Les Hell on Heels

One year ago, this series of Facebook posts took a different turn as the discussions became more free-ranging and as the text was more liberally illustrated with photographs.  The UARB in December 2012 was the Invisible Eyes – still one of my favorite bands of the bunch – and I remarked at the time that I first encountered them as the first of a trio of CD’s that also included probably the best of the Iguana Chronicles CD’s, Open Up and Bleed! by Iggy and the Stooges; and the CD Les Hell on Heels by this month’s UARB, LES HELL ON HEELS.  This all-female hard rock band has been on the short list for UARB status ever since, and it is high time for me to get on with it. 

Bandmembers in Les Hell on Heels are Paula Monarch (lead vocals and guitar), Katie Rose (guitar and vocals), Chela LaRue (bass guitar and vocals) and Kristin Machynski (drums).  The band released their self-titled album in 2004 on Bomp! Records.  Les Hell on Heels is from Phoenix, Arizona, and the bandmembers had been in two earlier bands.  Paula Monarch and Chela LaRue had been in a garage punk band called the Peeps; they released a well regarded album on Sympathy for the Record Industry Records in 2000.   Katie Rose and Kristin Machynski were previously bandmembers in Tempe Tramps. 

Punk stalwart Jeff Dahl – whose resumé includes a stint in the Angry Samoans and recordings with Cheetah Chrome of the Dead Boys and Rikk Agnew of the Adolescents – had worked with both the Peeps and Tempe Tramps in the past.  Jeff Dahl was instrumental in getting Les Hell on Heels signed by Greg Shaw of Bomp! Records – the CD was released shortly before Shaw’s death in 2004 – and Dahl also wrote one of the songs on the CD, “Ain’t So Cool”.  Greg Shaw was quoted as saying of Les Hell on Heels:  “I feel the same way that Phil Spector must have felt when he first saw the Ronettes.” 

Writing for Allmusic, Ned Raggett says of the Les Hell on Heels CD:  “If one word can cover everything here, it’s ‘swagger’ – songs like ‘He’s Alright’ and ‘Waste of Time’ could almost coin the term in both the singing and the brawling, rolling punch of the band (big credit to both Chela LaRue and drummer Kristin Machynski).”  That’s not the only word Raggett introduces though; he calls the band’s music “snot-garage”. 

Les Hell on Heels opens with “My Kind of Trouble” – the song title alone lets you know these gals aren’t messing around.  The song features unexpected interplay among the vocalists on top of a pounding beat that never quits.  Another standout track is the title song, “Hell on Heels” that has some great harmony vocals. 

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In 2007, Dionysus Records released the second album by Hell on Heels, Dogs, Records and Wine.  On this album (which I don’t have as yet), Kristin Machynski has been replaced on drums by Jessica Roe, and Helene 33 has taken over on keyboards; also, the band name has been shortened slightly.  Guest artists include Jeff Dahl and album producer Jack Endino on guitar, plus vocals from Nikki Corvette on two songs, “Pretty Mess” and “Made Like No Other”.  

(December 2013)