|
Rock 'N Roll Case Study: The Slickee Boys
The Slickee Boys started in 1976 and were led by the blistering dual guitar attack of Kim Kane and Marshall Keith. The name and stage outfits were unique-the name is Asian for "thugs" while typical outfits featured wild colors and cool graphics to go along with Keith's trademark pink and black guitar and Kane's outlandish get-ups. The band quickly made a name for themselves in the DC club scene as word of the energetic rave-ups at shows spread. The band was without precedent in the area and flew in the face of processed drum beats and boring disco crap that was dominating the airwaves in the mid 1970's. The punk scene was still in its infancy and really wouldn't take off in DC until around 1980. But crowds looking for something new embraced The Slickee Boys. Even though they were not really a punk band they were influenced by so called 1960's "punk" bands that had faded into obscurity. But they were the leaders of this new music scene and helped other local bands starting out. Bad Brains first went into the studio after passing a demo tape to The Slickee Boys. The band urged them to go into Inner Ear studios and record with Don Zientara, which they quickly did. The first line-up featured female vocalist Martha Hull, who brought a gritty roots rock approach to the band. With bizarrely titled songs such as "Manganese Android Hushpuppies" and out of the ordinary covers like "The Girls Want To Be With The Girls" by The Talking Heads, the band certainly stood out from the crowd. Their 1st EP was entitled Hot and Cool and came out in May 1976. In some circles it has been called the 3rd "new wave" record to ever be released. This was quickly followed by the Separated Vegetables EP in 1977 that featured tracks like "Six Feet Under". Both these records were self-released on the bands small Dacoit Records imprint. The Mersey, Mersey Me record came out on the Rockville, MD Limp Records label (a pun on the British "Stiff" record company). One of the highlights of this record is Kim Kane's anti-disco manifesto-"Put A Bullet Through The Jukebox" sung convincingly by Martha Hull. For those who couldn't keep up with all these EP's, a German record label called Line Records came to the rescue and put almost all of these tracks (except oddly none of the Separated Vegetables material) on the Here To Stay compilation. With its cool yellow cover of a samurai attacking and hip white vinyl this was a great release that held together surprisingly well-coming from so many sources. The line-up consisted of Marshall Keith on lead guitar, Kim Kane on rhythm guitar, Emory Oxela on bass guitar, Dan Palenski on drums and on a few tracks new singer Mark Noone. (Noone had first appeared on the Third EP). With Martha Hull no longer in the band, The Slickee Boys headed into a new realm. Mark Noone's vocals were smooth and polished and the lyrics featured more wit and creativity than past efforts. With Noone in the fold this is roughly the configuration that most fans would cherish from 1982 onward. While continuing to play in the DC area, the band began to gain notice outside of the area as well. The sold out shows and wild, almost rabid fans at each concert was well known here, but in 1983 Minneapolis, Minnesota's Twin Tone Records caught wind of The Slickee Boys. Twin Tone records was a daring indie label which was responsible for putting out the early records of The Replacements and Soul Asylum, among many others. A 7 inch single-"When I Go To The Beach" b/w "Invisible People" was released in 1983. 5000 copies were pressed and a respectable 2,221 were sold by Twin Tone. (This was actually a re-release of a Dacoit Records single of which 3000 were pressed in DC). The song was a good time party record-Noone sings about "drinking beer for breakfast" and partying all afternoon. A favorite at many a beach throwdown! The B-side is a spooky organ driven song that offers an interesting contrast to the usual Slickee fare. These songs were brought along for the ride on The Slickee Boys first "proper" record-1983's Cybernetic Dreams Of Pi. This record showed that The Slickee Boys had emerged out of The Cramps/Yardbirds garage and instead offered smartly crafted intelligent guitar pop with loads of hooks, careening guitar solos and good humor to boot. The record starts off with the bouncy "Escalator 66". Co-written by Marshall Keith and Mark Noone, drummer Dan Palenski later described the song as "Marshall's answer to 'Highway To Hell'. He must have figured if the other bands were taking the highway, the dumbass Slickees would be on the Escalator." Other stand-out tracks included "You've Got What It Takes" with one of the coolest instrumental "intros" of any song-period and "Time Spent Waiting". Pi is a superb debut that smashed any conceptions of what psychedelic or garage rock should sound like. This record ended up selling close to 7,000 copies. The line-up at this point consisted of Kane, Keith, Noone, Palenski and John Chumbris on bass, who also helped produce the record. For many fans this is considered the definitive line-up-but of course I'm sure there are some naysayers who may squabble on that point. The band continued on full steam ahead-even making a video for "When I Go To The Beach". The clip garnered some airplay on MTV-leading to the formation of "The Basement Tapes" on the video channel. This exposure would later lead to this song being featured in the 1987 retro-surf movie "Back To The Beach" which starred Frankie, Annette and an O.J. Simpson cameo! But in 1985 the band released their second record- Uh Oh…No Breaks! Recorded in Minneapolis at the Twin Tone studios, it featured some newly recorded versions of songs from their early EP's. But the line-up remained the same and this bond seems to cement on standout songs such as "Dream Lovers" and "Gotta Tell Me Why". "Gotta" got major airplay on local radio in DC at the time and was always a crowd-pleaser. But fun was still a priority as evidenced on the campy "The Brain That Refused To Die" and the light-hearted "Glendora". Noone's lyrics continued to supply stories that were whimsical and heartfelt at the same time-such as on "When We Were Kids". Another winner from The Slickee Boys, this record sold slightly over 9,000 copies. Somehow in this time period the band found time to record a side project called The Wanktones. It is a rockabilly record, and may throw die-hard fans for a loop. But for completists, it may be worth seeking out. Have A Ball Y'all! was put out by Midnight International Records in 1986. A follow-up entitled Live At The Bowlerama was put out locally some years later. Three years would pass before another Slickee Boys record would be released. But the band was far from inactive. In fact, this was the time that I was able to experience the group live for the first time-at the long gone Roxy in 1986. "Gotta Tell Me Why" stood out with lyrics like-"we left/in two separate cars/ one headed for circumstance/one headed for Mars/". Not your typical 1980's schlock by any means. In 1988, New Rose Records, a small French label put out Fashionably Late. Fashionably Late rounded off some of the rougher edges of the group's sound, but it still featured some killer tracks. "Dropping Off To Sleep" quickly became a live staple. Drummer Dan Palenski noted that "Noone wrote this, I think, about Marshall's ability to sleep anywhere at any time." "Sleepless Nights" written by bassist John Chumbris was a full tilt rocker that showed the variety that the band members brought to the songwriting table. But the biggest surprise was Kim Kane's "Your Autumn Eyes". A gorgeous ballad that sounds like a long-lost Smiths song, this effort elevates the record to a higher level. One listen and you'll be hooked. This record features the same line-up, although Dan Palenski had left the band and some of the drum tracks were supplemented by Giles Cook. Summer of 1988 saw the band embarking on their first European tour. France took an immediate liking to the band, resulting in a rollicking show at Ubu Rennes France on May 21, 1988 being committed to tape. New Rose Records released Live At Last in 1989. The CD also featured a new studio track- the hilarious "This Party Sucks" which is about- you guessed it-being stuck at a really bad shindig. But after this tour founding member Kim Kane decided to leave the group. Around this time frame, long-time bassist Chumbris departed as well. The band soldiered on, adding new recruits Mike Maxwell on bass and John Hansen on guitar. But in 1990 after 15 plus years together, the band decided to call it quits. All the band members stayed active in the music scene. Kim Kane went on to form Date Bait. Mark Noone and Dan Palenski both released singles in the late 1980's. Mark Noone now sings with the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours. John Chumbris plays with the North Carolina based Glory Fountain. Marshall Keith is currently working on solo material. Throughout the 1990's, The Slickee Boys have performed an annual reunion show in December at the 9:30 Club in DC. This has continued up until 2001. An anthology of their best songs was also released in 2002, winning a local "Wammie" award for best rock recording. The Slickee Boys played great, infectious garage rock. Sometimes their songs strayed from that genre, but they still always rocked. Smart, intelligent vocals, scorching dual guitars with screaming leads, and always showcasing an ultra-tight rhythm section, the Slickees took indie rock and gave it there own psychedelic twist. Countless bands such as R.E.M, Green Day, and The Replacements would be influenced by this approach, and alternative music was all the better for it. So if you have never heard a Slickee Boys song, you owe it yourself to seek their music out. You won't be disappointed. Who knows, perhaps the lucky local residents in Washington D.C. may get one more reunion show in 2003? Music fans can only hope.
Want more information on The Slickee Boys?
|
