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Press & Such |
| CD Reviews for Milemarker 26 | CD Reviews for One Part Fist | CD Reviews for Stilletto Poised in Hate |
Interview with Talon Magazine- July 2006-(click link)- http://graveyardcreep.org/talon/
| Chicago Time Out Magazine, Issue 21-July 23, 2005
Three Blue Teardrops NO EXCESSIVELY BAGGY PANTS. NO TANK TOPS ON MEN, reads a small paper sign outside the Deja Vu bar on Lincoln Avenue. While the implication of this message is blunt, what is left unsaid is that a decade ago this venue was packed with patrons sporting roomy zoot suit trousers and wifebeaters. The fact that the former home of Rockabilly Night now bans the scene's uniform shows how far this subculture has fallen. The tribe still gathers every month at Martyr's Big C Jamboree, but it's clear that Chicago's rockabilly scene has diminished since it's heyday, and that has a lot to with the absence of it's greatest band. From 1991-1999, Three Blue Teardrops (guitarist Dave Sisson, drummer
Randy Sabo and upright bassist Rick Uppling) created driving, dynamic
psychobilly that was traditional without being nostalgic, fun without
being novelty and punk without being a mess. The trio toured America
(a rockabilly rarity) and established itself nationally as a riveting
live act. Locally it bridged the gap between the pompadour contingent
and broader music audiences, but the group ran into a glass ceiling
when it's dedication to wild, genre-defying songwriting kept it from
cashing in on the swing dance craze that proved lucrative for cohorts
like the Mighty Blue Kings and the Four Charms. The Teardrops' infrequent
reunions are fueled by their love of the music and by unbreakable familial
bonds (both between each other and with their reverent audience), so
their appearance this week is one to treasure. And don't worry about
the dress code-it's tank top optional. |
| THREE BLUE TEARDROPS
|
'Drops take that rockabilly and shove it into the '90's. by Andrew Friedman-The Grand Rapids Press 1995 CHICAGO-Three Blue Teardrops vocalist Dave Sisson sucks on alot of black licorice. He acquired the habit to quit smoking, and when he pops a licorice ball into his mouth, the juice quickly saturates his teeth and tongue, adding to Sisson's natural rockabilly look, complete with a slicked switchblade pompadour, sideburns, a red button-down shirt and blue jacket. Sitting in a booth at a Chicago diner called Ray's, Sisson skips the licorice and opts for breakfast fare (raisin toast and coffee) as he discusses his band's fierce, guitar driven update of '50's music. "You can hear the old music in our music, but we don't try to make it," says the 26 year-old who also plays guitar. "We do whatever comes natural. It's not retro. We don't try to be. It's trying to take that old music into the modern day." The Teardrops updating comes in the form of an aggressive guitar wallop, non-traditional time signatures and a whole lot of energy. The band's manic, steely twang and leather clad melodies provide a classic backdrop for the toughs who frequent the songs' shadowy alleys and motorpools; the cool, aloof characters make the dancing cast of "Grease" look like a bunch of momma's boys. Although Sisson looks the part, the Three Blue Teardrops' primal songs aren't always his life stories. When he writes, he assumes personas like any narrator, ones that spend their time in the '50's drag racing, working their hair, moving through the west, cruising in their Cadillacs. "Most of it is me assuming the role of somebody else," says Sisson, who can't afford a Cadillac yet and settles for a Japanese car. "I just like a song that tells a story. My favorite songwriters were storytellers." Through the course of a Teardrops' set, the band speeds from traditional rockabilly to boiling psychobilly that gives punk a run for it's money. With influences ranging far beyond traditional Sun label recordings and early Elvis sounds, the 3 year old band is definately not retro. Sisson was weaned on punk as much as he was his father's scratchy old Chess blues records and his hellraising uncle's store of Johnny Cash. "When I heard rockabilly in the first place in the early '80's, to me, it was punk rock with an upright," bass, he said. "That music was punk rock in the '50's. It was totally freakin' all the parents and it was totally rockin' and wild and everything." Growing up in Pittsburgh, Sisson took several misfired shots at music. He played violin for four years and was kicked out of the church choir for offbeat harmonizing before he scored a $50 guitar in high school and found his instrumental calling. After he moved to Chicago in 1991, Sisson hooked up with bassist Rick Uppling and drummer Randy Sabo. Kevin Myers joined up last January after Randy tired of musical life. In September, the band's new old record arrives nationwide on Teen Rebel Records. Bulk of the CD will consist of the band's raw first demo, recorded on a four track in an attic studio in Chicago then upgraded to eight-track. The group released an album on Europe's Nervous Records called "One Part Fist" which was hardly distributed in America because of copyright and tariff barriers. Sisson was unhappy with the mixing because it buried his guitar parts. "We wanted to put the demo out because we thought that was the best stuff we ever did," Sisson said. "We've been together for 3 1/2 years and nobody in the general population can walk into a record store and buy our record. Maybe after it comes out for a while people will catch on." Although Sisson respects '50's heroes, names like Bill Haley and Carl Perkins that have entered the American lexicon, his goal is to achieve cult status. He has written some could-be classics. "One time we did this show and we did this song that I wrote called "Long Hard Night," Sisson said. "This kid comes up to me afterwards and was like, "You know that song you guys played - Long Hard Night - I hear bands do that all the time. Who did that? Who wrote that song?" "I'm like...'I did...I wrote that.' He's like, 'What do you mean you wrote it?' He was expecting some dead guy to have written it or somebody from the 1950's.' "I like it." Sisson said, "because at least I know that somebody will remember me for something." |
| Three Blue Teardrops-Chicago
Sun Times Weekender
Just as the Reverend Horton Heat uses rockabilly as a launching pad for his own style, Three Blue Teardrops incorporate a bit of blues, country and British invasion flavor to their sound. A trio of drums, slap bass and guitar with vocals marked by whiskey and nicotine, Three Blue Teardrops expand on their rockabilly roots in carving out their very own unique niche in the rock and roll world. |
| Chicago Tribune, Friday March 25, 1994
3 Blue Teardrops inject punk into rockabilly Home Front-Chris Dickenson
Chicago's Three Blue Teardrops consider Heat's success an important sign. "We're getting more attention, thanks in whole part to him" says drummer Randy Sabo. "I think the scene is definately about to bust for bands like us, bands that maintain their roots but don't dwell on them." Despite Heat's current ascension into the modern rock realm, Teardrops' members say it's hard to convince the uninitiated that rockabilly-based music can live on in an updated, alternative form. "There are so many negative things attached to the rockabilly label (like) jitterbugging and poodle skirts," Sabo says. "We try to avoid it at all costs." Guitarist Dave Sisson adds, "The word itself has become campy. We walk into some clubs and they see us and say,'You guys are gonna do 'Heartbreak Hotel' right?'" The band's members, who all sing and write original material, aren't afraid to rail against the misperceptions that rattle their collective cage. "The Illinois Entertainer reviewed our first demo tape. 'Three guys, three chords, three decades too late,'" Sabo scoffs, quoting the offending slag-off. In fact, three decades ago you would've run head-on into the Beatles juggernaut. Merseybeat these guys are not. Turn the clock back four decades ago though and you'll hear the accurate sources: Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent. Three Blue Teardrops formed in 1991, when Sisson and Sabo who hail from Pittsburgh and Detroit respectively, joined up with Chicago native Rick Uppling. The band's grit and authority turn on that rust-belt axis. "We're all second-generation, blue-collar greasers," says upright bassist Uppling. "We're not art school boys," adds Sisson Three Blue Teardrops found it's music stirred little interest from American indie labels. Instead, they sent a demo tape direct to psychobilly central, London's Nervous Records. Label founder Roy Williams liked the band's aggressive rockabilly take, and in the fall of 1993, flew them to England to record, "One Part Fist!" a 14 song CD recently released for distribution in Europe and Japan. The band retained American rights and is shopping for a state-side label to pick it up, although copies will be available locally. Three Blue Teardrops will open for Slim Dunlap Saturday at Avalon. Chris Dickenson |
| Wilmington, NC Entertainment
Paper- April 1994 Three Blue Teardrops-Chicago's Guttiest, Nitro-Fueled Rockabilly After witnessing the Three Blue Teardrops first hand at the Rockabilly Rebel Weekender in Fairmount, Indiana, I realized that you can't always label a band "rockabilly" and expect the same songs or style. Sure, there are scads of rockabilly bands doing covers and paying homage to their heroes like Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly et al but it's great when a band can capture the influence of the old fifties rockers that comes through as the Teardrops pure influence. In this case they have the songs, the classic three piece rockabilly setup, (minimal drums, doghouse bass, and a fat hollowbody guitar) but even more important is they have the attitude. The Three Blue Teardrops are a visual workout live with Dave Sisson belting out vocals and backing them up with strong guitar, Randy Sabo on drums keeping things tight and powerful, and Rick Uppling on upright bass who is a very accomplished slap bassist and showman extraordinaire. Whilke never missing a lick, Rick climbs on, jumps on, spins his doghouse bass and you begin to wonder if it's a bass or a jungle gym. In Indiana, the first day he broke a hole in the stage with his bass and on day two he split the back off his bass (which was reinforced with sheet metal and pop rivets on the bottom). It's good to know that busted equipment is from the intensity of their playing rather than childish tantrums of smashing guitars that people like Kurt Cobain are so fond of. Now we get to the very core of what makes Three Blue Teardrops the great band that they are: their music. There are so few bands that you get a demo tape and play it more than your "major label" stuff. This is the case with 3BT. It's the best five bucks I've ever spent. You find yourself humming and singing just about every song on the tape. There are several tunes that especially stand out such as "Sinner's Spiritual" (complete with evangelical intro, go ahead now, your right!). "Coming Home To You" is a classic driving song, and one of my favorites "Long Hard Night" the rockabilly party/day after anthem. It was this tape and those songs that got them recognition from Nervous Records in London. In late January 1994, 3BT will release their full length 14 song CD on Nervous Records produced by Alan Wilson of the Sharks. The CD contains many of the songs on their lengthy (12 song) self released tape re-recorded in England but also includes 7 new songs that will whet the palate of those of us wanting more. The 3BT of wowed audiences in the states and also played the Big Rumble in Great Yarmouth, Great Britain in October 1993 sponsored by Nervous/Fury Records. Randy said the response was great and they hope to return in the future to tour England and continental Europe. 3BT were excited to hang out and share the stage with rockabilly and psychobilly greats such as Frenzy, Demented are GO, Restless, and the Frantic Flintstones. The Three Blue Teardrop's powerful rockabilly attack will hitting the road in the states soon but until then you can get your fill with their new CD and stay in contact with them by recieving the 3BT newsletter by writing to them (address now defunct). These boys are for real and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. by: Mark Griffiths |
| Three Blue Teardrops @ the Rockabilly
Rebel Weekender '97 You just can't say enough about the Three Blue Teardrops. They have played every one of the four Rockabilly Rebel Weekends. This is the only group that would not give me any information at all about themselves. "Get it from our record company" snarled Rick Uppling. But the record company had not sent anything that I could find on the tables. My totally uneducated impression was that this band played the most complicated music so far today. They lyrics were complicated, the drumming was exhausting to watch, the guitar and bass players were from another world. They were driven. Talented bass player Rick Uppling ended up with black leather gloves on both hands. I'm surprised they didn't need the EMTs. TBT was the first band forced to do an encore. None of these bands could have had the energy left to do an encore! But they did it. (Yes, the crowd was smaller earlier. Yes, the previous bands were encore material too.) Balling Jack was a super showcase for Rick Uppling. He fused with that bass. I think it was fiberglass. The bands' voices harmonize so you feel you are on a street corner in Brooklyn, long ago. Yet the music is compellingly Now, now and forever. I went home with Three Blue Teardrops. Yes, I did. I went home on Sunday with Three Blue Teardrops rocking my car's tape deck. I was driving 80 mph, singing along and being passed on the right. Long as I gotta tape, the music will never stop. Two State Police cars passed me when I was doing 71. They didn't give me a glance. Maybe my 3BT music charmed them. Reviewed by Sandra Weinhardt |
| Interview in LO-FI-Easy
Living for Cool Moderns issue Number 4-1997 Smart, Sexy and Witty as Heck:Chicago's Three Blue Teardrops God that Chicago accent is sexy! Well, when it's coming from Three Blue Teardrops talented blue eyed bassist, Rick Uppling it is, anyway. Anyone even remotely familiar with the state of current rockabilly (that means YOU Conan O'Brian) knows guitarist Dave Sisson's two living legend classics, "Long Hard Night," and "Switchblade Pompadour." Merely three years old, these tunes are already covered to the point of nausea. You could almost say they're in stress rotation on the AAA rockabilly circuit. Instant classics aside, however, the Teardrops' greasy, Rust Belt-hillbilly rawhide sound is uparalleled among the many struggling three piece bands playing around today. With the fastest mouth in the midwest, upstart Kevin Myers on drums, the Teardrops RULE! In other words, from a high uncrowded perch occupied only by their peers, The Belmont Playboys and the Frantic Flattops, It's the rockabilly trinity, if you will. With Simon Chardiet presiding as the mystical, omnipotent court jester, these boys are the fathers, sons and holy ghosts of the East Coast sound. You can decide who is which and let me know. I spoke to them at length in Indianapolis, Indian on November 9, 1996. Code LK-Where'd the name of the band come
from? So I was wondering what the song would sound like because there are only a few words and you have to imagine the rest. So I decided I could write a song to the words that were in the comic book. I had to add some more because there weren't enough, and I made a pretty cool song out of it. When I moved to Chicago and met Rick and our original drummer Randy, I played it for them and we tried to play the song but ended up taking the name because there were three of us. LK-Do You still play the song? LK-So you guys started out how long
ago as a punk rock band? LK-How did you get your style? LK-So you were listening to punk rock
and then you heard Johnny Cash... LK-Were you playing the same kind of
music?
It turned out that Rick's day job was in a coffee shop and the dishwasher
was Kevin. When Rick told the owner (who was a fan) we were gonna
break up because we lost our drummer, his boss said,"Why don't
you ask Kevin?" RU-For the first time in the life of
the band people were coming up to us and saying,"Man...your drummer
rules!" We're like, "What are we chopped liver? Can't I
play bass anymore?"
LK-Have you ever played with anyone
you just couldn't even believe you got to be on a bill with? LK-You have written the rockabilly anthem,
"Switchblade Pompadour." How do you feel about that? LK-So, Do you have another album in
the works? |