“Cigarette Lips” from Callin’ All Rockers by The Neighborhood Bullys
from their own site..The Neighborhood Bullys Biography
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS RETURN WITH “CALLIN’ ALL ROCKERS!”
The 2nd in a series of 4 EPs, The Neighborhood Bullys are Back
With Another Straight-Up Rock n’ Roll Record
The Neighborhood Bullys are:
Wunderkind Greg West on lead guitar; the possibly overly talented Zach Jones on rhythm guitar; the hardest working Viking in show business Reijo Kauppila on drums and singer-songwrecker, Davey Meshell on bass and lead vocals.
“The Neighborhood Bullys have taken up the flag of no-BS rock and roll for the good of everyone. In a world of manufactured synth-pop divas, wannabe metalheads and softhearted boys wearing eyeliner, the Bullys elemental ethos is a breath of fresh air that hits you with gale force.” – Joe Armstrong, Independent’s Day Radio
Los Angeles, CA 2015–For the better part of a decade, The Neighborhood Bullys have been forerunners of the Los Angeles music scene. Founded by Davey Meshell in 2006, the Bullys came crashing out of the gate with a full-length record produced by Mike Chapman (Blondie, The Knack), titled, “What?” While reviewing the record, noted rock critic Chris Morris (Billboard, Variety) called the band, “The best fucking rock and roll band in Los Angeles”—17 times throughout the same article.
In 2013, The Bullys began an ambitious project of a set of 4 related EPs to be released over a period of time and culminating in a full-length record. The self-titled, EP, first in the series, paid off by setting the radio and charts alight all over the globe, peppering inside the Top 40 national commercial radio chart, FMQB.
“Callin’ All Rockers!” is the 2nd in the series of the 4 EPs. One listen to the new 5-song EP confirms their roots in southern-fried R&B and gutbucket soul. It is equal parts Stax, Motown and Gamble-Huff. Take a listen to the show-stopping “Cigarette Lips”, with its rumbling bass intro, vicious groove and ripping guitar solo or Davey Meshell’s Mick Jagger meets Ronnie Spector high tenor testifying in “Keep The Truth”. “The Bully Stomp” is a dance song in the style of the Twist or The Mashed Potato. “People don’t write dance songs anymore,” says Meshell, “so we did.” Meshell is proud to share co-writing credit on the song “Trouble” with his daughter, Hanna. The song was written as a warning to steer clear of “red flag friends.”
With trace elements of glam-rock, it’s no surprise that Mike Chapman returned to co-produce the song, “Downtown” for “Callin’ All Rockers!” Their collaboration began when famed producer and rock Svengali, Kim Fowley encouraged Meshell to send his music to his favorite producer and ask them to produce the record. And, “No one topped Mike Chapman”, according to Meshell, so he sent in his demo and Chapman responded to it. After co-producing “What?” with Meshell, Chapman brought the artist in to share co-producing credit on Suzi Quatro’s “In The Spotlight”, on which The Neighborhood Bullys were the backing band on 4 songs and adds Meshell, “The only 4 songs that charted.”
Davey Meshell is a Brooklyn-born, L.A. raised singer-songwriter and bass player who has played with Etta James, Bobby Womack, Shelby Lynn, Peter Case, Jonathan Richman and Buddy Miles to name a few. The new EP was recorded and mixed by Dave Spreng and both took place over 3 days. “We only took each song twice, so the energy is great. There’s plenty of magic mistakes all over it, and I love that,” says Meshell. “Callin’ All Rockers!” is a continuation of the EP “The Neighborhood Bullys” in its sound. “We don’t want to alienate our fans and we’re dedicated to the sound and keeping it together,” said Meshell. “Like Cheap Trick or AD/DC we are working within a self-imposed set of rock and pop rules and taste.”
Meshell was born into a musical family and starting playing and singing at the age of 4. “I didn’t know you had to practice,” he says. “I just did it.” On top of their explosive sound, the Bullys songs are blessed with lyrics that are cynical, brutally honest, pointed and peppered with wit. Music critic, Mike the Knife said of the music, “it creates an infectious desire to get your limbs shaking and your head bobbing.” Another critic writes, “The Neighborhood Bullys Music is ID rock. It makes you want to go home and F#&k!”
“We’re a mix of Ike and Tina Turner. Rock, heavy on the Roll. We want to take you gently by the hand, and then smash you over the head,” says Meshell, “but I really just try to sing from the my soul and write from my heart.”