The Tubes

The Tubes were arch satirists of popular culture whose outrageous performance art concepts — which swung wildly from softcore pornography to suit-and-tie conservatism — frequently eclipsed their elusive musical identity.

Over the course of the mid-70’s, the Tubes earned a devoted cult following on the strength of Bill Spooner’s parodic songs and the group’s surreal live shows, which featured singer Fee Waybill adopting a variety of personae including the “crippled Nazi” Dr. Strangekiss, country singer Hugh Heifer, and Quay Lewd, a drug-addled British pop star. After signing to A&M in 1975, they released their self-titled debut, followed a year later by Young and Rich; while both failed to transfer the manic energy and theatrical complexity of their live set onto record, the single “White Punks on Dope” became a minor hit and a radio staple.

After signing to Capitol, they recorded 1981’s Completion Backwards Principle, an album based on an actual sales training instruction manual; both “Talk to You Later” and “Don’t Want to Wait Anymore” earned significant radio play, and the LP became the Tubes’ first Top 40 hit. Thanks to its provocative video, the single “She’s a Beauty” reached the Top Ten, and pushed the 1983 LP Outside/Inside into the Top 20 Albums chart; after 1985’s Love Bomb stiffed, however, the Tubes disbanded, and Vince Welnick later joined the Grateful Dead. In 1993, the Tubes reunited; and have been hitting the road ever since.

The band’s live show is still full of the manic energy and theatrical complexity that they’ve always been known for and is truly one-of-a-kind.