What do you get when you cross classic London 1977 punk with addictive power-chorded rock ‘n’ roll and a heavy sprinkling of Johnny Thunders? Something not far off The Bermonsdey Joyriders – the missing link between the 60s and the 70s. Gary Lammin (ex-Cock Sparrer guitarist) and Martin Stacey (ex-Chelsea guitarist) are joined on the drums by guest-for-one-night-only, the formidable Rat Scabies (ex-The Damned drummer).
The Bermondsey Joyriders are a band that puts angular, on-cue drumming and slide guitar effects at its centre. They break open with an instrumental warm-up to precede their best release, ‘All That Darkness’. This is brought into play with the brilliant precision drumming of The Damned’s ex-man, Rat Scabies, who makes a guest appearance in place of TBJ’s Keith Boyce, for an unforgettable night at The 100 Club.
If Johnny Thunders was alive today, quite simply this would be his spin-off to the New York Dolls. It’s heavy enough to deter its glam roots and interesting enough to breath in variation in the form of gritty, bluesy funk.
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