Purple Girlfriend

Chicago’s premier garage combo The Goldstars make a roaring return to the record rack with the release of their second long-player, Purple Girlfriend (Pravda). This ten-song set not only confirms the band’s considerable skills as purveyors of hard-hitting blasts of lusty rock, but also sees the foursome raising the stakes musically.

Having honed their act through tireless performances and ample roadwork, Purple Girlfriend finds The Goldstars at the top of their musical game. Bassist and vocalist Sal is at his primal, swaggering best on revved-up cuts like ‘DMV’ and ‘All About You’ as well as their slash and burn cover of The Sparkles’ classic ‘No Friend of Mine’. Goodtime’s drums tumble like runaway thunder on crucial cuts like the tremolo-soaked ‘One Plus One’ and Sal’s hilariously bitter ‘Angry Eyes’.

Guitarist Dag Juhlin steps up to the microphone for a pair of numbers — the caffeinated Stones riff-o-rama of ‘Fire’ and the album’s most blatant and engaging musical departure, the muscular West Coast psychedelia of ‘Go Baby Go’. And his moaning guitar squall adds a suitably nightmarish accent to the instrumental title track. Through it all is the amped-up keyboard work of band co-founder Skipper. Whether he’s rolling through a nasty, Farfisa-laden blues solo in ‘Always Late’ or channeling an after-hours Ramsey Lewis in the band’s stunning reworking of the Mel Torme-sung chestnut, ‘Comin’ Home Baby’ it’s Skipper’s handiwork that adds the right touch of garage grit to every track.

Loud and fast, though loaded with subtle extras and bona fide world-class musicianship, Purple Girlfriend delivers a welcome jolt of straight ahead rock and roll that goes for the throat like a cold Pabst in a smoky club. Ladies and gentlemen, The Goldstars are back.

Gotta Get Out

Pravda recording artists The Goldstars were formed by local rock vets Skipper (organ/bass) and Goodtime (drums) moonlighting from trash rock cult heros The New Duncan Imperials, along with bassist/vocalist Sal, formerly of raucous pop outfit The Krinkles. After a couple of guitarist misfires, the three turned to old friend Dag Juhlin (The Slugs, Poi Dog Pondering) to up the wattage and loosen up the proceedings. The four mixed instantly, and over the following months the dozen songs that became Gotta Get Out took shape on the small stages of smoky Midwestern clubs. Gotta Get Out is a roaring return to rock and roll basics, fueled by greasy Motor City swagger, inebriated punk rock, nasty riffs and bar-band glory, all injected with a timeless Nuggets-style shoutability. From the ballistic, foot-stomp of Babblin' Brook to the short, sharp slash of Oh Yeah to the Stooges-styled raveout of the album's title track, Gotta Get Out is the sound of amped-up rock and roll played straight and cool, with no frills or Pro Tools tomfoolery. Ably and quickly recorded at Chicago's legendary ACME Studios by Kris "Chainsaw" Poulin, Gotta Get Out captures the balls-out, from-the-hip rock of The Goldstars in all its urgent glory. Just add beer.

Goldstars T-Shirt

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