As the name suggests, the Neverland Ranch Davidians don’t care a hoot for the niceties of popular culture, their chosen moniker a collision referencing two late 20th century icons: Michael Jackson and ‘Waco Savior’ David Koresh.
Appropriately, the L.A. trio’s sound is refreshingly confusing, blending distorted psych, primal rockabilly, hairy-assed punk, and chicken-fried soul like nothing on earth.
Linchpin of the band is guitarist/singer Tex Mosley: one-time alumnus of Philly’s legendary Afro-punks Pure Hell, for whom he co-wrote the track ‘No Rules’ before joining up with that band’s drummer Spider in Bad Actor. Relocating to the West Coast, Mosley embroiled himself in the L.A. punk scene, hooking up with Rik L. Rik in his band The Slaves, skatepunk legend Duane Peters in Gunfight, and Geffen-signed rockers The Hangmen.
Mosley joined forces with guitarist Will Bentley and drummer Max Hagen as the defiantly bassless Neverland Ranch Davidians, throwing down the gauntlet with their smoldering, psychotic R’n’B like the missing link between Blues Explosion, Suicide, and Stax Records. Now, Heavy Medication Records is proud to present their self-titled debut album.
Tex: “I’ve always loved the minimalism of Suicide, and that less-is-more approach is hardwired into the Davidians’ DNA, That’s probably why we never bothered recruiting a bass player. We’re huge fans of The Cramps and The Gories, neither of which had bass players, so we didn’t feel we needed one either.”
“This music brings to my mind echos of Hound Dog Taylor, Stax, James Brown, and The Rolling Stones with a touch of Alan Vega’s art-damaged punk – with actual songs! No cookie-cutter lo-fi artifice here!”
— Pat Todd, Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders
“If you took the rock ‘n’ roll train starting in downtown L.A., through the Deep South, up to Detroit and down N.Y. City, you would wind up at The Neverland Ranch Davidians.”
— Bryan Small, The Hangmen
credits
released January 20, 2023
Tex Mosley – guitar, vocals
Will Bentley – guitar, backing vocals
Max Hagen – drums, backing vocals
“Butts In My Beer” written by Link Wray
“I Believe to My Soul” written by Ray Charles
