The Strikes

The blues had a baby and they called it rock ‘n’ roll,’ blues legend Muddy Waters once said. Damn right! And Leerdam’s the Strikes got the message. Now here’s a young blues band that rawks like f*#k! This is blues the hard way. Forget about those blues bands providing thin imitations of their heroes. This is hardcore. Like the infamous Red Devils and their heirs Thirteen in the early ‘90s did, this is blues ‘you can fight too.’ Imagine the sound of breaking glass and knives landing on the... Meer »

The blues had a baby and they called it rock ‘n’ roll,’ blues legend Muddy Waters once said. Damn right! And Leerdam’s the Strikes got the message. Now here’s a young blues band that rawks like f*#k! This is blues the hard way. Forget about those blues bands providing thin imitations of their heroes. This is hardcore. Like the infamous Red Devils and their heirs Thirteen in the early ‘90s did, this is blues ‘you can fight too.’ Imagine the sound of breaking glass and knives landing on the table. Softies should attach the parental advisory stickers to their ears. This is blues for hardliners. Meanwhile these streetwise kids rock da house like the Paladins or the T-Birds in their heyday. If rawk is back in 2004, then count this lot in.

You can’t recognise a good band by its music only. Oh no, the band picture should give it away too. Every picture tells its story. Right? Well, singer Big Pete fully lives up to his name. You better hide in an alley if you don’t want to be blown out off your boots by his harmonica. Wearing his Ramones T-shirt, guitarist Jimmy Stringbreaker, looks like a carefree punk rocker. Casually smoking his fag, bassist Spools is a dude with a ‘don’t mess with me’ cool. If you don’t want a bruisin’ while you’re cruisin’, then stand clear of drummer Jody ‘the hitter.’

Is it possible to condense so much attitude and stage presence on an album? Oh, hell yes, it is. Listen to their debut CD Bathroom Acoustics, which will hit you like a bloody hot shower. Or stone cold, if you prefer. Whereas most contemporaries fail to transform their live act to the silver disc, these rookies have succeeded hands down. With frightening authority they play Buddy Guy and Arthur Crudup songs alongside self-penned originals. Small wonder that they have already played at the renowned Moulin Blues Festival in Ospel in 2004, where they shared the bill with the likes of The Imperial Crowns, Junior Watson, Eddie"The Chief"Clearwater and Kenny Brown among others. Put a stereo in your bathroom at home and drown yourself in the blues. The Strikes? Not just a band from Holland. The Strikes: this is it.

Line-up:
Big Pete: vocals, harp, guitar
Jimmy Stringbreaker: guitar
Spools: bass, vocals
Jody ‘the Hitter’: drums
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