The Swingin’ Blackjacks (Matt Allen, Gary Kendall, Adam David) Unleash “Misery Train” From New Album, Never Tire, Never Stop
After more than two decades of rockin’ it right across Ontario, The Swingin’ Blackjacks roar back with “Misery Train,” a runaway rockabilly bopper that captures everything the veteran trio does best. The single serves as the electrifying lead track from their forthcoming full-length album Never Tire, Never Stop‘ out now.
Featuring the powerhouse lineup of bandleader Matt Allen on guitar and lead vocals, Canadian blues nobility Gary Kendall on bass and vocals, and jazz-trained percussion master Adam David on drums and vocals, the band delivers their signature blend of rockabilly and jumpin’ blues with an economical three-piece punch that hits with maximum impact. The album title perfectly sums up the band’s dogged determination to perform rock ‘n’ roll and blues their own way for as long as they can—a mantra that has driven them through nearly six decades of combined experience and countless stages from Toronto’s Cadillac Lounge to festivals across the province.
“Misery Train” finds frontman Matt Allen channeling the rebel attitude of early rock ‘n’ roll with a dose of punk energy, singing about hopping a train and never looking back, trying to ease the pain and get “that cheatin’ woman outta my mind.” Written by Allen and brought to life with the band’s driving guitar sound and tireless rhythm section, the track conjures up memories as varied as a rockin’ juke-joint on a Saturday night or a lonesome train whistle in the distance. Allen, who currently does triple duty fronting The Swingin’ Blackjacks, The Tex-Styles, and performing as a solo artist, provides most of the band’s original material while drawing inspiration from guitar heroes including Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, T-Bone Walker, Hubert Sumlin, and Link Wray. The result is a sound that honors rockabilly and blues traditions while maintaining a contemporary edge that keeps audiences engaged across generations.
The self-financed and independently released ‘Never Tire, Never Stop’ represents the culmination of a decades-long dream for Allen. Recorded over three weeks in May/June 2025 at Loud Mouse Studios in Etobicoke with engineering wizard L. Stu Young at the controls, and with Kendall and Allen co-producing the sessions, the album showcases the band’s diverse range across eleven tracks. The collection includes eight original songs by Allen, a Tex-Styles era collaboration with the late J. Ryan Wilson, a Gary Kendall original, and one carefully selected cover—The Yardbirds’ “Heart Full of Soul,” reimagined as if the Staples Singers or CCR had tackled it first. Strongly influenced by early rock ‘n’ roll, jump blues, and hillbilly boogie sounds, the album offers everything from dusty drives through west Texas oil country to celebrations of BBQ cooking and the kind of love that gets you through hard times.
The trio’s journey to this moment has been marked by resilience and determination. Recipients of the 2018 Amy Louie Grossman’s Music Scholarship, which financed the release of their EP ‘Four Hot Tracks!!,’ The Swingin’ Blackjacks faced setbacks including health issues for two band members and the COVID pandemic. Yet as soon as it was possible to get back to work, they returned with vigor, appearing regularly at clubs and festivals throughout Ontario. During the first pandemic lockdown, they even managed to produce and release an original video for “Never Go Out to Play” with the help of talented family members within their social bubbles. Their career highlights span from backing rockabilly pioneer Janis Martin at the Cadillac Lounge in 2006 to recent appearances at the Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues & Jazz Festival, Toronto Bluesfest, and the Haliburton Blues Festival.
The band’s secret weapon remains Gary Kendall, whose career spanning nearly six decades includes numerous awards and time with The Downchild Blues Band. As bassist, bandleader, booker, songwriter, statesman, and mentor, Kendall provides the bottom end that few can equal—tireless, tuneful, and tasteful. Drummer Adam David brings jazz training and professional experience dating back to his teens, having performed with greats including Ray Charles, Charles Brown, Ronnie Hawkins, Manhattan Transfer, Michelle Wright, and Vince Gill. A triple threat, David regularly augments school music programs, teaches privately, and appears onscreen in film and television roles. Together, the three create a sound that Allen describes as conjuring “memories as varied as a rockin’ juke-joint on a Saturday night, a chill breeze off the bayou, or a lonesome train whistle in the distance.”
The Swingin’ Blackjacks hit the road in support of ‘Never Tire, Never Stop’ with a series of Ontario dates beginning in February, including appearances at Winterfolk XXIV at Toronto’s Tranzac Club (February 13), Noonan’s on the Danforth (February 14), and venues in Aylmer, St. Catharines, and Collingwood through spring. With hi-octane performances and a genuine love for the music they play, The Swingin’ Blackjacks continue to prove that great rockabilly and blues never go out of style—they just keep rolling down the track, gathering momentum with every mile.
Hi, Matt! Good to meet you! Care to introduce yourself to the readers for those not familiar with your music?
MA: – Thanks so much for asking me to talk to you.
I’m the frontman/guitarist/bandleader in The Swingin’ Blackjacks. As a kid, I lived in London ON, Trinidad West Indies, and Toronto ON. I’ve always loved music but first wanted to be a drummer. I started playing the guitar in high school, playing along with Clash, Blondie, Sex Pistols and Diodes records. I’ve always been drawn to the sound and aesthetic of early Rock ‘n’ Roll, and as a teenager, 50’s nostalgia was getting big in popular culture, and bands like The Blasters, Robert Gordon, Stray Cats, and The Kingbees were grabbing my attention.
I love history and kept researching musicians who influenced and inspired the bands I was into, leading me to Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, Elvis, Big Joe Turner, and T-Bone Walker. I’ve just kept digging deeper and absorbing musical ideas from performers from those styles.
After more than two decades together, what still gives you that spark when you kick into a song like “Misery Train”?
MA: I’m modest by nature, but I think it’s a very good song. The minor key and the groove generate a sense of slight menace – Rock ‘n’ Roll should have an element of danger. I don’t get tired of performing it, and every time we play a show there’s a different dynamic between the band and crowd, so that’s always interesting, and seeing people react positively is extremely rewarding. Playing in the band with Adam David, on drums and Gary Kendall on bass is great because we get along.
The album title ‘Never Tire, Never Stop’ sounds like a life philosophy. What has tested that mantra the most over the years?
MA: We keep playing, partly for me at least, because getting in front of an audience and sharing music we love has become somewhat of a compulsion. I can’t stop.
As far as testing our resolve, I had some health issues just after we received the Amy Louis/Grossmans Music Scholarship funds to put out our first EP. That and the COVID pandemic put the brakes on the band’s plans, as well as everything else. When we released “Four Hot Tracks!!” in early 2020, the CDs made it out of the pressing plant just before they had to suspend shipping. I got through my health problem, and people were very supportive throughout. There’s another track on the new album, “Black Cat Blues” that’s inspired by my experience.
Recording at Loud Mouse Studios over three weeks, what was the atmosphere like in the room? Tight and live, or meticulous and layered?
MA: A bit of both – we recorded the bed tracks to a click track, with a scratch guitar and vocal, then recorded the lead and back-up vocals, and the guitar parts. Our engineer, L.Stu Young put me through my paces vocally to get a good take, but he was supportive and inspiring, rather than being pushy or demeaning. He wisely suggested that we alternate between doing a vocal for one song, then the guitar, rather than doing all the vocals one after the other and possibly blowing out my voice. That tactic kept the process fresh and interesting. Having him and my co-producer Gary Kendall in the control room was a definite plus.
When audiences catch you live on this Ontario run, what do you hope they feel walking out the door after the last note fades?
MA: I hope they feel that they got good value for their ticket price, a sense that we are genuine in our enjoyment of playing for them, that we appreciate that they shared their time with us, and that they’d want to see us again sometime.
TOUR DATES:
Fri, Feb 13 @ 7:00PM – Winterfolk XXIV, Tranzac Club, Toronto ON
Sat, Feb 14 @ 9:00PM – Noonan’s, Toronto ON
Fri, Feb 27 @ 7:30PM – Old Town Hall, Aylmer ON
Sat, Mar 14 @ 2:30PM – SomePlace Else, St. Catharines ON
Sun, Mar 22 @ 3:00PM – Smokeshow BBQ & Brew, Toronto ON
Fri, Mar 27 @ 7:30PM – Simcoe Street Theatre, Collingwood ON
Sat, Apr 4 @ 9:00PM – Noonan’s, Toronto ON
Sun, May 24 @ 3:00PM – Smokeshow BBQ & Brew, Toronto ON
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