Sonny Vincent, known as the founding member of NYC punk heroes Testors and bandmate of Bobby Liebling in the doom metal band The Limit, has unearthed a collection of the earliest recordings from his NYC proto-metal days with this new LP collection “Primitive 1969-1976”, to be released December 8th on Ripple Music. Stream the first single “Flying” on all streaming services now!
New York City’s own guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Sonny Vincent was truly ahead of his time, and the world is finally catching up. These are incredible snapshots from the NYC music scene in the pre-77 punk era that defied definition. These tracks all show the foundation on which Sonny Vincent’s appeal was built: ripping guitar riffs, raw energy, and soulful, authentic vocals from the gutters of New York. Criss-crossed between heavy-handed biker rock and thug rock supreme, dripping with chain grease and burnt skin, a true ball-crushing, tit-ripping rock’n’roll gem for the ages, sadly unreleased and completely unknown during its time.
Compiling rarely heard rocking tracks from Distance (1969-71), Fury (1972), and Liquid Diamonds (1973-75), as well as one of the earliest Testors demos from 1976, this LP collection shines a light on one of New York City’s darkest corners of proto-metal history. A must for fans of proto-metal, proto-doom and bands like BANG, Poobah, Buffalo, JPT Scare Band and other obscure metal rarities.
Listen to the compilation’s first track “Flying” (Fury, 1972)
About collaborating with Ripple Music, Sonny Vincent says: “I first heard of Ripple Records from my buddy Pellet. One day, he mentioned a conversation with Todd Severin, the Pres and main man at Ripple. Pellet told me Todd was a fan of my solo stuff and Testors. Around the same time, I had shared some of my early recordings with Pellet that I made in my formative years, and he was knocked out by the fact that my early stuff resonated with more of a ‘Hard Rock/Heavy’ vibe. Some of this material had previously come out on obscure releases. Still, once Todd from Ripple heard the songs, he was determined to share them with the world and treat the followers of his label to a true Proto-Heavy discovery!”
TRACKLIST:
1. Flying – Fury 1972
2. 100% Proof – Fury 1972
3. Indecision – Distance 1971
4. Long Ago – Liquid Diamonds 1973
5. Concrete Bliss – Fury 1972
6. Scary – Testors 1975
7. Lament – Distance 1971
8. She’s Like Hiroshima – Distance 1969
9. AWMAW – Liquid Diamonds 1973
10. The Good Well – Liquid Diamonds 1973
11. Never Die – Liquid Diamonds 1973
12. All Day – Liquid Diamonds 1973
Sonny Vincent’s signature style is immediate. Even at this early age, the seething vocals are incredible. With such an over-the-top proto-heavy hammer-damaged sound drilling away in the background, you’ll feel your life getting better with each consecutive spin. Much of this archival material was uncategorizable in the early/mid-70s when so many “underground rock” styles were interweaving. Sonny’s recollection of these early years in his career is mind-blowing. The fact that he’s been able to hold onto the master tapes of these completely unknown and sorely unexposed examples of music history in luggage trunks that he’s moved back & forth across the Atlantic several times since the 70s is almost inconceivable.
This is some kind of gold miner wet dream! Vincent formed band after band, each reaching its own level of raw madness. Now, these tracks will quickly lock into place alongside pre-punk icons of the era. While the stream of books & scholars focusing on underground music from this era continues to omit these missing links of NYC history, we offer up a slice of NYC proto-heavy heaven!
So many events and stories… from hanging out as a teenager with David Peel and Ed Sanders of the Fugs to the turbulent days with the original bass player Anthony in Distance, who killed the guitarist in his next band and is serving life in prison, to Sonny almost ditching out on returning to Camp Pendelton USMC (he was drafted by court order and shipped to Vietnam after initial training at Paris Island, Camp LeJune, and Camp Pendleton). On a weekend leave from Pendleton, after he received ‘WESTPAC’ orders, he almost got on a bus — by invitation from the Manson girls to go to their “cool commune”. Later, on tour with Mo Tucker as her guitar slinger, he shared a hotel room with Sterling Morrison, also of The Velvet Underground.
This guy still needs to be discovered by most Heavy Music fans, and this release should fill the gaps and solidify his place in time. Welcome to this cache of heavy hard rock stunners and proto-heavy/proto-punk freakouts. These are sickening grooves with thunder-soaked sonic savagery. Don’t even try to relax. Crank this up and feel the shell shock take hold!
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