The Hydromatics

The Hydromatics assembled from an international mix of players: Detroit rocker Scott Morgan (the Rationals, Sonic's Rendezvous Band, Scots Pirates, Dodge Main), Nicke Royale of the Hellacopters, and Dutch punks Tony Slug (Loveslug, Nitwitz) along with Theo Brouwer (Nitwitz, Big Paulus). In February 1999 the group convened in Amsterdam to lay down tracks, with Evert Kaatee engineering the sessions. Their shared aim was a definitive hard-rock statement built around Morgan’s storied vocal presence. Both Slug and Royale had long admired Morgan’s output from the 1970s with Sonic’s Rendezvous Band; the Hellacopters had already cut two of that Detroit/Ann Arbor group’s songs, “Heaven” and “City Slang.” When the Swedish band made its U.S. debut in New York City in November 1998, Morgan guested on blistering encores of those numbers. The same lineup also tracked the single “Down Right Blue,” produced by Daniel Rey and featuring shared lead vocals from Morgan and Royale, which later appeared on Sub-Pop. During the Hellacopters’ December return to America, Morgan joined them for Midwest dates that expanded their common songbook. Though separated by age and an ocean, Morgan and the Hellacopters clicked seamlessly. Slug had orchestrated the initial introduction and proposed that he and Royale capture new recordings with Morgan, who accepted because the younger musicians grasped and respected his catalog. The intention was to give several classic SRB numbers their first proper studio treatment while adding fresh material. The resulting album stands as a tour de force. Separately, the Hellacopters continue to support their own Sub-Pop release, Grande Days.