Top 10 Songs Chosen By Matt Bennett (Outloud! Records/ The Moans/ The Crappys)

  Some of you may have noticed that Outloud! Records has featured in this blog a number of times. The California label is building up an impressive catalogue of releases, some of their roster of bands to feature in these pages include The Prozacs, The Lost Cosmonauts, The Moans and Latte+ and I'm sure there'll be more to follow. With the sad news that Ramone To The Bone Records has closed it's doors (get well soon Marc, hopefully you'll be back one day), any outlet for quality pop punk music deserves your support so check out the Outloud! Bandcamp : http://outloudrecords.bandcamp.com/.

  As well as owning Outloud!, Matt Bennett is also vocalist/bassist with The Moans and vocalist/guitarist with The Crappys and he's been kind enough to take the time to select his 10 favourite songs. Thanks Matt, over to you.....

 1)  LITTLE RICHARD - Long Tall Sally

My favorite rock n' roll song. To this day, I don't know if I love this song because of Predator or love Predator because of this song. They are forever intertwined. That conflict of inspiration is majorly responsible for the MOANS.

 2)  METHADONES - Far Away

Danny Vapid is my guy. He's got a direct line to my brain. Hygene Isle, On The Clock, My Heart Won't Bleed For You, he knows what's going on in my brain.

 3)  RAMONES - Oh Oh I Love Her So

I am a later in life Ramones fan. This song is EVERYTHING I want to achieve in writing a song. That old comfortable feeling, fun back up vocals and grounding the song with a great vocal hook that's perfectly sing-a-longable.

 4)  THE REFRESHMENTS - Mekong

Fizzy Fuzzy Big and Buzzy will always be on my Desert Island Album list and this song has a great mellow white-guy reggae vibe and nice build up.

 5)  TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET - Too Much La Colina

Kody is probably my favorite songwriter. I feel like I think along the same lines. Not every song needs to be an opus-- this style that so many of us have invested in is more about fun than meaning.

 6)  NOFX - The Idiots Are Taking Over

Gawd, I wish this shit weren't so true. I cut my punk rock teeth on alot Epitaph and Lookout stuff, so there's a fair amount early 90's skate punky stuff in my Love of Punk banks.

 7)  THE CURE - Just Like Heaven

There's something so smooth and soothing about this tune...and the Cure in general. i wouldn't really call myself a Cure fan, I don't own all of their shot or anything. But those new wave goth wierdos speak to me sometimes.

 8)  ALKALINE TRIO - Jaked On Green Beers

Fucking great song. One of those tunes where you just belt every word, every time it's on.

 9)  QUEEN - Don't Stop Me Now

There's a magnetism from the members of this band-- Freddie obviously some sort of insane dynamo of talent who embodies the ultimate performer. Brian, this ultra nerd who just happens to be a guitar genius. There's something ridiculous and special about Queen and this is my favorite song of theirs...Under Pressure being the closest second that there could be.

10)  BOBBY DARIN - Beyond The Sea

This is our song. Great tune.

The Moans - Tamara's Got A Problem

  The Moans are a Californian 3 piece pop punk band who's members are from Lodi, Stockton and Sacramento. The line up of Matt (Bennett) Crap (vocals/bass), Jeff (Hollandsworth) Reset (drums/vocals) and Danny Secretion (guitar/vocals) are also in a number of other bands (The Crappys, Hit Reset, The Secretions to name just 3) whilst Matt is also head honcho of Outloud! Records.

  Formed from the ashes of Ramones tribute band The Shitty Ramones back in 2011, they sing about cannibals, zombies, ghost ships, graverobbers from outer space and demonic possession and have thus far released an album (From Underground), a split 7" with The Hung Ups and an ep (Arrested For Possession). You can check them out here : http://themoans.bandcamp.com/

  They recently had a new song called Hey Jamie Lee featured on the Outloud! Records First Four Years sampler and you can snap that up here : https://outloudrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-four-years

  This was on the split 7" and I'm fairly confident in saying it's about the Russian pensioner Tamara Samsonova who would kill, cook and eat a number of people over a period of 2 decades. It's called Tamara's Got A Problem.....