(no subject)
Texas Terri Bomb
A legend alone for performing whilst wearing nothing but electrical tape across her nips, Texas Terri has been described as embodying the spirit of Iggy Pop (or to put it simply “Iggy with tits”) along with the power and primitiveness of Patti Smith & Wendy O Williams to her performances both onstage and on record. Personally I am going to leave all comparisons at the door with this one, because quite frankly I’ve never before seen or heard anyone quite like her… Formerly known as ‘Texas Terri + The Stiff Ones’, Terri’s onstage alter ego ‘The Texas Terror’ is a foul-mouthed screaming on-stage psychopath who possesses the raw punk energy, the sleaze, sweat, tattoos, fiery hair, eyeliner, leather pants, strategically positioned duct tape and glam androgyny that allows her to transcend sexuality and all parallels in punk rock. After all, Rock ‘n’ Roll is raunchy, undressed and un-fashioned but now it has a new face to reap havoc with, a face that is in control even when out-of-control, a face that stands out above the rest. As for the more important music, well it swaggers and storms at you loud and tasteless, laden with thrashing hooks, throaty screams and tongue-in-cheek, hard-knock-life but take-no-shit lyrics for your sordid junked up pleasure! The songs bare more of Terri than her inked skin ever will, once the microphone is in hand there’s just no stopping the torrid tornado.
However, today you’ll find that the stiff one’s gone, having taken an explosive turn (so to speak)… This year has seen the release of her sophomore album ‘Your Lips…My Ass!’ under a newfound name of ‘Texas Terri Bomb’. The album features more frenzied anthems of pure punk, bloodied with brash attitude. Fourteen tracks guaranteed to blow you away. Rock ‘n’ roll number aptly titled ‘Dirty Action’ even begins with the sound of Terri snarling like a rabid dog. It’s a clue to the ferocity this ticking bomb holds and the bite each song carries, screaming, “I’m invisible to the naked eye”- (not to the perve in the front row love)! ‘Strike 3’ being one of my favourites, with more hair-raising screeching riffs than the eighties and a roguish tale of revenge under relentlessly energetic vocals. ‘Dream Wrecker’ then steals the show, the terror “taking over” so do as she says and get out of the way! You can’t help but wet yourself when thinking how these songs would go down live. ‘Raunch City’ implores you to “get some” as it boisterously swanks its way out of your stereo and in your face! Another standout track is ‘Love Hates Me’, a further record Terri can claim as an anthem “baby you’re in for some aggravation and I don’t give a damn, fuck my probation” with scratchy guitars and growls…I sure am in love with TxT! The album ends with the comic ‘Turn It Off’ with Texas Terri screaming exactly that as her guest partner in crime, Cherie Currie of The Runaways uses her cool to cool her down, like the Thelma & Louise of punk rock. Either Terri has just heard the latest Good Charlotte record or even her own dominating dementia-filled record is too hot for even herself to handle.
For the chauvinists and cynics out there who think her bare-chested shows are either a conscious political statement about gender roles or a lewd ploy for sexual attention or high record sales, think again. Texas Terri is a born entertainer, shirt on or shirt off (she boils up on stage, literally- okay), all about integrity, shockin’ and rockin’ out for her fans. It’s been a rough ride getting here but to match the scars, she’s got the guts to prove that she’ll never bomb out, only carry on coasting like a crimson Cadillac into the setting sun. Sure the Hollywood music scene in ‘98 may have all centred around both Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson’s glam-mutation and the world gave way to the rise of Nu-metal, overshadowing the equally gaudy presence of Texas Terri + The Stiff One’s debut release ‘Eat Shit’. However in 2003 with the likes of Brody Dalle and The Distillers roaring up in front it would seem insane for the likes of Texas Terri not to find her place in the eyes of young punketeers who just want some realism in the shape of screaming guitars. I for one hope she gets the recognition she deserves. Still, for now there’s plenty more duct tape in this world and thus, we haven’t heard the last of Terri, after all her motto is “Never Shut Up, Always Want More”!
A legend alone for performing whilst wearing nothing but electrical tape across her nips, Texas Terri has been described as embodying the spirit of Iggy Pop (or to put it simply “Iggy with tits”) along with the power and primitiveness of Patti Smith & Wendy O Williams to her performances both onstage and on record. Personally I am going to leave all comparisons at the door with this one, because quite frankly I’ve never before seen or heard anyone quite like her… Formerly known as ‘Texas Terri + The Stiff Ones’, Terri’s onstage alter ego ‘The Texas Terror’ is a foul-mouthed screaming on-stage psychopath who possesses the raw punk energy, the sleaze, sweat, tattoos, fiery hair, eyeliner, leather pants, strategically positioned duct tape and glam androgyny that allows her to transcend sexuality and all parallels in punk rock. After all, Rock ‘n’ Roll is raunchy, undressed and un-fashioned but now it has a new face to reap havoc with, a face that is in control even when out-of-control, a face that stands out above the rest. As for the more important music, well it swaggers and storms at you loud and tasteless, laden with thrashing hooks, throaty screams and tongue-in-cheek, hard-knock-life but take-no-shit lyrics for your sordid junked up pleasure! The songs bare more of Terri than her inked skin ever will, once the microphone is in hand there’s just no stopping the torrid tornado.
However, today you’ll find that the stiff one’s gone, having taken an explosive turn (so to speak)… This year has seen the release of her sophomore album ‘Your Lips…My Ass!’ under a newfound name of ‘Texas Terri Bomb’. The album features more frenzied anthems of pure punk, bloodied with brash attitude. Fourteen tracks guaranteed to blow you away. Rock ‘n’ roll number aptly titled ‘Dirty Action’ even begins with the sound of Terri snarling like a rabid dog. It’s a clue to the ferocity this ticking bomb holds and the bite each song carries, screaming, “I’m invisible to the naked eye”- (not to the perve in the front row love)! ‘Strike 3’ being one of my favourites, with more hair-raising screeching riffs than the eighties and a roguish tale of revenge under relentlessly energetic vocals. ‘Dream Wrecker’ then steals the show, the terror “taking over” so do as she says and get out of the way! You can’t help but wet yourself when thinking how these songs would go down live. ‘Raunch City’ implores you to “get some” as it boisterously swanks its way out of your stereo and in your face! Another standout track is ‘Love Hates Me’, a further record Terri can claim as an anthem “baby you’re in for some aggravation and I don’t give a damn, fuck my probation” with scratchy guitars and growls…I sure am in love with TxT! The album ends with the comic ‘Turn It Off’ with Texas Terri screaming exactly that as her guest partner in crime, Cherie Currie of The Runaways uses her cool to cool her down, like the Thelma & Louise of punk rock. Either Terri has just heard the latest Good Charlotte record or even her own dominating dementia-filled record is too hot for even herself to handle.
For the chauvinists and cynics out there who think her bare-chested shows are either a conscious political statement about gender roles or a lewd ploy for sexual attention or high record sales, think again. Texas Terri is a born entertainer, shirt on or shirt off (she boils up on stage, literally- okay), all about integrity, shockin’ and rockin’ out for her fans. It’s been a rough ride getting here but to match the scars, she’s got the guts to prove that she’ll never bomb out, only carry on coasting like a crimson Cadillac into the setting sun. Sure the Hollywood music scene in ‘98 may have all centred around both Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson’s glam-mutation and the world gave way to the rise of Nu-metal, overshadowing the equally gaudy presence of Texas Terri + The Stiff One’s debut release ‘Eat Shit’. However in 2003 with the likes of Brody Dalle and The Distillers roaring up in front it would seem insane for the likes of Texas Terri not to find her place in the eyes of young punketeers who just want some realism in the shape of screaming guitars. I for one hope she gets the recognition she deserves. Still, for now there’s plenty more duct tape in this world and thus, we haven’t heard the last of Terri, after all her motto is “Never Shut Up, Always Want More”!