That guy is Skeeter Enoch Thompson. The world knows him as the bassist in harDCore legends Scream but now he's gone and recorded a solo record. That the album, The Book Of Enoch In E Minor, is full of ferocious rock-and-roll shouldn't be a surprise, but I think a few folks are going to be impressed at how far outside the confines of hardcore punk Skeeter strays here.
Opener "Andalusian Dog" roars in the fashion of early material from The Cult or Hanoi Rocks, even as the more adventurous "Spoiled To The Facts Of..." offers up flashes of funk and dashes of reggae, the insinuating rhythm one of the highlights of this album. Elsewhere, a rough cover of "Down In The Hole" by Tom Waits charms, while the fierce "You Wanna See Me Bleed?" sees Skeeter at his best as a singer and performer, the cut a deft blend of both punk and metal forms. And while Scream took some chances, broadening the palette of punk, Skeeter pushes things a bit further with "Dirt", a languid near-blues-y work-out with some excellent guitar hooks.
Lots of us know and love Skeeter for everything he's brought to this city's legacy of harDCore, but it's clear that the guy has many skills as a performer and musician. And for many fans, it is a real pleasure to hear Skeeter venture into new territory, and succeed so admirably.
The Book Of Enoch In E Minor by Skeeter Enoch Thompson is out now via CDbaby, and other online retailers.
[Top photo: me, 2012]