Sweat The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band

Description

"Joe Bonomo has written a fine book: a book not only about a band or times passed, but also about the rare virtue of endurance."
—Nick Tosches, author of Hellfire: The Jerry Lee Lewis Story


May of 2006 marked the Fleshtones' 30th anniversary as the only band from the mid-70s New York City Punk/New Wave scene that hasn't had an inactive year. In that time they've amassed an incredible history—they shared a practice space with the Cramps in the 70s, they shared a label (IRS) with R.E.M. in the 80s, and the likes of Steve Albini and Peter Buck have produced them. They've opened for James Brown and Chuck Berry, played at the same summer festivals as Iggy Pop. They've thrilled audiences from coast to coast and have a hundred and one connections to some of the biggest names in rock & roll history, and yet you've probably never heard of them.

Until now.

Sweat is not the typical rock & roll story of stars, stacks of money, or wild, unbridled triumphs; it's the story of a band that has reached the threshold of fame many times over, but never quite made it; a band that contributed to numerous sea changes in the New York City music scene, but unlike many of the bands around them, didn't come out the other side famous or drenched in cool. Sweat is a bare-knuckled, compelling account of road-paving rock & roll played in the real world, where success measured over the long haul is redefined each and every hard-won morning and where patience, vision and determination do not always lead to prosperity. Join author Joe Bonomo as he guides you through the peaks and valleys of the Fleshtones' impressive career, and enjoy an insider's view of three decades in New York City's music scene along the way.

Featuring interviews with Robert Christgau, Steve Albini, Peter Buck, Barney Hoskyns,New York Doll manager Marty Thau, CBGB owner Hilly Kristal and more, Sweat is more than just the story of a band, it's a rock & roll allegory for anyone who has ever persevered in the face of adversity, and the soul sucking pressure of the status quo, to continue to do what they loved.

Table of Contents

Photo credits

Prologue

Hitsburg U.S.A.

1 Too Much Hair

2 The Kids are the Same

The Basement: 1974-1979

3 Blue Whales at The House

4 Street Rock & Party Music

5 The Curse of Al DiMeola

6 I’m Just an Outcast

7 Soul City

8 Red Star on St. Mark’s

9 Time and Tide Wait for No Man

The Party: 1980-1988

13 Et Tu Spiritus Dance

14 SUPER ROCK

15 American Beat

16 Fleshtones vs. Reality

The Hangover: 1989-1995

19 Waiting for a Message

20 Powerstance

21 The World’s Most Unusual Blues Band

22 Pardon Us for Living But the Graveyard’s Full

The Remedy: 1996-2006

23 Is This Really Me?

24 Back to the Basement

25 I Can’t Change My Luck But I Can Change Your Mind

The Cover Songs

Notes

Author(s)

Joe Bonomo,

Reviews

Joe Bonomo has written a fine book; a book not only about a band or times passed, but also about the rare virtue of endurance.
—Nick Tosches

Nick Tosches,

"In Sweat, Joe Bonomo confronts the realities of life in one of America's great unsung bands of heroes: the Fleshtones. Rocking the house down night after night, holding on to their unique vision forever, whether laughing in the face of failure, caught in the rip tides of American culture, battling on the New York streets, or crowded in the back of a van on its way to the furthest reaches of the solar system…It's a 'Blue Whale' of a story: hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately inspiring."
--Peter Case, singer-songwriter

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Imagine the myth of Sisyphus recast as a garage band—and a good one—and you have the story of the Fleshtones. One of the latter-day CBGBs bands, championed by REM and critically adored for their explosive concerts, the 'Tones shoulda been contenders. But what happened? First-time author (and fan) Bonomo tells their cursed story with religious fervor and a near-lyrical quality to his prose. Bonomo expands on a history that would otherwise be summed up by a pithy entry in All Music Guide over a sprawling 400 pages, packed with new interviews and anecdotes. In cataloging a decadeslong litany of indignities and misfortunes that did little to deter the Fleshtones' passion, the book raises deeper questions about what making it in music means. Does the distinction of being the only CBGBs-era band to keep going without an inactive year count for anything? Consider this the mad-eyed older brother of James Greer's biography of the indie-rock band Guided by Voices or Michael Azerrad's Our Band Could Be Your Life. This is the secret history that even NYC punk histories like Please Kill Me couldn't handle. Recommended for libraries with large popular music collections.
--Library Journal

,

"More than an account of a particular band, sound, or specific era in rock history, Joe Bonomo's compelling, well-researched, and thoroughly riveting account of the Fleshtones is an homage to a way of living your life -- one that revolves around raucous music, what Jack Kerouac once called the "quest for kicks," and most of all a whole lot of sweat and passion."
-- Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic, Chicago Sun-Times, and author, Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, America's Greatest Rock Critic.

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"Rock and roll is a pretty egalitarian affair. On any given night any band can be the best band in the world, if only for ten minutes. The amazing thing about the Fleshtones is that  every night for the last thirty years they have consistently been the best live band on earth. Year in, year out -- high, low and in between -- the Fleshtones have embodied the very essence of rock and roll. This great book by Joe Bonomo really gets to the heart of who the Fleshtones are, and the price they paid. Now it's up to you to check out the Fleshtones  when they hit your town. And in my own defense, that fire that Keith and I started in France was really a very small fire. Not worth mentioning at all. Please."
--Peter Buck, R.E.M.

Peter Buck,

"Most bands have a narrative arc that runs from formative years to rock-star ascent to inevitable breakup. The Fleshtones’ chart flatlines somewhere between fame and obscurity, and this is where Bonomo takes an interesting angle.

By recounting the band’s Sisyphean chase of fame, which is rewarded only with a raging cult following, he offers a unique “view from the bottom” - familiar to 99.9 percent of all bands - of rock’s last three decades.

“Sweat” reads like a true labor of love. It’s a highly detailed account of the band that refused to go away until, through determination and stamina, they got the book they deserved."
--The New York Post

New York Post,

"Rather than chalk up the band to be some amazing quartet who've surpassed their time in the spotlight (or lack of in this case), [Bonomo] focuses on their longevity and passion. Thirty years in the game and no hits to be accounted for but the band still holds it together because of their love, their pure unadulterated love of rock and roll."
--Spill Magazine

Spill Magazine,

"I just finished a biography of the band, called Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band.  I would have given this book 873 stars, but they only let me give it five.  Me? I live to read.  I lust for the book that I cannot bear to put down.  That is what I like, that is what I look for.  This is one of those books.  A love letter, a labor of love, and a gripping read about people who have brought nothing but happiness to thousands of people for a long, long time.  It helps to already have spent some time living in total intoxication of the Fleshtones, of course, but it is a brilliant  book no matter what."
-Chicago Boyz 

,

"Joe Bonomo, across 410 fact/anecdote-packed pages, follows the trajectory of New York's Fleshtones, from juvenile delinquents Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng falling under the spell of AM radio in the '60s, through the band's mid-'80s college rock ascendency, and on to the present, where the Fleshtones remain a vital force.
It's a quintessential rock 'n' roll story.  No shit, man."
--Harp Magazine

Fred Mills,

 “Everyone has a favorite overlooked bank they feel should have sold millions of records, filled arenas and enjoyed household-name status; among those commercially unsuccessful stalwarts, the Fleshtones rank as one of America’s most enduring musical forces. Crawling out from under New York City’s punk and new wave scenes in the mid-1970s, this gang of misfits dubbed their fuzzy yet danceable mix of guitars, Farfisa organ, old-school R&B, rockabilly and surf music as “Super Rock,” then watched contemporaries such as the Ramones, Talking Heads, R.E.M., and Blondie become stars. Topping out on the Billboard album charts at no. 174, the Fleshtones, still active 30 years on, make for an unconventional study in rock ‘n’ roll survival. Bonomo, better known for his essays and poetry, has conducted new interviews with all the principals to provide an exhaustive account of the band’s checkered history, colored by excessive amounts of alcohol and drugs, mismanagement and the 2005 suicide of sax man Gordon Spaeth. Bonomo marches a parade of colorful characters in and out of his narrative, including past and present band members, business associates, friends, family members and fellow musicians, to present an honest and dramatic look at rock semi-obscurity.” –Publishers Weekly Annex

,

"I would have given this book 873 stars, but they only let me give it five…A love letter, a labor of love, and a gripping read about people who have brought nothing but happiness to thousands of people for a long, long time…it is a brilliant book no matter what."
—Lexington Green, Book Notes, Music

Book Notes, Music,

"Most bands have a narrative arc that runs from formative years to rock-star years to rock-star ascent to inevitable breakup. The Fleshtones' chart flatlines somewhere between fame and obscurity, and this is where Bonomo takes an interesting angle. By recounting the band's Sisphean chase of fame, which is rewarded only with a raging cult following, he offers a unique "view from the bottom"—familiar to 99.9 percent of the all bands—of rock's last three decades.

'Sweat’ reads like a true labor of love. It's a highly detailed account of the band that refused to go away until, through determination and stamina, they got the book they deserved"—Stephen Charles Kleiner, New York Post

,

“A Chicago area resident and teacher at Northern Illinois University, Joe Bonomo is nearly religious in his devotion to the long-running combo fronted by Peter Zaremba, who some may remember from his side job as the host of MTV's alternative showcase, "120 Minutes." In Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band (Continuum, $19.95), the author approaches his tale with the same scholarly devotion that Drummond employed…In the end, the author concludes that it will go one as long as the musicians are still walking and breathing, and their story is ultimately one of perseverance and faith in a rough 'n' ready aesthetic originally defined on long-forgotten 45s but so enduringly powerful that grown men devote their lives to it.” --Chicago Sun Times

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“The story of the Fleshtones is a Behind The Music-worthy tale of hard-earned fans and well-deserved debauchery, but lacks one essential element: hits. Despite three decades of dedication, the Fleshtones have yet to produce a wildly popular record that could propel them past the dead-end intersection of fame, infamy and obscurity. And yet the Queens-bred bandmates soldier on, refusing to retreat and amassing a growing number of rabid superfans (author Joe Bonomo included) in the process. Clocking in at an impressive 400 pages, Bonomo’s book chronicles the band’s career with fluid narratives, interviews, pictures, setlists, discographies and meticulous detail. It’s a story for music-makers and music-lovers alike, with Bonomo finding universal appeal in one small band’s trip from the New York City suburbs to a near-permanent residency on the road. It doesn’t matter if readers don’t know the Fleshtones from the Monotones, as the author’s adoring approach, which manages to be at once casual and encyclopedic, will convert most skeptics. And even if it doesn’t, Sweat is about much more than a hard-working band that never quite broke even; it champions the enduring spirit of rock’n’roll, and the lengths to which musicians and fans will travel to keep that spirit flamed.”
-CMJ

Andrew Leahy,

“[An] elegantly written biography of the Fleshtones.” –Popmatters.com

Robert Short,

“The Fleshtones are a minor footnote in most people’s memories, but Bonomo convincingly explains how a group can stay the same and yet still matter. As a bonus, The Fleshtones aficionados will also appreciate the biographer’s exhaustive, inclusive discography and the extensive listing of cover songs The Fleshtones have recorded and/or performed on stage.” --Doug Simpson, Skyscraper Magazine

Doug Simpson,

“Besides being a thorough bio of the band and its members, and a great NYC timepiece, Sweat takes a good hard look at the music industry, of bands who don't quite make it, who are as good or better than bands who do make it, and what their lives are like. It's a story of fighting against the odds with persistence and conviction, but this book certainly isn't just about struggle; it's filled with humor, fun, weirdness, bizarre coincidences, and heady descriptions of their most glorious shows and triumphs...If you already know and love the band, you're sure to enjoy this book. If you aren't familiar with the 'Tones, by all means check them out.” –Tone and Groove magazine

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“As the subtitle accurately describes, the career of the Fleshtones could be narrowed down to “30 years, 2,000 shows, 1,000 blue whales, no hits, no sleep”. It’s always been about fun, and not stardom, for Peter Zaremba, Keith Streng, and the rest of this (should be) legendary band. Bonomo accurately describes not only the positive points in the band’s history, but also the frustrations, addictions, and boredom of never being the right band in the right place.

Verdict: As they say on the web, Ohmigod! Old CD’s were immediately copied onto the iPod, and old vinyl was dusted off after years of storage. Now if I only was confident enough to attempt to drink some blue whales, the band’s poison of choice.” –Prime Magazine

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"What a long, strange trip it’s been. That Grateful Dead designation really belongs to The Fleshtones, New York City’s long-running garage rock band. Sweat, Joe Bonomo’s energetic, warts-and-all biography, encapsulates The Fleshtones’ three-decade and counting career) as the cover proclaims: “30 years, 2,000 shows, 1,000 Blue Whales, no hits, no sleep”), but the book is actually a story of determination, perseverance, and persistence…While Sweat is geared toward fans, this is one of the rare rock music biographies neophytes can peruse with enjoyment, due to the band’s brio and banter, which gives Sweat more clarity and candor than typical like-minded accounts. Discover for yourself how Wigstock, Joan Osbourne, Jason and the Scorchers, The Hoodoo Gurus, R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Seve Albini, the Big Apple’s disco scene, horror movies and Gene Simmons all have one thing in common: The Fleshtones…"—Doug Simpson, Skyscraper Mag, Spring 2008

Doug Simpson,

FIVE STARS
"As far as rock biographies go, Joe Bonomo’s 400-page labour of love is almost impossible to fault. It’s got it all: social and musical background, undying belief, frustration, heartache, tragedy, laugh-out-loud anecdotes and a welter of rock’n’roll excess from the late 60s onwards. It’s also another thrilling testament to the lost New York. Bonomo’s research is peerless, his writing engaging and the band’s narratives frequently hilarious. Most importantly, the book instils the desire to track down some of these lost classics. If nothing else, when they do finally hang up their guitars, The Fleshtones will have this magnificent tribute to tell them what they did, and that they did make their mark."
--Record Collector

Kris Needs,

"Bonomo writes with verve, objectivity, humor, and always just the right note of seriousness.  The result is an enjoyable, satisfying, and very necessary study of a band on the edge.  
Sweat is a comprehensive book, thoroughly researched with interviews from seemingly anyone remotely connected with the band, quotations from articles and reviews from long defunct but important New York newspapers and magazines, an extensive bibliography, discography, and a list of over 250 covers performed at one time or another by the Fleshtones.  Ultimately, though, Sweat is about the cultural power of rock and roll and its ability to shape lives."
--Popular Music and Society

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"Formed in New York in 1976, the Fleshtones have never experienced even a moment of Next Big Thing-ness, and yet they just keep playing. It's like they couldn't stop even if they wanted to. Joe Bonomo's Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band was unputdownable: the people and places who drifted through its pages were memorable, and the story stubbornly refused to stoop to pathos."
-The Chicago Reader

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“Pursuing an unquenchable lust for life, music, and partying since forming in a debauched Queens basement, The Fleshtones have paid homage to Archie Bell and the Drells, Standells-era pink and also plugged into the hedonistic energy of the New York experience at gay club The Cock Ring. Dismissed by one critic as a ‘mindless twist band’ the Fleshtones weren’t feted like their contemporaries but, undaunted, have released some 20 albums and have gigged relentlessly, remaining undimmed of spirit and happy that Suicide are fans. Bonomo’s beautifully written band assisted account is both hilarious and tragic. There’s heroic excess, dogged obsession, personal tragedy and slapstick situations, and even if the Hall of Fame never beckons, The Fleshtones can at least count their name on one of the great music biographies.” –Mojo, UK

,

"What's a Northern Illinois University English professor at Northern Illinois University doing writing a 400-page tome about an obscure post-punk band from Whitestone, Queens, who barely ever reached the outer regions of the Billboard Hot 200? God only knows, but the ‘Tones' passion and longevity doing their thing--a rousing combination of Nuggets-style psychedelic rock, R&B beats and a British Invasion take on American soul--is matched by the author's dogged recreation of their long, winding, and mostly hidden, history."
-Sonic Boomers

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