So many great rockabilly bands have sprouted up over the globe since the style first took root in the ’50s. Hank’s Jalopy Demons are proud to be a part of such a tornado of musical wildness and take their inspiration from the countless masters of this genre over the past 60 years. In fact, what may make Hank’s Jalopy Demons a hip band is their total immersion in this music, as well as their energetic enthusiasm for playing rockabilly the best they can – trying to emulate the best, while creating their own unique authentic interpretation.
On this exciting musical journey, Hank’s Jalopy Demons started out by doing the hard yards of the musicians’ ordeal – playing in rough dingy bars on the wrong side of the tracks (in fact, they still do). From there, the small, increasingly loyal, audience grew. From those early hard days, they added inspired new original numbers to their repertoire and formed a tight musical outfit that had people really rockin’ with their frighteningly authentic and wild renditions of rockabilly.
Of course, a band is more than just the sum of its members – the quality of a band in a non-linear equation. This dynamic output is the result of the input of the following vigorous personalities.
First, there’s Andrew Lindsay on drums. He has extensive experience in the hippest of hipness. Many will be familiar with Benny and the Fly-by-niters in which he provided the rhythm, as well as the respected western-swing/hillbilly-bop outfit the Starliners. Secondly, there’s Dave Cantrell on the lead guitar and vocals, who’s been playing and recording rockabilly since a school-boy, still wet behind the ears. He played in such renowned Melbourne bands as the Roadsters and Stringbusters, plus the Starliners too. Next, there’s Til Vex on bull fiddle. He’s been honing his skills for many moons in Melbourne rockabilly bands, such as the Straight 8s and the Roadsters. You may be familiar with all of the of bands mentioned above from the infamous and acclaimed Preston Records label. In addition, Andrew, Dave and Til backed both Scotty Baker and Kieron McDonald, among others, on their excellent recordings. Lastly, Hank Ferguson, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and composer, is known for his singing with the Starliners, as well as other Preston Records releases dating back over two decades. He’s been playing this music since he was knee high to a grasshopper.
And that, amigos, is Hank’s Jalopy Demons – dig it!