Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
A rock critic was leaning on the bar on a recent Friday night, sipping an over-priced Captain Morgan's and Coke and wondering what the hell had happened to The Viper Room. The critic watched in amazement as a couple of Coast FM-type bands polluted the legendary stage with bubble gum rock too tame for Clay Aiken.
Where was the danger, the dirt, the delicious delirium of rock and roll that The Viper Room was built on? Where were the piercing guitars, the deafening drums and the shrieking singer? Where was that classic Hollywood Rock? The critic sighed, shook his head and finished his drink.
Then Moaning Lisa took the stage ... and all was right with the world.
Simply put, Moaning Lisa is a hard rock attitude. It is guys jumping up on speakers,feeding off a frenzied, beer-drinking crowd. It is sweat pouring down a lead singer's face after half a song. It's a drummer shaking the walls with pounding precision. It's a guitarist's grimace with each shredded note. It's a bassist that's not afraid to take over when needed. It's playing loud, hard and sometimes messy ... everything rock should be.
But here's what sets them apart ... Moaning Lisa manages to do all this while still playing catchy songs that seem ready for radio play. And, as musicians and artists, they're getting better. Songs off an upcoming EP blend their classic rock roots with hints of some of the best bands of the 90s (Tool, Social Distortion and dare I say, even Nirvana). The band is providing a case study in something that most hard rock bands find impossible ... making the leap to bigger and better things while maintaining everything that is pure and unsophisticated about where they're from. And lucky for us, we got to watch the journey.
L.A. needs more bands like Moaning Lisa, bands that provide what is now being dubbed a “New Hollywood”sound. It's important that L.A. never lets people forget that this is still one of the best and most dangerous music scenes in the business. Hollywood Rock is still alive. Dirty rock clubs like The Viper Room are still alive. It's the heart of New Hollywood. And its bands like Moaning Lisa that are providing the pulse.
by Jim Martyka
- All Access Magazine Sept. 15 - Oct. 6
MOANING LISA – Anachronimatic
Label: Get Ready Records
Reviewed by: Big Charlie
Moaning Lisa isn’t just a clever play on words, but also a pretty fucking cool local band here in LA. Ever wonder what happened to that LA sound that was so famous in the early 90s? What happened to the Next Janes Addiction or Motely Crue? I’m not saying that Moaning Lisa is the next Guns N’ Roses… or even sounds like them… I’m just saying that we should all keep an eye out because they have the sound, they have the talent… and they just might head in that direction.
Anachronimatic kicks off with a rock sing-a-long called “Gone Hollywood” a metal intro and a catchy chorus. It then switches gears to a more alternative sound (think STP) with “Something Missing.” The whole album is good but my favorite track was “So You (Setting Sun)” with an AC/DC type thing going on.
- The Rockit volume 1.3 April 12, '06
Discography
Anachronimatic - EP (Get Ready Records 2006)
Break Me (Aquarium Records - 2003)
Wonderful (Veronica Records - 2000)
"Gone Hollywood" video and single out on June 1
"Gone Hollywood" (GRR 06) & "Come Undone" (AR 03) featured in "Candy Stripers"
"Break Me" (AR 03) featured in Blackbelt TV's national ad campaign
"My Life Is A Landslide" (VR 00) featured on Judging Amy
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
What you need to know…
Moaning Lisa is gritty and strong, sexual and provocative, celebrating the fact that rock and roll and partying walk down the aisle together. They cherish the days of dangerous rock and roll acts, from Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Queen to Van Halen, Motley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses and they want to share their love of rock and roll with the lucky masses.
Despite Moaning Lisa’s unapologetic rock and roll attitude, musically, they are still well controlled. Each guitar lick and each harmony is played and sung with precision and passion. They are each skilled masters at their weapons of rock, and show no mercy when wielding them. It’s this discipline that provides every audience member with a performance they will not soon forget.
As much as they celebrate the rock and roll bands of the past, Moaning Lisa is constantly evolving and their strength lies in their ability to create songs that leave the listener with a melody in their head and a smile on their face. It’s about having a good time and throwing cares to the wind.
The year 2006 marks the debut release of Anachronimatic on Get Ready Records, an EP containing five hook-driven, heart-pounding songs that grab the listener and suck them in. Moaning Lisa recorded Anachronimatic in August with Producer Scott Reeder.
Reeder is the former bass player for Kyuss, the legendary band known for its “Desert or ‘Stoner’ Rock” sound. Other bands he’s performed with include Metallica, Tool, Unida, and Butcher. He’s produced other artists such as Bluebird, Goatsnake, Butcher, and just recently released his own solo record TunnelVision Brilliance.
Also, involved in the recording of Anachronimatic was Bruce Witkiin. Witkin has worked with Johnny Depp, Gibby Haines, Adam Ant. The Foofighters, and LA Guns, among many others. Let Me Drive was recorded by and co-produced by Witkin and Moaning Lisa.
The first track, Gone Hollywood, off Anachronimatic as well as Come Undone (Break Me ’03) is being featured in the Sony Screen Gems Film Candy Stripers. Due out this summer. Also available this summer will be a film documenting Moaning Lisa’s, and ten other band’s, trip to SXSW(2006) in Austin. There and Back (Aquarium Films)
Links
