This was the second time for me at the Water Rats in as many weeks. I’m delighted to say that good gigs are just like buses, in that two come along at once. This was very much a double headliner with the Deltas on first followed by the Moonshine Stalkers.

Veterans of the scene Captain Pat Marvel, Stevie Bongo, joined by Kev Magee of Demented Are Go and Paul Ansell’s No.9 fame, with Nicky Forbes of the Rezillos on drums rocked the joint. Playing all the favourites including ‘Raging Sea’, ‘Heart Attack’, and more modern songs including ‘London Girls’, and ‘Party Tonight’ the band still exudes energy in abundance with a degree of menace. Standing next to me and soaking it all up was Andy Kandil who turned and said to me that Pat Marvel was a tremendous influence on his playing, indeed he confessed to stealing a few licks. This was a definite case of a mutual appreciation with Stevie Bongo saying how much he enjoyed being with his friends again since they first played together some ten years ago. The band really is quite superb and I would recommend their recent vinyl release which is a reissue of their From Fleetville to Vegas LP which also includes four new songs.

To the Moonshine Stalkers, whom I last saw in Camden last year, which is relatively recently these days. Quite unlike when the band started all those years ago when you could see them play most weeks in London. The trouble is, is that Bruno and drummer Txerno both play in the Brains and Andy Kandil plays with French gore psychobillies Banane Metalik, as well as Space Bop with Phil Polecat, and a new band with Djamel Abina from the Blue Carpet Band. Suffice to say that these boys are busy. Nevertheless, the word on the street is that a new album from the band is not too far away. In any event we should be grateful that the band is playing. Three more talented individuals it would be hard to conceive of and rest assured that the band always delivers a performance right from the top drawer. And tonight is no exception. Beginning with a thank you to the Deltas without whom Andy says that this band probably would have been a metal band. To which Bruno rather wittily added ‘you are in a metal band’ a remark directed to Andy’s membership of Banane Metalik. But it’s then headlong into a set of some of the finest psychobilly songs ever written, all of which are delivered at breakneck speed and with musicianship that is simply off the scale. ‘Slingshot’ being a case in point. Andy then retold a story about being stranded with the Deltas in Belgium some ten years ago and Bongo saying that he would show the band a good time. He suggested leaving the bar and going to the Pharmacy whereupon he bought some Listerine and proceeded to get pissed on it. 

‘Speed Street’ is a masterpiece of a song and Andy is also in fine voice. ‘Space Clowns’ is quite imperious, with a masterful breakdown section and a quite impeccable ending. ‘Necropolis Station’ with its jazzy intro and enough space for all of the instruments to play in a really sublime fashion. There is so much going on in this song – it is absolutely terrific. Then, it’s a fabulous version of Eddie Cochran’s Twenty Flight Rock, which Bruno apparently hates playing, but which Andy is adamant should stay in the set as a homage to the original guys, and what a solo Andy conjures up – watching the master at work is an absolute joy as is Txerno’s drum solo. Next is a song that Andy admits Bruno had a large hand in writing ‘Shocked’. The delightful interplay of all the instruments is ‘something else’, to coin another Eddie Cochran song. Next, we have a real delight when Djamel Abina of the Blue Carpet Band jumps up for a superb rendition of ‘B-Movie Boogie’ with a delightful solo that screams Brian Setzer before going surf. Tremendous versatility. Then it’s an impromptu but mesmerising version of Little Walter’s ‘My Babe’. Sometimes guest performances are terrific, and this was one such incidence. The response was positively rapturous. 

‘Black Widow’ is next in honour of Polish artist Izabela Jaros who did some artwork for the song and who is in the audience tonight. ‘Come on Man’ is riotous good fun and before we know it that is it, before, of course, the band is coaxed back for an encore. And Phil Polecat is dragged from the audience and Bruno told to fuck off. There then follows a superb rendition of ‘Rockabilly Guy’ sung by the bass maestro. ‘John Doe’ concludes the most wonderful of sets. Before Peter lures the band back for a killer rendition of ‘Satan Takes a Holiday’. This has been a superb evening of music by two of the hottest bands in town. 

Thanks go to Peter and Georgia who, as head honchos of the Trash Klub, do so much to keep the scene alive. Roll on December when the Klub plays host to the amazing Test Pilots who fly in from Sweden.

Nick Kemp

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