Mean Motor Scooter

Hindu Flying Machine documents Mean Motor Scooter’s maturation into full-grown musical monsters from outer space. Released on the heels of taking home an armload of panther-headed hardware at this year’s Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards, Flying Machine sees the band’s recent juggernaut momentum roll on. The addition of Rebekah Elizabeth on organ has lifted the band’s garage-psych sound into the stratosphere of surfy ’60s-era dance tunes. With songs about aliens, lizardmen, sea serpents, and shape-shifters, the late night B-movie vibe gives MMS’ first full-length everything a liquid light projector and lava lamp enthusiast could wish for in a band that reincarnates Question Mark & The Mysterians. –– P.H. - Fort Worth Weekly

Some albums catch your attention before you ever hear a note. Hindu Flying Machine by Mean Motor Scooter is definitely one of those. First of all, the name Mean Motor Scooter is enough to grab the attention. Then you take a look at the photo where you see the face of only one band member. The others have been transformed into a lizard, an alien, and an astronaut. The whole thing is certainly intriguing enough to make you wonder what this band is all about.

"Wavespotting" gives you a pretty good idea of what this band is about. The introduction is kind of like a trashier version of "Wipeout". Then comes a surf-guitar riff before the all-out garage assault happens. With the organ, the trashy melody, and the shouted vocals, this sounds quite a bit like Wau y Los Arrrghs!!! This sounds like it was recorded in a garage, but that is a big part of the charm of this tune.

"Cosmonaut" is one of those songs that is hard to classify into a genre. The intro of the song features a dingy guitar sound along with a sound that seems like it belongs in a B movie about alien invasion. About a minute into the song, it falls into a groove-rock feel punctuated by some jarring keyboard sounds sort of like loud static and then a shout from the lead singer. It doesn't fit neatly into any particular category, but it certainly is an interesting composition. One thing is certain: this would never be used in a workshop on how to write a song - and that's not a bad thing.

While there are some surf sounds on this album, most of the songs on the album are pure garage rock. "Sam the Homosapien" is a good example. The verses are pretty mellow with a guitar part that sounds like college rock of the 90s - along the lines of Dinosaur Jr. The tempo and the volume both pick up during the chorus. Then comes the instrumental break with a chaotic guitar solo. The song closes with a swell of sound before the song abruptly ends. "Come and Get It" is another good example of the garage sound of this band. This is a display of furious energy from the opening moment - especially in the guitar and vocals. Another thing you notice in this song besides the energy is the fuzzy bass line you hear throughout. It's enough to rumble your gut.

This is a really good garage-rock album. It has all the things you look for in great garage rock: energy, distortion, volume, and a great organ sound. This is an album that should be blared from the sound system of your choice. If you like fuzzy and furious garage rock, this album belongs in your collection. Hindu Flying Machine (Dirty Water Records) will be available everywhere on October 13. - AXS

I have the feeling that history will judge this strange year with a mixture of punch-drunk confusion, odd fascination, and abject horror. But when the members of Mean Motor Scooter look back on 2017, the psych-tinged garage rock band may well see this as the year it all came together.

Born out of a musical left turn from a mostly acoustic-rock outfit called Endless Sky, drummer Jeff Friedman, singer-guitarist and principal songwriter Sammy Kidd, and bassist Joe Tacke formed Mean Motor Scooter in 2015. Initially, they developed the type of grease-under-the-nails rock ’n’ roll sound that you might expect from a band called Mean Motor Scooter. An early self-titled EP is a document of this phase.

Ever in a state of experimentation, Kidd slowly began to reshape the heavier, riff-focused guitar work of their first effort into a more open, dirty, and surf-edged chime. He also dialed back the affected macho growl he applied to his vocals, evolving them into a much more natural tongue-in-cheek sneer. The band released its Naked Brunch/Such a Seducer double-single in 2016 with this new sound. Over three years as a band, the trio had discussed expanding their lineup at several points, maybe adding a guitar player or even a second drummer. But after the early rounds of recording, Tacke recruited keyboardist Rebekah Elizabeth to fill out the sound.

“Sammy really wanted keys, and I thought of Rebekah,” Tacke said. “Once we heard her organ parts, we realized that maybe we were missing it all along.”

Elizabeth fronts the folky art rock band I Happy Am, in which Tacke and Friedman also play. At Tacke’s recommendation, she joined MMS this February. Her gritty organ-work not only rounds out MMS’s current sound but threatens to wrest the spotlight from the rest of the band. Perhaps a bigger contribution, if subtle, are the harmonies that she sparsely and tastefully applies at just the right times, highlighting some of Kidd’s better lines.

“A lot of those things, the harmonies, were her idea,” Tacke said. “She brought a lot to the table.”

With the band’s sonic direction settled, the quartet set out to finish the work begun almost a year before. The culmination is Mean Motor Scooter’s debut full-length album. Recorded at both Cloudland Recording Studios and Tacke’s own studio, One Horn, with production help from Robby Rux (The Fibs, Antirad, Year of the Bear), Hindu Flying Machine is a 10-song collection of pure go-go, danceable psyche-garage. With themes ranging from alien invasions and simian evolution to lizard people, there’s a prevailing ’60s b-reel sci-fi aesthetic. But according to Tacke, you shouldn’t let that fool you.

“On the surface, the music’s fun, and there’s these hooky melodies,” he said. “But Sammy has a great way of telling a story and puts a lot of himself in his lyrics. We want our audience to have a good time, but we also hope they walk away thinking about the stories they just heard.”

The release party for Hindu Flying Machine is Friday at MASS, and the record is officially available the next day on CD and digital formats through the band’s Bandcamp page. And in another milestone achieved this year, MMS recently signed with Dirty Water Records USA (the new stateside sister spinoff of the London-based label of the same name) to release the album on vinyl. The foursome heads out on tour with The Darts (L.A./Phoenix) and new labelmates Escobar (France) next month.

This year may seem like the beginning of the world sliding into chaos, but at least Mean Motor Scooter is having a good time while it happens. - Fort Worth Weekly

Jacking into an amp, stomping on a Superfuzz pedal and screaming into the night in two-minute blasts can be perfect medicine. For Fort Worth’s Mean Motor Scooter, getting loud and fast changed everything.

“It’s opened up a lot of doors for us as far as places that we can play,” said MMS bassist Joe Tacke, who performs with the group at 8 p.m. Feb. 25 at Your Mom’s Place, 3201 N. May Ave. “But there’s also the freedom of the music. Three chords strung together always sounds good.”

Before Mean Motor Scooter, Tacke, singer-guitarist Sammy Kidd and drummer Jeffrey Chase Friedman had a lot more restraint in their lives. Friedman and Kidd were in an acoustic pop group called Endless Sky, and Tacke played in the Dallas indie-pop group Spookeasy, which released its album Faux Show in 2012.

When those groups ran their course, Tacke said he and his bandmates bonded over their love of heavy, blasted-out garage rock.

“We listen to a lot of Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees and Eagles of Death Metal, Husker Du, those kind of bands, so we have a lot of varying influences,” he said. “But we definitely set out to be a grungier, ’60s-and-’70s garage-rock band.”

True to that vision, Mean Motor Scooter’s self-titled 2015 EP provides the perfect soundtrack to flooring it in a T-top Trans Am reeking to the headliner with skunk weed.

Following an intro that crunches like a long-lost Deep Purple instrumental, the group immediately engages with their scuzz-rock spirits on “Monsters,” sounding a little like Kurt Cobain taking a fast “Slow Ride” with Foghat.

The group downshifts for “Son, I’m an Alien” before revving back to top speed for the grand finale, “Put Me Down Like a Dog.”

Mean Motor Scooter’s commitment to loud and fast rules quickly resulted in a large and loyal DFW following. The trio’s unending onstage energy resulted in the group winning Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards’ Rock Band of the Year trophy in 2016.

For their next trick, Mean Motor Scooter will release a full-length album in March. Titled Hindu Flying Machines, it takes the band’s garage barrage and sends it about 10 years farther into the past.

A concept album about the Sumerians, Hindu Flying Machines is filled with Kidd’s lyrics about airborne cities and lizards descending to Earth to impregnate humans.

“I think you’re going to hear a lot more ’60s sounds to it,” Tacke said. “Our drummer knows everything about every punk band that’s ever been, but I’ve been listening to a lot of T. Rex lately, too, so that’s coming through a little bit now.”

Before taking off with Mean Motor Scooter, Kidd and Friedman sang more sensitive songs like “Alprazolam,” their ode to Xanax, and Spookeasy recorded a trippy psych-rock track titled “I’m Tired.” But with their new group, Tacke, Friedman and Kidd have no time for exhaustion or ennui as Mean Motor Scooter burns rubber.

“In our previous bands, we never had crowd surfers,” Tacke said. “That’s been a welcome change, for sure.” - Oklahoma Gazette

It doesn't seem fair that one label should be responsible for churning out great record after great record, again and again. Add Mean Motor Scooter to the long list of swirling alternative garage rock ‘n’ roll mayhem. Rebeka plays keys folks and her sound is what makes this shit swing and boy does it swing!

From the off, Mean Motor Scooter are putting on their shit kickers and kicking up a shit storm. 'Wavespotting' is like a psychedelic fucked up wipeout and, from the manic laughter, this frantic, swirling fest is having a ball in my headphones.

Mad as a box of frogs, 'Sea Serpent' is a howling hoot! The Scooby Doo sound effects are just barking and not at all rough (sorry couldn't resist it!). We try some cosmic hand-jiving on 'Cosmonaut', as we all get into the spirit of things; as the effects swirl and the drums rise and fall, the vocals get some loud hailer treatment, as do the guitars when they harness that feedback – and, by the way, that's a fine scream, sir!

'Lizard Man' hitches a ride back to the ‘60s and stays a while, as that keyboard gets a good shoeing on 'Shape Shifter'. We all know Sam - yes man, 'Sam The Homosapien', as he strips it all back for a song that is super cool, boys and girls, as it gets its mojo working and sporting a great guitar break… it is a real highlight.

Mean Motor Scooter will have its ravenous niche audience, and I bet that live songs like 'Come And Get It' will go down a storm, as will many of these numbers, to be fair. The lyrics might be out there, as are the song titles and subject matter, but get over that because the music rules and has an edge to it, as well as being bloody addictive. Stay out of the Texas midday sunlight, guys, it's messing with your minds you crazy mofos – but, saying that, if it's in any way helped shape the sound you guys make then please stay out: drink, party on and keep doing whatever you're doing because the end result is fantastic and most certainly put a smile on my face.

‘Hindu Flying Machine’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE. - ÜBER RÖCK

One on One Interview with Rebekah Elizabeth, organist for Mean Motor Scooter.

By Daniel Locke

Mean Motor Scooter is a kinda fuzzy, kinda surfy garage-rock band from Fort Worth, Texas. Founded in 2015 by singer and guitar player Sammy Kidd, drummer Jeffrey Friedman (both formerly of Endless Sky) and bassist Joe Tacke (formerly of Spookeasy), the band hit the ground running.

The trio played 31 shows in 2015 throughout Texas, including shows at the Dallas Music District Festival, with bands like Leopold and His Fiction and Aaron Behrens. Mean Motor Scooter released its self-titled EP in August of 2015, which was put out on a limited edition cassette by Dreamy Life Records. In 2016, the band continued the momentum, playing 48 shows, including three unofficial showcases for SXSW and Oaktopia, the Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards Festival, Fort Worth Rock Assembly V and legendary Dallas venue, Trees. In April, Mean Motor Scooter released the singles, “Naked Brunch” and “Such a Seducer,” which received a lot of positive local press and were mentioned in some Best of 2016 lists.

That same year, the Fort Worth Weekly awarded Mean Motor Scooter “Rock Band of the Year.” Mean Motor Scooter began recording their first full-length album, Hindu Flying Machine at Cloudland Recording Studio in Fort Worth, October 2016. During that time they we asked to record songs for both the Dreamy Life Records’ Group Therapy Vol. 4 compilation and the Fort Worth Weekly’s Frequencies Vol. 8, the Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards’ compilation. The group recorded “Mechanical Man” for Group Therapy Vol. 4 and “Surfing Pizza” for Frequencies Vol. 8. Both were released in 2017.

Before finishing the recording of Hindu Flying Machine the trio decided it was time to bring in another member. Rebekah Elizabeth (I Happy Am) was added on the combo organ. Mean Motor Scooter played their 100th live show in July of 2017, at the newly opened Main at South Side. In June the band was awarded “E.P. of the Year,” “Band of the Year” and “Artist of the Year” by Fort Worth Weekly. Hindu Flying Machine will be released in October 2017 by Dirty Water Records USA and the band will be touring in November with The Darts and Escobar.

Unrated: How did you find each other? Tell me about the development of the band?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Sammy Kidd and Jeffrey Chase Friedman had been in a mostly acoustic rock band called Endless Sky. They ended up on a Handrawn Records compilation with Spookeasy, a band Joe Tacke was in at the time. Jeff and Joe became friends after that, and when Endless Sky decided to switch gears and play more loud Rock and Roll, they brought Joe in to play the bass. After a few years as a three piece, they decided to add a keyboard player. Joe and Jeff were both playing in my other band I Happy Am, and recommended me to Sammy as the fourth member. The rest is history.

Unrated: How did you pick your name?

Rebekah Elizabeth: They picked the name from the movie “From Dusk Til Dawn.”

Unrated: Tell me about your backgrounds?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I took piano lessons as a kid but never really considered myself a musician until recently. I always was more into cartooning and wrote a lot of poetry and plays. I started playing a little guitar when I felt like it would be cool to put my poetry to music, which ended up with me doing a lot more with music than anything else.

Unrated: How do you describe your music?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I’d say surfy garage and psych rock with a lot of B movie influences. We’re all big film buffs. I think that’s what kind of distinguishes it from a lot of other rock bands, the lyrical content doesn’t stay surface level. Sammy puts a lot of stories and characters into the songs. Each time you listen to it, there’s something new you haven’t heard before.

Unrated: What type of music did you listen to growing up?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I mainly grew up around classical music and musicals (which I still love). Rock operas were the first rock music I heard, and then I accidentally found the Beatles in Jr high when I was writing a puppet play which snowballed into discovering a lot of classic rock. I tried to be a sponge and play catch up on all the music from the 20th century and am still kind of working on that.

Unrated: Who influences you and why?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Really any artist, (like Van Gogh for example), who works really hard without worrying too much about what others think. It’s much better to march to your own drum and do what fits for you instead of trying to cram yourself into a mold.

Unrated: I see you play a long list of instruments and which do you prefer to play? In writing and on stage?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Well singing is my strength. I usually find the melodies that way first and then hum them into a recording and find out what the notes are later. It’s easy to pick them out on a linear instrument like the keys. But since I’m a singer that’s probably why the Theremin is my favorite instrument. All ear. It’s so unique and has a sassy little mind of its own. A little classy and a little weird.

Unrated: What is the song “I am happy?” It is very cute.
Rebekah Elizabeth: Thank you! I think you’re thinking of “I Happy Am”, which is the name of my other band. We play indie rock music, kind of more avant-garde experimental. Mean Motor Scooter and I Happy Am have overlapping members, kind of a “sister band” situation.

Unrated: Do you create the band poster?
Rebekah Elizabeth: We all pitch in- all of us have art and design experience and have each taken turns making gig flyers. Graphic design is my day job, which I’ve been able to utilize a lot for band-related collateral.

Unrated: You have won a lot of awards.

“Rock” award, Fort Worth Weekly, 2016

“Artist of the Year” award, Fort Worth Weekly, 2017

“Band” award, Fort Worth Weekly, 2017

“EP of the Year” award, Fort Worth Weekly, 2017

Can you tell me how you won so many honors?

Rebekah Elizabeth: We work hard! Mean Motor Scooter has played 48 shows this year and are constantly trying to better ourselves and put out more material. There isn’t a day we aren’t doing something for the band and I guess it shows. We also have a very supportive home town with a flourishing music scene, and we couldn’t do it without everyone’s support.

Unrated: You are from Fort Worth, TX. What is your favorite club there to play?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Lola’s Saloon has been my favorite for a while now. It feels nostalgic since it was one of the first bars I went to and have had a lot of good memories there. It’s loud and dark and I’ve consumed a lot of whiskey within those walls.

Unrated: Your Facebook page says your music is garage rock/psych/post punk. What kind of feel does that combination of music, give you?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Excited! We’re loud and wake everyone up.

Unrated: How did you get signed to the label?

Rebekah Elizabeth: The guys made a connection with the Darts earlier this year when they played a show together before I joined the band. Everyone hit it off really well and it seemed like our sound was a natural fit for the Dirty Water label.

Unrated: Let’s talk about your new LP, Hindu Flying Machine, which came out October 13, 2017. How is it doing?

Rebekah Elizabeth: We’ve received a lot of positive reviews. It seems like we’ve been picking up a lot of fans in France especially.

Unrated: Are you releasing any singles from it?
Rebekah Elizabeth: The 4th track, Sea Serpent, was dropped as a single first before we released the album as a whole. We have a few other surprises in the works for that song.

Unrated: What made and model of instruments do you and your bandmates play?
Rebekah Elizabeth: I play a Whippany Pinto combo organ.
Jeff plays a 1958 Slingerland.
Sammy plays a Fender Mustang through a Fender Deville
Joe plays a Fender P Bass through a ‘79 Bassman 135

Unrated: Any feeling about next year is the last year of the Van Warped tour?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I don’t really have any feelings about it, I’ve never been. It would have been cool to play it I guess.

Unrated: What music fests would you like to play in?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Fortress Fest here in Fort Worth would be rad to play. I attended it this year and had a great time. Austin City Limits would be fun. Looks like we’ll be hitting up SX this year which I’m really looking forward to.

Unrated: Tell us about traveling on the road?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I miss it already and it’s only been a month since our tour. I’ve always loved road trips and as long as we can pit stop back home for a bit, I’d be down to keep going. It feels like an adventure and we always have a lot of stories to tell afterword.

Unrated: Are you thinking about doing the US for a tour?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Looks like a West Coast tour is already in the works. I want to go everywhere.

Unrated: How would you explain your live performance?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Sweaty. We try to have a lot of energy. Honestly it’s hard not to have a lot of energy- the songs Sammy’s been writing will get you moving. I break my organ almost every show.

Unrated: Any sponsors yet?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Not yet! That would be cool.

Unrated: You would be prefect for Tiny Desk Concert?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Would we? That would be interesting, I’d be down to give that a try.

Unrated: Who have you opened up for?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Leopold and his Fiction, Aaron Behrens and the Midnight Stroll, The Darts, Archie Powell and The Exports, Piñata Protest,

Unrated: If someone was listening to you for the first time, what 3 videos or songs would you tell them to look/listen to and why?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Down Like a Dog, Such a Seducer, and Sea Serpent would be the three I’d recommend. One off each album to hear the variety and progress.

Unrated: How do you see your band in the next 5 years?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I honestly don’t know what the next 5 years will hold- hopefully a lot more travel and a couple more albums and some great music videos. I’m curious to see how the sound will evolve.

Unrated: Any guilty pleasures your fans would be surprise you listen to?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I listen to Frank Sinatra quite a bit. I swoon for swing.

Unrated: What is on your phone for music now?

Rebekah Elizabeth: Besides the oldies, I’ve been digging the psych band Temples and a new glam rock band called UNI.

Unrated: Have you ever done a NYE show?

Rebekah Elizabeth: I haven’t yet! I usually end up at a house party.

Unrated: Anything in closing you would like to say?
Rebekah Elizabeth: I’m having the time of my life in Mean Motor Scooter. I’m thrilled they asked me to join the band. Excited for the next chapter. - UnRated Magazine

Como parte de su expansión, este año el sello inglés Dirty Water Records presentó su filial Dirty Water Records USA, la cual tiene el mismo objetivo: publicar el trabajo de bandas de cualquier parte del mundo pero que se encuentren enfocadas en el rock & roll sudoroso y que no estén en busca de la perfección o de complicadas estructuras musicales.

De esta forma, gracias a Dirty Water Records USA vio la luz el primer álbum de Mean Motor Scooter, un trío proveniente de Texas y el cual está integrado por jóvenes músicos que también formaron parte de otros proyectos como Endless Sky y Spookeasy.

Fue apenas en el 2015 cuando el trinomio conformado por Sammy Kidd (guitarra y voz), Jeffrey Friedman (batería) y Joe Tacke (bajo), surgió y de inmediato ganó notoriedad gracias a sus acelerados temas que deambulan entre la furia adolescente del punk y la suciedad inconfundible del garage.

Con un EP y un sencillo previo, este año fue lanzado Hindu Flying Machine, trabajo conformado por 11 composiciones que como principal novedad presentan la incorporación de Rebekah Elizabeth en el teclado, lo que ahora le otorga mayor variedad al sonido del conjunto, aunque la esencia del rock & roll furibundo continúa intacta.

Con la juventud como principal aliada, el ahora cuarteto canta sobre una vida conformada por una fiesta infinita llena de cerveza helada y diversión infinita para nunca preocuparse por el mañana porque lo único que existe es el presente.

Ya con el material en mano, lo único que sigue para el grupo es continuar con su incesante actividad que incluye presentaciones cada fin de semana y beberse la mayor cantidad posible de alcohol en el menor tiempo posible porque la vida es demasiado corta para desperdiciarla en otros asuntos. - Música Inclasificable

MMS are working to be the kings of garage rock in the metroplex area. I’d say they’re well on their way. - Ghost of Blind Lemon

With the ring of a phone you know your psyched-out rock n' roll journey with Mean Motor Scooter is officially starting, concocting a potent blend of driving guitars, witch-y organs and incredibly memorable vocal hooks whose delivery is equal parts caustic and bluesy. Their debut album, Hindu Flying Machine, is a surf-garage explosion that maintains it's soulful delivery and frenetic punk energy from start to finish. It is available on coke-bottle translucent green vinyl, cassette, and download through Dirty Water Records USA.

Over a year after the release of Naked Brunch / Such a Seducer, this full-length offers a more concise and textured feel compared to their previous material which seems slightly more stripped-down. The first single off of the album is "Sea Serpent," a lovable take on modern-psychedelia with a hyper-stylized nod to garage's heyday. This track will strike a soft spot in your heart if you happen to be a fan of Edwyn Collins or The Black Keys, mixing modern and retro elements giving it a more classic feel while still adhering to modern recording aesthetics.

On tracks like "Cosmonaut" and "We're Not Alone," you can see their other-worldly musical freedom that strays from what you would conventionally expect from a garage album, diving into a more whimsical and theatrical side. While with tracks like "Lizard Man" and "Wavespotting," you are reminded of their straight-forward rock and surf roots. By the time you're on the B-side you're high-speed cruising right to the end with help from tracks like "Dr. Benway" and "Brainhole" that seem to encapsulate the non-stop energy of bands like The Sonics or The Hives.

As a fan of garage rock I really love the combo of organs and electric guitar especially if a band can develop their own signature twist to it. For an album that tackles such pressing topics of the day like lizards, aliens, and shape-shifters, it was impressively coherent and light. So pick up the album and make it a point to see them when they come to your town, along with their incredible energy and stage presence it might just be your best chance to see a UFO! - Melted Magazine

No sé qué le habrán puesto este año al agua de la tejana ciudad de Fort Worth, que no solo nos ha brindado otro gran disco de los Toadies, sino que además nos sorprende ahora con los cachondísimos Mean Motor Scooter.
El disco empieza con una llamada al presidente naranja de los Estados Unidos, los alienígenas ya están aquí, la comunicación se interrumpe… ¿qué habrá pasado? A partir de ahí es un despiporre sonoro de rock garajero, surf y blues lisérgico lleno de referencias a hombrecillos verdes y criaturas reptilianas, una situación donde su cantante se siente como pez en el agua para explicar sus vivencias. Un pastel que ya descubrieron bandas como Monster Magnet, los Cramps o más recientemente King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, pero que nunca pasa de moda.

Tras su primer y homónimo trabajo como trío, no fue hasta que este mismo año entró Rebekah Elizabeth con esos teclados irresistibles y a golpe de theremin, cuando el grupo adquirió la personalidad que necesitaba, acentuando de paso su vertiente más lúdicofestiva. No hay que darle más vueltas al asunto, si lo tuyo es mover el esqueleto como un gañán hasta la extenuación, el desmelene yeyé, los aullidos y la distorsión sin límite, este puede ser uno de tus discos del año.

Puntuación: 8/10
Lo mejor: Su concierto debe ser una fiesta asegurada, a ver si se dejan caer por aquí
Lo peor: Glamour, más bien poco
Te gustará si te gustan: Murder City Devils, Wau y Los Arrrghs, White Fang, Jon Spencer - Subnoise

Texan quartet, Mean Motor Scooter, hit the ground running on their debut full-length, which is chock-full of quirky psych-garage blasts and fuzzed-out mayhem. Louder Than War’s Nathan Whittle takes a trip on their flying machine.

Mean Motor Scooter live in world of kitsch, fuzzy, sci-fi, B-movie paranoia. The songs on their debut album rocket by, chock-full of references to aliens, lizard men, crop circles, and all things weird and wonderful. After a brief alien-invasion-panicked telephone call, they kick off the album with the driving Dead-Weather-like We’re Not Alone, the recent addition of keys to their line-up adding jabbing pulses behind the distorted, broken radio vocals. From there, they drop into Wavespotting, like a gonzo Dead Kennedys spinning out of control. Mean Motor Scooter draw heavily on a classic garage-punk sound, but that’s not to say that it pegs them back in any way. Behind the fuzz of Sea Serpent lies a woozy surf backing that snakes along, but this is no California crystal-blue and white waves, rather a poisonous Martian swamp that rolls back and sucks you under.

Elsewhere, they either drop into lazy drifting interludes (Cosmonaut), or up the stakes in pounding paranoia, such as on album highlight, Shape Shifter and the driving Come And Get It. It also seems that they may have drunk from the same, “Let’s educate the kids” fountain of They Might Be Giants, with the almost Dr-Seuss-like rhyming educational tale of Sam The Homosapien, a story of the evolution of humankind, set to a bopping, jaunty rhythm that takes off into the fuzzosphere when they hit the chorus.

Part B-52s, part Jack White, a drop of Dead Kennedys, 100% B-movie trash, and all mixed up in their Butthole Surfers Texan heritage. Mean Motor Scooter’s blend of the garage-psych punk makes for a great record to stick on and go-go jive till the sun has set and the moons have risen. - Louder Than War

A peine créé, le label US nous envoie à travers le museau le premier effort long format des Mean Motor Scooter… Voyons tout cela de plus près.

On voit vite où les Mean Motor Scooter puisent leurs influences. Bien que tous jeunes, les protagonistes ne sont pas nés de la dernière pluie. Sammy Kidd au chant et à la guitare et le batteur Jeffrey Friedman officiaient tout deux chez les Endless Sky. Joe Tacke, le bassiste, sévissait chez les Spookeasy. Depuis peu, ils se sont adjoints les services de Rebekah Elizabeth (ex - I Happy Am) à l’orgue (Farfisa bien sûr). Un combo garage aux valeurs du genre bien respectées. Une bonne grosse fuzz sur les guitares et des giclées d’orgues. Ça ne vous rappelle pas les notions de bases de la patronne du label ça ?

Des cris, des hurlements sortis tout droit de la jungle et aussi une pincée de surf. Voilà qui complète les attributions de ces Mean Motor Scooter. On est dans les clous. Onomatopées accrocheuses… En trente secondes on connait les morceaux et on arrive à fredonner la fin. Ça c’est de la compo efficace et la marque d’un bon rock ‘n’ roll garage réussi. Histoire d'illustrer le propos, payez-vous "Wavespotting" ou "We’re Not Alone"…

Niveau vocal, le hurleur du combo de Forth Worth Texas se pose comme un fils spirituel d’Iggy Pop, de Jon Spencer et de Lux Interior… Un beau pédigrée et pour assurer des parties un peu plus aiguées, il est secondé par l’organiste. Ca ne vous rappelle pas les Love Me Nots ça ?

"Sea Serpent" nous balance des giclées de fuzz sur un rythme de basse entêtant. Des chœurs de charmeurs de serpent donnent ses lettres de noblesse à un titre qui pourrait figurer dignement au coté des "Green Fuzz" et autres "Action Woman" ou "Psycho" sur les compils Garage Sixties.

"Come N Get" It ou "Dr Benway" sortent aussi du lot. Du bon garage qui envoie du bois sur un tempo rapide. Niveau chant on retrouve encore les Cramps mais c’est plus distordu au niveau des guitares et de la fuzz. On délaisse un peu la brillance et le "twang" Fender pour du plus velu.

Avec "Cosmonauts", on explore un coté plus psychédélique avec des expérimentations dignes des plus grands Pink Floyd sous acides ou plus récemment des trop méconnus Beach Bitches, activistes majeurs du revival garage des nineties.

Les Mean Motor Scooter ont une énergie débordante et on voit bien le chanteur capable de se démultiplier, hurlant partout dans tous styles différents. On a déjà cité Iggy, Spencer et Lux qui frappent d’entrée puis d’autres arrivent comme les vieux bluesmen possédés style Howlin’ Wolf ou encore Screamin’ J. Hawkins. Y a du potentiel et on adore être surpris de la sorte par des petits jeunes de ce style !

"Shape Sifter" est un rock ‘n’ roll qui envoie puissamment mais nous montre des parties vocales plus fines exécutées par Rebekah. On apprécie cette dualité qui donne une belle diversité à l’album.

"Brainhole" se range au coté des compos fuzzy roboratives que n'auraient pas renié nos amis catalans des Limiñanas. Roboratif à souhait, le riff tourne en boucle et les nappes de fuzz arrachent tout sur leurs passages.

Résultat des courses, on a un combo plein de fraicheur et avec une explosivité à toute épreuve. Pas de doute, ces quatre là ont bien digéré les valeurs du rock garage et sont prêt à nous en balancer plein les gencives. Hindu Flying Machine est un fort sympathique premier album qui ouvre en grand la voie du succès à ces Mean Motor Scooter. S’ils viennent relever les compteurs dans l’Hexagone, on sera aux premiers rangs du coté de La Grosse Radio. - La Grosse Radio

Mean Motor Scooter’s “Naked Brunch/Such a Seducer”

Mean Motor Scooter is a badass live band. While the Fort Worth garage trio’s 2015 self-titled debut EP hinted at the intensity the boys bring to the stage, the six songs on the disc failed to fully capture their chutzpah. This past weekend, the band released its new EP, “Naked Brunch/Such a Seducer,” a pair of songs that nails the band’s live sound.

Lead track “Naked Brunch” is a two-and-a-half-minute reverb-soaked adrenaline shot that would fit as perfectly on a Goner Records compilation as it would blasting over the P.A. of an Abercrombie & Fitch. Equal parts self-help anthem and barroom fight soundtrack, the song takes the boys from the stage and places them squarely between your eyes. Pin a medal on anyone who can keep from breaking down crying or punching the person next to him in the face by the time frontman Sammy Kidd’s surf-rock-flavored solo kicks in two-thirds of the way through. The rhythm of the final 45 seconds is reminiscent of Rubberneck-era Toadies.

B-side “Such a Seducer” begins with the type of trashy guitar snarl you would expect from The Cramps’ Poison Ivy Rorschach, setting the tone for Kidd’s howling vocals. Bassist Joe Tacke and drummer Chase Friedman lay down a head-banging rhythm that paves the way to the “la-la-la” sing-a-long of the cut’s final minute.

Clocking in at little more than five minutes, the self-produced pair of songs, which were recorded earlier this year between One Horn Studios (owned by Tacke) and Fort Worth’s Green Audio Productions, represents a major step forward for the band when it comes to both songwriting and recording. ­–– Jasun Lee - Fort Worth Weekly

Last Sunday within the comfy yet cavernous confines of Shipping & Receiving’s Tilt Room, hundreds of folks, all nominees in our 20th Annual Music Awards and their plus ones, gathered for the awards ceremony. The Panthys are like the Grammys except way cooler. People are wearing flip-flops at our event, for one thing.

Though most bands and artists were sweet enough to celebrate themselves and their victories on social media, lots of other acts were, I guess, too cool for school. In their honor (dishonor?), I bring you this column.

But before we get to the winners’ names, a message.

Apparently, some nominees didn’t get the invite. Despite the fact that I gave the day, date, and location of the event in this column two weeks earlier. Despite the fact that we’ve been doing this for two decades, and even if you’ve only glanced at our magazine in that time span or have been conscious in the local scene for longer than a few minutes, you would know that the ceremony always comes about two weeks after the festival. Anyway, we take full responsibility for neglecting to ensure that everyone who needed an invitation received one. We’ll do better next year.

The two biggest victors were, unsurprisingly, two of the biggest names in North Texas and, in one case, the universe. Leon Bridges took home top honors for Vocalist Performance with Lindby’s Ali Grant (“Merry Christmas, Baby”), which was also Song of the Year, plus Album of the Year (Coming Home), and Artist of the Year. The Quaker City Night Hawks won for Band, Drummer Performance (Matt Mabe on “Duendes”), Rock Song (“Good Evening”), and Rock Album (El Astronauta). Way to go, boys. And lady.

The biggest and best surprises, in my opinion, were Mean Motor Scooter for Rock (great band), Rage Out Arkestra for Jazz (lots of tribal fun), and Magnolia Motor Lounge’s Bryan Beckman for Talent Buyer (huge fan favorite, hard worker). Here are the rest of the winners: New Artist: VVoes. Americana/Roots: Kevin Aldridge (silver fox). Hard Rock: Panic Volcanic. Texas Music: Jake Paleschic. Heavy Metal: Pinkish Black (no strings, no problem). Live Band: Animal Spirit (well deserved). C&W: Holy Moly. Hip-Hop/R&B: Doc Strange. Avant Garde/Experimental: Year of the Bear. Pop: Son of Stan. Punk: War Party (summertime blooze). Acoustic/Folk: Jacob Furr. Blues/Soul: Luke Wade. Semi-Local Band: Oil Boom (a.k.a. The Oily Booms). Cover Artist: Big Mike Richardson. Electronic: Squanto (the best). Producer: Bart Rose (Fort Worth Sound). Venue: Lola’s Saloon (ninth year in a row). Other Performance: Jeff Dazey for Red Shahan’s “White Knuckle Heart.” Bassist Performance: Zach Tucker for Bomb Quixote’s “Hand Cannon.” Guitarist Performance: Ryan Tharp for “Bad Scene.” And EP of the Year: The Longshots’ Mucho Mango.

Congrats to all of the nominees and especially to all of the bands and artists in the great 817 that weren’t nominated but keep doin’ what they do. - Fort Worth Weekly

I started to relax a little bit on Saturday night, as Ronnie Heart slinked, popped, and locked across the stage at Shipping & Receiving Bar like that cartoon cat from Paula Abdul’s “Opposites Attract” video. The sprightly funkster closed out Day 1 of our two-day Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards Festival.

Heart’s set was at 8 p.m. on Saturday. My crawl started at 2 p.m. watching Bulls entrance the crowd at The Chat Room Pub with their post-hardcore genius. A few bands and beers later, it was Day 2. The last thing I remember before my chariot (Uber) whisked me away on Sunday evening was running back and forth between Oil Boom on the stage of Lola’s Trailer Park and Pinkish Black inside Lola’s Saloon. Between Bulls and the Pinkish Black/Oil Boom combo, I staggered my way to nine venues and saw parts of more than a dozen bands.

Over the weekend, the 15th iteration of the Weekly’s Music Awards Festival came and went. I was nervous. It was the first time I’ve ever booked anything of this magnitude, and all I could think about was the massive expectations of this city’s music-loving folk and the impossibly high bar set by the past festivals. It’s the first, best, and biggest all-local celebration of our music scene and, for many diehard original music fans, their first introduction to a lot of the great bands in the 817. After months of planning, there was nothing I could do Saturday but watch the bands and try to enjoy myself. And binge drink.

After Bulls, my plan was to bee-bop over to The Boiled Owl Tavern for a bit of Caliche Burnout and then over to The Live Oak Music Hall to catch a few tunes from Dust Bowl folksters Phantom Sensation. I made it to the Owl but was too transfixed by Caliche’s Supersuckers-ish, liver-destroying twang rock to leave. As the place filled, I stuck around for the first two scorching songs of Mean Motor Scooter’s set. The three-piece’s high-energy churning guitars and hook-driven choruses have a moth-to-flame magnetism. I peaked in on rapper Lyric Le’Velle at the Live Oak and stuck around long enough to gawk in awe of his verbal gymnastics.

Squanto’s set at the Chat was the highlight of the festival for me. If robots had nightmares, Squanto’s glitch-y, droning pops and swells would be the soundtrack. I stuck around at the Chat and watched post-punk gods Tame … Tame and Quiet for a while before walking back to the Owl to see a bit of Animal Spirit, eventually landing at the Live Oak again for the Katsuk dance party.

My first day ended with the aforementioned Heart, but not before The Hendersons’ juicy slabs of sugary pop wowed the biggest crowd of the day. After that, Missing Siblings, the ultimate band’s band, delivered one of the tightest sets of the festival.

My second day of festival-going started at Lola’s. I watched Huffer’s jaw-dropping sludgy, dirge-y, heavy, stoner rock. The three-piece is officially my new fave of ’16. I caught snippets of Hightower’s set outdoors at the Trailer Park. What I heard was charming and groovy. I stuck around Lola’s long enough to catch the first part of Duell. The hard-rocking quintet’s wall of sound could crumble mountains. The very helpful folks at Fellowship Church, whose volunteers were shuttling concertgoers to various ports of call throughout the day, schlepped me over to The Grotto for the last two songs of the excellent, rootsy Cut Throat Finches.

I knew the 6 p.m. hour would be a tough choice when I booked the festival. So I endeavored to catch as many of the acts as I could without the benefit of teleportation technology. Shadows of Jets took the Grotto stage, and Taylor Tatsch’s splashy, bright pop guitar and hooky vocals kept me transfixed for so long, I was able to catch only the last two songs by Jetta in the Ghost Tree at Magnolia Motor Lounge. Even for just a couple of tunes, Jetta’s set was wrought with emotional, epic sweep and intimate catharsis. Thanks again to Fellowship volunteers, I was able to catch the last bits of Kevin Aldridge & The Appraisers at Fred’s. Now performing and writing songs for 20 years, Aldridge seems as fresh and relevant as he’s ever been.

For the 7 p.m. hour, I made it to Lola’s and the Trailer Park to run back and forth between Oh Whitney and Sally Majestic. The inside of Lola’s was packed like a musket, as Sally, a seven-piece that day, ratcheted up the party like they were shooting a beer commercial. Oh Whitney brought a full bag of bubbly grooves and polished melodies for the eager Trailer Park crowd.

You probably noticed the festival was a little different this year. It spanned two days, started earlier, we charged for tickets, we didn’t create any pop-up venues like the one in the parking lot of Studio 80 last year. A few people were miffed that we wanted $10 for two days of music, but everyone seemed OK with the fact that the money went to the bands. I received only positive feedback for including two neighborhoods, but if you don’t think the Near Southside deserved to be a part of this thing, well, you’re probably not connected to the music scene anyway.

Pardon me if I get a little self-indulgent, but planning a music festival with 40 bands at nine venues over two days is a massive undertaking with a ton of moving parts. The Weekly owes a huge thanks to our presenters, Bud Light and Ben E. Keith, and our sponsors, Metro PCS, Tarrant County College, and United Way. We couldn’t have pulled it off without the venues and their staffs, the soundmen and stage managers, the tireless Weekly staff, most of whom volunteered on both days, the generous people at Fellowship Church, the guys at Eagle Audio Recording, who did such an outstanding job churning out our annual compilation album, Frequencies, Vol. 7: Live in Studio, our awards nominating committee, everyone who voted for their favorite band (more than 4,000 of you), the musicians who played the festival and made producing it so easy, the musicians who didn’t play but were nominated, and, of course, every music fan who came out on Saturday and Sunday.

You have a lot to be proud of, Fort Worth. Thanks for letting us be a part of your scene. - Fort Worth Weekly

One of the toughest decisions musicians have to make is what to name their band. Let’s face it: A band’s name is an important first impression. Upon hearing “Mean Motor Scooter,” you might imagine the goodie-goodie cursing of a church camp advisor rather than a hard rocking garage-punk Fort Worth trio and avoid the band altogether.

That would be a mistake. Clocking in at right under 15 minutes, the self-titled debut EP from singer/guitarist Sammy Kidd, bassist Joe Tacke, and drummer Jeff Friedman leaves no doubt that they aren’t interested in anything having to do with churches or camps. With all the swagger of an Eagles of Death Metal full-length crammed into six songs, Mean Motor Scooter mashes the accelerator from the get-go and never lets up.

The album’s stand-out track, “Gimme What I Want,” has a sing-along melody that should have made it the song of the summer. In his raspy voice, Kidd demands the listener to give him both what he wants and what he needs in a way that feels both flirtatious and threatening. On album closer “Put Me Down like a Dog,” the triumvirate unleashes a surf-rock anthem for the disenfranchised. “All the lives that I didn’t touch / All the bands I didn’t listen to much,” Kidd sings. “They can’t save me now.”

Sure, a band’s name isn’t everything, and sometimes it doesn’t even scratch the surface of a band’s sound. Mean Motor Scooter’s debut EP is proof of that in spades. — Jasun Lee - Fort Worth Weekly

Mean Motor Scooter rose from the ashes of Endless Sky, a mostly acoustic, Bright Eyes-wannabe act that had some memorable songs, but never really gelled into anything worth writing home about. The latest incarnation of the band decided to plug in and turn up after seeing a FIDLAR show (according to the drummer), and the new sound suits them. I caught the tail end of their set at the otherwise disastrous Dallas Music District Festival, and was pretty impressed. The band’s playing at Rubber Gloves with Telemegasounds on Friday. - D Magazine

Every good thing I’d heard about MEAN MOTOR SCOOTER’S live shows proved true at THE GROTTO on July 11, 2015. They shared a talent-packed bill with SIGNALS & ALIBIES, BEAR PEOPLE and RED ADMIRALS, sharing their own adrenaline-fueled set of originals. Joe Tacke’s bass and Jeff Friedman’s drums ably supported Sammy Kidd, the charismatic front man. Jeff is one of the speediest, most animated drummers I’ve seen, adding to the visual appeal of this tight, energetic trio. - BandstalkerFW

The next action was over at the Red Stage, as Mean Motor Scooter got their 36-minute long set going just a couple minutes after five.

The trio of singer/guitarist Sammy Kid, bassist Joe Tacke and drummer Jeff Friedman is rather new, having begun just this past December, according to their Facebook.

This band may be new, though they’re clearly seasoned at being musicians, and until seeing that afterwards, I just assumed they were a band who I just hadn’t heard of before.

They ran through their set, which consisted of ten songs, at least one of which Kid noted was a brand new one. It was that song that I felt evoked the rock sounds of an iconic Fort Worth band, as the first few riffs had a Toadies-esque sound. That was the only few, fleeting moments I would even draw that direct comparison, though their music in general did just have a raw, gritty rock vibe to it.

There are several things that make festivals a great environment, one of which is being exposed to bands that may be new to you. Case in point: Mean Motor Scooter. Like I said, I had never heard of them before, though I’d definitely like to see them again. - The Music Enthusiast