Forgotten Rebels, Ramones, The Dead Boys, The Kinks, Rubber City Rebels, Pagans, Meatmen, Buzzcocks, Dickies, Descendants, Dictators, The Boys, GG Allin And The Jabbers, The Rasberries, Badfinger, Vandals, Sex Pistols, Kick Axe, Sham 69, The Business, Toy Dolls, Hellacopters, MC5, The Stooges, Blue Cheer, The Clash, Damned, Dion and the Belmonts, The Fiesty Cadavers, Hatebeak, The Wiggles.
Sounds Like
Donnie Iris on crank.
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Coming Up:
The Last Of The Last Shows, Sept. 12, 2008... Jake and the Stiffs
No one is really certain when Jake and The Stiffs were actually formed. Some say 1988, some 1989, and others say 1990. One thing that everyone did agree upon was that using 1990 as a birthdate makes them seem 2 years younger. If anything in this bio appears to be bullshit, it probably isn..t, but I wouldn..t rule it out.
In January of 1990 Jason Loch (Jake) and Randy America left Detroit for Tampa Florida amid a shower of gunfire and unpaid utility bills, searching for eternal sunshine and the opportunity to breathe fresh air again, surf, drink, and write an album. Their old detroit roomie Vincent Crowley (Acheron, Nocturnus) gave them a hookup with metal faves Nasty Savage shortly after their arrival.
After finding the local ABC Liquors and the 2001 Odessy Lounge, they were broke after a week and living in their car. For the next 7 months they worked odd jobs, living on a boat for a short while and eventually moved into an apartment with a couple of strippers and a local drug dealer.
Most days were spent body-boarding and partying, but the newly formed Stiffs did manage to put 6 songs together. After an incident in which Randy was shot at and ran a man over, the Stiffs fled Tampa bound back for Detroit with enough music to put together an EP and enough drug induced stories to write a biopic movie no one would ever believe.
The result, ..Meet the Stiffs.. was recorded sometime in late 1990 featuring a variety of musical arrangements ranging from a Cro-Mags like aura up to the melodic-punk sound that would one define them to a generation of loyal fans. The recording featured Jake on guitar, Randy on Bass and vocals, and Scott Bradley on the drums. Almost all of those recordings have been lost, but a copy still shows up from time to time under somebody's sofa.
In Novemer of 1991 things fell apart in Detroit. Scott Bradley joined Dee Dee Ramone's Chinese Dragons, Jake joined SBLC, and Randy once again fled Detroit, this time to the safety of the Pike Creek Valley in Wilmington Delaware. Where he proceeded with the blessing of Jake and Scott to continue the short lived legacy of the Stiffs.
After setting up shop, Randy immediately found a new drummer for the Stiffs in the form of his next door neighbor Zach Miles. Randy and Zach were inseperable, playing almost daily in Zach's mom's garage, coming up with the arrangements for for many of the bands first originals. Bassist Steve Funk was added and the trio set out for rock and roll super stardom, recording the LOVE SO DEEP full length in early 1992, featuring the original recorded versions of such classics as: Bill and Stephi, Back in the Day, All I said, and Scrappy Come Home and more...
For the next 2 years the Stiffs would go into the studio time and time again recording everything they came up with including an impromptu acoustic album entitled "Jesus Penis" for whatever reason, no one can seem to remember. These songs, probably 25-30 in all were never released for public consumption. Steve funk quit the band on the eve of a mid-west tour via a call from the airport leaving the rest of the Stiffs to scramble for a replacement.
It was at this point that Gangster Pump bassist/writer/crossdresser/naked bloody guy, and notorious troublemaker- Vince Kelle (AKA Algy Siouxicide) joined the Stiffs as bassist. But the ever ambitious Zach eventually moved to the beach and the old lineup was gone forever.
But, with the addition of Vince, new seeds were planted taking the stiffs into another direction musically and professionally. Added for a short time was Vince's long-time friend and powerhouse drummer, Steve Attig (Britny Fox, Doro Pesch. Now playing at The Hard Rock Cafe- Thailand) and the trio rumbled on playing wherever and whenever they could.
In 1995 Randy and Vince joined forces with Donnie Switchblade (ex-Stormwatch, Halflings, and The Rumblers) and Matt Drastic (ex-Stormwatch, Halflings, Teen Idols, The Queers) forming the first ever 4 piece version of the Stiffs. They put out a handful of self released cassette demos, a CD on Mutant Pop Records, a few 7" vinyl recordings (most notably ..SPIKE.. featuring the instant classic "Jennifer") and appeared on a few punk compilations on various labels. They also toured, appearing with great acts such as The Queers, Schleprock, The Devil Dogs, The Lunachicks, The Boils, Plow United, The Bristles, The Casualties and more...with the bigger bands came the bigger crowds. Life was good.
By the year 2000 things were about over for the Stiffs though they would make random appearences locally for the next 5 years. During this period Vince managed to cement himself as a mainstay in the Delware/Philly punk scene playing with several bands, most recently Hellbomber, Walk Among Us, and The Assimilators. Zach went on to play with several local bands and is now enjoying his life as an sucessful entrepenuer. Randy continued to record and occasionally play live with Zach and Vince for various projects, but once was, was gone.**
After the birth of his daughter, Emily, in 1998 Randy slipped quietly into obscurity never regretting a moment of his time spent with the only band he ever dedicated himself to. Randy continues to write and record, but mostly spends his days at Chisel Creek C.C. preparing for the PGA Champions Tour, and hanging out with Emily.
Look for a re-release of Love So Deep ..hit records in the near future as well as another 5 or so albums of mostly unreleased material finally closing the chapter on one of the most fun-loving punk groups ever to hail from the First State.
Say Goodnight Gracie! "Goodnight, Gracie!"
2007: Randy and Blair have joined forces to create a punk cover band effectively entitled ..The Chris Coopers.. for the occasional jam session, and possible live show or two.
Vince Kelle (AKA Algy Siouxicide) can be currently seen in the DE/PA/NJ/MD areas playing with Hellbomber, Walk Among Us, The Punky Brewsters, The Assimilators, and more!
** there were several members of Jake & the Stiffs throughout the years that weren..t mentioned in this bio. Some were in the lineup for live shows, and some are on various recordings. Here they are to the best of our memory:
Bill Kate: Guitar (Explosive Kate, Sat. Night Kids, The Assimilators)
Chris Mundis: Bass (Puddle)
Bill Bohn:Bass
Sean Rhule: Drummer (Plow United)
Erkle: Drummer (Punky Brewsters)
Blair Warning: Guitar (Spindrift, Chris Coopers)
Paul Budd (Sunfly, Spindrift)
I USED TO HAVE A TAPE OF YOURS THAT HAD LIKE 20 SONGS ON IT. GOT IT FROM MY HOMETOWN HEROES, THE SHAFFERS. REMEMBER THEM? I GOT ALL YOUR 7"S. WHAT'S A GUY GOTTA DO TO GET A COPY OF "STARSHIPS"?
