Hi, I’m Luigi “Johnny Terror”, Hellcats’ voice and guitarist; someone called me “the grandfather” for my age… Someone said that in 1964, when I was 4 years old, I danced and sang to the twist and rock'n'roll music that I heard on my uncle’s recorder.I remember that I was very enchant by the sound and rhythm that came from the juke box: exactly the same good and strong sensations -with gooseflesh- that I still feel today on hearing that music.

Apart from the few exceptions (like the songs of the “Zecchino d’Oro” -a children’s music festival- or the Carrà’s legs -an Italian soubrette-), the music of the end of sixties never liked me.

In 1971 (the year of the death of Gene Vincent), when I was 11 years old, I decided that rock'n'roll was my music, even if I thought I was the only one that heard it; in that time I lived in Switzerland and in Geneva I bought French and original American rock'n'roll records.

In 1975, in Geneva, I saw a Chuck Berry concert, the most beautiful one of all of my life: he was accompanied by the Flyin' Saucers, a young English band with incredible strength of sound. In that time I found british rockabilly and the world of teddy boy; I also understood that rock'n'roll was alive and, perhaps, more beautiful and dynamic than in the fifties. This idea gave me a great confidence and the strength to go ahead in this way.

I also remember with pleasure the Robert Gordon and Link Wray concert in Geneva, in 1977: really extraordinary!!!

Strangely, in 1977, after the boom of punk music, the records shop filled up with English music and, of course, also british rockabilly; so I could buy records of Whirlwind, Flyin' Saucers, Matchbox, Crazy Cavan, etc...

In the same time I bought my first guitar, a cheap copy of a Fender Mustang (that I still have) and a little amplifier of 2 or 3 watt; I self-taught myself music and I discovered those chords, rhythm and sound that haunted me since my childhood.

In the early eighties I came back to live in Italy, in Bologna, where I met someone sick like me with rock'n'roll: together we made up the Crazy Rebels, a band in which I was the composer and I played rhythmic guitar.

In 1985 I became a member of the Jumpin' Shoes that in a short time became one of the most famous Italian rock’n’roll bands of that era.

During these 35 years of rock’n’roll I think that I have heard and I have appreciated all of variations of this music, but the musicality and the sound that I much love is played by Gene Vincent, Roy Orbison, ’50’s-’60’s european bands and the british rockabilly...

Luigi "Johnny Terror"

Hi! I’m Spina, the Hellcats’ drummer; I discovered the wonderful rock'n'roll & rockabilly world in 1986 ‘cause two friends told me about Elvis Presley: I was so much enchanted that I wanted to know more about those kinds of artists and about the fifties; in a short time I became a member of the rockabilly movement.

Besides Elvis, also Stray Cats gave me a great boost; this was only the start, with time I learned to know (and I will continue) so many artists that it is very difficult to remember everyone. It’s difficult to say who I prefer: I can associate (all or nearly all) those of te ’50’s; I feel a particular admiration for two bands that were real rock’n’roll: the first Flying Saucers and the Blasters.

I started to play drums before my entry in the rockabilly world, but I made more noise than music: I could not have drum lessons, I could not have a drum! But I used something free: the ear for music and the sense of rhythm. Today, sometimes, I still make mistakes, but all of many concerts where I have played in Italy and in Europe, prove how great things are possible to do with passion and will.

I was never inspired by a particular drummer, but I want to cite Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats) ‘cause maybe, I musically copied something from him. For the rest, mine is a very personalized din; I’m inspired by the personality of Fabrais (Good Fellas) when he played with the first Jumpin' Shoes formation, but I had to learned more by him, ‘cause he is one of the best drummers in the circle. Last but not least, I cannot forget to cite thea great drum rocker Wild Bob Burgos…

At the end of eighties I met Luigi and the alcohol party in his house.. The rest is written in our biography page.

Spina The Pelvis

Hi, my name’s Steve and I live in Cattolica; I’m the current hellcats bass-man, I’m 23 years old and this time is a great time for me, just for the reason that Hellcats (a band that I think very highly of and that I followed for 9 years, when I discovered rockabilly) chose me as their bass-man.

I started from a different musical style, punk music at first; I know there is a difference, but playing music is how I like to play: in fact, at the time, I became a member of the Spits, a friends band; we played “lo-fi” rock’n’roll, with “low-fidelity” sounds; our reference were the Oblivians, New Bomb-Turks, Ramones, Crime, Cramps...

In that time I discovered rockabilly music through some new friends: the Fox, Olly, Fabio and also the notorious Hellcats...

I continued to play music: I also attended some music lessons but, before learning how to hold the bass correctly, I had to stop because I didn’t have money to pay the lessons; in spite of that my great passion for rock’n’roll and the will to play it helped me to go ahead and play anyhow…

A lot of people ask me why I don’t play double bass: now I prefer the bass, simple to transport and easier to tune. Someone take it for granted that a time who play rock’n’roll had necessarily play double bass. Now my instrument choice is the bass, I don’t know what I’ll decide for the future.

At the end, I leave this for you:
“A tattoo can hurt, a piercing can hurt, a fridge on the head can hurt; you must remember that life can hurt more. If you want to have fun, have a big dose of rock’n’roll…”

Steve