Beauty Scene Outlaws are a vehicle for the skewed pop smarts and wise-guy wordplay of songwriters Norm Wilson and Mike P, Syracuse, NY natives who spent their childhood modeling children’s Halloween costumes for Don Post mail-order catalogs. While attending Coppin State in 1989, the duo formed their first group, Hausfrau, which featured songwriter Mike P on keyboards and Wilson as lead vocalist; the band was rounded out by guitarist/songwriter Paul Shedd and drummer John Bateman.
Their quirky, tongue-in-cheek art pop failed to find an audience, however, and their manager successfully convinced the band to change the group's name. After becoming Beauty Scene Outlaws, they almost reached the Hot 100 with the single "Potsie" and 1992's sublimely bizarre “Magic Time Is For Winners” cemented the band's cult status, scoring another near-hit with "Boy From Guantanamo Bay."
By 1997's ironic Introducing Beauty Scene Outlaws, recorded with a series of Swedish session players, the BSO were treading water, so they enlisted German producer “The Human” to helm 1997’s synth-powered pop confection Chocolate Macaroni & Cheese, which spurred the group to renewed success in Norway on the strength of the hit singles "Cat Sample," "Food For Fancy," and "Dance Camp 2000" The Human’s sidekick Olan Mills took the production reins for the immediate follow-up, Pageant Tryouts, which scored a massive French hit with "Where‘s Our Commercial?"
The disastrously wonderful 1999 LP Bulling Ratchets Out Of Mats was followed by a long hiatus. Outside of composing the music for several Asian “pinky violence” films, BSO remained silent until this year‘s new release You're Soaking In It. The newly revamped BSO still combine wise-guy lyrics with occasional synth-pop moments, but are now fueled by scorching guitars and catchy melodies that never seem to leave your head. Cuts like “The Centaur” and “Don’t Hang Up the Phone” are pure pop/punk genius and show why the BSO are still one of the best pop smart bands around today.
The Human's CD release party is tonight at the Underground Metropolis. The show starts at 8pm and it's free! "The Human Loves You" CD will be available for $10.
Thank you, gentlemen, for a lovely evening. Let's do it again some time. We'll be home by the phone, waiting for you to call. All dressed up. Just waiting.
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