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Biography
About|the American rock band|the band's first album|The Tubes (album)Refimprove|date=July 2010Infobox musical artist || name = The Tubes| image = Tubes_29111977_33_300x200.jpg| caption = The Tubes in Oslo , Norway in 1977 Photo: Helge Ψverεs| image_size = 250| landscape = Yes| background = group_or_band| origin = Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix , Arizona , United States | genre = Rock music|Rock , Hard rock , New Wave music|New Wave | years_active = 1973present| label = A& M Records|A& M , Capitol Records|Capitol | associated_acts =| website = http://www.thetubes.com/ Official website| current_members = Roger Steen Prairie Prince Rick Anderson (musician)|Rick Anderson Fee Waybill David Medd | past_members = Vince Welnick Bill Spooner Michael Cotten Bob Mcintosh Re Styles Mingo Lewis Jane Dornacker David Killingsworth Gary Cambra The Tubes are a San Francisco, California|San Francisco -based Rock music|rock musical ensemble|band , whose 1975 debut album included the hit single , "White Punks on Dope". During its first fifteen years or so, the band's live performances combined quasi- pornography with wild satire s of Mass media|media , consumerism , and politics .citation needed|date=February 2009 They are perhaps best-remembered for their 1983 single " She's a Beauty ," a top 10 U.S. hit with a frequently-played music video in the early days of MTV .
Career
The Tubes started as a group of high school friends from Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona . Two Phoenix bands, the Beans and The Red, White and Blues Band, both relocated to San Francisco in 1969 and eventually merged. The new band's core membership remained largely intact for more than a decade: Fee Waybill (real name John Waldo Waybill) (vocals), Bill Spooner|Bill "Sputnik" Spooner (guitar, vocals), Roger Steen (guitar), Prairie Prince (real name Charles L. Prince) (drums), Michael Cotten (synthesizer), Vince Welnick (piano), and Rick Anderson (bass). Singer Re Styles (born Shirley Marie MacLeod) (vocals) and ex- Santana (band)|Santana percussionist Mingo Lewis were also fixtures for much of the band's early history.Jancik and Lathrop
Show business excess was a common theme of the band's early work, with Waybill sometimes assuming the onstage persona of "Quay Lewd" (a pun on Quaalude ), a drunk, drugged out, barely coherent lead singer, wearing flashing glasses and stilt-like tall platform shoes.
The First Album
The Tubes' first self-titled album was produced by Al Kooper . The track " White Punks On Dope " was an "absurd anthem of wretched excess" and a tribute to their rich, white teenage fan base in San Francisco citation needed|date=February 2009 Since then the song has been cover version|covered by Mφtley Crόe , and the German rock musician Nina Hagen took the tune and set new lyrics to it (not a translation of the original lyrics), titled her work TV-Glotzer (" Couch potato|Couch Potato "), and used this song as the opening track of her own debut album Nina Hagen Band (album)|Nina Hagen Band , released 1978 on CBS/Germany Records. The album track "What Do You Want From Life? ", which became another of the Tubes' signature songs, satirizes consumerism and celebrity culture and climaxes in a "hard-sell" monologue by Waybill which name-checks celebrities such as Bob Dylan , Paul Williams (songwriter)|Paul Williams and Randolph Mantooth and well-known products of the period including the Dynagym exercise machine and a host of American vehicles including the Winnebago Industries|Winnebago and the Mercury Montclair .
The Second Album
The Tubes' second album, Young and Rich on A& M Records , was record producer|produced by Ken Scott . It featured the hit "Don't Touch Me There", a suggestive duet between Waybill and Re Styles, which was arrangement|arranged in classic " Wall of Sound " style by Jack Nitzsche . The song was co-written by Ron Nagle and Tubes dancer/vocalist Jane Dornacker , who died in a helicopter crash in 1986.
The Third Album, A Live Album and Then The Fourth Album
The Tubes' third album gave way to thematic experimentation with Now (The Tubes)|Now and after their live record What Do You Want From Live , recorded during their record breaking run at the Hammersmith Odeon , London, England, the fourth album for A& M, Remote Control (The Tubes album)|Remote Control was a concept album produced by Todd Rundgren about a television-addicted idiot-savant. The cover of Remote Control shows a baby watching Hollywood Squares in a specially made "Vidi-Trainer."
The music videos
One critic opined that with their media savvy and theatrical skills, The Tubes were born to create rock video, but arrived several years too early.Jakubowski and Tobler However, the band did produce at least one collection of music videos, which were issued on the 1982 Pioneer Artists laserdisc "The Tubes Video" (this videodisc contained versions of twelve of the band's hits, including "White Punks On Dope," "Mondo Bondage," "Talk To Ya Later," and several others from yet-to-be-completed "The Completion Backwards Principle" album, in slickly produced music videos based on the group's stage shows).
The Live Shows
The Tubes put their creativity and art skills mainly into their live performances, in which songs could be full fledged production numbers, from a beach movie parody for "Sushi Girl", to leather clad Sadism and masochism|S& M hijinks in "Mondo Bondage", to the game show antics of "What Do You Want From Life? " At their peak, their live act featured dozens of other performers, including tap dancer s and acrobatics|acrobats . The Tubes' stage productions were choreographed by Kenny Ortega and featured cast members Jane Dornacker , LeRoy Jones, Michael Holman, Michael Springer, Edwin Heaven, Cindi Osborn, Heline Gouax, and Mary Niland from 1975-1977. From 1978-1979, the cast included Sharon Collins, Caty Bevan, and Loryanna Catalano. The Completion Backward tour featured Shelly Pang, Cheryl Hangland, and Cynthia Rhodes . From 1983-1985, Michelle Gray (who later married Rundgren) and Cheryl Hangland were principal dancers. Several crew members including Tour Manager Steve "Chopper" Borges, Lee Collins, and Gail Lowe made frequent appearances on stage in various roles as well.citation needed|date=February 2009 The Tubes' live shows in the late 1970s and early 1980s were rife with allusions to mainstream film ( Dr. Strangelove , Rollerball (1975 film)|Rollerball , Saturday Night Fever , Grease (film)|Grease ), then-forgotten B-movies ( Wild Women of Wongo , Attack of the 50 Foot Woman ), music ( Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones , punk rock , a medley of Nelson Riddle television themes), contemporary pop culture ( Patty Hearst , the Viking program), television ('' Let's Make a Deal , Fernwood 2Nite , the anime Raideen ''), and literature ( Nelson Algren 's A Walk on the Wild Side ), presaging the subcultural reverence and over-the-top theatricality of later groups like The World/Inferno Friendship Society .citation needed|date=February 2009 These shows were expensive to produce, however, and while they earned the band a reputation for being one of the most entertaining live acts of all time, by the early 1980s, they found themselves short of money.
Their Ouster From A& M, and Their Tenure With Capitol
Their proposed fifth album, the self produced Suffer for Sound , was rejected by A& M, who dumped the band instead, finishing out its contract with the oddities collection T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities And Smash Hits) . http://www.cal-list.com/SF_Herald/columnists/gold/gold-03-01.htm Kimberlye Gold interview with Fee Waybill, "He'll Talk to Ya Now!", accessed 15 March 2007 The band was signed to Capitol Records by Bruce Garfield and Bobby Colomby , scaling back the live shows and redesigning itself as a straight laced rock band, teaming with producer David Foster .
The Fifth Album
Their fifth album, The Completion Backward Principle , another concept album, featuring the classic rock staple "Talk to Ya Later", presented itself as a motivational business document, complete with shocking pictures of the band members cleaned up and wearing suits.citation needed|date=February 2009 The band also had their first Top 40 hit in the United States in 1981, "Don't Want to Wait Anymore" (recorded almost entirely by Spooner, without Waybill's participation). Outside Inside followed a few years later and yielded a few hits, including the number 10 (USA) hit " She's a Beauty ".
The Sixth Album, and Their Ouster From Capitol
In 1985, the band teamed up with Rundgren once again for their sixth album, Love Bomb . With Bruce Garfield and Bobby Colomby no longer with Capitol, The Tubes were dropped just as they were going on a national tour in support of the album a tour that would leave the band a half million dollars in debt, forcing them to play low-budget gigs for a year to pay off their debts.Kimberlye Gold interview
Waybill Leaves
Waybill had already released an unsuccessful solo album ( Read My Lips , on Capitol Records) in 1984, but during this time, he had also happily enjoyed a fruitful writing partnership with fellow Capitol Records label mate Richard Marx , their most popular and well known collaboration being "Edge of a Broken Heart", recorded by the female band Vixen (band)|Vixen . Waybill left the band in 1986 ("Fee broke up", one band member said).citation needed|date=February 2009, leaving the band without both its musical director and lead singer.
Personnel Changes
Later in the year the remaining members of the band took on a longtime friend from Phoenix, Arizona, David Killingsworth , as lead vocalist. Killingsworth was the singer in the Red and White Blues Band with Prairie and Roger. Michael Cotten relocated to New York to pursue a career based on his artwork, stage design and production, and is considered one of the country's top production designers. In the fall of 1988, Bill Spooner traveled his final tour with the band and left in early 1989. Vince Welnick departed as well to take to the road with Todd Rundgren in 1989 and then joined the Grateful Dead in 1990. Gary Cambra joined on keyboards and guitar in 1989. He and Roger Steen took over most the lead vocal duties after Killingsworth left in early 1990.
Waybill Returns
In 1993, Waybill rejoined the band. This lineup toured Europe and released two CDs, a compilation and the 1996 album Genius of America . David Medd joined in 1996 to play keyboards alongside Cambra. In 2001, the band released a live CD, The Tubes World Tour 2001 , and continued to tour.
The One-Off Reunion
On April 22, 2005 a reunion show took place at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz, CA, with Waybill, Steen, Anderson, Spooner, Welnick and Cotten. 2005 also saw the release of their live album "Wild in London".
The Tubes Project, and Other Milestones
Michael Cotten started "The Tubes Project" in 2005, to save and digitize the band's reel to reel and video tape archive. The collection had been kept in the closet of Tubes fan club president Marylin Wood's son after being discarded in the late 80s. Included in the vault are full color shows taped for TV at Bimbos in San Francisco, 1975 and VARA TV from the 1977 European tour. Over 70 interviews were conducted with band members, crew, managers, cast and friends such as Re Styles, Todd Rundgren, Al Kooper, Devo and David Foster. Hundreds of photos were scanned and compiled from band members and fan collections for use in the hour and half documentary which was edited and shopped for further financial backing, gaining interest until the economic crash of 2008. No further plans have been discussed since about any planned release of any of this material.
Welnick, who long suffered from depression, committed suicide on June 2, 2006.
Cambra left the band in 2006 leaving David Medd as their sole keyboardist.
On September 23, 2007, the remaining members of the Tubes reunited in Phoenix for their induction into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame.
On November 10, 2009, "Mondo Birthmark" a CD of previously unreleased rarities was released through the label Fuel 2000 . The package was designed by Michael Cotten and Prairie Prince with rare photos and interviews of the group. The demos also feature former member Bob Macintosh on drums.
Career highlights
Prose|section|date= January 20091972: Tubes appear in Mitchell brothers film Resurrection of Eve as Jesus Bongo and the Millionaires
1973: Opened for the New York Dolls at the Matrix, Iggy Pop at Bimbos, and Led Zeppelin at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco
1974: Tubes shoot " video demo" at California Hall which lands a record deal at A& M Records , Cotten/Prince paint "Flying Record" mural on A& M sound stage
1975: Tubes play for two weeks of shows at David Allen's nightclub The Boarding House (nightclub)|The Boarding House in San Francisco, several sell-out dates at The Roxy Theatre|The Roxy in Los Angeles and The Bottom Line in New York. Dec, 31- Headline and sell out Bill Graham's Winterland Ballroom http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/the-tubes-concert/2646-7903.html Concerts.wolfgangsvault.com
1976: Held residency at Bimbos in San Francisco for one month, Prairie Prince dubbed "The One, The Only" by columnist Herb Caen . Tubes hold "Talent Hunt" at the Boarding House hosted by Martin Mull ; Robin Williams is contestant but loses
1977: Held residency at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco for one month, The Whisky a-Go-Go in Los Angeles for two shows a night for one month, and Hammersmith Odeon in London for a week
1978: Headlined the Knebworth Festival with Frank Zappa and Peter Gabriel . On April 3, The Tubes performed live with Dolly Parton on Cher... Special , in the "Musical Battle to Save Cher's Soul Medley". As the title would imply, the performance was a duel between the forces of good and evil to determine where Cher would spend her eternal destiny. Dolly Parton was dressed in white and, with a team of brightly clad singers, portrayed an angelic host while The Tubes, dressed in black leather and performing "Mondo Bondage", battled to send Cher's soul into eternal damnation.
1979: Tubes play Japan; Cotten/Welnick/Prince/Styles appear on Japanese soap opera. Tubes appear in Andy Warhol 's Interview (magazine)|Interview magazine
1980: Appear in the film Xanadu (film)|Xanadu singing the rock portion of the cross-genre song "Dancin'" opposite a big band .
1981: Record Grammy nominated "The Tubes Video" at Shepperton Studios , one of the first long form video disc s.
1981: Sang "Sushi Girl" and "Talk to Ya Later" on the television sketch comedy program Second City Television|SCTV , Episode #86 airing July 24.
1981: Appeared and sang, "Sushi Girl", on late night talk show,"Tomorrow", with Tom Snyder.
1981: Compose the song "Road Map of My Tears" for the film Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains , in which Waybill and Welnick appear, among other musicians, as the fictional rock group The Metal Corpses.
1982: Appeared in a commercial for Activision's video game Megamania
1983: Opened several dates for David Bowie on the Serious Moonlight Tour|Serious Moonlight tour and on this tour, among other highlights, they were the first artists to ever play the newly opened Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. At the end of the Bowie tour, they played a few shows featuring their classic no-holds-barred theatrics in Portland, Oregon, and other west-coast cities.
1985: Tour with Todd Rundgren 's Utopia, play Radio City Music Hall .
Discography
Albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
Sales
Certifications ( List of music recording sales certifications
US
UK
1975
The Tubes
Released:
Label: A& M Records|A& M
Format:
113
1976
Young and Rich
Released:
Label: A& M
Format:
46
1977
Now
Released: May 1977
Label: A& M
Format:
122
1978
What Do You Want from Live
Released:
Label:A& M
Format:
82
38
1979
Remote Control
Released:
Label: A& M
Format:
46
40
1981
T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities And Smash Hits)
Released:
Label: A& M
Format:
148
The Completion Backward Principle
Released:
Label: Capitol Records|Capitol
Format:
36
CAN : Goldcite web
1983
Outside Inside
Released:
Label: Capitol
Format:
18
77
1985
Love Bomb
Released:
Label: Capitol
Format:
87
1992
The Best of the Tubes
Released: November 17, 1992
Label: Capitol
Format: 1 Audio CD
1996
Genius of America
Released: October 15, 1996
Label: Critique
Format:
2000
Millennium Collection: The Tubes
Released: October 17, 2000
Label: A& M
Format: 1 Audio CD
2001
The Tubes World Tour 2001 (live)
Released: October 10, 2000
Label: CMC International|CMC
Format: 1 Audio CD; 1 Cassette
2002
Hoods from Outer Space
Released: May 22, 2002
Label: Brilliant
Format: 1 Audio CD
2003
White Punks on Dope
Released: November 24, 2003
Label: Acadia Records (UK)
Budget re-release of The Tubes and Young and Rich
Format: 1 Audio CD
2005
Wild In London
Released: October 2, 2006
Label: Snapper
Format:
2006
Alive in America
Released: '76 live broadcast from LA Shrine
Label: (unsanctioned) Renaissance
Format: Audio CD
2008
'' Goin' Down the Tubes
Released: June 10, 2008
Label: (UK import) Cherry Red
Format: 2 Audio CDs
2009
Mondo Birthmark
Released: November 10, 2009
Label: Fuel
Format: Audio CD
"" denotes releases that did not chart.
cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 568
Singles
Year
Song
Peak chart positions
Album
US
US Main. Rock
UK
1976
"Don't Touch Me There"
61
Young and Rich
1977
"White Punks on Dope"
28
The Tubes
1979
"Prime Time"
34
Remote Control
1981
"Don't Want To Wait Anymore"
35
22
60
The Completion Backward Principle
" Talk to Ya Later "
101
7
"Gonna Get it Next Time"
Sports Fans
1983
" She's a Beauty "
10
1
79
Outside Inside
"Tip of My Tongue"
52
"The Monkey Time"
68
16
1985
"Piece by Piece"
87
25
Love Bomb
"" denotes releases that did not chart.
Video albums
Year
Video details
1981
The Tubes Video
Released: November 15, 1981
Label: Thorn EMI Video (Betamax and VHS), Pioneer Artists (LaserDisc), RCA Corporation (CED)
http://www.onamrecords.com/gallery/view/Tubes The Tubes on A& M Records
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/runt/2007/10/18/Special-guest-Prairie-Prince 2007 Prairie Prince radio interview on Rundgren Radio
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/runt/2009/02/04/Rundgren-Radio 2009 Prairie Prince radio interview on Rundgren Radio
The Tubes DEFAULTSORT:Tubes, The Category:The Tubes| Category:Rock music groups from Arizona Category:Musical groups established in 1973 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1986 Category:Protopunk groups Category:Musical groups from San Francisco, California
