American Speedway

http://brendancalling.com/2010/05/10/ungodly-levels-of-rock/ - Brendan Calling

Though barely a year old, Philadelphia’s American Speedway have already cemented their place in the upper-echelons of gritty sleaze rock with Ship Of Fools. Thanks to a throaty vocal delivery and a penchant for the same distorted take on bare-bones, blues-based riffs on nitrous oxide established by colleagues Zeke and the Supersuckers, this quartet blaze through ten tracks like a methamphetamine junkie cooking their first fix in a week. Confident and assertive without hitting the point of cockiness, every second of Ship Of Fools asserts that while we are no longer in the fine company of acts such as the New Bomb Turks or Gaza Strippers, the world of punk rock’n’roll is alive again. American Speedway have revived the corpse. (MVD) - Exclaim Magazine by Keith Carman

Straight out of Hostile City, USA (aka Philadelphia) American Speedway pound, bash and puke through marriage - ruining asshole- anthems like Drink' And Drivin' and No Control like the Supersuckers on their first day back from a 90 day stint in the county jail. - CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE - sleazegrinder

American Speedway — Ship of Fools (MVD Audio/Prophase) :: The only thing that these unabashed Bullettheads care about is hammering out their hi-octane screem screeds. The guitars are heavily harsh, the drumming is moronically metronomic, the bass is brutally bludgeoning and the keyboards are the best of all BECAUSE THERE ARE NO KEYBOARDS. Whaddya think this is anyway, some kinda hoity-toity art fag fiesta? When these speed freaks brag that they've got "the nerves of Steve McQueen and a heart of steel," you'd best be bucklin' up. Lieutenant, where's my witness?

Just like a car you're pleasing to behold! - Detroit Metro Times

http://files.dvdnote.com/press/mvdlp4679/ - http://files.dvdnote.com/press/mvdlp4679/

First out of the gate was American Speedway, a tremendous balls-to-the-wall high-octane rock band hailing from Philadelphia. They play rock hard, fast, and faster, but actually manage to sneak in some catchy hooks amongst the carnage. Their music is as cool and ferocious as Motorhead. Guitars blaze like Electric Frankenstein, but with more attitude. The singer strutted his stuff all night, belting out tunes about hot rods and asphalt while hot chicks writhed as he sang.

http://lifeinabungalo.com/2007/07/24/koffin-kats-rock-the-asbury-lanes/ - Life In A Bungalo

What do you get when you put a bunch of friends from Philadelphia together whose only dream consists of drinking and rocking the fuck out? American Speedway obviously! While “Ship Of Fools” might not be the most original album you’ll hear this year, it will kick your ass from start to finish. It’s loud, it’s fast, it’s gritty and it’s amazingly catchy. Think Supersuckers, Zeke, Riverboat Gamblers or MC5 with a vocalist who somehow has to be related to Bon Scott.

These guys aren’t out to change the world. They just want to have a good time playing the music they love to hear. And it shows on “Ship Of Fools” even though live is where these guys truly shine. American Speedway is the kind of band you’ll see pounding away shots at the bar until it’s their time to go on. They then will plug in and bring the rock before heading back to the bar. And if they get thirsty during the set, they can always let their guitarist deliver another cool solo or let the audience do the singing when it’s time to churn out another chorus that’s excellent singalong material. - PunkRockTheory.com

My Story
Bands are formed for different reasons. Some look at being as a band as a hobby, while others have the goal of making a living playing shows. Others see it as a way out of a small town. Some guys form bands with the sole reason to get rich and, I don’t know, get on a reality TV show. Still, we all know that the most noble of reasons for forming a band is simply to rock the fuck out. American Speedway is one such band. How hard will they rock on their debut?

Their Story
American Speedway formed in the early part of 2007, a combination of friends and musicians from the Philadelphia area. During their first gigs, the band made a name for themselves locally as a loud, riff-heavy rock band with an energetic, alcohol-fueled live show. They soon began to play outside of Philly and all over the east coast. During Independence Day weekend, they brought the house down at the Heavy Rebel Weekender festival in North Carolina.

The band recently recorded their first album. They also shot their first video, ”Ship Of Fools”. For more info (including live dates) you can check out American Speedway’s MySpace.

The Album
On January 22, 2008, Prophase Music and MVD Audio released Ship Of Fools, the debut album by American Speedway. The album is available on vinyl, which is packaged with the full CD version.



The Band: 7.5
Michael Thursby Speedway: lead vocals, guitars
Johnny Griswold: guitars, backing vocals
Billy Angry: bass, backing vocals
Chris Callahan: drums

According to American Speedway’s press, the band is best experienced live. Ship Of Fools seems to do its best to remedy those uninitiated though, as it practically begs to take your speakers to their limit, mimicking that distorted rush of noise when you’re standing knee deep in beer bottles and a little too close to the edges of the stage. That will leave your ears ringing for a day or two, as will Ship Of Fools.

The band plays riff-heavy, pissed off rock ‘n’ roll, the kind of stuff they call punk these days simply because no one remembers how bands like the MC5 plugged in and brought the house down with a few chords and a tender riot. In an age when rock is high priced golden circle tickets and 30-year reunions, it’s good to know that there are still bands coming in the other end of the pipe.

Michael Thursby Speedway has a great presence, equal parts Bon Scott and Johnny Rotten with a gravelly yell that’s not only urgent but necessary to be heard above the blaring wall of guitar. The rest of the band provides background vocals on the sing-a-long tunes, while the rhythm section grooves pretty hard. This is just damn good rock music, people.

The Songs: 7.0

1. Ship Of Fools
2. American Speedway
3. One Foot In, One Foot Out
4. Far Behind
5. Drinkin’ And Drivin’
6. Cocaine
7. Don’t Tread On Me
8. Make Some Noise
9. No Control
10. Same Old, Same Old

At only 32 minutes, Ship Of Fools is an all too brief tour de force of whiskey soaked, loud barroom rock. On “No Control”, Michael Thursby screams “I need a drink right now and the whiskey’s workin’ might fine.” It’s the whole reason for this album in one line. Ship Of Fools is far from groundbreaking. The themes of drugs, drinking, driving fast and by-God loving be an American aren’t going to change the world, but they are going to resonate with similar minded rockers, be they punkers, skinheads, or just any regular guy who likes to blow off some steam by rocking his balls off.

Sure, Ship Of Fools ain’t that deep, but with fun cuts like the blazing title track, the fist pumping “Drinkin’ And Drivin’” and searing guitar rock like “Cocaine”, it doesn’t have to be. Once the album ends with the sing-a-long, bullshit decrying anthem “Same Old, Same Old”, you’ll find your ears both begging for mercy and begging for more.

The 411: American Speedway’s debut is a blaring, take-no-prisoners romp through 30-minutes of badass rock ‘n’ roll. The band has some nice chops on display, both in guitar licks, groove-oriented beats and a charismatic lead singer, but all of that is secondary to the fact that this is extremely fucking loud. If you enjoy any kind of rock music that doesn’t have any other message than drink, fight and get f’ed out of your mind, then Ship Of Fool will make your Saturday night. - Mitch Michaels - 411mania.com

Everyone has a friend that at some point "forces" you to check out a new band that they love. Usually it's crap, but you go because that's what friends do. After succumbing to peer pressure, I was +1 to check out a new band in Philly…And I was blown away. AMERICAN SPEEDWAY flat out, rocked The Khyber. They play hi-powered, hi-energy rock'n'roll and I had a smile on my face for the full 30 minute set. I picked up a copy of their new debut release Ship of Fools (It's vinyl only, but comes packaged with the cd and the vinyl - a cool touch) and after 3 listens it cemented the fact that I needed to see them again. Luckily they were playing the following night in nearby West Chester opening for Electric Frankenstein at Rex's.

The crowd at this show was much more aware of American Speedway, as the band is from nearby suburb Royersford, PA. This show had full sing-a-longs from the crowd and some fist-pumping goodness. There's definitely some Supersuckers-esque moments in their music that I truly enjoy, even some AC/DC, The Bronx and Motorhead. If you like fast paced music with subject matter including driving fast, fighting, using a banned white substance, more fighting, more drinking and America, you'll be very happy!

The Ship of Fools are heading to California for some shows in early February! Check them out at their myspace page. You can buy the album at their myspace page and/or at iTunes. - Jon Landman - The Syndicate

This is groovy hard rock with lots of go and oodles of fun. Not going to break any new trends with this lot, but who gives a damn when it’s this good. There is a taste of Alabama Thunderpussy at their best, as well the obvious references to AC/DC without being a clone like that latest lot of Aussies. Any album that has a track called “Don’t Tread on Me” is a winner with me.

This is the type of thing that you want coming out of your car stereo as you trundle down the road with top down this summer. Hard rock party music; which you just know goes down as a bloody treat live. - Blog Critics Magazine

Crack open a High Life, light up a Basic, and tuned the set to WWE. American Speedway will provide the soundtrack. Part bar-band, part punk, they turn it up and turn it out with speed and nary a frill. “Ship of Fools” sounds like classic rock played with renewed sense of purpose. They’re a little bit Detroit 1968, a little bit Lazy Cowgirls 1987.

Three chords at most, blues progressions amped and shredded; the band, lead by Michael “Thursby” Speedway, a vocalist who adds just enough punk snottiness to straight no songs like “One Foot In, One Foot Out,” “Cocaine” and “Drinkin & Drivin’” to make them sound both classic and contemporary.

Thursby and Johnny Griswold’s guitars are clearly at the center of these jams, but the rhythm section of Billy angry on bass and drummer Chris Callahan keep the bottom steady and sure. It’ll take about a half hour to get through the ten songs on the disc, but it is a juicy rockin spin nevertheless. American Speedway literally kick out the jams with style, a style that thankfully, will never go stale. - MusicEmissions.com