Various Artists: Den Haag Motor Rock Volume 1
This is a compilation of bands from the The Hague Area, Holland. Most songs are recorded in the famous Motorwolf studio by Guy Tavares (Orange Sunshine), who also recorded the latest album of Dzjenghis Kahn. The compilation is a mixture of raw rock 'n' roll, surf and some stonerrock.
This sprawling, bad ass comp features bands from “The Hague”, which, according to the liner notes, is the worst neighborhood in all of…well, the Netherlands. I know, they probably want to check out Detroit City before they start talking about tough sides of town, but they do claim to have ten year olds with guns and all manner of ugly scenes there, so who knows? At any rate, the seedy side of the city always breeds the best rock and roll, so let’s hope the Hague keeps it’s face in the gutter, because there’s a host of killer rock action on this disc. Most of it fits comfortably in the confines of the garage-punk genre, but there's some hairy stoner rock, 70’s psyche freakouts, and plenty of Amsterdamned weirdness on display, as well. Highlights include the untamed sleaze of Motorwolf’s house band, Pantyboy, with the scorching “Starfighter”; the monstrous Taildragger let it all hang out with the 7 minute power blues of “Walk on the Sun” (and on a 25 track comp, no less!), The White Trash Minstrels introduce the Ventures to Ennio Morricone on the vamping “Slower than His Shadow”, Johnny Cohen and the New Age Nazis do their best GG Allin on “Hitler was a Speedfreak”, Twin Earth knock Iggy Pop in the teeth and swipe TV Eye from right under him while he lies there bleeding on “Trancer”, and the acid-tweaked Orange Sunshine squeal and writhe in Blue Cheer-induced ecstasy on “Ball’s Knockin”. And there’s plenty more where that came from, too. Motorwolf is one of the very few labels catering to Holland’s snarly rock scene, and believe me, you’re missing a lot. So get this, willya?
Oh, and bonus points to Guy Motorwolf for writing the most psychotic mission statement I’ve read in ages-
“You better team up with the MOTORWOLF MUSCLE CAR MOTOR TEAM, son, and experience that DANGER, that RAW BITE, and that DEEP TENSION that the giant HIGH VOLUME DRUG ROCK MAGNET sucks out of you. SUFFER intensely from the flaming fire of the SIDE-PIPE BURNING (and GOD, it’s BURNING RED HOT in your face!) TAKE that NITRO-ROCKET-FUEL-SUPER-SPEED-SS INJECTION like a MAN!”
Exactly, Guy. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Unless I had Amsterdam-quality drugs, too.
