Graveyard Johnnys
Punk + Rockabilly aus Chepstow (Wales)
"One of the most frantic and energetic live bands around today, Graveyard Johnnys mix the primitive rhythms and animal-instinct of 1950's rockabilly with the aggression and passion of punk rock from back when it was dangerous."
They come from South Wales and have been on the road non-stop since early 2008 touring throughout the world building a fearsome reputation. Heavy rotation on The Radio1 Punk Show in the UK helped them sell out pressing after pressing of their first self-released EP “Streetblocks and City Lights” and has since had the boys invited into the BBC studios for four different live BBC sessions to date.
By late 2010 the band had worn-out two full-time guitarists due to the constant touring and had missed out on a few opportunities to sit down and write new material due to training up new blood for the gigs. Tours were swapped between different stand-in guys on guitar, along with the usual Tom Lord on drums and Joe Grogan on stand-up bass and vocals. During a tour of Europe in March 2011 when their van finally gave up and broke down, Tom and Joe decided the time is right to put this god-forsaken travelling circus down on record once and for all. Between them they wrote and performed their debut full-length album “Songs From Better Days” (Wolverine/Soulfood)
The album is a collection of songs mainly based around life in that van and the people you meet along the way. The music is angry, classic rock and roll brought up to date with definate influences of punk, pop and even a bit of sea-shanty pirate music.
It was released on legendary, long-standing German punk-rock label Wolverine Records at the beginning of 2012 to rave reviews and shocked the purists of the scene with it’s contemporary and almost mainstream yet snotty and dangerous edge.
Since then GYJ have secured their strongest lineup to date with Callum Houston joining rank shortly before the album was released, touring hard and long hours all over the UK, Europe and Scandinavia at clubs and festivals has seen their fanbase grow and grow, and there is no sign of them backing out yet. Their second album release is due for the summer and dates are being booked worldwide as you read this.
This is intense, on the edge of collapse, breakneck, 21st Century rock and roll at it’s most desperate and honest.