Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Meet The Mongrolls

The Mongrolls have been a one-man band ever since a series of grave misfortunes befell the classic lineup you may remember from the pages of Tiger Beat. Mere days after drummer Elvis Mongroll left the band to pursue a career in Revolutionary War themed pornographic films, second guitarist Moses Mongroll was kicked out for inappropriate touching of singer Greg’s ultra prized Ebenezer & The Bludgeons seven-inch. And with bass player Snake Mongroll currently doing 10-20 years in state prison for stealing military issue Twinkies, Greg Mongroll carries on valiantly and single-handedly. It takes great versatility and laborious effort for one man to do the work of three or four, but clearly there are benefits to such an arrangement. The band can never really “break up”. And there are no arguments about “musical direction” or whose songs to use. Having already self-released four CDs in five years, The Mongrolls are due to drop a new album soon. In the meantime, head on over to the band’s ReverbNation page and enjoy tons of great music for the bargain price of free.

The pride of Middleboro, Massachusetts (the cranberry capital of the world), The Mongrolls could perhaps be described as Teengenerate fronted by Oscar the Grouch. Greg’s mix of lo-fi trash, catchy punk, and Killed by Death inspired proto hardcore really takes me back to the days when garage punk was king. Ya gotta love that raw, filthy guitar sound that tears through your speakers like a chainsaw. And the vocals are something else: pissed-off, foul-mouthed, and just a little psychotic. It’s hard to believe that one guy is playing everything, because the music totally makes me picture a bunch of crazy dudes just killing it on stage and playing the living hell out of every note of every song. These tunes flat-out rip! I mean, you’ve never heard “Teenage Kicks” like this before! But with the Mongrolls, you don’t just get generic thrashing. Especially while spinning ace tracks like “All Alone” and “Kiss Kiss Bye Bye”, you can pick out an exceptionally well-honed melodic structure buried beneath all that raging, raucous noise. Greg takes it to 11 in every respect, but it’s not enough to say these songs are fast or furious or oozing attitude. One has to add that said tunes are really freaking good. There was a time when bands of this nature were a dime a dozen, but even in that era The Mongrolls would have been top shelf. If you don’t like “Rock & Roll”, then you don’t like rock & roll.


26 comments:

  1. Sheez. I have no luck with Reverbnation and this Nook of mine, but my KBD alarms are ringing off the hook Lord Rutledge...

    Off the hook!

    FASTER AND LOUDER scouts the hits!

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  2. My pleasure, Greg! Shawn, I think you'd really dig this band! Between your KBD collection and your Rip Off Records holdings, you are primed to be a Mongrolls fan!

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  3. The site wony let my nook listen to the songs but i did watch the vids which i thurougly enjoyed.

    Deffy on the spot concerning my taste and musical scope josh. I almost signed up for that site just because of the mongrels and your coverage...

    Since checking out site links for your subjects Josh, I have noticed a common name popping up: BILLY SYNTH ever check any of that out? Theres some real strong vids on YT on the subject if you feel up to it....

    And im thinking that the 'Greg' from above is the man responsible... Cool stuff. REALLY cool stuff. Maybe it should be called GREG BY DEATH because THE MONGRELS personifies every aesthetic of the KBD 'scene' all in one place...

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  4. Greg By Death! I love that! Thanks Shawn, I'm glad you dig!

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  5. I referred to a former acquaintance as "Killed By Jeff."

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  6. Ay Greg. Keep coming 'round... I just FOLLOWED Blog Monster. Stay with us here and there and sideways even. Join our unofficial secret society...

    At Culvers recently I put an Onion Ring on a double cheddar butter burger and fro across the table Julie asked if I was 'gunthering' my sandwhich.

    I told her it was true. i was Gunthering my sandwhich.

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  7. Killed By Secret Society. Onion Rings are better when baked on a pan drenched in salsa. I follow, I lean, I learn. Why Can't I touch it?

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  8. You've got Julie sayin' that? Cool! Keep on "Gunthering"!

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  9. I am most curious about this salsa baked onion rings thing! I have not heard of this. I guess that's what secret societies are for.

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  10. Onion rings on pizza? I'd love it!

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  11. There needs to be a pizza version of a Pittsburgh sandwich. Hamburger, fries, and slaw on top of a pizza. Maybe some egg as well. Gotta have the egg!

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  12. And a runny egg at that! My next food piece might be "Pittsburgh Sandwiches 101".

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  13. Hmmm a breakfast pizza?

    THAT is my million dollar idea for tne day. I DECLARE IT SO!!!!

    Last night watching DONNIE DARKO, in a scene where Swayze as the guru Cunningham addressed his captive audience as MONGROLLS... Hey, Killed by Greg (KBG), does that scene have anything to do with the MONGROLLS project?

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  14. Can't say it does. Never seen the film, but it's on the never ending list of films to see!

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  15. Too many damn people have talked up that movie for years, which is why I've resisted a screening. I put "Trainspotting" in the same category.

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  16. Darko is a 100 percent stone cold must-see, if only for Swayze's bit part and the "What the fuck just happened?" feeling you'll get once the film ends (kind of like how you felt last night if you were a Flyers fan). Not saying it's an extraordinary film, but man, what a mindfuck!

    Trainspotting, on the other hand, is a classic. I resisted it for 6 or 7 years due to the "hype" but wish I hadn't. It's awesome.

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  17. Fair enough. I'll put 'em in my Netflix queue or find the films on VHS.

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  18. I like how TRAINSPOTTING makes me feel like an outsider and such... its a great movie.

    I teally enjoyed watching DONNIE DARKO again. I think my interpretation of the movie is better now that i have read more Vonnegut and JG Ballard since i first seen it. I understand storrytelling more and more the older i get and appreciate movies more and more.

    Like APOCALYPSE NOW. Last time i watched it i liked it more than i did before...

    Josh... Gunther... Hell, even KBGreg.... Howabout a three pronged blog coverage of movies in the blogs?

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  19. You can expect future movie coverage in F & L for sure, although it may be limited to dystopian films of the '70s like Logan's Run, Soylent Green, Omega Men, et al. All that, plus a special piece on regional hot dog variations! The hits just keep on coming!

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  20. Will you cover early 80's dystopian tv shows such as LOVE BOAT or FANTASY ISLAND sometime? I know those shows were not designed as such but I didnt have to reach too far to get to that spot...

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  21. By all means, I always did get that creepy vibe off of Fantasy Island. I won't debate your same point regarding the Love Boat either. What can I say? TV producers in the '70s were doing SO many drugs...

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  22. "Truth or Dare", The Mongrolls forthcoming LP is coming along!

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  23. Shawn, I might cover the movie "Crazy People." I bought it for $3.99 on DVD in the midst of a bad hangover. Definitely would be part of The Guntherion Collection.

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  24. New Mongrolls album! Cliff Lee takes down the Sox! The good news just keeps a coming!

    Yeah, perhaps reviews of favorite movies of mine that aren't everyone else's favorites would be a neat angle. Looking forward to a Crazy People write-up, G!

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