Fireworks
Dallas, TX’s Fireworks were scheduled to be my 4th of July 2005 post, but somewhere I took a left turn and ended up with Last Rights instead. So, here in 2006 what better time to dish out some lo-fi, blown stack rock’n'roll? A 3-piece of two guitars and a drummer, Fireworks 1993-1997 run saw them put out 7 singles, 3 albums, and numerous comp appearances on the likes of Crypt, Augogo, In The Red, and 1+2. Alternative Press of all places hit it:
This sounds like what you think Jon Spencer Blues Explosion would
sound like from reading about them… Actually, this is pretty swampy, with a lo-fi feel…fucked-up vocal sound. It’s juvenile-delinquent rock. Bad-boyrock…It’s hard to go wrong with a trashed -out swamped-up blues-a-billy number
Or, as guitarist/vocalist Darin Lin Wood describes them, “(Fireworks is) music for people who like fucked up music.” No matter how your describe it, one listen confirms this is raw, rootsy trash. Below are my two favorite singles by the band. Check that thicknecked guitar on the last two tracks
from 1993 single on Easy Action
Fireworks - Silver Moon.mp3
Fireworks - Moonshot.mp3
from 1995’s single on Human Fly
Fireworks - Baby Go!.mp3
Fireworks - Don’t Let It Go.mp3
Notes:
> Darin Lin Wood and drummer Janet Walker paired w/ Mick Collins to form the side project Blacktop.
> Guitarist James Arthur would later turn up in the Necessary Evils. He is currently fronting the Golden Boys
>All three of Fireworks LPs seem to be readily available - check out Lit Up! , Set the World On Fire, and Off the Air
7 Comments so far
Leave a reply
this is great, thanks for this and the beguiled as well
Great stuff. James Arthur isn’t in the Golden Boys anymore, supposedly because of family obligations. And you didn’t mention Feast Of Snakes, a band he was in that put out a great 12″ on In The Red a few years back. Regardless, thanks.
great stuff, of course , they’ve started with 3 guitars to break a lot of hearts (as they used to say). but Darin lin wood get problems…. and ruined the bands(see the story of blacktop by mick collins in the complete in the red cd). Darin was also part of the best recordings of the Jeffrey Evans'’68 comeback. Where is he now ?..
can you post the Untrue/She’s a Tornado 7″ (their first single, on In the Red)?
Been looking for that one for ages.
Hey cool! Thanks for posting this. I saw Fireworks play live a few times when I was living in Houston in the mid 90s. They were fucked up and great live too!
Dear elsebasto…There are always 2 sides to EVERY story,sometimes more.I love people who believe what they read,Fireworks was always explosive and destined for a short life,especially,dealing with that motherfucker from in the red,and tim warren (or whatever his name was) from crypt.I dont mind being the scapegoat for supposed failure, and i dont mind the legend of drugs. people reading micks painful recollections are being fed HIS & only his, weak ass crock of shit.I found so many holes in his story.Blacktop was My band, mick was a hired hand.period. All Y’all can kiss my motherfucking ass,blacktop,was a fucking nightmare from beginning to end,the only reason why the records got done at all was because of mine and janets hard work.And dedication to that project.The thing i ruined was ruined from the start.I have no regrets,…..not even about me being a villian.
hi darin, i’ve just found your reply last night. i’m really sorry, didn’t know your part of the story and didn’t want to stab you in the back. sorry.