The Blue Rider

The Blue Rider's self-titled release has a number of touchstones, among them Nuggets-era garage rock, the Stooges and the Cramps, and the resulting music sounds like something out of an early-'60s Louisiana juke joint, especially songs like the ultra-short "Innertube." The record encompasses a variety of sounds — from psychedelic blues spirituals to unrefined rock-and-roll gospel to heady go-go club jams — yet the band manages to stand out from the recent wave of 1960s-inflected retreads. The act appears to have absorbed whatever got into the water supply of Jerry Lee Lewis, Kid Congo Powers and Rudy Martinez and induced those artists to rock outside of their normal boundaries. - Westword

Since late 2011, Denver rock band The Blue Rider has been transmitting alternative psychedelic sounds and honing their rock ‘n’ roll image. Their live shows glisten with a dynamic glowing energy and are more like a psychotherapeutic experience than anything else. The boys in The Blue Rider have evolved into a rock powerhouse and are ready to release their self-titled debut album on local indie record label, Hot Congress Records, on Sept. 10. Headlining at the Hi-Dive on Aug. 30, The Blue Rider celebrated the pre-release of their album alongside electro-sensation Kitty Crimes and the party-pop garage rockers, Dirty Few. The Metropolitan was able to catch up with keyboardist/organist/piano player, Mark “Shoosz” Shusterman to inquire about what’s going on in the life of The Blue Rider.

The Metropolitan: How did The Blue Rider come together?

Mark Shoosz: Apathy and bud-hood.

Met: What bands were you guys in prior to forming The Blue Rider?

MS: Widowers, Constellations, Warhawk and more. We’ve all been in bands since we were kids.

Met: How would you describe the sound you guys play to those that have never heard you guys?

MS: Psych-soul. Met: There’s a strong psychadelic influence in your music, what are some influences: living, dead, local and national that you guys are into? MS: 13th Floor Elevators, Night Beats, Broken Spirits, Rolling Stones and Jack Nicholson.

Met: The new single, “12-6-10” is super rad, can you tell us about what went into writing that song?

MS: Rett [Rogers] and Scott [Beck] were surfing, talking music and Martin Buber. Scott mentioned an address, a place he used to know. Rett said, “bub, that’s a song.”

Met: And how about the video for “12-6-10.” Where did the inspiration come from for that?

MS: Bruce Conner, check him out. The effects of shooting on film. We had a lot of fun with that video. Fez is even in it!

Met: Can you tell us about your self-titled album that’s about to come out?

MS: The self-titled album was a trip for us. We recorded it in a basement with more whiskey than food. When a human being doesn’t see natural light for three days straight, it starts to question things. Thus the birth of this album.

Met: How has the process been since releasing the single, “Way Out West” in 2012?

MS: The process since “Way Out West” has been great. We’ve done some short tours, gotten into fist fights with each other and gotten into the pocket, deep.

Met: How stoked are you guys for the album release show?

MS: We are super stoked 3000 for the release show. We are all gonna shave.

Met: What can viewers expect? MS: Viewers can expect a lot of deep-in-the-cut rock ‘n’ roll with psychedelic-air-and-space that reaches around backward to the greatest moments in the history of music and reaches forward to the day they clone Will Smith (not as far off as you might think). Met: What does the future hold for The Blue Rider?

MS: The future. We hope to travel. Probably a European tour and maybe some new shoes. We will have another recording coming out this winter. The future is now. - Metropolitan News Paper

The Blue Rider‘s debut EP, Way Out West, is only two songs. That might actually make it a single rather than an EP, but that’s all semantics. Whatever you call it, it’s exciting. With just two songs this band gets you totally hooked.

Imagine a drunken Buddy Holly stumbling around a barroom after one too many whiskeys picking a fight with a much bigger man and getting his trademark glasses broken, but still managing to connect with a few powerful shots to the gut that no one saw coming. That’s basically what The Blue Rider sounds like.

The quartet delivers a wicked slice of garage rock with noisy guitars, raucous drums and a nice hum of electric organ. Vocals are as much screeched as they are delivered with a classic ’50s-style hiccup.

On the A-side, “T.H.T.D.” (short for Too Hip To Dance) kicks things off with a Bo Diddley bounce and lo-fi sleaze. It’s fun, and is as much about shaking hips as banging heads. It takes a sharp turn and morphs into a slow-burning tune about teaching a cockroach to sing… or something. It gets weird, but the groove is thick.

This is followed up by the high-intensity title track. A rock ‘n’ roll punch in the mouth with sizzling organ and gritty guitar solo. It’s got that same old school vibe mixed around with some sloppy punk rock roots. It’s fast, it’s loud, and it’s over before you know it.

After blasting through these two tracks you’ll probably be wishing there was more to Way Out West. Fortunately you can catch the band performing live Aug. 25 at the Hi-Dive in support of the EP’s release on beautiful vinyl. The lineup also includes local heavyweights A. Tom Collins and Colfax Speed Queen. So get there early for a night of great music and most assuredly drunken antics. - 303 Magazine