The Dickies

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The Dickies
Origin San Fernando Valley, California, U.S.
Genres Punk rock[1][2]
Years active 1977 - present
Labels A&M Records
PVC Records
Fat Wreck Chords
Website thedickies.com
Members
Leonard Graves Phillips
Stan Lee
Greg Hanna
Dylan Thomas
Travis Johnson

The Dickies are an American punk rock group formed in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, U.S. in 1977.

Contents

[edit] History

The Dickies were among the first punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angeles. They were the first California punk band to appear on network television[3], and the first California punk band to be signed to a major record label.[4]

The Dickies' style is campy and humorous, influenced by The Ramones, for whom they sometimes opened.[citation needed] The Dickies are popular in the United Kingdom, and had a Top 10 single with "Banana Splits (Tra La La Song)" in 1979.[5] Many of their lyrics concern Southern California culture, rife with references and in-jokes; examples include songs like "Waterslide", "I'm A Cholo", "Manny, Moe, and Jack", and "(I'm Stuck in a Pagoda with) Tricia Toyota". They are also known for recording several fast-paced punk covers of classic rock songs, including the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin", Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction", and the Human Beinz' "Nobody But Me". They have also covered Pretty Ballerina, a song by The Left Banke, as well as "Hair".

Drug problems slowed the Dickies down considerably in the 1980s, but they have continued playing and recording sporadically to the present day. Guitarist/keyboardist/saxophonist Chuck Wagon (born Bob Davis) committed suicide after a break-up with his girlfriend in June 1981. Jonathan Melvoin, who played drums on The Dickies album, Idjit Savant, died of a heroin overdose on July 12, 1996 in New York, aged 34, whilst on tour playing keyboards for the Smashing Pumpkins.[citation needed] Original drummer Karlos Kabellero died on September 22, 2009 from heart related issues. One-time guitarist Enoch Hain (born Robert Lansing, Jr.) died on July 25, 2009 from complications arising from pneumonia.


In 1988, the Dickies wrote and performed the theme music for the horror film Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

[edit] Singles

  • "Paranoid" (1978) - UK #45
  • "Eve of Destruction" (1978)
  • "Give It Back" (1978)
  • "Silent Night" (1978) - UK #47
  • "Banana Splits (Tra La La Song)" (1979) - UK #7
  • "Nights in White Satin" (1979) - UK #39
  • "Manny, Moe And Jack" (1979)
  • "Fan Mail" (1980) - UK #57
  • "Gigantor" (1980) - UK #72
  • "Killer Klowns" (1986)
  • "Dummy Up" (1989)
  • "Just Say Yes" (1990)
  • "Roadkill" (1990)
  • "Pretty Ballerina" (1995)
  • "Make It So" (1996)
  • "My Pop the Cop" (1998)
  • "Free Willy" (2001)

[5]

[edit] Albums

[edit] Videos/DVDs

[edit] Audio samples
The Dickies - Waterslide excerpt
An excerpt from Waterslide
Problems listening to this file? See media help.
The Dickies - Killer Klowns excerpt
An excerpt from Killer Klowns
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Offspring on Yahoo Music.
  2. ^ The Dickies on allmusic
  3. ^ http://jennylens.com/_a-e/dickies/dickies01.htm
  4. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifixqe5ld6e~T1
  5. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 154. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dickies"