Friends of Rock & Roll [Explicit Lyrics]

Easy Action, Action Swingers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 31, 2005)
• Original Release Date: May 31, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Reptilian Records
• ASIN: B0009RYGS6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #513,890 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I'm Waiting

2. Worse For You

3. Friends of Rock & Roll

4. Honey Don't

5. Dead of Night

6. Get It

7. There Was A Time

8. Get the Fuck Out My Way

9. Kool Aide

10. What's Going Down

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Formed in 1997 from the smoldering heap of Brannon’s earlier rock powerhouses (LAUGHING HYENAS and before that NEGATIVE APPROACH, both on the Touch and Go Records label), EASY ACTION relies on the Search-And-Destroy ethic, careening like an untracked train into songs that defy interpretation. The jagged guitar rips holes through a swath of rhythm, simple and reckless, but Brannon’s howl is what makes the Action so Easy, a now-familiar screech of war that turns everything upside down. Brannon sings of death, love, terror, hate, and the emotional shrapnel that scars anyone who lives and breathes.

Product Description

It doesn’t hurt that John Brannon grew up during the peak of Detroit rock and roll, then came kicking and screaming into manhood during hardcore punk’s most vicious years. Or that his first band Negative Approach set a brutal template for lockstep American HC. Or that the Laughing Hyenas, the Brannon-helmed skronk-noise-blues quartet of the late 80’s, early 90’s ripped the door hinges off of depression-era blues, roots rock, and punk simultaneously, focusing more on Brannon’s soulful yowl than his militant bark. All of these things help, because all of these elements – complimentary elements, one might add - have been perfectly distilled on Easy Action’s sophomore album, Friends of Rock and Roll, from the scathing wallop of "I'm Waiting" and "Honey Don't", the uncompromising swagger of the title track, the confident lockstep of "Get the Fuck Out My Way", to the gutter blues of "Dead of Night" and "Kool Aide", and the Hammond organ-soaked, lowdown strut of What's Goin Down". Everything, all of the bands strengths, influences, tones, rhythmic punches are perfectly synthesized on Friends of Rock and Roll. At his most depth-plunging, Brannon’s inflection shows Nick Cave for the pretentious poser he’s always been, and at his most rollicking, his scorched-earth voice might make Iggy wish he had spent a little less time playing dress-up with Bowie, and more time kicking ass with the Asheton brothers. Recorded expertly and sparingly by Jim Diamond at Ghetto Recorders in Detroit, *Friends of Rock and Roll* is the perfect way to kick off another hot, boiling American homicide summer. All of it, of course, covered head to toe in pure Detroit industrial rock grime. There ain’t nothing more real out there, rest assured.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Action kicks ass!!!, October 20, 2009

By 

Pee Wee (Mad City USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Friends of Rock & Roll (Audio CD)

I bought this release on vinyl at one of their shows after seeing them live a few years back. It is a very good album. More "rock" than "blues" so don't be expecting the second coming of the Laughing Hyenas (even though there is some more bluesy numbers on this release including the Hyena-esque "Dead of Night" and "There Was A Time"), but John Brannon is there front and center in all of his howling glory. It stands on its own as a great release that has been in regular rotation in my collection since I originally purchased it. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to listen to it right now. Highly recommended.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars get Decimation Blvd., June 29, 2005

By 

goozemann (West Chester, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Friends of Rock & Roll (Audio CD)

Well, after the blitzkrieg carnage that was Decimation Blvd, I decided to check out this release, and unfortunately it's not up to snuff. The songs are slower and the aggression is toned down. I recommend Decimation Blvd and the live CD to get the full throttle assault...it's good stuff!!

0 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars thought it would be better, September 13, 2007

By 

Jason Brent "Total Sweetheart Extra-Ordinaire" (Milwaukee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Friends of Rock & Roll (Audio CD)

i have to recommend some of the mid career Laughing Hyenas records. the formula of "Friends of Rock n Roll" is found all over the old hyenas stuff, and those visceral vocals are perfected by their 2nd and 3rd records. so in short, this record isn't very good as a whole.