“Rock ‘O’ Shell”, the rockin’ opening salvo from Bitter Vics – featuring Leanne Constantino on drums, Martin O’Keefe on bass, and siblings George & Irene H on guitar and vox – introduces the band’s potent distillation of 50’s proto rock n roll mixed with 70’s pub n punk rock energy. It comes as a very limited edition opaque yellow 7″ vinyl single and digitally with the smashing B-Side “Lonesome Rider“.

The single is a driving soundtrack to the tragic tale of a graphic and public zenith of madness, witnessed by Irene H in the CBD of satellite town Geelong in her teens. The name “Rock ‘O’ Shell” is a play on both the name of the inner-city lane where this tragic event occurred and the ever-present flame of the Shell refinery that shone as a sentinel torch and backdrop to the gritty streets and dodgy happenings that Bitter Vics siblings Irene and George called home.

Like most small cities around Australia, mental health issues, drugs and violence are an everyday reality. “Rock ‘O’ Shell” reminds us that as bystanders the effect of inadequate services to counter the challenges that the modern world places on the vulnerable has long reaching effects.

“Rock ‘O’ Shell” is backed with The Cramps inspired tremolo of “Lonesome Rider” a straight up 50’s genre homage to the Sword of Damocles that hangs above the neck of us all, some choosing to cower, others to dial a direct line and live without fear of deathly recourse.

Both tracks were captured at Soundpark Studios, the legendary patchwork warren of rehearsal rooms and studio on St George’s Rd by long-time friend of the band and masterful engineer Andrew Hehir (The Scientists, Hugo Race, Bad/Dreems) and mastered by the enigmatic Mikey Young injecting the requisite energy and edge.