The Fleshtones

All Music Guide:

Often tagged as garage rock revivalists, the Fleshtones mix the fuzz guitar and Farfisa organ sounds of that genre with rockabilly, '50s and '60s R&B, and surf into a potent retro stew the group likes to call "super rock." The group formed in 1976 in Queens, NY with vocalist/keyboardist Peter Zaremba, guitarist Keith Streng, bassist Jan Marek Pakulski, and drummer Bill Milhizer and aimed to return rock & roll to the simplicity and unselfconsciousness of the '50s and early '60s. (The group was often joined on-stage and in the studio by sax player Gordon Spaeth, who passed on in 2005.) The group fit nicely into New York's punk and new wave scene, and an early single, "American Beat," attracted the attention of independent label Red Star and, in time, IRS. The group's debut EP, Up-Front, was released in 1980 and was followed by its first full-length album, Roman Gods, and Blast Off!, an unreleased studio album recorded for Red Star in 1978. Hexbreaker, widely regarded as the Fleshtones' finest album, arrived in 1983. The band continued to record through the '80s and released Powerstance in 1992 and Beautiful Light in 1994. (Powerstance also marked the debut of new Fleshtones bassist Ken Fox, who replaced Pakulski in the lineup and has been with the group ever since.) While the group's popularity dipped under the radar in the last half of the '90s, in 2003 the Fleshtones bounded back when they were signed to the potent indie label Yep Roc Records and released one of their best albums, Do You Swing? An equally solid follow-up, Beachhead, was issued in 2005 and was produced in part by Detroit garage rock kingpin Jim Diamond. Fleshtones side projects have included Keith Streng's band Full Time Men, which featured R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, and Peter Zaremba's Love Delegation. In 2008, more than 30 years after the Fleshtones formed, they released Take a Good Look, proving their ability to be just as raucous as they were in the good ol' days. The band next brought in Lenny Kaye to guest on guitar for 2011’s Brooklyn Sound Solution, an album of mostly covers.

Wikipedia:

The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.

History

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, Lewiston, 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 1970s, 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.)

1980-1985

In 1980, with the Red Star Records album unreleased (later issued on cassette on ROIR, and subsequently on CD and vinyl), the Fleshtones were signed by Miles Copeland III 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-1990s at New York City's "Cavestomp" Garage Rock festivals.

In the mid-1980s, 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.

1986-1989

In the late 1980s, 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. 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.

1990-2002

Ken Fox (b. February 16, 1961, Toronto, 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.

2003 to present

In December 2003 The Fleshtones played at a CBGB 30th Anniversary show along with The Dictators, 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 1990s, 2000s (decade), and 2010s (decade), 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).

Book, Tribute, Feature Documentary, and Reissues

Members

Former members

Session/Touring

Horn players

Selected discography

Albums

EPs and singles

Compilations

Compilation (various artists)

Video / DVD

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).

Official website