The Revelators

Perhaps I should be grateful that The Revelators only had that one album to their name. It's so damn greasy, raw and slinky that I doubt they could top it. Additional albums most likely would have dropped the bar and caused my appreciation of the original product to deteriorate (i.e. - New Bomb Turks). Nope, two singles and one album are all the remains of Columbia, Missouri's Revelators. Following the mold cast by earlier trailblazers the Gories, Oblivians, and Jack O' Fire the Revelators combined elements of primitive R'n'R, rockabilly, blues, and punk into a fiery stew of hot covers and cool originals.

Formed in Columbia, MO in 1995, the band released their first 7" on Crypt. The release was unremarkable save for the name - The Revelators Versus: The Prozac-Poppin' Whinin' Sissies. Their only album, 1997's We Told You Not To Cross Us was a vast improvement - better production, energetic originals, smoking guitar (courtesy John Schooley), and choice covers of Link Wray, Billy Boy Arnold, and Sonny Burgess. 16 tracks in all. A couple of samples:

Revelators - Serve The Man.mp3
a re-recorded version of the A side of the first single

Revelators - Come Back Bay.mp3
It's a cover of a Billy Boy Arnold tune, but it plays like an original what with that guitar freakout and all.

Revelators - Hillbilly Wolf.mp3
The Revelators take Link Wray's boogie and turn it into a menacing stomp.

Notes:

Crypt's Radio Page has a Revelators mp3 - "Earthshaker, Yeah!"

The band brokeup after recording their second LP on Crypt. The album is still in the can with no plans for a release. Anyone ever hear a copy????

John Schooley was fronting the Hard Feelings (currently "on hiatus") Now, he's John Schooley and his One Man Band

The "bonus" track on the CD is a "jingle" for Columbia, MO record store Whizz Records

Buy We Told You Not To Cross Us