Music: The Tubes

I grew up in the SF Bay Area in the 70's and 80's. When I discovered music, that meant that I was exposed to plenty of local artists, and so many greats came from this cauldron of music. Bands like Journey, and artists like Carlos Santana had huge success nation and indeed world-wide.

But plenty of them were local phenoms and while they had some wider exposure, they would be mostly recognized locally. Bands like Y&T had a break-out in the 1980's, but their catalog didn't rise to the level of epic.

And bands like Montrose launched the mega-success of Sammy Hagar, who grew up in the Marin area, while Ronnie Montrose was a fixture of the south bay (I used to bicycle by his house on Pierce Road in Cupertino).

But few bands were as prolific, and iconic in the Bay Area music scene as The Tubes.

The Tubes were a party band, playing local venues, and having some wider popularity, but in the bay area, they were legendary.

Wild costumes, insane stage presence, and often weaving in local themes.

My brother in-law played in the Stanford Band in college, and one New Year's Eve, the Stanford Band played with the Tubes at the Cow Palace.

I have long been an admirer and fan of the Tubes, and their songs. One of my favorites is "White Punks on Dope". The video below is a recording of a live show that captures the vibe of seeing the Tubes live.

Just fun.

In a second course, a German artist, Nina Hagen, covers this song in her "T.V. Glotzer" and it is also worth the watch. Nina Hagen embodies the ethos and the "fun" of The Tubes.

I hope you enjoy this diversion from the chaos of the world today.