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Another perennial What Wave fave appeared in our first issue, The Fleshtones. These guys still embody the best of rock and roll. They party, they perform and they have a fucking good time doing it. I've often heard and read about the lack lustre performances that prevented the Fleshtones from making it. But, I've yet to attend a bad performance - each Fleshtones' show has been a high octane shot in the arm. The most recent London visit by the Fleshtones followed this trend. After their show, we had a chat with Peter Zaremba and Bill Milhizer (vocals and drums respectively). The Fleshtones have been busy since the last time we talked to them (see issue #20), but the line up has remained the same - with Pete and Bill joined by Keith Streng on guitar, Ken Fox on bass, Steve Greenfield on sax and Joe Laposki on trumpet. This most recent show was their second time through London and they were glad to be back, mostly because they "don't owe anybody any money up here". Touring seems to be a fact of life for the Fleshtones although, this time through they did have a new product to peddle, their newest album on Trafalgar Records, 'Powerstance'. Trafalgar Records out of Australia has a distribution deal with Core, and the 'Tones had hoped that the record would be available in Canada (so far it's not available in the States). Peter thinks they're gonna import some stuff to here. Maybe 100 copies over the 4000 miles of Canada. Most of them will go to Yellowknife. Actually, it's almost that bad, but I have seen a copy or two floating around some of the cooler record stores up here. The album was recorded in Australia almost two years ago, under direction of Dave Faulkner, and the finishing touches completed in October '91. Released in March of '92, Powerstance features most of the present line-up with the exception of Ken Fox. At the time of recording, Andy Shernoff was doing bass duties with the band. Although, the 'Tones did include Ken on one song, 'Living Legends'.
While in Australia, the band indulged in its favourite hobby (next to museum attending) and formed a musical sideshow with members of the Hoodoo Gurus called the Gherkin Milkshakes. The original name for the band, Choking Women was abandoned because "it offended certain sensibilities and was politically very incorrect" - God save rock and roll from political correctness. There are a few live tapes of this wild combo floating around, but I don't think there are any official releases being planned.
But, what is in the works is an EP that was recorded in January 92 in Athens, Georgia under the tutelage of Peter Buck. All that's needed now is a few touch ups and it'll be ready to come out. Although, there is a chance that this one could take two years to come out too, as there is talk of recording more songs and making it an LP. So, we'll just have to wait and see.
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