The Low Budgets
Encyclopedia
The Low Budgets was an American punk
/garage rock
band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. They were a project of Dead Milkmen
guitar
ist and songwriter Joe Genaro (known as Joe Jack Talcum), and current bassist
Dan Stevens
.
The band released three full-length records and embarked on several large tours throughout North America and Europe. At least one music video and a short film entitled "The Cursed Organ" were also made. They engaged themes revolving around poverty
and down-on-one's-luck humor in their lyrics, album art and image.
, he and Seegel were joined by Stevens (formerly of Farquar Muckenfuss) and drummer
Steve Levandoski. Utilizing the vintage organ, the group sought to integrate their garage rock influences into the punk rock sound associated with their previous bands.
The band released its debut 7" vinyl EP in 2001 on Nancy Boy Records. A second 7" EP and two full-length albums followed on the Philadelphia-based Schuylkill Records label. They toured extensively during this time, with Stevens occasionally being replaced by touring bassists while occupied with familial obligations.
In 2007, the group released their third full-length album, Leave Us a Loan, on Chunksaah Records
, a record label run by members of the punk rock band The Bouncing Souls
. This album was produced by former Town Managers member and frequent collaborater Brian Michael. Schuylkill Records also released a picture disc
vinyl version of the record.
The Low Budgets went on hiatus the next year while Seegel lived and worked in Berlin
, but the group disbanded when Genaro and Stevens became occupied with activity surrounding the Dead Milkmen reunion. Seegel formed the new group Gone Wrong, while Genaro also continued his solo career. Levandoski remained active in other Philadelphia-based groups, including Beast Infection. Outside of music, Seegel continued work in film and video, and Levandoski in journalism.
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...
/garage rock
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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. They were a project of Dead Milkmen
Dead Milkmen
The Dead Milkmen is an American satirical punk rock band formed in 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Rodney Linderman , guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro , bassist Dave Schulthise and drummer Dean Sabatino .Beginning within the local underground...
guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
ist and songwriter Joe Genaro (known as Joe Jack Talcum), and current bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Dan Stevens
Dan Stevens (musician)
Daniel Keith "Dan" Stevens is an American musician and songwriter.Stevens is the current bassist in the punk rock group The Dead Milkmen, replacing the deceased Dave Schulthise for Dead Milkmen reunion performances in 2004 and officially joining the band during their 2008 reformation...
.
The band released three full-length records and embarked on several large tours throughout North America and Europe. At least one music video and a short film entitled "The Cursed Organ" were also made. They engaged themes revolving around poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and down-on-one's-luck humor in their lyrics, album art and image.
History
The Low Budgets formed in 2000 around Genaro and singer, guitarist and songwriter Chris Seegel after the demise of their former group, the Town Managers. With Genaro moving from guitar to electric organElectric organ
In biology, the electric organ is an organ common to all electric fish used for the purposes of creating an electric field. The electric organ is derived from modified nerve or muscle tissue...
, he and Seegel were joined by Stevens (formerly of Farquar Muckenfuss) and drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Steve Levandoski. Utilizing the vintage organ, the group sought to integrate their garage rock influences into the punk rock sound associated with their previous bands.
The band released its debut 7" vinyl EP in 2001 on Nancy Boy Records. A second 7" EP and two full-length albums followed on the Philadelphia-based Schuylkill Records label. They toured extensively during this time, with Stevens occasionally being replaced by touring bassists while occupied with familial obligations.
In 2007, the group released their third full-length album, Leave Us a Loan, on Chunksaah Records
Chunksaah Records
Chunksaah Records is a New Brunswick, now Asbury Park, New Jersey based independent record label founded in 1993 by The Bouncing Souls. The label started as a means for the band to release their own recordings, but ended up releasing material by other punk bands, mostly from the New Jersey area, as...
, a record label run by members of the punk rock band The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls are a punk rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 1987. By the time of their acknowledgment by the national punk rock scene, they had reignited a "pogo" element to New Jersey punk rock by playing fast light-hearted songs, a model followed by various other local...
. This album was produced by former Town Managers member and frequent collaborater Brian Michael. Schuylkill Records also released a picture disc
Picture disc
Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:...
vinyl version of the record.
The Low Budgets went on hiatus the next year while Seegel lived and worked in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, but the group disbanded when Genaro and Stevens became occupied with activity surrounding the Dead Milkmen reunion. Seegel formed the new group Gone Wrong, while Genaro also continued his solo career. Levandoski remained active in other Philadelphia-based groups, including Beast Infection. Outside of music, Seegel continued work in film and video, and Levandoski in journalism.
Members
- Chris Seegel (Chris Peelout) – vocals, guitar
- Joe Genaro (Joe Jack Talcum) – organ, vocals
- Dan StevensDan Stevens (musician)Daniel Keith "Dan" Stevens is an American musician and songwriter.Stevens is the current bassist in the punk rock group The Dead Milkmen, replacing the deceased Dave Schulthise for Dead Milkmen reunion performances in 2004 and officially joining the band during their 2008 reformation...
(Dandrew This) – bass, vocals - Steve Levandoski (Steve Please) – drums
Albums
- Go For Broke (2003, CD/LP - Schuylkill Records/Akhenation Music)
- Aim Low, Get High (2005, CD/LP - Schuylkill Records)
- Leave Us a Loan (2007, CD - Chunksaah RecordsChunksaah RecordsChunksaah Records is a New Brunswick, now Asbury Park, New Jersey based independent record label founded in 1993 by The Bouncing Souls. The label started as a means for the band to release their own recordings, but ended up releasing material by other punk bands, mostly from the New Jersey area, as...
, LP - Schuylkill Records)
EPs
- Go Bargain Hunting With the Low Budgets (2001, 7" - Nancy Boy Records)
- Buy One Song, Get One Free (2002, 7" - Schuylkill Records)
External links
- LowBudgets.com
- Schuylkill Records
- Chris Seegel on IMDB.com