Ouch, it's the Panther Burns by Lindsay Hutton — Next Big thing, 1981

The Panther Burns name is taken from a plantation in Mississippi where around the turn of the century a cat of the panther variety was harrassin the community. The townspeople couldn't capture the damn thing so what they did was contain it in a canebreak and set it on fire. The critters shreiks from its funeral pyre were so vivid to the inhabitants that they calles the place the Panther Burn.

Tav Falco reckons that its a fitting moniker for such a renegade sound. A sound that can't just be wiped out although it can be contained under certain incendiary conditions. You've probably heard about Alex Chilton's involvment with the band, well contrary to the Bush Telegraph rock'n'rolls fave burn outs involvment is purely flexible, he occasionally plays the odd gig with them but whether he does or not don't matter a toss. The bands free form sound is very spiritual any semblance of order or polish would render them sterile. Theres no room here for virtusity. I doubt we'll ever see any of those worthless polls. However we cannot rule out the possibility of them turning lip as best band someday ?

The Panther Burns first record is a four track EP of possibly the wildest mutation of rockabilly and noise you'll come across or writhe to. It comprises their versions of Crazy Cavan's Shes the one to blame and Johnny Burnette's Train kept a rollin' as well as Drop the Mask and Dateless Night. Its out on Frenzi records. The Panther Burns hail from Memphis where else could such a vinyl dark force to be conceived. They experiment with treatments and volumes that make a slug of Strychnine safer than a 6 pack of 7-Up. They trade in solid goneness like a ride on a wild roller coaster theres no way you can cop out after the first descent. The atmosphere they conjure up is like school meal custard, thick and sticky turn your bowl upside down, see how it doesn't even quiver. In this case its the listener that does the shaking. Rough Trade plan to release a 6 tracks EP anyday/week/month made up of the Frenzi tracks plus Bourgeois Blues and another. The thought of The Panther Burns playing your circuits intrigues me, you too ???

By Lindsay Hutton

Next Big Thing, 1981
[taken from Fast Fuse]

BiO || Discography || films & Videos || Misc. || friends || links