Sometimes it happens that the "best minds of a generation" join together to create a new project to express their common passions. That's the case of Lucyfer Sam, under whose monicker we can recognise a series of characters who have been hanging out around the Italian underground scene in the last twenty years.

They're used to play in the seediest parts of towns, stay out all night, jump on the boards of shabby stages in front of a handful of fans only for the pleasure - a damned, obscurely sinful pleasure - of preserving the authentic tradition of rock'n'roll. They're light years far from the glossy magazines' covers, small clubs of indie-rock fans, winks at marketing social strategies.

The spark burst from night gatherings and shared stages, from a story of friendship and common experiences in years and years of rock'n'roll (mis)adventures, and made a kind of underground supergroup featuring members of Ray Daytona and Googoobombos, Killer Klown and Cannibals.

Ray Daytona (guitar) and Rosie (vocals and bass) come directly from Ray Daytona and Googoobombos, the most explosive Italian garage-surf band. Rev Jungle (vocals) and She-Hellcat (vocals and farfisa) have always been the pumping heart of Killer Klown, a band in activity since the Nineties. While Tony Rathskeller (drums), well known in the Eighties garage scene, comes from the legendary Mike Spenser's Cannibals, kings of UK garage trash.

This peculiar band aims to celebrate a sound that, in part, is far from that of their respective bands in a sort of tribute, not even so hidden, to their idols like Velvet Underground, Gun Club, Dylan, Cramps, Birthday Party, Stooges, Contortions. And the list could go on. Among their sources of inspiration there's also the genius of Syd Barrett, whose song Lucifer Sam (recorded by his Pink Floyd) was "stolen" - and mangled - to become the name of the band. Which also is the title of this record: 11 punchy and inspired songs recorded and mixed on a 24 tracks with only analogue instruments at T.U.P. studio in Brescia by Brown Barcella and Pierluigi Ballarin. A sly old fox like former Screeching Weasel, Justin Perkins, who worked with Paul Collins and Tommy Stinson (Replacements), worked on the mastering at Mistery Room in Milwaukee, while the artwork on cover is signed by Riccardo Bucchioni.

What else? Put the needle on the grooves of Lucyfer Sam, open a bottle of good bourbon, turn off the lights... and let the party begin!

Roberto Calabrò
Author of "Eighties Colours. Garage, beat e psichedelia nell'Italia degli anni Ottanta"

TRACKLIST:

Side A
1) Black Prisoner
2) Snake
3) Song For A GooGoo
4) Jungle
5) Moon Of The Undead
6) The Boy Who Fears The Devil


Side B
1) Love Is Just A Fever
2) Screwing Dead
3) Looking For Love
4) All The Colors Of Your Love
5) Two Pachucos, Satan And Me