More crazed blues trash from Reverend Beat-Man

How does he do it! Reverend Beat-Man – Fifty-one years of age, and hardly a day saner than when he was a teenage punk rocker with a band called the Monsters. Just in time for a massive European tour that takes in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Spain and the UK comes the release on 20 April of an album by his latest musical crew, the New Wave on his very own record label, Voodoo Rhythm Records. It’s called “Blues Trash” and available worldwide, of course. By the way, most of those tour dates are as a duo with the Rev’s long-time musical partner Nicole Izobel Garcia, some are with The New Wave.

This being the Reverend, the recording method of this album isn’t quite as conventional as any rational artist would perhaps expect. Having written a handful of songs, he called the other members of the band into the studio. Rehearsals were strictly out of bounds. The Reverend played them each song just the once on guitar, and then they were recorded straight away, two takes maximum, no corrections allowed. Just as well he had managed to surround himself with some of the best musicians in Bern, all with plenty of improvisation experience. Percussionist Julius Sartorius has forged a great international reputation in improv music circles. Accordionist Mario Batkovic straddles the world of avant-garde accordion – his latest solo album was released on the experimental British Invada label – and rock’n’roll with ease. Multi-instrumentalist Resli Burri is Bernese music royalty and also a member of the Dead Brothers (another great Voodoo Rhythm act supported by Swiss Music Export), Patent Ochsner and a circus band. Singer and keyboarder Nicole Izobel Garcia, meanwhile, has been touring with the Reverend for many years and is well used to his unpredictable antics.

As if all this is not enough, Reverend Beat-Man will be touring the United States throughout August and into September – for the second time this year! He also promises a new duo album with Nicole Izobel Garcia in the near future.

Reverend Beat-Man
Voodoo Rhythm Records