The Revomatics

A wave of static, a swell of volume, a staccato flurry of reverb-laden guitar, and the Revomatics are off. Odd as it may seem to hear instrumental California surf rock coming from the relatively surf-free domain of Milwaukee, guitarists Drew De Lutio and Joe Weigel, bassist Peter Flessas and drummer Jeff Schneider make a one-time soundtrack to teenage rebellion as relevant as ever; a swirling, mesmerizing display of life, set to music.
 
"I think there's something deeply primal about instrumental surf music that really resonates with people," posits De Lutio. "Without a lead singer, we're forced to connect with the audience through our instruments. Most people are so conditioned to expect a vocalist at a rock show that when we start to play, it's as if a spell has been broken. They recognize the essential elements of our music from long forgotten films or TV shows, but immediately recognize we want nothing to do with nostalgia. We're actively trying to evolve a genre of music that never really got an opportunity to grow."
 
The quartet's diverse appeal has landed them gigs opening for The B-52's, surf legend Dick Dale, Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes and Unknown Hinson of Cartoon Network's popular "Squidbillies" series. The band's live show is at once welcoming and confrontational, as if daring audiences to relate to something that at first blush seems little more than a quirky anachronism, challenging anyone to doubt their sincerity. While the group refuses to be pigeonholed as a "surf band," they are clearly not ashamed of their roots.
 
Some sounds will never die, and the rumbling twang of echoing surf guitars will likely always resonate with the American collective consciousness. But the Revomatics want to make sure their beloved medium stays relevant, stays interesting, and stays loud. This is not the echo of a lost art form--this is something immediate, something primal, something nigh-universal. This is the Revomatics!