Combine a whole lotta 60s rock n ‘roll, a few fistfuls of soul, a hip flask of rhythm and blues, a splash of surf and you get the musical phenomenon that is The Woggles From songs that shake the rafters to shows that make for “a dance party rave-up that could melt Dick Clark’s face off” (Village Voice), the Woggles are a four-man delivery system for 200-proof, butt-shakin’ r-o-c-k.
“Go and see a Woggles show, it will change your life.” — Meredith Ochs, NPR All Songs Considered
The Woggles first came to the attention of Little Steven when he was promoting a series of garage rock shows in 2000 and he heard about the band’s electrifying, life changing live performances. Blown away by his first Woggles experience, Little Steven courted the band for the better part of this decade culminating with the band signing with Wicked Cool Records for their latest album, Rock and Roll Backlash. Track #2, “It’s Not About What I Want (It’s What You Got)”, was voted the Coolest Song of 2006 by Underground Garage Sirius Satellite Radio listeners.
When listening to The Woggles, it’s best to put away the labels and forget the comparisons. Simply put, this is a band that believes in the magic of rock and roll. “For us, it’s more about the feeling and the experience, and the alchemy of what happens when audience and performer interact,” said guitarist Jeff “Flesh Hammer” Walls. “We’re more interested in the part that can’t be understood and can’t be explained.”
The Woggles legendary live shows quite literally “take their parade off the edge of the stage”, as band members ritualistically leap to the floor and hurl their nitro-fueled stage gymnastics into the teeth of the audience. They share a vision and blaze a trail with the same insanity as the true wildman originators of three-chord mayhem. Pop music trends may come and go, but the Woggles cut to the chase and drink from the source.
All members contribute to the songwriting process, conjuring a sound that bypasses the brain and goes straight to the hip bone.
Since their first 7” single in ’90, the Woggles have fathered an extensive discography that encompasses a wide variety of CD & vinyl releases spreading over various international labels. They have also contributed to numerous compilations, tribute albums, and film soundtracks.
“Ragged but Right” (Telstar Records) was recognized as “one of the coolest records of 2003” by Little Steven’s Underground Garage. Their ’06 release “Soul-Sizzling Seven-Inch Meltdown” (Chicken Ranch Records) combines many of their now-rare b-sides, singles, instrumentals, and covers of obscure rock and soul nuggets, as well as three new songs with the current line-up.
The Woggles has toured the U.S. with 60’s icons the Zombies and New York’s Mooney Suzuki. They have also shared stages with legends Iggy & the Stooges, the New York Dolls, Johnny Cash, the Troggs, Bo Diddley, Nancy Sinatra, the Pretty Things, and Big Star, as well as newer sensations like the Strokes, the Raveonettes, Holly Golightly, Guitar Wolf, and the 5-6-7-8’s (as well as countless others).
Wherever they are, on tour in North America, Europe, or Japan, the Woggles carry forth in the spirit of the ancient maritime explorers. They are the Johnny Appleseeds of bare-knuckle rock, spreading the seeds of three-chord, no waiting, rock’n‘roll to the far-flung corners of the globe.
