Fuzztones Tribute Album
"Illegitimate Spawn"
 REVIEWS






Review by Robert Barry Francos - NJ BEAT

I had to ask myself, really, is the Fuzztones important enough to have not only a tribute CD, but also a two-disk one? Well, hell yeah. The Fuzztones are to the garage revival sound what the Cramps are to rockabilly: a raucous, psychotronic vision of the genre, thereby creating a sub-genre all their own. With Rudi Prodrudi’s vocals (hero = Jerry Lee Lewis) and Deb O’Nair’s (hero = Nancy Sinatra) signature farfisa, they swamped up the garage sound in the ‘80s retro psychedelic sound that idolized bands like the Music Machine and the Standells). And here is an international collection of bands that recognize the ‘Tones importance. There are so many good cuts, I’ll just pick a few here and there from the 42 selections at well over 2 hours. The collection starts off strong with The Sparkling Bombs (France) doing “This Sinister Urge”. There’s a beautiful and powerful rendition of “Charlotte’s Remains” by “Gondolieri (Argentina). My favorite growlsters and old pals the She Wolves (v.1, USA) do a rough and ready “Heathen Set”. Plasticland (USA) do one of the Fuzztones’ early classics, “Ward 81”. Jayne County (USA) beautifully does “You Tarzan, Me Jane” (with the lyrics ”Women are women and men are men”). Nikki Sudden (Germany), while being a coup for the collection, contributes one of the weaker performances with “Just Once”. The Deltones (Finland) go a fab “Third Time’s the Charm”, and Hank Ray (Germany) handles a very flat, nearly scary “Ghost Clinic.” This CD ends with a complete tribute rave-up by Manganzoides (Peru) with “Fuzztomano Piedricolas”. There’s at least two original songs here named for keyboardist Deb O’Nair. And rightfully so. I’m just sorry no one covered any of their pre-Fuzztones tunes, like “Fifi Goes Pop” or “Bent Nail Syndrome” (though Sons of the Moon (US) do a gr-8 and humorous “Johnson in a Headlock”. As a scene that’s dedicated to the obscure, this would have been a coup. This compilation is a must-have for the garage revivalist.

ROBERT BARRY FRANCOS' FFANZEEN

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Review by Anthony Strutt - PENNY BLACK MUSIC

The Fuzztones formed in 1980 when Rudi Protrudi and his partner Deb O’ Nair’s previous band Tina Peel broke up. At that time New York City was still full of new wave and punk bands, so a band playing 60’s garage rock in the most retro of ways were always going to struggle. I first heard them in 1985 when they came to the UK for the first time. They may have been the very first band I ever taped from John Peel from one of his legendary Peel Sessions. Most of their albums came out on the German label, Music Maniac, but they also spent a brief period of time on Beggars as well. On this 42 track double compilation CD most of the bands stay firmly in a Fuzztones groove, while a few are so close to their influences that it is hard to tell them apart from the real thing. Their 1985 debut ‘Lysergic Emanations’ album isn’t really touched upon but the greater per cent of their albums, and in particular their 1989 album ‘In Heat’ which came out on Beggars’ offshoot Situation 2 and its follow up ‘Braindrops’ from 1991, which featured Arthur Lee of Love on vocals, are well represented here.

Sparkling Bombs from France kick off the first CD with ‘This Sinster Urge’. They add enough of their own rock ‘n’ roll psych to pull it off. Brazil's Fuzzfaces, play ‘Action Speaks Louder Than Words’, a Fuzztones single on Situation 2. They give it a full psychedelic treatment. One of the Fuzztones’ best songs, it is perfectly delivered..
Staggers from Austria play ‘Cellar Dweller ‘which sounds very 60’s and very much like a garage number. Sexy Drive from Italy play ‘Get Naked’, which sounds both primitive and anthemic and like an early version of the Stooges.
Americans Mad Juana. play ‘Idol Chatter’, an acoustic track which sounds like something that may have appeared on the Stones’ ‘Their Satanic Majesties Request’. Italy's Preachers cover ‘Hallucination Generation’ which sounds like an early psychedelic Green on Red.
The UK's Intercontinental Playboys do ‘Brand New Man’ in the style of a garage like Cramps and the Stooges, while Gondolieri from Argentina play ‘Charlotte's Remains’, making it sound like an unplugged Echo and the Bunnymen or an acoustic Kinks.
The UK's Special Agents do ‘Play the Thing’, making it sound very 60’s and groovy. The. Defectors from Denmark meanwhile play ‘It Came in the Mail’, which starts sounding like Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, but ends up sounding eventually like the Fuzztones.
The Morlocks from the USA play a gritty, live version of ‘Black Box’. The She Wolves who are also from the States play ‘Heathen Set’ which is very fast and which again recollects the Stooges like. Misteriosos , another American act, cover ‘She's Wicked’ It was a massive Fuzztones number. Their version is very groovy. but the originals do it a tad better.
Paranoiacs from Belgium cover ‘Cheyenne Rider’, making it sound like the MC5 on speed. 1-2-5 from Holland play very dated 60’s psychedelia with their take on ‘What You Don't Know’.
Italy's the Sextress play ‘Bad News Travels Fast,’ which, like the original, is very sexy. USA's Sons of Moon do ‘Johnson in a Headlock’ which again sounds like Syd era Floyd. Marshmellow Overcoat, another American outfit, play ‘Skeleton Farm’. Its dated psychedelia sounds very much like the Doors.
Batlord from the USA play ‘Deb O'Nair Affair’ which sounds very much like the original Fuzztones and also the early Inspiral Carpets.
Holland's Sonic Litter play ‘Highway 69’, which also sounds like the Stooges. Ward 81 bring the first CD to an end with ‘Plasticland’ They were psych heads at the same time as the early Fuzztones and do a fine version of this track.
The second CD opens with the howl of Jayne County, formerly Wayne County, whom does ‘You Tarzan, Me Jane’ in only the way she can do it. Her vocals rcall Iggy’s and it is very frantic.
V hail from Greece and cover the classic ‘I Never Knew’. Another lo-fi garage number, it is very reminiscent of the original Fuzztones and very cool..Italy's Blues So Bad do ‘My Nothing’, which is done in a very ragged and raw Cramps manner.
Germany's Vibravoid meanwhile provide a very 60’s and very cool retro version of ‘Lovely Lady Deb O 'Nair’.
The late Nikki Sudden, who with Jayne is the biggest name here on this tribute, does ‘Just Once’. Nikki's cover is fully formed, and sounds like classy Bowie or even Bob Dylan.
American act the Deadbillys cover ‘All the King's Horses’ which sounds like Arthur Lee's Love, whom of course were a big influence on the Fuzztones anyway. The Deletones from Finland, do ‘Third Time's the Charm’.Sung by a female singer Heather Dickson while Rudi sang on the original, its music is very psychedelic but the vocal is more seductive.
The Weirdtones from Finland provide a full on and full version of ‘Leave Your Mind at Home’ It has the sound of a bull in a china shop or rather in a guitar basement, with some great organ and brilliant bass playing.
Crookshanks are Americans and their version of ‘Romilar D’ is eerie and brilliant, while USA's Ravens play ‘Shame on You’ which recalls the Who and the Yardbirds.
Berlin singer Hank Ray plays ‘Ghost Clinic’ which is slow and haunting. It sounds like Herman Munster singing on it, and like a slowed down record player playing on the wrong speed.
‘Strange Flowers’ are a groovy act from Italy, who do ‘Look for the Question Mark’ in the style of Syd era Floyd. ‘Fabian Lips’ is delivered by USA's Aliens and Strangers. It has a very cool keyboard solo and sounds like a 60’s flavoured combination of the Inspiral Carpets and the Doors.
‘In Heat’ is by Spain's Libidos, and sounds a mixture of the Real Thing and the 60’s Who. Argentina's Hates cover ‘Yeah Babe’, which is garage mayhem and wonderfull for it. ‘Rise’ is played by Argentina's Cosmic Goblins and sounds like Guns and Roses. Oh dear !
Sonic Temple, who take their name from the Cult album, are a Belgium act. They do ‘Nine Months Later’, one of the songs which the Fuzztones recorded when they were on Beggars. This is a fine version, sounding something like Riders on the Storm playing the Doors and, therefore, like the Cult.
Colditz from Finland, play ‘Blood from a Stone’ which also sounds like a heavy rock number. ‘Lysergic Love’ from Italy play ‘Hurt on Hold’ and which is a primitive garage number that sounds like a combination of the early Stones and early Dream Syndicate.
Orange Sunshine from Holland sound like Motorhead trying to play Hendrix doing the Fuzztones as they do a very bad version of ‘Blackout’.
It all ends with Manganzoides whom hail from Peru and whom sing a song in their native tongue called “Fuzztomano Piedricolas’ which translated means ‘We Need the Fuzztones’.



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Review by Michael Toland - HIGH BIAS

It takes a special type of arrogance to release a tribute album to oneself on one's own label, but Fuzztones leader Rudi Protrudi could never be accused of lacking self-confidence. Thus we have Fuzztones Illegitimate Spawn, a two-disk set of 'tones covers and tributes by an international cast of likeminded souls. One of the originators of the 80s garage rock revival, the Fuzztones set themselves apart from the paisley hordes by stamping their own aggressive, hyper-sexualized style on the genre; even the group's classic covers sounded like 'tones originals. As such, the best cuts here come from bands unafraid to add their own distinct spice to the Fuzztones recipe. German Hank Ray gives his song the most radical makeover, turning "Ghost Clinic" into a haunted, Southwestern ballad, but Argentina's Gondolieri ("Charlotte's Remains"), Wisconsin peer Plasticland ("Ward 81"), America's Mad Juana ("Idol Chatter") and Aliens & Strangers ("Fabian Lips"), Holland's Orange Sunshine ("Blackout"), New York punk pioneer Jayne County (the gender-flipping "You Tarzan, Me Jane") and the late, great Nikki Sudden ("Just Once") also put their own spin on classic Protudi material. Also, the States' Batlord and Germany's Vibravoid pen original tributes to the 'tones' long gone organist/visual focal point with "Deb O'Nair Affair" and "Lovely Lady Deb O'Nair" respectively, and Peru's Manganzoides nods to the band as a whole with "Fuzztomano Piedricolas."

The rest of the combos herein merely ape their heroes' garage rock drive to various degrees of success. Finland's Cosmic Goblins ("Rise"), Belgium's Paranoiacs ("Cheyenne Rider"), Spain's Libidos ("In Heat"), Arizona's Marshmallow Overcoat ("Skeleton Farm"), Italy's Strange Flowers ("Look For the Question Mark") and the USA's Sons of Moon ("Johnson in a Headlock") make particularly strong showings. Kudos also to the Morlochs, another band that came up alongside the 'tones in the 80s—Morlochs guitarist Jordan Tarlow brought "Black Box" with him when he joined the 'tones in the late 80s, and it's nice to hear the original band rip through it here. Ultimately, no one here disgraces either themselves or the Fuzztones. Illegitimate Spawn is as much fun as the 'tones' own sporadic albums, and you can't ask more from a tribute record than that.

High Bias

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Review by Waymon Timbdayle - ROCTOBER

I definitely consider the Fuzztones the best garage rock act of the 1980's revival, hands down. Of course, I didn't really think much of '80's garage;didn't dig the Cynics, disliked most of the Midnight Records roster, and to take it a step back, I was never even a fan of the Fleshtones fanatic. But Rudi protrudi seemed to really have somthing, and the directness and the dynamic and the fuzzness of the the Fuzztones seemed just about right. A quarter century later the band is back, which is quite a triumph, as my sources told me even as a concept the Fuzztones were in dire straits just a few years back. Their recent album "Salt For Zombies" was excellent, but though it's not an actual Fuzztones record, in a way this is more exciting. Over forty international trash rock bands pay tribute to Rudi and company, and while there aren't many "name" acts(the late Nikki Sudden and the century-to-early-for-her-time Jayne County) the fact that the other acts found this kind of music and spread the virus for the love of it is a testament to the power of the Fuzztones. Standouts include mangazoides from Peru, Fuzz Faces from Brazil, and the Frantic V from Greece. Though I've never heard of these acts (but will seek them out now) some of my faves also make appearances, including the Marshmellow Overcoat, and the Chicagoland's own Crookshanks. All of the songs are great, all of the bands exude Rudi-love, and you aren't going to spend a fuzzier two hours this year.



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Review by Simon Minter - DISKANT

The Fuzztones have been ploughing their determined furrow through the, uh, fields of 60s-styled garage punk since the early eighties. It's fitting that this tribute is in the form of a compilation, as so much of the freakbeat, psychedelia and caveman-stomp garage that will have influenced them will, I'm sure, have been filtered down to them by way of countless other compilations. Nuggets, the Pebbles and Rubble series, and so many more in an endless stream of collected musical 'artyfacts' have brought an avalanche of once-unknown acts to new audiences.

And so it is here across these two CDs . Whilst there are some better known (nay, legendary) carriers of the garage flame on here - Jayne County, Plasticland, The Morlochs and Nikki Sudden, for example - they're mixed in with a pile of other, less familiar names. The original 60s compilations were inevitably uneven in parts, with varying levels of songwriting skill, recording quality and experiment, and this is also true of Illegitimate Spawn. However, the 42 tracks here are shot true with an irresistible spirit and unwavering adherence to a world of psychedelic mini-skirts, whacked-out organ licks and drug-damaged mayhem.

There are many highlights for me across the two CDs. Mad Juana's 'Idol Chatter' is a raga-drenched foray into mystery and stoned eastern vibes, a style continued with tracks from Gondolieri and Special Agents. There's freaked-out punk and keyboard-heavy madness with Fuzz Faces, She Wolves and The Sextress. There's even authentic horror-style desperation (in the vein of The Monks, The Sonics and early Seeds) from Staggers, Blues So Bad and Ravens.

There are artists from around the world featured here - representing France, Brazil, Austria, Italy, USA, England, Argentina, Belgium, Holland, Greece, Germany, Finland and Peru - and it's impressive to know that there are so many likeminded groups still out there. This is a great compilation, and the highest praise I can give it is to say that it lines up totally comfortably alongside my Pebbles, my Rubble and my Chocolate Soup For Diabetics records. These bands are totally out of step with modern music, and they're all the better for it.




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Review by LIVE 4 METAL

I'm quite partial to tribute albums. I like a new slant on a familiar tune. But if I'd been asked to draw up a list of likely recipients, I'm pretty sure The Fuzztones wouldn't have featured on it. Now I have a passing familiarity with The Fuzztones and have a very (very) hazzy recollection of a mid eighties gig in Glasgow with The Damned. But I was doing a lot (a lot) of speed at the time, so don't quote me.
However, I didn't think they'd manage to get 42 (42!) bands to contribute to a double CD. I think the word I'm looking for is blimey cos that's a lot of fuzz. What's even more astounding is what a tremendous blast this is.
Most of the acts have grabbed on to the sixties garage vibe and ran with it. So if you ever lusted after Dave Greenfields keyboard sound with the Stranglers but wanted to add handclaps and a scuzzy guitar to it, then this is the place for you.
There are a few 'names' here - Jayne County, Vibravoid, Nikki Sudden - but it's when the likes of Staggers (from Austria) and Paranoiacs (from Belgium) go hep cat kerrazy that you wish you had a fringe to shake. Superb.

:twisted :twisted :twisted :twisted / 4 out of 5


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Review by Rosey - R*E*P*E*A*T Fanzine

"Interviewers laughed in 1987 when we called ourselves the Johnny Appleseeds of rock'n'roll, and confided that our mission was to spread our seed all over Europe, insuring future generations of Fuzztones. The Fuzztones illegitimate spawn are all grown up and ready to breed. Who's laughing now?" Rudi Protrudi, The Fuzztones. The Fuzztones were the original garage-psych punk band, yet ones who throughout their 26 year career have rarely received the credit they deserved for influencing at least 3 generations of bands - artists as diverse as Ian Astbury, Marc Almond, The Ramones and Hoodoo Gurus all have a debt to pay to The Fuzztones. This 42 track double CD is the start of the payback, with the likes of Jayne County, Plasticland, Nikki Sudden, Mad Juana, The Staggers, The Defectors and many more providing their own tribute by covering Fuzztones songs or by performing their own tracks about the band. The Fuzztones are back performing in Europe, and there's a 'Best Of' CD also available for anyone interested in finding out more about this very influential band.


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Review by Ralf Brandt - KICKIN' ASS

42 Bands auf einer Doppel-CD huldigen den Fuzztones, uns allen als 60s-Garage-Legende um den Sänger und Gitarristen Rudi Protrudi bekannt, die insbesondere in den 80ern für Furore sorgten, heute aber immer noch aktiv sind und denen im Laufe ihrer Karriere derart viele Aufnahmen mit Coverversionen ihrer Songs gegeben wurden, dass sie diese nun auf einer Doppel-CD zusammengefasst haben um damit ihr 25jähriges zu feiern. Die CD ist der eindeutige Beweis für den weitreichenden Einfluss der Fuzztones, die 1980 in NYC starteten, als wirklich niemand 60s-Garage spielte, und dennoch mit Hartnäckigkeit und Qualität ein immer grösser werdendes Publikum fanden, was in der 85er-Europatour als Support der Damned zur weltweiten Aussaat einer Frucht führte, deren Nachkommen nun hier zu hören sind. Die Bands rekrutieren sich fast aus aller Welt. Einige auch aus Deutschland. Für mich sind die interessantesten Namen dabei Nikki Sudden, Jayne County und die Morlocks. Ist sicher schön und interessant für die Fuzztones, sich das alles anzuhören, ich persönlich halte mich da doch lieber direkt ans Original, denn von keinem der Songs hatte ich das Gefühl, eine kraftvollere Version als vom Original gehört zu haben. Nachdem ich mehrere Jahre kaum mehr Fuzztones-Platten aufgelegt habe, fand ich am spannendsten diese Qualität und Eigenheit Fuzztone'scher Kompositionen wieder deutlicher bewusst wahrzunehmen, diese Einzigartigkeit und Eingängigkeit, die unwiderstehlichen Basslines, die lustigen B-Movie-Horrorfilm-Texte und den aussergewöhnlich kraftvollen Pop-Appeal der viele Fuzztones-Kompositionen so erhaben macht. Dazu gibt es ein wunderschönes 28-seitiges Booklet mit allen Bands und Artwork vom Meister selbst.


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Review by BILL KOPP

The concept of Illegitimate Spawn chases it own tail: an international compilation of unknown groups playing cover versions in tribute to The Fuzztones, a group who are themselves essentially a tribute to Nuggets-style 60s music; it's certainly not for everyone. As an incurable addict of the melodic end of sixties fuzz-drenched garagepunk, I'm not sure I can recommend this 2CD set to casual listeners. But for those who enjoy a mean 'n' simple riff on the Farfisa, sneering vocals and fuzz-lots and lots of fuzz-this album is wide-ranging and essential. You have been warned.

Disc 1 kicks off with a strong organ riff on the dark and moody "This Sinister Urge" by France's Sparkling Bombs. The Fuzz Faces (Brazil) keep things going a-go-go on "Action Speaks Louder than Words." Through most of the set's 40-plus songs, the vibe is kept garagey, petulant and menacing. This isn't Cramps-style crypto-parody; these guys (and-more often that you'd guess-gals) seeming play it for real.

A few tracks stray from the basic garage concept, yielding erratic results, yet bolstering the argument that garage is an influential genre, all the while lending itself to experimentation and reinvention. "Idol Chatter" from Mad Juana (USA) sports an Eastern sound familiar to fans of Led Zeppelin and Sgt. Pepper-era George Harrison, but the vocals weaken the effect. The She Wolves' (USA) take on "Heathen Set" mines Davile Allan territory with Pandoras-styled vocals. "Cheyenne Rider" from Belgium's Paranoiacs sounds like it belongs on a Stooges tribute.

"Skeleton Farm" from the deliciously-named Marshmallow Overcoat made this r eviewer laugh out loud with its shameless-but spot-on-recreation of The Doors. Holland's Sonic Litter manages to pay tribute to five groups at once: their name cites two; the song choice ("Highway 69") covers the Fuzztones; the vocals bring back Sky Saxon's seedy, off-key wailings; and the instrumentation evokes classic MC5. Vibravoid's "Lovely Lady Deb O'Nair" would make a great soundtrack for a biker exploitation film (should that genre ever make a comeback). The Deadbillys' "All the Kings Horses" bring a rollicking C&W angle (emphasis here on the Western) to the proceedings. Cosmic Goblins (Finland) unearth "Rise" but do so in a (coincidental?) garage-meets-Ned's Atomic Dustbin style.

Production values are, for the most part, what one would expect (and want) from a compilation of this sort of music. A few tracks seem to have been recorded in real studios with actual engineers and budgets (not necessarily a bad thing, but cause for suspicion). These include the swell "Fabian Lips" by USA's Aliens & Strangers.

A complete listening will unearth a handful of really killer tracks. "Charlotte's Remains" from Gondolieri (Argentina) is a near-perfect melding of folk-rock and spooky garage. It's also one of only three tracks on the first disc to break the four-minute mark. The Deletones' (Finland) cover of "Third Time's the Charm" might be the strongest, most swaggering track on the whole compilation. On the whole, perhaps half of the forty or so songs on Illegitimate Spawn fall into the category of really great. Most of the remainder qualifies as pretty good. Only Hank Ray's "Ghost Clinic" is painfully bad -- so terrible that it merits inclusion on a mixtape of songs one might use to chase off unwanted guests. If that track weren't present, Orange Sunshine's "Blackout" would win the dubious prize, but it's not quite godawful, as sloppy twin lead fuzz guitars redeem it slightly.

Listeners almost expect a bizarre album-closing track, and Illegitimate Spawn happily obliges. "Fuzztomano Piedracolas" by Peru's Mangazoides gives us tuneless shouting en Español over a manic riff, fading away-as does the best of this genre-after a mere two minutes and fourteen seconds.

In short, listeners who would enjoy Nuggets, the Trash Box and similar comps would do well to seek out this 2CD set released on the Fuzztones' own Sin Records (great logo, by the way).


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Review by Beverly Paterson - LANCE MONTHLY

It was only a matter of time before a Fuzztones tribute album saw the light of day. After all, here's a band that not only played a central role in kicking off the sixties garage rock movement of the eighties, but they also spurred swarms of kids into copying their sound and look. Menacing and dressed in black, the Fuzztones smacked of utter coolness.
In fact, they still smack of utter coolness. More than a quarter of a decade on, they proceed to spread their seed and every time they release a new record it's an event.

Trying to surpass the original versions of such great songs is no easy feat, but that's not the point of "Illegitimate Spawn." These bands are singing and strumming the praises of the Fuzztones. A good number of them are happy to faithfully emulate their idols, while some of the acts do daringly post their own unique fixings onto the tunes.

Musicians across the globe contributed their wares to "Illegitimate Spawn," implying just how far reaching the influence of the Fuzztones is. From Holland, there's the Sonic Litter getting their rocks off on "Highway 69," the Sparkling Bombs in France furnish a deadly cover of "The Sinister Urge," and over in Brazil the Fuzz Faces wipe the floor with "Action Speaks Louder Than Words." One of my favorite bands, Marshmallow Overcoat from Tucson, Arizona, perform a typically warped take of "Skeleton Farm," and England's Special Agents chose to rehash "The Thing." An Italian band, the Preachers step into the show with "Hallucination Generation," and Wisconsin's Plasticland pays their respect with "Ward 81." A tribute album that's worth checking into, "Illegitimate Spawn" is a head trip you don't want to miss.


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Review by Steve Elliott - SHINDIG MAGAZINE

What do you do in your 25th Year Anniversary as a band besides releasing a special CD/DVD combo LSD 25 (25 Years of Fuzz & Fury) celebrating all your best material and rarities? Answer: a tribute album featuring all the bands you've influenced through the years as well as friends from around the World. On this fab 2006 tribute album The Fuzztones themselves have organised and released it on their very own label, Sin. Most versions here are very faithful covers and don't differ all that much from the band's originals, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I've tried to highlight some of the slightly different versions that stood out a little more for me than the obvious tunes. Sparkling Bombs (France) deliver a very faithful and passionate version of 'This Sinister Urge'. Even ex-Fuzztone, Batlord (US) makes an appearance with a new self-penned tune the upbeat, 'Deb O' Nair Affair.' 80's Psychedelic legends, Plasticland (US) turn in a welcome appearance with their reworked slow psychedelic version of the eternal Fuzztones classic, 'Ward 81.' Good to see the Marshmallow Overcoat (US) do 'Skeleton Farm' with their charming finesse and really fab organ. The Intercontinental Playboys (UK) rock out fiercely with 'Brand New Man.' Argentina's Gondolieri submits a faithful yet really nice acoustic version of 'Charlotte's Remains.' Mad Juana's fine (USA) reworked 'Idol Chatter' is more exotic acoustic based than the original was. Praise to The Special Agents (UK) for their wonderfully creepy and faithful cover of 'The Thing.' Another couple of other ex-Fuzztones turn up in The Morlocks (guitarist, Jordan Tarlow) take on 'Black Box' and The She Wolves' driving, 'Heathen Set' with guest organist, Deb O'Nair. 70's Punker, Jayne County backed by The She Wolves with, what else, 'You Tarzan, Me Jane.' Blues So Bad (Italy) scream 'My Nothing.' Germany's Vibravoid submit a cool psych treatment and, 2nd tribute to the Fuzztones female organist with 'Lovely Lady Deb O' Nair.' 70's New Wave Rocker, Nikki Sudden (Berlin) turns in a fab moody 'Just Once.' The Deadbilly's (USA) rockabilly, 'Riders In The Sky'-like version of 'All The King's Horses' was fun to hear. 'Third Time's the Charm' and lucky that The Deletones (Finland) have added some sex appeal to this song with singer Wendy Allford's sensuous vocals. 'Romilar D' is given the power trio treatment from The Crookshanks (USA). I enjoyed listening to all of the different band's varied interpretations of the Fuzztones' classics.


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Review by Jessica T - RAZORCAKE

We all know the Fuzztones are popular the world over, but they're also popular across many genres, as demonstrated on this forty-two song double disc from Germany. Bands from Western Europe, the UK, and North and South America pitch into the show just how influential the Fuzztones have been. It's rock, it's roll, it's psychedelic, it's goth, it's garage, it's country, it's stoned, and then some. A giving gem for musically open-minded, deeply devoted Fuzztones fans.


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Review by Gildas Cosperec - DIG IT! 'zine

Mine de rien les Fuzztones sont devenus quelque chose comme un groupe culte. Terminé les ricanements ironiques sur le passé d'acteur porno (plutôt R'n'R pourtant non ?) ou le look/panoplie (le gant noir comme chez Music Machine, le collier d'os, etc...) de Rudi Protrudi. Aujourd'hui le groupe, dernier album réussi à l'appui (Salt For Zombies - 2004), semble bénéficier d'un respect général. Prenez par exemple les quarante deux groupes qui figurent sur cet hommage en double CD (Illegitimate Spawn), ils viennent de partout (Brésil, Autriche, France, Hollande, Italie, Pérou, Belgique, Argentine, Danemark, USA, Angleterre, Grèce, Australie, Finlande, etc...) et s'attaquent à l'oeuvre de Rudi et ses troupes toutes périodes confondues. Et comme perso j'ai un faible pour les débuts du groupe, je suis ravi d'y retrouver les deux titres du premier single ("Bad News Travels Fast" et "Brand New Man", respectivement par Sextress et The Intercontinental Playboys) ou quelques grands moments du premier LP Lysergic Emanations ("Highway 69" par Sonic Litter, "Ward 81" par Plasticland, "She's Wicked" par The Misteriosos). Globalement, la cohésion entre garage brûlant et psychédélisme tourmenté fonctionne bien, certaines adaptations font dans le très original (Nikki Sudden s'approprie "Just Once" dès le premier accord), d'autres sont fidèles à l'esprit originel et d'autres encore se voient méchamment boostées (puissant "Cheyenne Rider" par les Paranoiacs). Et il y a tous les hits bien sûr, "I Never Knew" (Frantic V), "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" (Fuzz Faces), "Romilar D" (Crookshanks), "Third Time's The Charm" (Deletones), "In Heat" (Libidos), "Nine Months Later" (Sonic Temple)... On sort parfois même du cadre avec quelques titres spécialement concoctés pour cet hommage ("Lovely Lady Deb O' Nair" par Vibravoid, "Fuzztomano Piedricola" par Los Manganzoides). Parmi la foule des participants on retiendra encore les belles contributions de Jayne County (qui transforme logiquement "Me Tarzan, You Jane" en "You Tarzan, Me Jane"...), Sparkling Bombs, Defectors, Morlocks, She Wolves, Marshmallow Overcoat, Hank Ray, Batlord, etc...). Justice est rendue.


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Review by NO BRAIN ZINE

42 bands from all over the world play Fuzztones songs. Lot of good stuff here like: Fuzz Faces (Brasil); Mad Juana (USA) - strange psych with girl vocal, weird and great cover of "Idol Chatter"; International Playboys (UK); Special Agents (UK) with garage psych instrumental "The Thing"; Deffectors (Denmark); already known from 80s, Morlocks with "Black Box" (didn't know it's Fuzztones related); Misteriosos (USA) "She's Wicked", great band and great cover; Frantic V (Greece) old fashioned 80s garage sound with fuzz and organ; Vibravoid (Germany) with weird psych effects and sitar; Nikki Sudden (Germany) did awesome wasted and psychedelic version of "Just Once" in Velvet Underground style; Weirdtones (Finland), don't know this band but they are great here, I hope the rest of their stuff sounds like this too; Crookshanks (USA) great fuzz vs organ garage psych; Hates (Argentina) and their version of "Yeah Babe" kick ass; Orange Sunshine - Dutch pride (hahaha), just kidding, but this is really great band - fantastic manic wild and wasted heavy psych (early 70s style) version of "Blackout"; Mangazoides (Peru) end this CD with song dedicated to Fuzztones (not a cover) "Fuzztomano Piedricolas" - Mangazoides rule and this CD ends with 2 for me best songs. As you can see, all these songs are not recorded specially for this compilation - it's stuff from 80s till now that's compiled on this album. Maybe it's a bit too much to put 42 bands on one double album - I think vol.1 and vol.2 would be better, or at least to make a bit better selection.


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Review by NICOLO - KDCobain

Sono una delle band storiche del rock'n'roll statunitense, un simbolo per chi dalla fine degli anni 60 in poi ha apprezzato l'evoluzione del rock passando dal garage al punk a sfondo horror come i Cramps e i Fleshtones. E proprio a questa icona del garage rock è dedicata questa doppia compilation tributo contenente 42 brani eseguiti da altrettante band di tutto il mondo. Non ci sono solo cover come si potrebbe pensare, ma ci sono anche pezzi inediti di band che raccontano i Fuzztones.
Si parte con "This sinister urge" eseguita dai francesi Sparkling Bombs, ma ci sono anche diverse band italiane che omaggiano questa formazione come i Preachers ("Hallucination Generation"), i Sexy Drive ("Get naked"), i The Sextress ("Bad news travels fast"), i Blues So Bad ("My nothing"), gli Strange Flowers ("Look for the question mark") e i Lysergic Love ("Hurt on hold"). Ci sono anche nomi già noti nel panorama internazionale come Nikki Sudden recentemente scomparso che qui canta "Just Once" e gli statunitensi Morlochs con "Black box".

"Illegittimate Spawn" è un tributo sincero ad una band che seppur nell'underground ha fatto storia con le sue atmosfere lugubri e un approccio rock'n'roll molto particolare simile a quello dei Cramps, ma ancora più cupo e sotterraneo. Queste 42 band testimoniano con la loro presenza in questo disco l'affetto per una band che ancora oggi continua a predicare il proprio verbo sotto l'egida di Rudi Protrudi.


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Review by NASTY SAMY - Every Day Is Like Sunday

Houla... moi qui me râpais le coin de la gueule sur le mur des lamentations, pas plus tard que la semaine dernière, à l’idée de chroniquer une compilation (Rock’n’Roll Bvd, le sampler du label stoner Buzzville records)... Et rebelote, ça me revient dans la tronche comme un boomerang lancé de traviole, shboiiiing ! Encore pire qu’une compilation, un tribute ! Comment voulez vous que je m’y prenne ? Surtout quand le groupe qui a les faveurs du tribut s’appelle the Fuzztones ... carrière en dent de scie, changement de line-up incessant, plusieurs périodes et donc plusieurs styles musicaux dans la besace, biographie chaotique qui tiendrait à peine dans un volume du Nouveau Testament (ou du Necronomicon)... et, en toute honnêteté, aussi bon et respectable soient-ils, les Fuzztones sont déjà un tribute-band à eux seuls, ils ont pillé tous les sarcophages du rock and roll, ils ont forcé tous les coffres-forts, raflant toutes les reliques, vidant les fonds de tiroirs, apprenant par cœur les formules magiques, déchiffrant les codes secrets, singeant les grands maîtres, s’inspirant des seigneurs et se réappropriant les faits et gestes des templiers de la musique du diable... vous voyez l’histoire ? Coupes de douilles , chemises piquées dans la garde robes de Jaqueline Maillant, futal qu’on enfile avec un chausse-pieds (ou un chausse-burnes, au choix), ossements de requins en guise de collier, crânes tatoués sur l’épaule, ornements vaudous, boots pointues (de 1000 lieux ? ), babouches des grands soirs, instruments d’époque (guitare Vox Phantom, orgues cheapos et toute la panoplie qui va avec)... là, pour ceux qui n’ont pas bien compris les règles du jeu, on a la truffe collée dans le revival du revival du revival revivaliste ! Corsé, n’est-il pas

Depuis 1980, ces flibustiers de grands chemins, que dis-je, ces gentlemen cambrioleurs trafiquent une musique qui prend ses racines dans le garage punk, le psychedelic sound, le fuzz rock et le sixties beat pop... un hommage (à peine dissimulé) à des décennies de mauvaises attitudes et de fougue juvénile, une épopée monstrueuse dédiée à leurs maîtres : Sonics, Remains, Seeds, 13th Floor Elevator, Rolling Stones, Link Wray, les Doors... Je ne vais pas dandiner de la crête et dodeliner du croupion comme un coq devant un parterre de poulettes échaudées, autant le dire franco, je ne suis pas ultra connaisseur du sujet puisque je n’ai, en tout et pour tout, que 2 disques des Fuzztones dans ma discothèque (l’excellent « Lysergic Emanations » et le live « Lysergic Ejaculations »), c’est-à-dire un poil de couille d’écureuil dans une botte de foin... donc inutile de compter sur moi pour vous faire un topo précis et complet sur cette bande de malfrats... le seul truc dont je suis sûr, c’est qu’ils sont dans la place depuis suffisamment longtemps pour gagner votre respect et attiser votre curiosité, que leur statut « culte » est plutôt mérité et que ce tribut, finalement, est une étape peu surprenante pour un groupe de cette trempe... demandez à vos grands frères ou à vos tontons, qui ont traîné leurs boots et leurs perf’ dans les années 80, pour voir ce qu’ils en pensent...

Pour fêter leur 25ème anniversaire, Rudi Protrudi , guitariste chanteur, tête pensante et désormais seul maître à bord du navire Fuzztones (et accessoirement illustrateur de leurs pochettes et de bien d’autres, pour ceux qui connaissent les compilations Sixties Rebellion , par exemple) nous a concocté sur son propre label, SIN Records, un double tribute album... un faire part sonique présentant leur progéniture illégitime et leurs fidèles serviteurs... Ceux qui pensent que je vais me pencher sur tous les combos obscurs qui ont répondu présent à l’appel de l’hommage, peuvent se fourrer le poing bien profond dans le derrière, le remonter le long de l’intestin grêle, encore un peu, hop voilà, déplier les doigts et se triturer les amygdales... et vous ne viendrez pas vous plaindre que vous n’aimez pas le Nutella ! Sachez juste que tout le bastringue underground est dans la place et que quelques invités d’honneurs sont venus prêter main forte aux jeunots intimidés par l’évènement... Jayne County, Nikki Sudden, the Morlochs, les Paranoiacs (mon morceau préféré), et les seuls français à l’affiche, Sparkling Bombs (en ouverture de la compilation, rien de moins, pour un morceau très réussi, à des années lumières de leur répertoire habituel, « this Sinister urge », très psyché, avec des gros relents de la bande à Jim Morrison)...
Une quarantaine de groupes, certains plus doués que d’autres, c’est sûr (mais c’est le principal problème avec ce genre d’initiative), en provenance des 4 coins de la planète... une armada géante de trublions dégingandés, prêt à brancher les guitares et à faire tourner le magnéto à bandes pour payer leur dot aux patrons... chacun y met du sien, plus ou moins en phase avec les morceaux originaux mais toujours très respectueux de l’univers, de l’esprit et du son de la bande à Link Protrudi. Comme le dirait ce dernier pour expliquer la longévité inesperée de son groupe : « the creatures that refused to die » ... et avec de tels aides soignant dispatchés sur tout le globe, cette faille intemporelle située entre les sixties et les seventies ne risque pas de se refermer de sitôt...
Si les casses noisettes du magazine Rock & Folk daignaient me poser leur question fétiche, à savoir : « Cher Nasty Samy, selon vous, être Rock en 2006, c’est quoi ? » (imaginez ces paroles avec l’accent de fausset de Manœuvre, les mimiques insoutenables et l’haleine de crabe de Patrick Eudeline ... essayez de ne pas lâcher de gros rots annonciateurs d’un vomi torrentiel et je vous sacre Chef de l’Univers pour un quinquennat ! )... et bien, il y a de fortes chances pour que le nom Link Protrudi apparaisse d’une manière ou d’une autre dans ma réponse.
Tous les renseignements sur ce tribute (et une fiche de présentation de chaque groupe participant) sur le site très complet du groupe


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Review by JOLETE MACANA - ipunkrock

Contiene 42 canciones. Se trata de un tributo de bandas de todo el mundo a los FUZZTONES. Viene acompañado de un libro de 26 páginas replet de fotos de las bandas que componen este tributo. Comenzamos desde Francia, con los SPARKLING BOMBS, que se decantan por un contundente "This Sinister Urge" Tras ellos, desde Brasil, los FUZZ FACES participan con una de las canciones fuzztónicas que más me gusta. "Action, speaks louder than words". Bueno, el sonido farfísico no es el mismo, pero se deja oir. Cuando hay que endiñar guitarrazos no se quedan cortos. También se apuntan al evento uno de los grupos más en forma del panorama actual. Se trata de los STAGGERS, que desde Austria nos endiñan el terrorífico "Cellar Dwellar", que no es otro que el "Hurt on hold" pero con ""reformas"". Seguimos en el viejo continente. Esta vez nos piramos a Italia para arrebatar de las fauces de SEXY DRIVE su "Get naked". Le dan una dosis de guitarra espectacular! Estamos en el downtown de los 'Tones, es decir, Nueva York (antes de que se refugiaran en LA) y nos topamos con MAD JUANA que se ponen las bitúrricas orientales para ofrecernos una curioa versión de "Idol chatter" de nuevo cruzamos el charco hasta Italia para encontranos con THE PREACHERS y su trasheralucinógena versión de "Hallucination generation". Ahora, nos vamos a nuestras antípodas (para el que nos lea desde fuera de España, hablo de Australia) donde nos reciben con las phantom abiertas los INTERCONTINENTAL PLAYBOYS y su versión de "Brand new man", que es la primera referrencia vinílica que sacaron los FUZZTONES! Esta versión está algo más acelerada y más guitarrera que la original. Desde Buenos Aires nos mandan GONDOLERI un recado en forma de "Charlotte's remains". Muy acústica. Pierde toda la tetricidad, cosa que no me gusta mucho. Ahora tocamos a las Islas Británicas con los SPECIAL AGENTS que dan vida a "The thing". Éstos si que mantienen las formas terrortríbidas!! Los siguientes en aparecer en escena son los daneses DEFECTORS. Otro de los grupos más en forma de nuetsros días. Se montan una versión del "It came in the mail" muy exclusiva. Con cambio de ritmo, comenzando muy tranquilos, pero desmelenándose mientras destrozan las guitarras y aporrean sin perdón. Los DEFECTORS me encantan, pero he de reconocer que esta versión queda a años luz de la original. Turno ahora para unos históricos. Me refiero a los americanos MORLOCKS, que hacen tambalear los comientos con "black box". De costa a costa! volvemos a NYC para meternos una dosis de "Heathen set" entre pecho y espalda, por THE WOLVES, con la Fuzztónica DEB O'NAIR a los teclados. Bajamos para Boston para que LOS MISTERIOSOS nos deleiten con una psichobílica versión de "She's wicked", mezclando frafisa ocn unos fuzzeos desgarradores a un ritmo demoledor. Si lo que necesitas esexcitación taquicárdica pura, desde Bélgica te pueden sodomizar los PARANOICS con su versión de "Cheyenne rider". Punkrock anfetamínico descontrolado. Nos trasladamos ahora al país de los molinos y los tulipanes, Holanda, donde rastreando localizamos a los 1-2-5, que nos disparan un farfísico y salvaje "what You don't know". Otra vez en Italia, en Udine concretamente, para reencontrarnos con la todopoderosa mezcla de rock-punk-garage a ritmo de "Bad news travels fast" a cargo de SEXTRESS. Con los fuzzeos más crípticos y consistentes salen a escena los Neoyorquinos SONS OF MOON con un "Johnson in a headlock", al que bajo mi punto de vista le sobran los coros. Ya que estamos en Estados Unidos, nos piramos unos días a Tucson para localizar a los chicos de MARSHMALLOW OVERCOAT, que tienen para nosotros una entrega caliente de "Skeleton farm". El sonido es indiscut iblemente suyo. Es otra gran banda. De nuevo aparecen integr antes, o ex-integrantes de la banda, como es el caso de BATLORD que participa con un curioso tema "The Deb O'Nair affair". Holandeando de nuevo caemos en las garras de SONIC LITTER, que se encargan de tributar con un poderoso y ruidoso "Highway 69". Cierran el primer disco otros de los clásicos de Midnight Records. Se trata de PLASTICLAND, que nos ponen en bandeja una buena dosis de "Ward 81" con los sonidos más fuzz psicódelicos que se puede encontrar en nuestros hoocáusticos días! La americana Jayne County se encarga de dar la bienvenida al segundo disco, con un toque de rock+r'n'b en forma de "You Tarzan, me Jane! Tras ella, los reyes actuales de la escena griega. es decir, FRANTIC V que intervienen con una gran versión del "I never knew". Italia nos vuelve a pedir audiencia para rescatar BLUES SO BAD que piden clemencia con "My nothing". Una versión muy diferente a la original. Se acreca más al punk más ácido, pero sin la velocidad requerida. Curioso cuanto menos. Desde Alemania, mezclando exotismo oriental con psicodelia exacrebada aparecen VIBRAVOID con otra canción dedicada a DEB O'NAIR. "Lovely lady Deb O'nair". Entrando en un ambiente más enjaulado y ambientalmente sesgado por la embriagadez septrócica, nos encontramos con "just once" a cargo de NIKKI SUDEN. Renovamos sonidos y nos acercamos al wild west. THE DEADBILLYES nos desenmascaran "All the king's horses" a ritmo de Bourbon peleón de medio vaso! Del hogar de Papa Noel vienen los DELETONES predicando a ritmo de farfisa, guitarreos, garrotazos y voz femenina el evangelio de "Third time's the charm". Sin movernos de la casa del de los regalos de Navidad, quedamos a las afueras con THE WEIRDTONES para que nos incrusten en los orejones una dosis increíble de "Leave your mind at home" Una auténtica joya inédita! Carne de FF8. De vuelta para casa, para saquear sin remordimiento alguno a los CROOKSHANKS a los que les arrebatamos "romilar D" de sus garras. Con esta mala meche farfísica en las venas, nos trasladamos a casa de J.R. y Pam. Allí rastreamos los lugares más cavernosos para pillar desprevenidos a THE RAVENS que están preparando un plato especial de "Shame on You" dispuesto para reventar nuestros cerebros enfermos de garrichia lisérgica. El terror, el miedo, las fragancias de las almas no natas en el ambiente, viene de Berlín. Se trata de HANG KRAY que ha creado un monstruo de fantasmas y entes varias en su jardín, llamado "Ghost clinic" al más puro estilo DEAD BROTHERS! Otra participación holandesa. En esta ocasión son los STRANGE FLOWERS que a través de la psicodelia más ácida nos regalan "Look for the question mark". A base de sobredosis de farfisa, desde Pensilvania, los ALIENS AND STRANGERS nos deleitan con una versión anfetamínica de "Fabian lips". También le quitan tetricidad. Mal hecho!! La única representación española, corre a cargo de THE LIBIDOS, desde Madrid, que revientan los speakers de toda la zona con una demoledora versión de "In heat". Ibericoamericando por las mañanas, nos largamos a Argentina. Allí los HATES nos tienen preparado un recibimeinto a base de guitarrazos y aporreos indiscriminados con acento punk-rocker llamado "Yeah babe". Santa Claus se dejó por el camino un último enjendro finlandés. Se trata de THE COSMIC GOBLINS que se reproducen por esfuzzas satánicas y dan forma a "Rise". Baja,ps a la tierra de PFAFF, (Bélgica para los no futboleros) para arañar y desgarrar de las entraña s de los SONIC TEMPLE uno de los temas bandera de los 'Tones. "9 months later" mucho más guitarrero que el original. La última carga finlandesa se llama COLDITZ y su espectro... "Blood from a stone". En un tributo a los Fuzztones no podía faltar "hurt on hold" y los italianos LYSERGIC LOVE nos la ofrecen, metiéndole una dosis de velocidad y sin olvidarse de farfisear, como Satán manda! Estamos llegando al final. Nos trasladamos a Holanda de nuevo para dar un calvotazo a los ORANGE SUNSHINE que desmembran "Blackout" y por último, la única canción cantada en castellano se encargan de presentarla los MANGANZOIDES peruanos. se trata de "Fuzztomano Piedrícola" Un final más que perfecto para un gran disco tributo!

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Review by BUSTER - Mod Radio UK

Formed way back in 1980, The Fuzztones, one of the founding Garage revival bands celebrates 25 years in the business with the help of Sin Records & no less than 42 bands from around the globe in one almighty Fuzzfest tribute to the Fuzztones double CD release.
Over the years the band has gained Cult status even though they were shunned by the mainstream as “60`s copyists” in their early years but they stuck to their guns and have become one of the most admired and influential garage bands ever!

The Fuzztones aren’t dead! oh no, far from it! recently released is "Lord have Mercy on my Soul" single for Twist records (home of Thee Jenerators) and there’s the latest "LSD" CD / DVD retrospective on Get Back which features 25 classics from the Fuzztones vaults. Quoting Rudi Protudi “ Interviewers laughed in 1987 when we called ourselves the Johnny Appleseeds of Rock ‘n Roll, and confided that our mission was to spread our seed all over europe, insuring future generations of Fuzztones, it’s now 2006, The Fuzztones Illegitimate Spawn are all grown and ready to breed. Who`s laughing now?”

Here we have nearly 2 hours of Fuzzmania packed onto 2 CD’s, with a total of 42 tracks, many of them Fuzztones numbers but there are a few personal tributes in there too adding that personal touch to the proceedings!

The Bands & Artists that contributed are Sparkling Bombs (France), Fuzzfaces (Brazil), Staggers (Austria), Sexy Drive (Italy), Mad Juana (USA), Preachers (Italy), Intercontinental Playboys (UK), Gondolieri (Argentina), Special Agents (UK), Defectors (Denmark), Morlocks (USA), She Wolves (USA), Misteriosos (USA), Parandiacs (Belgium), 1-2-5 (Holland), The Sextress (Italy), Sons Of Moon (USA), Marshmallow Overcoat (USA), Batlord (USA), Sonic Litter (Holland), Plasticland (USA), Jayne County (USA), Frantic V (Greece), Blues So Bad (Italy), Vibravoid (Germany), Nikki Sudden (Germany), Deletones (Finland), Weirdtones (Finland), Deadbillys (USA), Crookshanks (USA), Ravens (USA), Hank Ray (Germany), Strange Flowers (Italy), Aliens & Strangers (USA), Libidos (Spain), Hates (Argentina), Cosmic Goblins (Finland), Sonic Temple (Belgium), Colditz (Finland), Lysergic Love (Italy), Orange Sunshine (Holland) & Manganziodes (Peru)

According to The Fuzztones and Sin Records boss Rudi Potrudi, with so much material contributed, there is still material left for another two similar releases…excellent news indeed! This album is naturally a must-have for all you Fuzz Freak’s and a pretty nice expedition for those others who are interested in the band’s musical legacy. The album is available through the band’s own record label and all decent suppliers of Fuzz & includes a 28 page booklet with band pics & Info plus artwork by Rudi.


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Review by MARK BARTON - Losing Today Magazine

Various Artists Fuzztones - Illegitimate Spawn/Sin

Fuzztones - what can I say - the dogs bollocks. Those of you previously unaware or puzzled as to the fuss - see that’s what happens when you live under a rock for the best part of a quarter of a century then retune for a brief potted history via their website at http://www.fuzztones.net/bio.htm or else consider this. By and large ignored wholesale by the press swiftly dispatched by many as 60’s copyists (which pretty much rules out the whole Detroit and Scandinavian scenes does it not?) the Fuzztones have doggedly pursued their trade. They are for many the key note link to the whole of rock ‘n’ roll’s Pebbles / Nuggets heritage in fact you’d be forgiven for swearing that they’d flipped headlong through some kind of rip in time straight from the mid 60’s such is their authenticity and grasp of the primitive rudimentary, they coined the term grunge long before Seattle saw fit to announce it’s birthright on the music map via Sub Pop et al with the genre (though arguably their sound has been anything but - though the influence on Mudhoney’s cleaner 60’s vibe is indisputable). Never one dimensional the Fuzztones mix and switch between classic fuzzed up garage punk, lysergically enhanced west coast psychedelic, vintage mid 60’s beat pop and candy coated 50’s bubblegum with the Stones, Seeds, 13th Floor Elevators and the Wailers pretty much high in the influential stakes. You could say they’ve single handedly redefined a whole genre.

The Fuzztones aren’t dead - far from it as their recent ‘Lord have Mercy on my Soul’ single for Twist records (home of Thee Jenerators) in fact it’d be better say that they are more than equipped these days to shoot the shit and deal a crushing put down to many of the bright young guitar slingers getting kudos from the clueless press than they were when they called it a day as Tina Peel and emerged, much to the annoyance of their management, into their fiercely dependent Fuzztones guise. Asides that there’s the latest ’LSD’ CD / DVD retrospective on Get Back (which sadly we haven’t heard) which features 25 spanking toons from the Fuzztones vaults.

‘Illegitimate Spawn’ is so simple and obvious an idea you can’t help wondering why nobody thought of it before. A Fuzztones tribute album or more rightly a Fuzztones double tribute album. Featuring forty two bands / tracks culled from all four corners of the globe and rightly paying homage to one of THE great unsung heroes of the whole garage scene. The origins of the idea prompted by Italy’s Lysergic Love who feature here getting to grips in fine style with ‘Hurt on Hold’. Word has it the Fuzzy dudes where so enamoured with the concept that they put out a message on their website requesting potential covers and received enough material to fill a further two sets.

Twenty six years on and the Fuzztones are now the proud parents of a brood of fuzz riffing kooky keyboard loving bastard offspring they never knew they had all banging on their door to pay their dues. Amid this two hour plus set there are a handful of household legends in their own right - the late Swell Map-er Nikki Sudden makes an appearance with the drop dead gorgeous ’Just once’ elsewhere Jayne County - currently the subject of a superb vault trawling release by Munster records with ’Wayne County at the Trucks’ - provides a pretty tasteful reply to ‘Me Tarzan, you Jane’ with the harmonica laced ‘You Tarzan, me Jane’ while Bad Afro stars the Defectors admirably take apart ‘It came in the mail’ and put it back together not before souping it up and giving it a much needed re-spray. In addition there’s four specially recorded homage toons from the likes of Vibravoid, Batlord, the Weirdtones and Manganzoides the whole release superbly packaged replete with an extensive 28 page booklet featuring rare photos, information and artwork by head Fuzztone Rudi Protrudi.

As to the actual release well with 42 bands on show it’s a shame to have to miss out the majority, hell apart from a small select few I wasn’t even aware, much to my horror and embarrassment, of half of these bands. Safe to say none disappoint but then if I had to select favourites then pick the bones out of the following. Staggers do a neat line Munsters meet Love with their audacious refit of ’Cellar Dweller’ while the sublime sounds of Marshmallow Overcoat give you that feeling of being under dressed unless you have on your sunglasses in the company of ’Skeleton Farm’. The She Wolves prove its not a wholly masculine thang by stomping in with the fraught and tight as a gnat’s arse ’Heathen Set’ and as not to be outdone Finland‘s Deletones kick in with the brisk but shimmering ‘Third time‘s the Charm‘. Then there’s the razor sharp Lloyd Cole-esque hip shaking Intercontinental Playboys interpretation of ’Brand new man’, getting sleazy by the shedload are Holland’s Sonic Litter who do deliciously bad things to ’Highway 69’ while the Paranoiacs from Belgium up the ante considerably with the Nomads in a head on collision with Motorhead carnage of ’Cheyenne Rider’. Over on disc 2 you get treated to the acid flashbacked ’Lovely Lady Deb O’ Nair’ by Vibravoid which sounds not a million miles from prime time kaleidoscopic Traffic while in the hands of the Deadbillys ’All the kings horses’ is given a suitably subtle psyche enhanced countrified demeanour with just the merest traces of the Stones’ ’Paint it Black’ in the mix. The ghost of Muddy Waters is apparent on ’Shame on you’ by the Ravens - dam - we could go on and we haven’t even mentioned the excellently named Cosmic Goblins or Aliens and Strangers.

That said pushed to pick the four tracks that stand out way ahead of the chasing pack then you could do much worse for having the frankly weirdly creepy Hank Ray oozing from the hi-fi as he exhumes ’Ghost Clinic’ while Mad Juana deserve investigation for their superbly psychedelicised Beatles-esque middle eastern mantra as evidenced on ’Idol Chatter’. Argentina’s Gondolieri endow a casualness rarely heard these days and decorate ’Charlotte Remains’ with the kind of shimmering soft psyche sheen that would suggest they’d give the Green Pyjamas a serious run for their money. Yet all said and done nothing quite compares to the uber cool Plasticland who amid a coalescence of acid flashbacks and the hallucinatory backdrop of drip dried wah wah effects court with a meanly disorientating psychotic haze for the wickedly sinister ’Ward 81’.

Essential stuff and of course every good boy deserves the Fuzztones. You know it makes sense.


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Review by DJ ASTRO - Psychotropic Zone

The Fuzztones were formed in New York in 1980 and was one of the very first neo-garage bands. Now when the band was celebrating its 25th birthday, it was a good time to release a Fuzztones tribute. This band has gained real cult status and been very much admired by and an influence on numerous garage bands all over the world, so it’s no miracle that there was a lot of stuff to choose from for this tribute. This double album features 42 bands from Peru to Australia and even Finland is presented with as many as three bands. All the other tracks were originally written by The Fuzztones, but the amazing German psych band Vibravoid and Batlord play their own homages to The Fuzztones’ original organ player lady Deb O’Nair, Weirdtones from Finland plays their own track “Leave Your Mind at Home” and Mangaizoides form Peru their own. Some of the most famous participants must be the old Fuzztones collegues Plasticland, Hank Ray and the late Nikki Sudden.

According to The Fuzztones and Sin Records boss Rudi Potrudi, there is still material left for another two similar releases…

At this point I must confess that even though I do dig 80’s psychedelic garage rock and punk, I’ve somehow pretty much missed The Fuzztones. It’s a sad thing, because this album proves that they’ve got some excellent songs! I won’t go into all the tracks here in detail, let’s just say that on this record you can find great and at least okay versions of tracks from The Fuzztones vast back catalogue. At times it gets rather wild in punk style, but there is also some more peaceful, atmospheric stuff in there, usually with a bit of cemetery stench. Most of the tracks are in a 60’s garage rock vain and even beat.

There’s naturally loads of nice fuzz guitar as well as tremolo and organ. The mood doesn’t get overtly psychedelic at any point, but this album does still have its mind-expanding qualities. The sound quality differs a bit, as you might expect, but all the tracks sound at least okay. My absolute favourite is the Vibravoid track that even has some sitar. Some of the other tracks worth mentioning are for example the rather psychedelic, The Stooges styled “Highway 69” played by Sonic Litter from Holland, the nice, hazy and moody version of the track “Ward 81” by Plasticland, the fast “Third Times the Charm” played by the Finnish Deletones with female vocals, Aliens and Strangers’ rocking “Fabian Lips”, the wild “In Heat” presented by Libidos, the very good sounding “Rise” by Cosmic Goblins and, in a rather psychedelic rock vein, “9 Months Later” by Holland’s Sonic Temple.

This album is naturally a must-have for all The Fuzztones fans, and a pretty nice expedition for those others who are interested in the band’s musical legacy. The album is only available through the band’s own record label and includes a 28 page booklet.



Review by GERON HELMER - Ox-Fanzine

Zwei gekreuzte Vox Phantom-Gitarren unter einem Totenschädel: Das ist das Erkennungszeichen des "Cult Of Fuzz", der sektenähnlichen Vereiningung, die alleine der Verherrlichung eine der besten (Neo)-Garage-Bands aller Zeiten dient, nämlich der Fuzztones. Un die gibt es jetzt mittlerweile im 26.Jahr, also Grund genung für das relativ neue Berliner Label, einen Doppel CD Sampler rauszuhauen, auf dem 41 Garage Bands aus allen vier Ecken des Globus' dem Fuzz Cult huldigen. In vielen Fällen handelt es sich um ritualisiertes Nachbeten der schönsten oder scheußlichsten Songs, die Rudi Protrudi in den letzten 25 Jahren ersonnen hat. Oder aber - dann wird es noch interessanter - haben clevere Bands wie VIBRAVOID, WEIRDTONES, MANGANZOIDES oder selbst der FUZZTONES-Teilzeitgitarrero Batlord eigene Oden an die Band oder deren attraktive Ex- oder Schon-wieder-Organistin Deb O'Nair verfasst, zum Beispiel "Deb O'Nair Affair". Weitere erwähnenswerte Beteiligte sind STAGGERS, DEFECTORS, Punk-Transe JAYNE COUNTY ("You Tarzan, me Jayne"), FRANTIC V (leider nicht in Bestform, zudem mit einer schlappen Nummer), MORLOCKS, STRANGE FLOWERS, PLASTICLAND und INTERCONTINENTAL PLAYBOYS. Wen ich auf dieser Compilation überhaupt nicht erwartet hätte, ist der leider viel zu früh von uns gegangene und schmerzlich vermisste NIKKI SUDDEN. Und dieser leifert auch gleich einen der besten Tracks auf dem Sampler: "Just Once", ein eher unspektakulärer Song von der 'Braindrops'-LP, allerdings völlig nikkifiziert, so dass es doch quasi ein anderer Song geworden ist. Solltet ihr eure FUZZTONES-Scheiben verliehen, verloren oder verhökert haben, seid ihr mit diesem Sampler aber auch bestens bedient.


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