The Highspeed V
Demented R&B

THE REVIEW

If I had to name a song to represent the Swedish garage revival scene of the '80s, it would be «Down at the Nightclub» by the Creeps, not only for its cheeky and arrogant charm but also, in large part, for the finale, that finale that imprints it indelibly in your memory. And if today you still ask «Do you remember the Creeps?», those few who retain even a faint memory will surely reply «Who? The ones from “Down at the Nightclub?”». Exactly, them.

Now, perhaps not everyone knows that this great song has a predecessor, which remained in total obscurity, at least until a few years ago.

Having said that before the Nomads came along and caused a ruckus, showcasing themselves beautifully and making punk out of what was originally pure and simple garage sound and giving them what they were due, it must also be clearly stated that the hard and pure Swedish revival had only one name and the name was Crimson Shadow.

So, the Crimson Shadow, a seminal band, if the term “seminal” has any sense: the Crimson Shadow were for Sweden what the Missing Links were for the Australian scene, the origin of it all.

The Shadows lasted nothing, and after that story ended, two of them, bassist Jens Lindberg and harmonica player Henrik Orije, formed the Highspeed V.

If the Crimson Shadow lasted nothing, the Highspeed V lasted less than nothing. However, they managed to leave a mark in time and recorded some demos and scattered tracks, but found no one willing to distribute them. So they limited themselves to treading the worm-eaten boards of some Stockholm clubs and then decided to end it there and go venting with other groups, Stomachmouths and Maharajas to name two that at least achieved minimal visibility.

Among those tracks that the Highspeed V managed to shape was one, «Baby», the extraordinary predecessor of «Down at the Nightclub», indeed. Because the Creeps, for the finale of «Down at the Nightclub», drew inspiration and perhaps something more from «Baby», there's no doubt about it.

Now «Baby» inaugurates the beautiful collection «Demented R&B», 12 tracks that are the entire production of the Highspeed V. Beautiful right from the cover, indeed, five very stylish and youthful Pretty Things of the '80s, aboard the most fantastic car history has handed down to us, stylish it is as well.

To describe the music, the title of the collection suffices – demented rhythm'n'blues – I only add my own feeling of facing some out-of-control, tarantula-stricken Crawdaddys.

A Deux Chevaux without brakes speeding through the streets of Stockholm, a spectacle.

It couldn't last, it didn't last, it still lasts.