The MEATMEN

Hello Kiddies, and a big Fat Merry X-mess to all! What a merry mess this time of the year is. The time of the year that makes me think without doubt that the worlds population should be cut in half at least. Honestly, I hate the Holiday season as thanksgiving is such a joke, I don’t want to even get started on that one, let’s just say most Native Americans probably have a different view than the general public. Christmas, well, I’m Agnostic and I don’t believe in Santa Claus either, so what’s left. It’s the perfect time of the year for us all to rejoice in the music of one of the best ever Hate-Rock Bands, The MEATMEN.

      Anyone that’s ever scratched the surface of Hard Core and Punk Rock will either light up or cringe when they hear the name Tesco Vee. I light up like a neon bar sign! I am a long time MEATMEN fan and liked Tesco Vee’s Hate Police as well. I think he did this band around 1992,during one the frequent MEATMEN Hiatuses perhaps just for a change, to see where he could go without The MEATMEN stamp.

     I have gotten way ahead of myself, let’s do a 180 back to the late 70’s in Lansing,Michigan to where a seething Tesco Vee was teaching 3rd grade (scary) while internally chomping at the bit to rip a new asshole in music in general. He was raised in a strict Christian community, which created a rebel with few limits or morals. Living in The Bible Belt of Knoxville,TN most of my life I can certainly relate to his rebellion against Christianity.

     During his teen years, Vee had created and wrote for a Fanzine called Touch and Go. in 1980 he partnered with Cory Rusk (Necros) to launch the record label Touch and Go

In 1981 The original Meatmen were born; The band comprised Tesco Vee, Rich Ramsey, Gregg Ramsey and David Howse were immediately known for their offensive lyrics and outrageous stage antics. They released Blud Sausage and Crippled Children Suck and in 1983 a live album We’re The Meatmen and You Suck! Then TV split the Michigan scene and moved to Washington,DC. This was breakup number 1.

      Vee recorded a solo E.P. titled Dutch Hercules then decided to concentrate on The Meatmen with a new line up. In D.C. with all the political hardcore bands going on thus far The Meatmen were looked upon as a “JOKE BAND” however TV hooked up with several popular, powerful D.C. musicians, in the next couple years he played with members of Minor Threat and Necros’ Todd Swalla amongst other talented players.

     Taking a harder, faster approach the Guys were accused of going Metal. They released War of the Superbikes (1985) and Rock & Roll Juggernaut (1986), the first two full length studio recordings and both fucking rock like nothing else. Yes, these albums were heavier than anything Tesco Vee had done before and they were a hint of the Punk/Metal crossover they would do in the 90’s. I love both albums and still have them on CD somewhere in this shitpile I call my studio.

     By no means do I mean to imply I disliked We’re the Meatmen and you Suck and Crippled Children suck as the the lyrics, song titles and the E.P. Titles were hilarious. So politically incorrect a sicko like myself fell in love with the music at first listen, which was at a Keg Party in Fort Sanders, a neighborhood that was my stumbling grounds during late teens and early 20’s. I stayed at a huge house on 1300 Laurel Ave. ironically called The Hippie House which was an artistic cesspool where writers, musicians, wanna be artist, seriously talented artist, poets and hangers on all gravitated there to listen to music and get waisted beyond the point of being human.As a musician and budding alcoholic I had found fuckin’ paradise! My highschool buddies bitched at me for getting so inebriated, my new crowd encouraged it and joined me. The coolest thing was a lot of older musicians came by and talked music. This is where I unearthed many of the then underground bands that revised my taste in music, and had a relevant influence on my life in general. I started reading a lot more for example. This was 1986 I’m not exactly first generation Punk, but once I heard it I was locked in. for maybe 7 straight years I listened to nothing but Hardcore and Punk Rock.

     This is where I went Tooling for Anus! Someone put them on one night, before I was too polluted with multiple substances to listen. I talked the guy into leaving the CD, which was a recorded copy of Crippled Children Suck and if I remember correctly it had Government Issue on the back. Of course I made a copy of his copy.

In 1990 Crippled Children Suck was re-released on Touch and Go as a full studio long player.

      That’s when there was another Hiatus and Tesco Vee’s HATE POLICE put out the Gonzo Hate Vibe album, then in ‘94 The MEATMEN again came on with Toilet Slave, Pope on a Rope on Vees own label MEAT KING,  and War of the Superbikes II which contained all the tracks from the first plus a slew of new songs to fill it out. (Go Kart Records)

      These albums were  metal. Punk lyrics and attitude maybe but metal none the less. Tesco Vee was getting a huge backlash from the gay community as well as certain minorities. I really don’t understand how anyone could take his lyrics seriously enough to be offended. I’m all for gay rights but c'mon if you’re getting side tracked by silly lyrics by harmless punk rock band aren’t you then decreasing focus from true enemies that want to do you serious harm or to set back any progress Gays have made, such as churches and some Republicans?

Tesco Vee’s lyrics were venomous, perhaps at the time the most offensive hardcore lyrics ever heard. Some bands steered clear of them because of this and if TV didn’t like them, they were verbally and lyrically ripped to shreds by the former Elementary School teacher. Other people laughed it off whether they were Straight, Gay, Black, White, Male and Female.

    Seems their entire career was riddled with holes and hiatuses. Evil in a League with Satan came out in 97 and was the last we’d hear from The Meatmen for over 10 yrs.

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    Around 2007 I started hearing grumblings about Tesco doing it again, but figured it to be mere talk. However, 2008 it proved to be true, He had indeed put together yet another line up of Punk Rock Hooligans and started playing again, stronger and angrier than ever from what I’ve heard. In 2009 they did an album called COVER THE WORLD which is probably a list of Tesco Vee’s favorite bands or artist. They do a damn good version of GG ALLIN’S Highest Power, they record some Black Randy and the Metrosquad, Rocky Erickson (Don’t shake me Lucifer) Fear (I LOVE living in the City) Jimmy Dean (Big Bad John) and not surprisingly an ABBA song.

     The Meatmen are still pounding away as hard as ever. They played with another of my very favorite bands ANTiSEEN for the 30th anniversary. Damn it I missed it, of course. I haven’t heard it yet but there’s also a split CD out between the two mega bands. I have to get that.It’s on TKO,

that’s a good sign it’s harder than ever! Also I heard the MEATMEN have a song they wrote about GG ALLIN on there. Not just anyone could get away with writing a song about GG. However, The MEATMEN have definitely earned that right. On lyrical content alone, they’re right up there with THE GOD of SCUM ROCK. As far as being hated, who knew Allin would still be hated 20 yrs after his death, we have the computers and youtube for that.

     Tesco Vee’s actively working at it to this day! For this, I love The MEATMEN