Tijuana Hercules

Editorial Reviews
Fred Mills, Metro Times, March 16-23, 2005
A potent dish indeed, with no side orders of irony.

Monica Kendrick, Chicago Reader, November 8,2002
Guitarist and frontman John Forbes could sing the New Testament and make it seem like a dirty joke.

Album Description
Blow your filthy mind! Those tin-can-bangin', gee-tar tearin', drum dee-molishin' Chicago wildmen are back with their second CD and first long player, the self-titled "TIJUANA HERCULES." from Black Pisces Recordings.

The new 13-track CD runs the gamey gamut from rock, blooz, 'billy, gospel, garage, country, folk, and R&B. The CD features 12 original tunes, including the hard-drivin', ass-hauling "Skinned Alive"; the demented campfire sing-along "So Ripped"; the slidey, Sister Rosetta Tharpe-inspired "Whales On Every Side"; the Delta boozey "This Orchard Is Rotten"; the hobo lament "Baby Needs New Shoes"; and the menacing bump 'n' grind "When The Moon Comes Up Wild"--plus a a wailin' cover Waylon Jennings/Mel Tillis cover of "Mental Revenge."

Tijuana Hercules

Average customer rating:

Not For The Faint Of Heart
"Tijuana Dance?"

Tijuana Hercules
Tijuana Hercules
Manufacturer: Black Pisces Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00091QRVG
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Tracks:

Skinned Alive
So Ripped
Pack It In, Mama!
Whales On Every Side
Common Sense Has Lost Its Mind
Ax Grindin'
A Heart Attack Is Comin' On
Turn This Around
This Orchard Is Rotten
Baby Needs New Shoes
A Boiling Pot Shows No Mercy
Mental Revenge
When The Moon Comes Up Wild

Product Description

Blow your filthy mind! Those tin-can-bangin', gee-tar tearin', drum dee-molishin' Chicago wildmen are back with their second CD and first long player, the self-titled "TIJUANA HERCULES." from Black Pisces Recordings. The new 13-track CD runs the gamey gamut from rock, blooz, 'billy, gospel, garage, country, folk, and R&B. The CD features 12 original tunes, including the hard-drivin', ass-hauling "Skinned Alive"; the demented campfire sing-along "So Ripped"; the slidey, Sister Rosetta Tharpe-inspired "Whales On Every Side"; the Delta boozey "This Orchard Is Rotten"; the hobo lament "Baby Needs New Shoes"; and the menacing bump 'n' grind "When The Moon Comes Up Wild"--plus a a wailin' cover Waylon Jennings/Mel Tillis cover of "Mental Revenge."

Customer Reviews:

Not For The Faint Of Heart.......2005-12-03

History-wise, from what I can gather, singer/guitarist John Forbes is no stranger to the whole scuzz-skronk thing, the hellhound on his trail for nearly 20 years through bands like Phantom 309, Dirt, and Mount Shasta. While I can't pretend to any knowledge regarding any of those line items on his resume, one thing's for sure - Tijuana Hercules' debut album is one of those rare, loose-bolted contraptions designed to be played twice a night and once before breakfast, Forbes' voice possessed of magnificent, sometimes scary intensity. Somewhere Howlin' Wolf is turning in his grave like a gas station rotisserie hot dog.

At least the Wolf won't have to look very far to find Forbes and his running buddies in Tijuana Hercules - Zak Piper (tin cans, tambourines, cowbell, shakers, trumpet, and trombone) and Chad Smith (drums) - since the trio claim Chicago addresses on their census forms. Their take on the blues is full, beer bellied, and gritty, Forbes dipping his boots in Captain Beefheart and Country Dick Montana territory with a vocal delivery that sounds as if it's fuelled by a tumbler of poison.

As a guitarist, Forbes seems to draw inspiration from Elmore James, Hound Dog Taylor, and Chuck Berry, playing with dogged enthusiasm and robust fervor and, along with the kitchen drawerful of instruments at Piper's disposal, makes "Tijuana Hercules" pulse with backwoods charm. "So Ripped," "Pack It In, Mama!" and "Whales On Every Side" are slicing, grinding party shuffles rife with barrelhouse rhythms and Forbes' primal, sub-glottal grunting and howling.

On several tracks, Piper blows trumpet and trombone like a meth-sniffing bipolar teen who's lost his "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelet and while Tijuana Hercules come off all folksy - the CD booklet and rear insert festooned with Forbes' seriously deranged artwork - these guys sound as though their hearts pump pure arsenic, mad, bad, and dangerous to know.

"Tijuana Dance?".......2005-06-22

source: www.alternativemalta.com

Remember the great garage rock explosion in 2001? Well, Chicago's Tijuana Hercules do. Hold on though, this group is leagues away from those guys! For one, the lead singer has an authentic blues voice and there's more of a doo wop element in the music. So its more than just bashing chords. And screaming. Its more like yelling with butt shuffling sounds.

Oh yeah, did I mention they have a sense of humour too? Look at the decapitated cartoon animals on the sleeve!
Imagery aside the music here is a lot of fun and it will make you dance. Lead singer John Vernon Forbes has a unique way of pronouncing words, so `ripped' sounds like `Rip-pet' and so on.
Tijuana Hercules, in contrast to the usual garage rock bands also use instruments such as trumpets (`Common Sense has Lost its Mind') and trombones (`Turn This Around'), which automatically gives another dimension. Lyrically it's the usual business - being abused by women, love, rejection. Good stuff really. If Tom Waits decided to start a garage rock/blues band I'm sure it will sound like this.

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