Gothic Americana Music

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Chopper Franklin’s Spaghetti Western Dub Music

The Heathen Apostles’ Chopper Franklin’s “The Scorpion Says DUB” is the first single from the album “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” (out January 27, 2024 on Ratchet Blade Records). It’s groundbreaking Spaghetti Western Dub music that fuses the vast, arid landscapes of Spaghetti Western music and the heavy rhythms of Dub Reggae. You can listen and download HERE, and watch the lyric video HERE.

Chopper Franklin - Spaghetti Western Dub Music

In the spirit of The Clash, Bad Brains’ and Public Image Limited’s brews of reggae and punk, Franklin takes his original Spaghetti Western compositions and remixes them with the deep, bass-heavy, echo-drenched soundscapes of Dub.

Chopper Franklin - Spaghetti Western Dub MusicIn a world where music can often feel predictable, Chopper Franklin’s upcoming album offers a refreshing departure from the ordinary. Known for his relentless energy and innovation, Chopper has played with legendary bands and artists (The Cramps, Wanda Jackson, Nick Curran), as well as creating his own projects, often pushing the boundaries of musical genres. “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” also features the epic vocals of Chopper’s bandmate Mather Louth (Heathen Apostles) and Ratchet Blade Records labelmate the Phantom of the Black Hills (hillbilly/thrash outlaws). They’ve sang on genre-bending songs like “The Scorpion Says Dub” (the album’s first single), “Blood, Tears and Thunder Dub” (a tale of a good man forced into an outlaw gang) and “The Ghost of a Believer Dub” (a story of a good romance gone bad) that transcend boundaries and invites listeners on an unforgettable journey.

Chopper Franklin - Spaghetti Western Dub MusicThe “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” album will be released on Ratchet Blade Records, a label known for its dedication to unique and innovative music. With an impressive roster of artists who push boundaries and challenge expectations, Ratchet Blade Records is the perfect platform for this innovative musical experiment.

Heathen Apostles Partnering With Rocky Road Touring

Heathen Apostles Partnering With Rocky Road TouringFrom the Heathen Apostles Instagram: Heathen Apostles are proud to announce their new partnership with Rocky Road Touring (@rockyroadtouring), a bespoke agency with offices in both the United States as well as the United Kingdom.

The band is excited for this new chapter, as the agency is already home to a large selection of icons spanning across the many sects of gothic music (such as Peter Murphy, Sisters of Mercy, Killing Joke, Fields of the Nephilim, and Diamanda Galas). Henceforth, the band will be represented abroad by agent Dana McDonald, and any booking inquiries should be directed to her via dana@rockyroadtouring.com. Offers are already starting to come in for 2024, so if y’all want us in your neck of the woods, be sure to reach out.

In the 1990’s Dana was invited to move to NYC to take the position as Exclusive Talent Buyer for the legendary, Coney Island High. The list of artists whom she booked and promoted at this point is an innovative, exciting, and very diverse roster including The Damned, Modest Mouse, John Cale, Incubus, Alan Vega, 311, Queens of the Stone Age, The Ramones ( last NYC show ) and the list goes on. Around the year 2000, Coney Island High closed and lots of her beloved artists came to her directly asking her to book them a NYC show. She ended up booking them tours rather, and also separately, managing artists, and her agency, DNA Artists was born. She also continued her career as an independent promoter in NYC cultivating weekly and annual events such as Small Beast and The Official ,Annual, Lou Reed Birthday celebration which she continues to co-produce and curate.

From 2017 and up until March 2020 Dana was Head Talent Buyer for renowned NYC venues, The Bowery Electric and Berlin ( NYC) where she booked and promoted 50 local, national, and international shows per month. Most recently she has been specializing in Artist development and booking International Tours. 

Chopper Franklin to Release Spaghetti Western Dub Album

Spaghetti Western Dub - Chopper FranklinFrom the Ratchet Blade Records “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” press release: Get ready to embark on a sonic journey like no other as rock & roll veteran Chopper Franklin is set to release “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1”, a groundbreaking album that fuses the vast, arid landscapes of Spaghetti Western music and the deep rhythms of Dub Reggae. The single “The Scorpion Says DUB” will be out 11/17/23 and the album will have a January 2024 release date date.

In the spirit of the Clash, Bad Brains and Public Image Limited’s mash up of reggae and punk, Franklin takes his own original Spaghetti Western compositions and remixes them with the bass-heavy rhythms and echo-drenched soundscapes of Dub. This fusion of styles is something you’ve never heard before, and it’s all coming from Ratchet Blade Records on Nov. 17th.

Spaghetti Western Dub In a world where music can often feel predictable, Chopper Franklin’s upcoming album offers a refreshing departure from the ordinary. Known for his relentless energy and innovation, Chopper has played with legendary bands and artists (The Cramps, Wanda Jackson, Nick Curran), as well as creating his own projects, often pushing the boundaries of musical genres. “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” also features the epic vocals of Chopper’s Ratchet Blade Records labelmates Mather Louth (Heathen Apostles) and the Phantom of the Black Hills (hillbilly/thrash outlaws). They’ve sang on genre-bending songs like “The Scorpion Says Dub” (the album’s first single, out 11/17/23), “Blood, Tears and Thunder Dub” (a tale of a good man forced into an outlaw gang) and “The Ghost of a Believer Dub” (a story of a good romance gone bad) that transcend boundaries and invites listeners on an unforgettable journey.

The new Chopper Franklin album will be released in January 2024, and “The Scorpion Says Dub” single will be released Nov. 17th on Ratchet Blade Records, a label known for its dedication to unique and innovative music. With an impressive roster of artists who push boundaries and challenge expectations, Ratchet Blade Records is the perfect platform for this musical experiment.

“Deaths Head” Gothic Americana Video Review

Recently Nashville DJ Eric Clark posted a “REACTS” video of the Heathen Apostles song (and Gothic Americana video for) “Death’s Head”. For the band, it’s always interesting to hear mainstream media’s take (he reviews Ryan Bingham and Oliver Anthony in the same batch) on what they do. While Eric definitely gets it, some don’t; it’s absolutely not for everybody. And that’s just the way they want it. 

Death’s Head is the first of the Heathen Apostles videos from the Fire to the Fuse album, to preview and purchase it click HERE, on iTunes click HERE, for Amazon click HERE.

Directed by the Heathen Apostles
Director of Photography, Still Photography: Lawrence Drayton
Makeup by Alexi Petre
Wardrobe: Cheri Wilson Chagollan, Mather Louth
Snake Handler: Peggy Rivera

Death’s Head written by Louth/Franklin
Produced & mixed by Chopper Franklin at the Devil’s Doghouse, Echo Park, Ca.
© 2015 Ratchet Blade Records

Heathen Apostles - Gothic Americana Video

 

Heathen Apostles in London – A Surreal Spaghetti Western

Heathen Apostles in London - A Surreal Spaghetti WesternAs if plucked from a surreal spaghetti western, Mather Louth and Chopper Franklin made quite the spectacle, striding down London’s Pentonville Road in full regalia. That enigmatic sight not only awakened that mysterious voice in one’s head, that in moments of aging self-doubt makes us slip back into our leather trousers and cut-off cowboy shirts, but also sparked a throwback to Lux Interior’s pre-show red wine chase at Sainsbury’s before a barnstormer at the Town and Country in Kentish Town, many, many moons ago.

The crowd erupted in jubilant cheers as the Heathen Apostles, giants of Gothic Americana, took the stage. Under the sonic leadership of the completely mesmerizing Mather Louth, with her stirring vocals and rhythmic guitar, they came alive. They dominated the stage as if they were vampire outlaws in a confrontation that could only end one way. Their performance, laced with elements of the surreal and the mysterious, unraveled like a vividly illustrated Nathaniel Hawthorne poem, with each musician playing a key part. Chopper Franklin’s fiendishly intricate guitar work, Thomas Lorioux‘s firm upright bass, and Luis Mascaro’s evocative violin added a rich depth to their sound.
Heathen Apostles in London - A Surreal Spaghetti Western

With the first haunting notes of Paint the Stars, we were swept away on a spiritual journey deep into the heart of Gothic Americana. The set was a gripping ride through spectral ballads and propulsive rock anthems that navigated through shadowy and mystifying terrains. Mather Louth’s resonant vocals, laced with an eerie undercurrent, twined with Mascaro’s assertive fiddle, piercing the creeping fog of dry ice, and stirring images of phantom prairies and forsaken souls. Her voice flowed seamlessly with Chopper Franklin’s guitar, which spun complex webs of sound, vibrating with the soul of Gothic storytelling.

The crowd was held captive by Mather’s powerful voice during songs like Lily of the West. Simultaneously, Chopper’s feverish guitar work in Gravedigger’s Song and Long Gone Lonesome Blues created a seamless blend of Americana with Gothic allure. The musicians’ harmonious interplay, bolstered by Lorioux’s rhythmic prowess and Mascaro’s poignant violin, further captivated the audience during Two for the Road and Without a Trace.
Heathen Apostles in London - A Surreal Spaghetti Western

The atmosphere was dense as Get Outta Dodge and The Reckoning reverberated through the venue, making its very foundations tremble. The spectral melodies, captivating visuals, and the dark allure crafted by Heathen Apostles surrounded the audience in a world between reality and the supernatural, evoking a sense of adventure and mystery.

As the twilight fell over Islington, the echoes of the soul-stirring fusion of Gothic Americana and Country and Western continued to reverberate through The Lexington. Even as the embers died down, we were left yearning for more. The Heathen Apostles had etched themselves into our dark hearts, ensuring their spectral melodies and mystical storytelling would stay with us long after the last note had faded into the night.

Heathen Apostles in London - A Surreal Spaghetti Western