The Red, White and Black

The whole punk and soul craze started here. From the moment they burst onto the international stage, the reaction has been "WOW!" Among the early converts were Jello Biafra who came away from his first dose raving, "At last! Picture Tina Turner or Aretha Franklin fronting a garage band. I've been waiting for something like this for a long time!"

At once sexy and intelligent, passionate and stark, The Bellrays are like a kick in the balls from James Brown: some like to call their music "Maximum Rock & Soul." Splicing together the Rock (yep, with a capital R) of MC5, The Stooges, and The Who with the groove of Parliament, James Brown, and Miles Davis, The Bellrays belt out visceral music that emanates straight from the heart. Lead singer Lisa Kekaula's soulfully electric vocals perfect the gritty blues-meets-garage instrumentation, upping the emotional power to overdrive.

The Bellrays' reputation as a rock-n-soul tour de force precedes them, with a buzz-filled performance at the 1999 SXSW leading to their signing to UK pop svengali Alan McGee's Poptones label. Now, an alliance with the punk stalwart Alternative Tentacles guarantees The Bellrays' place in the pantheon of American rock-n-roll.