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JOHNNY CHEAPO
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 Johnny
Cheapo is a band, but it’s also a dude – Jose Juan Calderon, an
aging rock n’ roll holdout with a heart of gold, just like me. Unlike me,
he’s Mexican-American, lives in Southern California, and fronts a trashy
glampunk band with chokka-chokka bass-lines and squeaky Tony James
solos. So he’s got that going for him. Cheapo-the-band sounds a lot
like the Dimestore Halos, fast and choppy, with doses of Clash-style
riot rock and a few ragged stabs at honky-tonkin’ drunk n’ roll here and
there. It’s all very authentic and charming and from the heart, but
Johnny’s more of a bellower than a singer, and the songs are mostly
by-the-numbers dive-bar rave-ups, so don’t expect to get your mind blown
or nothin’ with this one. Loose n’ greasy numbers like “Roxy Razors”,
“Make a Mess” and “Trouble Maker” would all fit in nicely on
the old Junk Records roster though, so if you miss the Dragons,
the Bulemics or the New Wave Hookers, stop your sobbing and
pick up “Rock N’ Roll Sinner”. It’s the same ol’ cock n’ roll spew,
just, um, newer. ________________________________________________________ |
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-Sleazegrinder |