For a band to not only last beyond 30 years together but keep scaling more imposing heights, it’s going to need a sense of purpose. In the case of The Woggles, the seasoned garage rockers passed that milestone with a renewed rallying cry to move ever forward!

The Woggles now feature a two-guitar attack with Graham Day (The Prisoners, Solar Flares, Thee Mighty Caesars) and Shane Pringle (Tiger! Tiger!, Bad Spell) on the 6 strings with Shane occasionally doubling up on saxophone.

The band is touring in support of the new single Flesh Hammer b/w The Witch out on Wicked Cool Records (Steven Van Zandt’s label), inspired by the late guitarist, Jeff Walls AKA Flesh Hammer. Both sides of the 7″ feature Pat Beers from The Schizophonics on lead guitar.

The single is from an upcoming album featuring contributions on lead guitar from the likes of Steven Van Zandt (Little Steven), Graham Day, Shane Pringle, Greg Cartwright (Reigning Sound), Peter Greenberg (Barrence Whitfield & The Savages), Rick Miller (Southern Culture on the Skids), Keith Streng (The Fleshtones), and Pat Beers (The Schizophonics).

“The band is not as much an institution as a way of life,” says frontman “The Professor” Mighty Manfred. “The main thing is to keep swimming, cause the shark has got to keep moving.”

The band continues to feature the sock-it-to-them rhythm section of bassist Buzz Hagstrom and drummer Dan Eletxro, both also sometime members of savage English rockers Graham Day & The Gaolers.

“Alan Freed once said that ‘Rock and roll is a river of music that has absorbed many streams,’” quotes Manfred. “The Woggles drink from its many tributaries, from early rock and roll and R&B to ’60s garage rock, British Invasion, ’60s soul and forward.”

Fusing pure rock and soul from vintage sources into their own singular sound, The Woggles lay it down hard and loud but with more majesty than recklessness. Their beats and riffs are as strident as Manfred’s swagger and strut onstage. Having played in the past with Johnny Cash, Link Wray, The Zombies and nearly every garage rock group worth its salt, as Meredith Ochs wisely advised on NPR All Songs Considered: “Go see a Woggles show. It will change your life.”

There’s no harder hitter than frontman Barrence Whitfield of Boston, MA. When he hits the boards with the Savages, you’re either gonna ride the energy or be crushed by it. We’re talking Joe Louis, Howlin’ Wolf, Wilson Pickett, Smokin’ Joe Frazier. Barrence has what these greats all possessed, the one thing a trainer cannot teach a fighter: a lust for mayhem. The wilder, louder, more insane the Savages bring it, the more BW is ready to attack the mic, to bring it high, to bring it low, to wear you down on the ropes, and eventually drop you.

Backing Whitfield are the best cornermen in the business, led by garage/punk guitarist Peter Greenberg, the visionary who started the Savages after a legendary stint with the Lyres, and his sidekick Phil “Mr. Tenacious” Lenker on bass. Greenberg works his guitar with the ruthless intricacy of a chain saw ice sculptor. Lenker meshes with drummer Andy Jody for an unrelenting sequence of haymaker beats. Tom Quartulli’s saxophone rips like a foghorn through the mist.

– John Swenson

Baby Money is the brainchild of Chicago based songwriter Pamela Maurer. What started as a solo project has evolved into a 3-piece band based in the Windy City. Her original songs, ranging from gritty, sparse arrangements, to soulful, roof-shaking foot-stompers, are inspired by 1960s girl-groups, soul, old time revival, gospel, and traditional rhythm ‘n’ blues. Want to hear more? Baby Money’s new EP, which features local heartthrobs, the Bribes as a backing band is out now! Get your hands on a hot copy of surfy and surreal ‘shy-CITY,’ VOL. 1:pyramid!, or Baby Money’s first full-length record, In Memory of John Doe, released in May 2014 at www.babymoney.bandcamp.com.