The Dirtbombs
Encyclopedia
The Dirtbombs are an American garage rock
band based in Detroit, Michigan
, notable for blending diverse influences such as punk rock
and soul
while featuring a dual bass guitar, dual drum and guitar lineup. The Dirtbombs were formed by Mick Collins
(of the influential garage punk band The Gories
) as a side project and started recording songs by 1995.
(formerly of Ko & The Knockouts) on a distorted “fuzz” baritone guitar and Ben Blackwell
(owner of record label Cass Records) and Pat Pantano (formerly of the Come Ons) on the two drum sets.
Noted producer Jim Diamond
played bass from 1997 until 2004 and during that time Diamond also recorded and co-produced the Dirtbombs output with Mick Collins at his Ghetto Recorders studio in Detroit. Troy Gregory
(formerly of Flotsam and Jetsam
, Prong, and lead singer of The Witches and Troy Gregory & The Stepsisters) played bass from June 2004 to September 5, 2008, also constituting one of the longest runs of any Dirtbombs member: the four-year line-up of Collins, Pantano, Blackwell, Melina, and Gregory is the longest lasting Dirtbombs line-up to date. For a brief time in 2002, the band featured back-up singers Deanne Iovan (also formerly of the Come Ons) and future bass player Ko, in addition to five musicians.
Los Angeles-based independent label In The Red Records
persuaded the Dirtbombs to record an LP. Collins decided that if the band were to record a full-length album they would treat it like a giant single, centering around one musical idea or genre. The full-length 1998 debut Horndog Fest
is a mix of heavy garage punk and pop-inclined rock 'n roll. The songs "I Can't Stop Thinking About It", "Granny's Little Chicken", and "Shake Shivaree" remain live staples. "I Can't Stop Thinking About It" was used in a Buick commercial in 2007 and was later covered acoustically by the Romantics
.
In 2000, the band released 2 singles, as well as a split single with The White Stripes
. They also appeared on the X-Mas Surprise Package Volume 3 compilation, and backed Andre Williams
on two songs on his "The Black Godfather" LP.
, in 2001, a collection of nearly all soul, R & B, and Motown covers, with one original track - "Your Love Belongs Under A Rock". Around this time, a garage rock revival became vibrant in the American and European underground, led in part by fellow Detroit band the White Stripes, and the Dirtbombs were part of a multitude of Detroit bands that subsequently received attention from the music industry. Opening for the White Stripes (and with Jack White acknowledging the Gories as a major influence) brought the band increased publicity as well. In 2005, MSNBC.com
listed Ultraglide on their list of the top albums of the past 20 years.
"Ode to a Black Man" was taken from the LP for a 2001 single. A five-song EP, Chariots of the Gods?, was also released that year, and the band appeared on the Jack White-produced Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit compilation that year as well.
Two new singles were issued in 2002. That same year, the Dirtbombs appeared on four compilations, as well as on Troy Gregory's solo album, Sybil. The band also toured extensively during this time, playing in Europe
and Australia
, in addition to the U.S.A. and Canada
.
. This album was originally going to be done in the style of bubblegum pop
, but Collins ultimately chose to stick with a radio-friendly pop rock style, described by the band as being " the car-commercial record". The album featured a re-recorded version of their contribution to the Sympathetic Sounds compilation, "I'm Through With White Girls" written and sung by Jim Diamond
. The single "Motor City Baby" was featured on Little Steven's Underground Garage as the "Coolest Song in the World".
The band, with Jim Diamond and Tom Potter on bass, was featured on a Dutch television documentary about the Detroit rock scene that also profiled the White Stripes and the Paybacks. Mick took the filmmakers on a tour of the Detroit music scene, and drummed for the White Stripes while they sang Loretta Lynn's "Rated X". The documentary concluded with the three of them bowling.
In 2004 the band headlined the Rock City Fest in Detroit (the show being Jim Diamond's final show with the band). 2004 was also a major year of record releasing: The band released a split LP with King Khan and the Shrines
called Billiards at Nine Thirty, a second single from Dangerous Magical Noise, "Earthquake Heart", and a pair of new singles. Split singles were also issued, one backed with a Gories song, one with Justin Robertson
, and one with ADULT.
in Spain and headlining tour dates in Zagreb
and Belgrade
.
A new split with the Love Supremes was issued, and the band also appeared on a Gun Club tribute record that year. In the summer of 2006, the song "Trainwreck" was used in a Walmart television commercial.
In October, the band played in Rivera Court at the Detroit Institute of Arts
for the premiere of a documentary film called It Came From Detroit, in which the band was featured prominently in interviews and live footage. In May 2007 The Dirtbombs were invited by director Julian Schnabel to play at the Cannes Film Festival
in honor of their song "Chains of Love", from the Ultraglide LP, being featured in his award-winning The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
.
In September, the band played at the reopening of the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac, Michigan.
The band released one single in 2007, a cover of the Black Lips
' "Oh Katrina".
, the fourth In The Red LP, began in November 2006 as a five song EP. The length of time since the band's last full-length, 2003's Dangerous Magical Noise, led to the decision to finish it as an LP, once again postponing the bubblegum record. Recording resumed in the summer of 2007, and We Have You Surrounded was released in February 2008. Far from being bubblegum, the album's themes are dark. The song "Leopard Man at C & A" features lyrics taken from comic book writer Alan Moore
's poem of the same name, (described by Collins as "a fabulous take on urban paranoia").
In support of We Have You Surrounded, the band embarked on tours of the U.S.A., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Festival appearances included the Golden Plains Festival
in Australia, The Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, the Afro Punk Festival in Brooklyn, and the All Tomorrow's Parties
's Nightmare Before Christmas Festival in England. In July 2008, the band returned to the eastern U.S.A., opening for Spiritualized
, and later touring with TV on the Radio
in the Fall.
Five singles were issued in 2008: a cover of a Suicide
song on the Irish label Infirmary Phonographic; an INXS
covers single on Australian label Stained Circles; a Sparks
covers single on In The Red, which includes "Sherlock Holmes", also found on We Have You Surrounded and an iTunes compilation; and two splits on Cass Records with 2008 touring partners - a cover of Detroit proto-punk band Death on a split with touring partner Kelley Stoltz
and a split with Dan Sartain
.
While touring for We Have You Surrounded, Ko Melina stopped playing her parts on a "fuzzed" bass and instead started playing a baritone guitar.
.
In February, 2011, the band released their fifth LP, Party Store
. A sequel of sorts to Ultraglide In Black, Party Store features rock covers of early Detroit techno
and house
music. A companion remix album was released by Scion's
ScionAV label.
on their Michigan and Illinois tour dates, and in subsequent years, they've opened for Mudhoney
, Radio Birdman
, TV on the Radio
and Spiritualized
. Over the years, the band has headlined tours with such up and coming bands as the Black Lips
, Be Your Own Pet
, and Jay Reatard
, many of which would go on to become major label acts. In 2002, rising art-punk band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
opened for the Dirtbombs at the relatively small Bowery Ballroom
in New York. Four years later, the Dirtbombs would open for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the massively larger Roseland Ballroom, also in New York City. The band jokingly refers to this trend as "The Dirtbombs Curse".
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band based in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, notable for blending diverse influences such as 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...
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...
while featuring a dual bass guitar, dual drum and guitar lineup. The Dirtbombs were formed by Mick Collins
Mick Collins
Mick Collins is a musician from Detroit, Michigan.- Biography :Collins first played in a band called the U-Boats in 1981 and then in the Floor Tasters from 1984 to 1985. In 1986, the 20-year old Collins helped form the seminal garage punk band, The Gories...
(of the influential garage punk band The Gories
The Gories
The Gories are an American garage rock trio that formed in Detroit in 1986. They were among the first 1980s garage punk bands to incorporate overt blues influences...
) as a side project and started recording songs by 1995.
History
In the ten-plus years since their conception, a host of Detroit rock musicians have been members of the Dirtbombs both in the studio and on the road. As of September 2008 the band's lineup consists of Collins on guitar, Ko MelinaKo Melina
Ko Melina, also known as Ko Shih and Ko Melina-Zydeco, is a musician and radio DJ from Detroit, Michigan.- Biography :A bartender at the Garden Bowl, a rock n' roll hotspot in Detroit, Melina befriended scene fixtures like Jack White and Steve Shaw from the Detroit Cobras. Shaw asked her to play...
(formerly of Ko & The Knockouts) on a distorted “fuzz” baritone guitar and Ben Blackwell
Ben Blackwell
Ben Blackwell is the creator and director of , one of two drummers in the Detroit-based rock band the Dirtbombs, an accomplished writer and a nephew of Jack White of the White Stripes.-The Dirtbombs:...
(owner of record label Cass Records) and Pat Pantano (formerly of the Come Ons) on the two drum sets.
Noted producer Jim Diamond
Jim Diamond (music producer)
Jim Diamond is a music producer, studio engineer, and bass guitar player based in Detroit, Michigan. He worked on the first two White Stripes albums and played bass with The Dirtbombs.- Background :...
played bass from 1997 until 2004 and during that time Diamond also recorded and co-produced the Dirtbombs output with Mick Collins at his Ghetto Recorders studio in Detroit. Troy Gregory
Troy Gregory
Troy Gregory is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, filmmaker and solo artist. He is best-known for his work with The Dirtbombs, Prong, and The Witches.-Chronology:...
(formerly of Flotsam and Jetsam
Flotsam and Jetsam (band)
Flotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band...
, Prong, and lead singer of The Witches and Troy Gregory & The Stepsisters) played bass from June 2004 to September 5, 2008, also constituting one of the longest runs of any Dirtbombs member: the four-year line-up of Collins, Pantano, Blackwell, Melina, and Gregory is the longest lasting Dirtbombs line-up to date. For a brief time in 2002, the band featured back-up singers Deanne Iovan (also formerly of the Come Ons) and future bass player Ko, in addition to five musicians.
Early singles and Horndog Fest (1996-2000)
Originally conceived as a “singles band”, the Dirtbombs were to record only 7” records each in a radically different style. The band's first single, "High Octane Salvation", was released in 1996. The band released two singles in 1997, and also appeared on the Ghettoblaster Volume 1 compilation. They released another two singles in 1998.Los Angeles-based independent label In The Red Records
In the Red Records
In the Red Records is an independent record label in Los Angeles, CA formed in 1991 by Larry Hardy. It is known for hosting garage punk related bands on its label....
persuaded the Dirtbombs to record an LP. Collins decided that if the band were to record a full-length album they would treat it like a giant single, centering around one musical idea or genre. The full-length 1998 debut Horndog Fest
Horndog Fest
-External links:* [ Horndog Fest] at Allmusic...
is a mix of heavy garage punk and pop-inclined rock 'n roll. The songs "I Can't Stop Thinking About It", "Granny's Little Chicken", and "Shake Shivaree" remain live staples. "I Can't Stop Thinking About It" was used in a Buick commercial in 2007 and was later covered acoustically by the Romantics
The Romantics
The Romantics is an American New Wave band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1977. The band adopted the name "The Romantics" because they formed on Valentine's Day, 1977. The Romantics achieved popularity in the United Kingdom, The U.S...
.
In 2000, the band released 2 singles, as well as a split single with The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
. They also appeared on the X-Mas Surprise Package Volume 3 compilation, and backed Andre Williams
Andre Williams
Andre Williams is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit.-Biography:...
on two songs on his "The Black Godfather" LP.
Ultraglide in Black and the Detroit rock and roll revival (2001-2003)
The Dirtbombs enjoyed a boost in recognition after the release of their second album, Ultraglide in BlackUltraglide in Black
-External links:* [ Ultraglide in Black] at Allmusic...
, in 2001, a collection of nearly all soul, R & B, and Motown covers, with one original track - "Your Love Belongs Under A Rock". Around this time, a garage rock revival became vibrant in the American and European underground, led in part by fellow Detroit band the White Stripes, and the Dirtbombs were part of a multitude of Detroit bands that subsequently received attention from the music industry. Opening for the White Stripes (and with Jack White acknowledging the Gories as a major influence) brought the band increased publicity as well. In 2005, MSNBC.com
Msnbc.com
msnbc.com is a news website owned and operated as a joint venture by NBCUniversal and Microsoft.In addition to original content from its news staff, msnbc.com is the news website for the NBC News family, with content from the cable television news channel MSNBC, NBC shows such as Today, NBC Nightly...
listed Ultraglide on their list of the top albums of the past 20 years.
"Ode to a Black Man" was taken from the LP for a 2001 single. A five-song EP, Chariots of the Gods?, was also released that year, and the band appeared on the Jack White-produced Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit compilation that year as well.
Two new singles were issued in 2002. That same year, the Dirtbombs appeared on four compilations, as well as on Troy Gregory's solo album, Sybil. The band also toured extensively during this time, playing in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in addition to the U.S.A. and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Dangerous Magical Noise (2003-2004)
In 2003 the band released their third LP, Dangerous Magical NoiseDangerous Magical Noise
Dangerous Magical Noise is an album by the American rock music group The Dirtbombs.As every Dirtbombs album sounds different, this one was chosen to have a more pop-rock sound.- Track listing :# "Start the Party" – 1:41# "Get It While You Can" – 2:25...
. This album was originally going to be done in the style of bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
, but Collins ultimately chose to stick with a radio-friendly pop rock style, described by the band as being " the car-commercial record". The album featured a re-recorded version of their contribution to the Sympathetic Sounds compilation, "I'm Through With White Girls" written and sung by Jim Diamond
Jim Diamond (music producer)
Jim Diamond is a music producer, studio engineer, and bass guitar player based in Detroit, Michigan. He worked on the first two White Stripes albums and played bass with The Dirtbombs.- Background :...
. The single "Motor City Baby" was featured on Little Steven's Underground Garage as the "Coolest Song in the World".
The band, with Jim Diamond and Tom Potter on bass, was featured on a Dutch television documentary about the Detroit rock scene that also profiled the White Stripes and the Paybacks. Mick took the filmmakers on a tour of the Detroit music scene, and drummed for the White Stripes while they sang Loretta Lynn's "Rated X". The documentary concluded with the three of them bowling.
In 2004 the band headlined the Rock City Fest in Detroit (the show being Jim Diamond's final show with the band). 2004 was also a major year of record releasing: The band released a split LP with King Khan and the Shrines
King Khan and the Shrines
King Khan and the Shrines, sometimes referred to as King Khan and Sensational Shrines or The Supreme Genius of King Khan and His Sensational Shrines, are a Berlin-based garage rock and psychedelic soul band.-History:...
called Billiards at Nine Thirty, a second single from Dangerous Magical Noise, "Earthquake Heart", and a pair of new singles. Split singles were also issued, one backed with a Gories song, one with Justin Robertson
Justin Robertson
Justin Robertson is a British DJ, remixer and electronic music producer from Manchester, England. He has remixed dozens of high-profile music artists as himself or as The Prankster, fronted the group Lionrock and has released albums and singles of original music under his own name and the name...
, and one with ADULT.
ADULT.
ADULT. is an American band from Detroit, Michigan that integrates vocals with drum machines, analog synths and electronic/punk elements. While popular in their home city of Detroit, they are also very popular in Germany and the United Kingdom.-History:ADULT...
If You Don't Already Have a Look and involvement with films: (2005-2007)
In 2005 the band released If You Don’t Already Have a Look a 2-disc collection of their singles and rarities, as well as six new songs. The band was showcased at the Motor City Music Conference and later in the year they toured Europe making stops in many places on the continent, including the Primavera Sound FestivalPrimavera Sound Festival
San Miguel Primavera Sound, commonly known as Primavera Sound or simply Primavera, is an annual music festival which takes place in Barcelona, Spain in late May and, in some years, early June...
in Spain and headlining tour dates in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.
A new split with the Love Supremes was issued, and the band also appeared on a Gun Club tribute record that year. In the summer of 2006, the song "Trainwreck" was used in a Walmart television commercial.
In October, the band played in Rivera Court at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts is a renowned art museum in the city of Detroit. In 2003, the DIA ranked as the second largest municipally owned museum in the United States, with an art collection valued at more than one billion dollars...
for the premiere of a documentary film called It Came From Detroit, in which the band was featured prominently in interviews and live footage. In May 2007 The Dirtbombs were invited by director Julian Schnabel to play at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in honor of their song "Chains of Love", from the Ultraglide LP, being featured in his award-winning The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a translation of the French memoir Le scaphandre et le papillon by journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. It describes what his life is like after suffering a massive stroke that left him with a condition called locked-in syndrome...
.
In September, the band played at the reopening of the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac, Michigan.
The band released one single in 2007, a cover of the Black Lips
Black Lips
Black Lips are a "Flower Punk" band from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:The band formed in 1999 in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for their crude antics both...
' "Oh Katrina".
We Have You Surrounded (2008-2009)
Recording of We Have You SurroundedWe Have You Surrounded
-Personnel:* Ben Blackwell — Performer* Mick Collins — Producer, Performer* Troy Gregory — Performer* Jim Kissling — Engineer, Mixing* Chris Koltay — Engineer* Erik Maluchnik — Engineer* Patrick Pantano — Performer...
, the fourth In The Red LP, began in November 2006 as a five song EP. The length of time since the band's last full-length, 2003's Dangerous Magical Noise, led to the decision to finish it as an LP, once again postponing the bubblegum record. Recording resumed in the summer of 2007, and We Have You Surrounded was released in February 2008. Far from being bubblegum, the album's themes are dark. The song "Leopard Man at C & A" features lyrics taken from comic book writer Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
's poem of the same name, (described by Collins as "a fabulous take on urban paranoia").
In support of We Have You Surrounded, the band embarked on tours of the U.S.A., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Festival appearances included the Golden Plains Festival
Golden Plains Festival
The Golden Plains Festival is held over three days during the Victorian Labour Day long-weekend on private farmland in Victoria, Australia. The nearest rural town is Meredith, which is between the regional cities of Geelong and Ballarat. The closest metropolitan city is Melbourne, 90 kilometres...
in Australia, The Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, the Afro Punk Festival in Brooklyn, and the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
's Nightmare Before Christmas Festival in England. In July 2008, the band returned to the eastern U.S.A., opening for Spiritualized
Spiritualized
Spiritualized are an English space rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Jason Pierce after the demise of his previous outfit, space-rockers Spacemen 3...
, and later touring with TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
in the Fall.
Five singles were issued in 2008: a cover of a Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
song on the Irish label Infirmary Phonographic; an INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
covers single on Australian label Stained Circles; a Sparks
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael , initially under the name Halfnelson...
covers single on In The Red, which includes "Sherlock Holmes", also found on We Have You Surrounded and an iTunes compilation; and two splits on Cass Records with 2008 touring partners - a cover of Detroit proto-punk band Death on a split with touring partner Kelley Stoltz
Kelley Stoltz
Kelley Stoltz is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He currently resides in San Francisco, Calif.. His music has been compared to that of Brian Wilson, The Velvet Underground, Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen.-Musical career:...
and a split with Dan Sartain
Dan Sartain
Dan Sartain is an American rock and roll musician from Birmingham, Alabama. His music encompasses a variety of genres including rockabilly and blues. After releasing two self-produced albums through independent record labels, his first commercially-available studio album Dan Sartain vs. the...
.
While touring for We Have You Surrounded, Ko Melina stopped playing her parts on a "fuzzed" bass and instead started playing a baritone guitar.
Daddy Rockin' Strong LP and Party Store (2010-2011)
In 2010, The Dirtbombs recorded the title track for Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The DiablosDaddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos
Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos is a vinyl-only tribute album released by The Wind Records and distributed by Norton Records....
.
In February, 2011, the band released their fifth LP, Party Store
Party Store (album)
Party Store is the fifth studio album by American garage rock band The Dirtbombs, released on February 1, 2011. The album was released on the In The Red Records label.-Background:...
. A sequel of sorts to Ultraglide In Black, Party Store features rock covers of early Detroit techno
Detroit techno
Detroit techno is an early style of electronic music beginning in the 1980s. Detroit, Michigan has been cited as the birthplace of techno music. Prominent Detroit Techno artists include Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson...
and house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
music. A companion remix album was released by Scion's
Scion
Scion may refer to:*In kinship, a descendant , a son or daughter*Scion , a detached shoot or twig containing buds from a woody plant which is grafted onto the stock...
ScionAV label.
Live Experience
The Dirtbombs have a long and widely praised history as a live act. Spin magazine listed the Dirtbombs at number 10 in their list of "Top 25 Live Bands Now" in the September 2006 issue. The band has opened for a diversity of famous acts: In 2002, the band opened for BlondieBlondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
on their Michigan and Illinois tour dates, and in subsequent years, they've opened for Mudhoney
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
, Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia along with The Saints. Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia in 1974...
, TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
and Spiritualized
Spiritualized
Spiritualized are an English space rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Jason Pierce after the demise of his previous outfit, space-rockers Spacemen 3...
. Over the years, the band has headlined tours with such up and coming bands as the Black Lips
Black Lips
Black Lips are a "Flower Punk" band from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:The band formed in 1999 in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for their crude antics both...
, Be Your Own Pet
Be your own PET
Be Your Own Pet was a four-piece punk/garage rock group from Nashville, Tennessee, USA.-Members:* Jemina Pearl – vocals* Nathan Vasquez – bass, backing vocals* Jonas Stein – guitar, backing vocals* John Eatherly – drums...
, and Jay Reatard
Jay Reatard
Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr. , better known by the stage name Jay Reatard, was an American musician from Memphis, Tennessee. Lindsey was signed to Matador Records...
, many of which would go on to become major label acts. In 2002, rising art-punk band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
opened for the Dirtbombs at the relatively small Bowery Ballroom
Bowery Ballroom
The Bowery Ballroom is a music venue in the Bowery section of New York City. The structure, at 6 Delancey Street, was built just before the Stock Market Crash of 1929. It stood vacant until the end of WWII, when it became a high-end retail store. The neighborhood subsequently went into decline...
in New York. Four years later, the Dirtbombs would open for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the massively larger Roseland Ballroom, also in New York City. The band jokingly refers to this trend as "The Dirtbombs Curse".
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 1998 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia... |
Horndog Fest Horndog Fest -External links:* [ Horndog Fest] at Allmusic... |
In the Red | |
| 2001 2001 in music See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band.... |
Ultraglide in Black Ultraglide in Black -External links:* [ Ultraglide in Black] at Allmusic... |
In the Red | |
| 2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... |
Dangerous Magical Noise Dangerous Magical Noise Dangerous Magical Noise is an album by the American rock music group The Dirtbombs.As every Dirtbombs album sounds different, this one was chosen to have a more pop-rock sound.- Track listing :# "Start the Party" – 1:41# "Get It While You Can" – 2:25... |
In the Red | |
| 2008 2008 in music 2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such... |
We Have You Surrounded We Have You Surrounded -Personnel:* Ben Blackwell — Performer* Mick Collins — Producer, Performer* Troy Gregory — Performer* Jim Kissling — Engineer, Mixing* Chris Koltay — Engineer* Erik Maluchnik — Engineer* Patrick Pantano — Performer... |
In the Red | |
| 2011 | Party Store Party Store (album) Party Store is the fifth studio album by American garage rock band The Dirtbombs, released on February 1, 2011. The album was released on the In The Red Records label.-Background:... |
In the Red | |
Compilations
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 2005 in music -Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:... |
If You Don’t Already Have a Look | In the Red | |
Singles
- High Octane Salvation 7" (Sympathy For The Record Industry, 1996)
- All Geeked Up 7" (In The Red, 1997)
- Tina Louise 7" (Flying Bomb Records, 1998)
- Maybe Your Baby 7" (High Maintenance, 1998)
- Stuck Under My Shoe 7" (Some Assembly Required, 1998)
- Headlights On 7" (Solid Sex Lovie Doll Records, 2000)
- Brucia I Cavi 7" (Hate Records, 2000)
- Ode To A Black Man 7" (Sweet Nothing, 2001)
- Australian Sing A Long With The Dirtbomb Singers 7" (Zerox Records, 2002)
- Pray For Pills 7" (Corduroy Records, 2002)
- Motor City Baby 7" (Sweet Nothing, 2003)
- Earthquake Heart 7" (Velvet Tiger, 2004)
- Merit 7" (Kapow Records, 2004)
- Crashdown Day 7" (Corduroy Records, 2004)
- Tanzen Gehn' 7" (Soundflat Records, 2005)
- Brand New Game 7" (Munster Records, 2005)
- Oh Katrina 7" (Noiseless/Live From Detroit, 2007)
- Rocket USA 7" (Infirmary Phonographic, 2008)
- Need You Tonight 7" (Stained Circles, 2008)
- The Dirtbombs... Play Sparks 7" (In The Red, 2008)
- Race to the Bottom 12" (Cass Records, 2009)
- Kick Me 7" (Cass Records, 2010)
Split Records with Other Artists
- "Cedar Point '76", with The White Stripes (Extra Ball Records, 2000)
- "King's Led Hat", with The Gories (Fortune Teller Records, 2004)
- "She Played Me Like A Booger", with Justin RobertsonJustin RobertsonJustin Robertson is a British DJ, remixer and electronic music producer from Manchester, England. He has remixed dozens of high-profile music artists as himself or as The Prankster, fronted the group Lionrock and has released albums and singles of original music under his own name and the name...
(Slut Smalls, 2004) - "Lost Love", with ADULT.ADULT.ADULT. is an American band from Detroit, Michigan that integrates vocals with drum machines, analog synths and electronic/punk elements. While popular in their home city of Detroit, they are also very popular in Germany and the United Kingdom.-History:ADULT...
(Cass Records/Ersatz Audio, 2004) - "Billiards At Nine-Thirty", with King Khan And His Shrines (Sounds of Subterrania, 2004)
- "No Expectations", with The Love Supremes (Norton Records, 2005)
- "Missionary ManMissionary Man (Eurythmics song)"Missionary Man" is a song by the British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was taken from their sixth album, Revenge, and continued the band's rock/R&B musical style of the time and featured Jimmy Zavala on harmonica....
" , with The Black LipsBlack LipsBlack Lips are a "Flower Punk" band from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:The band formed in 1999 in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for their crude antics both...
(Cass Records, 2006) - "Kung Fu", with the Voltaire Brothers and Pitch Black City (Mahogani Music, 2007)
- "Politicians in My Eyes", with Kelley StoltzKelley StoltzKelley Stoltz is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He currently resides in San Francisco, Calif.. His music has been compared to that of Brian Wilson, The Velvet Underground, Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen.-Musical career:...
(Cass Records, 2008) - "Politicians in My Eyes", with The Terrible TwosThe Terrible TwosThe Terrible Twos are an alternative Children's band from Lawrence, Kansas. They have the same line-up as The New Amsterdams.-History:In 2005 after The Get Up Kids split up, lead singer Matt Pryor turned his focus on his other band The New Amsterdams and, primarily, his children...
and Dan SartainDan SartainDan Sartain is an American rock and roll musician from Birmingham, Alabama. His music encompasses a variety of genres including rockabilly and blues. After releasing two self-produced albums through independent record labels, his first commercially-available studio album Dan Sartain vs. the...
(Cass Records, 2008) - "Secret Code", with Davila 666 (Scion Audio Visual, 2010)
Appeared on Compilations
- Ghettoblaster: A Detroit Music Sampler 1997 Volume 1 CD (Motor City Brewing Works, 1997)
- I Hate Music CD (P-VineP-Vine RecordsP-Vine Records is a record label started by Blues Interactions, Inc., a firm in Tokyo, Japan established in 1975 by Yasufumi Higurashi and Akira Kochi...
, 1999) - Hot Pinball Rock Vol. 1 CD (Extra Ball Records, 2000)
- X-Mas Surprise Package Volume 3 7" (Flying Bomb Records, 2000)
- Sympathetic Sounds Of Detroit LP/CD (Sympathy For The Record Industry, 2001)
- Hometaping - Volume 1 CD (Kerrang!, 2002)
- Troy Gregory's Sybil CD (Fall Of Rome Records)
- Rough Trade Shops Rock And Roll 2xCD (Mute, 2002)
- X-Mas Surprise Package (The Collector's Edition) CD (Flying Bomb Records, 2002)
- Ghettoblaster Volume 2 CD (Motor City Brewing Works, 2002)
- Playing Favourites LP (Illustrious Artists, 2003)
- Revolver USA Sampler Autumn 2003 CD (Revolver USA, 2003)
- Detroit Breakdown - The Rocked Out Motor City Music Sampler CD (PBS 106.7FM, 2004)
- Superfuzz CD (Lowfly Records, 2005)
- Salvo Of 24 Gunshots - Tribute To Gun Club LP/CD (Unrecording Records, 2005)
- Static Disaster The UK. In The Red Records Sampler CD (In The Red, 2005)
Former Dirtbombs Members and Previous Collaborators
- Andre WilliamsAndre WilliamsAndre Williams is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit.-Biography:...
: vocals - Dana Spicer (Eric S. Johnson, aka Wedgehead): bass/fuzz
- Tom Lynch: bass
- Chris Fachini: drums
- Scott: drums
- Ewolf: drums
- Chandy (Chris Handyside): drums
- Joe Greenwald: bass/fuzz
- Jim DiamondJim Diamond (music producer)Jim Diamond is a music producer, studio engineer, and bass guitar player based in Detroit, Michigan. He worked on the first two White Stripes albums and played bass with The Dirtbombs.- Background :...
: bass, vocals - Deanne Iovan: bass/fuzz, backing vocals
- Dion FischerDion FischerDion Fischer is an American musician, producer, and visual artist born in Romeo, Michigan in 1972.Dion played lead guitar in Detroit garage rock band The Go from 1999–2004, as replacement to Detroit born musician and childhood friend Jack White. He spent his formative musical years playing with...
: baritone fuzz - Nick Lloyd: drums
- Ryan Pritts: drums
- Tom Potter: fuzz bass, backing vocals
- Patrick KeelerPatrick KeelerPatrick Keeler is an American rock music drummer from Cincinnati, who best known for playing in The Greenhornes and The Raconteurs. He plays with both traditional and matched grips.-Recording career:...
: drums (a couple of shows in June 2004)
External links
- Official site
- MySpace page: The Dirtbombs (semi-official page/Fan Club)
- fan site: The Dirtbombs Fans
- Grunnen Rocks' Dirtbombs Page
- Dirtbombs on motorcityrocks.com
- Nov 2008 Interview with L.A. RecordL.A. RecordL.A. Record is an independent music magazine originally published weekly as a broadsheet poster. The poster usually depicts a local Los Angeles musicians and according to the magazine editors is meant to recreate an iconic album cover. In March 2008, it began publishing as a monthly magazine with a...
- The Dirtbombs collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive - The Dirtbombs page at Sounds of Subterrania