The Life of Riley

• Artist: The A-Bones
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1991
• Total Time: 40:24
• Genre: Rock

Review

The A-Bones were the "band" side of KICKS Magazine/Norton Records folks Billy Miller and Miriam Linna, husband and wife, rocking down the highway of record-collecting life, creating tonal mayhem wherever and whenever they strike. Miriam did time as the original drummer for the Cramps and both of them cut some pretty wild sides with some identical twin guitarists as the Zantees, but the A-Bones sides are another matter entirely. This ain't no rockabilly cover rehash, The A's can write their own pieces of nonsense, not caring if they sound just like the record or not, unless it's sounding like some totally obscure vulgar piece of wax like "Marlene" by the Sonics.

But that's the whole point of this band; playing the bejesus out of this stuff, with a true American gum-chewing perspicacity, not some reverential/nostalgic tear rolling down its cheek. With Miller's go-for-broke vocals, Bruce Bennett's drenched in reverb guitar manglings, Marcus the Carcass' zoom bass combining with Linna's simple, kick-ass drumming and the new addition of horn-tootin' fool Lars Espensen, this is a noise combo to be reckoned with, the kind of band that Jon Bon Jovi sees in his nightmares. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
That Jim	Mackey Beers	The A-Bones	(3:55)
Sham Rock		The A-Bones	(3:09)
My Dawgy Heap	Billy Miller, Miriam Linna	The A-Bones	(2:14)
The Bee		The A-Bones	(2:09)
Monkey's Uncle	Sharpe	The A-Bones	(2:09)
Satellite Dish	Bruce Bennett, Billy Miller	The A-Bones	(3:09)
Time Machine	Harlow	The A-Bones	(2:40)
Rough Cut		The A-Bones	(2:20)
She's Gotta Be Boss	Doug Sahm	The A-Bones	(3:15)
Jugue	P. Patterson	The A-Bones	(2:21)
El Kabong	Bruce Bennett, Miriam Linna	The A-Bones	(3:08)
Button Nose	Benny Joy	The A-Bones	(2:43)
I've Fallen (And I Can't Get Up)	Bruce Bennett, Billy Miller	The A-Bones	(2:40)
Go Betty Go	Miriam Linna	The A-Bones	(3:00)
Go Go Go for Louie's Place	Charles Bud Dant, The Surfaris	The A-Bones	(3:06)
[Untitled Hidden Track]		The A-Bones	(2:36)

Credits

Dexter Romweber (Piano), Lars Espensen (Sax (Tenor)), Miriam Linna (Vocals), Billy Miller (Vocals), Miriam Linna (Drums), Lars Espensen (Vocals), Marcus The Carcass (Vocals), Pete Ciccone (Cover Design), Bruce Bennett (Vocals), Marcus The Carcass (Bass), Bruce Bennett (Guitar), Stacy Zaferes (Photography), Albert Caiati (Engineer), Steve Baise (Handclapping), Pete Ciccone (Harmony), Pete Ciccone (Artwork), The A-Bones (Producer)