Dead Milkmen

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The Dead Milkmen
Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Genre(s) Punk rock, Comedy rock, Alternative rock
Years active 1983-1995
2004
Website www.deadmilkmen.com
Members
Joe Genaro
Dave Schulthise
Dean Sabatino
Rodney Linderman

The Dead Milkmen were a satirical punk band formed in 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band consisted of Joe Genaro ("Joe Jack Talcum"; guitar, vocals), Dave Schulthise ("Dave Blood"; bass), Dean Sabatino ("Dean Clean"; drums), and Rodney Linderman ("Rodney Anonymous"; vocals, synth).[1]

The band has claimed that the name comes from a character in Toni Morrison's book Song of Solomon ("Milkman Dead"), as well as from one of Genaro's high school projects.[2]

The band's musical style could be described as jangly, driving punk rock with a steady supply of irreverent humor as evident from the song titles "My Many Smells", "Taking Retards to the Zoo" and "If You Love Someone, Set Them On Fire." Anonymous and Talcum both sang with heavy Philadelphia accents often sounding exaggeratedly snotty.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

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During their heyday in the late '80s, the Dead Milkmen led a crop of college-radio jokesters that also included Mojo Nixon, King Missile, and Too Much Joy, among others. Playing a happy and fast brand of punk-pop, the Milkmen skewered popular culture, indie trend-followers, and the intellectually challenged. Despite the band's mixed reviews, the Milkmen earned a devoted cult following, a few novelty hits on college radio, and even an MTV hit with "Punk Rock Girl" which got frequent rotation. As polarizing as their sense of humor was among critics, it was what fans wanted and came to expect, and attempts to move into more genuine, serious territory during the '90s effectively spelled the end of the band. Oddly enough, by that time, they were exerting a measure of influence, perhaps more than any of their peers, they paved the way for the legion of smart-assed geek-rockers who ruled alternative radio for a brief period in the mid '90s.

The band began as a bedroom cassette project featuring Genaro and his friend Garth, who created characters and mythology in the band's name. Linderman (originally the drummer) joined the group in its embryonic home-recording stage prior to Garth's departure to join the United States Air Force; Schulthise and Sabatino, respectively, joined prior to the band's first performances.

After a few self released cassettes, the first official Dead Milkmen album, Big Lizard in my Backyard was released in 1985. Their music received some airplay on college radio stations but was rarely heard on commercial radio. Their best-known song from this record was "Bitchin' Camaro," which became their signature tune. Because of its improvised dialogue intro, it was a favorite at live shows. (Both the album and song were mentioned on the television show Midnight Caller in a scene featuring lead actor Gary Cole and guest star Robert Klein.)

Their next two LP's, Eat Your Paisley (1986) and Bucky Fellini, (1987) saw the band continue to embrace humor. Eat Your Paisley's single "The Thing That Only Eats hippies" was a hit in Australia and got some rotation on the radio, it would also be the first Dead Milkmen music video. Bucky Fellini featured a tune that received some radio play, "Instant Club Hit (You’ll Dance to Anything)." This song attacked the supposedly shallow listeners of post-punk dance music for their lack of taste in music--done in a stereotypical post-punk dance style. Another track attacking a similar crowd (and mentioning the band Depeche Mode as well), "Moron", was featured on Eat Your Paisley, The song Big Time Operator was the Dead Milkmen's 2nd music video, and featured Rodney dressed up as Franken-Elvis, in a Jewish cemetery.

During the bands uprise, Dean "Clean" Sabatino kept a band journal, which he later posted on his website. [4]

[edit] Sparky and "stardom"

In 1987, Detroit Tigers rookie Jim Walewander, became notorious for being a huge fan of the band. This fact was even noted on his baseball card, which described the group as "an obscure punk-rock band"[5]. Walewander invited the Dead Milkmen to Tiger Stadium to see a game in which he hit his first, and only, major league home run. The Milkmen even had a short conversation with Tigers manager Sparky Anderson:

Sparky meets the Milkmen.
Sparky meets the Milkmen.

Sparky: "Well, hello, boys."

Rodney: "WE LOVE SATAN!"

Sparky: "Well, gotta go, boys."

In 1988 came Beelzebubba, which featured what would become the Dead Milkmen's biggest commercial hit and best-known song, "Punk Rock Girl." The song's video won rotation on MTV, and was later featured on MTV's Beavis and Butthead show. This album was somewhat more sophisticated, technically and musically than previous work, and featured two music videos, "Punk Rock Girl" and "Smokin Banana Peels". Following in this vein is 1990's Metaphysical Graffiti, which was even more technical than the last album, but didn't receive the same attention as Bezzlebubba did, the album featured the song "Methodist Coloring Book", the music video and the song got little rotation.

Up to this point, the band had been recording for Enigma Records and its subsidiary Restless Records. They signed with Hollywood Records, owned by Disney. Their next two albums, Soul Rotation (1992) and Not Richard, But Dick (1993), saw the further polishing of their production. However, many fans felt the band had lost its humor and vitality in an attempt to be more mainstream.

Soul Rotation featured Linderman on synthesizers and Genaro taking on more vocal responsibility. The resulting record is much more pop oriented. Hollywood Records, unfortunately, soon went out of business and these two records went out of print not long after their initial releases. Afterwards, The Dead Milkmen were unable to feature any of the songs on either "Soul Rotation" or "Not Richard, but Dick" on any of their other Cd Compilations. The Milkmen were able to smuggle "If I had a Gun" onto their Live compilation Cd "The Dead Milkmen: Live at the Trocadero".

By the time Restless Records released their final studio album in 1995, Stoney's Extra Stout (Pig), the Dead Milkmen had broken up. This was due, in part, to Schulthise, who was suffering from tendonitis and could not play the bass guitar without intense pain in his hands. Since then, compilations of both hits and rarities have been made available.[6]

[edit] Post break-up

Rodney Linderman performed with a gothic, Celtic rock/punk called Burn Witch Burn, from 1994-1998, and released two demos and a self titled studio album in 2000 on the Philadelphia label Razler Records.

Sabatino drummed with the Big Mess Orchestra, who sporadically performed in Philadelphia throughout the '90s and into the '00s, and also played with the Hunger Artists.

Genaro and Sabatino formed a new band, Butterfly Joe, performing material based on Joe's solo home recordings, from 1993-1999. Butterfly Joe also released a self titled album on Razler Records. Genaro played in Touch Me Zoo, which was a home-recording-only project from 1990-1993, and a live band from 1994-1996. Genaro also had a group called the Town Managers from 1996-1999. He is currently in a successful Philadelphia punk band called The Low Budgets, who've toured extensively and released three albums, and a home-recording project called The Cheesies with Brian Sprenger, from Touch Me Zoo and the Town Managers. Genaro also frequently performs solo under the name Joe Jack Talcum; he's released about a dozen self-recorded cassettes between 1984-1997, some of which was compiled onto a CD released on the Valiant Death Records label out of Richmond, VA.

Schulthise attended Indiana University to study Serbo-Croatian language, literature, history, and culture. In 1998 he moved to Novi Sad, Serbia, where he taught English. His writing was published several times in Svetigora, the magazine of the Serbian Orthodox Church.[7] He hoped to contribute to the country’s re-growth and development.[8] He fled in April of 1999 when NATO bombed Serbia. For the next few years he worked as a custodian in Philadelphia. Schulthise committed suicide on March 10, 2004.[9]

[edit] 2004 Reunion shows

Dave Blood committed suicide March 10, 2004. Dave suffered through depression and intense pain in his hands due to his tendonitis. He was unable to return to Yugioslavia and suffered a mental breakdown. He overdosed on pills at a friends house. After Schulthise's death, the surviving Dead Milkmen took the stage once again for two consecutive nights in November of 2004 at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia. Proceeds were donated to a variety of mental health organizations and to a Serbian monastery that Schulthise supported. Dandrew Stevens, bass player of Genaro's band the Low Budgets, performed on bass.

[edit] Dead Milkmen Facts

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

The Dead Milkmen's album Big Lizard in my Backyard and song Bitchin' Camaro were mentioned on the television show Midnight Caller in a scene featuring lead actor Gary Cole and guest star Robert Klein.

The Dead Milkmen were mentioned in an episode of Grounded for Life, where uncle Eddie states that he use to listen to the dead milkmen, the word Paisley is said be Lilly, and Henry has to take care of the class lizard which may be references to Big Lizard in my Backyard and Eat you Paisley.

During the Eat Your Paisley and Bucky Fellini tours, The Dead Milkmen toured in a converted ambulance.

Dean "Clean" Sabatino's drum sticks are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Beavis and Butthead have watched Punk Rock Girl and Smoking Banana Peels, they seemed to have disliked both, but during Punk Rock Girl, Beavis asks "What is this?" Butthead says "It's college music" Beavis asks "Is it good" and Butthead replies "uhhh I don't know"

Bass player Dave Blood switched his bass strings around so that they spelled out DEAD.

The CDs Beezlebubba and Big Lizard in my Backyard can be seen floating around in an Ipod commercial.

Joe Genaro is also known as Joe Jack Talcum, Jasper Thread, Butterfly, and Butterfly Fairweather. He has been in the bands The Dead Milkmen, The Cheesies, Touch me Zoo, Town Managers, Butterfly Joe, is currently in the band The Low Budgets, and tours solo under the name Joe Jack Talcum.

Rodney "Anonymous" Linderman writes for a Philadelphia newspaper, Was in the bands Burn Witch Burn, Mike's Honorable Discharge, and is currently in the band Parasite Lost.

Dean "Clean" Sabatino was in the band Narthex before he toured with The Dead Milkmen, he also played with former Dead Milkmen guitar player and vocalist Joe Genaro in the band Butterfly Joe, and currently plays in The Big Band Orchestra.

The Song "How It's Gonna Be" from the "Soul Rotation Album" was featured on the movie "It's Pat"

The Dead Milkmen were attacked by some theater students throwing raw eggs at a live concert at Penn State University [10]

Dave "Blood" Schulthise committed suicide in 2004. His death was featured in the The New York Times and Rolling Stone Magazine.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Self-released cassettes

  • Living Death in the Cellar of Sin — 1981
    • Tracks:
      1. The Milkmen Moo
      2. Get Happy
      3. She Loves me Hard
      4. Help me Lord
      5. Cerebectocismio
      6. Idiot
      7. Mary is a Mushroom
      8. Plub Dumb
      9. Bang Bang
      10. Girl With the Curly Hair
      11. Guitar Strings
      12. Middle Finger
      13. Stuffed Animal
      14. Mellow Fellow
      15. The Milkmen Moo (reprise)
      16. Get Happy You Jerks
  • Funky Farm — 1983
    • Tracks:
      1. Beach Song
      2. Labor Day
      3. Don’t Abort That Baby
      4. I’m Going To Purgatory
      5. Watching Scotty Die
      6. I Don’t Wanna
      7. Taking Retards To The Zoo
      8. Dance With Me
      9. Girl Hunt
      10. Stupid Mary Anne
      11. Fillet Of Sole
      12. Depression Day Dinner
      13. Rastabilly
  • A Date With The Dead Milkmen — 1983
    • Tracks:
      1. Filet of Sole
      2. Don't Abort That Baby
      3. Right Wing Pigeons From Outer Space
      4. I'm Living in Wisconsin
      5. Guns For Tots
      6. Girl Hunt
      7. The Beach Song
      8. I'm a Junkie, So What?
      9. Death's Alright With Me
      10. Ask Me To Dance
  • Death Rides A Pale Cow — 1984
    • Tracks:
      1. Labor Day
      2. I Don't Wanna, I Don't Wanna
      3. Veterans Of A Fucked Up World
      4. Bitchin Camaro
      5. Plumb Dumb
      6. Laundromat Song
      7. Land Of The Shakers
      8. Dance With Me
      9. Rastabilly
      10. I Hate Myself
      11. Ich Bin Ein Junkie, Was?
      12. Beach Party Vietnam
      13. Milkmen Stomp
  • The Dead Milkmen Take The Airwaves — 1984
    • Tracks:
      1. Beach Song
      2. Dance With Me
      3. Labor Day
      4. Bitchin’ Camaro
      5. Plum Dumb
      6. Swordfish
      7. VCW (Veterans of a Censored World)
      8. Spit Sink
      9. Laundromat Song
      10. Fillet Of Sole
      11. I Hate Myself
      12. I’m A Junkie, So What?
      13. Right Wing Pigeons
      14. Radio Blast
      15. Dean’s Dream
      16. Rastabilly
      17. Takin’ Retards To The Zoo
      18. Violent School
      19. Bonus Trax! - assorted snipets include: an endless jam on the Surfin’ Cow riff, parts of the first DM show at the Harleysville Youth Center, comments from the band before leaving for that show, more radio blast/tuning, etc.
  • Someone Shot Sunshine — 1984 (also known as 'Oh no! Somebody shot Sunshine!')
    • Tracks:
      1. Serrated Edge
      2. Swordfish
      3. Dean's Dream
      4. Takin' retards to the zoo
      5. Surfin' cow
      6. Gorilla Girl
      7. Nutrition
      8. Spitsink
      9. Whitie's gonna pay
      10. Christmas Party
      11. Go tell it on the mountain
      12. Merry Christmas from the D.M. (Copied from original #7)

[edit] Full-length studio albums

[edit] Other releases

  • The Thing that Only Eats Hippies — 1987, Australian single
  • Instant Club Hit — 1987
  • Punk Rock Girl (single) — 1988, 1989
  • Smokin' Banana Peels EP — 1988, 1989
  • If I Had a Gun EP — 1992
  • Now We Are 10 — 1993, retrospective
  • Chaos Rules - Live at the Trocadero — 1994
  • Death Rides a Pale Cow (The Ultimate Collection) — 1997, compilation
  • Cream of the Crop — 1998, compilation
  • Now We Are 20 — 2003, compilation
  • The Dead Milkmen Present: Philadelphia In Love— 2003, music video compilation
Philadelphia Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Dead Milkmen Biography - AOL Music
  2. ^ The Official Dead Milkmen Website » Milkmen FAQ
  3. ^ http://www.deadmilkmen.com/song-lyrics][http://www.deadmilkmen.com/videos
  4. ^ http://archives.deadmilkmen.com/
  5. ^ http://www.chinmusic.net/Walewander.html
  6. ^ The Dead Milkmen Biography - AOL Music
  7. ^ The Official Dead Milkmen Website » Dave Blood
  8. ^ The Official Dead Milkmen Website » Dave Blood
  9. ^ Dead Milkmen obituary
  10. ^ http://jacktalcum.com/archivebotm.php

[edit] External links

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