Atlanta, GA. (Top40 Charts/ Boyd's Tone Records) - Boyd's Tone Records announces the release of "Rock of All Ages," the newest CD by Daddy A Go Go, a.k.a. Atlanta stay-at-home dad John Boydston. It's his sixth CD of rocking tunes for the pre- and post-K crowd, and he has hit his stride with his latest release. "Without really trying," Boydston says, "what I think I've come up with is my Classic Rock tribute to kids and modern family life."
Some of the new song titles seem to bear this out: "Get Yer Yo-Yo's Out," clearly a nod to The Rolling Stones classic live LP 'Get Your Ya-Ya's Out.' Then there's "John Barleycorn Must Dye," the ballad of a boy who lives to tie dye, and a wink to Traffic's classic LP 'John Barleycorn Must Die.' Throw in eight more original rockers, a little Chuck Berry and a smokin' version of 'What A Wonderful World,' and you have a rock and roll CD literally of, by, and for all ages.
The Family That Rocks Together: Playing and singing on Dad's records is nothing new for Boydston's two sons, Jake and Max; they've been doing it since they were pre-schoolers. But now they're old enough and good enough players to perform with Dad on stage. "They are the band,' Boydston says. They've already played some high-profile shows, including a showcase gig at Austin's hipster-fest South by Southwest in 2007. Then it was back to Texas for the Austin City Limits Festival. They'll be in Athens, Ga later this month. The newly formed 'Daddy A Go-Go Band' is Max (13) on guitar & vocals, Jake (16) on bass & vocals, and family-friend Jonathan Paz (16) on drums.
And while Daddy may know best, sometimes children are the real teachers. Boydston explains: "The energy these kids bring to my songs when we started playing them live on stage reminded me why I started doing this in the first place - the sheer joy of rock itself and the fun of bringing it to a young audience that may be hearing a rock band or real rock and roll for the first time. I was lucky that I passed that on to my kids, because now they've passed it right back to me when I needed to relearn it. They really motivated me to start writing some new songs. And we have a fun with it. We even do a Kings of Leon song during our shows, cause my kids love that band, and play it so well. I just stand back and watch almost on that one. Besides my own stuff, we play songs by Chuck Berry, The Royal Guardsmen, The Ramones, and Go Speed Racer. All with my kids. I'm in heaven."
"Rock of All Ages" is a triumphant return to form for Daddy A Go Go. The themes of innocent fun, dancing, singing, and general rock and roll silliness clearly echo those of "Cool Songs for Cool Kids," Daddy A Go Go's debut CD in 1998. That CD put Daddy A Go Go on the Kids Music Map after making Amazon.com's Top 10 Best Kids CD's of the Year, a feat accomplished by all but one of his CD's so far. He's won two coveted Parents Choice Awards and a ton of other accolades along the way, and is a regular on XMKIDS. And like "Cool Songs" the energy on the new CD is highly infectious. If you don't believe it just let your kids give "Nana-Nana Boo-Boo" a spin (one of several kids sing-along songs) and after the 20th repeat playing don't say we didn't warn you. (Don't worry parents - there's cowbell and a wah-wah pedal on it for you).
Other new songs include the rock and roll history lesson "Rock of Ages," the anthemic tribute to a Boydston family vacation favorite "Idaho!", and "I Lost My Teddy Bear," a song John describes as 'a 5-year old pondering lost youth."
Newsweek describes Daddy A Go Go's music as "wonderfully warm and upbeat…the perfect soundtrack for washing the mini-van or just bopping around the kitchen." The Washington Post credits Daddy a Go Go with helping change the face of kids' music by moving "playroom tunes into the pop-rock era and leaving the childhood jingles of Barney and Disney in history's nursery." And Billboard says Daddy A Go Go's alterna-rock vibe "sets the band apart from the vast majority of preschool targeted children's music." As the New York Post succinctly comments, "this is one hip daddy!"
(It probably didn't hurt dad's mojo either when rock legend Rick Derringer did a cover of one of Boydston's Daddy A Go Go songs on his latest release in 2007. And it wasn't even a kids record. "Now that was cool," Boydston says. But that's another story.)
To get a review copy of this or any Daddy A Go Go CD or to seek an interview or ask questions, contact John Boydston directly by email or phone provided below. To find out more about Daddy A Go Go music, songs & history visit his website https://www.daddyagogo.com. CDs are available there and in retail stores nationwide, www.iTunes.com, www.cdbaby.com, and www.amazon.com.
CD Details: Rock of All Ages, by Daddy A Go Go. 12 Songs. Release date: Spring 2008 SRP: $12.99. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
