Link Wray Tribute (MuSick)
by Craig Regala
What’s to say? This is the best tribute I’ve ever heard, with the best liner notes, and just plain great roots rock destruction. Herein is where the power chord made its presence know, in “rumble”… Trust me you’ve heard it/heard it ripped off. The bands take some chances and you’re happy about it. The first three pages detail who, what, where, and why Link mattered, then the booklet runs down each song, its original release, and who’s taking it for a ride today.
If you wanna see where the heavy started here’s a huge chunk of it. Throwrag beef up “I’m so Proud” and show you how Link influenced AC/DC. Space Cossacks throw one of Link’s trademark echo-y surf’n’western riffs in “Mustang.” The Finnish entry, The Downers, hold the tempo to slow boil on “Genocide” (Link’s mom is a Shawnee American Indian), with a perfect menacing grace. Really, I could soak the editor for some real space by running down each track [like Ewan did with Punk-O-Rama 8, for which he’s been flogged by Mexican jumping llamas -Ed.]. Guitar Ace is full of great tunes done by those who know which end of the thing to grab. Here they be: Mystery Action, Bleed, Spy-Fi (featuring Phantom Frank), The Hellbenders, The Ledgers, The Fleshtones, Dave Wronski, Fifty Foot Combo, Hypnomen, The Woggles, Boss Martians, Calexico, Southern Culture On The Skids, Gore Gore Girls, Evan Foster, Pollo Del Mar, The Volcanos, Jackie & The Cedrics, Deke Dickerson & The Eccofonics, The Bambi Molesters, Four Piece Suit.
(PO Box 1757 Burbank, CA 91507)