The Claudettes fuse Chicago piano blues with the full-throttle energy of rockabilly and punk and the infectious spirit of 1960’s soul to write a thrilling new chapter in American roots music. Johnny Iguana, who pounds the sound out of his piano has toured for years with his cult-favorite rock band Oh My God, is also a member of the Grammy-nominated groups Chicago Blues–A Living History and the Muddy Waters 100 Band. He has toured and recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and more. The band recorded their brand new album, “Dance Scandal At The Gymnasium” with Grammy-winning producer Mark Neill (Black Keys, Paladins, Old 97’s, J.D. McPherson). It was released March 23, 2018 on Yellow Dog Records out of Memphis and on April 13 in Europe/UK on Continental Records Services.
I had the opportunity to catch up with Johnny recently to talk about what newcomers to this band and this sound can expect on May the 5th at The North Street Cabaret for a CD release party and aGain on May 28th at the World’s Largest Bratfest in Madison. We definitely dive into the creation of the new release and how it went from seed to flower, and not only does Johnny fills with pride when talking about his bandmates and he does the same when talking about many of his influences. The music the Claudettes create on stage is something to witness, as it is not easily wrapped into a box or tucked neatly into a genre…it is a sonic experience for open minds and ears that want to notice.
The Claudettes
