(Credit: Courtesy of Midnight Mob )
There’s usually a can of Big Sexy Hair Spray in Blackey’s bag when she hits the road with her Massapequa, N.Y., “rawk” band Midnight Mob. The 21-year-old singer, who looks like a young, cherubic Joan Jett done up in “Shout at the Devil” glam, has the real-deal pipes to match her black-eyeliner look. (And since Blackey’s studying at Brittany Beauty School to be a hairdresser and makeup artist, her choice of hairspray is probably well-informed.)
A punk vibe is audible on the Midnight Mob burner “Overdrive.” And Blackey (she won’t tell me her real name) goes bluesy on “Say It Ain’t So,” a track with slide guitar and West Hollywood grooves.
“I have a place in my heart for rockabilly and Elvis and stuff,” she says. Blackey got her start singing as a teen in the church choir, before being drawn to rock by albums including “Led Zeppelin II.”
Midnight Mob, which includes guitarists Mickey Squeeze and Spyder, drummer Michael James and bassist Carly Quinn, has been know to do a live cover of T. Rex’s “20th Century Boy.”
“I think Marc Bolan was just a ridiculous performer,” Blackey says. “Watching anything with him is kind of ridiculous and I don’t know how anyone could not like it.”
The group is prepping a four-song EP, which Blackey says contains a Motorhead influenced tune, planned for a November release.
Blackey, I heard a Chrissie Hynde thing in your vocals on “Hit or Miss.” Is she a singer you’re into?
I am influenced by Chrissie Hynde. I’ve always been more of a…I like Joan Jett, Janis Joplin, Wendy O. Williams. I like Brody from The Distillers and Courtney Love.
Nice touch with the T. Rex mention in that same song. I like “20th Century Boy” so much it didn’t bug me when they used it in a car commercial a few years back.
No, no. I don’t think any band that does that should be looked on as selling out. It’s just another way to get your music out there. Youth today can go, “That’s catchy. Where is it from?” It allows them to look more to the old stuff.
So who’s the best lead singer in rock today?
Does it matter what time they’re from?
No, just as long as they are still playing.
I’m a really big Clutch fan, but I think what’s-his-face from The Rolling Stones is ridiculous and I can’t believe he has that much energy to be jumping around the way he does. Also, Iggy Pop. In my early teens I was very, very influenced by the punk scene. I love the way he moves. I always loved music, but I’ve never pictured myself being the lead singer.
What’s the most un-shy thing you do onstage?
Oh my goodness—I think within the last year I’ve been able to let go. I don’t even care what I look like up there. I’ll roll on the floor. (Laughs.)
Do you have a signature move yet? Like how Axl Rose has his slide thing, and Mick Jagger has all his weird moves.
I don’t know. I’m very influenced by Elvis, Iggy Pop and that rockabilly style of moving up there. I don’t think I have a specific move, or it hasn’t been pointed out to me.
So it’s just a stream-of-consciousness thing?
Yeah, I don’t really think about it, I just move the way I feel.
What’s the most hung-over you’ve been for a show?
Huh?
What’s the most hung-over you’ve been for a show?
I actually don’t drink when I’m playing. I’ve never been a big drinker, or at least not the last couple of years. I like to be very present up there. I don’t need anything to make me do what I do.
I was looking at Midnight Mob’s list of upcoming shows and you guys are playing a Merrick, N.Y., venue called Jugs-N-Strokers. What kind of place is that?
(Laughs.) It’s actually a biker bar. We kind of fell in love with the place. Our home base, a couple towns over, it shut down, and we haven’t really found a place. This place the people were so nice. It’s hard to find venue these days where they want to hear the music. I can’t wait to play there again.
Midnight Mob plays Spartanburg's Ground Zero (with The Deflicted and Raging Nipple) at 8 p.m. Sept. 18
. Cover is $5. For more information, call 864-948-1661 or visit www.myspace.com/jointhemidnightmob.
