Blotto (band)
Encyclopedia
Blotto was a rock band from Albany
, New York
which mixed music and humor. They were formed in 1979 out of the remains of the Star Spangled Washboard Band, a "post-hippie" comedy jugband. Blotto music was a sort of combination of New Wave
and soul
/R&B, but with comical songs. It began as basically a tavern band. Their songs were played on the Dr. Demento
Show and they appeared on television's Uncle Floyd Show. They toured frequently and were popular primarily in the northeastern United States, especially among college students.
The main singer, known as "Sergeant Blotto", had also been the main singer of the Star Spangled Washboard Band.
After releasing two EP records by their own Blotto Records, they produced a video (an early example) for their song "I Wanna Be A Lifeguard
", working with video production students at University at Albany, The State University of New York
. The video was played on the very first day MTV
was broadcast and continued being played frequently due to its catchy tune and humorous appeal. This exposure helped them produce their album Combo Akimbo, which was released with assistance from Peter Pan Records, and a "Video 45" on VHS from Sony with three videos of their songs that also received wide exposure on MTV (including the heavily-rotated "Metalhead").With Buck Dharma from Blue Oyster Cult on lead. Blotto worked with producer Bob Clearmountain
on one of the songs on their album.
The group was eventually disestablished during 1984, with the players continuing with more profitable interests. Drummer Lee Harvey Blotto graduated from Albany Law School
, became an attorney with a specialty in intellectual property law, and continued to play with the band as "F. Lee Harvey Blotto" (a pun on famous lawyer F. Lee Bailey and assassin Lee Harvey Oswald
). Bassist "Cheese Blotto" (Keith Stephenson) died suddenly in October 1999 of cardiomyopathy brought on by a liver condition.http://elvispelvis.com/cheeseblotto.htm
All the group's studio recorded material, excepting the song "Bud ... Is After Us", were reissued on a compact disc titled Collected Works (1994). In 1999, the band released a second CD, Then More Than Ever, consisting of previously unreleased recordings from live concerts (including excerpts from a 1982 appearance on the "BBC College Concert" radio series), as well as tracks that had been intended for a never completed follow-up album to "Combo Akimbo."
The band in its current incarnation (Broadway, Bowtie, Sarge, F. Lee Harvey, Clyde and Hammerhead) are still active, and still reunite occasionally for concerts in their home area of Albany, NY, with performances including the 2008 4th of July
celebration at the Empire State Plaza. In summer 2011, the band is slated to perform several shows at festivals in the Albany area.
In 2005, the group released a DVD assembled by Bert Blotto containing all the video material in their vaults. Included are appearances on The Mike Douglas Show
(as The Star Spangled Washboard Band), The Uncle Floyd Show, MTV with VJ Martha Quinn, The Joe Franklin Show, and Carmine's Table, among others.
The members of the classic crew were:
g
The group also had a cover of Lou Christie
's "Lightning Strikes" which appears on the compilation LP Hudson Rock and their Collected Works. "Metalhead" appears on the compilation LP Metal For Breakfast.
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
which mixed music and humor. They were formed in 1979 out of the remains of the Star Spangled Washboard Band, a "post-hippie" comedy jugband. Blotto music was a sort of combination of New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
/R&B, but with comical songs. It began as basically a tavern band. Their songs were played on the Dr. Demento
Dr. Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
Show and they appeared on television's Uncle Floyd Show. They toured frequently and were popular primarily in the northeastern United States, especially among college students.
The main singer, known as "Sergeant Blotto", had also been the main singer of the Star Spangled Washboard Band.
After releasing two EP records by their own Blotto Records, they produced a video (an early example) for their song "I Wanna Be A Lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
", working with video production students at University at Albany, The State University of New York
University at Albany, The State University of New York
The State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university located in Albany, Guilderland, and East Greenbush, New York, United States; is the senior campus of the State University of New York ...
. The video was played on the very first day MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
was broadcast and continued being played frequently due to its catchy tune and humorous appeal. This exposure helped them produce their album Combo Akimbo, which was released with assistance from Peter Pan Records, and a "Video 45" on VHS from Sony with three videos of their songs that also received wide exposure on MTV (including the heavily-rotated "Metalhead").With Buck Dharma from Blue Oyster Cult on lead. Blotto worked with producer Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
on one of the songs on their album.
The group was eventually disestablished during 1984, with the players continuing with more profitable interests. Drummer Lee Harvey Blotto graduated from Albany Law School
Albany Law School
Albany Law School is an ABA accredited law school based in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1851 by Amos Dean , Amasa Parker, Ira Harris and others....
, became an attorney with a specialty in intellectual property law, and continued to play with the band as "F. Lee Harvey Blotto" (a pun on famous lawyer F. Lee Bailey and assassin Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald was, according to four government investigations,These were investigations by: the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Warren Commission , the House Select Committee on Assassinations , and the Dallas Police Department. the sniper who assassinated John F...
). Bassist "Cheese Blotto" (Keith Stephenson) died suddenly in October 1999 of cardiomyopathy brought on by a liver condition.http://elvispelvis.com/cheeseblotto.htm
All the group's studio recorded material, excepting the song "Bud ... Is After Us", were reissued on a compact disc titled Collected Works (1994). In 1999, the band released a second CD, Then More Than Ever, consisting of previously unreleased recordings from live concerts (including excerpts from a 1982 appearance on the "BBC College Concert" radio series), as well as tracks that had been intended for a never completed follow-up album to "Combo Akimbo."
The band in its current incarnation (Broadway, Bowtie, Sarge, F. Lee Harvey, Clyde and Hammerhead) are still active, and still reunite occasionally for concerts in their home area of Albany, NY, with performances including the 2008 4th of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebration at the Empire State Plaza. In summer 2011, the band is slated to perform several shows at festivals in the Albany area.
In 2005, the group released a DVD assembled by Bert Blotto containing all the video material in their vaults. Included are appearances on The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that aired in syndication from 1961 to 1982, distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations.The program featured light banter with...
(as The Star Spangled Washboard Band), The Uncle Floyd Show, MTV with VJ Martha Quinn, The Joe Franklin Show, and Carmine's Table, among others.
Members
Group members took on pseudonyms for their performances.The members of the classic crew were:
- Bowtie Blotto (guitar, vocals). Born in Detroit, Michigan.
- Broadway Blotto (guitar, vocals). Born 1950.
- Keith "Cheese Blotto" Stephenson (bass guitar) 1956–1999.
- Lee Harvey Blotto (drums). Born June 13, 1955 in Batavia (NY state).
- Sergeant Blotto ("Sarge") (vocals, percussion). Main singer.
Other members
- Bert Blotto - (Webmaster for Blotto.net, Merch Guy, Keeper Of All Things Blotto-present)
- Johnny Blotten (drums; 1978–1979)
- Bluto Blotto (sax; 1978)
- Scott Blott (sax; 1978–1979)
- Chevrolet Blotto (vocals and keyboards; 1980–1981)
- Helena "Blanche Blotto" Binder (vocals and keyboards; 1978–1980)
- Clyde Blotto (bass; 2000–present)
- Hammerhead Blotto (keyboards; 1988–present)
- Ink Blotto (roadie; 1980–1982)
- Juan Pablo Blotto (1990–1995)
g
Discography
- Hello, My Name is Blotto, What's Yours (EP, Blotto Records) (1980)
- Across and Down (EP, Blotto Records) (1981)
- When the Second Feature Starts (Single, Blotto Records) (1981)
- Metalhead (Sony Video 45, VHS) (1982)
- Combo Akimbo (LP, Blotto Records) (1983)
- Blotto (compilation) (LP, Attic Records of Canada) (1984)
- I Wanna Be A Lifeguard (PVC Records) (1988)
- Collected Works* (CD, One Way Records) (1992)
- Then More Than Ever (CD, One Way Records) (1999) (previously unreleased tracks)
- Blotto - Play Something Good! The Definitive Video History (2005)
The group also had a cover of Lou Christie
Lou Christie
Luigi Alfredo Giovanni Sacco , known professionally as Lou Christie, is an American singer-songwriter best known for three separate strings of pop hits in the 1960s , including his 1966 smash, "Lightnin' Strikes" and his incredible 3 octave vocal range.-Biography:Sacco was born in Glenwillard,...
's "Lightning Strikes" which appears on the compilation LP Hudson Rock and their Collected Works. "Metalhead" appears on the compilation LP Metal For Breakfast.