Press
Blues rockers Black Betty run wild Boston Herald "We're a worldly band: half white, half Asian blues rock band and we're named Black Betty - we don't discriminate," said singer Black Betty as she and guitarist BootZ sat at Unos in Boston sipping Belgian and Irish beer, respectively. Black Betty and the Bad Habits: "That was what bumped us up to the next level," Black Betty said. "It would have been two or three years before we had the money to record on our own." Along with musical talent, Black Betty treats its audiences to an interesting visual aesthetic. Fronted by a rockabilly model, the band has two guitarists - one with a 2-foot-long braid, the other with an afro, a ponytail and a Fu Manchu - who are close by her side. "The visual aspect and the character definitely come into play," said Black Betty, who often is recognized on the street for her distinctive red-streaked hair and lacy ensembles. BootZ said the group is developing new songs with richer, more complex vocals that sway from the blues and toward rockabilly. Black Betty and the Bad Habits will unveil these new songs and audience favorites such as Vigilante, Voodoo Man and Fricasee during a Northeast tour. "We want to branch out and come back with enough clout to play big clubs", BootZ said. "Im so tired of playing smaller stages with six people." Broad of the Month- Black Betty The HJ Revival Project It's apparent that even if someone told 23-year-old Jenny Langer that it's tough getting by as a woman, she didn't even hear it. Langer, who is more widely known as Black Betty, is a Boston girl intent on re-defining what is is to be a sexy pinup and musician, as well as what it means to be a young woman. Her band, Black Betty and the Bad Habits have not only won a local rockhunt, but have come out steps ahead with a beautifully mixed and mastered demo, cell phone rings tones, and are currently preparing to shoot a music video... (Published by the HJ Revival Project- "Raise your fingers, raise your shot glasses, and raise some mother fucking hell." Read more at myspace.com/coldcocked)
Boston Herald Cover and InterviewBoston Herald July 24, 2006 (Photo caption-Black Betty, whose alter ego is 22-year-old Jenny Langer, rocks the stage as the lead singer for Black Betty and the Bad Habits. (Staff photo by Douglas McFadd) ) Curves, curls and a ruby red pout are a gal's best accessories in the revival of 1940s and '50s pinup girl culture. Pink hair, tattoos and piercings don't hurt either. Women active in Boston's underground rockabilly scene, a culture dedicated to the styles and country-rock music of the 1950s, are putting their twist on the classic pinup styles created by Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth and Jayne Mansfield. The modern version features vintage clothing and hairstyles and pairs them with a punk edge. Allston-based pinup Dee Dee Desire and singer-songwriter/pinup Black Betty have gained national recognition for their work. "It's cool to be able to go to a show, and have a band that I like know who I am," said Pamela Hughes, 26, the face and body of Desire. "There's always something more going on in the picture. It's not just a chick in a bikini. There's an entire package that goes along with pinup. It's like we have tattoos and weird-colored hair but we can still look like women," she said. Hughes is a featured model for Mode Merr clothing in Rochester, N.H., and Stop Staring in California, both high-profile outfitters in rockabilly circles. "Eighty percent of the time I'm Black Betty," said Jenny Langer, 22, lead singer of the band Black Betty and the Bad Habits. "For each of us girls, we are creating our own characters. I was kind of a geek growing up so once I got out of it I created Black Betty and she's strong, powerful and sexy." Black Betty, who trained at Berklee College of Music, is Mode Merr's artist of the month. Go to www.modemerr.com. Pinup, while not new to the scene, is enjoying a spike in popularity. Stylist Marcella Termini, 27, of Merrimack created her own retro styling company Hollywood Ultra two years ago. "Basically, there were a lot of female rockabilly singers coming out of the woodwork. They had the voice, but they didn't have the look," said Termini, who styles local burlesque group Thru the Keyhole. The pinup scene also has gotten a pop culture boost with recent films "The Notorious Bettie Page" and "Mrs. Henderson Presents." But with popularity comes the danger of trendiness. "For me a lot of models and photographers, it's not that they are annoyed that it's becoming mainstream, they're worried. Everything is carefully posed. Just putting a flower in your hair and slapping on some red lipstick doesn't make you a pinup," Langer said. twoodman@bostonherald.com. To learn more go to www.deedeedesire.com or www.blackbettyrocks.com CD Review on CD BabyCDbaby.com I stumbled into this band through MySpace.com and immediately posted their song Vigilante on my account. Black Betty and her voice sends chills down your spine. Black Betty and the Bad Habits are an extremely tight, well-practiced band that bring a host of emotions and reactions to their songs. My favorites on this CD are Vigilante, All Right Now and Fricasee. This CD and the visions of Black Betty and the Bad Habits in concert are enough to make this Indianapolis resident consider a road trip for Betty and the Bruins. Awards
Winners of the 2005 RJL Battle of the Bands! Sponsored by PIXY 103- Cape Cod�s Rock, MDI Studios, Nimbit, Spilt Milk Tattoo Gallery, and many more!
Officially named one of 2005's Top Twelve Blues Bands in Boston by the Boston Blues Society!
Acknowledged as one of the best up and coming bands by Berklee College of Music at the 2006 New Music Festival!
Artist of the Month on PIXY 103! Guests on the Suzanne Tonaire, "The Rock Babe's" Homegrown show, 2006 Artist of the Month for Mode Merr Clothing! modemerr.com Featured Artist on the HJ Revival Project Website (Rockabilly/Psychobilly Community) Headed for ParadiseEmergenza Music Festival We made it through the halfway point of the first round of the Emergenza festival at the Middle East. It was a week full of madness and rock'n'roll. The fans got a nice change of pace at the end of the night with the hard hitting Blues of Black Betty and the Bad Habits, a high note to close the evening with. |
Yeah, Baby!