Black Linen’s cinematic rock ‘n’ roll vision

• Jonah Swilley
• Black Linen’s Pietro DiGennaro (left) and Randy Michael

Though the founders of Black Linen, Randy Michael and Pietro DiGennaro, are perhaps best known as ex-members of the Booze, their new band is chasing a different set of sounds from the 1960s.

Michael has described the sound of the duo’s recordings, on which DiGennaro drums and he plays everything else, as being inspired by the films of Quentin Tarantino. While the Booze’s music was often compared to the Rolling Stones, and shared the British Invasion’s soul and blues influences, Tarantino soundtracks have given further exposure to other rock subgenres from the same era, ranging from surf guitar legend Dick Dale to retro-leaning modern acts like Francophile songbird April March.

For live shows, the duo usually reunites with their former Randy Michael & the Sharp Dressed Lads bandmate, bassist Adam Anzio. Filling out the rest of the lineup has been more of a challenge, which Michael chalks up to his change in musical direction. “People have been weird about playing with us because they don’t get what we’re doing,” he says. “I would kill for a Hammond/Moog player just because I used a lot of it on the record.”

The two Black Linen songs on Spotify are being shopped around to labels, with the group hoping to have a record released later this year. “We are talking to some Swedish labels and UK labels about putting it out,” Michael said. “It looks promising. However, if it doesn’t pan out, we’ll release it out of pocket.”

Black Linen, Dang Dang Dang, JJ & the Hustlers, and Hip to Death play the Star Bar on Thurs., May 8. Free. 9 p.m. 437 Moreland Ave. 404-681-9018. www.starbar.net.