The Rolling RocHaüs™ - OUR OWN REVIEWS! - SUMMER 2008 - © 2001-Infinity ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!

Hey, REBEL YELL is going to be The LOR'S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STAR @ The 1st ANNUAL WORLD BOWL of ROCK & ROLL so it was inevitable that I would listen to them. When I heard that Sir Paul McCartney personally chose REBEL YELL to play a Private Party I wanted to hear them. Once I heard REBEL YELL, I wanted to hear them AGAIN!!!!!

I'm from "The 1970's" so was into BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST & OZZY on the tail end of things as GLAM was taking over on one front with New Wavers & Punk Rockers on other fronts. The only "New Band" I could stand by the time I was 18 was METALLICA which I considered Hard Punk, certainly NOT HEAVY METAL. Sure, I grew to like other "New Bands", am an Early MEGADETH Fan, will always LOVE METAL CHURCH & QUEENSRYCHE, most recently Brother Robb down in Niceville, Florida turned me, a Seattleite, onto NEVERMORE.

I grew up a bit on The Ramones' "GABBA, GABBA HEY". But didn't see my first "LIVE" PUNK SHOW until I Produced a gig on Biker Island in 2005 Starring arguably the MOST ENERGETIC BAND of that gig, the Punk Band known as The CONFEDERATS. TOTAL ENERGY, The ASSASSINATORS, BUZZFACTOR & JACK MOVE KICKED SERIOUS ASS as well. So, although I didn't have time to check them out on YouTube, undoubtedly REBEL YELL delivers one HELL of a SHOW too.

As I said, I listened to REBEL YELL, more than once. "Who do they sound like?", is usually the big question most ask but I gotta tell you, REBEL YELL does NOT sound like any Band I've heard. I put my mind into the culture of these Lads from Leeds, UK best I could, which is reasonably good if I do say so myself as I'm an Empath that happens to have spent a great deal of time in "The HOOD". The Government Housing, The WAR, Car Thieves & Knife Fights - even tossed a little Alex w/ a touch of The Ultra Violence into my imagination as I flowed with vibes to their lyrical drive, man I can hardly wait to see REBEL YELL "LIVE"!!!

I decided to go for REBEL YELL'S Demo "JOYRIDE" 1st, messing around doing other things while it downloaded I wasn't paying attention so when JOYRIDE took off it through me for a loop. FUCKING SIRENS, clear as bells - Oh Shit - did I do something wrong? Nope, it's just REBEL YELL'S Demo Song. I could FEEL it as I listened to the lyrics while looking at the title, "JOYRIDE". CNN covering the UK kids stealing cars, burning broadies in Government Housing Parking Lots flashed through my mind. I listened to that Super Beat, REBEL YELL was sometimes singing in VH Rhyme other times whipping out a riff in VAN HALEN time. The poignant title, descriptive lyrics, steady percussion, whip-ass bass, quick yet clear dueling guitars combined with lead vocals that demonstrate a genuine range & background vocals that really reminded me of VH in Chorus, REBEL YELL through me off. I had to listen a few more times before moving on to the next REBEL YELL song.

Hold on, REBEL YELL is supposed to be a Hard Punk Band aren't they? If it weren't for their attire you wouldn't know it, if REBEL YELL is a Hard Punk Band then they are the VOGUE of PUNX as REBEL YELL isn't following any particular trend, REBEL YELL is setting them!!!!!

REBEL YELL'S Drummer, Craig McGown certainly has the energy and playing capacity to be the next Keith Moon (I can her all the youngsters saying "WHO?" (lol)). Frontman Ray McGown not only sings well he sports a variety of Bass' including an old fashioned Cello looking thing and even a Double Headed Bass, the way he and the lads ripped up JOYRIDE I could only imagine what was next. Especially with Rhythm Guitarist Neil McGown joining forces with the other McGowns' to support Lead Guitarist Matt Bowman as he supports them to make up the UK's HOTTEST UNSIGNED BAND REBEL YELL!!!!!

So what did REBEL YELL pull out of their Demo hat next? DIVERSITY!!!!! The next tune on REBEL YELL'S little radio thing on their My Space page was "22nd DIVISION SOLDIER". It's not as if US Americans have been going the Newest Middle East War alone and this tune really hits home. This isn't PUNK, if it is it is FUNK PUNK, with a FUN Calypso REGGAE feel to the core. I never even imagined any one from the UK actually had "IT" in them. "IT" being a Jamaican Soul, REBEL YELL fills a MAJOR GAP too often left by Rock & Roll. I could feel the Light of Jah as they sung of the "22nd DIVISION SOLDIER".

If any RASTA were to hear this tune they would LOVE REBEL YELL while appropriately referring to these Lads from Leeds as BROTHERS!!!!!

REBEL YELL then delivers "LOST A BLUE". My notes start-off "Too Funny" because what they are playing about is SOOOO TRUE for SOOO MANY of YOU!!!!! I don't want to wreck this tune but I'll give you a clue, REBEL YELL isn't just into a JOYRIDE & HONORING SOLDIERS via some FUNK PUNK that FLEA would GROOVE TOO, they support all the Underdogs even the Addicts, the Manics as well as Psychopaths, all the way through!!!!!

"GLASSES KNIVES & BOTTLES" was the next REBEL YELL tune on their Media Player. It is SERIOUSLY SAD, for all the Unfortunates of Our World this is like a PRAYER.

Yet again demonstrating their diverse abilities to change their beat so the listener may feel REBEL YELL'S Soulful Heat, "GLASSES KNIVES & BOTTLES" starts off SUPER SWEET. In "GLASSES KNIVES & BOTTLES" REBEL YELL really excelled as they effortlessly accomplished something I've been listening for, they sang their choruses in harmony yet again, yep all of REBEL YELL'S performers, all four. If that wasn't enough, I suddenly heard a ripping lead, the kind that makes an Amateur Guitarist's fingers feel like they are going to bleed. Sweet Intro, Sad Lyrics, Finger Ripping Licks, Super Tight Rhythms, Accented Drum Hits/Kicks, all combined with glass smooth transitions/bridges, this is one tune GUARANTEED TO PLEASE!!!!!

And if in listening to the above you think REBEL YELL may be going too soft they close out their Media Player with, "BANG BANG I'M FAMOUS", which by the title alone makes me wonder if REBEL YELL isn't so HOT they'll compel someone to call the Cops. I've heard of Gang-Banging & Knifings in the UK but here in America people really do get SHOT!!!!!

Depending on the neighborhood, which Government Housing you live near or in, some rarely hear of it except on T.V., others hear it, see the 1st Responders, Ambulances, Fire Trucks, Medics & certainly the Cops all a part of those shots, regularly. This tune has a real Rockabilly Beat and when I heard the word "Post" in it I couldn't help but wonder would happen if some American Postal Worker heard this tune after a day of drinking while feeling they had an otherwise insignificant existence? One listen of their tunes and it's fairly easy to tell, although a UK Band out some of the tougher sections of Leeds, UK, REBEL YELL understands AMERICANS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL

You know, I suspect the UK can't help itself, they don't just keep delivering GREAT ARTISTS, they keep setting the New Standards for all of US who LOVE to ROCK!!!!! From The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Cream-Eric Clapton, Humble Pie-Peter Frampton, The Yardbirds, The WHO, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Elton John, Judas Priest, Queen, Supertramp, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Kinks & U2 to Black Sabbath followed by the Soloist known as The Great & Powerful OZZY the UK has been literally instrumental in expanding hence Winning American Hearts & Minds, now it's REBEL YELL'S TIME!!!!!

Managed by Sammy Andrews as well as Sponsored by "The BIZMO" along with Europe's "ROCK & INDIE" Magazine

as "The LOR's 2008 EUROPEAN CONTINENTAL CHAMPION BAND REBEL YELL" will only be in America a very short while. REBEL YELL will be Performing as VERY SPECIAL GUESTS in "The ROCK HARD HALLOWEEN BALL 2008" at WINTERLAND situated at 1220 Sylvan Way, Bremerton, WA. 98310, hence also Co-Starring in the Rockumentary "A PAIR of ROCK HARD BALLS". REBEL YELL will then be Performing, as VERY SPECIAL GUESTS once again, in "The 1st ANNUAL WORLD BOWL of ROCK & ROLL" on November 2nd in HANGAR 30 at Warren G. Magnuson Park which is situated at 6310 N.E. 74th Street, Seattle, WA. 98115.

Most of the above listed UK "Names" have pretty distinct sounds whereas others are known for the extreme diversity. They can go from "IN YOUR FACE" to "IN YOUR HEART" with TOTAL SOUL - that's REAL ROCK & ROLL!!!!!

I put REBEL YELL in the same League with the latter, they have the agility, the capability, the drive so no matter how tough things get, how much trends change, they have the recipe to thrive where most Bands die and others barely survive.

KEEP UP THE OUTSTANDING WORK GUYS!!!!!

Sincerely,

James i