What do you get when you put Lemmy Kilmister, Slim Jim Phantom and Danny B. Harvey in one band? You get HeadCat. The Cat’s Walk The Walk…Talk The Talk is a 12-song mix of covers as well as originals that pulls no punches and hits the listener loud and proud.
Starting with what is the band’s kick-off single, “American Beat,” Kilmister’s rough and ready vocals, Phantom’s straight-ahead, big snare sound and Harvey’s piano get this short one pretty much off the ground, 0-60. Lemmy does his best Elvis on “Say Mamma” (there’s that big beat and piano again) but things get interesting on the cover of Larry William’s “Bad Boy,” with its slow strut and great backing vocals. Supposedly, Lemmy provides all the vocals here, so my hats off to him on the harmonies because they ain’t half-bad.
The trio attempts some Chuck Berry on “Let It Rock.” There’s not much to report there. A cover of “Crossroads” never really works, but they are redeemed on Lennon and McCartney’s “You Can’t Do That.” Kilmister sounds about the best he ever has but Harvey also plays some inspired lead guitar. The band’s own “The Eagle Flies On Friday” is probably the best tune on the disc. It’s a nice blues workout starting with Harvey’s muted electric as well as some superb slide lead in the break. On a CD where most tunes clock in around two and half minutes, “Eagle” is also the longest one at just over three minutes.
HeadCat’s Walk The Walk…Talk The Talk is about what you expect from the bassist/vocalist of Motörhead, the drummer of the Stray Cats, and a legendary rockabilly guitarist. And that’s certainly a good thing for those of us who like cool covers, along with some heavy-duty originals.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
