Stick Men with Ray Guns
Encyclopedia
Stick Men with Ray Guns was an American punk rock
group from Dallas, Texas
. The group's name comes from a comic called Stick Man with Ray Gun. They formed in 1981 after lead singer Bobby Soxx (formerly of the Teenage Queers) attended a show by guitarist Clarke Backer's previous group, Bag of Wire. Their first show was a date opening for Black Flag
in spring 1981. They also opened on Texas dates for punk groups such as X, Dead Kennedys
, TSOL
, The Misfits, Bad Brains
, UK Subs
, and Butthole Surfers
. They went on hiatus in 1987 and reconvened in 1988 to write new material; their last show was in June 1988.
The group was distinguished by their raucous and aggressive musical style, confrontational and offensive lyrics, and a correspondingly decadent lifestyle. Their sets were often self-destructive, as they would intentionally perform songs which they had barely or never rehearsed. Bobby Soxx was notorious for starting fights frequently, stealing drug
s on tour, urinating on other groups during their shows, and inserting microphone
s into his anus
before leaving the set for the next band -- the band were banned from Dallas' Hot Klub
, considered an 'anything-goes' venue, to say the least.
In its heyday, the group recorded little, never toured outside of Texas and was not well known beyond the regional punk scene. However, as interest in the early Texas punk scene increased over time, groups like Stick Men with Ray Guns and The Hugh Beaumont Experience
(whose own fame surged after the breakout success of Butthole Surfers
) acquired a cult
status among punk fans. Stick Men became better known when the Richard Hell
/Thurston Moore
project, Dim Stars
, covered their song "Christian Rat Attack". In 2000, guitarist Clarke Backer re-released 16 of their recordings on an album entitled Some People Deserve to Suffer. In 2002, the album was picked up, enlarged to 23 tracks, and re-released on Emperor Jones
/Drag City
; the reissue received highly positive reviews from several major press agencies and was named the #6 in Mojo
s Best Underground Albums of 2002 list.
After spending time in prison
and a mental hospital
, Bobby Soxx died of alcohol poisoning on October 23, 2000.
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...
group from Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The group's name comes from a comic called Stick Man with Ray Gun. They formed in 1981 after lead singer Bobby Soxx (formerly of the Teenage Queers) attended a show by guitarist Clarke Backer's previous group, Bag of Wire. Their first show was a date opening for Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
in spring 1981. They also opened on Texas dates for punk groups such as X, Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, TSOL
TSOL
TSOL is an American punk rock band which formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California. TSOL is short for True Sounds of Liberty although they are rarely referred to by their full name....
, The Misfits, Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
, UK Subs
UK Subs
The U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. They were also one of the first street punk bands.-Career:The U.K...
, and Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
. They went on hiatus in 1987 and reconvened in 1988 to write new material; their last show was in June 1988.
The group was distinguished by their raucous and aggressive musical style, confrontational and offensive lyrics, and a correspondingly decadent lifestyle. Their sets were often self-destructive, as they would intentionally perform songs which they had barely or never rehearsed. Bobby Soxx was notorious for starting fights frequently, stealing drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
s on tour, urinating on other groups during their shows, and inserting microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s into his anus
Anus
The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,...
before leaving the set for the next band -- the band were banned from Dallas' Hot Klub
Hot Klub
The Hot Klub was a punk rock club in Dallas, Texas, USA in the early 1980s which is considered the first club in Dallas to feature only punk and New Wave bands.. It was preceded by The D3, which occasionally hosted punk groups, and was followed by Studio D in 1981...
, considered an 'anything-goes' venue, to say the least.
In its heyday, the group recorded little, never toured outside of Texas and was not well known beyond the regional punk scene. However, as interest in the early Texas punk scene increased over time, groups like Stick Men with Ray Guns and The Hugh Beaumont Experience
The Hugh Beaumont Experience
The Hugh Beaumont Experience was a punk rock band from Fort Worth, Texas. The band's original lineup was Brad Stiles on vocals, Tommie Duncan on guitar, Clay Carlisle on bass, and Carter Kolba on drums. Formed in 1980 by members of the private school, Fort Worth Country Day School, in Fort Worth,...
(whose own fame surged after the breakout success of Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
) acquired a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
status among punk fans. Stick Men became better known when the Richard Hell
Richard Hell
Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...
/Thurston Moore
Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
project, Dim Stars
Dim Stars
Dim Stars was an alternative rock supergroup active briefly in the early 1990s. The group was composed of bassist Richard Hell of The Voidoids, guitarist Thurston Moore and drummer Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth, guitarist Don Fleming from Gumball; there was some guitar work by Robert Quine, also...
, covered their song "Christian Rat Attack". In 2000, guitarist Clarke Backer re-released 16 of their recordings on an album entitled Some People Deserve to Suffer. In 2002, the album was picked up, enlarged to 23 tracks, and re-released on Emperor Jones
Emperor Jones
Emperor Jones is a small Austin, Texas based independent record label founded in 1995 by Craig Stewart. It has released albums by acts such as Alastair Galbraith, The American Analog Set, Roky Erickson, Thuja, ST37, The Mountain Goats, Stick Men with Ray Guns, Peter Jefferies, Pip Proud, Rusted...
/Drag City
Drag City (record label)
Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...
; the reissue received highly positive reviews from several major press agencies and was named the #6 in Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
s Best Underground Albums of 2002 list.
After spending time in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
and a mental hospital
Mental Hospital
Mental hospital may refer to:*Psychiatric hospital*hospital in Nepal named Mental Hospital...
, Bobby Soxx died of alcohol poisoning on October 23, 2000.
Members
- Bobby Soxx (Bobby Glenn Calverly) - vocals
- Clarke Blacker - guitar
- Scott Elam - drums
- Bob Beeman - bass
- Valerie Bowles - bass (briefly)
- Mark Ridlin - bass (briefly)