WHO ARE THEY? Unstoppable, indestructible and perhaps immortal singer-bassist Eddie Spaghetti — a man who has survived 30-plus years in the rock ’n’ roll trenches, multiple band lineups and record labels, and oh yeah, a bout with FREAKING THROAT CANCER a few years back — aided and abetted by his latest crew of take-no-prisoners cow-punk renegades.
WHAT IS THIS? Their dozenth studio platter of high-octane, no-bullshit barnburners about liquor, women, drugs and killing — basically, 11 songs that are the musical equivalent of a middle finger proudly held aloft while riding high along the line between punk, roots and riff-rock.
WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE? The heart of Saturday night at that shitkicker biker bar out past the county line on the interstate. Which is to say: Pretty much like every other Supersuckers album. Admittedly, Eddie and co. no longer keep the pedal pinned to the metal like they did back in the speed-demon glory days of La Mano Cornuda. Of course, that’s like saying Mike Tyson doesn’t hit as hard as he used to. And while the big C seems to have left Eddie’s voice even more gravelly and gritty, it suits him just fine.
WHAT ARE THE MOST REVEALING LYRICS? ‘I say what I want / I do as I please / I care not a lot / What you think of me / Be sure to burn my bones when I die alone.’
WHAT SHOULD IT BE TITLED? Still Sucking It Up and Sucking ’Em Down.
HOW SHOULD I LISTEN TO IT? Drunk and ornery.
WHAT 10 WORDS SUM IT UP? Swaggering, propulsive, powerful, fun, rebellious, raucous, sleazy, trashy, cocky, irreverent.
WHAT ARE THE BEST SONGS? Self-explanatory statements of badassery like Ain’t Gonna Stop, You Ain’t The Boss of Me, Play That Rock N’ Roll, Die Alone and Dead, Jail or Rock N’ Roll. Bonus points for the bonus track: A high-spirited romp through the Allen Toussaint chestnut A Certain Girl.
WHAT WILL MY FRIENDS SAY? ‘Huh. I guess rock ’n’ roll still ain’t dead. Pass the whiskey and turn that fucker up loud as it goes, willya?’
WHEN WILL I LISTEN TO IT? Whenever you need to be reminded (or to remind someone else) what real rock sounds like.
IF THIS ALBUM WERE BODILY FLUIDS, WHICH ONES WOULD THEY BE? Sweat, piss, jizz and blood.
SHOULD I BUY, STREAM OR STEAL IT? They play. You pay. That’s the way it is. That’s the way it’s been. That’s the way it’s gonna be. Fuck is wrong with you?
