Thee Gravemen...........Shenanigins in the cemetary !

Taking him back.......to the grave, obviously.......pun a go go !

We turned The Ghastly Ones down !

Those purveyors of everything trashy, Thee Gravemen have their 2nd album in the can now and are just waiting on a label (Crypt ? bad joke I know, but they do already have The Gravediggers !)....this eagerly awaited platter should be out sometime early next year and if it's half as good as their debut on Dirty Water Records then it'll have been well worth the wait.
The guys, Daz Trash (Ward) and Lee Tea (Thornton) got together in a pub in Malmo (Sweden, where they both found themselves relocated after following their respective affairs of the heart) after Daz had been putting a few gigs on locally, about 6 years ago, both had been in bands before and have a decent enough pedigree between them, having been in 'Skitzo' 'The Nuthins' Thee Exciters' and 'The Branded' over the years....Lee also goes by the moniker of 'Leadfoot Tea' for his one man band solo stuff.
Their first live appearance was at a Johnny Cash tribute gig way back then and the 2 man, RnR, Garage-Trash monster has been rolling on since, encouraging folk to enjoy themselves and get naked....how often the last part works?  I've no idea !  

Wish I was going !

Prolific giggers on the European circuit they can be found to be doing something most weekends. Check out their facebook page to find out what they're up to and where: https://www.facebook.com/TheeGravemen

Falling somewhere between 'Screamin Lord Sutch' (although not so much the RnR sounding stuff, more 'She's Fallen In Love With A Monster Man', 'Til The Following Night', 'Murder In The Graveyard' etc) and Hasil Adkins, along with The Cramps providing additional inspiration as a duo (no bass). The drums and guitar are well to the fore with Daz knocking out pounding rhythms to Lee's often scuzzy, dirty guitar sound, listen to 'Night Terrors' or their cover of 'The Jiants' Tornado to get where I'm coming from. They're not exactly a garage band, distinct lack of organ, but they're not exactly a 'Rockin' (as in Rockabilly) band either although in saying that, in many ways it's a stripped down, minimalist Rockabilly approach, they've managed to blur the lines between the two. Kind of 'Garbageman' era Cramps with a dash of The Ghastly Ones (sans the surf) in terms of visuals, although neither can claim originality in that dept either or the ghost of Abe Lincoln would be on the phone asking for his image/look back !

The first EP from 2009.

Thee Gravemen released their first vinyl offering back in 2009, the great 'My Girlfriend Is A Werewolf' EP (and dedicated to the Memory of Lux) on the aptly named 'Dig The Grave' label, the title track being a great stomper about a hirsute lady fetish no less.....This was followed in the same year by the release on London's 'Dirty Water Records' of the 'Haunted' single, a self penned ditty with a great cover on the flipside of Screamin Lord Sutch's 'All Black and Hairy'.....something of a pattern emerging here.....Bearded ladies anyone?
Daz and Lee do all of their own recording in Lee's studio 'The Gravecave' (Malmo, Sweden) all vintage analogue and only ever direct to tape, there's been a good few bands recorded there to date too including 'The Felines','The Scumbags' and 'The Youth' to name but a few. (All the info for enquiries at the bottom of the post or contact Lee through the website by clicking on Thee Gravemen tab/icon on the side or Facebook).

On vinyl in glorious mono

 In 2011, Dirty Water Records released their debut album on both vinyl and CD, a punchy 14 track platter which includes the 4 tracks from their first EP as well as a couple of covers like Randy Alvey's 'Green Fuz' and the absolutely demented 'Oh Baby' which is actually Phil Spector on some serious drugs...Check out the original here, you won't be disappointed : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMQieqMIEgY

Daz also surpasses himself on his take of Sandy Nelson's 'Let There Be Drums'....a rather nice bit of drumming if ever there was !

There's no getting away from these guys !

Their 3rd 7" came out on Sweden's 'Heptown Records', entitled 'Rockin' In The Graveyard' but shouldn't be confused with the classic by Jackie Morningstar as this is a self penned original with some great use of what sounds like a Theremin to me, the flipside being a fave of mine 'Tornado'. While the guys were doing the obligatory gig in Brighton for 'Stay Sick', Neil 'Sick' Smith filmed them out and about in town and at the beach which they neatly turned into a rather cool video for title track, here it is for your perusal
: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLeCytl7Xq4

Apart from the constant gigging, the studio, the occasional release on their label, the latest being a solo effort by Lee Tea as 'Leadfoot Tea' called 'Grease and Oil' (some available on tasty pink vinyl, and he's done split 7" with 'Five Finger Discount' both of which are well worth picking up if you can find them...taster here, love the way he's nicked the riff off of 'Uranium Rock' for 'Shake It On Down' ...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVVUzS3l600   But I'm getting side tracked here, every year, the guys organise 'The Munster Raving Loony Party' in Spain. 

Thanks to Ryan Air,  I'll be heading off me thinks.

In Daz's own words, here's the what, where and who for next year....



"The MRLP is a annual on going party near Tarragona/Barcelona that will definitely happen in 2015, between april 30 – 2 May to be exact. It will be the 4^th year running now and happens at the new site at a little seaside town called “Roda de Bara” at a holiday bungalow and camping site called “Arc de Bara”. It’s a great 3 day party “usually” in basking sunny weather just 50 metres from the beach on site there are swimming pools, concert marquee, bars, club, supermarket and a load of fantastic bungalows. The party has become a real family thing where everybody knows everyone and we all get drunk and party together each year! A super mini holiday before the tourist season starts!! It is nearly fully booked with bands already but nothing I am releasing at the moment".

Back on the subject of musical output, last year (2013) the guys teamed up with the one and only 'Dead Elvis' to release an uber ltd 4 track EP (which I don't have, so anyone got a spare going ?  I'm sure we could work something out) and there are plans afoot to release more together, probably making it at least an annual thing to coincide with the MRLP event. (See previous post on the man Dead Elvis himself)....I can let you know though that the single/EP for release next May has already been recorded !

Talk about limited editions....just 200 copies !

Now this year, while finishing the upcoming album and between playing, they managed to get another release out on their own label 'Raving Loony Records' a great slab of 7" vinyl (100 copies each of Red & Green wax) featuring the excellent 'Night Terrors'. The B-side is 'Papa Was A Java Skull' by Denmark's 'Java Skull' who I think may be ex-members of The Untamed...very cool indeed as I actually prefere Java Skull over The Untamed.....and good luck finding a copy of this, although if you've enough chance you may still be able to get a copy through Thee Gravemen Facebook page.....just don't hold your breath ! 



There's probably another release from 'Leadfoot Tea' before the end of the year so keep your eyes peeled for that, as per usual it'll be a very limited release. Daz has an event happening in Berlin Blues Trash in December, check the flyer above and here's a link to the facebook page for it : https://www.facebook.com/events/641877092577637/
and you get into The Ramones museum too....
And something to make me look forward to next year is 'Leadfoot Tea' coming to Ireland next spring (at least I think it'll be springtime, not that it matters as it'll be raining anyways).

Here's all the contact blurb, gig news and the best way to get your hands on their releases.
Thee Gravemen on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TheeGravemen
Leadfoot Tea, One Man Trash & Roll on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/leadfoottea
Munster Raving Loony Party in Spain on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Munster-Raving-Loony-Party/228468517216340
Dead Elvis & Thee Gravemen on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/DeadElvisandTheeGravemen

For ordering records, try contacting them via facebook or try Heptown Records, Monster Mash Records, Dirty Water Records mail order sections.

Keep it cool folks.