Impotent Sea Snakes
Encyclopedia
The Impotent Sea Snakes were an American rock'n'roll band from Atlanta, Georgia
known for their sexually explicit lyrics and performances and probably best known for their most high profile, publicized, and prolific touring period which lasted roughly from 1998-2004.
The band put out three albums: Too Cool for Rock n' Roll (EP, 1984) which was re-released in 1986 minus two songs: "Honey Dippers In Love" and "Heatwave" but with 8 additional new songs, God Save the Queens (1995), Everything in Excess (2001), and one officially released dvd: Impotent Sea Snakes Live in Germany (2005). The band also appeared on HBO's "Real Sex
" tv series.
In addition to the theatrics of the musicians in the band, there was generally an additional performance piece being simultaneously played out in complement to the song, usually with an S&M and/or B&D theme. This included pouring melting candle wax on female performers, spanking or paddling female performers, dominatrix humiliation and beatings of male performers and audience volunteers, the burning of an American flag draped on a cross, a fire breathing male stilt walker and fire breather, and female performers wearing strap-on dildo
s and otherwise wielding dildos by hand. Common motifs included variations on nun and priest costumes, school girl uniforms, and a costume reminiscent of Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS.
One of the most visually spectacular parts of the performance involved a mostly nude female performer wearing a metal plate over her groin and a gas mask over her face. Another member of the troupe, also wearing a gas mask, would use a metal sander against the plate to create a shower of sparks from her groin in time to the riff of the music. The gas masks protected the performers' eyes from the ingots. This was sometimes done with the female performer upside down, or sometimes with her standing with an additional metal plate on her head.
In addition, there were usually a number of televisions set up on the stage playing anything from political media imagery, to Alice in Wonderland, to adult content.
, bestiality, feltching, fisting
, anal sex
, incest
, S&M, group sex
, and pornography
. The band also regularly covered "Sympathy for the Devil
" by The Rolling Stones
, "Rock and Roll All Nite
" by Kiss
, and "People Who Died" by the Jim Carroll Band
, usually very faithfully, but sometimes with altered lyrics.
which legally protected their performances as free speech. Before burning a flag as a part of their stage show, the point would be driven home that burning a flag was an act of patriotism.
, encouraging their audience to engage in only safe sex and handing out free condoms.
who provided moans and groans on the "Everything in Excess" album, and porn star Ron Jeremy
whose video taped endorsement of the band was played at the beginning of shows for years.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
known for their sexually explicit lyrics and performances and probably best known for their most high profile, publicized, and prolific touring period which lasted roughly from 1998-2004.
The band put out three albums: Too Cool for Rock n' Roll (EP, 1984) which was re-released in 1986 minus two songs: "Honey Dippers In Love" and "Heatwave" but with 8 additional new songs, God Save the Queens (1995), Everything in Excess (2001), and one officially released dvd: Impotent Sea Snakes Live in Germany (2005). The band also appeared on HBO's "Real Sex
Real Sex
Real Sex is a television series broadcast on and a production of HBO. As its name implies, Real Sex is a sexually explicit "magazine" which "explores sex '90s style."...
" tv series.
The stage show
The stage show involved all of the male members of the band dressed in full drag. The costumes skewed towards the outrageous with exaggerated platform heels and brightly colored wigs and garish makeup. All band members and stage performers were wearing fetish clothing and accessories. The female performers generally wore as little of their costume as was legally required by the club, which generally required putting two pieces of electrical tape in the shape of an "X" over their nipples so that they could still legally perform bare-breasted when the law barred it. They performed fully nude, or nude with accessories (i.e., stockings) when it was permitted.In addition to the theatrics of the musicians in the band, there was generally an additional performance piece being simultaneously played out in complement to the song, usually with an S&M and/or B&D theme. This included pouring melting candle wax on female performers, spanking or paddling female performers, dominatrix humiliation and beatings of male performers and audience volunteers, the burning of an American flag draped on a cross, a fire breathing male stilt walker and fire breather, and female performers wearing strap-on dildo
Strap-on dildo
A strap-on dildo is a dildo designed to be worn, usually with a harness, during sexual activity. Harnesses and dildos are made in a wide variety of styles, with variations in how the harness fits the wearer, how the dildo attaches to the harness, as well as various features intended to facilitate...
s and otherwise wielding dildos by hand. Common motifs included variations on nun and priest costumes, school girl uniforms, and a costume reminiscent of Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS.
One of the most visually spectacular parts of the performance involved a mostly nude female performer wearing a metal plate over her groin and a gas mask over her face. Another member of the troupe, also wearing a gas mask, would use a metal sander against the plate to create a shower of sparks from her groin in time to the riff of the music. The gas masks protected the performers' eyes from the ingots. This was sometimes done with the female performer upside down, or sometimes with her standing with an additional metal plate on her head.
In addition, there were usually a number of televisions set up on the stage playing anything from political media imagery, to Alice in Wonderland, to adult content.
Song content
The band's songs were often on the subjects of: cross-dressingCross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
, bestiality, feltching, fisting
Fisting
Fisting is a sexual activity that involves inserting a hand into the vagina or rectum. Once insertion is complete, the fingers either naturally clench into a fist or remain straight. In more vigorous forms of fisting, such as "punching", a fully clenched fist may be inserted and withdrawn slowly...
, anal sex
Anal sex
Anal sex is the sex act in which the penis is inserted into the anus of a sexual partner. The term can also include other sexual acts involving the anus, including pegging, anilingus , fingering, and object insertion.Common misconception describes anal sex as practiced almost exclusively by gay men...
, incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, S&M, group sex
Group sex
Group sex is sexual behavior involving more than two participants. Group sex can occur amongst people of all sexual orientations and genders...
, and pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
. The band also regularly covered "Sympathy for the Devil
Sympathy for the Devil
"Sympathy for the Devil" is a song by The Rolling Stones which first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1968 album Beggars Banquet. It was written by Mick Jagger credited to Jagger/Richards...
" by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, "Rock and Roll All Nite
Rock and Roll All Nite
"Rock and Roll All Nite" is a song by Kiss, originally released on their 1975 album Dressed to Kill. It was released as the A-side of their fifth single, with the album track "Getaway." The studio version of the song peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard singles chart, besting the band's previous...
" by Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, and "People Who Died" by the Jim Carroll Band
Jim Carroll
James Dennis "Jim" Carroll was an author, poet, autobiographer, and punk musician. Carroll was best known for his 1978 autobiographical work The Basketball Diaries, which was made into the 1995 film of the same name, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Carroll.-Biography:Carroll was born to a...
, usually very faithfully, but sometimes with altered lyrics.
First Amendment
The Impotent Sea Snakes were ardent endorsers of the First Amendment to the United States ConstitutionFirst Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
which legally protected their performances as free speech. Before burning a flag as a part of their stage show, the point would be driven home that burning a flag was an act of patriotism.
Safe sex
The band were also vocal proponents of safe sexSafe sex
Safe sex is sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. It is also referred to as safer sex or protected sex, while unsafe or unprotected sex is sexual activity engaged in without precautions...
, encouraging their audience to engage in only safe sex and handing out free condoms.
Celebrity endorsements
A number of celebrities publicly endorsed the Sea Snakes, including Lemmy from Motörhead (who appears in their "Lipstick" video) and porn star Jenna JamesonJenna Jameson
Jenna Jameson is an American entrepreneur and former pornographic actress, who has been called the world's most famous adult-entertainment performer and "The Queen of Porn."...
who provided moans and groans on the "Everything in Excess" album, and porn star Ron Jeremy
Ron Jeremy
Ronald Jeremy Hyatt , usually called Ron Jeremy, is an American pornographic actor. Nicknamed "The Hedgehog", he was ranked by AVN at number one in their "The 50 Top Porn Stars of All Time" list...
whose video taped endorsement of the band was played at the beginning of shows for years.