According to who you talk to, rock and roll is either dying out, evolving, or back in full swing. In the case of the POISON BOYS from Chicago, they’re pumping new life into the genre and keeping it as punk as possible! POISON BOYS recently released their new single ‘Little Speedway Girl’ via Riot Records. ‘Little Speedway Girl’ is a tasty little punk rock romp that channels all the good vibes from rock legends like New York Dolls, The Stooges, Kiss and UK punk acts such as The Heartbreakers and The Vibrators.
‘Little Speedway Girl’ gave a strong indication of what to expect from their new album Don’t You Turn On Me, which will be released digitally on the 29th of October. ’Don’t You Turn on Me’ is a Stones-worshipping, 70’s sleaze rock-inspired hit about losing a loved one to a falling out and wanting to make up with them. The track features backup vocalist Dana Athens on layered soul vocals, a 70’s slide guitar in the bridge, and long-time Poison Boys touring guitarist “Sleepy Doc” Julius Lange on keys.
Listen to ‘Don’t You Turn on Me’ HERE
Don’t You Turn on Me is the second full length album from POISON BOYS. It’s a long time coming since their first album Out of My Head in 2019, and is a general move in the direction of the band’s punk styling and ability to write hard-hitting, late 1970’s punk, steeped fully in rock n roll roots. It ranges in vibe from more early-mid 70’s sleazier hits, like title track ‘Don’t You Turn on Me,’ ‘Sweet Marie,’ or ‘I Was Cryin’,’ to blistering punk rippers like ‘Nothing but Darkness,’ ‘Day by Day,’ and ‘Keep Knocking,’ to instant punk classics that could have been played by early punk bands such as ‘Little Speedway Girl,’ ‘Living on the Edge of the Knife,’ or ‘She’s Nowhere.’
The band’s classic Johnny Thunders sleaze is showcased on ‘Dick in the Dirt,’ and ‘Take a Chance With Me’, while a less aggressive, more charming side is shown on ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Mind.’ Shining bright like rock n roll torch bearers through the endless sea of bands who add too many modern influences to their pursuit of punk, POISON BOYS are bringing you back to 1977 with this new album, transporting you to a time and place you may not have even existed during, but definitely wish you were there for.
Listen/Buy ‘Don’t You Turn on Me’ HERE
ABOUT POISON BOYS
In early 2014, long-time friends Matt Dudzik and Mike Lippman felt there weren’t enough real rock n’ roll bands left, especially in Chicago. The two quickly put a band and demo together and began playing shows in the Chicago area, steadily gaining a following throughout the summer of 2014. Tragically, in the fall of that year, Mike passed away at the age of 23 due to an accidental drug overdose. In honour and continual recognition of their friendship, Matt decided to continue the band and the vision the two of them shared for the future of the Poison Boys.
Over the next three years, the band completed its first tour of the East Coast, releasing two 7″ EPs, Headed for Disaster (No Front Teeth Records, 2016) & Bad Mouth (NFT Records, 2017), ending in 2017 with a successful “Bad Mouth in the South” Southern US tour. In 2018, the band played a four-show West Coast stint in April dubbed the “Lost LA Weekend”, a two-week “Wasted in the West” West Coast tour in September and released their first music video for the track ‘Bustin’ Out’ from their third 7″ Poppin’ Eyes and Flashing Feet (White Zoo Records, 2019).
The following year was hugely successful as the band released their debut full length Out of My Head (Dead Beat Records, 2019), with two music videos ‘Tear Me Apart’ and ‘Been Here All Night’ from the LP, completing a triumphant East Coast/Canada tour in support of it all. The album was far from a straightforward punk n’ roll record, with songs ranging in style from The Stooges’ “Raw Power”- inspired proto-punk classics – like the title track ‘Out of My Head’, to a more sweet-sounding glam stomper like ‘Cut Right Out’ and ‘Been Here All Night’, to the old school Bomp! Records/Hanoi Rocks influenced, sax-drenched hit ‘Desperado’. The album also includes an absolutely ripping cover of Larry Williams 1958 rock n’ roll standard ‘Slow Down’ and the Dead Boys’ teenage lament ‘I Won’t Look Back’.
The current line-up of Poison Boys is singer/guitarist Matt Dudzik, guitarist Steve Elfinger, bassist Nico Bones, and drummer Matt Chaney. Poison Boys are clearly not slowing down anytime soon, having released a few singles and music videos for their upcoming album Don’t You Turn on Me, before signing with Golden Robot/Riot Records in July 2021.