The A-Bones

As a fan, I always figured that the A-Bones weren't trying to sound crude, sloppy and incoherent when they made records -- it was just their good fortune that they turned out that way. A band well versed in the secret history of rock & roll that Rolling Stone isn't about to teach you, the A-Bones had the wisdom to realize that the Trashmen, Benny Joy and the Flamin' Groovies had a lot more to do with the fine art of Bringin' the Rock than, say, Eric Clapton, and they knew that healthy portions of noise, attitude and cold beer would only help them make the mighty sound. It's also worth noting that when they backed other folks (such as Johnny Powers or Rudy "Tutti" Grayzell), they could be a tight and rowdy rhythm section; it was when they were left to their own devices that they became the Kings (and Queen) of the Keg Party That Transcended All Boundaries, letting loose an unholy wail resembling a year's worth of Saturday nights. Daddy Wants a Cold Beer and Other Million Sellers is the A-Bones' 20th Anniversary "Tribute to Themselves," and hey, who better deserves the honor? Collecting two CD's worth of single sides, compilation tracks, live tapes and unreleased tunes (one of which is an actual new recording, with the 5.6.7.8's chiming in with backing vocals), Daddy Wants a Cold Beer features collaborations with such legendary artists as the abovementioned Powers and Grayzell, Timothy Carey, Roy Loney and the Great Gaylord (who, judging from "Squat With Me Baby" may be the finest bad singer of all time), along with enough frantic guitar bashing, sax wailing and percussion abuse to inspire dozens of noise complaints from your neighbors. The A-Bones were one band who knew how to have a good time, and while there are a whole lot of laughs on this set, this band was never a joke -- they just knew that rock & roll with no sense of humor had no business calling itself that, and the A-Bones earned the right to call themselves a rock & roll band with heart, soul and guts every time they took the stand. Big fun, with hilarious liner notes and plenty of cool pictures rounding out the definitive A-Bones package. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide