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EspañolTHE FLESHTONES
'The Fleshtones' are a U.S. rock & roll band that blends Garage Rock and R&B. They are famous for their high-energy live shows and dedicated celebration of party music. In 2006 they marked their 30th anniversary as the only band from the mid-70s New York City Punk/New Wave scene that hasn't had an inactive year.
History
Outsiders (1976-1979)
The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 by 'Keith Streng' (b. 1955) and Jan-Marek Pakulski (b. 1956), two Queens, New York roommates who discovered that a previous tenant had left behind some instruments in their basement. Streng, on guitar, and Pakulski, on bass, were soon joined by neighborhood friends 'Peter Zaremba' (b. 1954) on harmonica, keyboards, and vocals, and Lenny Calderon (b. 1958) on drums. The Fleshtones quickly became famous locally for their basement dance parties fueled by Blue Whale cocktails.
The Fleshtones debuted at CBGB on May 19, 1976, and began touring in earnest in the early-80s. Starting in 1978, the group was often joined on-stage by Action Combo: brothers Gordon (alto sax and harmonica) and Brian (tenor sax) Spaeth. Gordon Spaeth (1951-2005) became an official band member in 1983.
In the late-70s The Fleshtones were derided by some fans and critics on the scene as a "twist band," and viewed as outsiders because of their then-unfashionable allegiance to the spirit of 50s and 60s rock & roll. However, the band earned a large local following and played often in Manhattan at CBGB and Max's Kansas City, gaining a reputation for their wildly-energetic live shows. 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 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'', an influential performance-animation video comprised 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''.)
The Fleshtones' Eastern Seaboard popularity jumped with a highly-publicized Battle of the Bands win at New York University in February of 1979. They subsequently played at the Marathon ‘80 New-No-Now Wave Rock Festival in Minneapolis, MN, in September of that same year.
The I.R.S. Years (1980-1985)
In 1980, with the Red Star Records album unreleased (later issued on cassette on ROIR, now available on CD and vinyl), the Fleshtones were snapped up by Miles Copeland at I.R.S. Records (R.E.M., The Go-Gos) where they would work with producers Richard Mazda and Richard Gottehrer. The band replaced Calderon with drummer 'Bill Milhizer' (b. 1948), 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.
The band never became a commercial success: ''Roman Gods'' debuted at #174 on Billboard’s album chart, the highest position that a Fleshtones album would attain.
From 1984 to 1987, Zaremba was the host of ''The Cutting Edge'' on MTV. 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, where Streng booked shows at the weekly "Mod Teepee," and The Fleshtones were instrumental in helping to start Wigstock, the drag-queen festival that became a New York City staple. 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.
Era of the Indies: 1986 to date
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 Berry and James Brown. They released ''Fleshtones vs. Reality'' (studio) in 1987 and ''Soul Madrid'' (live) in 1989. That same year, I.R.S. Records released a best-of compilation, ''Living Legends''. In 1986, Pakulski left The Fleshtones. Robert (Burke) Warren, Fred Smith (Television), and Andy Shernoff (The Dictators) shared bass duties until 1990, when 'Ken Fox' (b. 1961) joined. Fox, who had formed Raving Mojos in Toronto and played in Jason and The Scorchers, has been with The Fleshtones ever since.
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). In the 90s and 00s, in addition to self-producing in Paul Johnson's Compactor basement studio in Brooklyn, New York, The Fleshtones worked with producers Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus), Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Steve Albini, Rick Miller (Southern Culture on the Skids), Jim Diamond (The Dirtbombs), and Ivan Julian (The Voidoids). In 2003 The Fleshtones signed with Yep Roc Records, an indie label, which has released ''Do You Swing?'' (2003) and ''Beachhead'' (2005). A new album, ''Take A Good Look,'' is scheduled for release in January of 2008.
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. In December of 2003 The Fleshtones played at a CBGB 30th Anniversary show along with The Dictators, and in August of 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.
SUPER ROCK
The Fleshtones describe the music they play as 'SUPER ROCK'.
★ Peter Zaremba: "Super Rock is all of the great elements that make rock & roll the great and vital thing that excites people rolled into one, without saying, ''this is disco'' or ''this is garage rock''. Putting it together and rolling it up into one big greasy ball: that’s Super Rock."
★ Bill Milhizer: "Super Rock is taking the best, most exciting elements of rock & roll, and exaggerating and amplifying them beyond proportion, with no apology whatsoever."
Book
In 2007, Continuum Books published ''Sweat: The Story of The Fleshtones, America's Garage Band'', by Joe Bonomo.
Tribute
''Vindicated! A Tribute to The Fleshtones'' will be released in the fall of 2007 on vinyl by Larsen Records (France) and on CD by Dirty Water Records (U.K.). The album features 22 international bands (including Hoodoo Gurus, the Nomads & Handsome Dick Manitoba, the Slickee Boys, the Woggles, the Swingin' Neckbreakers, and others) covering songs spanning the Fleshtones' career.
Members
★ Keith Streng—guitar & vocals
★ Peter Zaremba—lead vocals, harmonica & organ
★ Bill Milhizer—drums & vocals (1980-present)
★ Ken Fox—bass & vocals (1990-present)
'Former members'
★ Jan-Marek Pakulski—bass, vocals (1976-1986)
★ Gordon Spaeth—sax, harmonica, organ, vocals (1978-1988)
★ Robert [Burke] Warren—bass, vocals (1986-1988)
★ Lenny Calderon—drums, vocals (1976-1979)
★ Brian Spaeth—sax (1978-1981)
★ Fred Smith—bass (1988-1989; for-hire basis)
★ Andy Shernoff—bass (1989-1990; for-hire basis)
★ Danny Gilbert—guitar (1976)
★ Mitchell Ames—guitar (1979)
★ Walter Scezney—bass (1979)
Selected discography
Albums, EPs, and singles
★ American Beat b/w Critical List 7" (Red Star) 1979
★ ''Up-Front'' EP (I.R.S.) 1980
★ ''Roman Gods'' LP/cassette (I.R.S.) 1982 + CD [limited] (Eur. I.R.S.) 1990
★ Roman Gods [Dance Remix] b/w Ride Your Pony + Chinese Kitchen 12" (I.R.S.) 1982
★ ''Blast Off!'' [recorded in 1978] cassette (ROIR) 1982 + CD (ROIR) 1990 + CD (ROIR/Fr. Danceteria) 1993 + CD (Red Star) 1997 + LP (Sp. Munster) 2001 + LP (Get Hip) 2002
★ ''Hexbreaker!'' LP/cassette (I.R.S.) 1983
★ American Beat ‘84 + Hall of Fame b/w Mean Ole’ Lonesome Train + Super Hexbreaker 12” EP (Fr. I.R.S.) 1984
★ ''Speed Connection'' LP (Fr. I.R.S.) 1985
★ ''Speed Connection II: The Final Chapter'' LP/cassette (I.R.S.) 1985
★ ''Fleshtones vs. Reality'' LP/cassette/CD (Emergo) 1987
★ ''The Fleshtones: Living Legends Series'' CD (I.R.S.) 1989
★ ''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
★ ''Angry Years 1984-1986'' CD (Sp. Imposible) 1994 + CD (Amsterdamned) 1997
★ ''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
★ ''Do You Swing?'' CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2003
★ ''Beachhead'' CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2005 + LP (It. Nicotine Records) (2006)
★ ''Take A Good Look'' CD/LP (Yep Roc) 2008
Compilation appearances
★ ''Marty Thau Presents 2 X 5'' (1980; reissued 2005)
★ ''Start Swimming'' (1981)
★ ''Bachelor Party'' soundtrack (1984; reissued 2003)
★ ''Time Bomb: Fleshtones Present The Big Bang Theory'' (1988)
★ ''New York Rockers: Manhattan’s Original Rock Underground'' (1989)
★ ''Shangri-La: A Tribute to The Kinks'' (1989)
★ ''Turban Renewal: A Tribute to Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs'' (1994)
★ ''Dictators Forever Forever Dictators: A Tribute to The Dictators, Vol. 1'' (1996)
★ ''Super Bad @ 65: A Tribute to James Brown'' (1998)
★ ''Guitar Ace: Tribute to Link Wray'' (2003)
★ ''Children Of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era 1976-1995'' (2005)
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
Side projects
Fleshtones side projects have included Peter Zaremba's Love Delegation, and Streng's bands Full Time Men (which featured Peter Buck) and The Master Plan (with Andy Shernoff).
External links
★ The Fleshtones on MySpace
★ Sweat: The Story of The Fleshtones, America's Garage Band on MySpace
★ Fleshography (complete international discography)
★ The Fleshtones Archive (articles, reviews, interviews, and commentary from 1977 to the present)
★ Yep Roc Records (The Fleshtones' label)
★ Nicotine Records
References
★ The Fleshtones at AllMusic
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