Rocka-honka-tonka-punka-metal-billy
Get ready for a whole new experience of music being dug up straight from the Rubber City of Akron, Ohio as Shane Vain and the Village Vandals hit the airwaves and local stages with their wild and untamed style of music that will hit straight to the core of your senses. When rock meets honky tonk meets punk meets metal meets rockabilly/psychobilly. The result is a great ball of energy with a heavy edge like no other and that is how you get rock a honk a tonka punka metal billy!
So it all began about 20 years ago according to front man Shane “Vain” Buckley. “It began around late 2005, or so.. From the ashes of some of our prior bands. I/we decided to do something that represented a somewhat broader scope of rock and roll styles that we enjoyed as opposed to a more narrow niche and/ or style that some of our previous bands may have been limited to. We played from around 2005 to 2008 or so, took about 13 years off to do some various other things, reconvened in 2020.. And have been rocking since. Our influences (and blending them together), are a big part of our sound. The strongest elements are 50’s era rock and roll, and the various forms and versions of that (From rockabilly, to doo-wop, to jump swing, to surf, Sun Records, Chess Records, etc..) But also some vintage honkytonk and western swing kinda stuff (Think Hank Williams sr, Ernest Tubb, George Jones, Bob Wills, even some bluegrass, and the trucker type stuff..) Toss in some punk rock and turbo charged rock and roll (Ala’ Social Distortion, Misfits, Reverend Horton Heat, Supersuckers, Sex Pistols, etc..) and a nice pinch of metal (From Motley Crue to Skid Row, to Early Metallica, to Poison to Pantera..) As well as a few other various oddballs.”
The band includes Shane Vain Buckley on guitar and vocals; Joey Kash on guitar and vocals; Corey Rotic on bass and vocals and Souk “The Soukster” Suzuki on drums and vocals. They released their lastest CD Rubber City Rumbabilly last year featuring 9 intense tracks that will have you rocking and bopping. “This is a compilation of works from the band and they chose songs that they feel are the best fit for the label, they also wrote a brand new song specifically for this release, Can’t Beat The House.”
“We’re a true to form rock and roll band… If that’s your bag, we just might be for you! We consider ourselves a Rocka-honka-tonka-punka-metal-billy band.. And we mean it!! We may use the term kinda light hearted or jokingly, but at the end of the day, that really is pretty much what we play. We have elements of say, rockabilly, but I don’t think the rockabilly “purists” would necessarily consider us a “rockabilly” band. Same goes for metal, or punk, or honky tonk. But we manage to smash it all together to form what we do. Sometimes all in the same song!! Haha. Even as a guitar player, my influences are all over the place, from the rockabilly and country legends, to the 80’s shredders, to aggressive punk, and I try to include it all in what I write and play. If Rocka-honka-tonka-punka-metal-billy is too long of a description, we also use the term “real deal rock and roll”.
Shane Vain & VV have some summer shows on tap and will be releasing a new album in May titled “Comin out Swinging”. “We have several albums. We put out two during our first go around (one in 2006, and one in 2007). And have put out 4 more since getting back together. The one coming out in May titled “Comin’ Out Swingin'” will be our 7th total. You can find em online, via various platforms (Spotify, Pandora, YouTube etc..) You can also pick up a physical copy at a show, or via link on our Facebook page. There’s also a compilation out via Rumble Road Records if someone wants to get a sampling from the different albums. And we’re currently talking with Lords of The Highway about potentially doing a vinyl split in the coming months.”
“The goal is to keep playing real deal rock and roll, the way we want to. And not following any particular fads or trends. Just keep on blending together the stuff we like, and if others like it too, Even better. Obviously the more people that discover us, and dig what we do the better. We hope people will hear the elements of what they like in our stuff, and latch on. Blending some of the elements that we do can potentially work against us I suppose, as it may be too “metal” for some of the rockabilly cats, or too “honky tonky” for some of the metal dudes.. etc.. But we don’t give a shit. It’s for us, and those who like it. And who knows, if a song like “Thank Goodness For Headbangers Ball” doesn’t resonate with someone, maybe “The Ballad Of Large Marge” will…”
Shane Vain and the VV are keeping the spirit of the local Akron music scene pumping with their energetic shows and presence in the scene, one they hope to ignite with their firey music and attitude.
“I’ve been a part of the Akron Music Scene for a pretty long time. I’ve seen a lot of stuff come and go (bands, venues, people, fanzines, trends, etc..) And while there currently seems to be a bit less going on then perhaps in years past, some of the stuff that is going on seems to be pretty cool. I hope it comes back around and builds up again a little more, as It sometimes does In a cyclical way. But either way, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing.”
Shane Vane and the Village vandals are the real ready to rock your world with their blazing hot music. From Thank Goodness for Headbangers Ball to Thank Goodness for Shane Vane and the Village Vandals…this is one band you need to see and experience in person. Be sure to support them live and online with there music.
Also: facebook.com/villagevandals
