The Fleshtones!

The Fleshtones have been called “America’s Garage Band.” The Boogaloo Bag hereby postulates that The Fleshtones are THE WORLD’S GARAGE BAND! The group’s appeal is universal. The band even records songs in French and Spanish. Indeed, the group will be touring in Europe around the time this is posted. Correct us if we are wrong, but this group is the only one, born from the mid-seventies NYC punk scene (though never really embraced by it) that has continued to perform and make records since the band’s inception. There has been a book written about them (Sweat) and a documentary made about them (Pardon Us for Living but the Graveyard Is Full). It is one of the great mysteries of the universe that this group is not playing sold-out shows three weeks in a row at Madison Square Garden.

Instead, The Fleshtones played Coco 66, one of our favorite Brooklyn rock clubs, on Friday September 19, 2014—with opening acts The Garden State Social Club and Sean Coleman & the Quasars, with DJ Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus, who played records before, between and after the bands.

The Garden State Social Club

The show kicked off in and insanely righteous manner with The Garden State Social Club—a wacked out bunch of kids who performed mostly (if not all) cover songs, but in a revved up, modified manner. The group featured our pals Crystal Durant and Lynne Von Pang on vocals and guitarist Mike Edison, who supplied a boss Theremin solo in the middle of “River Deep Mountain High.” The group’s sound includes a baritone saxophonist (Steve Greenfield, who also plays with The Fleshtones).

Sean Coleman & the Quasars

Sean Coleman & the Quasars were also cool, and also included a baritone saxophonist. The Quasars have a cool rockabilly-influenced sound, but the addition of the reed instrument adds a hot R&B spice. Sean Coleman’s gritty vocal is sufficiently snot-nosed-sounding enough to be considered in garage/punk territory. In other words, this band rocks!

The whole evening was delightfully wild, with The Fleshtones playing an especially enthusiastic set of classic, as well as new, Super Rock originals and a few covers. Perhaps the night was so electrically charged because three of the band members—Peter Zaremba, Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer—all have birthdays within a few days of the gig. (Can you believe it? Peter Zaremba has turned 60!!!!)

After about an hour and a half of pure, unadulterated Fleshtones mania, the band came off the stage. When it returned for its well-deserved encore, a cake was produced to celebrate the birthdays (yummy carrot cake). The band then played for another 45 minutes in order to continue the celebration, which only ended when the band marched out of the club. The Fleshtones may be getting old, but they have not slowed down one bit, and this was among one of the finest shows The Boogaloo Bag writers ever witnessed!

(Don’t be shut out; The Fleshtones will be playing with Los Straight Jackets at the Bell House on Halloween. Get your tickets NOW!)

The following is a list of the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at this magnificent event:

• The Johnny Gibson Trio–Swanky (Laurie)
• Bill Justis and His Orchestra–Flea Circus (Philips)
• Ian Whitcomb & Bluesville–Fizz (Tower)
• Aesops Fables–I’ve Got Troubles (Atco)
• Hoyt Axton–Double Double Dare (Vee Jay)
• Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson–We Got Our Bag (SSS International)
• Mogen David & the Grapes of Wrath–Little Girl Gone (Norton)
• Flavor–Heart-Teaser (Columbia)
• Neal Ford and the Fanatics–(I’ve Got A) Brand New Girl (Hickory)
• The Midnight Rebels–Groovin’ Is Easy (Mr.)
• Chosen Few–Nobody But Me (Autumn)
• The Detours–Who Do You Love (Atco)
• Les Hou-Lops–Pas Besoin D’un Docteur (I Don’t Need No Doctor) (Apex)
• The Chambermen–Shotgun II (Amigo)
• Del Shannon–From Me to You (Big Top)
• Jimmy Gordon–Test Pattern (Challenge)
• Butterfield Blues Band–Come On In (Elektra)
• The Bubble Puppy–Hot Smoke & Sasafrass (international Artists)
• Walter Vandell–The Charge – Part 2 (Tempo)
• Nino Ferrer–Le Telefon (Riviera; Canada)
• Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas–I’ll Be Doggone (Imperial)
• The Buffalo Springfield–Mr. Soul (Atco)
• The Doors–Soul Kitchen (Elektra)
• Masking Sound–Une Fille Comme Ca (Trans-Canada; Canada)
• Count Five–Teeny Bopper Teeny Bopper (Double Shot)
• The Fortunes–Fire Brigade (United Artists)
• Billy Lee Riley–Valley of the Dolls (Mojo)
• Dion & the Wanderers–Two Ton Feather (Columbia)
• Harbinger Complex–I Think I’m Down (Brent)
• The Tow-Away Zone–Searchin’ (Epic)
• The Searchers–I Can Tell (Mercury)
• The Champs–Switzerland (Challenge)
• Sayre – The Vacant Lot–Don’t You Just Know It (Ltd.)
• Cliff Richard & the Shadows–Do You Want to Dance (Columbia; UK)
• Demetriss Tapp–Ring Dang Doo (Brunswick)
• Los Bravos–La Moto (Columbia; Spain)
• Los Canarios–Get on Your Knees (Calla)
• Levon and the Hawks–He Don’t Love You (And He’ll Break Your Heart) (Atco)
• ? & the Mysterians–Girl (You Captivate Me) (Cameo)
• The Pussycats–I Want Your Love (Columbia)
• Small Faces–Whatcha Gonna Do About It (Decca; UK)
• Thee Headcoats–Fatback (Munster; Spain)
• Bo Diddley–Gun Slinger (Checker)
• The Candy Johnson Show featuring Candy Johnson’s Exciters–Hound Dog (Canjo)
• Vince Taylor and His Playboys–Brand New Cadillac (Chiswick; UK)
• Rico and the Ravens–Don’t You Know (Rally)
• The Kingsmen–The Climb (Wand)
• Roy Head–You’re (Almost) Tuff (Back Beat)
• The Pacers featuring Bobby Crafford–Diddley Diddley Daddy (Razoback)
• The Clungels–Do the Dog (Artone; Netherlands)
• Just Brothers–Sliced Tomatoes (Music Merchant)
• Albert Collins–Thaw-Out (Hall)
• Combo Kings–Do the Slow Fizz (Jamie)
• The Wolf Men–Watusi Beat (Bobbette)
• The Premiers–Get Your Baby (Faro)
• The Wailers–Mau Mau (Golden Crest)
• The Roamers–I Want Candy (Hit)
• Alvin Cash & the Crawlers–Twine Time (Mar-V-Lus)
• The Remo Four–Mickey’s Monkey (Star-Club; Germany)
• Ricardo Ray–Mony Mony (Alegre)
• The Ikettes–Da Doo Ron Ron (Modern)
• Tina Britt–Sookie Sookie (Veep)
• The Del-Rays–Fortune Teller (Atco)
• The Blazers with Li’l Ray Armstrong–Boom Boom (Empire)
• The Animals–Don’t Bring Me Down (M-G-M)
• Randy & the Radiants–My Way of Thinking (Sun)
• The Pastel Six–The Milkshake (Zen)
• The Bonniwell Music Machine–Bottom of the Soul (Warner Bros.)
• The Mystery Trend–Johnny Was a Good Boy (Verve)
• The Pickwicks–Little by Little (Warner Bros.)
• Les Problèmes–Si c’est la nuit (Disques Vogue; France)
• The Blues Project–I Can’t Keep From Crying (Verve Folkways)
• Jackie & the Cedrics–Silent Night Rumble (Norton)

None of these records are for sale.

On the pictures of The Fleshtones below, click on them to make them Big-O-Fied!