Talking to the Dead: A Conversation with Leighton Koizumi of the Morlocks
Chess Records was once home to some of the greatest Blues and R&B artists in the world. Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, John Lee Hooker: all were Chess artists. All have been named as influences by some of the most important bands in rock 'n' roll and R&B history. The Rolling Stones even took their name from a Muddy Waters song. Muddy and Robert Johnson have always topped the list when it comes to Blues artists who influenced the British Invasion.
On their latest album, The Morlocks Play Chess, the band pays homage to the music that inspired them, and so many other musicians; the music created in the Chicago studio known as Chess Records.
Many bands have covered Chess songs, but few have truly made them their own like The Morlocks have on this record. And that's par for the course with this band. No matter what they play, they do it in a way that is distinctly Morlocks. I have a feeling that if Joey Ramone were alive today he would be listening right now to The Morlocks Play Chess, full blast, and totally digging it.
The Morlocks have a sound and style that rather resembles a West Coast version of The Ramones meets Iggy and The Stooges, with a splash of British Invasion Rolling Stones rock 'n' roll thrown in for good measure.
Although they kept to the original arrangement of the classic R&B songs, on Play Chess, The Morlocks really jump in and drive them hard, harder than they've ever been driven before. These historically significant songs get a dirty, filthy face wash with the pure power and punch of The Morlocks' gut-wrenching, garage-band, punk rock. And Leighton Koizumi's wicked, grinding, vocal assault is just what these songs needed to give them a kick in the gut and force them back out into the world with a "newly cool again" stamp of approval.
You can listen to a couple of bits from The Morlocks Play Chess singles, "I'm a Man" and "Killing Floor," as well as Leighton Koizumi explaining why The Morlocks chose Chess songs — the resurrected speaking on resurrection. Sadly I didn't get a record company release on one of our mutual favorites "Sitting On Top of the World" in time for publication, but you can listen to a message from Leighton to Morlocks' fans.
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