JOKER FIVE SPEED

..... New York has had its share of great rock bands, and great shows. Bands that have shook this city since the 70's, thru the 80's and while the 90's almost put this town to sleep, (Toilet Boys & DGeneration excluded) the new millenium saw NYC enter a rebirth of classic rock n roll energy. Some great bands, and incredible music surfaced right here over the last 6 years. And above them all, standing like legends, was the 4 headed beast known as JOKER FIVE SPEED. They seemed to come out of nowhere, resurrecting a rock scene from ashes, & here to rock your ass like a one nite stand. After half a decade of sex, drugs and rock n roll, they called it quits, leaving hundreds of rock lovers wondering if they would ever call.. And call they did. On April 11th, 2006 one of the greatest bands in recent NYC rock history came out to say Goodbye at Irving Plaza, opening for Buckcherry, the recently disbanded JFS decided to regroup one last time. Only Joker Five Speed could play the biggest show of their career AFTER they broke up. "Cooler Than You" for sure. I flew in for this show, which makes it my 2nd cross country trip to see these guys rock out. All of the faces were there, the bands, the fans, and a FUCK LOAD of Buckcherry earlybirds wondering what the hell was going on. And then it happend... Like a suckerpunch from a tattooed junkie they blazed thru their set of absoulte hits.1. So Bored 2. Too Far Gone 3. Take Me Home 4. Shotgun 5. Jet Set City 6. Dirty Power 7. Destination: Meltdown 8. Do It (Again)Fitting, as this was also serving as a celebration of the release of "ROCK N ROLL IS A MOTHERFUCKER", the JFS greatest hits album (Perris Records). These guys were in great form. Sounding like a '68 Camaro crashing into Rolls Royce Limosine, Joker played one of the loudest, meanest, sweat soaked shows of their lives, leaving a trail of ringing ears and breathless women in thier wake. Since the band's explosion onto the NYC rock scene, one word best describes JOKER FIVE SPEED... MORE More great songs, More great shows, More fans More girls More albums More police lights, more stickers, more flyers, more Les Pauls, more Marshall stacks, more ideas, more power, more fun, more blood sweat & tears. Shit, they even have more of their damn LOGO onstage than any other band. ( It's no wonder the bands frontman and founder TOR has the word MORE tattooed thrice on his flesh.) These guys had it all, from the love of their home city, to the adoration of Hollywood, and plenty of fans across the country... and then they stopped. They bowed out while still on top, something which may take balls, but leaves alot of fans in dismay. And even if you were never a fan ( in which case I doubt you made it this far reading...) you at least knew who they were. And that says alot. Most bands in this town die forever unnoticed. Loved only by their girlfriends, never getting a fraction of JOKER's popularity. They had the guts to create their own dream band inspite of the hipster bullshit plaguing NYC, rally an army of fans, friends and supporters, cross the nation in search of every kid, young and old who wished-to-KISS some fucking band of misfits would come to town and blow the doors off any place that would have them. In their own city, down in the depths of the Lower East Side, they inspred more bands to form than anyone else. They supported cool new acts, made Three of Cups the RAINBOW of NYC, and lead this town into an era of RAWK that it may never see again...TOR, SCARLET, ROGER, BRAD, and DAVE I salute you. This town owes you, thanks you, loves you... and now misses you. -as seen in the Summer '06 NY Waste and written by close friend, Blitch..