Los Swamp Monsters
Reisterstown, MD | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF
Music
Press
The Carroll Community College buddies who call themselves Los Swamp Monsters are an eclectic group of musicians that together produce some of the most unique, impressionable music in the Baltimore music scene. One second of your attention and audiences quickly realize there is something special about the 50’s-60’s genre based live band that sweetly blends Rock, Country, R&B, Rockabilly and Classic Rock to formulate something along the lines of a Rock-Country-Elvis hybrid that is absolutely and brilliantly entertaining. Lead singer C.J. Benoit explains his passion for the Toho films (famously responsible for the Godzilla franchise), redneck car chasing films, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon all came into play when naming the band. It generally reflects the attitude and love of those old genres and their continued relevance, especially in terms of branding influences on this very underrated Baltimore band. (To hear their entire interview, click on this link and have a listen for yourself.)
Hearing C.J. talk, you quickly hear the unmistakable southern twang, which seems a little out of place in the urban settings of Maryland. However, his family roots are very rural, from Georgia to South Carolina to his father’s farm in Montgomery County. C.J.’s southern accent may be interesting to listen to, but the music he and his bandmates make is irresistible. As guitarist Marshall Stone explains, “If you want an explosion of epic musical proportions, then go listen to Los Swam Monsters. It’s a blend of everything you can think of in terms of music…” And it has to be emphasized that Los Swamp Monsters are a high-energy rock band with many musical fusions encompassing their original music. They are perhaps the most unique sounding band in the entire Baltimore music scene. - One World Pool
Some really wild raunchy rockabilly, roots R&R and blues from Los Swamp Monsters at Dicks Halfway Inn Friday, sometimes mixing two genders together as they did when the performed a nice rockabilly version of Big Boss Man! I had a good time hearing this band for the first time and liked that they played quite a few songs no one else plays like Sir Douglas Quintet's She's About a Mover and many others I wasn't familiar with but all of it really made your your body move! - Baltimore Blues Society
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
"This Ain't your Grandma's Rock N' Roll" . . . well unless your grandma's into some pretty wild stuff! The pack of Rock N' Rollers unleash their brand of hell-raisin' gumbo of RnB, Rockabilly, Folk, Garage Rock and Southern-style Hard Rock melded together that's equal parts The Band and The Sonics. But just who ARE these manic musicians? Luchadors set on playing Rock N' Roll? Well, not quite . . .
On the Bass, Guitar and the banshee wail is none other than Marshall Stone! The former bassist for Hard Rock group The Euphorics, Marshall's lively antics, killer songwriting and driving low-end work got him the spot in the Wild Bunch on the stage, as well as a great songwriter in his own merit. He co-writes, and is the co-singer and frontman for the band!
On the Rhythm guitar, Tex Milner from the Golden Sombreros! Pulling influences from the Replacements, the Rolling Stones and Billy Joe Shaver, Tex pumps the rhythm like a man possessed.
Also on bass is the Garage Punk Wonder, Joey Garcia! He looks like Han Solo, plays the bass like Dee Dee Ramone and brings a Punk Rock edge to the band's greasy style.
Behind the kit is the Howard County Howitzer, Mr. Johnny Black! Limelighting also as a DJ for WVUD in Newark, Delaware, he pounds the drums like mad, a necessary thing in their full-throttle genre!
And on the Harmonica, and the biting Telecaster is the gravely-voiced C.J. Benoit, the old Po' Kat himself. Self-trained off of old Jerry Lee Lewis, Doug Sahm and Tom Waits records, the man turns from good-ol' boy to good ol' Maniac on a dime, willing to always push the envelope alongside his buddies and bandmates.
All together, this group of talented (and bat-shit crazy) musicians bridge the gap between the traditional Rockabilly/R&B styles and modern Psychobilly without pledging allegiance to either, becoming the baddest band in the land: Los Swamp Monsters!
Band Members
Links
