This month- The Queers
Alright, here I am again and I’m gonna mix it up some as usual. I don’t wanna get too predictable. I started with one of my favorite bands which is ANTiSEEN, then went to the pioneers of psycho-billy,The CRAMPS, what would be a nice curve ball this issue? How about the fathers of Pop Punk The Queers most definitely a favorite of mine.
1981 brought us this band, with Joe King (Joe Queer),Wimpy Rutherford, and Tulu. Unfortunately 1984 brought along a breakup or hiatus however you look at it Joe Queer was back in action by 1986 and 4 yrs. later with a new lineup the band released their debut album GROW UP. GROW UP was a damn good first effort and the irony certainly wasn’t lost on me; It’s obvious the last thing any of these chaps had in mind any time soon was maturity. That’s good though, that’s part of the magic of this band.
I met Joe Queer a few years ago, in his 40’s I believe, not that he looks like it, but his song lyrics are the same immature material that came out on my favorite compilation around 1995 titled A Day Late and a Dollar short. This selection of songs will hold it’s own with any Punk Rock album of any style. I love it. Everyone I know loves it.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think the Queers is Fun! Besides the Ramones they are probably the most fun band I’ve ever loved! Of course to enjoy them, you need a Goddamn sense of humor. If you don’t have a healthy and perhaps a bit demented sense of humor, if you’re some P.C. asshole that cringes at the word fag, thinking it’s some insult to the entire gay community or if you’re one of these womyn libbers that are offended by a man in general then you should probably stick to your Bikini Kill albums and dreams of cutting off men’s penises.
If one can go to a Queers show, with Joe up there giving it 110%, the crowd on top of each other, the music so loud, so tight that it sounds like it’s coming from inside you, if you can go there and not have an uncontrollable urge to dance, pogo, move around in some fashion you better check your pulse as you maybe dead!
After albums like Grow Up, love songs for the retarded, move back home there was and underground rumbling that the Queers were nothing more than a Ramone’s rip off band. I’m not sure how widespread this ridiculousness went but I certainly heard it all over the South. I’m not sure if it was a huge Flip Off to the Rumor Mill or huge tribute to The Ramones or a combination of both however they covered Rocket to Russia absolutely beautifully!
I don’t even see the big comparison of them and the Ramones that you can’t make with half the bands that came along since the Ramones. Johnny invented that Buzz Saw Guitar playing that many acts at least tried and Joey’s sometimes simple yet witty Lyrics are still influencing bands. The Queers were just a great band, when they wanted they were fast as hell too also not afraid to slow it down some songs off Album’s like Don’t Back Down (On Lookout Records as most of their early stuff was) to me gave the band a whole different dimension.
1994-95 were some busy years for the band, they dropped 5 releases in two years, that’s prolific for a band of any caliber.
Speaking of ‘94 Beat Off ( produced by good friend Ben Weasel, from the notorious Screeching Weasel) is another masterpiece in my opinion. Ben Weasel and Joe Queer have collaborated on several songs and The Queers actually do a song on Beat Off called Ben Weasel champion the fellow musician in their own pop punk way!
The Band rang in the Millennium with their seventh full length L.P. Called beyond the Valley
which was as good as any 2000 Punk release.
In 2006 the QUEERS traded in their long standing label lookout for Asian Boy Records, I have no idea the logistics of this move but They’re still the Queers putting out Munki Brain in 2007 and Back to the Basement in 2010 then a live album from Madrid Spain called Ole Maestro which I embarrassingly haven’t heard (YET).
LOOKOUT RECORDS was what they put some of their Full Length Studio recordings but when it came to live albums, E.P.s,etc they used a number of Labels including Hopeless, selfless, Clearview records. It doesn’t matter what label they’re on, it doesn’t matter too much who produced the Studio Albums, They’re The Queers and they rock. Of course they’re still touring all the time and if you get a chance to see them do so, if ya don’t you’re missing it. I can’t imagine every stopping listening to them, Road Trips, I don’t have my Queers, Ramones, ANTiSEEN and BON SCOTT (AC/DC) I might as well turn back to home cause I won’t make it. I sometimes cut people with knives.
I’ll leave you with one line if ya get it, Drink up and Turn up, if this means nothing to you, do yourself a favor of a lifetime go to the music store, yes The Music Store, preferably a local owned one if you can find that and buy a few Queers albums. O.K.- HEY YOU MOTHER FUCKERS , I ONLY DRINK BUD!
by Christopher Scum
