BRIGITTE HANDLEY & THE DARK SHADOWS "DARKNESS CALLS" Digi-CD

Band

BRIGITTE HANDLEY & THE DARK SHADOWS

Title

DARKNESS CALLS

Cat#

HALB 56-2

Format

Digi-CD

Release Date

30.04.2009

File Under

Psychobilly, Punkrock

Info

We're not Rockabilly, we're not Psychobilly, although we totally dig those styles.” * It would probably be too simple to pigeonhole Brigitte Handley into one style. She neither does us the favor nor herself. Quite the contrary …" Imagine Gene Vincent married Marlene Dietrich with a twist of Tim Burton, Dave Vanian and the Sisters of Mercy." … that is what you can at least read on one of the numerous fan-pages in the omniscient World Wide Web. Further on it says: “ Brigitte's songs are voiced with a deep, dark-edged sword, full of a presence and attitude that is not to be crossed.”

She describes her music as "dark edged punk noir". It sounds mysterious and we can assume the depth and inscrutability into where the vampyric lady together with The Dark Shadows would like to carry us away.

Brigitte Handley fronts The Dark Shadows on vocals and guitar, along with Carly Chalker on bass and Nerida Wu on drums. They are not only optically a distinctive and impressive ensemble, but they also create a unique and independent sound and style. "I've always been a fan of crazy clothes and dramatic make-up. I just have fun with being able to wear what I like and playing music."

The band based in Sydney formed itself in the middle of 2006, after Brigitte met bass player Carly Chalker at a punk gig. They joined forces and played a few low-key shows while searching for the right drummer. Brigitte and Carly had not to wait very long and met Nerida Wu, they played a few shows together and soon Nerida became a full-time member of The Dark Shadows.

“ Brigitte Handley fronts the band with her fierce vocals and mean guitar, she is joined by fellow B-Grade girls, Carly Chalker, slamin' out on bass and Nerida Wu pounding away on drums…”

Since then the Sydney based 3 piece is constantly on tour and had supported a diverse range of international top-class bands … first of all, recently supported at 2 evenings - The Stray Cats (USA), Mark y Ramone (USA), further on: Mad Sin (Germany), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (USA), The Quakes (USA), Guana Batz (UK), Koffin Kats (USA), Rezurex (USA), The Meteors (UK), The Fireballs (AUS).

Brigitte Handley already received her first recognition and early praise within the scene in 2001 with collaboration with US-Rockabilly legend Danny B. Harvey. In 2006 the debut EP "Identity" came out by Brigitte Handley (Revel Yell Music). At least by now, Handley’s special and multi-faceted sound forms its own musical construction. Thus the smasher "Sleeping With A Vampyre" becomes a synonym of an own music style.” The sharp lipstick twang of the Danelectro slung low, kicks with a grating bite and shimmers into a silvery vibrato moon…”

2 years haven’t even passed and Brigitte Handley & The Dark Shadows potter around new songs for a new EP. It’s called ”Stand Off” and came out in the middle of 2008 with 5 own tracks and one cover song (Devo's "Freedom Of Choice") in self-distribution.

Together the 3 purposely intend not to be pigeonholed: “We have a unique style and sound. Our set winds from loud slamming tracks to dark melodic tales that envelope your ears and transport you to another atmospheric dimension before jolting you back to reality!” *

With easygoing lightness and enticing charm the 3 girls determine the scene in no time at all. Is it pure rebelliousness if the ladies must not apologies for anything or do they symbolically proclaim the call to non-conformity?

It almost appears scary how forceful and expressive the songs are presented and how they try to undermine your world by skilful selected words. It’s cleverly played to the gallery - a slight melancholic seriousness bringing up a marvelous musical atmosphere which you can hardly escape from.

Not without reason many of the songs are about alienation (“Alien Movies“), poisoned love (“Pesticide“), fear and grief (“Lament Of A Lost Soul”), revenge (“Gonna Getcha“), dreams and obsessive worlds of fantasies (”Dave Like Dolls“), emancipation (”Identity“).

For the HALB-7-RECORDS compiled "Best Of" CD includes songs of all musical creative phases, all hits of course, as well as unpublished and rare material that had been not available in Europe up to now. A bonus and highlight will be the recently finished clip of "Dave Like Dolls". The CD comes in a costly produced full colored Digi-Pack including a 12-sided Booklet and transparent Tray, detailed liner notes and all song texts.

Next to their album Brigitte Handley & The Dark Shadows will be taking their ‘Darkness Calls Tour’ through Australia, before heading to Europe & the USA to play a string of shows and festivals, including the 3-day Psychomania-Rumble in Potsdam.

Australia comes a bit closer … We are looking forward to seeing Brigitte Handley & The Dark Shadows.

Mr.Fx (Halb-7-Records / Psychomania March, 2009)

*Source: Brigitte Handley (interviews) / ** Source: http://iacmusic.com

Promotion & Werbung:

- Europatour im Mai / Psychomania Rumble # 3 Pfingsten 2009 in Potsdam

- Special im PSYCHOMANIA MAGAZIN # 6 (Frühjahr / Sommer 09)

- Interview im Ox # 84, Dynamite # 05/09,

- Werbeanzeigen: PSYCHOMANIA MAGAZIN # 6***DYNAMITE # 05/09***KINKAT # 9***MOLOKO PLUS # 39***OX # 84*** OX # 84***TRUST # 136 Juni/Juli 09***PANKERKNACKER # 21***Oi! THE PRINT # 28***sowie in szenerelevanten Fanzines

Radio:

BRAINDRAIN RADIOSHOW Göttingen***PUNK-N-ROLL RADIOSHOW Nordhausen***RADIO BADLAND***RADIO FLORA Hannover – Smash it Up*** RADIO CORAX – SUBVERSIV Halle***RADIO BLAU Leipzig***RADIO LORA Schweiz***RADIO LOHRO Rostock

Reviews:

BANDWORM KATALOG 73/Mai 09***BANZAI # 18/Frühjahr 09***BEZIRK 7 # 9/Frühjahr 09***BLACK MAGAZIN # 50/Frühjahr 09*** DARK SPY 30 / Juli 09***DER ZWERGPIRAT # 12/Frühjahr 09***DYNAMITE # 05/09***GARAZ # 28/Frühjahr 09***KINKAT # 9 / Sommer 2009***LEGACY-MAGAZIN # 61/Frühjahr 09***MAD HOUSE JUMP/Frühjahr 09***METAL HAMMER 06 / 09***MOLOKO PLUS # 39/Frühjahr 09***Oi! THE PRINT # 28/Frühjahr 09***Oi! Warning Fanzine UK # 10/Frühjahr 09***ORKUS 06/09***OX # 84/Juni, Juli 09***PLASTIC BOMB # 67/Frühjahr 09***PUNKROCK # 10/Sommer 09***PANKERKNACKER # 21/Frühjahr 09***ROCK HARD 06/09***SLAM ZINE # 44/Juli, August 09***SONIC SEDUCER 06/09***STARDUST 16/Mai 09***TAUGENIX # 8 /Frühjahr 09***TRUST # 136 Juni/Juli 09***USELESS FANZINE 103/Frühjahr 09***VISIONS # 194 / Mai 09***VOICE OF THE STREETS/Frühjahr 09***DER WAHRSCHAUER # 58/Herbst 09***ZILLO 06/09

Online:

3rd GENERATION*** DARK HEART MAGAZIN***DOSENMUSIK***IN-YOUR-FACE***SCHATTENTANZ***CRAZYUNITED*** METAL.de*** ORANGE TIMES***SCARRED FOR LIFE***RAMTATTA.de***PSYCHOBILLY 666***UNCLE SALLY'S ***POWERMETAL.de*** TURN TO ROCK***VERBOTENE FRÜCHTE***VOICE OF CULTURE ***WASTE OF MIND***MY SPACE STREUUNG

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