time making rent.  The little bit of extra cash that can be scraped up is used to try to actually enjoy the one life you have.

And that’s where rockabilly/psychobilly/hillbilly comes in.  Rockabilly is a fun escape, full of outlandish personalities, imaginative lyrics, primal, rhythmic music and distinctive aesthetics.  Whether it’s their hot rod, their hair or their band, people work hard at projecting a certain image.  The “conversation” between all of these imaginative and artistic people is a fun diversion from whatever problems people may have.  I firmly believe that’s the main “payoff” for the scene… a little escapist fun and the chance to communicate with other people who share some of your interests.  I guess sports fans, gamers or Deadheads must feel the same way, but I’m none of those things, I’m a rockabilly/psychobilly/hillbilly fan.

There’s a big world with big problems beyond your ability to affect.  The world keeps turning no matter what you do, so you might as well go to a car show or enjoy a band or buy that cool shirt, trying to compartmentalize the fact that through nothing but rotten luck, a child was born to die a half a world away.

In my case, I saw, through this admittedly fannish blog, I was finding bands that seemed cool and approachable.  I had a computer with the capability of putting together CD-style packaging and I had page views in the 1,000′s.  UNICEF has this cool “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Online” portal that handled credit card donations directly… I didn’t have to worry about the liability of touching other people’s money, and the donation would be tax-deductible (in the US, at least).

Best of all, I knew from my research a few years ago that UNICEF was one of the few genuinely effective NGOs/charities on the ground.  Not perfect, but better than most.  This fact is confirmed by the respected independent organization, Charity Navigator, who gave UNICEF four stars.

I thought a compilation that accurately reflected this blog… a mix of outrageous outlaw/honkytonk country, swingin’ rockabilly and slammin’ psychobilly, with a mix of male and female vocalists… would make for a pretty cool enticement to donate to this cause that is so close to my heart.  Extreme poverty is not a “crisis” the way a natural disaster is… it is a pernicious problem that is hard to personalize.  I don’t know the names of the 1,000 of kids who are dying today, and I can only give a fumbling guess as to their stories and the causes of their premature demise – a clusterfuck of geography, weather, local and global politics and local and global economics – but I thought maybe I could turn this admittedly frivolous blog (about a fairly frivolous, but creative, scene) to help accomplish what I so often felt too small, powerless and insignificant to do… help contribute some cash in maybe the three-digit range, rather than the two-digit range (lofty goals, I know!)

It’s a challenge to motivate pure charity without a direct emotional appeal (like disaster relief, or those ads with the sad dogs and cats), but I hope that the opportunity to do good, in combination with the inducement of getting music hand-chosen by the blogger you read will motivate some of you to support this great cause.

As always, this project is only possible through the generosity of the participating bands and, in some cases, the producers and labels associated with them.

If you’d like to donate ANY AMOUNT to UNICEF and get the compilation, CLICK HERE.

#psychobilly by Kustom

The Pirate Queen… the Rose City Rebel… The Rockabilly Queen of Portland… Sara Barry!  

She’s got the image, the ambition, and most importantly, the vocal chops to soar to the top of the music biz.  What she lacks, since parting ways amicably with The Twangshifters, is a band!

That’s where you could help!  She is embarking on a new project and a new direction – a blend of rockabilly and ska that she plans to take out onto the road by next summer.

Sara and the Twangshifters allowed the song Black & Chrome (from their debut album) to appear on the The Retro Kustom Honkytonk – Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF 2011 compilation album (currently available in return for a small donation directly to UNICEF).

To audition for the chance to be part of Barry’s next project, check out her Craig’s List ad, which reads, in part:

The following is required to be considered for a position in this project.
- The availability to practice 1-2 times a week
- Drama free
- Ability to put on an amazing show
- Availibitlity to travel to shows and leave for tour next summer

Please email for more information…….Queenpirategq@gmail.com

Looking for the following:
Guitar
Bass
Drums
Piano
Violin
Trumpet

• Location: Portland, ect.

#psychobilly by Kustom

Congratulations to The Twangshifters on finding a new lead singer!  After an amicable parting with their previous frontwoman, one of my favorite bands has met the women who will take them to the next level of their careers.  Their dark and dangerous song Black & Chrome can be found on their eponymous debut album and on The Retro Kustom Honkytonk – Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF 2011 compilation album (currently available in return for a small donation directly to UNICEF).

Lex Allyson - New Frontwoman of The Twangshifters

Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to announce what you all have been patiently awaiting these last few weeks:

After much deliberation, we have extended an offer to Lex Allyson to front The Twangshifters, and she has accepted.

Lex hails from the San Fransisco area and has been in Portland since age 20. She also currently fronts the band “Tortune” with her father in which she writes the songs, plays guitar and also flute. Her background in music goes back to her childhood.

We’d like to thank everyone who auditioned for us, you were all wonderful and it made this decision extremely difficult. Good luck to you all, each and every one of you rock!!!

Along with this announcement we also welcome back the one and only Melanie Peabody as our PR specialist!!!

We will soon be issuing an official press release with more details. Thank you all for you love and support, and the opportunity to entertain you!!!

See you on the 20th at The New Copper Penny and many more shows to come!!!

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED: Cocaine Blues
[Live at Annex 14 NCO Club, Long Binh, Vietman, January 1969]
Cocaine Blues [Live at Annex 14 NCO Club, Long Binh, Vietnam, January 1969] by Johnny Cash SM

10/11 - Johnny Cash – “Johnny Cash: Bootleg Vol. 3″ (Sony Legacy)
RKH reported and shared the preview

10/11 - The Infamous Stringdusters – “We’ll Do It Live” (High Country Recordings)

10/11 – Scott H. Biram – “Bad Ingredients” (Bloodshot)

10/1 - Robb Shenton & The Western All Stars – “We’re Gonna Rock” (Fury Records) (missed this one previously)

Want to hear some of the Retro Kustom Honkytonk blog’s favorite rockabilly, psychobilly and outlaw country music?  

Want to celebrate Halloween 1950′s style, by supporting the vital work of UNICEF?

GIVE A LITTLE, GET A LOT!

Make a tax-deductible donation in any amount to UNICEF through the link below and get an 11-song compliation album as a “thank you” gift.

1. DONATE ANY AMOUNT YOU CAN AFFORD BY CLICKING HERE.  We get that times are tough, but even a few bucks can make a vital difference to kids living in extreme poverty.

2.  The link takes you to UNICEF’s SECURE DONATION PAGE, administered by UNICEFUSA.org (pictured below).  Retro Kustom Honkyton DOESN’T HANDLE THE DONATION.  It is a DIRECT DONATION TO the UNICEF USA, PROCESSED BY THEIR WEBSITE.  They only accept credit and debit cards.  This donation is TAX-DEDUCTIBLE in the US.

3. Check your email inbox for a DOWNLOAD LINK.  Click the link and DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM – 11 amazing slices of rockabilly, psychobilly and outlaw country of all different flavors, along with a 24 page printable booklet with profiles of each contributor.  The album will be compressed as a .rar file.

ABOUT THE ALBUM

Your gift for donating in Retro Kustom Honkytonk’s Halloween Charity Drive for UNICEF!

The line-up of artists participating in the collection reflects the mission of the Retro Kustom Honkytonk blog: to foster a cross-genre fanbase for under-exposed artists who draw on “roots music” influences.

Each artist was invited to participate for their unique qualities and talents, showing part of what makes “Retro Kustom Honkytonk” music so exciting.  This album is made possible by the generosity of the participating bands, labels and producers who kindly supported this charity project.

The digital release RETRO KUSTOM HONKYTONK – Trick or Treat for UNICEF 2011 is proud to feature:

Pat Roberts & the Heymakers – Sweet On Me 
from the album Lonesome & Blue – 2011
Electric Lotus Label’s artists, Pat Roberts exemplifies the Retro Kustom Honkytonk attitude by defying categorization through their expert blend of rockabilly, blues and country.

Voodoo Swing – West Coast Boogie
from the album Keep on Rollin’ – 2011
Electric Lotus Label’s artists, this Phoenix, AZ-based band adds rock-and-roll grit to their rockabilly gumbo.

The 454s – Zombie Ex-Girlfriend
from the album from the EP Granpa’s Whiskey – 2011
This Los-Angeles based band mixes their Latino roots and formative musical influences to create a unique hybrid of cumbia, new wave pop and rockabilly.

Romeo & the Frankensteins – 245 Mainlinin’
from their latest single release – 2011
“Frankenbilly” is the self-described genre of humorous English-language horror punk and psychobilly created by this unique Mexican band signed to BamBam Records.

The Twangshifters – Black and Chrome
from the album The Twangshifters – 2011
This Portland, Oregon band adds full-voiced female blues belting to a rockabilly foundation.

Dirty Charley – Black Yodel #1
from the upcoming album The Dirty Charley Band – Live at The Red Eyed Fly
produced by The Rock Garage – Texas Live Concert Series – 2011
These loose cannons live up to their name, with hard-country ballads penned in booze and bile in Austin bar rooms – captured live by The Rock Garage recording label.

Stomping Rats – Jungle
from the EP Get Drunk, Have Fun, Let’s Wreck!! – 2011
Surf, instrumental and fuzz from these Mexico City scenesters gets the party started!

Rio & the Rockabilly Revival – Rockabilly Gal
from the upcoming album The Midnight Rebel Sessions – 2011
The always classy Rio Scafone, the niece of Rockabilly legend Jack Scott, returns to her musical roots and carries on the family tradition of serving up a heaping dose of old school Rockabilly and Swing!

13 Black Coffins – Sailor Jerry
from the album Where the Dead Girls Go – 2011
This female-fronted psychobilly unit from Houston, Texas can play as rough as any all-male psycho band.

Pure Luck – Broke Soaked & Dirty
from the upcoming album Pure Luck – Trippin’ Balls Live at The Scoot Inn
produced by The Rock Garage – Texas Live Concert Series – 2011
Austin-based Americana from The Rock Garage recording label is loud and rough while remaining melodic.

The Texas Sapphires – How Did I Get So Sloppy Drunk When I was Drinking Neat?
from an as-yet-untitled live album from The Rock Garage – Texas Live Concert Series – 2011
A new country-tinged band blending classic country with honky-tonk, bluegrass and mountain music, smooth harmony vocals and sharp lyrics that makes the band’s sound hard to pin down.

© US Fund for UNICEFMary Emma Allison, co-founder of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, with her children Mary Jean, Monroe and Mickey in the early 1950s.

WHY AM I SUPPORTING TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR UNICEF

For six decades, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has served as The Original Kids Helping Kids® campaign.  In 1950, children across America were inspired to collect coins for UNICEF to aid children abroad enduring the after-effects of World War II.

Today, that mission is as urgent as ever.  1 billion children live in poverty without adequate food, safe drinking water, health care, shelter and education.

UNICEF works in 150 countries and territories to prevent child mortality by counteracting the effects of extreme poverty, focusing on nutrition, sanitation, clean drinking water, prevention of disease and providing medical care, winning a four star rating from the independent evaluation at Charity Navigator.

#rockabilly by Retro

The ELVIS & US (with the “us” being The Beatles) exhibit at Beatles Story, Liverpool, just opened with lots of media fanfare. For those of us who aren’t getting to Merry Old England any time soon, all these articles and photos are welcome substitutes for visiting the exhibit ourselves and ogling all the rare memorabilia (the Elvis artifacts are on loan from Graceland, fyi).

Pay attention to the COMMENTS section of these articles, too, as rabid Elvis and Beatles fans parse every sentence in the articles, often correcting the article, each other, and, y’know, behave like rabid fanatics on the internet!

Delve into the pop cultural conversation between Elvis and the Beatles. What’s your opinion of the Hillbilly Cat versus the Mop Tops? Let’s start a little rabid fan discussion of our own, right here in RKH’s comment section!

Recommended Reads re: Elvis & Us:

• Elvis.com: Elvis and Us Exhibit Taking Shape
• Elvis.com: Photo Gallery
• The Guardian: When the Beatles met Elvis, and John Lennon put his idol’s nose out of joint
• Seven Streets: Come Together
• BBC: When the Beatles Met Elvis Presley
• Libel Music: Exhibition Opens Showing Elvis Presley’s Influence On The Beatles
• Click Liverpool: The Beatles and Elvis come together in Liverpool

10/3 – Rocker Covers – “Revved Up” (Greystone Records)
RKH reported and reported again… | Buy @ Amazon

10/4 – Merle Haggard – “Working In Tennesse” (Vanguard Records)
RKH reported… | Buy @ Amazon

10/4 – Misfits – “The Devil’s Rain” (Misfits Records)
RKH reported, reported again, and opined | Buy @ Amazon

10/4 – VA – “The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams” (Egyptian/CMF/Columbia)
RKH reported… but because find the idea of “finishing” the work of a genius seems suspect (or necrophiliac, according to Rolling Stone) despite the involvement of Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Jack White and others, we recommend a thoughtful post from the excellent blog Saving Country Music. | Buy @ Amazon (if you must) or Buy REAL Hank Williams – 20 Greatest Hits – @ Amazon

#countrymusic by Honkytonk

Hellbound Glory, from Reno Nevada, calls its music “scumbag country”.  I call it pure honkytonk, the kind of music barroom bards like Lefty Frizzell perfected.  Lots of music on RKH consists of the loveable mutts of the world – weird amalgamations of country, punk, folk and indie rock.  Hellbound Glory is more straight-up country, which, as one of my favorite blogs, SavingCountryMusic.com, likes to point out, guarantees contempt from Nashville.

Rusty Knuckles releases Hellbound Glory‘s newest album, Damaged Goods, on November 15th.

Hellbound Glory – You Better Hope You Die Young by RustyKnuckles

The Hot Sheet is a mixed list of all the music Retro, Kustom & Honkytonk are curious to hear.  Are we missing an upcoming release or recent release that you want to tell us about?  COMMENT BELOW!

#countrymusic by Honkytonk

#rockabilly by Retro

#psychobilly by Kustom

The Hot Sheet is a mixed list of all the music Retro, Kustom & Honkytonk are curious to hear.  Are we missing an upcoming release or recent release that you want to tell us about?  COMMENT BELOW!

Buzz Campbell

The Buzz Campbell Band, fronted, naturally, by Buzz Campbell, the guitarist featured on Stray Cat Lee Rocker’s solo output and a founding member of Hot Rod Lincoln (a band I’ve enjoyed at Hootenannys of years past), released Shivers and Shakes earlier this year.

This album got past me earlier in the year.  Read a review at blogcritics or give the album a spin (and buy it), below, or buy it from Amazon.

#countrymusic by Honkytonk

#rockabilly by Retro

#psychobilly by Kustom

The Hot Sheet is a mixed list of all the music Retro, Kustom & Honkytonk are curious to hear.  Are we missing an upcoming release or recent release that you want to tell us about?  COMMENT BELOW!

The Meteors

P. Paul Fenech posted a new version of The Meteors‘ No Surrender, a song that, in its previous version, appeared on the Meteors’ 1994 album of the same name.  Fenech explains:

New raw version of no surrender (neverfuckingever mix) for new 7′ wax box set due on ply [People Like You Records - no mention of this release yet, though] soon LOFI SHORT EDIT taster

01 Track 01 by Paul Fenech

In other Meteors news, their long-in-the-works live DVD, Pure Evil Live, will be released on October 31st, 2011, from People Like You Records, including a special edition with a figurine and a bonus CD:

This DVD celebrates the 30th anniversary of the psychobilly founders THE METEORS and is rammed full of top-notch footage. For starters the whole of their blistering performance at the prestigious “Rock’n’Ink” festival is captured in all its blood-splattered glory. In addition to that there is an interview with the band where PPF tells the origins of the band and life with THE METEORS on the road. You then get to experience that yourself, life on the road with the Kings Of Psychobilly with exclusive behind the scenes and backstage footage from their US tour in 2009, tattoos and booze all included. If that leaves you screaming for more, then you got it! Rarely seen videos of gigs in Spain in 1995 and Brazil in 2005, followed by a best-of selection of the band’s video clips spanning from the 1980s to present day, topped off with a slide-show of photos. If that weren’t enough besides the standard edition People Like You are also offering a limited edition version with THE METEORS maniacs and collectors in mind. The ‘Deluxe Figurine Box Set’ contains a 19 cm P. PAUL FENECH figure, a large booklet and a special digipack containing the ‘Pure Evil Live’ DVD and a special bonus ‘Best Of People Like You Years’ Audio CD. This is sure to be a rare and collectable THE METEORS release limited to just 2000 world wide.

#countrymusic by Honkytonk

#rockabilly by Retro

#psychobilly by Kustom

The Hot Sheet is a mixed list of all the music Retro, Kustom & Honkytonk are curious to hear.  Are we missing an upcoming release or recent release that you want to tell us about?  COMMENT BELOW!

Dwight Yoakam

Dwight Yoakam announced over the summer that he was returning to Warner Nashville for his next album – scheduled for early 2012.  Today, his Facebook read:

New music is coming . . .

Guess we’ll have to stay tuned to see what that means!

#countrymusic by Honkytonk

#rockabilly by Retro

#psychobilly by Kustom

The Hot Sheet is a mixed list of all the music Retro, Kustom & Honkytonk are curious to hear.  Are we missing an upcoming release or recent release that you want to tell us about?  COMMENT BELOW!

The Brains

We now know when you can pick up the brand new release from the Canadian psychobilly band, The Brains:

10/25/11 (N. America) 11/14/11 (EU) – The Brains – “Drunk Not Dead” (Union Label Group/PLY)

Union Label Group is handling the US/Canadian release.  The band advises ordering through Interpunk, as with that pre-order, you get a free patch and button, while supplies last.

People Like You records announces The Brains’ European release date and tour:

We are proud to let you know that Canada’s most evil psychobillys THE BRAINS are now part of the People Like You Records roster!

Their newest album “Drunk Not Dead” will be available November 14th all over Europe! Get it at your favorite record store, order it online or pick it up during THE BRAINS European tour next month!

#countrymusic by Honkytonk

#rockabilly by Retro

#psychobilly by Kustom

The Hot Sheet is a mixed list of all the music Retro, Kustom & Honkytonk are curious to hear.  Are we missing an upcoming release or recent release that you want to tell us about?  COMMENT BELOW!

Miss Ruby Ann & The Round Up Boys

Ruby Ann, a former member of the Boppin’ Boozers, from Portugal, is now about to release her second full-length solo album with her backing band, The Round Up Boys, on Rhythm Bomb Records.  We haven’t found a release date, but will update when one is provided.