The Fleshtones Explained

Fleshtones
Background:group_or_band
Origin:Queens, New York, United States
Genre:Rock and roll, garage rock
Years Active:1976 - present
Current Members:Keith Streng
Peter Zaremba
Bill Milhizer
Ken Fox
Past Members:Jan Marek Pakulski
Lenny Calderon
Danny Gilbert
Gordon Spaeth
Mitchell Ames
Walter Scezney
Robert Burke Warren
Label:Red Star Records (1978–80)
I.R.S. Records (1980–85)
ROIR
Ichiban Records (1992 - 98)
Telstar Records (1997 - 99)
Yep Roc Records (2003 - present)

The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York, United States, formed in 1976.[1]

History

1976–1979

The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York, by Keith Streng (born September 18, 1955, New York City) and Jan Marek Pakulski (born 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 (born September 16, 1954, Queens, New York), on harmonica, keyboards, and vocals, and Lenny Calderon (born 1956, New York City), on drums.[1] Starting in 1978, the group was often joined onstage by Action Combo, brothers Gordon (alto sax and harmonica) and Brian (tenor sax) Spaeth. Gordon Spaeth (September 21, 1951 – March 8, 2005) became an official band member in 1983.

The Fleshtones debuted at CBGB on May 19, 1976. 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 in Washington, D.C.

The Fleshtones shared a rehearsal space with The Cramps on the Bowery in Manhattan in 1977. The following year, The Fleshtones signed with Marty Thau's Red Star Records, and recorded their first album. In addition, filmmaker/artist M. Henry Jones and the band produced Soul City, a performance-animation video composed of hand-painted cutouts that is a historic representation of the band and Jones' art form. The Fleshtones' first single, titled "American Beat", was issued on Red Star in 1979.[1] [2]

1980–1989

In 1980, with the Red Star Records album not released (but 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,[1] where they worked with producers Richard Mazda and Richard Gottehrer. It was at this time that the band replaced Calderon with drummer Bill Milhizer (born September 21, 1948, Troy, New York), and appeared in the British punk/new wave film Urgh! A Music War, and released its first EP Up-Front. Four albums on I.R.S. followed: Roman Gods (1982), Hexbreaker!! (1983), and the live Speed Connection and Speed Connection II (1985).[1] In 1982, they appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand TV show.[3] In 1984 they re-recorded "American Beat" as part of the soundtrack of the Tom Hanks movie Bachelor Party.

Despite having a large cult following, the band never achieved commercial success: Roman Gods debuted at No. 174 on Billboard’s album chart, the highest position that a Fleshtones release would attain until 2020, when Face of the Screaming Werewolf debuted at No. 9 on Billboard’s Alternative New Artist Albums Chart, and 2021, when the "Mi Engañaste Bien" single entered the Billboard Hot Singles Chart at No. 38.

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 but the format prefigured 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. 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. They released the albums 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.[1]

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.

1990–2000

Ken Fox (born February 16, 1961, Toronto, Ontario) joined the Fleshtones on bass in July 1990. Fox had formed Raving Mojos in Toronto and 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. In the 1990s, the Fleshtones worked with musician-producers Dave Faulkner, Peter Buck, and Steve Albini.

2001–present

In the 21st century, the Fleshtones collaborated with musician-producers Rick Miller, Jim Diamond, Lenny Kaye, and Ivan Julian, as well as self-producing work in Paul Johnson's Compactor basement studio in Brooklyn. The Fleshtones signed with Yep Roc Records in 2003.

The Fleshtones were one of the last bands to play at Windows on the World atop the World Trade Center.[4] In 2002, they played at a Night of Remembrance and Hope festival at CBGB.

In December 2003, the Fleshtones played at a CBGB 30th Anniversary show along with The Dictators, and in August of the next year, 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 September 2016, the Fleshtones toured China for the first time in the band's career. The tour was organized by Shanghai-based punk band Round Eye.[5]

Book, tribute, feature documentary and reissues

Members

Former members

Session/Touring

Horn players

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PlotData = width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(12,–4) bar:Peter Zaremba from:start till:end color:k width:3 bar:Peter Zaremba from:start till:end color:v bar:Keith Streng from:start till:end color:bv width:3 bar:Keith Streng from:start till:end color:g bar:Danny Gilbert from:04/01/1976 till:06/30/1976 color:g bar:Mitchell Ames from:07/01/1979 till:08/31/1979 color:g bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:start till:06/30/1979 color:bv width:3 bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:start till:06/30/1979 color:b bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:09/01/1979 till:08/31/1986 color:bv width:3 bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:09/01/1979 till:08/31/1986 color:b bar:Walter Scezney from:07/01/1979 till:08/31/1979 color:b bar:Robert Burke Warren from:09/01/1986 till:06/30/1988 color:bv width:3 bar:Robert Burke Warren from:09/01/1986 till:06/30/1988 color:b bar:Ken Fox from:07/01/1990 till:end color:bv width:3 bar:Ken Fox from:07/01/1990 till:end color:b bar:Lenny Calderon from:start till:12/31/1979 color:bv width:3 bar:Lenny Calderon from:start till:12/31/1979 color:d bar:Bill Milhizer from:01/01/1980 till:end color:bv width:3 bar:Bill Milhizer from:01/01/1980 till:end color:d bar:Gordon Spaeth from:01/01/1978 till:12/31/1988 color:bv width:3 bar:Gordon Spaeth from:01/01/1978 till:12/31/1988 color:k

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Singles

EPs

Compilations

Compilation appearances

Videos / DVDs

Side projects

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 2003. Third. 1-85227-969-9.
  2. News: The Fleshtones - Yep Roc Records. Yep Roc Records. 2018-06-28. en-US.
  3. Web site: Yep Roc Records >> The Fleshtones. yeproc.com. Edison. Mike. August 28, 2023.
  4. Web site: The Fleshtones Archive - World Trade Center. https://web.archive.org/web/20100409145030/http://garage.brinkster.net/wtc.htm. dead. April 9, 2010. April 9, 2010. November 3, 2019.
  5. Web site: Newby. Jake. Interview: The Fleshtones. Timeout Shanghai. Timeout Shanghai. 8 September 2016.
  6. Web site: Sweat. Bloomsbury Publishing. November 3, 2019.
  7. News: Our shout! Why The Fleshtones and Peter Zaremba still drink for free after all these years... Interviews. The I-94 Bar. 2018-06-28. en-GB.
  8. Web site: Pardon Us for Living But the Graveyard Is Full. www.imdb.com.
  9. Web site: The Fleshtones Album Discography AllMusic. AllMusic. 2018-06-28.
  10. Web site: Various - 688 Presents. Discogs.com. November 3, 2019.