Better known as Stud Cole, Patrick Anthony Tirone was a singer-songwriter born in Buffalo, New York in the mid-40’s. He has been described as “Jack Starr meets Johnny Kidd,” “a lysergic Conway Twitty” and “Elvis fronting the ’66 Yardbirds” (you can definitely hear this in his “Oh...I Love You” ), but his stand-alone uniqueness is quite notable and I do wonder why he never became more well known?!
Cole’s fusion of 60’s rock and gritty country still sounds years ahead of its time, his seductive singing style both alluring and skittish with its contrasting soft undertones and rough-round-the-edges quality.
There are many fantastic songs to delve into if you are not familiar with Stud Cole (like Feels Good and Hard Luck Games), but I’ve chosen Burn Baby Burn because this was the first song that introduced me to his music. Released in 1968, this smouldering hunk of rockabilly stopped me in my tracks from the moment it started! Right from the crazed howls of the opening line I was got, and what I really love is the insane first 20 or so seconds! Cole’s vocals erupt like a fire from a volcano as a racing, lava-hot, ‘Wipe Out-esque’ drum roll spills out over what you anticipate will be a fast-paced song…and then something quite unexpected happens! The tempo slows down a couple of notches and the song transforms into this sleek, bluesy slinkathon!!! Dirty rock’n’roll guitar riffs cut effortlessly through a sinuous 12-bar bass line whilst Cole’s vocals are slick and edgy! Check it out above.
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