The awesome garage rockers from the City of Angels,
led by the drop-dead gorgeuous Bonnie Bloomgarden
are ready to hit the road to Northern America and Canada.
Hello, Bonnie
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS: Facebook
Great concerts from the past
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS – 4AD Club, Diksmuide, Belgium – 23 February 2019
After following this red-hot Los Angeles garage gang since their 2014 debut LP Street Venom hit me in the face and having interviewed them at the end of 2017 I finally got
to see DEATH VALLEY GIRLS explode on stage, for the very first time, yesterday. Are they that special I hear you ask. Absolutely. This crazed quartet combines The Stooges‘ raw power, The Cramps‘ rockabilly lunacy, Black Sabbath‘s metallic insanity and they inject their sonic havoc with a cool, dark sense of humor. Oh, and one more thing: they love cemeteries. As expected the band’s ringleader Bonnie Bloomgarden led the rollicking troops last night. Intoxicating opener Abre Camino from new stirring album Darkness Rains set the heated tone of a stormy set instantly, with blazing bangers Death Valley Boogie, Disco, Electric High and the already classic stormer Disaster (Is What Were’ After) being the tumultuous highlights of a thunderous show…
… in between, ambiguous groove Gettin Hard, infectious poppy chant Pink Radiation
and organ injected swagger Wear Black showed their versatile songwriting caliber while Bonnie was wandering all over the place and hugged cracking bass player Pickle a couple
of times. She’s the charismatic eyecatcher of a hell-raising foursome that spoiled us all with a psych-o-delic Halloween experience in February. HAIL HAIL DEATH VALLEY GIRLS!
Picture this…
Hello Belgium….
Get down and boogie…
Hide-and-seek…
At the disco…
These boots are made for walking…
Band hug…
Stream new longplayer
DARKNESS RAINS here…
.
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS: Facebook – ‘Darkness Rains’ available on Bandcamp
And rockin’ again in 2022
(All concert pics by Turn Up The Volume!)
Turn Up The Volume was there
Band: DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Who: Garage rock fury from Los Angeles, led by
vocalist/guitarist/organist and charismatic voodoo
doll Bonnie Bloomgarden, fabricating Californian
doom boogie.
Active since 2013 / 4 albums (so far),
with Under The Spell Of Joy (2020)
as their most recent.
Concert: 4AD – Diksmuide, Belgium – 2019
Hello, Belgium
Under the spell of joy
While my guitar gently weeps
These boots are made for walking
Sisters in rock
Clip from the concert thanks to filmkesboer.
Disaster Is what Death Valley Girls are after…
Me, first row on the right
Daily electricity to load your batteries
1 October 2021
(photo by Turn Up The Volume!)
Band: DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Who: Garage rock fury from Los Angeles, led by
vocalist/guitarist/organist and charismatic voodoo
doll Bonnie Bloomgarden, fabricating Californian
doom boogie.
Active since 2013 / 4 albums so far
New single: IT’S ALL REALLY KIND OF AMAZING
Bonnie Bloomgarden (main Valley Girl): “Being in a body, experiencing reality as a human, is endlessly challenging. There’s so much darkness, suffering, sorrow, and division, it’s hard to get past. Sometimes, and often for too long, I just stay in the darkness, forgetting there’s anything else. And then sometimes, my guides remind me to look around, sometimes, just look around, at this Earth, at its infinite beauty and intricacy, and simplicity, and sometimes I can feel it, that it’s all really kind of amazing.”
Turn Up The Volume: After the band’s fabtastic 2020 album Under The Spell Of Joy
(one of Turn Up The Volume’s top 5 LPs last year) the amazeballs girls from the City
of Death Valley Angels continue to spread a positive vibe.
But songwriter/singer Bonnie Bloomgarden knows damn well (from experience) that
eternal joy is a utopian dream but when you use all of your senses, you can see, hear,
feel and smell heartwarming things coming.
After the pandemic darkness, there’s a lot of hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is real. I guess that’s what Bonnie expresses here with this sweet, catchy lullaby tune. It’s not the end of the world as we know it and it feels fine.
Tune in and smile…
Single available via Suicide Squeeze Records
4 July 2021
Band: DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Who: Garage rock fury from Los Angeles, led by
vocalist/guitarist/organist and charismatic voodoo
doll Bonnie Bloomgarden, fabricating Californian
doom boogie.
Active since 2013 / 4 albums so far
Debut album STREET VENOM – released in 2014, only on
a small run of cassettes – comes back 30th July, for the first
time on vinyl, courtesy of Suicide Squeeze Records.
This deluxe edition is a fully remixed and remastered version
of Street Venom plus two bonus tracks. The initial vinyl pressing
is limited to 2000 copies—1,500 on Satan’s Fingerprint (retail only),
300 on Full Moon Fever, and 200 on Eye of the Beholder (both available
only direct from the label store and Bandcamp). A digital issue is
also obtainable. More info right HERE.
I still love you, Bonnie (photo by Turn Up The Volume)
To get in the right mood, the band shared a psychedelia-colored
video clip for Sanitarium Blues, one of the album’s highlights.
Bonnie Bloomgarden about the song…
“When I was a kid, I ended up in a mental institution after trying to finish my life!
I eventually found out that I am bipolar and extremely empathetic. Life just got too intense/scary to know how to deal with alone! I didn’t know how to get help or that
help would work… This song is about my stay at the institution! The combination of
stuff I do that is currently keeping me alive/balanced is taking antidepressants,
walking a lot, meditating, therapy, plant medicine, space from humans, and my dog.”
Listen/watch here below…
Original album…
.
DVG: Facebook
(concert pics by Turn Up The Volume)
Clips that impress your eyes and ears…
22 April 2021
Last October the fabtatsic garage rock hellcats DEATH VALLEY GIRLS returned from
their Los Angeles graves for their flabbergasting, third, album UNDER THE SPELL OF JOY. Sonically a different beast than the previous two longplayers. To Turn Up The Volume‘s hungry ears the DVG’s best and boldest work (so far).
To remind the world of this big LP, Death Valley Girls disclosed a new video for one of
the highlights Little Things. To remind the world of all three previous clips I decided
to show them all together, right here, starting with the fresh one, of course.
Dim the lights, take a big bucket of popcorn, and
let your eyes and ears have a spell-binding time …
– LITTLE THINGS –
– I’D RATHER BE DREAMING –
– HOLD MY HAND –
– THE UNIVERSE –
Stream/buy the full album here…
.
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS: Facebook
TUTV’s 2020 interview with Bonnie
The wonderful Amazon Bonnie Bloomagrden, in the middle, and her choir
30 December 2020
After their psych-o-delic album Darkness Rains, their third full length released two years ago, garage-rock hell cats DEATH VALLEY GIRLS returned from their Los Angeles graves for
the flabbergasting follow-up UNDER THE SPELL OF JOY. Sonically a different beast, from
the Death Valley universe where anything can happen.
(Re)discovering the powerful force of joy the longplayer sounds magical, but be aware the Girls are still SPELL-binding, you never know what they have up on their shiny sleeve. But that didn’t stop Turn Up The Volume to contact first lady Bonnie Bloomgarden for a 2020 chat. But as usual, we start with a piece of music. Let’s go to the disco…
New album UNDER THE SPELL OF JOY was a sonic surprise. How would
you describe the different sound and approach of the record?
“We wanted to expand on some of the ideas from the last album by experimenting
a bit more. We wanted to have tons of backup gang vocals, a kids chorus, sax and
keyboard on most songs. And we wanted it to be like sound improvised!”
Who’s eyes do we see on the album’s front cover?
“Her name is Olga Klüver, she was an artist who hung out with
Andy Warhol and The Factory crowd in New York in the 60’s.”
The title track is a thing of beauty with that angelic choir and the positive
message. What or who motivated you for this song, Bonnie?
“Thanks so much! It flew into my head while walking in my favorite park! The rhythm of my steps just too form into that melody! I felt so lucky! I ran into a coffee shop and borrowed someone’s phone so I could leave the melody on my voicemail. I used to never take my phone on walks…”
How hard was it to hear that for a band-made-to-play-live concerts
were cancelled due to the coronavirus?
“It’s extremely hard for everyone in every job. The toughest part for us is trying to
figure out how and when we can help. We are really lucky we finished the record
before quarantine, and that it’s bringing some amount of joy to people.”
What did you feel the moment you heard
of the fall of Donald Trump?
“Hopeful.”
Suppose you were the new and first lady in the White House,
what music would you play in the Oval Office?
“Iggy, Ronnie Spector, Black Sabbath, The Cramps, Dead Moon.”
You’re asked to rewrite and put new music to the National USA Anthem. No restrictions whatsoever. What would be the outcome, in sound and vision?
“No words, just guitar, bass and drums with the Bo Diddley beat!”
2020 was the year of covers. Which song would
you pick to turn it into a DVG vibe?
“‘Real World’ by Buzzocks.”
What was the best track and album you heard in 2020?
“‘Track: ‘Dreams Wash Away‘ song by Joe Wong.”
“‘Album: ‘Nite Creatures‘ by Joe Wong.”
Prick of the year and hero-ine of the year?
“Aww, that’s too hard. So many heros!”
Which song will you play on January 1st?
“‘Black Sabbath‘ by Black Sabbath
always rings in the new year.”
Name three things you really want
to see happen in 2021, Bonnie?
“No more Covid, Live music, Joy!”
Any new DEATH VALLEY GIRLS music in 2021?
“Yes! We hope to be releasing so much new music
in the new year!”
Thank you for this chat, Bonnie.
May the road rise with Death Valley Girls
in 2021.
Get under the spell of joy here…
.
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS: Facebook
(live pics DVG by Turn Up The Volume – Belgium 2019)
14 October 2020
Band: DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Who: Garage rock amazons from Los Angeles,
led by high priestess Bonnie Bloomgarden
Album: UNDER THE SPELL OF JOY – 4th LP
Released: 9 October 2020
Info: “The initial inspiration for the record came from the jubilant spirit of Ethiopian
funk records but once they began to channel the songs it seemed like the music came from somewhere not in the past but in the future. In the weeks leading up to recording, Death Valley Girls relied on their subconscious and effortlessly conjured Under the Spell
of Joy’s eleven tracks as if they’d tapped into the Akasha Chronicle and pulled the music from the ether.”
Bonnie Bloomgarden: “This idea that joy is different than happiness or anything else. It’s a state. It’s like a place. It allows space, and being with joy makes it so that you’re not reactive.
You go about yourself, go about the world, and walk around. Joy kind of gives you a distance between yourself and with what’s happening so you’re not reactive. You’re just going with the flow in a way. It meant so much to all of us. We were just like, ‘That makes so much sense! We
are under the spell of the potential for joy and the possibility for joy.’”
Read the full Bloomgarden interview with New Noise Magazine here.
(photo: Turn Up The Volume!)
Turn Up The Volume: Death Valley Girls travel from their beloved graveyards into space for some encounters of the third kind, accompanied by an angelic choir and David Bowie, the Man who fell to Earth, on saxophone. It’s a 2020 Odyssey taking you to the bright side
of the moon and beyond while gospel spirituals and organ-driven symphonies soundtrack the trance-like journey. A far-out experience in a safe(r) place up there, sky-high. Ground control to Major Bonnie: “You’ve really made the grade“. Mission accomplished.
Singles: Hypnagogia / Hold My Hand / Under The Spell Of Joy / The Universe
– HYPNAGOGIA –
– HOLD MY HAND –
– UNDER THE SPELL OF JOY –
– THE UNIVERSE –
Stream/buy full album here…
.
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS: Facebook
This past month’s best…
A swirling fusion of rhapsodic rippers and cool crackerjacks,
that activated my bloodstream and my limbs this past month!
Turn Up The Volume‘s 15 Knockout Tracks for September!
‘Under The Spell Of Joy’ by DEATH VALLEY GIRLS (Los Angeles, US)
L.A.’s garage devils surprise with this gospel stunner. Polyphonic choir, booming beats, crazed sax, towering tune, and a mental finale. The title track from their fourth album coming your way this Friday, October 2. Can’t wait!
‘So What’ by MEMES (Glasgow, Scotland)
Post-punk mavericks strike again. This new cut is more infectious than that horrible coronavirus, deeper carving than a Swiss knife, 103 seconds of high-energy swagger.
New EP in November via Fierce Panda.
.
‘The Rise And Fall Of America’ by THE MOODS (England)
It’s this British collective’s towering take on the bombastic American National Anthem with razor-sharp lines and an addictive chant. They rock, roar and rage. Enough is enough! Play this on repeat until the elections in November. Make America, America again. It’s not too late! Vote that orange out!
‘American Dream’ by TOKYO TABOO (England)
‘Dumb Trump’ is the loud and clear message. These high-voltage noiseniks squeeze that orange idiot into pulp in 4 minutes and visualize their disgust with both a hilarious and frightening video clip. About time this buffoon gets kicked out of the White House!
‘Leon The Pig Farmer’ by CABBAGE (England)
These post-punk gunslingers describe their racket as Apocalyptic Sprautrock. Sounds
totally 2020 to my ears. This new amazeballs brain-breaker races like a hot rod on
the run without slowing down for a second. Bang-up stonker!
‘Psychopath’s Monologue’ by THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA (It/Sing)
A soundtrack for an unmade David Lynch movie. Chemical bros beats, Leftfield bangs, industrial uppercuts and a nightmarish spoken-word sermon all over it. Sonic paranoia
for a baffled world in an ongoing virus crisis. Doomsday is just around the corner.
‘Tokyo Music Experience’ by RATS ON RAFTS (The Netherlands)
An electrical punch-sucker driven by hyperkinetic guitars, manic vocals, and a relentless beat sounding like legendary weirdos Devo are back with some fervent firepower. Expect to be totally puzzled after just one spin. You can get satisfaction here, folks!
‘Land Based Antics’ by STRUGGLES WITH SYNTAX (London)
A rage-against-the-machine motherrocker, a smash and clash crossover stormer, a
nasty rap brain-breaker, a brutal thwack challenging you to bang your head against
the wall while pulling your hair out. A volcanic spit and sneer eruption.
‘Moment In The Sun’ by SUNFLOWER BEAN (Brooklyn/NY)
Perfect pop play! Catchy as hell, totally uplifting and mood-boosting. Funky and groovy.
An earworm to listen to in your bath, in your car, at work, in the pub, and in your bed.
‘Truth II’ by BEND SINISTER (Vancouver, British Columbia)
A rambling, rumbling, rollicking and roaring ripsnorter with a scream along on the top of your lungs chorus demanding the truth. C’mon Bully Trump and Boris the Clown, stop
lying 24/7, you twin idiots.
‘7 Seconds’ by PORRIDGE RADIO (Brighton, England)
Earlier this year this amazing Dana Margolin fronted band released their contender-for-best-album-of-the-year tour de force Every Bad, they shine again on this brand new melodic humdinger.
‘Docker Martins’ by ARCO ARENA (Ireland)
A riff-loaded crackerjack that triggers your Saturday nightmare fever moves. Funky as
fuck and sickly sticky from start to finish. A kick-ass hammer sharp as a serrated knife challenging you to fight for your right to be the last man standing. Yeahhh!
‘Serotonin‘ by VIOLENT VICKIE (Long Beach, CA)
Put your Goth outfit, dim the lights, and trip on this pitch-black synthscape with
Vickie wildly yearning for lost love and lust. You’ll get goosebumps when listening
to this petrifying cry out on your headphones. Time to kick your evil demons out
of your bedroom!
‘We Are Chaos’ by MARILYN MANSON (Ohio, US)
Yes, the self-proclaimed ‘God of Fuck’ still walks the planet. No, he didn’t move yet
to his real home in hell. And the title track is a massive sing-along pop (yes, ‘pop’)
anthem celebrating what we became: CHAOS in these surreal virus times.
‘Cotton Fish (A Dream)’ by JAY CRAFTON (Toronto, Canada)
Don’t really know much about this Canadian musician and record producer just that his new (instrumental) single is a spellbinding guitar-driven jam with a relaxing effect on my mindset. Pretty special. Pretty dreamy.
.
All together now on Spotify…
.
See/hear you next month, music junkies…
Band: DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Who: Garage rock fury from Los Angeles
Album: UNDER THE SPELL OF JOY – 4th LP
Release: 2 October 2020 – Pre-order facilities here
“While singer and multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Bloomgarden and guitarist Larry Schemel knew their intention for the album before a single note was written, the actual nature and direction of the music was a mystery. The initial inspiration for the record came from the jubilant spirit of Ethiopian funk records the band had been listening to on tour, but once they began to channel the songs it seemed like the music came from somewhere not in the past but in the future.”
Singles: Hold My Hand / Under The Spell Of Joy / The Universe
– HOLD MY HAND –
– UNDER THE SPELL OF JOY –
– THE UNIVERSE –
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS: Facebook
TURN UP THE VOLUME 