Total Blog

LOCALS CONTINUE TO BLAST: VERA, EL ZOMBI GATO ENTOTALED!
The gents and ladies of Missoula's El Zombi Gato are more than wee bit on the "aged" side of the spectrum, but rather than detract from their intensity, EZG's age helps them concoct a wicked, noisy powerhouse of a sound, akin to Dead Moon, Radio Birdman, and some midwestern shitrock outfit, like the Pagans.

Part parole officer and part parolee, part tile layer and part coffee roaster, El Zombi Gato parts are old and crusty, but their sound is fresh as a daisy blooming at the dump. EZG combines members of the Oblio Joes, 5 in the Face, thee Hedons, and Sasshole and Missoula Legend, Mike Doerner. Mike's been perfecting a bearing system to overcome friction and finally master the magic of perpetual motion. That's when he's not blowing sax and pounding Wurlitzer in El Zombi Gato.

Now, on to Vera! (this from Total Organizer Milli) A lot of people, gender notwithstanding, are full-on suckers for chick bands, even when they totally suck the big one. Well, let me tell YOU, Mister and Missus, VERA is not a novelty and not just aesthetically pleasing. These girls play their instruments like bonafide rockstars with a 60's garage-ish type vibe but with their own, bigger sound. VERA is a locally grown duo that have already marked their local and national territory: Cyndie, from Spanker and Sharky on git box; and Jenny ("Jenima") Jen, from Sasshole, hittin' the skins. They've been somewhat tagged with being the "Mom Rock" band, and granted, they are both hot mamas and there's a few songs about parenthood. But who said parenthood was cuddly?? There is some serious righteous rage in their self written, well-arranged songs that is mediated only by their melodic, sometimes dischordant, but always harmonious, shared vocal duties. I said "duties." -MT (Editor's note: Vera get props for having a framed Total Fest II Tom Dewar poster on their practice space wall)