Southern Culture on the Skids “Dirt Track Date” released 20 years ago on this date, August 15th, 1996. Telstar Records. We saw SCOTS play a lot in the 90′s and most recently (I guess not that recently) in the summer of 2010 at WMSE’s Backyard BBQ. Their quirky psychobilly style is always great party and the highlight of every Milwaukee performance is when my friend Buzz dons a Mexican wrestler-style mask and gets on stage with SCOTS for “Viva del Santo!”

Dirt Track Date is a mix of some SCOTS live standards (that also were on previous recorded releases) and new tracks for ‘96. The most well-known is “Camel Walk” which makes Little Debbie snacks truly sexy.

A show favorite, “8 Piece Box,” appears on Dirt Track Date (as well as their ‘91 debut Too Much Pork for Just One Fork). If you haven’t had the SCOTS live performance experience, this is the part of the show where they bring a few audience members on stage to dance and eat fried chicken from (I assume) an eight-piece box. Fried chicken is also the star of “Fried Chicken and Gasoline,” a mid-beat rocker detailing the health hazards of life on the road.  “Nitty Gritty” is delightful, featuring Mary Huff’s girly rockabilly voice and “Whole Lotta Things” is a whirlwind of rockin’ guitar and harmony.  One of the best tracks on Dirt Track Date is “Soul City” – infectiously boogie-tastic and hilarious:

It don’t matter if your pants are shiny
If your dick is big or your dick is tiny
it don’t matter if your wig’s on straight
if you show up early and you party too late
cause it’s soul city it’s soul city
the shoes are big but the women are bigger
and the pantyhose make em’ look like winners
rolled up hiked up by the knees
they got the party dress on can you smell my breeze
cause it’s soul city it’s soul city
yo little joint with a roof on top
sitting on a stack of cinderblocks
it’s soul city yeah it’s soul city