The Yuppie Pricks
Encyclopedia
The Yuppie Pricks are a five-piece punk rock band from Austin, Texas
. They "deal in reverse psychology punk by ironically celebrating the materialist excesses of the upwardly mobile in songs like 'Greed Is Good', 'Fraternity Days', and 'Fuck You, I’m Rich', which are tinged with old school UK punk, Black Flag and Dead Kennedys
touches."
Alternately described as "raucous, straight-ahead punk" and "American Psycho hardcore with a wicked sense of humor" the Yuppie Pricks are frequently lauded for their live performances, where they've been known to "wear John McEnroe-era tennis gear and denounce the 'service industry scum' who come to their shows."
And "while their music has much in common with the Buzzcocks and the Sex Pistols, their backgrounds and lyrics do not... they see their shows as punk PowerPoint presentations, though few sales meetings are as raunchy and cruel as YP shows, where the wretched losers who come to see them are peppered with abuse, lectured on the wonders of laissez-faire capitalism and showered with dollar bills."
Notably, director John Waters cited the Yuppie Pricks song 'Coke Party' in a Variety interview as one of "five songs that mean a lot to me."
Following numerous local gigs and an appearance at SXSW
in 2003, drummer Darin Murano exited the band, due to a case of aggravated tendinitis. Murano was temporarily replaced by Ken Dannelley (ex-Stretford, Hamicks) - but it wasn't until British expatriate Nigel Smythen-Wesson arrived that a permanent replacement was found.
A return performance at SXSW 2004 followed, during which the band was courted by former Dead Kennedys frontman, Jello Biafra
, and subsequently signed on with his Alternative Tentacles
imprint, who released 2005's Brokers Banquet. Recorded at Bubble Studios by Chris 'Frenchie' Smith (ex-Sixteen Deluxe, Young Heart Attack
), and mixed by Mark Hutchins (Rockland Eagles), Brokers Banquet, which parodied the Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet
cover art, featured a more hard-edged 'rock' influence, combined with the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and punk-fueled aggression of the first album.
Along with the more aggressive sound came a transition from a four-piece to a five-piece line-up, with bassist Preston Hetherington switching over to second guitar, and the band recruiting Ricky the Intern from the 'Zero Skills Employment Agency' (according to their bio) on bass. With last-minute addition Trey Robles (ex-Hard Feelings) on drums, the band toured the East Coast in Spring of 2005, hitting renowned punk-rock enclave, CBGB
in New York City
, as well as recording a live broadcast for XM Satellite Radio
, at the invitation of Lou Brutus of the station's Fungus 53 channel. Fungus 53 later named Broker's Banquet one of the top 25 punk albums of 2005, and John Peel kicked-off his BBC broadcast during SXSW 2005 with the Yuppie Pricks song, 'Cherry Red'.
Following an extended hiatus, the Yuppie Pricks released their third full-length disc in 2008, Balls, on Chicken Ranch Records, an album where "the irony drips like bacon fat," "to negate everything you ever thought about punk," and which "recontextualizes classics from punk’s ever-growing classic history (Buzzcocks, Big Boys! etc.) and creates new oil guzzling and FOX news approved republican punk anthems." Once again, the Yuppie Pricks dipped into their decidedly un-punk past to parody the Black Crowes' infamous Amorica album, featuring their own male-enhanced take on the 70's-era Hustler-inspired cover art, and landing them in the October 2008 issue of Blender Magazine.
Additionally, selected tracks from Balls, including 'Donkey Show' and 'Fuck You, I'm Rich', were put in heavy rotation on XM Satellite Radio's Fungus 53 punk channel.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. They "deal in reverse psychology punk by ironically celebrating the materialist excesses of the upwardly mobile in songs like 'Greed Is Good', 'Fraternity Days', and 'Fuck You, I’m Rich', which are tinged with old school UK punk, Black Flag and Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
touches."
Alternately described as "raucous, straight-ahead punk" and "American Psycho hardcore with a wicked sense of humor" the Yuppie Pricks are frequently lauded for their live performances, where they've been known to "wear John McEnroe-era tennis gear and denounce the 'service industry scum' who come to their shows."
And "while their music has much in common with the Buzzcocks and the Sex Pistols, their backgrounds and lyrics do not... they see their shows as punk PowerPoint presentations, though few sales meetings are as raunchy and cruel as YP shows, where the wretched losers who come to see them are peppered with abuse, lectured on the wonders of laissez-faire capitalism and showered with dollar bills."
Notably, director John Waters cited the Yuppie Pricks song 'Coke Party' in a Variety interview as one of "five songs that mean a lot to me."
History
Formed in 1999 by self-styled "pharmaceutical business magnate" Trevor Middleton and "third-generation divorce lawyer" Deuce Hollingsworth, the band then recorded their self-produced, self-released debut, Initial Public Offering.South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
in 2003, drummer Darin Murano exited the band, due to a case of aggravated tendinitis. Murano was temporarily replaced by Ken Dannelley (ex-Stretford, Hamicks) - but it wasn't until British expatriate Nigel Smythen-Wesson arrived that a permanent replacement was found.
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
, and subsequently signed on with his Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
imprint, who released 2005's Brokers Banquet. Recorded at Bubble Studios by Chris 'Frenchie' Smith (ex-Sixteen Deluxe, Young Heart Attack
Young Heart Attack
Young Heart Attack are a high energy rock band from Austin, Texas which formed in 2001. Chris "Frenchie" Smith and bassist Steven T. Hall had previously been in the Sixteen Deluxe and Joey Shuffield in Fastball.-Lineup:...
), and mixed by Mark Hutchins (Rockland Eagles), Brokers Banquet, which parodied the Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet
Beggars Banquet
- Personnel :The Rolling Stones* Mick Jagger – lead and backing vocals, harmonica on "Parachute Woman"* Keith Richards – acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar on "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man", backing vocals, lead vocals on opening of "Salt of the Earth"* Brian...
cover art, featured a more hard-edged 'rock' influence, combined with the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and punk-fueled aggression of the first album.
Along with the more aggressive sound came a transition from a four-piece to a five-piece line-up, with bassist Preston Hetherington switching over to second guitar, and the band recruiting Ricky the Intern from the 'Zero Skills Employment Agency' (according to their bio) on bass. With last-minute addition Trey Robles (ex-Hard Feelings) on drums, the band toured the East Coast in Spring of 2005, hitting renowned punk-rock enclave, 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...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, as well as recording a live broadcast for XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
, at the invitation of Lou Brutus of the station's Fungus 53 channel. Fungus 53 later named Broker's Banquet one of the top 25 punk albums of 2005, and John Peel kicked-off his BBC broadcast during SXSW 2005 with the Yuppie Pricks song, 'Cherry Red'.
Following an extended hiatus, the Yuppie Pricks released their third full-length disc in 2008, Balls, on Chicken Ranch Records, an album where "the irony drips like bacon fat," "to negate everything you ever thought about punk," and which "recontextualizes classics from punk’s ever-growing classic history (Buzzcocks, Big Boys! etc.) and creates new oil guzzling and FOX news approved republican punk anthems." Once again, the Yuppie Pricks dipped into their decidedly un-punk past to parody the Black Crowes' infamous Amorica album, featuring their own male-enhanced take on the 70's-era Hustler-inspired cover art, and landing them in the October 2008 issue of Blender Magazine.
Additionally, selected tracks from Balls, including 'Donkey Show' and 'Fuck You, I'm Rich', were put in heavy rotation on XM Satellite Radio's Fungus 53 punk channel.
Albums
- Initial Public Offering (YP Records, 2001)
- Brokers Banquet (Alternative Tentacles, 2005)
- Balls (Chicken Ranch, 2008)