10 years after they started, Italian bandits LESTER AND THE LANDSLIDE LADIES have decided to put an end to the adventure, but not without offering us a new album.
The band went through various line-up changes over the years but still managed to play regularly opening for the coolest bands around and releasing records that only got better and better (6 official releases.) “It’s All About The Result” is no exception as you’ll find some great catchy tunes on it (“Jagerbomb”, “Still There (Everywhere)”, “Red Queen”…) and better songwriting than ever with songs like “Not Even Mrs. Last Call” and “Don’t You Break It”,reminding of a band like AMERICAN HEARTBREAK, or “It’s All About The Results” and its shared male-female vocals. The guys also get in the AC/DC/JETBOY territory with “Friends With Benefits” or “Shock Me Baby” in which you’ll find the kind of guitar riffs you probably loved in the band’s anthem “Margarida”. LESTER’s gang also pay tribute to CHEAP TRICK offering us a punked-up version of “Surrender” with a very cool and unexpected theremin solo. I was lucky enough to hear “Ain’t Never Gonna Change” before it was released and believe me, it stayed in my head for about two days, and now a song like “Christine” will probably do the same thing to me…
It’s a shame that LESTER AND THE LANDSLIDE LADIES won’t play anymore, there’s not many bands left in that style when you think about it, I mean punky glam rock’n’roll with music that can make you dance and lyrics that can make you sad. This have always worked for me and probably always will.
I usually don’t like long (I mean more than 10/12 songs!) albums much, I honestly didn’t get bored one second while listening to these 16 songs. See I’m about to do it again.
Out with a bang! This is your last chance to get a slice of Italian’s finest glam punk rock’n’roll, so go for it!/Laurent C.
Tag: lester & the landslide ladies
Lester And The Landslide Ladies/Kevin K Frantic Tales For The Fast Living Split CD
Distance sometimes seems to be a bigger thing than it really is: Italian power pop trash darlings LESTER AND THE LANDSLIDE LADIES meet American LAMF rock’n’roll world traveller KEVIN K on a record and it’s quite obvious that these guys could easily spend a whole night talking about The RAMONES, The NEW YORK DOLLS, their Polish origins while eating delicious pizza and drinking good French wine!LESTER AND THE LANDSLIDE LADIES start the party NY punk style with “Fuck Me Mommy”and show us that there’s nothing better than a catchy chorus with “Don’t Wanna Be With You” and “Cherry Stitches”. They say their life is a party and these songs make us realize that they’re ready to rock’n’roll all night with their early KISS ways… and what else could help to cure heartbreak (“All That We Got”, “My Ever Last Yearning”) better anyway?
KEVIN K would never refuse joining such a party and answers back as if the DEAD BOYS were jamming with the DOLLS (“Too Much Too Soon”)! Kevin’s New York days will always be a big part of him as you can hear in “La Vida Loca” or in “If I’m Alive” (a song that would have deserved a guest appearance by Stiv Bators in a perfect world!) but he’s never been against a bit of British punk rock flavour as well (“Crazy Squeeze” and its guitar riff à la The Clash!) Also, Kevin has never been against experimenting a bit with new sounds from time to time, here you’ll find a hard rock meets hip hop influenced song, “Picking Oxycotton” (think FASTER PUSSYCAT’s “Babylon” or AEROSMITH/RUN DMC’s “Walk This Way”) and a quite surprising KATY PERRY cover (“Teenage Dreams”) with Father K as a guest vocalist!
The best split record I’ve heard in a long while!/Laurent C.http://www.tornadoriderecords.com/
Landslide Ladies
Here is one of the coolest new Italian bands, they’ve just released an acoustic EP called “Six Strings & Cigarettes” and we couldn’t resist asking them a few questions… A good way to start the year.
So, when did you start LAND$LIDE LADIE$ ?We started in 2002 , but so many things happened in such a short time: a bunch of line-up changes ( 2 rhythm 
guitar players, 3 bass players, 2 drummers), 2 Eps recorded, 40 gigs only this year ( that in Italy for a band like us is quite a lot ), a tribute compilation to Kiss, a promotional tour to the compilation? and then, as Iggy once said: blah, blah ,blah. 😉There is only two members on your acoustic EP “Six Strings & Cigarettes”, is it because you couldn´t find other musicians? I read that the band has got brand new members.
guitar players, 3 bass players, 2 drummers), 2 Eps recorded, 40 gigs only this year ( that in Italy for a band like us is quite a lot ), a tribute compilation to Kiss, a promotional tour to the compilation? and then, as Iggy once said: blah, blah ,blah. 😉There is only two members on your acoustic EP “Six Strings & Cigarettes”, is it because you couldn´t find other musicians? I read that the band has got brand new members.
We were ready to record or second Ep, when our bass player decided to leave. We won’t let 2004 pass by without Land$lide Ladie$ had the chance to leave their trace, but we need to look for a new guy, so we were kind of stuck. The band was there but we where broke and in need of rehearsals, lazy Italian motherfuckers. Me and Mr.Gold ( the only two original members left ) decided that it could be fun just to sit and play as when we write songs. In 2 evenings we recorded as natural and honest as possible and the fruits of those sessions are the songs you can find on the Ep.
You sound less “hair metal” than most Italian glam bands, is there any other band in your style there?
Italian Glam oriented underground scene… it’s like a big self service where you could get what you want from Cock Rock to Glam Core from Hair Spray Punk to Speed Glam. Personally I think there’s a bunch of cool bands down here. Everyone is influenced by glam and glitter but everyone have something to say ‘in their very own chords’, able to propose their influences in an original and personal way, some of them: Thee S.T.P., Crackhouse, Bastet, Hollywood Killerz, Jany James & The Bandits, Decadenza, Pouty Lips, Babyruth, Lovin Doll$, Fuori Uso, Latexx Teens, Zap…
How have your shows been so far? Any anecdote, good or bad memories?
Pretty cool actually, we’re not great musicians and we don’t care about it, we try to give people a good time mixing glitter to proto-punk attitude. We do the same old stuff sweat, shout, jump, fall off the stage, get drunk, do a lot of that cheesy choruses. Anecdotes? too many to mention one in particular: I remember playing with 38 temperature under a mix of alcohol and pain killers kind of scary, get naked in a little club in the country side, while singing ?Anyway you want me, anyway you dream of me!? never though someone could have such horrible dreams?
Choose one (and explain why):
-AC/DC or KISS? Kiss especially the Alive! period they were just unbelievable, they looked like 4 super rnr heros out one of that Marvel comics and the music was so genuine ( no Ezrin bullshit ), so cool, so catchy but at the same time so hard. My bedroom it?s still full of posters, photos and memorabilia stuff from them!
-DAVID BOWIE or LOU REED? So hard to choose but I would say Bowie in his Ziggy years, truly I never really forgive Bowie to let Ronson run away. I was also very fascinated by his alter ego the white duke even if he had an awful hair cut. Long story short I love them both so my choice is Iggy!!!! Raw, wild, outrageous, witty, ironic? That trailer thrash guy has a spell on me!
-CLASH or SEX PISTOLS? Sex Pistols cause I can’t stand politics!
-NEW YORK DOLLS reunion or HANOI ROCKS reunion? No Johnny, No Jerry, now also no Arthur sorry? no Dolls! Hanoi are probably my all time favourite band, I saw Andy and Michael 3 times. Surely this Hanoi is not the same thing of old Hanoi , but Twelve shots is great ( even if mainly sounds like a Michael solo album). Finally real Hanoi dimension is on stage ? Natural Born Hell Raisers!
-DOGS D´AMOUR or QUIREBOYS? AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHH!!!! Tyla drives me nuts! Saw him supporting Alice Cooper: amazing! Still waiting to get him acoustic he?s simply great. Lately I?m listen almost every day to THE POET & THE DRAGON ?Live… Somewhere In This World?. I don?t know why but Tyla always finds the way to touch me very deeply!
-BACKYARD BABIES or HELLACOPTERS?Backyard Babies cause I’m much more into NewYork Dolls than into Mc5, and my main interest in the ‘copters was Dregen!There´s a lot of new rock bands in the media these days, especially these “The” bands, what´s your opinion on that?They’re ok some of them are quite cool, some of them make me puke but as in every trend there?s a good side and a bad side. I still prefer The Rolling Stones or The Heartbreakers or The Wildhearts that have nothing to do with the so called “The” bands but they’re some of “The Coolest” ever!What are your projects?
We’re trying to realize a Split Cd with one of the coolest band in Europe, but my lips are sealed sorry!
Anything else to add for our readers?
If you are still interested in this 5 spaghetti – weirdos please check http://www.landslideladies.com . Thank U Laur you ROCK!, but you don’t need me to tell you, what you done to support the scene is great! Thank U from all those wasted – glitter – punk – thrash – borderlines out there that are still looking for a great big Ki$$! $MAAAACCCKKK !
http://www.landslideladies.com
2005-10-09
Split interview: Kevin K/Lester & The Landslide Ladies
They share common stages and influences and have just released the split CD “Frantic Tales For The Fast Living” on Tornado Ride Records, so it seemed quite logical to us to make them talk a bit…. And where else could you find a KEVIN K/LESTER & THE LANDSLIDE LADIES split interview anyway?
Kevin K: On your song “Fuck Me Mommy” Whose mommy are you talking about ? And can I meet her?
Lester: I’m sure you know her, she was hanging in NY back in the days, she used to sing in a band, she’s a chick with attitude. She was concerned about having a relationship cause she didn’t want to get her children involved so she just wanted to get screw now and then. It’s been fun! Next time we’ll tour together I’ll make sure we’ll stop by her place.
Kevin K: Favorite band and singer?
Lester: Tough question. Early Kiss was the first band who got me into RnR. They fly, vomit blood, spit fire, blow everything on stage, sing about screwing chicks, rock and roll all nite and partying everyday. Sound like everything a teenager could dream of. Johnny Thunders taught me the style but the band that really changed my life was Hanoi Rocks. After seeing them live in 2001 I understood that RnR was the only thing I would have done in my life. Talking about singers I’m a huge Zander fan. I think Robin is one of the most underrated singers in Rock and Roll. I think I would buy his records even if he would read the phone directory.
Kevin K: Why is the pizza in Italy the best?
Lester: Pizza used to be poor’s man lunch everything is in it the bread, the tomato, the cheese. So since nothing really works over here and the money goes only to the same old politician and those few families that owns the huge factories; I guess one of the few comfort we can afford is pizza 😉
Kevin K: Modena Italy. I have a uncle from Medina , Ohio.. almost the same..
Lester: You now I never been there but looking at the map seems we are both stranded in the middle of nowhere and since I guess we’re both part Polish I would say “Yeah It’s a small world”.
Kevin K: What’s your favorite American city and why?
Lester: Maybe San Francisco. Hate L.A. fool of phoneys and you can’t get anywhere unless you have a car, New York it’s awesome but is fucking freezing in wintertime plus I think I’m not that smart to survive the skid rows, Washington it’s so boring. San Francisco is very European, the weather is nice, they seem tolerant, there’s a lively music scene, drug is cheap… I think it suits me 🙂
Kevin K: Kevin K ..What do you think of?
Lester: Influential to me in many ways, as a musician cause you got the sound. When I ear you playing live everything is just perfect; love your melody maker plugged in the combo sound warm and sharp as the same time, smooth as a hot knife through butter. Even in the shittiest venue you and guys have always been able to deliver the good. As a song writer you inspired me to keep it simple; to apply, to do that extra-effort to say something witty in my lyrics. To write 3 good hooks and use the weak one as a the verse, the good one as the bridge and great one as the chorus. Last but not least as a human being. You have always struggled through good times and bad times with a smile on your face. You stand as the living proof that rock and roll is not about making money, selling records, fuck a million girls or inject tons of junk, that shiot is OK but is not the real deal. Rock and roll is about life and about how many times your able to put yourselves back on your feet after the bitch have turned you! Thanks Kevin for letting me be your friend.
Your part Polish brother Lester.
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Lester: Is there a routine you follow when you write songs? How does the magic happens?
Kevin K: It depends on if I have a hangover. If I do I write fast. If I dont I take my time. Its like Keith Richards says “songs are in the air, you just have to know how to reel them in, like a antenna. I always get inspired to write whenever I listen to Paul Westerberg or Stones or Ramones. It usally starts with a melody for the chorus,because that to me is the most important ingrediant in a song. I try not to think about it,it just happens. Like pooping..
Lester: The thing about your career you regret the most and the one you’re most proud of?
Kevin K: No regrets ! Well maybe Id like to have a longer penis.. Most proud, Jerry Nolan using my drums and I was his roadie..fantastic !! Or maybe touring in Poland..
Lester: Which are the last 5 records you bought? Which “new” band are you into? Is there still someone out there who’s doing his thing with an attitude that can be compared to the old days?
Kevin K: Last cds I bought were Social Distortion ” Nursury Rhymes” .. KISS “Sonic Boom”..Bannanrama ‘Best Of”.. I HATE all bands,espically everyone after the year 1991..Except ‘Lester And The Landslide ladies’..Mike Ness is great. He is like a Ramone. Looks the same, writes just pure rockin roll songs and has excellant roots.I saw Social D in Hollywood in May. Just a super professional show with NO bullshit. Good times..
Lester: I know you’re very fond of baseball. A couple of years ago you wrote a song called “Go Rays” for Tampa Bay Rays, could tell us a bit more about it?
Kevin K: I just wrote a song for the Buffalo Bisons baseball team “Get Into It”. Thats the name of their new season. The Rays are just a good example of a team of young, hustle play hard everyday guys.. With one of the smallest payrolls in all of American baseball. Cheap like me..
Lester: Often your songs are really “visual” I mean with few words you’re able to describe places, people and situations giving your very own point of view on what you’re telling. That’s remind me a lot cinema and book writing. What kind of movies do you like? What do you like to read?
Kevin K: Scarface and anything with Clint Eastwood in it I love.The South Park movie was great.Cartman is a funny man.. Iggy Pops “I Need More” still is one of my all time favorite books.I just read a book named ‘Only Lovers left Alive” by Dave Wallis. It is the book pictured on The Wanderers LP cover.Its about teenagers taking over the world. My songs, If its low let it go, If its high let it fly….
Lester: I’ve read your book “How to become a Successful”, I’ve seen the dvd and I loved it so much. I’m wondering how does it feel to see almost 35 years of career, what’s in Kevin K future? Do you still like touring? Is there something you still want to do musically speaking?
Kevin K: Oh I have no future, this is it. The end is in sight.. The end of the highway is up ahead..watch out for speedbumps..Yes I like touring,as long as I have a clean toilet to use every night. Thats important to me.35 years is a long time to be doing anything. I played with my first band in Buffalo” New Toys”,its been 32 years. So many of my old friends now have daughters that are 25 years old and I want sex with all of them !!.I wanted to do a record with Jerry Nolan,but I dont think thats gonna happen..Id like to have Jennifer Love Hewitt sing “Do You Wanna Kiss’…Or Iggy Pop sing “Down In The Sewer”..Im working on writing a movie..Film it in Hollywood. Kind of a “Mona et Moi”…….kevK
Veglam 