Bad Axe

***In our constant search to feed our vinyl addiction, in which the next score is always needed now and crate digging is a matter of life and death, sometimes we get to unearth a gem that's been yet to be discovered. That may seem impossible these days, but sitting in someone's closet, basement or garage is a tape reel or acetate that just never got to be pressed. A band with a six minute vision, a two sided RnR epiphany never shared with the world. And when we get our hands on such an unbridled, unadulterated sonic treasure we know that it is both our duty and our pleasure to give that obscure band their 45 rpms in the spotlight. Hence BAD AXE! 
As garage faded, psych imploded and rock n roll took its bloated FM dominance to arenas nationwide, there were scores of bands that sought to ingest those Zep/Sabbath/Deep Purple/Blue Cheer moves and make them their own rally cry. Call it a second wave of "garage bands" but this time the music was more fitted for dark, hazy wood paneled basements with the requisite hi-fis, joints and cheap beers stolen from dad. These kids just outta high school, rejecting AM pop and the idealism of their hippie older siblings, set out to make their own way in the dystopian ‘70s. Cut from the same cloth as Jerusalem, Morgen, Sainte Anthony's Fyre, Iron Claw, Bent Wind and other like-minded, bonehead crunchin' acid archives RnR weirdos, Bad Axe briefly aimed to make their mark on the Chicagoland music scene. Formed out of the remnants of local teen dance circuit playing garage rockers The Burlington Express (who released one single on Roach Records in the mid ‘60s, Bad Axe ditched the nice haircuts and suits of their Brit Invasion obsessed youth and TURNED UP THE ROCK TO 11. Not content to play for young crowds anymore, and finally old enough to play the downtown bar scene, Bad Axe moved into a house together on Chicago's west side, grew their hair long, sped up their music and set out to set fire to any venue that would have them! Playing gigs all across the Midwest, with many ventures into Michigan whose motor city RnR they found a direct kinship with (and even getting a chance to open up for the MC5!), Bad Axe took their primal fuzzed out hard rock to the masses. Unfortunately not too many people took notice. Despite that, they nevertheless ventured into a downtown Chicago studio in 1973 to record a few songs for the hell of it. No interest, lack of money and the addition of a keyboard player kept them from ever pressing "Coachman" or "Poor Man Run" to wax. Thus these rippers could never escape the tape that imprisoned them. Until now! 
 
"Coachman" and "Poor Man, Run" are two tracks of absolutely searing twin guitar fireworks, frantic vocals, insane bass lines and pummeling drums. Bad Axe managed to conjure both the most blistering Nuggets garage singles and the no BS attitude of the forthcoming punk rock explosion, all while coating it all in a mind blowing lysergic hard rock vibe. Call it wizard rock, basement psych, proto punk, rustbelt underground rock, whatever, this is sure fire fucking rock n roll!!! The sort that never had stage props or groupies or stupid reviews to bolster the image or rock and roll over its content and primal urges. "Coachman" should've been comped a million times already, and let's just say "Poor Man, Run" ain't no B Side downer either. So get ready to sit next to your turntable, cuz you're gonna flip this one over and over again!