January 29, 2006
12 Gauge Reaction
Why do I love the Hookers? Mind your own business.
Full disclosure: I received my rare copy of the first Hookers 7″ from Noel Reucroft a.k.a. Stoney Tombs in the mid-’90s when my old group came through Lexington, KY.
First we set up in the tiny main street bar and performed a nice, well-received set to the few locals in attendance… then the Hookers came onstage and raped the air. The drummer started kicking his drums around during the first song. Mic stands went flying, the room shuddered. They were loud and threatening and fun and didn’t give a shit. It was awesome.
The Hookers rode that razor-sharp line between garage punk and metal yet kept from devolving into a lazy-ass hardcore band or generic “hard rock.” In other words, fire & ice, without the lukewarm water.
They put out a number of singles after that, and with the release of their first LP Devil’s Highway they’d already mutated into a strange but decidedly non-false metal style that alienated one or two garage fans. (Not me; I really love that record. It’s hyperactive without being speedmetal, and laced with the sounds of Noel urinating and creepy audio clips stolen from old Coffin Joe movies.)
Maybe a year after this came out, some corporate band took the name (there were actually even more bands calling themselves the Hookers) and when our boys were looking at the possibility of being signed to Crypt, Tim Warren, in fear of a possibly lawsuit, briefly switched their name to the “Fayette County Hookers.” That didn’t take. The Hookers toured a lot and put out a lot of fine product, but never got what they deserved out of the rock industry. Some things I’ve read make me think that the guys might be a little bitter about it, like this Stoney Tombs interview from last May. Can’t blame ‘em.
Singer Adam Neal, a.k.a. the Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw, had previously played drums in primal cuntry-punk outfit Nine Pound Hammer (who have recently reformed, recorded an album and are touring everywhere but here!) After the Hookers hung it up, the Outlaw released a solo album called Ridin’ Free on a German label in 2002 [turns out I’m all wet; see Rich’s correction in the comments], but I haven’t tracked it down. He also formed the band Brothers of Conquest that put out an album that I never did thank Artie Philie for sending me two years ago. Artie, consider this a substitute for actual human interaction; it’s the closest I get sometimes.
There’s a greatest-hits collection called Casting the Runes: From the Battle of Clontarf to the Gates of Valhalla you can get from one of those download sites. The ridiculous name beats that of their second LP Black Visions of Crimson Wisdom - which keeps its silly status by referring to two colors in a five-word title!
Anyway, back to this, the 4-song debut. It’s noisy, sloppy, careless and catchy, punk as all fuck, and funny ’cause it’s true. Start with the magnificent “Get It Tonight,” which jabs itself inside your head like an absolute original, even though it’s almost a chord-for-chord ripoff of “Blitzkrieg Bop.”
The Hookers - “Kiss My Fuckin’ Ass”
The Hookers - “Get It Tonight”
The Hookers - “Broke My Heart”
The Hookers - “Do That Dance”
Here’s a gem from Satan’s Highway:
The Hookers - “Baby, You’ll Regret Me”
The 8-minute video clip below consists of four songs from an unpromoted afternoon show at Hollywood Moguls in May of ‘98 with an audience of roughly ten or so L.A. people. You can tell the band is a little pissed. Do me a big favor and save it to your computer first, if you know how.
“Everybody Get Down,” “Get Fucked,” “Welcome the Beast” & “Rock ‘n’ Roll Riot” (.MOV file, 17.8 whopping MB)
UPDATE: Well, that movie thing didn’t work out so hot. Give me some more time, I’ll figure it out.
Rick at 12:21 am
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The RNR Outlaw’s solo LP was actually released on US label Sack O Shit Records who also did the ‘For Those About to Rot’ live Hookers LP. Both are sill in print and cheap, and the Outlaw solo LP is the missing link between the singles and Satan’s Highway. Sack O Shit Recs web: www.pukeandexplode.com
The German (..people Like You…) label you are thinking of did the other live Hookers LP, “Blood Over Germany’.
There was also a solo Outlaw 7″ recorded that never saw the light of day, you see the tracks pop up on Soulseek and that crap fairly often.
I loved this band.
Comment by Rich Ñ May 8, 2006 @ 6:31 pm
Rich:
Thanks for filling in the cracks.
Comment by Rick Ñ May 8, 2006 @ 10:59 pm
[…] Notes: ** Toestubber has an informative Hookers post. Check it out […]
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