October 1 , 1998

Trey Whittenton
Staff Writer

“ROCK.” This is how drummer Rick Foley describes the music of his two bands; the Karloffs and Sick-66.

The two punk outfits actually have virtually the same lineup.  The Karloffs are Foley, singer/guitarist Kevin Freeman, bassist Karl Moretz and Greg Kennedy on guitar.  Sick-66 consists of the same lineup minus Kennedy and with Rob Trice on vocals.

Although the bands have mostly the same members, they do not play any of the same material.

Band members list a wide range of influences, from the Ramones and Circle Jerks to oldies music and country artists such as Hank Williams, Sr.

When describing their own music, they are more straightforward in their account.

Kennedy said most of their songs have two or three chords, while Freeman said the bands play “rock & roll, nothing spectacular.” Moretz corrected him, saying, “No, it’s very spectacular.”
Freeman concurred, “Yeah, it’s spectacular.  It’s just not glammy.”

Both bands are veterans of the Boone music scene.

Sick-66 has been together for two years, and the Karloffs have been playing for over a year.

Each band has had success playing at local clubs, but the members say that opportunities to play are increasingly hard to come by.

Klondike, which used to be the main place in Boone to play for punk and hard-core bands, has adopted a new format since re-opening and changing ownership.

Viva Mexico will not bring the bands back due to minor incidents at past shows, including a time when one of the bands played with hard-core legend Antiseen.

“Klondike has closed their eyes to other forms of music in this town,” said Freeman.

He added that the Karloffs and Sick-66 drew good crowds at Viva Mexico and thought they should still be allowed to play there.

Both bands have tried to find other outlets for their music, but it hasn’t been easy.

“We tried to play at our house, but we got shut down by the police after 20 minutes,” said Freeman.

“But for those 20 minutes,” said Moretz, “we rocked.”

Regardless of the venue, both bands try to put on a high-intensity show.

You can tell these guys are a little off-the-wall by their practice space.  Both bands rehearse in Trice’s apartment, which contains a shrine to the Spice Girls.

One wall of the practice room is completely devoted to pictures and posters of the saucy British tarts. (Posh Spice is the favorite of the Karloffs, while Trice, himself, prefers Sporty)

Moretz says a live show by the bands provides “a healthy outlet for violence,” but also adds, “I get my swerve on.”

Foley says a Karloffs/Sick-66 show is “madness,” and compares it to wrestling star Randy “Macho Man” Savage.

Kennedy summed it up by saying, “We kick stuff.  We just like to rock, okay?”

One place the Karloffs are known for rocking is at local wrestling events.

They have played before shows put on by the local Tri-Cities Wrestling Alliance.

In fact, the involvement of both bands with TCWA doesn’t end with the opening act.

Foley wrestles under the name “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw Rick Karloff.”  Foley is managed by Moretz, known as “The Godfather Karl Andrews.”

Like all other future bookings, both bands say they aren’t sure whether they will play at any more wrestling events, but it is a possibility.