Biography
Originally comprising Buzz Campbell on vocals and guitars, Johnny G. d'Artenay on vocals and upright bass, and Dave Bernson on vocals and drums, Hot Rod Lincoln drew its core sound from the traditions of 1950s rockabilly and early rock & roll. The trio formed in San Diego during 1993 and earned regional and national attention by taking the Best Roots/Rockabilly/Swing Band honor at the 1997 San Diego Music Awards. Their self-released debut album appeared in 1994 at the height of the brief swing revival and received favorable notices that led Dionysis Records to issue the follow-up, The Boulevard, in 1996. That record locked in the group's distinctive blend of rockabilly and psychobilly with surf elements, delivered in the leopard-print aesthetic shared by other revival acts such as Brian Setzer's Stray Cats and Southern Culture on the Skids. Blue Café, their third album, came out independently in October 1997 and featured a title track written for the band by Setzer, whose role as a central figure in the early- and mid-1990s rockabilly and swing resurgence left a clear mark on their work. Produced by Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats, the album delved deeper into foundational influences, paying tribute to Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, and Bill Haley & the Comets. Although the genre's popularity waned sharply by the late 1990s, Hot Rod Lincoln endured beyond many short-lived revivalists. Serving as the backing band for vocalist Josie Kreuzer on the 1997 She Devil Records release Hot Rod Girl brought them a fresh audience while underscoring their lasting commitment to classic rockabilly. Joey Galvan replaced Dave Bernson in 1999, after which the group recorded Astronaut Girl and issued it on Hep Cat Records in March 2001.
Albums
