The Judies
Slush Fund Records
By Eileen Tilson
Picture it: 1970s, Max’s Kansas City in NYC, Warhol and Patti Smith debating what qualifies as true art, Bowie making out with some young thing, and The Velvet Undergound and Nico collaborating on one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The jukebox is on and someone gets up to play a new song. Atlanta’s own Judies portray the perfect backdrop music to this eclectic world. Unless you are aware that the timing is a bit off, one listen to the long awaited, self-titled album will send you straight into Ziggy’s Starriest Dust. The album was produced by Sean Mcpherson at East Atlanta Recordings, and is being released on Slush Fund Records.
Flamboyant to the core, like a drag queen show-tunes album, the music is undeniably good. Warren Ullom fashions himself almost larger than life, with a sense of grandeur in his swagger and on-stage antics. His lyrics are admittedly personal, witty and metaphorical, ranging from girls wanting babies, Adderall and being movie stars. Androgynously blending genres together like jazz, rock, pop, and ska it is obvious that this is a band of truly talented musicians. Like it or not, The Judies have aced the catchy hook equation. Their music is non judgmental, equally applicable to the East Atlanta scenester or Baton Bob, but allows for just about everyone to wear their feather boa proudly. As Ullom squeals “you’re so gay,” it is slightly impossible not to pledge your secret allegiance to your own Freak Flag.
Warren is not asking to be accepted, “he is what he is” and couldn’t care less, if you approve or not. The music is extreme, flaunting, and a bit pretentious, but it seeps into your every pore, until you realize that whatever party The Judies are at, you want to put on your eyeliner and be there too.
The Judies celebrate their CD release at Star Bar on March 13 with J. Roddy Walston and The Business, The Booze and a DJ set by Baron Saturday of Judi Chicago.
Velvet Underground and Nico was 1967. They were all but split up by 1970, with John Cale out and Doug Yule in. Still, I get the point. Glam is good!
i can’t get warren’s voice out of my head. i wake up singing a different song from the Judies every morning. today it was “they knocked the building down next to my house, now i can see the park when i look out.” yesterday it was, “i am what i am…” the day before a different song. it’s so weird because it’s a different song every morning. it’s starting to bug me. it’s been going on for over a week. I think the whole album must be playing in my head all night long as i sleep.
The Judies were an awesome band I heard for the first time in 1982