If you have no idea who the Supersuckers are, then I feel sorry for you. Sorry because you have not yet experienced the (self-proclaimed) greatest rock-n-roll band in the world! If you have heard of them then, I’m jealous of you. Jealous because…well, let’s just say if the Supersuckers had a spread in Tiger Beat, they’d be plastered all over my bedroom wall.
The Supersuckers have almost a cult following of die-hard fans. You just don’t kinda sorta like the Supersuckers…you fucking LOVE the Supersuckers. Their sound is honest-to-goodness American rock-n-roll: unpretentious, tongue-in-cheek and sacrilegious. Their songs have an anthem-like quality to them, with raking guitar intros that make you jump up and down waiting for the rest of the band to kick in. Their songs are about fucked-up relationships, getting fucked up and not giving a fuck. They draw upon an archetypal rock sound to make their music: from the Ramones to Thin Lizzy to Social Distortion.
Frontman and bassist Eddie Spaghetti’s usual shtick includes getting the crowd to flip each other off, striking some well-rehearsed “rock poses” with Dan Bolton, the guitarist, and seducing the everyone into the ritual of “the fake encore”. Ron Heathman, also on guitar, always wears a sweet baseball T and looks like he should be coaxing you to smoke up behind the gym. Scott Churilla is on drums, veteran drummer from the Reverend Horton Heat’s band. They can take anything and transform it magically into rock; their cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya!” is a testament to that.
After breaking with the Sub Pop label in 2001, the band started their own label, Mid Fi. And, in 2008 they celebrated 20 years ion the biz. Their indie label gave them the freedom to create kick-ass music without the worry of appealing to demographics or a certain market sector. Rightfully so, because you can’t really pigeon-hole a Supersuckers fan in one genre. Their music appeals to rock, punk, rockabilly and psychobilly fans so that we’re all one big happy family in the mosh pit. And, the band seems like they’re genuinely nice guys – ones that I want to bake cookies for – and you can’t but be happy to see them succeed. The list of greats that they’ve worked and played with attest to this: Bad Religion, the Ramones, the Dwarves, Motorhead and Willie Nelson.
The Supersuckers are a mainstay on the Hootenanny stage; and if they’re playing somewhere within a 50 mile radius of LA, I’m there. And, as Eddie warns, when you do come to a Supersuckers show, you’d better wear your clean underwear. Cuz they’ll rock the pants right offa you.
