Romantics lead singer Wally Palmar belts out a song at Jim Porter's. Photo by Kevin Gibson
After 15 years of touring, one would think a band would be about ready to give it up. Pulling on heavy guitars, leather jackets and boots every night, sleeping in strange beds and eating fast food for a living would be enough to drive even the most reckless of individuals to distraction.
For some, however, there is a purpose behind it all. During their October 29 stop in Louisville at Jim Porter's Good Time Emporium, the Romantics made it clear that they are not just putting in time on the road. They want to succeed — again — and get back into the public eye.
In a short but explosive set, the band pulled seven songs from past albums; favorites the crowd would expect to hear, such as the timeless hit "What I Like About You," and the 1983 chartbuster "Talking in Your Sleep." They performed these and others with their usual spirit, but make no mistake: they did not dwell on them.
In between, it was one new cut after another along with a few obscure covers and an obvious passion for the music which has been miraculously retained over years of bad breaks.
Along with revved-up renditions of Van Morrison's "I Can Only Give You Everything," and John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom," the Detroit quartet threw in tunes from a new five-song release due out in January in the United States, the band's first release since 1985.
From the hard-driving "Love It Up," to the rhythmic "Runaway," the Romantics made it clear they are not interested in rehashing old conquests. lead singer/rhythm guitarist Wally Palmar said a video has been shot for the song "You and Your Folks," one of two George Clinton tunes on the EP and the band is already aiming at a full-length release.
"I'd like to see us finally get this thing out," Palmar said. "We've been working on a bunch of new songs and we'd like to get it out by the end of this year. Everything is done and for all intents and purposes, it should have been out in September.
"It's new, but we're already looking past it. We recorded this a year ago. It'll come out and we'll promote it and hopefully, people will like it."
It is a comfort for the band to have the EP ready for release, because "you know it's going to be out eventually and it's definitely coming out here (in the U.S.). We just filmed a video and we added an extra song (a Romantics original titled 'Leave Her Alone')."
"It's just something we wanted to do with a couple of George Clinton songs," said bassist and part-time guitarist Mike Skill. "The EP is pretty cool and it was fun to do."
Still, that desire to get a full-length commercial release is heavy in the hearts of each of the Romantics, including guitarist Coz Canler and drummer Clem Burke, the latter of which joined the band about two years ago.
"I'd like to see the band get an album out," he said, noting that the EP will be released on Westbound, an independent label in the band's hometown.
"The whole pop subculture is based on that," Burke said, referring to the independent labels. "The first Nirvana was an independent. The analogy's there, but I'd like to see the band get back into the marketplace, as it were. If you have something out, you're more current and you get better crowds at shows."
Seeing the Romantics live now is much different than seeing them back in the mid-1980s, when they were hot worldwide. The guitars have been turned up a notch, as have the pace and intensity of the songs. Heading the list of new material not slated for the January release is the seismic "She Knows How to Rock," and numerous tunes have been shelved, such as "Hypnotized" and "Tell Me I'm the One," all of which have the fast and furious pace which typified the group's early releases.
"I like it," Burke said of the Romantics' sound. "It's not watered down, it's roots-oriented rock; it's very Americana. There's a lot of '60s influence and a lot of rhythm and blues, too."
Not to mention a lot of attitude and honesty. They aren't looking to change their tune for commercial success and rather to find a market for the music they play.
"We just write the way we know how to write," said PalMarch "We just come up with ideas and it just comes out that way. As long as we like them and as long as we finish them up as soon as possible, that's all that matters."
As for musicians who bow to the almighty dollar, Palmar wouldn't criticize, but did offer this cryptic statement: "There's no honesty in rock."
The Romantics must feel that when they play live. As much as they like to experiment — and as tired as they must be of playing "What I Like" and "Sleep" — they have to hold on, if somewhat loosely, to what got them to where they are.
"We want to try out new songs, but the only way to do that is to play longer," Palmar said. "We like to play live, but you can't keep pumping out new stuff, because people don't want to pay to hear that stuff."
So, until that elusive recording contract is achieved, the Romantics will keep on cranking out crowd favorites and slipping in new stuff where they can.
"We've got a lot of little bits and pieces we've been working on over the last five years or so," said Skill. "When you're struggling, [playing live] is like it's your first job again. It's like a rebirth."
Palmar agrees.
"I guess you really have to put it that way," he said. "It took such a long time. It's not like we broke up, but it's been an awfully long time, so it's like a rebirth. It shouldn't be like that, though and [getting out a new album] is never soon enough."
The Romantics aren't touring to pay any outstanding bills, either. This is strictly a band with a mission.
"It's not really financial," said Skill.
"We're doing pretty well. We just need to stay tight. It puts you in a good state of mind to be working your a— off.
"And, as they say, anything worth having is worth working for."