Bruce Joyner - Georgia dreams (2009)

US rock singer, musician, songwriter from Georgia (born in Manchester NC 1952)

Bruce was born in 1956 in Georgia (the state where Ray Charles, a local native, refused to play due to segregation... imagine the atmosphere). He grew up among plantations to the sounds of Elvis and Hank Williams, like any self-respecting white trash. At four, a neighbor made him swallow chloride crystals. Little Bruce destroyed his vocal cords and had to relearn how to speak. To do this, he practiced singing along to records to regain control over his bruised throat. At six, a second accident left him semi-paralyzed. A good start in life...
First band in Georgia, then Bruce set sail for California. It was the early 1980s. The Californian scene was bursting with creativity. He met Mark Neill and Dave Boyle and founded what would become this legendary band... "The Unknowns."

Mark is a guitar aesthete, obviously a fan of the greatest rockabilly guitarist of all time, Grady Martin. He has the good taste to introduce the surf sound to music that is far removed from seaside pleasures. Marc's solos hit the mark with Bruce's lyrics, always disconcertingly simple.

The first album was released on Bomp in 1982, taking over from The Cramps, who were beginning to get bogged down in the routine of well-received covers...
It's a total success, perhaps the best rock and roll album of the 80s, equaling the Gun Club records. It's another vision of Southern American music that we glimpse: a freer, less backward-looking aesthetic. The sound is magnificent, loaded with reverb. The unpredictable and bizarre compositions, coupled with Bruce's screams, transport you to the disturbing world of Southern hillbillies... "White Trashgirl," "Pull My Train," "Rat Race"... and so on: pure gems! For those who have forgotten how innovative rockabilly was in the 50s... It was The Cramps, Alan Vega, and The Unknowns who were right on the money... not The Stray Cats.

But that wasn't enough for Bruce. He felt restricted by this style and sought to expand his horizons.
He left The Unknowns in 1982 and, a fan of English new wave, attempted the unnatural fusion of Buddy Holly and The Stranglers!
He founded The Plantations and signed to Closer in France in 1983. The first album, "Way Down South," made a lasting impression. He sang like a rock and roll Ian Curtis. Always taking maximum risks... The union of the two continents was complete. A flurry of albums followed, including the excellent "Swimming with Friends" (1986) and "Hot Georgia Nights."

He toured France. He performed in Toulouse and everyone agreed, leaving an unforgettable memory for those present.
In 1991, they reformed the Unknowns for an album on New Rose. The magic worked again. The group managed to match the level of their debut...