The Fleshtones
Encyclopedia
The Fleshtones are an American
garage rock
band from Queens
, New York
formed in 1976.
, Maine
), two roommates who discovered that a previous tenant had left behind some instruments in the basement of the house they were renting. Streng, on guitar, and Pakulski, on bass, were soon joined by neighborhood friends Peter Zaremba
(b. September 16, 1954, Queens
, New York
) on harmonica, keyboards, and vocals, and Lenny Calderon (b. 1958, New York
) on drums.
The Fleshtones debuted at CBGB
on May 19, 1976. Starting in 1978, the group was often joined onstage, as well as on record, by Action Combo, brothers Gordon (alto sax and harmonica) and Brian (tenor sax) Spaeth. Gordon Spaeth (b. September 21, 1951—d. March 8, 2005) became an official band member in 1983.
In the late 70s, The Fleshtones earned a local following and played often in Manhattan
at CBGB
and Max's Kansas City
. Later, they found a favorite venue at Club 57
on St. Mark's Place. The Fleshtones were the first band to be booked or to play at several famous venues, including Irving Plaza
and Danceteria
in Manhattan, Maxwell's
in Hoboken, New Jersey, and the original 9:30 Club
in Washington D.C..
The Fleshtones shared a rehearsal space with The Cramps
on the Bowery
in 1977. The following year, The Fleshtones signed with Marty Thau
's Red Star Records
(a roster that included Suicide
and Real Kids, among others artists), recorded their first album, and with filmmaker/artist M. Henry Jones produced Soul City, a performance-animation video composed of hand-painted cutouts. The Fleshtones' first single "American Beat" was released in 1979 (re-recorded in 1984 as part of the soundtrack of the Tom Hanks' movie Bachelor Party.)
, and subsequently on CD and vinyl), the Fleshtones were signed by Miles Copeland at I.R.S. Records
(R.E.M.
, The Go-Go's
) where they would work with producers Richard Mazda
and Richard Gottehrer
. The band replaced Calderon with drummer Bill Milhizer (b. September 21, 1948, Troy
, New York
), appeared in the British Punk/New Wave concert film Urgh! A Music War
, and released its first EP Up-Front
. Four discs on I.R.S. followed: Roman Gods
(1982), Hexbreaker!
! (1983), and the live Speed Connection and Speed Connection II (1985). In 1982, they appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
TV show.
Despite having a large cult following, the band never achieved commercial success: Roman Gods debuted at #174 on Billboard
’s album chart, the highest position that a Fleshtones album has attained.
Zaremba was the host of I.R.S. Records Presents The Cutting Edge
on MTV
from 1984 to 1987. The I.R.S. Records-produced show featured up and coming underground artists. The program was short-lived (airing in a late night time slot didn't help accumulate a wide audience) but the format later revived as 120 Minutes. Zaremba's MC talents surfaced again in the late-90s at New York City's "Cavestomp" Garage Rock festivals.
In the mid-80s, The Fleshtones regularly played at the Pyramid Club
on Avenue A in the East Village, and were instrumental in helping to start Wigstock
, the drag-queen festival that became a New York City staple.
and James Brown
. In 1987, The Fleshtones made an appearance on the final episode of Andy Warhol
's Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes
, an MTV program, during which they backed up famed English stage actor Ian McKellen
as he recited William Shakespeare
's Twentieth Sonnet.
The Fleshtones recorded the title track to the 1987 camp-horror film I Was a Teenage Zombie
that same year. They released Fleshtones vs. Reality
(studio) in 1987 and Soul Madrid (live) in 1989. I.R.S. Records released a best-of compilation, Living Legends, in 1989.
In late 1986, Pakulski left the Fleshtones. He was replaced by Robert Burke Warren, who left the band in 1988. Fred Smith
of Television
and Andy Shernoff
of The Dictators
were interim bass players in the studio and on tour until 1990.
, Canada
) joined the Fleshtones on bass in 1990. Fox had formed Raving Mojos in Toronto and also played with Joan Osborne
and in Jason & the Scorchers
. Since Fox joined, the Fleshtones lineup has remained stable.
In 1992 the Fleshtones signed with Ichiban Records
, where they stayed until the label's demise, releasing Powerstance (1992), Beautiful Light (1994), Laboratory of Sound (1995), and More Than Skin Deep (1998).
The Fleshtones were one of the last bands to play at Windows on the World
atop the World Trade Center
; they played a show there five weeks before the 9/11 attacks, and in 2002 played at a Night of Remembrance and Hope festival at CBGB.
, and in August 2004 played Little Steven's Underground Garage Festival at Randalls Island in New York City with 39 other bands, including The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop
, The Strokes
, and Bo Diddley
.
In the 90s, 00s, and 10s, in addition to self-producing in Paul Johnson's Compactor basement studio in Brooklyn, New York, The Fleshtones worked with musician-producers Dave Faulkner
, Peter Buck
, Steve Albini
, Rick Miller, Jim Diamond
, Lenny Kaye
, and Ivan Julian
.
In 2003, The Fleshtones signed with Yep Roc Records
, which has released Do You Swing? (2003), Beachhead (2005), Take A Good Look (2008), Stocking Stuffer (2008), and Brooklyn Sound Solution (2011).
Former members
For-hire
Horn players
) and The Master Plan (with Andy Shernoff
).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band from Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
formed in 1976.
1976-1979
The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York by Keith Streng (b. September 18, 1955, New York, New York) and Marek Pakulski (b. August 23, 1956, LewistonLewiston, Maine
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
), two roommates who discovered that a previous tenant had left behind some instruments in the basement of the house they were renting. Streng, on guitar, and Pakulski, on bass, were soon joined by neighborhood friends Peter Zaremba
Peter Zaremba (musician)
Peter Zaremba is an American singer and musician and member of the The Fleshtones. He was also the host of the MTV television I.R.S. Records Presents The Cutting Edge that aired from March 1983 to September 1987, as well as the sequel The Cutting Edge Happy Hour.-References:...
(b. September 16, 1954, Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) on harmonica, keyboards, and vocals, and Lenny Calderon (b. 1958, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) on drums.
The Fleshtones debuted at CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
on May 19, 1976. Starting in 1978, the group was often joined onstage, as well as on record, by Action Combo, brothers Gordon (alto sax and harmonica) and Brian (tenor sax) Spaeth. Gordon Spaeth (b. September 21, 1951—d. March 8, 2005) became an official band member in 1983.
In the late 70s, The Fleshtones earned a local following and played often in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
at CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
and Max's Kansas City
Max's Kansas City
Max's Kansas City was a nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South, in New York City, which was a gathering spot for musicians, poets, artists and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s.-Origin of name:...
. Later, they found a favorite venue at Club 57
Club 57
Club 57 was a nightclub located at 57 St. Mark's Place in the East Village, New York City during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was a hangout and venue for performance- and visual-artists and musicians, including Madonna, Keith Haring, Cyndi Lauper, Charles Busch, Klaus Nomi, The B-52s, Futura...
on St. Mark's Place. The Fleshtones were the first band to be booked or to play at several famous venues, including Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza is a 1,200-person ballroom-style music venue at 17 Irving Place and East 15th Street in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...
and Danceteria
Danceteria
Danceteria was a well-known four-floor nightclub located in New York City which operated from 1980 until 1986 and in the Hamptons until 1995. Throughout its history, the club had seven different locations, three in NYC and four in the Hamptons...
in Manhattan, Maxwell's
Maxwell's
Maxwell's is a music club in Hoboken, New Jersey that also has a restaurant. The intimate venue often attracts a wide variety of acts looking for a change from the New York City concert spaces across the river.-History:...
in Hoboken, New Jersey, and the original 9:30 Club
9:30 Club
Foo Fighters Promise to come back to D.C. and play the 9:30 ClubNightclub 9:30 is a nightclub and concert venue in Washington, D.C. Originally located at 930 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C., in the 1970s it was called the "Atlantis Club", and hosted primarily rock, New Wave, and punk bands...
in Washington D.C..
The Fleshtones shared a rehearsal space with The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
on the Bowery
Bowery, Manhattan
Bowery , commonly called "the Bowery," is a street and a small neighborhood in the southern portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan...
in 1977. The following year, The Fleshtones signed with Marty Thau
Marty Thau
Marty Thau is an American rock 'n' roll entrepreneur and music producer. He is best known as the founder of Red Star Records in 1977, arguably America's first full - fledged post '60s indie punk punk - new wave label and for being the manager of the New York Dolls and co-producer of Suicide's...
's Red Star Records
Red Star Records
Red Star Records was an independent, U.S. record label founded by former New York Dolls manager, A&R/record producer Marty Thau in 1977, who signed some of the most influential, American punk rock and new wave bands during the 1970s such as Suicide, The Real Kids, and The Fleshtones....
(a roster that included Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
and Real Kids, among others artists), recorded their first album, and with filmmaker/artist M. Henry Jones produced Soul City, a performance-animation video composed of hand-painted cutouts. The Fleshtones' first single "American Beat" was released in 1979 (re-recorded in 1984 as part of the soundtrack of the Tom Hanks' movie Bachelor Party.)
1980-1985
In 1980, with the Red Star Records album unreleased (later issued on cassette on ROIRROIR
ROIR , or Reach Out International Records, is a New York City-based record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper.ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label exclusively distributed its releases in cassette format...
, and subsequently on CD and vinyl), the Fleshtones were signed by Miles Copeland at I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
(R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
) where they would work with producers Richard Mazda
Richard Mazda
Richard Mazda is a record producer, writer and musician. In later life he also became an actor and director.-Music career:Mazda was one of the co-founders of Poole punk/mod band Tours, singing and playing lead guitar. They signed to Virgin Records in 1979 after selling large quantities of their...
and Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive.-Career:Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer , he wrote various songs including...
. The band replaced Calderon with drummer Bill Milhizer (b. September 21, 1948, Troy
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
), appeared in the British Punk/New Wave concert film Urgh! A Music War
Urgh! A Music War
Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, New Wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. Among the artists featured in the movie are Magazine, The Go-Go's, The Fleshtones, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, XTC, Devo, The Cramps, Oingo Boingo, Dead...
, and released its first EP Up-Front
Up-Front
Up-Front is a 12-inch, 45 rpm EP by The Fleshtones released in 1980. It was the band's first EP and predates their first album, Roman Gods. The EP featured the "Action Combo," brothers Gordon and Brian Spaeth on saxophones...
. Four discs on I.R.S. followed: Roman Gods
Roman Gods (album)
Roman Gods is the first album by The Fleshtones. Trouser Press called it a "big leap forward" from the band's debut EP, Up-Front, noting that its adds "new personality and passion to the beat"...
(1982), Hexbreaker!
Hexbreaker!
Hexbreaker! is the second album by The Fleshtones. The album was recorded at Skyline Studios in New York City in March 1983 and produced by Richard Mazda...
! (1983), and the live Speed Connection and Speed Connection II (1985). In 1982, they appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
TV show.
Despite having a large cult following, the band never achieved commercial success: Roman Gods debuted at #174 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
’s album chart, the highest position that a Fleshtones album has attained.
Zaremba was the host of I.R.S. Records Presents The Cutting Edge
I.R.S. Records Presents The Cutting Edge
I.R.S. Records Presents The Cutting Edge was a music program that aired on MTV from March 1983 to September 1987, on the last Sunday of every month. The first year of the show featured a variety of hosts including Jools Holland, Jeffrey Vallance, and Wazmo Nariz before settling on Peter Zaremba,...
on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
from 1984 to 1987. The I.R.S. Records-produced show featured up and coming underground artists. The program was short-lived (airing in a late night time slot didn't help accumulate a wide audience) but the format later revived as 120 Minutes. Zaremba's MC talents surfaced again in the late-90s at New York City's "Cavestomp" Garage Rock festivals.
In the mid-80s, The Fleshtones regularly played at the Pyramid Club
Pyramid Club
__notoc__The Pyramid Club is a nightclub in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. After opening in 1979, the Pyramid helped define the East Village drag and gay scenes of the 1980s...
on Avenue A in the East Village, and were instrumental in helping to start Wigstock
Wigstock
Wigstock was an annual outdoor drag festival that began in the 1980s in New York's East Village that took place on Labor Day. Traditionally the festival would act as the unofficial end to the summer for the gay community of New York City...
, the drag-queen festival that became a New York City staple.
1986-1989
In the late 80s, The Fleshtones were without major-label support, though they continued to tour America and Europe steadily, including shows opening for Chuck BerryChuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
and James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
. In 1987, The Fleshtones made an appearance on the final episode of Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes
Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes
Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes is an American talk show hosted by artist Andy Warhol, that aired on MTV from 1985 to 1987. One of the network's earliest series, it was made up of interviews of up and coming musicians such as Courtney Love....
, an MTV program, during which they backed up famed English stage actor Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen
Sir Ian Murray McKellen, CH, CBE is an English actor. He has received a Tony Award, two Academy Award nominations, and five Emmy Award nominations. His work has spanned genres from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction...
as he recited William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Twentieth Sonnet.
The Fleshtones recorded the title track to the 1987 camp-horror film I Was a Teenage Zombie
I Was a Teenage Zombie
I Was a Teenage Zombie is a 1987 film. Though it had a very low budget and unknown actors, it attracted a cult following.-Plot:The film begins like a '80s comedy with teens looking to purchase some marijuana but turns into comedy/horror genre when a drug dealer is pushed into the river and becomes...
that same year. They released Fleshtones vs. Reality
Fleshtones vs. Reality
Fleshtones vs. Reality is an album released on Emergo Records in 1987 by The Fleshtones. The album was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City in the fall of 1986 with the exception of two songs, "Return of the Leather Kings" and "Too Late To Run", which were recorded in May of 1986 at Axis...
(studio) in 1987 and Soul Madrid (live) in 1989. I.R.S. Records released a best-of compilation, Living Legends, in 1989.
In late 1986, Pakulski left the Fleshtones. He was replaced by Robert Burke Warren, who left the band in 1988. Fred Smith
Fred Smith (bassist)
Fred Smith is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work with Television. He was the original bassist with Blondie until he replaced Richard Hell when Hell left Television in 1975 to form The Heartbreakers. At the time, Television played at CBGB along with Blondie...
of Television
Television (band)
Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
and Andy Shernoff
Andy Shernoff
Andy Shernoff is a musician, songwriter, record producer and oenophile.He is a founding member of The Dictators, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and keyboards, and sang backing vocals and occasional leads...
of The Dictators
The Dictators
The Dictators are an American punk rock band formed in New York City in 1973. Critic John Dougan said that they were "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth." The Dictators are represented in the "Punk Wing" of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio...
were interim bass players in the studio and on tour until 1990.
1990-2002
Ken Fox (b. February 16, 1961, TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) joined the Fleshtones on bass in 1990. Fox had formed Raving Mojos in Toronto and also played with Joan Osborne
Joan Osborne
Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us". She has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.-Biography:Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb...
and in Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a Cowpunk / Country rock band formed in 1981 and led by singer/songwriter Jason Ringenberg....
. Since Fox joined, the Fleshtones lineup has remained stable.
In 1992 the Fleshtones signed with Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records was a hip hop record label founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. Wrap Records and Nastymix Records were some of its subsidiary labels. Urgent! Records was distributed by Ichiban. Most of its discography is now out of print. Besides hip hop groups, Ichiban also released albums by...
, where they stayed until the label's demise, releasing Powerstance (1992), Beautiful Light (1994), Laboratory of Sound (1995), and More Than Skin Deep (1998).
The Fleshtones were one of the last bands to play at Windows on the World
Windows on the World
Windows on the World was a complex of venues at the top floors of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan that included a restaurant, Windows on the World, a smaller restaurant called Wild Blue, and a bar called The Greatest Bar on Earth, as well as rooms for private functions...
atop the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
; they played a show there five weeks before the 9/11 attacks, and in 2002 played at a Night of Remembrance and Hope festival at CBGB.
2003 to present
In December 2003 The Fleshtones played at a CBGB 30th Anniversary show along with The DictatorsThe Dictators
The Dictators are an American punk rock band formed in New York City in 1973. Critic John Dougan said that they were "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth." The Dictators are represented in the "Punk Wing" of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio...
, and in August 2004 played Little Steven's Underground Garage Festival at Randalls Island in New York City with 39 other bands, including The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
, and Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
.
In the 90s, 00s, and 10s, in addition to self-producing in Paul Johnson's Compactor basement studio in Brooklyn, New York, The Fleshtones worked with musician-producers Dave Faulkner
Dave Faulkner (musician)
Dave Faulkner is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus...
, Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
, Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
, Rick Miller, Jim Diamond
Jim Diamond (music producer)
Jim Diamond is a music producer, studio engineer, and bass guitar player based in Detroit, Michigan. He worked on the first two White Stripes albums and played bass with The Dirtbombs.- Background :...
, Lenny Kaye
Lenny Kaye
Lenny Kaye is an American guitarist, composer and writer who is best known as a member of the Patti Smith Group.- Early life :...
, and Ivan Julian
Ivan Julian
Ivan Julian is a guitarist and bassist, founding member of the seminal Punk/New Wave group Richard Hell and the Voidoids, The Outsets and Lovelies.He has performed with the Isley Brothers, The Clash, Matthew Sweet, and Shriekback....
.
In 2003, The Fleshtones signed with Yep Roc Records
Yep Roc Records
Yep Roc Records is an independent International record label based in Haw River, North Carolina and owned by Redeye Distribution . The label has put out albums by artists like The Go-Betweens, The Fleshtones, Gang of Four, The Reverend Horton Heat, and The Minus 5, as well as the work of important...
, which has released Do You Swing? (2003), Beachhead (2005), Take A Good Look (2008), Stocking Stuffer (2008), and Brooklyn Sound Solution (2011).
Book, Tribute, Feature Documentary, and Reissues
- In 2007, Continuum Books published Sweat: The Story of The Fleshtones, America's Garage Band, an authorized biography by Joe BonomoJoe BonomoJoe Bonomo is an American essayist, poet, and rock and roll writer.-Life:He grew up in suburban Washington, D. C. He graduated from Ohio University.He teaches at Northern Illinois University, since 1995....
. Camion Blanc will release a French-language edition of Sweat in 2012.
- Vindicated! A Tribute to The Fleshtones was released in 2007 on vinyl by Larsen Records (France) and on CD by Dirty Water Records (UK). The album features 23 international bands (including Hoodoo GurusHoodoo GurusHoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
, the Nomads with Handsome Dick Manitoba, the Slickee BoysThe Slickee BoysThe Slickee Boys were a Washington, D.C. area punk-psychedelic-garage rock band whose most-remembered lineup consisted of guitarist Marshall Keith, guitarist Kim Kane, singer Mark Noone, and drummer Dan Palenski. The band has become a legend in the D.C. punk community...
, the Woggles, Snax, the Swingin' Neckbreakers, Richard MazdaRichard MazdaRichard Mazda is a record producer, writer and musician. In later life he also became an actor and director.-Music career:Mazda was one of the co-founders of Poole punk/mod band Tours, singing and playing lead guitar. They signed to Virgin Records in 1979 after selling large quantities of their...
, the Subway Surfers, the Insomniacs, and others) covering songs spanning the Fleshtones' career.
- A feature documentary directed by Geoffray Barbier, Pardon Us For Living, But The Graveyard Is Full, was released from Cold Cuts Productions in 2009.
- In 2010, the Australian label Raven released a CD compilation of the Fleshtones' I.R.S. Records material entitled It's "Super-Rock" Time!: The IRS Years 1980-85 and a Hexbreaker! / Speed Connection CD. Raven plans future re-releases of the Fleshtones' catalog.
Members
- Keith Streng—guitar & vocals
- Peter Zaremba—lead vocals, harmonica & organ
- Bill Milhizer—drums & vocals
- Ken Fox—bass & vocals
Former members
- Danny Gilbert—guitar (1976)
- Lenny Calderon—drums, vocals (1976–1979)
- Marek Pakulski—bass, vocals (1976–1979, 1979–1986)
- Brian Spaeth—sax (1978–1981)
- Gordon Spaeth—sax, harmonica, organ, vocals (1978–1988)
- Mitchell Ames—guitar (1979)
- Walter Scezney—bass (1979)
- Robert Burke Warren—bass, vocals (1986–1988)
For-hire
- Clem BurkeClem BurkeClem Burke is an American musician who is the drummer for the band Blondie. Recruited by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry when they were first forming Blondie, Burke remained with the band through its first stage and later returned for its late 1990s reunion and then its extensive 2009 tour.Following...
-drums (1979) - Fred SmithFred Smith (bassist)Fred Smith is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work with Television. He was the original bassist with Blondie until he replaced Richard Hell when Hell left Television in 1975 to form The Heartbreakers. At the time, Television played at CBGB along with Blondie...
—bass, vocals (1988–1989) - Andy ShernoffAndy ShernoffAndy Shernoff is a musician, songwriter, record producer and oenophile.He is a founding member of The Dictators, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and keyboards, and sang backing vocals and occasional leads...
—bass, vocals (1989–1990)
Horn players
- Gregory D Grinnell—trumpet (1986)
- Ken Fradley—trumpet (1988)
- Mark McGowan—trumpet (1988–1990)
- Steve Greenfield—sax (1988–1992)
- Joe Loposky—trumpet (1990–1994)
- Markus Arike—sax (1992–1994)
Albums
- Roman GodsRoman Gods (album)Roman Gods is the first album by The Fleshtones. Trouser Press called it a "big leap forward" from the band's debut EP, Up-Front, noting that its adds "new personality and passion to the beat"...
LP/cassette (I.R.S.) 1982 + CD [limited] (Eur. I.R.S.) 1990 - Blast Off! cassette (ROIRROIRROIR , or Reach Out International Records, is a New York City-based record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper.ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label exclusively distributed its releases in cassette format...
) 1982 + CD (ROIR) 1990 + CD (ROIR/Fr. Danceteria) 1993 + CD (Red Star) 1997 + LP (Sp. Munster) 2001 + LP (Get Hip RecordsGet Hip RecordsGet Hip Records is an independent Pittsburgh based music label and distributor formed by Gregg Kostelich in 1986. Kostelich used the label to release music by his own band, The Cynics, as well as other local, indie and retro garage rock bands.-Releases:...
) 2002 - Hexbreaker!Hexbreaker!Hexbreaker! is the second album by The Fleshtones. The album was recorded at Skyline Studios in New York City in March 1983 and produced by Richard Mazda...
LP/cassette (I.R.S.) 1983 - Speed Connection LP (Fr. I.R.S.) 1985
- Speed Connection II: The Final Chapter LP/cassette (I.R.S.) 1985 + download (I.R.S.) 2010
- Fleshtones vs. RealityFleshtones vs. RealityFleshtones vs. Reality is an album released on Emergo Records in 1987 by The Fleshtones. The album was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City in the fall of 1986 with the exception of two songs, "Return of the Leather Kings" and "Too Late To Run", which were recorded in May of 1986 at Axis...
LP/cassette/CD (Emergo) 1987 - Soul Madrid LP (Sp. Imposible) 1989
- Powerstance! CD/LP/cassette (Aus. Trafalgar) 1991 + CD/LP/cassette (UK Big Beat ) 1991 + CD (Naked Language/Ichiban) 1992 + download (Ichiban) 2006
- Forever Fleshtones LP (Gr. Hitch Hyke) 1993
- Beautiful Light CD (Naked Language/Ichiban) 1994 + download (Ichiban) 2006
- Laboratory of Sound CD (Ichiban International) 1995 + LP (Gr. Hitch Hyke) 1996 + download (Ichiban) 2006
- Fleshtones Favorites CD (Flesh) 1997
- Hitsburg USA! LP (Telstar) 1997 + CD (Sp. Imposible) 1997
- More Than Skin Deep CD (Ichiban International) 1998 + LP (Telstar) 1998 + CD/LP (Eur. Epitaph) 1999 + download (Ichiban) 2006
- Hitsburg Revisited CD (Telstar) 1999 + CD/LP (Eur. Epitaph) 1999
- Solid Gold Sound CD/LP (Blood Red) 2001 + CD (Fr. Fantastika) 2001 + download (Blood Red) 2009
- Do You Swing? CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2003
- Beachhead CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2005 + LP (It. Nicotine) (2006)
- Take A Good Look CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2008
- Stocking Stuffer CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2008
- Brooklyn Sound Solution CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2011
EPs and singles
- American Beat b/w Critical List 7" (Red Star) 1979
- Up-FrontUp-FrontUp-Front is a 12-inch, 45 rpm EP by The Fleshtones released in 1980. It was the band's first EP and predates their first album, Roman Gods. The EP featured the "Action Combo," brothers Gordon and Brian Spaeth on saxophones...
EP (I.R.S.) 1980 - The World Has Changed b/w All Around The World 7" (I.R.S.) 1981
- Roman Gods [Dance Remix] b/w Ride Your Pony + Chinese Kitchen 12" (I.R.S.) 1982
- American Beat ‘84 + Hall of Fame b/w Mean Ole’ Lonesome Train + Super Hexbreaker 12” EP (Fr. I.R.S.) 1984
- Armed And Dangerous b/w Let It Rip + Electric Mouse 7" (UK Big Beat) 1991
- Take A Walk With The Fleshtones b/w One Of Us 7" (Naked Language) 1994
- Gentleman's Twist b/w Red Sunset + Gentleman's Twist (w/Alan VegaAlan VegaAlan Vega For several years other sources stated that he was born in 1948 – see 'Myth' section is an American vocalist, primarily known for his work with electronic protopunk duo, Suicide...
) 7" (Eur. Epitaph) 1998 - Jetset Fleshtones b/w Les Temps Dira 7" (Yep Roc) 2007
- Bite Of My Soul b/w Remember The Ramones 7" (Yep Roc) 2011
- I Can't Hide b/w B-Side 7" (Yep Roc) 2011
Compilations
- The Fleshtones: Living Legends Series CD (I.R.S.) 1989
- Angry Years 1984-1986 CD (Sp. Imposible) 1994 + CD (Amsterdamned) 1997
- It's "Super-Rock" Time!: The IRS Years 1980-85 CD (Aus. Raven) 2010
- Hexbreaker! / Speed Connection CD (Aus. Raven) 2010
- Roman Gods / Up-Front / Speed Connection II CD (Aus. Raven) 2011
Compilation (various artists)
- Marty Thau Presents 2 X 5 (Red Star RecordsRed Star RecordsRed Star Records was an independent, U.S. record label founded by former New York Dolls manager, A&R/record producer Marty Thau in 1977, who signed some of the most influential, American punk rock and new wave bands during the 1970s such as Suicide, The Real Kids, and The Fleshtones....
) 1980 + 2005 - Start Swimming (Stiff RecordsStiff RecordsStiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
) 1981 - Bachelor Party (OST I.R.S.) 1984 + (Superfecta Records) 2003
- I Was a Teenage ZombieI Was a Teenage ZombieI Was a Teenage Zombie is a 1987 film. Though it had a very low budget and unknown actors, it attracted a cult following.-Plot:The film begins like a '80s comedy with teens looking to purchase some marijuana but turns into comedy/horror genre when a drug dealer is pushed into the river and becomes...
(OST Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
) 1987 - Time Bomb: Fleshtones Present The Big Bang Theory (Skyclad Records) 1988
- New York Rockers: Manhattan’s Original Rock Underground (ROIRROIRROIR , or Reach Out International Records, is a New York City-based record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper.ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label exclusively distributed its releases in cassette format...
) 1989 - Shangri-La: A Tribute to The Kinks (Imaginary RecordsImaginary RecordsImaginary Records was an independent record label based in Heywood, Lancashire, England, which specialised mainly in indie rock and post-punk. It was created and owned by Alan Duffy, known for his lyrical contributions to Porcupine Tree's first two albums, On the Sunday of Life and Up the...
) 1989 - Turban Renewal: A Tribute to Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs (Norton RecordsNorton RecordsFor the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...
) 1994 - Dictators Forever Forever Dictators: A Tribute to The Dictators, Vol. 1 (Roto Records) 1996
- Super Bad @ 65: A Tribute to James Brown (Zero Hour) 1998
- Guitar Ace: Tribute to Link Wray (Musick Recordings) 2003
- Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976-1995Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The Second Psychedelic Era, 1976-1995Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995 is a four compact disc compilation album of alternative pop music recorded between 1976 and 1995, although most of the recordings are from the 1980s. It was released on Rhino Records in 2005...
(Rhino) 2005 - Little Steven's Underground Garage Presents: The Coolest Songs In The World Vol. 3 (Wicked Cool Records) 2007
- So Indie It Hurts: Roir Rocks Volume Two (ROIRROIRROIR , or Reach Out International Records, is a New York City-based record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper.ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label exclusively distributed its releases in cassette format...
) 2010
Video / DVD
- "Right Side Of A Good Thing," The Beast of I.R.S. Video Vol. 1 VHS (I.R.S. Home Video) 1984
- "F-f-fascination," Back In The Day: Live At Hurrah’s New York City DVD (WEA) 2006
- The Fleshtones: Brooklyn à Paris! Live at La Maroquinerie DVD (Big Enough) 2006
- The Fleshtones—Live At The Hurrah Club DVD (Cherry Red) 2008
Side projects
Fleshtones side projects have included Peter Zaremba's Love Delegation, and Streng's bands Full Time Men (which featured Peter BuckPeter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
) and The Master Plan (with Andy Shernoff
Andy Shernoff
Andy Shernoff is a musician, songwriter, record producer and oenophile.He is a founding member of The Dictators, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and keyboards, and sang backing vocals and occasional leads...
).
Further reading
- Sweat: The Story of The Fleshtones, America's Garage Band
- The Fleshtones Archive (articles, reviews, interviews, and commentary from 1977 to 2005)
External links
- The Fleshtones on MySpace
- "Marty Thau Presents: The Fleshtones" from Rocker Magazine - Essay about discovering the band and their lasting impact by the man who put out their first single and album in the late 70's
- Trailer for Pardon Us For Living But The Graveyard Is Full, feature documentary
- Yep Roc Records (The Fleshtones' label)
- Nicotine Records
- Audio interview with Peter Zaremba of The Fleshtones on the release of 2008's Take a Good Look! on Well-Rounded Radio
- Richard Mazda site
- Interview in spanish magazine Efe Eme by Eduardo Tébar