We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.
/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.
    Purchasable with gift card

      name your price

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

about

"It started with a plane…"

BA8955, the first ever scheduled Sunday Flight into Stornoway Airport, arrived on 27th October 2002.

"And a franchise cup…"

Memphis Louie an’ the Rockin Firebird of Death are generally acknowledged to be the meanest evil rockin’ garage dudes to be found anywhere between Parkend and Plasterfield (not inclusive). Despite this, it was more than a year after BA8955 touched down before Memphis Louie finally plucked up the courage to go and get a cup of Costa coffee from Engie’s on a Sunday.

Heading out to visit Leroi in Sandwick, Memphis was under strict instructions to hide his caffeine paraphenalia in case any cailleachs saw it. Instead, propelled by some demonic impulse, he swaggered past the graveyard, waving his super grande triple shot vanilla mocha latte at passing cars, at the sheep in the grazing across the road and at the new Free Church (Continuing), repeating the phrase that would become the chorus of this song.

"The Devil's Coffee"

Afterwards, on the comedown and in a more reflective mood, Memphis considered the pros and cons of the situation. A release from oppressive sabbatarianism? The destruction of indigenous culture by the relentless onset of globalisation? Both? Fleek knows. This song conveys the ambivalence of MLATRFOD to the erosion of the Hebridean Sabbath.

"Sandwick Road" was originally recorded in 2004 and appears on the Honcho Records compilation "Nobadyourself" (2007).

Here's what other musicians said about "Sandwick Road" on (now defunct) peer review website www.garageband.com:

“Truley a sad song. The vocals that are so out of key and so not with the music they suck. Were you trying for a pixies thing? because you missed. The bass was the only thing worth listening to”.
- wackysims from Lynden, Washington

lyrics

It started with a plane - yes a plane - And a franchise cup
I went out for a walk - yes a walk - To the fill me up

I had to hide my bag - yes my bag - the neighbour would have seen
But I flaunted it instead - and it led - to the place that I had been

This is not a Saturday
(This. Is not. A Saturday.)

The Devil's coffee (x4)

So it sharpened up my mind - and my mind - it raced instead of rest
Goin back another day - another day - my town has now been blessed

It started with a plane - yes a plane - And a franchise cup
I went out for a walk - yes a walk - To the fill me up

This is not a Saturday
(Chan e di-Sathuirne a th'ann an diugh idir.)

The Devil's coffee (x4)

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y (x4)

It started with a plane (x loads)

credits

from Sandwick Road, released December 31, 2012
Memphis Louie Studebaker – Vocals, Gee-tars
Leroi Z Coondawg – Bass, Drum Programming, Vocals
Ossian Stormwatch III – Vocals

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Memphis Louie & The Rockin' Firebird Of Death Sandwick, UK

Emerging after 18 years of silence from the ashes of the Outer Hebrides' 60s garage band scene (which happened in the 80s), MLATRFOD formed in 2003 in the cac filled swamps between Stornoway and Sandwick. They've been mixing up a mess of fuzztone-crazed garage psych, Link Wrayabilly and glacial post punk ever since, and taking their time about it. Their names are too long to fit in a Bandcamp bio ... more

contact / help

Contact Memphis Louie & The Rockin' Firebird Of Death

Streaming and
Download help

Report this track or account

If you like Memphis Louie & The Rockin' Firebird Of Death, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Seafood Sam joins the show to discuss his newest album, " Standing On Giant Shoulders".
listen now