Skip Rock : Hit and Run
by Erik Tweedy
Staff Writer
Germany is known for many things: Volkswagens, BMWs, warm beer and that one guy named Adolf all come to mind. But blues rock? The German music scene is filled with many great hard rock and metal bands. Accept, Primal Fear, Rammstein, Grave Digger, Warlock and Blind Guardian all hail from the land of lederhosen. In 2009, lead vocalist and guitarist Marc Terry dropped the day job as a producer and song writer for Paul Dianno and went in search of some gritty, drunk and dirty musicians. Fortunately for him, two area bands, Darkseed and Lacrimas Profundere, both had recently gone down in flames, and Terry was there to pick up the scraps in the form of drummer Willi Wurm and bassist Rico Galvagno. Guitarist Darius Dee was added to the mix, and Skip Rock was born.
Combining whiskey-soaked vocals and a guitar sound reminiscent of early L.A. Guns, Skip Rock churns out 11 solid blues-tinged rockers on their first full-length studio release, Hit and Run. While not groundbreaking in any way, Hit and Run is a fun romp through motorcycle bar band territory. The title track opener, “Hit and Run” is a full-throttle rocker that immediately showcases the raunchy vocals of Terry. Sounding like a younger Blackie Lawless, mixed with some Marc Storace, Terry does his best to own the mic. At times, it’s a bit rough, especially on the track “It’s You My Friend.” The guitars are straight ahead hard bluesy-rock with a fist-in-your-face attitude.
If you like your rock edgy and dirty sounding, there is plenty to like here. “Stinky, Filthy, Rich and Nazty,” “Motorcycle Man,” “We Rock” and “Little Nazty” all are tasty treats. Fans of bands like Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns and Hardcore Superstar should enjoy Skip Rock. Blues Rock definitely is alive and well in Germany.
Label: Streetdog Records
Band:
Mark Terry – Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Darius Dee – Lead Guitar
Rico Galvagno – Bass
Willi Wurm – Drums
Track Listing:
1. Motorcycle Man
2. We Rock
3. Hit and Run
4. Lies
5. Little Nazty
6. Stinky, Filthy, Rich and Nazty
7. Nutbush City Limits
8. World is Hell
9. Rough and Ready
10. Time Will Tell
11. It’s You My Friend
Website: http://skip-rock.com/index.html
Hardrock Haven rating: 7.6/10