Music
Press
"Imagine an old seedy bar in the 1930s where women adorned in puffy mink shawls smoke using long Cruella DeVille-like cigarette extenders and dark-haired men in suits slowly tap their feet to some jazzy blues. Ragwater Revue would be the band on the stage." - Artsweek, CalAggie
"With songs that tell wild tales of alligator babies, glass eyes, and cemeteries, Ragwater Revue envelopes its listeners in a prohibition-era haze. The dirty blues band, who incorporate hints of rockabilly and jazz, is brand-spankin'-new to San Francisco, having just moved from Kansas City, Mo., last January. Songstress Lady Viola's gramophonelike vocal stylings fit perfectly with Kris Daniel's sleepy guitar work." - San Francisco Bay Guardian
The San Francisco Chronicle ran a large photo of Ragwater Revue in their Sunday pink enterainment section in anticipation of our CD release show. You can find a photo of the page in our gallery section. - San Francisco Chronicle
Discography
2007: Self Titled Full Length Album
2005: 'Dear Beautiful' EP
Ragwater Revue's songs have been featured on the following radio stations: WFMU, KVRX, KZSU, KWVA, KJHK, KDVS, and KALX. Ragwater Revue has performed live sets on both KDVS and KALX radio.
Photos
Bio
Combining the sounds of early garage, gritty blues, and the dinge of the swamp; Ragwater Revue adds its own dark twist to these genres, creating a lethal concoction of raucous reverb-drenched rags and sultry booze fueled ballads. Viola plays the femme fatale while Kris & Gooby supply the soundtrack.
Channeling the freewheeling spirits of Mae West, Bessie Smith and Wanda Jackson, tattooed siren Lady Viola (vox) draws inspiration from her extensive wanderings into the deep South of the U.S. and the homicidal femme fatale beauties of classic film noir. To Ragwater Revue Lady V brings her own style of eccentric class and invites the audience to join her in the tawdry noir daydream she has created for herself.
Kris Daniel (ex-Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, Dimestore Dance Ensemble, Ssion, etc..) is a self taught hack-of-all-trades. At the tender age of 13 Kris left the decaying glitz of Gibtown, Florida and made his way across the States playing pump organ for small change outside of truck stops and county fairs, thus adding to his impressive array of musical skills. Kris supplies Ragwater Revue with his inimitable slinky, off-kilter guitar work while at the same time providing the rhythm section by way of a bass drum, kick snare, hi-hat and tambourine.
Gooby Herms is the most recent addition to Ragwater. He supplies the low end with his amazingly lurid bass stylings, while switching on and off to organ. Gooby has played with: Crash Worship, Knees & Elbows, as well as members of Sleepytime Guerilla Museum.
Having recently settled back in the San Francisco Bay Area after a brief and very humid stint in the Midwest, Ragwater Revue are now bringing their boisterous live show to new and eager audiences across the country and beyond.
Ragwater Revue has shared the bill with such fine acts as: Miss Derringer, Ralph Carney, The Slow Poisoner, RyKarda Parasol, Nora Keyes, The Kitchen Syncopators, Uni and Her Ukelele, The Holy Kiss, The Mighty Lynch-Pins, Mr. Uncertain, Craig Ventresco & Meredith Axelrod, Goonmat & The Mumblers, The Touch-Me-Nots, Matty Rue Morgue, King City, Kira Lynn Cain, Yard Sale, Tippy Canoe and The Paddlemen, Wiyos, Blue Bone Express, Prince Poppycock, Knees & Elbows, El Radio Fantastique, among others.
You can view a short video clip of our recent CD release show performance and the music video for 'The Creep' on our Myspace page, www.myspace.com/ragwaterrevue.
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