Return to the scene of the crime… we are pleased to announce that Mighty Joe Castro and the Gravamen will be the first band to kick off Franklin Pub’s monthly rockabilly night. Located in Glenside, PA Titled Get Rythym, the monthly showcase with happen on the second Sunday of each month. Franklin’s is located in Glenside, PA, in the same location where the legendary Blue Comet was
The Blue Comet was a legendary Philadelphia venue that hosted some of the best rockabilly musicians for years before shutting things down years ago. It was known world wide as a home away from home for both rockabilly fans and musicians.
For those keeping score, the band has been back on the road, playing shows from New York City to York, PA. Look for more dates across the states in the coming year.
To stay current and avoid FOMO, please follow the band on Instagram, facebook, spotify and especially youtube. We have lots of plans for new content, so stay tuned.
And holiday shoppers, we have vinyl and CDs for sale over at Mighty Joe Castro’s web store. Get your orders in early to avoid any possible delays with shipping.
A slow, meditative burn, washed with regret and the distant echos of Nick Cave in a candle lit room channeling Johnny Cash at Stax Volt. Ameripolitan rockabilly outfit Mighty Joe Castro & the Gravamen offer their soulful re-interpretation of Johnny Thunders’ lament, “Disappointed In You”.
The track was ecorded live in studio, without overdubs, on June 24th for Johnny’s 2021 Birthday Bash concert stream. It is available as a digital single on spotify, apple music and all other streaming platforms.
“Going down a Heartbreakers rabbit hole years ago, at a time in my life when a few former band mates and childhood friends had recently passed before their time, I came across a live version of this tune, with just Johnny and a sax player, and it blew me away. As a song, it didn’t feel fully finished but it held it’s ground with a rough honesty. I got the feeling that Johnny was singing just as much about himself as to some other person. I think any working musician or artist with a little mileage under their belt, has lost someone close to them who had so much talent, so much potential, so much heart… but in the end, they let it slip away either to drugs or depression. Sadly, I could relate.
So I was honored to be asked to participate in the 2021 Johnny Thunders Birthday Bash, as part of the live stream, and knew I wanted to do this song. We took it seriously and I wanted to do it right. It was recorded completely live (no overdubs) at Miner St. in Philadelphia by Brian McTear. It was filmed by Bob Sweeney, who used 4 stationary cameras plus his handheld. For three hours of work, I think it came out pretty good.. Thank you Steve Krebs, Barry Apfel and Simone Zimmerman for including us.
These days, when I think of Johnny Thunders, I think of attitude. Swagger. Style. The guy had it in spades. But if you strip away all the drug mythology and notoriety that gets tangled up with his legacy, what you’re left with is genuine 100% New York City rock-n-roll. Not to mention the songs, which continue to stand the test of time.”
We are proud to announce Mighty Joe Castro and the Gravamen will perform at this year’s Johnny Thunders’ Birthday Bash. This event is a live stream. Thursday July 15, 2021. Ticket are available here.
The lineup for this year’s Johnny Thunders tribute is really solid. It will feature performances by special guest Lenny Kaye and many more: Beechwood, Breanna Barbara, The Carvels NYC, Chuck Bones, Curtis Suburban, The Dangereens, Danny Ray, Diane & The Gentle Men, Don Blackcat & Friends, Flash Cooney & The Deans Of Discipline, Hudson City Rats, Jeff West, Labretta Suede, The Methmatics, Mick Rossi, Mighty Joe Castro & The Gravamen, Mike Skill, The Mixture, The Lord Calverts, Lulu Lewis, Palmyra Delran & The Doppel Gang, Sam Harris, Steve Krebs & The Maynard G’s, Zach & The Lo Men.
Might Joe Castro pays tribute to the popular K-tel commercials that littered the late night airways in the 1970s and 80s. Here’s his commercial for our album Come On Angels! Enjoy.
Mighty Joe Castro was recently invited to write an essay for American Blues Scene about the Rockabilly Against Racism sticker movement he started. You can read the full article here.
Mighty Joe Castro (of Mighty Joe Castro & the Gravamen) is seeking to inspire change with vintage sounds, not vintage values
“I first started making Rockabilly Against Racism stickers in August of 2019, shortly after hearing the news of the El Paso shooting. At the time, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it – what amount of hatred inspires someone to drive an hour away and open fire on a random assortment of unarmed strangers because of their race? It was the cold premeditatedness of the action that broke my heart.
Over the previous few years, I had watched President Trump and others continue to stoke the fires of racial hatred in America. It was divide and conquer and, like many, I felt helpless. But being an artist, I understood that you must combat negative propaganda with positive propaganda.
The idea was inspired by Joe Strummer / The Clash and, more specifically, the legendary Rock Against Racism gigs that they were a part of in the 1970s. For me, the beauty of early rock-n-roll lies in the synergy and cross-pollination of different musical styles and cultures – the twang of country music mixed with that rhythm and blues boogie, combined with the passionate fire of gospel music and the soulful harmonies of doo-wop. It’s Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. Bo Diddley and Ritchie Valens. This music helped break down the walls of segregation in the south and paved the way for the 1960s.
Our band is based in Philadelphia, where punks once referred to the rockabilly scene as the “skinhead retirement community.” It’s 2020 and, unfortunately, that scene is still littered with images of the Confederate flag. Now I’ve heard people claim the use of that flag is about southern pride and rebellion, not racism. I don’t buy it.
Photo credit: Mighty Joe Castro
A real rebel doesn’t need a flag – they make their own. And that’s what the Rockabilly Against Racism sticker is for us – a new flag.
A real rebel doesn’t need a flag – they make their own. And that’s what the Rockabilly Against Racism sticker is for us – a new flag. We needed to set ourselves apart and let everyone know that while we celebrate the sound and style of the 1950s, we’re not living in the past. We’re taking that classic 1957 Chevy and putting a hybrid electric engine in it. Vintage sounds, not vintage values.
So I handed the stickers out at our shows and put the message out on social media that I’d mail a few to anyone who sent their address. Since then, I’ve distributed a few thousand all across the states as well as Europe, Australia, South America and Asia. And with every batch, I include a hand written Thank You note in an effort to personally acknowledge people and begin to build a real sense of community.
People asked for a Facebook group, so we got that going as a way for bands, promoters and fans to connect and work toward making positive change. I offered the sticker design free of charge to anyone who wanted to use it – the only stipulation being that they couldn’t make a profit off of it. Everything must be given out for free or sold for cost. A group in Germany started distributing shirts and patches all over Europe and a collective of vintage vendors began sending stickers out with every order.
People are printing stickers and buttons in Texas, Tennessee, Las Vegas and elsewhere. We had tentative plans to organize several Rockabilly Against Racism concerts to raise money for different organizations, but COVID-19 quickly hit the pause button on that. It will happen at some point though.
I am under no illusions that this effort is a miracle cure to fix a major systemic problem. My hope though, moving forward, is that when some young kid discovers this music, and starts going to shows, that they’ll see the Rockabilly Against Racism sticker on the band’s bass guitar or some patches on the jackets of audience members and realize that they are welcome. It’s an inclusive scene that we’re building. This isn’t meant to solve the problem – it’s a spark to inspire people to make a difference.”
Philly-based singer-songwriter Mighty Joe Castro would fit right in at the Twin Peaks roadhouse. His retro-rock stylings channel the uneasy underbelly of 1950s American life; think equal parts film noir and Chris Isaak’s “Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing,” a vibe that perfectly coalesces in his new music video for “There Are No Secrets Here.” – John Vettese, WXPN’s The Key.
We are pleased to announce the release of our brand new single, There Are No Secrets Here. It is the first song from our upcoming debut album, Come On Angels, which will drop July 31 and is available for streaming on all platforms. The song was recorded at Miner St Recordings in Philadelphia and produced by Brian McTear.
“This was filmed during the COVID19 quarantine. I went total DIY and shot the performance footage myself one night at my house with an iPhone and three flashlights, using old mic stands as tripods/light stands. I even gave myself a haircut the night before. I love old B-movies, so I incorporated scenes from two vintage films – Dementia (aka Daughter From Hell – 1958) and Carnival of Souls (1962) – both are public domain. Due to social distancing, I couldn’t film or get footage from the band (our drummer doesn’t have a cell phone or camera) so I came up with the idea of using still photos in old magazine articles. I really prefer working with limitations. It keeps you focused and forces you to get creative, where an unlimited amount of options can be a hard river to cross. I hope you dig it.”
Stay tuned for more single releases in the coming weeks. And to keep up to date, please follow Mighty Joe Castro and the Gravamen on spotify, instagram, facebook and youtube.
“Come On Angels” we chanted and, in the end, we got lucky. After spending the winter months recording our new album, trying our best to ignore the pandemic slowly blossoming over our shoulders, we strolled out of Miner St Recording, final mixes in hand, two days before the quarantine was declared.
So we are pleased to announce that we will be releasing our debut record Come On Angels! on July 31st on vinyl, CD and all streaming platforms.
The 10 new tracks were recorded at Miner St Recording in Philadelphia, PA and produced by Brian McTear (Sharon Van Etten, Dr. Dog, War on Drugs, Dead Milkmen). The band is really proud of this record and we can’t wait for you to hear it.
The track listing for the album:
There Are No Secrets Here
Come On Angels!
Cold and Bitter Tears
Whispering Hell (The Finish Line)
For Every Setting Sun
June (90 Degrees)
Why Not Just Give In This Time
Better Hold Tight
Angeline
You’ve Got It All (So What Are You Looking For?)
We’ll be dropping singles from the album over the coming weeks so please do us a solid and follow the band on Spotify.
And to keep up to date, please follow Mighty Joe Castro and the Gravamen on instagram, facebook and youtube.
Happy New Year friends. Thanks for all your support this past year. 2020 is ours for the taking so let’s make things happen.
The band has just started working on our debut full length album at Miner St. Recording in Philadelphia. It will be produced by Brian McTear (Sharon Van Etten, Dr. Dog, War on Drugs, Dead Milkmen). If all goes well, the 10 song record should be released this summer on vinyl, CD and all streaming platforms. Stay tuned for more information, including new music videos.
To keep up to date, please follow Mighty Joe Castro and the Gravamen on instagram, facebook and youtube.
We are happy to announce that Mighty Joe Castro and the Gravamen will be performing at the 7th Annual Rockabillaque Festival . More info below:
Announcing the 7th Annual Rockabillaque on Saturday, November 9, 2019. This free to attend, action-packed day of Classic Cars, Vintage Bikes, Live Music, Pin-Up’s, Tattoo’s, Cocktails, Brews, Contests, Block Party and more has become the biggest event of its kind in the Carolina’s!
This year brings an epic Classic Car & Vintage Bike Show (over 300 Cars & Bikes (expanded for more vehicles), Even more Live Music with over 35 national, regional and international bands, over Six Outdoor Music Stages, Contests including Pin-Up, Beard & Mustache, Mr. Man, Tattoo, Doggie & Me and more, an Expanded Schedule including more event the week of and a Headliners Showcase on Sunday, November 10th, a bigger Merchant Market with more Vendors than ever before, a Kid’s Section with activities, contests and performers, a Beer Pairing Garden! Plus more to be announced in next couple of months!
Presented by Southern Roots Park Circle and Vive Le Rock Productions. The event is a benefit for Valiant: Animal Rescue + Relief with support from a local pin-up organization.
