Coming from the hard lands of Inner Western Sydney,
Ooh La La are 4 young souls with a thirsty passion for early boogie,
soul music and early rock n roll. Take a pinch of Otis Redding,
Rhyme & The Swells of Booker T Jones Band, wash it in Muddy Waters,
let it out to dry on the line with The Faces and you got yourself a
blurring of rock and soul.
Branded in such a way, these guys create a rugged yet understated
music that has the cockiness of a street gang but also a
sentimentality that is hushed and intimate.
If there is such a thing as a gang with good intentions, Ooh La La
are it, bashing away at everything, raising a ruckus and ensuring a
great time is had by all. Vocalist Simon Meli possesses a parched
soul throat and can often been seen leaning portentously on his
straight mike stand, he seems likely to keel over at any given
moment, from the agony of his soul lamentations or from the sheer
giddy exuberance of the rockers. Meanwhile, guitarist Tony Kvesic
acts like he is perfectly willing to help him fall over, as long as
it doesn't spill his beer or interrupt his riffing.
Bass man, Serge Coniglione is content to hem in the bottom end in
arrangements whose raucous acceleration might otherwise derail
before the first chorus. He is often spotted watching out for any
lapses in beat like an assassin watches over their target.
Meanwhile, drummer Shane "Steel" O' Neill makes a modest drum set
sound like overgrown child's play, a massively energetic beat party.
Ooh La La are committed to two things;
One another and the idea that if they stomp on their blues just
right, everyone within earshot their rollicking symphony will have
an evening of unmitigated boisterous fun and damn the consequences.
Ooh La La....give it to you, like a hit in the heart, injecting one
whole hunk of Rhythm & Blues, Sweet Soul Music.
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