G.G. Elvis and the TCP Band – Back From The Dead

G.G. Elvis and the TCP (Takin’ Care of Punk) Band is exactly what it sounds like. If G.G. Allin and Elvis somehow had a child together (don’t ask me about the biology of that), that’s where this album fits. As a fan of the rockabilly and psychobilly genres, I can say without hesitation that I have heard far too many mediocre Elvis covers to the point of nausea, but this album brought something different to the table. If you’re ultra-conservative and traditional with your rockabilly and vintage rock and roll, you probably won’t appreciate the loud, fast, punk styles of each song, but those are what truly separate this band from the rest. If you lean farther towards the punk side of life, you’ll really enjoy the “Blue Suede Shoes” cover that begins with the familiar T.S.O.L guitar riff from “Code Blue”.

I did a little background research on this band and understood part of why I was so drawn to this album, namely because it consists of a mish-mash of talented punkers from the earlier days (you know… the ‘90s) including Eric Lara and Horhay from the Bad Samaritans, Dave Casillas from NOFX and Tony Cortez from Ill Repute, so perhaps I’m a little biased because now I like it even more. My research yielded another realization; that many of the other, shall we say, “less enthusiastic” reviews of this album had it all wrong. Fellow music bloggers and journalists were holding up Back From The Dead to eitherElvis’s previous greatness or to G.G. Allin’s previous greatness. While combining the King with the King of Punk is a great idea, most critics will find that this album falls short because they’re missing one key factor: you have to take it for what it is. It’s not going to be as earth shattering as either Elvis or G.G. Allin, so don’t expect it to be. It’s tongue-in-cheek, do what you want, who gives a fuck type rock and roll. Of course, when you get down to brass tacks, what could be more punk than that?

Not only has this album become part of my regular CD rotation, but I will be sure to make it a point to see G.G. Elvis in concert for what promises to be a night of hilarity and amazing music, which, if you ask me, should go hand in hand more often.