The Frogs (band)
Encyclopedia
The Frogs are an American rock music
band founded in 1980
, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, by brothers Jimmy
and Dennis Flemion
. The brothers mainly write and perform short, catchy pop
songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recording
s which are delivered in a comedic style, and often include controversial issues such as race, religion
, and sexuality
(notably homoeroticism
). A history of strife has hindered the band, although a devoted fan base that includes many well-known musicians has supported the group.
and Dennis Flemion
began playing as the "Gila Monsters" and "Stupid Frogs" in 1980, frequenting Milwaukee clubs and coffeehouses.
In 1983, bassist Jay Tiller joined the group. That same year, Jimmy began wearing what was to become his trademark stage gimmick, a pair of six-foot bat
wings, inspired by the band's set list, which at that time featured many glam rock
songs about death and gloom. Soon the brothers also began wearing wig
s at their performances, and using pyrotechnics
. Hence, "wings and wigs" became synonymous with the band.
Although in their early days the Frogs played mostly in coffeehouse
s, they developed a larger following due mostly to their fan-friendly shows.
In 1988, Brian Hill joined The Frogs as bassist
; he continues to make appearances with the group.
That same year saw two significant events related to the Frogs' recording career. The first event was the release of the Frogs' first, self-titled album, which they began recording in 1986. Sources disagree on whether the album was self-released or released by Drag City Records; it's undisputed, however, that only about 1,000 copies were pressed.
The second event ended up bringing the group to public attention: Jay Tiller gave a tape of the Frogs' improvised home recordings to his friend Steve Albini
, and the tape eventually made its way to Gerard Cosloy
, then head of Homestead Records. Cosloy approached the band and offered to release an album.
The Frogs were hoping that Homestead would re-release their first album, but Cosloy wanted to release an LP of the group's improvised home recordings, originally recorded on 4-track reel-to-reel with two microphones, which dealt with over-the-top homo-eroticism. Since the tapes had not been intended to be released, the group hedged at first, but eventually they relented, and mixed a 14 track collection of songs. The result was It's Only Right and Natural
, The Frogs' second LP. Songs like "Been a Month Since I Had a Man" and "Gather 'Round for Savior #2" gave the album (and the band) a unique theme. Homestead announced that The Frogs were leaders in a "new gay supremacy movement," and the media ran with it.
The album was received with mixed reactions; some listeners were ecstatic, while others, who either disliked the subject matter or misunderstood the concept, were not as enthusiastic. In the gay press, writer Adam Block wrote, "I'd find the record a lot more remarkable if I believed the Frogs were actually gay." It's Only Right and Natural was even denounced by Pat Robertson
on The 700 Club
and a number of conservative religious organizations as proof of Satan
's control over the entertainment industry.
, which included songs sung from the point of view of both blacks and whites who find themselves in various race-related situations and predicaments. The lyrics are equally serious and satirical. The Frogs' label Homestead
was unwilling to release Racially Yours
(although the album was distributed freely by fans). It was eventually released in 2000 by the Four Alarm label. The Frogs' further plans for a live album went unfulfilled, as labels they pursued all seemed to be suffering through bankruptcy
and management problems. Jay Tiller left the band in 1992, to be replaced by Damian Strigens, although there were several substitutes in the meantime, including such notables as Eddie Roeser from Urge Overkill
and Kelley Deal
from The Breeders
.
The Frogs, through their unique sense of humor, have gained a small but very devoted fan base. Although critics have attacked the Frogs for poor taste, well-known bands and performers have come to their defense. In 1993, The Smashing Pumpkins
' frontman Billy Corgan
saw The Frogs at a small club in Madison, Wisconsin
, and invited them to open for The Pumpkins. The Frogs were soon opening for Pearl Jam
, Mudhoney, Urge Overkill
, and other bands who were fans of the group, to mixed reaction.
singer Kurt Cobain
in 1993, The Frogs wrote two songs about him and also made him a videotape
, Toy Porno
. The VHS
featured select live performances and stop-motion animation with painted action figure
s. Action figures and dolls were used as sexually promiscuous characters in various short sketches. The tape became constant viewing material on Nirvana's tour bus. The videotape has since been made available to fans and has become a cult classic
.
of 1994, the Frogs played the second stage at Lollapalooza
, with Billy Corgan
joining them at every stop, shredding away on lead guitar for their encore of "I Only Play 4 Money" and "Lord Grunge." Corgan continued to support and promote The Frogs by producing a short film, "Meet the Frogs," which he included on the Smashing Pumpkins' 1994 Vieuphoria
video compilation. The short film brought the group recognition, but it has also confused Smashing Pumpkins fans who don't know if they should take the band seriously or not.
From August 1996 to February 1997, Dennis Flemion replaced Smashing Pumpkins' recently-deceased keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin
for the Pumpkins' Infinite Sadness Tour. During each night's encore, Jimmy Flemion performed "1979
" (which was influenced by an unreleased Frogs song, "Pleasure") with the Smashing Pumpkins, as well as selecting audience members to dance on stage. The Flemion brothers also appeared on The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight" single, and sang backing vocals on 1998's Adore.
In 1995, Pearl Jam
included The Frogs' cover of "Rearviewmirror" (credited to all members of Pearl Jam, but largely written by lead singer Eddie Vedder
) as the b-side to their "Immortality" single. The following year, Pearl Jam
released a song called "Smile" on their No Code
album. According to a story that Vedder told while performing in Milwaukee in 2006, the lyrics of "Smile" were taken directly from a note that Dennis Flemion hid inside Vedder's notebook when Vedder was on stage performing. The words used in the note are taken from the Frogs songs "This Is How I Feel" and "Now I Wanna Be Dead." Dennis also gave Vedder a small pair of bat wings from the Frogs' early days, and Vedder has proudly displayed them behind his guitar amplifier. The wings reportedly can be seen on the front cover of Pearl Jam's Touring Band 2000
.
Although Pearl Jam is not known to have ever performed a Frogs song, Eddie Vedder has sung "I Only Play 4 Money," "Starboy," and "The Longing Goes Away" with The Frogs on more than one occasion.
's touring band. Rather than stripping Jimmy of his trademark bat wings, the whole band adopted costumes as well. Jimmy also recorded a side project called The Last Hard Men with Bach, Kelley Deal
and Jimmy Chamberlin
. Bach also performed "Lord Grunge" with The Frogs on an infamous MTV
appearance on Oddville. The Frogs destroyed their set and broke several rules set forth by the show's producers, so the producers retaliated by only broadcasting the first verse of the song.
to a new label, Matador Records
, releasing two singles. They also recorded the EP
Starjob
, produced by Billy Corgan
(who used the pseudonym
Johnny Goat); however, the album was not released at that point.
In 1996, Matador released an album of old home-recorded and improvised Frogs material called My Daughter the Broad
. It became another cult classic, with fans shouting out many of the song's titles and lyrics at every show.
In 1997, Starjob
was finally released, by Scratchie Records
(founded by James Iha
, among others). But the EP almost immediately went out of print when it failed to sell enough units to satisfy the label. Starjob
contains well-produced studio tracks, including "Lord Grunge" and one of the most well known Frogs songs, "I Only Play 4 Money."
In 1999, the Frogs covered "Vacation" by the Go-Go's for a tribute album. In that same year, the Four Alarm label issued another LP of the Frogs' old home-recorded and improvised material, called Bananimals
; the unreleased Racially Yours
album followed in 2000. To support these two releases, the Frogs played in Canada
for the first time. However, they were stopped at Canadian Customs as officials seized all of their merchandise, declaring it "pornographic." The Frogs had to play their Canadian shows without any merchandise to sell.
was released by Scratchie in 2001. However, Scratchie wasn't happy with the finished album, and they put it out of print after only a few months, just like they had with the previous Starjob
EP
. Fans were still enthusiastic about the band's Scratchie releases, regardless .
After Damien Strigens exited the band in 1998, past bassists such as Brian Hill and Jay Tiller returned for some appearances, while some new bassists began performing with the band, including Josh Silverman, David Geschke, and John W. Busher. Australian Ben Lee
made a special guest appearance on bass in New York City on September 28, 2001.
In 2004, R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis, crowd-surfed at a Frogs concert at First Avenue, a popular nightclub
in the Twin Cities
, fulfilling a promise made earlier in the summer when the club temporarily closed due to financial difficulties.
The group played a 25th anniversary concert at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee in 2005. Jimmy Flemion opened the show by singing "Now You Know You're Black"m from Racially Yours
. One attendee noted, "[I]t was a successful fiasco once again...Jimmy is really cute when he wears the bear hat as part of his costume."
Some more recent appearances: on November 13, 2007, Jimmy Flemion performed with the Smashing Pumpkins at The Backyard in Austin, TX. The Frogs also opened for the Pumpkins on December 7, 2008, in Chicago.
In 2009, the Frogs were part of the lineup for UK 2009 Weekend Two, curated by The Breeders
, of the All Tomorrow's Parties
music festival. The band was chosen by Animal Collective
to perform the album It's Only Right & Natural in its entirety at the All Tomorrow's Parties
festival in May 2011.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band founded in 1980
1980 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1980.-January–March:*January 1**Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Elizabeth II.**The Zorros audition drummer Greg Pedley....
, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, by brothers Jimmy
Jimmy Flemion
Jimmy Flemion is a founding member, with his older brother Dennis Flemion, of controversial independent rock band The Frogs. Jimmy is mostly the lead singer and guitarist for the group. He has been known to play solo shows with just an acoustic guitar....
and Dennis Flemion
Dennis Flemion
Dennis Flemion is a founding member, with his younger brother Jimmy, of controversial independent rock band The Frogs. He is the primary percussionist for the band...
. The brothers mainly write and perform short, catchy pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recording
Home recording
Home recording is the practice of recording in a private home, rather than in a professional recording studio. A studio set up for home recording is called a "project studio" or "home studio". Home recording is practiced by indie bands, singer-songwriters, hobbyists, podcasters, documentarians,...
s which are delivered in a comedic style, and often include controversial issues such as race, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, and sexuality
Human sexual behavior
Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons...
(notably homoeroticism
Homoeroticism
Homoeroticism refers to the erotic attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female , most especially as it is depicted or manifested in the visual arts and literature. It can also be found in performative forms; from theatre to the theatricality of uniformed movements...
). A history of strife has hindered the band, although a devoted fan base that includes many well-known musicians has supported the group.
Early years: 1980-1989
Brothers Jimmy FlemionJimmy Flemion
Jimmy Flemion is a founding member, with his older brother Dennis Flemion, of controversial independent rock band The Frogs. Jimmy is mostly the lead singer and guitarist for the group. He has been known to play solo shows with just an acoustic guitar....
and Dennis Flemion
Dennis Flemion
Dennis Flemion is a founding member, with his younger brother Jimmy, of controversial independent rock band The Frogs. He is the primary percussionist for the band...
began playing as the "Gila Monsters" and "Stupid Frogs" in 1980, frequenting Milwaukee clubs and coffeehouses.
In 1983, bassist Jay Tiller joined the group. That same year, Jimmy began wearing what was to become his trademark stage gimmick, a pair of six-foot bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
wings, inspired by the band's set list, which at that time featured many glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
songs about death and gloom. Soon the brothers also began wearing wig
Wig
A wig is a head of hair made from horsehair, human hair, wool, feathers, yak hair, buffalo hair, or synthetic materials which is worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig and first...
s at their performances, and using pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
. Hence, "wings and wigs" became synonymous with the band.
Although in their early days the Frogs played mostly in coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
s, they developed a larger following due mostly to their fan-friendly shows.
In 1988, Brian Hill joined The Frogs as bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
; he continues to make appearances with the group.
That same year saw two significant events related to the Frogs' recording career. The first event was the release of the Frogs' first, self-titled album, which they began recording in 1986. Sources disagree on whether the album was self-released or released by Drag City Records; it's undisputed, however, that only about 1,000 copies were pressed.
The second event ended up bringing the group to public attention: Jay Tiller gave a tape of the Frogs' improvised home recordings to his friend 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...
, and the tape eventually made its way to Gerard Cosloy
Gerard Cosloy
Gerard Cosloy is an American music industry executive.-Biography:Cosloy was raised in Wayland, Massachusetts, a western suburb of Boston. While he was in high school, he became involved in the local hardcore punk scene, put together many punk shows, and started Conflict, a mimeographed fanzine of...
, then head of Homestead Records. Cosloy approached the band and offered to release an album.
The Frogs were hoping that Homestead would re-release their first album, but Cosloy wanted to release an LP of the group's improvised home recordings, originally recorded on 4-track reel-to-reel with two microphones, which dealt with over-the-top homo-eroticism. Since the tapes had not been intended to be released, the group hedged at first, but eventually they relented, and mixed a 14 track collection of songs. The result was It's Only Right and Natural
It's Only Right And Natural
It's Only Right and Natural is the second album by the band The Frogs and was released in 1989 by Homestead Records. Gerard Cosloy, who was in charge of Homestead at the time, came into possession of some of the Flemion Brothers' improvised homemade tapes and signed them to the label...
, The Frogs' second LP. Songs like "Been a Month Since I Had a Man" and "Gather 'Round for Savior #2" gave the album (and the band) a unique theme. Homestead announced that The Frogs were leaders in a "new gay supremacy movement," and the media ran with it.
The album was received with mixed reactions; some listeners were ecstatic, while others, who either disliked the subject matter or misunderstood the concept, were not as enthusiastic. In the gay press, writer Adam Block wrote, "I'd find the record a lot more remarkable if I believed the Frogs were actually gay." It's Only Right and Natural was even denounced by Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
on The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
and a number of conservative religious organizations as proof of Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
's control over the entertainment industry.
Grunge and success: 1990-2000
In 1991, the Frogs produced a new album titled Racially YoursRacially Yours
Racially Yours is an album recorded by the band The Frogs. The album was originally presented to Homestead Records in 1991, but they refused to release it because of its controversial subject matter. At this point the album only consisted of the first 12 songs...
, which included songs sung from the point of view of both blacks and whites who find themselves in various race-related situations and predicaments. The lyrics are equally serious and satirical. The Frogs' label Homestead
Homestead Records
Homestead Records was a Long Island, NY based sublabel of music distributor Dutch East India Trading. It was founded in 1984 by Sam Berger, who was the American Independent buyer for Dutch East India Trading. Berger was finding that many bands who had perhaps released their own first 45 were...
was unwilling to release Racially Yours
Racially Yours
Racially Yours is an album recorded by the band The Frogs. The album was originally presented to Homestead Records in 1991, but they refused to release it because of its controversial subject matter. At this point the album only consisted of the first 12 songs...
(although the album was distributed freely by fans). It was eventually released in 2000 by the Four Alarm label. The Frogs' further plans for a live album went unfulfilled, as labels they pursued all seemed to be suffering through bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and management problems. Jay Tiller left the band in 1992, to be replaced by Damian Strigens, although there were several substitutes in the meantime, including such notables as Eddie Roeser from Urge Overkill
Urge Overkill
Urge Overkill is an alternative rock band, formed in Chicago, United States, consisting of Nash Kato , and Eddie "King" Roeser . Their cover of Neil Diamond's song "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" appeared prominently in the movie Pulp Fiction, and became a hit in 1994...
and Kelley Deal
Kelley Deal
Kelley Deal is an American musician. The identical twin sister of Kim Deal, she is the lead guitarist of The Breeders, besides having a solo career.- Early days :...
from The Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
.
The Frogs, through their unique sense of humor, have gained a small but very devoted fan base. Although critics have attacked the Frogs for poor taste, well-known bands and performers have come to their defense. In 1993, The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
' frontman Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
saw The Frogs at a small club in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, and invited them to open for The Pumpkins. The Frogs were soon opening for Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Mudhoney, Urge Overkill
Urge Overkill
Urge Overkill is an alternative rock band, formed in Chicago, United States, consisting of Nash Kato , and Eddie "King" Roeser . Their cover of Neil Diamond's song "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" appeared prominently in the movie Pulp Fiction, and became a hit in 1994...
, and other bands who were fans of the group, to mixed reaction.
Kurt Cobain and Nirvana
After meeting NirvanaNirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
singer Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
in 1993, The Frogs wrote two songs about him and also made him a videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
, Toy Porno
Toy Porno
Toy Porno is a self-released experimental art film by The Frogs. The amateur videotape was compiled in October 1993, as a gift for Kurt Cobain. It would soon become frequent viewing material on the Nirvana tour bus, and later on the Foo Fighters tour bus as well...
. The VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
featured select live performances and stop-motion animation with painted action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s. Action figures and dolls were used as sexually promiscuous characters in various short sketches. The tape became constant viewing material on Nirvana's tour bus. The videotape has since been made available to fans and has become a cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
.
Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins
In the summerSummer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
of 1994, the Frogs played the second stage at Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
, with Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
joining them at every stop, shredding away on lead guitar for their encore of "I Only Play 4 Money" and "Lord Grunge." Corgan continued to support and promote The Frogs by producing a short film, "Meet the Frogs," which he included on the Smashing Pumpkins' 1994 Vieuphoria
Vieuphoria
Vieuphoria is a long form music video by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, originally released on VHS on October 4, 1994 and DVD on November 26, 2002...
video compilation. The short film brought the group recognition, but it has also confused Smashing Pumpkins fans who don't know if they should take the band seriously or not.
From August 1996 to February 1997, Dennis Flemion replaced Smashing Pumpkins' recently-deceased keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin
Jonathan Melvoin
Jonathan Melvoin was an American musician active in the 1980s and 1990s.He was the brother of Susannah and Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution. He first learned to play drums, and was cited by friends and relatives as one of those people who could play anything...
for the Pumpkins' Infinite Sadness Tour. During each night's encore, Jimmy Flemion performed "1979
1979 (song)
"1979" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Released in 1996 as the second single from their third studio album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, "1979" was written by frontman Billy Corgan, and features loops and samples that were uncharacteristic of previous...
" (which was influenced by an unreleased Frogs song, "Pleasure") with the Smashing Pumpkins, as well as selecting audience members to dance on stage. The Flemion brothers also appeared on The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight" single, and sang backing vocals on 1998's Adore.
Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
included The Frogs' cover of "Rearviewmirror" (credited to all members of Pearl Jam, but largely written by lead singer Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
) as the b-side to their "Immortality" single. The following year, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
released a song called "Smile" on their No Code
No Code
No Code is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1996 through Epic Records. Following a troubled tour for its previous album, Vitalogy , in which Pearl Jam engaged in a much-publicized boycott of Ticketmaster, the band went into the studio...
album. According to a story that Vedder told while performing in Milwaukee in 2006, the lyrics of "Smile" were taken directly from a note that Dennis Flemion hid inside Vedder's notebook when Vedder was on stage performing. The words used in the note are taken from the Frogs songs "This Is How I Feel" and "Now I Wanna Be Dead." Dennis also gave Vedder a small pair of bat wings from the Frogs' early days, and Vedder has proudly displayed them behind his guitar amplifier. The wings reportedly can be seen on the front cover of Pearl Jam's Touring Band 2000
Touring Band 2000
Touring Band 2000 is the second DVD release by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, culled from performances from the North American legs of the band's 2000 Binaural Tour...
.
Although Pearl Jam is not known to have ever performed a Frogs song, Eddie Vedder has sung "I Only Play 4 Money," "Starboy," and "The Longing Goes Away" with The Frogs on more than one occasion.
Sebastian Bach
In 1997, Jimmy Flemion joined Sebastian BachSebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted within Broadway plays, and leads a successful solo career.-Early life:Bach was born Sebastian...
's touring band. Rather than stripping Jimmy of his trademark bat wings, the whole band adopted costumes as well. Jimmy also recorded a side project called The Last Hard Men with Bach, Kelley Deal
Kelley Deal
Kelley Deal is an American musician. The identical twin sister of Kim Deal, she is the lead guitarist of The Breeders, besides having a solo career.- Early days :...
and Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin is an American drummer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last...
. Bach also performed "Lord Grunge" with The Frogs on an infamous 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....
appearance on Oddville. The Frogs destroyed their set and broke several rules set forth by the show's producers, so the producers retaliated by only broadcasting the first verse of the song.
Records and record releases
In 1994, The Frogs followed Gerard CosloyGerard Cosloy
Gerard Cosloy is an American music industry executive.-Biography:Cosloy was raised in Wayland, Massachusetts, a western suburb of Boston. While he was in high school, he became involved in the local hardcore punk scene, put together many punk shows, and started Conflict, a mimeographed fanzine of...
to a new label, Matador Records
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
, releasing two singles. They also recorded the EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Starjob
Starjob
Starjob is an EP by The Frogs that was recorded in 1994, and finally released in 1997. Billy Corgan produced the record under the alias "Johnny Goat", and Jimmy Chamberlin played bongos on the song "Raped"....
, produced by Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
(who used the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Johnny Goat); however, the album was not released at that point.
In 1996, Matador released an album of old home-recorded and improvised Frogs material called My Daughter the Broad
My Daughter the Broad
My Daughter the Broad is the third album released by The Frogs. It is a compilation of improvised homemade recordings that were mostly recorded in the late 1980s. Many of these songs continue themes from It's Only Right And Natural such as homosexual supremacy and social conservative fears...
. It became another cult classic, with fans shouting out many of the song's titles and lyrics at every show.
In 1997, Starjob
Starjob
Starjob is an EP by The Frogs that was recorded in 1994, and finally released in 1997. Billy Corgan produced the record under the alias "Johnny Goat", and Jimmy Chamberlin played bongos on the song "Raped"....
was finally released, by Scratchie Records
Scratchie Records
Scratchie Records was an independent record label founded in 1995 by James Iha and D'arcy Wretzky , Adam Schlesinger , Kerry Brown and Jeremy Freeman....
(founded by James Iha
James Iha
James Yoshinobu Iha b. March 26, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois) is a Japanese American rock musician. He is best known as having been a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins and for his eclectic musical projects of recent years, most notably being a permanent...
, among others). But the EP almost immediately went out of print when it failed to sell enough units to satisfy the label. Starjob
Starjob
Starjob is an EP by The Frogs that was recorded in 1994, and finally released in 1997. Billy Corgan produced the record under the alias "Johnny Goat", and Jimmy Chamberlin played bongos on the song "Raped"....
contains well-produced studio tracks, including "Lord Grunge" and one of the most well known Frogs songs, "I Only Play 4 Money."
In 1999, the Frogs covered "Vacation" by the Go-Go's for a tribute album. In that same year, the Four Alarm label issued another LP of the Frogs' old home-recorded and improvised material, called Bananimals
Bananimals
Bananimals is an album recorded by the band The Frogs. It was released in 1999 on Four Alarm Records. It is the third in a series of Frogs albums that contain improvised home recordings. The album continues the themes of homosexual and sadistic eroticism, but also briefly touches on the music...
; the unreleased Racially Yours
Racially Yours
Racially Yours is an album recorded by the band The Frogs. The album was originally presented to Homestead Records in 1991, but they refused to release it because of its controversial subject matter. At this point the album only consisted of the first 12 songs...
album followed in 2000. To support these two releases, the Frogs played in 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...
for the first time. However, they were stopped at Canadian Customs as officials seized all of their merchandise, declaring it "pornographic." The Frogs had to play their Canadian shows without any merchandise to sell.
2001-present
The Frogs' studio effort Hopscotch Lollipop Sunday SurpriseHopscotch Lollipop Sunday Surprise
Hopscotch Lollipop Sunday Surprise is a studio album by The Frogs, released in 2001. Although brushing on satirical homoerotic and religious themes, the album chiefly consists of serious love songs. There is also a cover of "Billy 1", a 1973 song by Bob Dylan...
was released by Scratchie in 2001. However, Scratchie wasn't happy with the finished album, and they put it out of print after only a few months, just like they had with the previous Starjob
Starjob
Starjob is an EP by The Frogs that was recorded in 1994, and finally released in 1997. Billy Corgan produced the record under the alias "Johnny Goat", and Jimmy Chamberlin played bongos on the song "Raped"....
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. Fans were still enthusiastic about the band's Scratchie releases, regardless .
After Damien Strigens exited the band in 1998, past bassists such as Brian Hill and Jay Tiller returned for some appearances, while some new bassists began performing with the band, including Josh Silverman, David Geschke, and John W. Busher. Australian Ben Lee
Ben Lee
Benjamin Michael "Ben" Lee is an ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake...
made a special guest appearance on bass in New York City on September 28, 2001.
In 2004, R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis, crowd-surfed at a Frogs concert at First Avenue, a popular nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in the Twin Cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
, fulfilling a promise made earlier in the summer when the club temporarily closed due to financial difficulties.
The group played a 25th anniversary concert at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee in 2005. Jimmy Flemion opened the show by singing "Now You Know You're Black"m from Racially Yours
Racially Yours
Racially Yours is an album recorded by the band The Frogs. The album was originally presented to Homestead Records in 1991, but they refused to release it because of its controversial subject matter. At this point the album only consisted of the first 12 songs...
. One attendee noted, "[I]t was a successful fiasco once again...Jimmy is really cute when he wears the bear hat as part of his costume."
Some more recent appearances: on November 13, 2007, Jimmy Flemion performed with the Smashing Pumpkins at The Backyard in Austin, TX. The Frogs also opened for the Pumpkins on December 7, 2008, in Chicago.
In 2009, the Frogs were part of the lineup for UK 2009 Weekend Two, curated by The Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
, of the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
music festival. The band was chosen by Animal Collective
Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an experimental psychedelic band originally from Baltimore, Maryland, currently based in New York City. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare , Panda Bear , Deakin , and Geologist...
to perform the album It's Only Right & Natural in its entirety at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival in May 2011.
Studio albums
- The FrogsThe Frogs (album)The Frogs is a self-titled debut album by The Frogs. It was originally released in limited quantities ,] and was re-released on CD by Moikai Records in 1999. The album was recorded on 8-Track at Pearl Studios in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it took a long time to record because of the engineer's...
(1988) - It's Only Right and NaturalIt's Only Right And NaturalIt's Only Right and Natural is the second album by the band The Frogs and was released in 1989 by Homestead Records. Gerard Cosloy, who was in charge of Homestead at the time, came into possession of some of the Flemion Brothers' improvised homemade tapes and signed them to the label...
(1989) - My Daughter the BroadMy Daughter the BroadMy Daughter the Broad is the third album released by The Frogs. It is a compilation of improvised homemade recordings that were mostly recorded in the late 1980s. Many of these songs continue themes from It's Only Right And Natural such as homosexual supremacy and social conservative fears...
(1996) - BananimalsBananimalsBananimals is an album recorded by the band The Frogs. It was released in 1999 on Four Alarm Records. It is the third in a series of Frogs albums that contain improvised home recordings. The album continues the themes of homosexual and sadistic eroticism, but also briefly touches on the music...
(1999) - Racially YoursRacially YoursRacially Yours is an album recorded by the band The Frogs. The album was originally presented to Homestead Records in 1991, but they refused to release it because of its controversial subject matter. At this point the album only consisted of the first 12 songs...
(2000) - Hopscotch Lollipop Sunday SurpriseHopscotch Lollipop Sunday SurpriseHopscotch Lollipop Sunday Surprise is a studio album by The Frogs, released in 2001. Although brushing on satirical homoerotic and religious themes, the album chiefly consists of serious love songs. There is also a cover of "Billy 1", a 1973 song by Bob Dylan...
(2001)
Singles and EPs
- Now You Know You're Black (1994), Matador Records
- Here Comes Santa's Pussy (1995), Matador Records
- StarjobStarjobStarjob is an EP by The Frogs that was recorded in 1994, and finally released in 1997. Billy Corgan produced the record under the alias "Johnny Goat", and Jimmy Chamberlin played bongos on the song "Raped"....
EP (1997)
Split EPs
- with Pearl Jam: Immortality/RearviewmirrorImmortality (Pearl Jam song)"Immortality" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on June 6, 1995 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Vitalogy . Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it was primarily written by vocalist Eddie Vedder. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard...
(1995), Epic Records - with Wesley Willis FiascoWesley Willis FiascoThe Wesley Willis Fiasco was an American punk rock band based in Wicker Park, Chicago, Illinois.-History:The band was formed by Wesley Willis on vocals, Pat Barnard on lead guitar, and his friend Dale Meiners on guitar and bass. Dale Meiners previously played guitar in Billy Corgan's pre-Smashing...
: The Frogs do Wesley WillisWesley WillisWesley Willis was a musician and artist from Chicago. A diagnosed chronic schizophrenic, he gained an enormous cult following in the 1990s after releasing several hundred songs of simple but unique music, with emphasis on his humorous, bizarre, and frequently obscene lyrics...
/Wesley Willis Does the Frogs (1996), Sympathy for the Record Industry
Compilations
- Night of the Living Dead (1993) Massacre at Central Hi Records
- Bruce Lee, Heroin, and the Punk Scene (1993) Massacre at Central Hi Records
- Punk Rock X-Mas (1995) Rhino Records
- What's Up Matador? (1997) Matador Records
- Too Much Scratchie Makes You Itch (1997) Scratchie Records
- Live Music From a Dead Campus (1998) WFMUWFMUWFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
- Unsealed: A Tribute to The Go-Go'sThe Go-Go'sThe 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....
(1999) 4 Alarm Records - Better than God: Greatest Hits
External links
- The Frogs on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- The Frogs Archive
- The Frogs Fansite (wiki)
- Frogs Biography on RLM
- TheFrogs.net on Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...