The Bamboo Kids – S/T - New LP

NYC trio, recorded in 2001 and released in Europe, eventually by Get HIp, the sounds coming out of the Rolling Stones and east-coast rock traditions established with bands such as The Dolls, DMZ, Ramones, and NYC transplants Dead Boys (Cleveland), and maybe even earlier east coast bands like J Geils and Mountain, if you came to a point between those two and launched into NYC/Boston underground/punk of the mid 1970s..opening and focusing the proceedings on faster cuts but eventually slinking into some slower numbers, blasting from a basement setting, hopping and stomping up the wooden stairs, and crawling and falling back into the musty basement for some darkly reflective numbers that appear to owe much to the proto punk of the rust belt, Cleveland and Detroit...by the end, the more easily identifiable influence of black artists showing up, Womack and Mayfield, and other ones who proceeded (and helped inform) the 1960s and the 1970s. -- winch

 

The Bamboo Kids headed into New York City's aptly named Junkroom Studios to record what was to become their debut release. It may sound cliche, but The Bamboo Kids wanted to make an album about living in the greatest city in the world and about having no money, about fucking in bathrooms, drugs, booze, all the things happening around them. They wanted to find the perfect mix of art and delinquency. Junkroom was an appropriate setting with roaches and so-so sound made it just the dirty little rock and roll womb the band was looking for. Three days later, they emerged onto the sunlight streets of the West Village with an album. After building a strong local following and signing a regional deal with Norwegian label Big Dipper, the band decided to spend a hard year on the road. They played over 140 shows from San Francisco to Trondheim, Norway. The band's ferocious live performances spread their name and their reputation grew. When the band arrived home, they were surprised to discover that the New York City alternative rag 'NY Press' had named them "Best Unsigned Band" in New York. The buzz eventually made its way to Pittsburgh and Get Hip Records' Gregg Kostelich. Oddly, The Bamboo Kids had been eyeing Get Hip for a while, aware of the label's love for no-nonsense rock and roll. The band was contacted by Kostelich in early 2004 and a deal was signed.