Haunted Honky-Tonk

Haunted Honky-Tonk - Action Andy

Relampago-go Records

REL-GO 013

Action Andy (real name Andy Rasmussen) sent me this 12 inch vinyl album back in 2009 at a time when my work changed and a move was necessary, so this platter was packed away and forgotten about at the time. But I recently rediscovered it I gave it another spin and a good listen (several listens in fact). This L.P. is a little bit off-centre from the general rockabilly roots music I love, but saying that it is a very fine release indeed. I admire the fresh feel Andy puts into the recordings. All the songs on the album are original, which Mr. Action delivers in his original take on the honky-tonk style. 

 Andy digs deep into his love of rural country blues music and gives us an album of songs with that old time feel, but with a modern sounding twist! From the opening sounds (squeaking bar room doors) on the first track ‘Haunted Honky-Tonk’, to the finale 'Starry Skies', we are taken on trip through Action Andy's honky-tonk mind. Andy sings about gangs, bar fights, lost love and loose women in his own freshly delivered musical style.

 The musicians are of a high calibre too, with various lead guitarists ranging from Adrian Demain, Gig Fortier, and Hector Penalosa to Jerry Rigg, Matt Strachota is on lap steel and banjo, Maren Parusel on piano and Andy himself on rhythm guitar. The album is a mixed bag of ballads, rockin' tunes and even a 1920’s style song, ‘Boy Crazy Girl’. As Andy said to me it is not what you would call a straight Rockabilly or Bop album, but do have a listen to this platter it has a bit of everything going on in the grooves.

Haunted Honky-Tonk

Barroom Romance

Lonesome And Then Some

Thunderbird Blues

That One Song

My Baby's Gone

One Tortured Soul

X In Texas

Teenage Gang

Lonesome Row

Honky-Tonk Hustler

Women Like A Chase

Boy Crazy Gal

Starry Skies

Buy your Copy here...
or via Andy direct on Facebook

Haunted Honky-Tonk
Boy Crazy Girl
Teenage Gang
Lonesome Row

The tracks above (in MP3 format) were recorded directly from the 'Haunted Honky Tonk' Long Play vinyl 12 inch Album while spinning on my 1962 Dansette record player. I think that's cool!

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Ramblin' Man (extra track youtube rip)

The Haunted Honkers live at the Zombie Lounge, San Diego, CA. 2007

Andy - Singin' and Strummin'

Jerry Rigg - Upright Bass Fiddle

Kevin Manuel - Lead Guitar

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Andy talking about the songs on the E.P

1) Haunted Honky-tonk - After seeing a band called the Lucky Stars a few years ago; I recalled a song they did with a very haunted minor key feel. I never heard the song again, but I thought it was called "Haunted Honky-tonk." I liked the title so much I wrote the song about lost love and local honky-tonks I rambled in my not-so-distant youth.

2) Boy Crazy Gal - This is a song I wrote when I was in a band called The Black Bottom Boozers, who had some very Jimmy Rodgers, 1930's dust-bowl influences. The song was about an ex who always seemed to be winking at the other fellas over my shoulders when we danced, hence "Boy Crazy Gal." Incidentally, I had the pleasure of hearing this song played on "Merseyside Radio BBC with Spencer Leigh" in 08'.

3) Teenage Gang - I likely wrote this song seconds after seeing a 1950's movie called "Teenage Caesar." I imagined a Hollywood producer calling me up to say they needed a song for a juvenile delinquent movie, quick (!) Gig did a fantastic job on lead, I remember saying to him, think Link! (Wray of course)

4) Lonesome Row - This was a song I enjoyed playing in The Haunted Honk-tonkers, it always got the crowd goin'. I believe I was probably listening to a lot of Johnny Cash at the time and liked the quick changes in it.

5) Ramblin' Man-My favourite Hank Williams song hands down. I remember seeing Hank III do this song and it sounded so much like Hank Sr. it made my neck-hair stand up on end. This song we performed on Halloween fittingly enough. After the song I recall wiping my face from the heat of the lights, but forgot I had full zombie make-up, which smeared my face into something even Screaming Lord Sutch would cringe at.

While I was a member of the Sleepwalkers (1992-02'), I had been writing original songs for years and had been planning to do an album with friends of mine. Eventually, one cold night in October of 06,' I went into a studio, dropped a mic., and sang around 21 songs with just my guitar. Over the ensuing months I brought in talented pals to play over the tracks and after saving enough $ I eventually got it pressed. Once it was done I got a couple guys together to play the album, we were called "Action Andy & The Haunted Honky-tonkers." By the way, I think that's cool you added them to your mp3 collection.

What's Andy up to now? Find out here Action Andy And The HiTones