The Fleshtones


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

History

1976–79

The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York by Keith Streng and Jan Marek Pakulski, 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 on harmonica, keyboards, and vocals, and Lenny Calderon 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 and Brian Spaeth. Gordon Spaeth 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 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, 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, "American Beat" was issued on Red Star in 1979.

1980–89

In 1980, with the Red Star Records album not released, the Fleshtones were signed by Miles Copeland III at I.R.S. Records, where they worked with producers Richard Mazda and Richard Gottehrer. It was at this time that the band replaced Calderon with drummer Bill Milhizer, 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, Hexbreaker!!, and the live Speed Connection and Speed Connection II. In 1982, they appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand TV show. In 1984 they re-recorded "American Beat" as part of the soundtrack of the Tom Hanks's 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 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 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 in 1987 and Soul Madrid 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.

1990–2000

Ken Fox joined the Fleshtones on bass in July 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 the albums Powerstance, Beautiful Light, Laboratory of Sound, and More Than Skin Deep. The Fleshtones worked with musician-producers Dave Faulkner, Peter Buck, and Steve Albini.

2001–present

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 the 2000s and 2010s, in addition to self-producing in Paul Johnson's Compactor basement studio in Brooklyn, New York, The Fleshtones worked with musician-producers Rick Miller, Jim Diamond, Lenny Kaye, and Ivan Julian.
The Fleshtones played at a CBGB 30th Anniversary show along with The Dictators in December 2003, 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.
The Fleshtones signed with Yep Roc Records in 2003, which has released the albums Do You Swing?, Beachhead, Take A Good Look, Stocking Stuffer, Brooklyn Sound Solution, Wheel Of Talent, The Band Drinks For Free, and Live at Yep Roc 15, as well as the EP Quatro X Quatro, the compilation Budget Buster, and several singles.
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.

Book, tribute, feature documentary and reissues

Former members
Session/Touring
Horn players
Timeline

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Discography

Albums