In the rockabilly tradition, “slap” bass is predominant, providing a bright percussive element in addition to a meaty bass line that propels a song forward. While you hear it on countless rockabilly recordings from the 50s, and even a few blues records here and there, it was pretty much lost on popular music until Lee Rocker brought it along with him in the Stray Cats way back in 1980. Since then, the Stray Cats have recorded numerous albums with Rocker’s participation, and the individual Cats has splintered off into numerous side projects both solo and with other bands. (Avid readers know I’m a big Brian Setzer fan.) A few years ago, I’d gotten Brian Setzer’s Ignition album, and along with the 50s channel on XM Radio (which features rockabilly on Bruce Berenson’s “Rockabilly Road Trip” and Matt The Cat’s occasional weeknight features), I found a renewed interest in rockabilly both new and old, finally exploring something outside my familiar Stray Cats recordings.
I found some newer rockabilly recorded by the Reverend Horton Heat, and even found a real cornball group called Hillbilly Hellcats that added a bit more hillbilly and a dose of humor to the music. (Who else could write songs like “Hillbillies on Speed” and “White Trash”?) I also listened to two sample tracks on Lee Rocker’s own website, and ended up buying his Bulletproof album. And let me tell you, Lee Rocker “has it”: he has the voice and charisma to lead his own rock solid band, and his slap bass playing has improved with each passing year. Bulletproof was as bulletproof as its title suggests: a good helping of originals written by Rocker and occasionally a bandmate, and some neat cover versions, like the rockabilly rave-up of the Beatles’ “I’ll Cry Instead”, one of my favorites of their early albums. I highly recommend Bulletproof and, if you like it as much as I do, you’ll probably grab a few others from his catalog as well. Within a couple of weeks, Lee’s newest recording, Black Cat Bone, will be released. I plan on picking this one up, as I’m sure it will top even Bulletproof. (And by ordering online directly from the official Lee Rocker website, you can get an autographed copy of it.)
One other thing I discovered, in addition to the great music, is how much Lee has evolved not only from a sideman to a leader (he has other albums under his name), but has also become one of the foremost proponents of slap bass technique in the music world. I can pick out a few notes on a bass myself, but I don’t think I could ever achieve the level of coordination Rocker gets during a performance. On the Stray Cats’ Rumble In Brixton DVD, the extras give all three Cats a few moments to talk about their equipment, and Rocker gives a demonstration and a little background about slap bass technique. With his prominence in the field, and countless other modern rockabilly bass players helping out, this technique won’t become a lost art.
Given all the expensive tours this summer, including the triple bill the Stray Cats are on, I’m eagerly awaiting a local appearance by Rocker and his band, as I know the ticket prices will be down to earth, and I’ll have one helluva good time out there in the audience. He’s touring this autumn to support the new album, so the possibility of additional dates added in the near future looks good.
“Diesel fueled, my bags are packed, this time I’m gonna stay!”