For thirty years The Incredible Casuals have been the house band at a music club located on the bluff above Cahoon Hollow Beach in Wellfleet Massachusetts called “The Beachcomber”...and: they've rocked as hard as any band anywhere. The Casuals have also put out some great if popularly unknown rock records. They are lineup that includes three rock singer-songwriters who can harmonize... They are a quartet with breathtaking musical talent. Amazingly, they have managed to associate themselves with a fixed place and time of year – a summer-only bar/restaurant. There are many captivating aspects of these shows on the outer Cape in the summer; but, none more compelling than the original music this band generates. The spirit and energy of their live rock shows are a can’t-miss. The Casuals have it all. Loud well written original rock at the beach. What more do you want? Oysters on the half-shell? OK, you’re in Wellfleet… The ‘Comber offers them fresh at the raw bar. Oh – a tasteful number of artfully selected covers that are uniquely expressive of the band’s influences? Ok, try the following: country artist Dale Watson’s song “Leave Me Alone” is interpreted by singer-songwriter bass player Chandler Travis. Singer-songwriter / crack guitar ace Johnny Spampinato captures the spirit of garage-rock/grunge forefathers The Sonics with a cover of the classic tune “Psycho.” A rockabilly cover of the Sun Records classic song “Rockhouse” is recalled by singer-songwriter-guitarist Aaron Spade. Aaron represents the last lineup change – he’s only been with them for twenty odd years. Incomparably talented drummer Rikki Bates (in the eighties he was known as "Vince Valium") rounds out the current lineup. By-the-way.... Gender-ambiguous drummer? ...how punk rock is that? The list of influences goes on… Sixties crooner Ricky Nelson’s song “There Will Never Be Anyone Else” is re-imagined as an up-tempo rock stomp. Link Wray is an extremely important influence for The Causals as can be seen with guest guitar Steve Wood performing the instrumental song “Jack the Ripper.” Sometimes the influences are more mainstream: Here is the often covered (Otis Redding, O.V. Wilson, The Stones) song “That’s How Strong My Love Is.” Betty James’ “I’m A Little Mixed Up” from the 1969 eponymous Koko Taylor debut album is another. Also one of their earliest and best covers is The Bobby Fuller Four song “Let Her Dance." With The Casuals, the cover-songs-rule seems to be: the more delightfully obscure the better! Such as: The Equals "I'm So Excited," Men & Volt's "Records Go Round," The Db's "Neverland," and The Muffs "Honeymoon."
I digress... enough on the cover songs... try these originals on for size:
"Crawling Out Of The Rain" from the 2004 album "Yearbook '04: Live! at da 'Coma!*" (written by Aaron Spade):
*a truly fine live album - representative of the spirit one finds at their incomparable Beachcomber sets.
"I'll Do Anything" from the 2005 album Nature Calls (written by Chandler Travis):
"I Want To Play Loud" from the 1991 album Your Sounds (written by Johnny Spampinato):
"...The lncredible Casuals have been party-rock regulars in Cape Cod bars for many summers. In a just world, Your Sounds (Sonic Trout, CD) would be their ticket to broader success. The Casuals make a raucous guitar-driven noise laced with cool Brit-pop hooks and harmonies not unlike NRBQ (guitarist Johnny Spampinato is the brother of NRBQ's bassist) but with a hint of Replacements-style corrosion..." - David Fricke, Rolling Stone March 5, 1992
"Burn Me Up" from the 1995 album It Is Balloon (written by Aaron Spade):
"Love Gets Breakfast" from the 2000 album The Future Will Be Better Tomorrow (written by Chandler Travis):
"The Same Thing" from the 1995 album It Is Balloon (written by Johnny Spampinato):
I heard a story that when they played their first gig in New York, their van was stolen. They found it on fire two hours later.
Let's Go (1982):
"Step It Up" from the 1991 album Your Sounds (written by Chandler Travis)
"Don't Tell Me" from the 1987 album That's That (written by Johnny Spampinato):
At one point back in the eighties – they were an opening act for many bigger acts.. Elvis Costello, etc.
Nice write up SR. Of course I had heard about these for years form ol' Stevie, but actually got a chance to catch them last year on the Cape, twice. These guys know how to have a good time and have a messload of good time, well crafted songs. As dime said, gotta love a good bar band.
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved
Song of the day is "Money Won't Buy You Happiness" - from a show at The Paradise in Boston way back in 1982. This song was the first song the band released as a single:
Real nice write-up, SR. I think that I heard of the Casuals during their touring w/Elvis days, but for some reason have never heard them until now. I love their sound. Did they ever share a bill w/NRBQ? They remind me a little of this great bar band from D.C., the Nighthawks. Not that they are similar sounding (the Nighthawks are more blues rock), but that they have found a comfortable groove. They stay within their limits, but excel at what they deliver. Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
A thousand clusterfucks will not kill my tiny light
Slipkid42 wrote:Real nice write-up, SR. I think that I heard of the Casuals during their touring w/Elvis days, but for some reason have never heard them until now. I love their sound. Did they ever share a bill w/NRBQ? They remind me a little of this great bar band from D.C., the Nighthawks. Not that they are similar sounding (the Nighthawks are more blues rock), but that they have found a comfortable groove. They stay within their limits, but excel at what they deliver. Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
Yes - they've shared billing w/ NRBQ. The Casuals have been inextricably linked to NRBQ since before their inception as a band. Chandler and original Casuals rhythm guitar player Steve Shook were a comedy/music act called Travis Shook and Club Wow back in the seventies (they once appeared on Johnny Carson) - and, they had support back then from NRBQ's Terry Adams. It's interesting also, that Johnny Spampinato in fact replaced Al Anderson in NRBQ in the mid-nineties.
The Casuals also apparently shared a bill with The Replacements.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for... a glimpse into the warped stylistic soup that is The Chandler Travis Philharmonic... Song of the day today is "Fluffy":
