Wednesday, February 3, 2016

ROCK BABY - ROCK IT - "Hot Rocks" (1957)

 All right! It's time for another Wild Wednesday edition of Rock and Roll in the movies!
Tonight's feature is called "Rock Baby - Rock It" and was made in Texas in 1957! There are no big stars in this movie, but it sure as Hell was on the cutting edge of rock and roll!

 It's a Rock-it Rocket, and once this sucker goes off, there's no telling where it's going to land!

 There are no less than 18 songs in "Rock Baby - Rock It!" Trying to figure out who is doing what is almost impossible because a lot of the acts have the same backup band!

Set in Dallas, Texas, "Rock Baby - Rock It" is a supremely simple tale of kids wanting to rock out in their own club, and a group of local mobsters trying to shut them down because they want the building for themselves!

 The Hot Rock Club is a jumpin' place, and the kids are all right!

 This thug named Crackers shows up and tells them in no uncertain terms to get out!!
He's called Crackers because he eats a lot of crackers and carries them around in his pocket!

There have many different regional bands named The Five Stars over the years. 
This incarnation performs "Polly Molly," and "Your Love Is All I Need!"

Preacher Smith and the Deacons perform "Eat Your Heart Out!"
The guitar teacher for all these bands must have been the same guy because all the guitar players hold the guitar in the same odd backwards style!

 This band is by far my favourite just because they had the balls to have a live rooster on stage with them! This is Roscoe Gordon and the Red Tops performing what else but
 "Chicken In The Rough!"
Again, check out the guitar player!

 Over at Jamies Club, there was a whole different style of rock and roll going on!

 The rockabilly styling of Johnny Carroll was cool enough to land him a recording contract with Decca Records, and although he had a few singles releases, he only ever manged meager success! In fact, Johnny Carroll is probably more popular today than he was in the 50's because of the resurgence in rockabilly music! The band was called Hot Rocks!

 I like the two songs performed here by The Belew Twins, "Lonesome," and "Love Me Baby," but they never managed to garner much success except as a novelty act!

 In a very weird scene, Crackers dances for the big boss man!

They gather up all the local talent to stage a benefit to save the club, and so the music continues!

 A fight breaks out between the kids and the mobsters!

And then the band plays on! This time it's the Cell Block 7 with the "Saint's Song!" Dig those krazy prison striped vests!

 They had a good turnout, and the audience is very exuberant!

Holy Crap! There's so much music, I almost lost count at this point!
Preacher Smith and the Deacons return with "Roogie Doogie!"

 I really thought that was Ted Cruz for a moment or two making his acceptance speech in Iowa!
Actually, it's Don Coats and the Bon-Aires with "Love Never Forgets!"

The Four Stars come back with a different guy on lead vocals this time on "Hey Juanita" just to make it that much more confusing!

Rockin' dancer Kay Wheeler is a story unto herself, and if you don't believe me then head on over to her site and read all about her exploits in the world of Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent and more!
I still don't understand how they can stream some whole movies on YouTube, I'm just glad they can, so if you wanna watch "Rock Baby - Rock It" for free, then you'll find it right
HERE!!
Better than the living dead, that, my friends, is
The Living End!

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