After nine years, The Tombstone Hands finally releases its first album 

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Rochester instrumental power trio The Tombstone Hands is a full-throttle, in-your-face, guitar-driven frenzy. Guitarist Steve Litvak wields his guitar like a Viking while drummer Brian Peet and bassist Dennis Jones lay down a groove that peels asses off of barstools.

The threesome has been at it since 2009, and they figured nine years of rockin' and rollin' should warrant a record. So the band compiled the best versions of individual songs they had recorded live all over town and put them on "Instrumental Rock & Roll."

It's all there on the album: Link Wray, Henry Mancini, The Ventures, you name it. It's big, it's loud, and it's classic.

The Tombstone Hands stopped by CITY Newspaper's Batcave to discuss the new album, never having a bad show, and polka. An edited transcript follows.

CITY: So what's new since we last talked?

Steve Litvak: Not much. Just rockin' and rollin'. Same modus operandi: playing, struggling, trying to get the word out there. Fighting the fight.

How do you get the word out when none of you sing?

Litvak: That's why it's such a hard job.

Tell us a little about "Instrumental Rock & Roll."

Litvak: It's our greatest hits live.

Where'd you record it?

Litvak: Everywhere. For a goof, I made it for myself. I took the best versions of a lot of stuff. Dennis heard it and freaked out and said, "We should release it." So I edited it, cleaned it up a bit.

You really captured the live show feel on the record, the magic moments, the mistakes.

Litvak: We don't make mistakes. It's all about perfection.

What style do you enjoy playing the most?

Brian Peet: From polka to reggae to regular rock and rock covers. I don't think there's anything I haven't played. I like blue collar rock. I just get off playing straight up rock 'n' roll. The best paying gig was the polka band. You can make a lot of money in a polka band.

Do I smell a Tombstone Hands polka album brewing?

Litvak: Buck Owens and the Buckaroos did some instrumental polkas. So it's possible.

Peet: It's just like playing AC/DC. It's up-tempo. You've got to keep at it.

How do your originals get fleshed out?

Litvak: It comes out of my head somehow. It comes out of the air, usually when I'm screwing around. Once it's in my head, it stays.

When do you know you've got something?

Litvak: It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I get goosebumps, it's just great. But we don't do note for note covers. We put our own twist on them.

Like the way you guys play "Rumble."

Peet: For me, that tune started rock 'n' roll.

It had no words, yet it got banned for its title.

Litvak: That's why it's so cool.

What constitutes a good show for The Tombstone Hands?

Litvak: Actually, I've never had a bad show with this band, even if there's only a few people that are in to it and hootin' and hollerin'.

Peet: There's been nights with just the three of us playing on stage at 1 a.m. and everyone is gone. We're just happy to play. If people come in, great. If they don't, too bad. It's just cathartic for me. When I play, I'm happy. At the age I am now I never thought I'd be hitting the drums the way I am now. When I get on stage I'm 18, the next morning I'm 81.

What's your advice to young bands coming up?

Litvak: Don't. Go to college.

What's something the band will never do?

All: Sing.