Crowbar Salvation – Kiss the Brain

Led by biker-styled Reverend Marty Nation, Crowbar Salvation was an unlikely group of reprobates that managed to be one of the most rockin’ of the LA late 80’s bands. Propelled by the terrific Herman Senac on drums (who was also in the amazing Blood on the Saddle) they burst onto the scene with a raucous energy and some damn cool songs. The band was very under-recorded, but this mini-LP on Sympathy for the Record Industry gives an idea of just how powerful these cats were.

Opening with their theme song “Salvation” (also covered by Sacred Miracle Cave), they drone their way through this tune of lust and salvation with Marty raving at the end showing just how sexual evangelical preachers really are (“let jesus come on you, let jesus come in you”). A great slab of intense, catchy noise!

This is followed by one of the wildest tunes to come out of the city of angels, “Crash Boom Bamm”! Super catchy guitar riff sets off this high energy blast of unadulterated r’n’r! Walls of nasty sounding guitars play off of each other while creating a truly memorable number. Words can’t describe…

While I’m usually opposed to silly, macho posing, Marty somehow pulled this off in his tongue in cheek (hopefully!) manner as he sings his paens to tools and violence in both “Monkey Wrench” and “Crowbar Blues” – both great biker-punk’n’roll tunes.

More intertwining guitar playing highlights “Misery Loves Company” (“and my company is you”), another powerful, chunky rocker. This mini-LP closes with “Lost Head Ranch”, a heavy, slide-guitar, sleazy, blues-rock number.

This was a helluva rockin’, modern biker/blues-rock’n’punk combo that broke up way too soon. But this record is well worth digging up for a touch of demented, crazed sounds!