from the Planet Sleazetopia...

Tonight’s music comes courtesy of someone hitting me up via email and telling me about their band.

Scary Manilow, singer for the Spook Lights, from Lawrence, Kan., sent me an email the other day, asking if I would be interested in checking out his band’s music. You know I’m all about finding and listening to new bands, so I skipped over to the Spook Lights MySpace.

Here’s what you need to know about the Spook Lights: If you like the Cramps, you’re gonna dig these guys (and gal). I immediately sent a note back to Mr. Manilow and said, “Yeah! I’m lovin’ it! How do I get my hands on more?”

The band was kind enough to send me a couple of songs from their upcoming EP, which I think will be titled Live from the Planet Sleazetopia. It’s very Cramps-influenced, but without that dark edge. While the Spook Lights play with tongue firmly in cheek, they are very serious about what they’re doing. “This band is fun, but not ‘hilarious,’” Scary Manilow said. “This band is campy, but not ‘a novelty!’ We will not be characterized as a ‘niche act’ with a ‘cool shtick.’ We love what we do, but we are dead serious about it.”

The Spook Lights’ origins are vague, to say the least. The band’s bio says Scary and guitarist Curvacia VaVoom were “exiled from their home planet, Sleazetopia. Forced to spend the rest of their days in the cultural void that is Middle America, this brilliant (and sexually talented) twosome gleaned their entire knowledge of human culture from thrift store record bins and 1960’s classroom education films.”

The Spook Lights are fun – and make damn good music. Give ‘em a listen and look for the album when it comes out.

Sinister Urge.mp3
Teenage Maniac.mp3

Labels: psychobilly

posted by aikin @ 8:48 PM