Rusty Reid - Piece of the Action

​Rusty Reid

Piece of the Action
self-released; 2025

By Jamie Funk

There was a time when rock and roll felt dangerous. It was the sound of defiance, of sneaking a record into your room and turning the volume down just enough so your parents wouldn’t hear. I can’t say music often feels that way anymore. But Rusty Reid’s “Piece of the Action” manages to tap back into that lost thrill, a throwback to the kind of rebellion that made me fall in love with rock in the first place. The song carries that classic, slightly unhinged energy that once made bands like Alice Cooper feel like contraband. Even now, well into middle age, I still crave that feeling, and this track scratches the itch.

The groove hits right away, anchored by a wiry bassline and drums that know when to punch and when to pull back. Reid kicks the door open with a quick, dirty guitar solo before settling into a swagger that feels straight out of the 1970s. There’s grit in the tone, the kind you only get from an amp cranked to the edge of breakup. The production isn’t glossy; it breathes, it sweats, it pushes air. The rhythm section gives the track its muscle, while the guitar solos bring the flash.

Vocally, Reid strikes a perfect balance between detachment and conviction. There’s something Lou Reed-like in his phrasing, the way he half-speaks the verses, but then he’ll let a bit of Mick Jagger’s wild excitement slip through. That tension, cool indifference versus full-throttle rock attitude, makes the performance work. It’s the kind of song that doesn’t just sound good; it makes you want to turn the volume up until the walls vibrate.

​“Piece of the Action” might not rewrite the rules, but it reminds me why they were worth breaking in the first place.

Become A Fan

rustyreid.com

Tweet