The Perlich Post: Roy Orbison Garage-style

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Roy Orbison Garage-style

Based on Roy Orbison's ill-fated big screen bid playing a post-Civil War singing Southern spy trying to steal back the Confederacy's gold with his ingenious guit-gun device in the nutty 1967 musical western The Fastest Guitar Alive, it's entirely understandable why Orbison never got a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame for his acting ability.

However, the fact that he hasn't already received the acknowledgment for his significant contribution to popular music is an enormous oversight which is finally being redressed. There's a sidewalk star with Roy Orbison's name on it being unveiled tomorrow (Friday, January 28) at a ceremony with his wife Barbara Orbison and their sons Alex and Roy Jr. expected to attend.
And just as though it was carefully planned, a suckerpunch of a Roy Orbison tribute collection Our Boy Roy has suddenly appeared out of nowhere – well, Toronto actually – assembled by Telephone Explosion Records. The 11-track set features covers of songs made popular by the Big O performed by the favourite garage rock, punk and psychobilly delinquents of label honchos Steve Sidoli and Jon Schouten and some other fuds they knew who could be roped into their high concept recording scheme.
Along with Telephone Explosion-associated artists Holy Cobras battering Domino completely unrecognizable, Teenanger tearing up the Johnny Cash-penned You're My Baby, Charlie & The Moonhearts blasting an oddly ferocious version of the goofy novelty tune Chicken Hearted and Demons Claws caterwauling through an appropriately weepy It's Over, Our Boy Roy has some other surprises in-store from out-of-towners.

While the Cheater Slicks' dirgy demolishing of Crying is unexpectedly forgettable and ditto for the dead-ass take of Running Scared by Montreal's unholy Red Mass (who probably should've gone with Devil Doll instead), fast-rising garage star Ty Segall manages to knock out a nasty-but-nice Pretty Woman, New York no-count Camero Werewolf finds a perfect vehicle for his snotty charm in Problem Child and Florida's finest, the Jacuzzi Boys bust out the full-on backing vocals what sound like oil can drums for an entertaining crack at You Got It.

Somewhat sadly, no one took a shot at Roy's overlooked originals from The Fastest Guitar soundtrack but then, there's only so much you can do with an 11 track album. Consequently Rock House (belted out by Haunted George) is as far off the beaten path as anyone here dares venture. If there's a second volume, I'd bet The Sadies could go to town on Rollin' On and the song Best Friend seems custom made for Calexico. Just sayin'.
It should be noted that Telephone Explosion pressed up only 1,000 vinyl copies of the Our Boy Roy LP in the first run so they won't be around long at Rotate This or the Telephone Explosion site.