Thomas "T.TEX" Edwards- lead vocals
Mike Haskins- lead guitar/vocals
Barry "KOODA" Huebner- rhythm guitar/vocals
Bob "WILDMAN" Childress- bass
Carl Edmund Giesecke- drums
Barry followed Walter Ray Brock (farfisa)
Bob followed Clarke Blacker who followed Pierre Thompson on bass
Paul Quigg played guitar & James E. Flory played bass on the BOYS & GIRLS single & on the 1981 East Coast tour.
Influences
Bombsite Fanzine Four 2009
March issue brings the biggest stories so far with the Francesco Mellina photo set. Francesco was also manager of Liverpool's Dead or Alive. The Damned live at Eric's commentary. TV Smith from The Adverts interview with Bombsite. Dead or Alive strory from Mark Jordan who runs the new Eric's Club web site. Mike Badger and his Eric's memories and art work. The Worst rare concert commentary of live gig in 1977; And 77 Rockers The Nervebreakers Re-Group. Thanks to The Duel for the main soundtrack of this issue "Better Bombs"
from: Friday, March 20th at the Owl Tree Roasting Party in Austin.
Nervebreakers are a late seventies / early eighties Texas punk band considered by many to be the first of their kind in the southwest. Like many others of this genre, they started out as a high school garage band doing sixties / early seventies cover songs. What made them unique was their range of material; from the music of the English Invasion to Yummy Yummy bubble gum as well as songs from punk pioneers MC-5 to true blue country artists like George Jones.
The array of influence from all those cover songs melded into a two guitar, bass and drum sonic assault with a wild child vocalist up front. The members of the band began writing some of their own songs.
All aspects were in place and the band was primed when the punk movement broke in the mid-seventies.
On July 24, 1977 the Ramones first blitzkrieged Dallas at The Electric Ballroom, Nervebreakers opened. In 1978 the Sex Pistols set out to swindle America but it was Nervebreakers who stole the show at The Longhorn Ballroom. In 1979 when the Clash were calling here at Dallas’ Palladium, Nervebreakers let them know they weren’t in London anymore. By 1980 when the Police came to town, they were Nervebreakers fans due to Random Notes in Rolling Stone. The list reads on and on in NME, Melody Maker and High Times. Like a who’s who of punk rock history, our guys held their own as the Texas band to see.
Nervebreakers weren’t just playing, they were the real deal. Home grown - born and raised. Texas proud and ready to kill. They introduced punk rock with a bit of a ‘twang’ to the world and recorded it for all to hear.
In the pre - D.I.Y. days of 1978 they self-released the EP “Politics” featuring “My Girlfriend is a Rock”. ”Girlfriend” became a hit in San Francisco, Sacramento and Boston and was later covered by the Angry Samoans and Wool - among others. This song (and the US invasion of Iraq) inspired sixteen year old punk upstarts, Spector 45, to put their spin on the song as “My Girlfriend’s in Iraq” in 2003.
Other 7 inch gems that followed include “Hijack the Radio” b/w “Why Am I So Flipped” The black and blue vinyl “Girls, Girls, Girls, Girls, Girls” b/w a cover of the obscure Rolling Stones song “I’d much Rather be with the Boys”. The band also contributed two songs “So Sorry” (as the Barry Kooda Combo) and “I Love Your Neurosis” to the local punk rock compilation “Are We Too Late for the Trend” put out by ESR. Other acts featured on this late seventies Dallas area time capsule include the Telefones, The Vomit Pigs, The Skuds and Superman’s Girlfriend.
Despite being recognized as the biggest and baddest of them all locally, they were also huge fans of Texas predecessors such as the 13th Floor Elevators. This eventually led to the band contacting Psychedelic rock pioneer Roky Erickson. Roky had just walked out of a mental institution so they offered to open shows for him and provide the legendary musician with a backup group. The result helped Roky back in the public eye. And “Roky Erickson and the Nervebreakers Live at the Palladium in 1979” was issued on the French label New Rose Records.
In 1980 Nervebreakers took on their biggest endeavor yet, recording the full length album “We Want Everything”. Sadly due to band finances this effort was not to be released. Side projects and individual interest whittled away at the band until an eventual demise. Each and every off shoot of the band has been and continues to be incredible. Vocalist Thom "Tex" Edwards has fronted bands including “The Swingin’ Cornflake Killers”, “The Loafin ' Hyenas” and most recently “Out on Parole”. Lead guitarist, Mike Haskins, has led the instrumental spaghetti western band “The Big Guns” for the last decade. And guitarist Barry Kooda had a great run with late 80's band “Yeah Yeah Yeah” and as one of three front men in the 1990's country outfit “The Cartwrights”. But those are all other long stories so for now let’s just stick with Nervebreakers.
“We Want Everything” did not see the light of day until 1994 when Texas rarities / reissue label ‘Existential Vacuum’ released it to rave reviews. This was followed by a single reuniting of the band for a release party at Trees in Deep Ellum. Shortly thereafter this effort was picked up by garage / punk label ‘Get Hip Records’ and made available worldwide. In 2000 Italian label “Rave Up Records” woke up and released “Hijack the Radio” a collection of singles, rarities and live cuts. Years after they laid the groundwork for thousands of other Texas bands, Nervebreakers were finally getting their due.
Which brings us, folks; to 2009. After serving your punk rock needs for over thirty years the Nervebreakers have reunited. All five core members have returned including vocalist Thomas "T. TEX" Edwards, lead guitarist Mike Haskins, rhythm guitarist Barry "KOODA" Huebner, Bob "WILDMAN" Childress on bass and drummer Carl Edmund Giesecke.. An anthology "Why Am I So Flipped?” of previously unreleased songs has been assembled and a brand new effort of never recorded before material entitled “Face Up to Reality” has been taken into the studio and captured as well.
Why now? Unlike most of their contemporaries they are all still alive. So there is an opportunity to re-emerge. The roots of the band and the music have finally brought things full circle. Prepare yourself because the best is yet to come. For the first time in 15 years, since the release of “We Want Everything” the Nervebreakers will perform live. Only three shows are scheduled.
Friday, March 20th at the Owl Tree Roasting, 3421 N. Interstate 35, Austin 78722.
Saturday, March 21, at Antones Record Shop, 2928 Guadalupe, Austin 78705.
Saturday, April 11, at Club Dada, 2720 Elm Dallas 75226.
Nervebreakers - HIJACK THE RADIO: AMERICAN LOST PUNK ROCK NUGGETS VOL. 15 (LP)
"Wow, after one listen I see now why The Nervebreakers hold the place that they do with so many re-punk connoisseurs.
The LP starts off with a signature hit of theirs (that I had only heard mentioned in liner notes before now),
called "Hijack the Radio"; then took me through track after track of impressive Texas punk. "Why Am I So Flipped?", "My Life is Ruined", & the intense "I Love Your Neurosis"...
On side two, a live show from a Dallas venue called DJ's New Wave Cafe of decent quality and featuring some songs I am more familiar with like "I've Got A Problem", and "Strange Movie". But the tune that really gets me is the last track, "I Wanna Kill You". It has a quirky unnatural ax-creeper feel to it & as the lyrics are sang and the song progresses, I believe the words I hear from Tex's mouth!"
Tex , You're welcome , and you're free to put it on your page , or use it in the promotion of the Nervebreakers , in whole or in part , til death do us fart...etc. etc. To tell you the God's honest truth , I did'nt even think to send it c/o regular e-mail. If you need it on e-mail , let me know. John.
YOU'LL NOTICE THERE'S NO CONTINUITY IN THE REVIEW BELOW... THE REVIEW BEGINS AT PART ONE , TWO COMMENTS DOWN , THEN CONCLUDES AT THE COMMENT SPACE DIRECTLY BELOW THIS ONE. I could'nt get all the info in one space. Go figure. Thanks for reading. This is exclusively being loaned for use by The Nervebreakers. Which means , if you'd like to use it , too , please ask. Don't Send The Baby Jesus on No Bad Trip. John.
"My Girlfriend is a Rock " is , admittedly , done more for laughs , but rocks just as hard as the rest of 'em , Lead Singer , T. Tex Edwards , roaring with a ferocity that would do the only man he ever stepped down , briefly , from the mike for , Roky Erickson , proud. "Why Am I So Flipped"lives up to it's title , taking the listener through all manner of unexplored terrain. Like a more economic "Inna - Gadda - Da - Vida" (At 78 speed) , with the band stopping on a dollar's worth of dimes , each one throwing in solos that check in at less than 10 seconds.). "My Life is Ruined" takes the tempo down considerably , with acoustic guitars and castanets , conveying more of a "Spaghetti Western" feel , and , perhaps , forseeing T.Tex Edwards' later "Murder Country" career. The song seems to be an attempt to wrestle self - pity from the wimps and back into the hands of the truly hard livers. But , perhaps not. It just seems to say , no hope , no future , no second chances , it is what it is. But , if it were'nt for hope and second chances , The Nervebreakers would'nt be coming on so strong , today. "I Love Your Neurosis" appeared on the 1979 ESR Records comp , "Are We Too Late For The Trend?" , one of the finest regional Punk/New Wave comps of the 70's. An earlier version , recorded in 1977 , was recently unearthed , and closes out this EP. while it resembles the later version , it's , understandably , a good bit more rough and raw - sounding. And they're STILL more rough and raw - sounding than any of the newbies you can throw into the ring. Age ain't nothin' but a number , and that number is NUMBER TWO if you believe it ain't. Expect to hear more new stuff , soon. What I've heard is pure Punk Rock 'n'Roll , regardless of demand . 2009 , John Battles .
Roctober #47 - To purchase or make other inquiries: www.roctober.com
Nervebreakers: "I Hate The Nervebreakers ( a six - song "Nervebreakers For Dummies" primer.)" (Nervebreaker Music CD) .
The past year or so has found the classic 'Breakers lineup hard at work , recording songs for their new album , the yet to be released "Face Up To Reality" , and , not seemingly as taxing , restoring and reinforcing their friendships. The advance tracks that I've heard are as good , probably better , than the original 70's singles. But , there's a real easy way to make that decision. This sampler CD , a primer for those new to the band , or just aching to hear the original sides , after a long drought (Their singles - not all of 'em - were only available on the Rave Up Lp , "I Love Your Neuroses", out of Italy , and even that is getting to be quite the rarity)....0pening with the title track from the new album , you can tell , from the word , "Go", that the band has an agenda , and pissing around is not part of it. The furious drumming of Carl "Crusher" Giesecke and the screamin' sustain and fuzztone overload by twin guitarists , Mike Haskins and Barry Kooda (They're not really twins. Figure of speech.) instantly bring to mind what The Nervebreakers did with "Strange Movies" by The Troggs and could yet do with "Feels Like a Woman". This is heavy stuff. NOT for the faint of heart. The anthemic "Hijack The Radio" plays out a fantasy many of us have held , of holding the local Rock station hostage , and actually playing some Rock 'n'Roll. It's a great tune with a lot of humor , but , as a statement of purpose , this is still no joke. It also predates The Ramones' similarly - motivated "Do You Remember Rock'n'Roll Radio" and "We Want The Airwaves". "My Girlfriend is a Roc
Just making the rounds to all of For Love & Stacie's friends here on MySpace letting you know that the full movie is now online in full for free. Hope you love it and and really hope you'll help us out by spreading it around! Thanks so much!
We Want Everything is one of the best punk rock records I have ever heard! The cover version of "The Good The Bad The Ugly" is superb and it has classics such as Girls Girls Girls Girls Girls and My Girlfriend is a Rock. A true influence. Thanks for the add Cheers from Portugal
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