This article appeared in the Aquarian Weekly on July 27, 2005 by Chris Barry

"AND SAY HELLO TO JERSEY FRIENDS OF THE DEVIL…

Now that we’re in the neighborhood, let’s talk about the shockabilly funkoid sound of Hola Diablo, a well-mutated six piece roots-creeprock unit, about whom I once sincerely said are “like Elvis meets Wolfman Jack meets Mad Daddys and Munsters on Crack…” and frontman Christopher Christopher has the voice of a “…Strangled Hillbilly Mortician…”

Well…This seven piece Middlesex based unit with former members of Casino Evil made their debut in Summer 2003 at the now-defunct Broadway Central Café and since then they’ve played all over the scene with bands like The Unidentified, The Comrades, Six to Eight Mathematics, Hunchback, The Catholic Girls, and The Cryptkeeper 5.

So now you have an idea, and after an adjustment in lineup the band finally put some tracks together for general release and to use as promos at their shows. We recently got to check out some of their new stuff, and this is one band that remains gloriously true to their sound.

The big sounding guitar of “Last Puppy On Cydonia” rocks, and Christopher’s impassioned vocals wail, like Johnny Rotten doing Link Wray, while band anthem “Hola Diablo” kicks trashrock ass, as fuzz guitar and a Pulp Fiction-y twang drive the tension high in this riffkicking tale of legend and redemption.

“Attack Of The TV Zombies” is a crashing, cymbal bashing blow-out of a song that’ll have you dancing on the bar or in your kitchen, leaving no doubt that these guys would work on a bill with the Hams and/or scene trashabilly staples The Mad Daddys.

They’ll be at The Rail in Bound Brook this Friday with Casino Evil, and stay tuned for a full review of their full CD here soon. For more Diablo Data, click onto www.holadiablo.com. To listen to some of their music, click on Discography… "

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This article appeared in the Aquarian Weekly on August 24, 2005 by Chris Barry

"SAY HELLO, CUZ IT’S AWFUL HOT DOWN HERE…

Like Wolfman Jack channeling Link Wray and Stinky Sono Buoni, like 1,000 lonely, screaming, drunk gravediggers with a broken heart and a bent state of mind, like a raspier kind of background to a bad Pulp Fiction dream, Hola Diablo stand right amidst the crazy cream of the creepabilly/funkabilly rock genre with a haunting to deftly creepy moan of their own.

This seven piece Middlesex/Westfield based outfit with former members of Casino Evil played their firstever live show two summers ago at the once writhing Broadway Central Café’, and since then they’ve played at every other cool joint you could recall or mention.

Hola Diablo are Christopher Christopher, vocals and artwork, Chris Pingor, drums and backing vocals, Joe Ruck and Greg Strosser on guitars, plus Jay Searle on bass, Dan Black on keyboards and Melissa Balsamello on backing vocals, and we recently came in possession of their first seven song self-titled CD.

After a few changes that included beefing up the lineup, the band finally put some tracks together for release and promos at their shows. The big sounding guitar of “Last Puppy On Cydonia” rocks and Christopher’s impassioned vocals wail like Johnny Rotten doing Link Wray, while band anthem “Hola
Diablo” kicks trashabilly ass with fuzz guitar and a Dick Dale twang drives the tension high in this riffkicking tale of redemption by holy feedback. While “Enemy”and “Damned Again”conjure up creepy chills, “Attack Of The TV Zombies” is a crashing, cymbal bashing blow-out of a song that’ll have you dancing across the floor or up on your kitchen table, as frontman Christopher lyrically lunges about like an icefreak tent preacher in a heat wave, leaving no doubt that these
guys would work best on a bill with a thinking but eagerto-
get-trashed audience in mind.

Hey, bad guys, mad women and the bloodlust of the hoodoo’d living dead, what do you expect from my favorite kind of quasi-religious roots band hailing from the same turf as Whirling Dervishes, Bobby Bulimia and Adams Family cartoonist Charles Adams?!

Meanwhile, look for Hola Diablo raving back to The Brighton Bar in Long Branch this Saturday the 27th, with special guests Mau Mau Tsunami.Showtime is 10 p.m., and for a copy of the new disc or more info, click to the dillio at www.holadiablo.com"

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This BlOG appeared on Myspace and was written by Lazlo of Blowup Radio on September 6, 2005.

"...Next up was Hola Diablo. I have been meaning to see these guys (and 1 girl) since their inception nearly 3 years ago (as many of the members of the band used to be in Casino Evil, a band I used to enjoy seeing live). Now that I have seen them, I am even more sorry I didn't go see them sooner. Their live performance is incredible! Hard rock, with a psychedelic 60's garage style, but so removed from that era that they definitely have a sound all their own. Male lead vocals with female backing vocals, and a band that knows how to play (and break guitar strings at this particular show), Hola Diablo is the real deal! This is the type of band that would probably slay 'em at Asbury Lanes..."

To view the entire BLOG click Here.

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This Article was written by Ed Condran of the Asbury Park Press and was posted online on 12/9/2005....

 

"Just about anything goes

Hola Diablo's goal is to entertain
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 12/9/05
BY ED CONDRAN
CORRESPONDENT
In the overly earnest world of rock, it's refreshing to hear an act that is loose, loopy and fun. That describes Union County's Hola Diablo. Whenever the psychobilly band takes the stage, you never know what's going to happen.

Hola Diablo, which will return to the Brighton Bar in Long Branch on Saturday, will occasionally hang a pinata and bust it open during concerts. The group loves to sport skull faces and goof around onstage. The only constant is fun.

"We're all about having a good time," drummer Chris Pingor said while calling from his Westfield home. "We'll dress up. We'll do whatever it takes to be entertaining. That's the bottom line."

Rahway-based vocalist Christopher Christopher is perhaps the most engaging member of the band. The former Casino Evil bassist boasts a wide vocal range in addition to amusing eccentricities that recall former Faith No More and Mr. Bungle frontman Mike Patton.

"Christopher was going to be our bassist, but he has an arthritic condition, which prevented him from playing bass," Pingor said. "He tried singing, and it turns out that he's a really good singer. He has great ideas for songs, and he sings in a variety of different voices. He always keeps it interesting."

Filled with surreal imagery about monsters and killers, the dark and clever songs of Hola Diablo are message-free.

"We'll leave that stuff to other bands," Pingor said. "Our songs are like old "B' movies. Will it ever catch on (with the masses)? Maybe it will. I notice more people out at rockabilly and psychobilly shows. There seems to be a bit of a revival. Will it be like (the) swing (sensation, during the mid-'90s)? We'll see. If it's not, that's all right with us. Our goal isn't to become rock stars.

"We're all in our 30s," he continued. "I've been playing since I was 18. We all just want to play. That's enough for us."

Hola Diablo, whose members include guitarists Joe Ruck of the Colonia section of Woodbridge and Greg Strosser from Rahway; keyboard player Dan Black of Westfield; bass guitar player Jay Searle of New Brunswick; and backing vocalist Melissa Balsamello of Bound Brook, will take some time off after the Brighton show to focus on the band's next release.

"We're going to take about two months and write some new material and by then, hopefully we'll be ready to record," Pingor said."

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