Uncle Acid’s Coming to Town

I'll make this quick: in 2011 my buddy Chris (from Green Light Music) sent me a link to download an album from an English band called Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats.  Uncle Acid was signed to Rise Above Records, and I'm a big fan of their bands, so I decided to give this album a shot (plus Chris rarely steers me wrong).  Now, I'm not promoting illegal music download, but the album in question, "Blood Lust," was out of print.  350 copies were printed on vinyl, and about 100 on CD.  Since this album was out of print, and now collecting some serious coin on eBay, I was forced to download it.  What I heard was a record that sounded like it was recorded in 1972 in a slaughterhouse.  Well, the album wasn't recorded in the 70s, or a slaughterhouse (although it was recorded in a barn), but the sound was so lo-fi and evil, that I was immediately hooked.

The record started to grow on the underground circuit, and eventually, "Blood Lust" saw a CD reissue, and an eventual vinyl reissue (this was inevitably because original vinyl pressings were going for over $300 on eBay).  Metal Blade Records saw how well "Blood Lust" was selling and distributed the album here in the US.  A year later, Uncle Acid released its third album, "Mind Control."  If "Blood Lust" hadn't had exploded like it did, Uncle Acid wouldn't have released a follow up.  In fact, he released "Blood Lust" and that was pretty much it.  Little was known about the band; they didn't play live, Uncle Acid didn't do a lot of interviews, and the ones he did do were via email, and there were no photos.  You could argue that the mystique of Uncle Acid helped sell him, but I think it's because he releases great f***ing records.

A few months after "Mind Control" was released, Uncle Acid assembled a new batch of Deadbeats and started playing a handful of shows in Europe.  Shortly after, Black Sabbath would have him open for their European tour, and after a year of playing, he finally made his debut on US soil last month at the Maryland Death Fest.  After patiently waiting for three years, Uncle Acid will finally do a proper tour of the US!  He'll be making a stop in Chicago on September 30.

If I had to leave the planet tomorrow and I could only bring ten albums with me, "Blood Lust" would be one of them.  Now go forth and spread the filthy drug induced gospel that is Uncle Acid.