Throw Rag
Encyclopedia
Throw Rag is a four piece punk rock
band from the Salton Sea
, California
. Formed in 1993, Throw Rag has been fronted by Sean Wheeler aka Captain Sean Doe aka Diamond Boss aka Sun Trash since the inception of the band. Other current members of the band are Patrick Bostrom aka Dino aka Dean McQueen on lead guitar, Frank Cronin aka Franco Fontana aka New Rome Emperor on bass, and Chango Von Streicher (The Urban Commando) on drums. In its various incarnations, Throw Rag has been categorized as rockabilly
, punk rock
, psychobilly
and sailor rock. They have blended sounds of traditional rock and roll
, country
, and surf
. http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/events/throw-rag/.
venue Rhythm and Brews (operated by renowned desert musician Mario Lalli, whose song "King Baby" was also performed by the band) throughout 1994 with other shows in Orange County, CA. Other members of the early Throw Rag were Scott "Barfly" Brooks (bass) and Tom "Colonel Riptide Tenmen" Lynn (banjo and vibes). By the end of 1994, Francis "Franco" Cronin (bass fiddle), Patrick "Dino" Bostrom (lead guitar), and Craig "Jacko" Jackman (washboard and vocals) had joined the band.
From late 1996 through mid-1997, the band saw more lineup changes as Jacko left temporarily to be replaced on occasion by John Summers aka Johnny Bloodstreak on washboard and vocals. Also onboard during this period were Louis Bluefeather (harmonica and didgeridoo
) and Dr. Brittle Bones (tambourine and onstage medical assistance).
From 1995, many of the songs that would eventually make it onto the debut album (Tee-Tot) were featured on compilations. Tee-Tot saw its first release on Hellnote Records in 1999. The album featured musical contributions from Sean Doe, Scorcho, Dino, Franco, Jacko, Chino, and Tony "Gusto" Portillo (drums). Supported by Tee-Tot, and bolstered by new rhythm guitarist A.J. "King Taco Pearl" Nesselrod, Throw Rag started building a wider fan base with their intense, maniacal live shows. Usually wearing a sea captain's hat and 70s double-knit suit, Sean Doe and Jacko (with nothing more than a wife beater and double knit pants) became notorious for stripping on stage. The band eventually started opening for acts such as Supersuckers, Green Day
, Wesley Willis
and Willie Nelson
http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/events/throw-rag/. In 2001, the band released a CD split with Supersuckers which featured a song that would later appear a Warped Tour 2002 Tour Compilation and their follow up album Desert Shores. Tee-Tot was only released in smaller record stores, and was available at live shows. Now out of print, Acetate plans to re-release the album in 2008 http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/may/07Double_Throw_Rag_Releases.shtml
Desert Shores was released June 3, 2003, on BYO Records
. Critics referred to the album as "fun" record, and compared highly to The Damned.
In 2004, Kung Fu Films approached Throw Rag to star in their 15th Episode of The Show Must Go Off!, and on April 29, 2004 Throw Rag's performance (opening for the Circle Jerks) was recorded Live at the House of Blues of Anaheim. On Nov. 2, 2004 the DVD was released. This featured all six members of Throw Rag. Shortly thereafter King Taco Pearl left the band to sustain a family life.
After 25 months of relentless touring, 2005 saw the release of 13 Feet and Rising, which featured guest vocals by Keith Morris
, Jello Biafra
, and a cover of Merle Haggard
"Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" ft. guest vocalist Lemmy.
Throw Rag's fourth full length album entitled 2nd Place was released on June 10, 2008. This album features a mix of both new and older songs.
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...
band from the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Formed in 1993, Throw Rag has been fronted by Sean Wheeler aka Captain Sean Doe aka Diamond Boss aka Sun Trash since the inception of the band. Other current members of the band are Patrick Bostrom aka Dino aka Dean McQueen on lead guitar, Frank Cronin aka Franco Fontana aka New Rome Emperor on bass, and Chango Von Streicher (The Urban Commando) on drums. In its various incarnations, Throw Rag has been categorized as rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, 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...
, psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
and sailor rock. They have blended sounds of traditional rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, and surf
Surf music
Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
. http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/events/throw-rag/.
History
Throw Rag started up in October 1993 with founding members Sean Doe (vocals), Roger "Chino" Smith (drums), and Dan "Scorcho" Lapham (rhythm guitar). Also in the original lineup were bassist Danny "Talmadge" Black and guitarist Michael "The Outlaw" McCartney. Throw Rag played primarily at the Indio, CaliforniaIndio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
venue Rhythm and Brews (operated by renowned desert musician Mario Lalli, whose song "King Baby" was also performed by the band) throughout 1994 with other shows in Orange County, CA. Other members of the early Throw Rag were Scott "Barfly" Brooks (bass) and Tom "Colonel Riptide Tenmen" Lynn (banjo and vibes). By the end of 1994, Francis "Franco" Cronin (bass fiddle), Patrick "Dino" Bostrom (lead guitar), and Craig "Jacko" Jackman (washboard and vocals) had joined the band.
From late 1996 through mid-1997, the band saw more lineup changes as Jacko left temporarily to be replaced on occasion by John Summers aka Johnny Bloodstreak on washboard and vocals. Also onboard during this period were Louis Bluefeather (harmonica and didgeridoo
Didgeridoo
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...
) and Dr. Brittle Bones (tambourine and onstage medical assistance).
From 1995, many of the songs that would eventually make it onto the debut album (Tee-Tot) were featured on compilations. Tee-Tot saw its first release on Hellnote Records in 1999. The album featured musical contributions from Sean Doe, Scorcho, Dino, Franco, Jacko, Chino, and Tony "Gusto" Portillo (drums). Supported by Tee-Tot, and bolstered by new rhythm guitarist A.J. "King Taco Pearl" Nesselrod, Throw Rag started building a wider fan base with their intense, maniacal live shows. Usually wearing a sea captain's hat and 70s double-knit suit, Sean Doe and Jacko (with nothing more than a wife beater and double knit pants) became notorious for stripping on stage. The band eventually started opening for acts such as Supersuckers, Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, Wesley Willis
Wesley Willis
Wesley Willis was a musician and artist from Chicago. A diagnosed chronic schizophrenic, he gained an enormous cult following in the 1990s after releasing several hundred songs of simple but unique music, with emphasis on his humorous, bizarre, and frequently obscene lyrics...
and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/events/throw-rag/. In 2001, the band released a CD split with Supersuckers which featured a song that would later appear a Warped Tour 2002 Tour Compilation and their follow up album Desert Shores. Tee-Tot was only released in smaller record stores, and was available at live shows. Now out of print, Acetate plans to re-release the album in 2008 http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/may/07Double_Throw_Rag_Releases.shtml
Desert Shores was released June 3, 2003, on BYO Records
BYO Records
BYO Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the seminal California punk rock band Youth Brigade . BYO stands for Better Youth Organization and aims to promote punk and other alternative youth...
. Critics referred to the album as "fun" record, and compared highly to The Damned.
"Throw Rag's approach to punk rock is refreshing and yet still time-honored. "Space Hump Me" has a lot of early-'70s punk in it, particularly with the sneering vocals and simple arrangement such as the Damned."from Billboard.
Throw Rag takes the anything-goes attitude of early Damned and grafts it to the purposefully sloppy riffs of boozy bar punk to get a record that celebrates punk’s cut-loose mentality that’s frequently lost in the dead-serious world of rock’n’roll rebellion. Desert Shores isn’t going to change the world (psst – neither will Rancid’s latest Clash copy, either, so get over it) but it’s sure made for a rollicking punk rock-up."Aversion.
In 2004, Kung Fu Films approached Throw Rag to star in their 15th Episode of The Show Must Go Off!, and on April 29, 2004 Throw Rag's performance (opening for the Circle Jerks) was recorded Live at the House of Blues of Anaheim. On Nov. 2, 2004 the DVD was released. This featured all six members of Throw Rag. Shortly thereafter King Taco Pearl left the band to sustain a family life.
After 25 months of relentless touring, 2005 saw the release of 13 Feet and Rising, which featured guest vocals by Keith Morris
Keith Morris
Keith Morris is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, the Circle Jerks, and Off! Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the age of 21 with guitarist Greg Ginn and performed on the band's 1978 debut EP...
, Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
, and a cover of Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
"Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" ft. guest vocalist Lemmy.
Throw Rag's fourth full length album entitled 2nd Place was released on June 10, 2008. This album features a mix of both new and older songs.