Crusin', a midwestern rock band known for both classic rock and their own '6Os-tinged originals, has a new limited edition CD in release, "CRUSIN' A.K.A. DAYBREAKERS -- Thirty Year Plan" (Beat Brothers Records; $13.95 postpaid from M.A.C. Productions, 301 Fairview Avenue, Muscatine, IA 52761, or from www.beatbrothersrecords.com).
Crusin' has recently returned to performing after a several-year hiatus, during which they contributed half a dozen original songs to the independent feature films "Mommy" and "Mommy's Day," whose director/screenwriter is (not coincidentally) bestselling mystery novelist Max Allan Collins, Crusin' keyboardist and vocalist. These songs from the cult-favorite "Mommy" movies are featured on the new CD.
Former teen idol (and current child-actor advocate) Paul Petersen is a guest artist on "Thirty Year Plan." Petersen, one of the stars of the "Mommy's Day," provided a guest vocal with Crusin' on the Collins-penned "Little Ice Princess," a '60s-style tune featured in the thriller (and on the new CD).
The Muscatine, Iowa, band began in 1966 (under the name Daybreakers), and has a long history of national recording releases. Their 1968 regional hit, "Psychedelic Siren," on Atlantic Records' Dial subsidiary, is among the 22 cuts showcased on "Thirty Year Plan." Over the years there have been three previous albums, an EP and numerous appearances on compilation albums. The new release gathers many of the rarest of these tracks onto CD for the first time, including the well-received "Little Bit Me, Little Bit You" from LongPlay Records' 1992 Monkees tribute, "Here No Evil."
The band's efforts have been widely praised by music-magazine reviewers: Goldmine called Crusin' "eminently danceable and always listenable"; and Option (reviewing their 1991 CD, "Bullets!") raved of "a breezy pop-rock sound that recalls the best of the late '6Os."
The group's line-up recently expanded from three-piece (keyboardist Collins, lead guitarist Paul Thomas, and drummer Steve Kundel) to include rhythm guitarist Andy Landers. Collins and Thomas are original members, playing garage-band rock together since 1967.
Crusin' has opened in concert for such nationally prominent acts as the Turtles, Grass Roots, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Mary Wilson and the Supremes, Bobby Vee, Peter Noone, Chubby Checker, Freddy Cannon, Tommy Roe, the Kingsmen, Rascals, Gary Puckett, Buckinghams, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Johnny Tillotson, Rare Earth, the Crystals, the Mamas and Papas, Bo Diddley and the Romantics.
Beat Brothers Records is an independent label specializing in releases relating to comic books; this is the label's second project with Crusin' keyboard player Collins, and the first since the formation of the Beat Brothers website. John "Chris" Christensen, owner and director of Beat Brothers, appears with Collins (and Bill Mumy, Miguel Ferrer and Steve Leialoha) in Seduction of the Innocent, which made its first appearance in five years at the 1999 San Diego Comic Con. Christensen reports that, in the wake of the warm reception to the band at the con, Seduction is discussing recording both live and studio albums for Beat Brothers.
For more information:
Phone: 563-263-4473
FAX: 563-263-6366
E-mail:
