The Bambi Molesters (Croatia) and King Automatic (France)
Formed in 1995 under the influence of sixties garage and surf classics, Croatia based instrumental combo The Bambi Molesters won sympathies of rock critics and underground rock audience with their first album “Dumb Loud Hollow Twang”, released in 1997 by “Dirty Old Town”, a small independent label. The whole album, all 15 original songs were recorded during one unbelievable, only three hours long session. Produced by the legendary Californian surf DJ, Phil Dirt, the album soon went out of print.
Since then the band has regularly been playing all over Europe and their fiery and energetic live performances helped to build their reputation as one of the finest and most original contemporary surf bands. In 1999 the band signed a record deal with Dancing Bear Records to release their second album “Intensity!”. Both, “Intensity!” and “Dumb Loud Hollow Twang” gained positive reviews in music press and were nominated in various categories of Croatian national and independent music awards. During the following couple of years they played with The Cramps, Man or Astroman?, Chrome Cranks, Flaming Sideburns and many more…
The songs from both albums were regularly played on American (KFJC, KFAI, KXLU, WREK, WHUS) and British radio stations (BBC RADIO 1, John Peel). In 1999 they supported R.E.M. for the first time in Koper, Slovenia. In December 2001 The Bambi Molesters released their third album “Sonic Bullets: 13 From the Hip” (Dancing Bear, WMA, Big Beat). This album features Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Scott McCaughey (Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, R.E.M.‘s touring band), The Walkabouts frontman Chris Eckman, American singer/songwriter Terry Lee Hale and Speedo Martinez. The album gained excellent reviews in MOJO magazine, UNCUT magazine, Pitchforkmedia etc.
In February 2002 The Bambi Molesters played at the New Zealand festival. One of the six shows they did in Wellington was recorded live and broadcasted by the New Zealand national radio.
First eight months of the year 2003 were spent mostly on the road. They played Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia, one of the shows being the Orange Blossom Special — Glitterhouse Records festival in Beverungen. In July The Bambi Molesters supported R.E.M. on three shows of their European tour (Locarno/CH, Wien/A, Wiesbaden/D).
Immediately after the touring stopped the band went to studio to re-record their first album, rearranging some of the songs, and adding bonus tracks. The so-called remake of their out-of-print album titled “Dumb Loud Hollow Twang – Deluxe” was released in December 2003. A bonus DVD featuring documentary about the band, “The Bambi Molesters Backstage Pass”, that includes footage shot 1999-2003 (covering band’s different shows as well as Bambi Molesters’ R.E.M. support act gigs) was exclusively added to this release.
In January 2004 The Bambi Molesters joined forces with Walkabouts’ frontman Chris Eckman and formed “The Strange”. The band worked with Phil Brown (engineer and co-producer) in the Slovenian studio Metro in Ljubljana where they recorded a collaboration album “Nights of Forgotten Films”, released in 2004. Upon release, in Summer 2004 a promo tour took place with special guest Scott McCaughey. Some of the recordings taken live during this tour can be heard on the second The Strange release, “Comin’ Undone” EP, released at the end of the same year.
In Spring and Autumn 2009 the band recorded new songs for the fourth studio album, “As the Dark Wave Swells”. Album was released at the begining of 2010. Highly acclaimed in the music press (Uncut, Q Magazine, Sunday Times, The Sun), the album reaffirmed The Bambi Molesters as one of the most interesting modern instrumental rock combos. Two years of live shows followed, many of them done in the accompaniment of additional musicians (keyboards and brass section) which instigated the idea of recording a live album and doing a concert movie.
This latest release, a double live album “A Night in Zagreb” was released in December 2011. It consists of a double CD & DVD featuring the band’s first concert movie, a music “film noir” account of the show done in March the same year, directed by Marc Littler.
As we are now nearing the 2nd decade of the 21st century, it is time to ask an essential question:
Where lies the future of Rock’n’Roll?
Will we recycle old ideas ad infinitum – 3 chords boom chica boom, mimick the past and kneel and pray at the alter of Jerry Lee Lewis, The Ramones and the Cramps or will we introduce new musical concepts into Rock’n’Roll, embrace the future and venture into unsafe yet exciting waters?
Will we limit ourselves by sticking to the musical traditions of the Western hemisphere only or will we seek inspiration across the four corners of our globe and make truly trans-global Rock’n’Roll?
It is time to expand the horizon and to seek out new territories – it is time to evolve and if that evolutionary process takes the shape of King Automatic…well that’s all the better.
This Gentleman finds inspiration in Jamaican Rocksteady, Rhythm’n’ Blues, Bebop and the tribal drumming of West Africa to mention only a few of the ingredients of a truly exotic musical cocktail.
In addition to the musical diversity to be found in his music, King Automatic has also freed Rock’n’Roll from the lyrical cliché of: “I picked up my baby in a ’59 De Ville, we tore through the city seeking cheap thrills”. There is actually real songwriting at play here which adds a welcomed layer to the music we all like to drink, dance and make babies to.
Starting out in the mid-1990’s as the drummer of the legendary French Punk band Thundercrack, King Automatic took a radical turn at the beginning of the new Millenium and introduced a new dimension to the sound of one-man bands.
He began to sample and loop organ, guitar, harp and percussion sounds live on stage to create a truly sonic soundscape – close your eyes and you will swear you are listening to an orchestra.
With his new album “In The Blue Corner” now appearing on Voodoo Rhythm Records, he has taken his vision to the next level and has created an even more diverse record than his previous two – he has once and for all left behind the shackles and confinements of traditional Rock’n’Roll and his journey has led him to exciting places – mesdames & messieurs join King Automatic on his unique odyssee and explore the Rock’n’Roll of the world!
