Showcase Showdown (band)
Encyclopedia
The Showcase Showdown was an American band who was a fixture in Boston
's punk rock
scene in the 1990s. The band toured the Northeast extensively and became notorious for their tongue-in-cheek songs, often about obscure cultural icons from political history, television shows and comic books. Its name was among these references, referring to the "Showcase Showdown," a game play element on the game show The Price Is Right
.
entitled "Drunk at the Karaoke Bar" featuring duets by mostly inebriated members of both bands.
The lineup of the group consisted of Albert "Ping Pong" Genna on vocals, Victoria Arthur on bass, Tom Cloherty on guitar, and Steve "Chez Nips" Maxwell on drums. Arthur was a medical student at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
through much of the band's career, and her husband, Cloherty, was working as a social worker. After Showcase Showdown's breakup, Arthur and Cloherty formed the group The Spitzz.
, along with "aggressive pogo-punk". Critic Sarah Bee of Melody Maker
, in a favorable review of the album Permanent Stains, wrote, "These men are in touch with their inner deviants."
Critic Ian D'Giff of Newsday
wrote that Showcase Showdown's cover version of the Sex Pistols
' song "Friggin' in the Riggin'", from the album Never Mind the Sex Pistols...Heres the Tribute, was "raging", and it "nearly makes up for the album's shortcomings".
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
scene in the 1990s. The band toured the Northeast extensively and became notorious for their tongue-in-cheek songs, often about obscure cultural icons from political history, television shows and comic books. Its name was among these references, referring to the "Showcase Showdown," a game play element on the game show The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
.
Background
Showcase Showdown released only two full-length albums, Appetite of Kings and Permanent Stains. They released much of their work on 7" vinyl singles and cassettes, and were featured on several split EPs including a split with Blanks 77Blanks 77
Blanks 77 is an American street punk band active from 1990–2001, and again from 2004 onward. Originally based in Hillside, New Jersey, they are currently located in Denville....
entitled "Drunk at the Karaoke Bar" featuring duets by mostly inebriated members of both bands.
The lineup of the group consisted of Albert "Ping Pong" Genna on vocals, Victoria Arthur on bass, Tom Cloherty on guitar, and Steve "Chez Nips" Maxwell on drums. Arthur was a medical student at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
University of Massachusetts Medical School
The University of Massachusetts Medical School is one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system and is home to three schools: the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Graduate School of Nursing; a biomedical research enterprise; and a range of...
through much of the band's career, and her husband, Cloherty, was working as a social worker. After Showcase Showdown's breakup, Arthur and Cloherty formed the group The Spitzz.
Reception
Allmusic's review of the album Appetite of Kings noted the influence of the Sex PistolsSex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
, along with "aggressive pogo-punk". Critic Sarah Bee of Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, in a favorable review of the album Permanent Stains, wrote, "These men are in touch with their inner deviants."
Critic Ian D'Giff of Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
wrote that Showcase Showdown's cover version of the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
' song "Friggin' in the Riggin'", from the album Never Mind the Sex Pistols...Heres the Tribute, was "raging", and it "nearly makes up for the album's shortcomings".
Albums
- Appetite of Kings (1996) Elevator Music
- Permanent Stains (1999) Damaged Goods Records
Cassettes
- Self-titlted Tape (1993) Tario Records
- 6 Foot Sofa (1993) Tario Records
- All The Presidents' Heads & Chickens Tape (1994) Tario Records
Vinyl
- Showcase Showdown 7" (1993) Tario Records
- Chickens 7" (1994) Tario Records
- All The Presidents' Heads 7" (1994) Pogostick Records
- Christmas 7" (1995) Tario Records
- Soothing Moments 7" (1996) Beer City Records
- Split w/ Twerps 8" (1997) 702 Records
- Assemble Your Own Dictator (split w/ August Spies) 7" (1997) Tario Records
- Drunk at the Karaoke Bar (w/ Blanks 77Blanks 77Blanks 77 is an American street punk band active from 1990–2001, and again from 2004 onward. Originally based in Hillside, New Jersey, they are currently located in Denville....
) 7"(1997) Tario Records - We Are Showcase Showdown 7" Picture Disc (1998) Tario Records
Compilation exclusive tracks
- "Drano" Runt of the Litter CD (1996) Fan Attic Records
- "Forgery" Suburban Voice #38 7" (1996) Suburban VoiceSuburban VoiceSuburban Voice is a punk zine published by Al Quint. Originally started in 1982, it was titled Suburban Punk for the first 10 issues, and then the titled changed to Suburban Voice. Although the zine has other contributors, Al is the primary writer for most of the material...
- "The Devil Speaks French/Here Come the Televampires" I've Got My Friends CD (1996) Flat Records
- "Johnny Wont Go To Heaven" Joey Vindictive Presents: That Was Now, This is Then CD (1997) VML Records
- "The Only Thing Scary About Halloween Is Your Fucking Face" Songs for the Witching Season 7" (1998) Creep Records
- "Get Out" Scene Killer Vol.2 CD (1999) Outsider Records
- "Friggin' in the Riggin'" Never Mind the Sex Pistols...Heres the Tribute CD (2000) Radical Records