The Dicks

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The Dicks also refer to the former WWE tag team of Chad and James Dick.
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The Dicks

The Dicks performing in Austin, Texas in 2005; pictured left to right: Buxf Parrott and Gary Floyd
Background information
Origin Austin, Texas, United States
Genres Hardcore punk
Punk blues
Years active 1980–1986
2004–present
Labels R Radical Records, SST Records, Alternative Tentacles
Associated acts Sister Double Happiness
Black Kali Ma
Bad Ride
Gary Floyd Band
Members
Gary Floyd
Buxf Parrot
Pat Deason
Davy Jones
Former members
Glen Taylor
Tim Carrol
Lynn Perko
Sebastian Fuchs
Debbie Gordon
Brian Magee

The Dicks are an American punk rock band formed in considered influential in introducing the sound of hardcore punk, particularly in their home state of Texas, and incorporating blues rock influences into their sound.

The band went through two distinct incarnations, changing its lineup (sans singer Gary Floyd) when they moved from Austin to San Francisco. As a politically radical band with left-wing and Marxist lyrics during the Reagan era, they did not shy from controversy. Floyd was one of a handful of openly gay musicians in the 1980s hardcore scene.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The band was formed in Austin in 1980 by Gary Floyd, Buxf Parrot, Pat Deason and Glen Taylor. Their first single "Dicks Hate The Police", released in 1980, brought them much attention (it was later covered by Mudhoney) and is now regarded as a classic hardcore record.[2] In the song Gary Floyd portrays a policeman who abuses his power by going after minorities and taking his anger out on civilians. The B-side, "Lifetime Problems," was even more influential for its speed and ferocity; in fact, San Francisco's Flipper gave it the sincerest form of flattery with their next single, "Ha Ha Ha." The Dicks often played with fellow Texans Big Boys and in 1981 released a split album entitled Live at Raul's Club with them (outtakes from the same recording session were released as a limited edition double-7" set more than 10 years later). They also played with MDC, independent record label R Radical Records released some of their later recordings. As a style of music, hardcore punk seemed to spring up in various cities at the same time, and it is these three bands which are credited with its conception in Texas.

In 1983, Floyd relocated to San Francisco and, with new members Tim Carroll, Sebastian Fuchs, and Lynn Perko (formerly of all-women band The Wrecks), a second version of The Dicks began recording and playing.[2] The LP Kill From The Heart was released in 1983 on SST Records and These People followed in 1985 on Alternative Tentacles. The group disbanded in 1986, although occasional one-off reunion shows featuring the Austin lineup occurred through the '80s and '90s.

The Dicks were unique for their era in that some of their songs, such as "Saturday Night at the Bookstore" and "Off Duty Sailor", addressed issues of homophobia and sexual identity.[2] The queercore band Limp Wrist pays homage to Floyd and Randy Turner from the Big Boys, as well as Joshua Plague of Mukilteo Fairies and Behead the Prophet, No Lord Shall Live, as pioneers in this respect on their 2004 song "Ode".

Austin's legendary Butthole Surfers even wrote a song about The Dicks bandleader called "Gary Floyd", which ended their Psychic... Powerless... Another Man's Sac LP (1984, Touch and Go Records).

Gary Floyd later started the hard blues rock band Sister Double Happiness in San Francisco in 1986.[3] After that band ended he formed and primarily played in Europe with The Gary Floyd Band; an overview of this material, "Backdoor Preacher Man", is available in the United States. Toward the late 1990s, Floyd played in Black Kali Ma, who released an album on Alternative Tentacles Records. Floyd is now in a band called the Buddha Brothers. Buxf Parrot and Pat Deason, of the original Dicks, play in the Austin, TX neo-bluegrass band Shootin' Pains. Perko went on to join Imperial Teen.[4] Parrot and Deason played in Trouser Trout and Parrot and Taylor also played in Pretty Mouth.[4]

In 2004 and 2005, the Dicks played a series of reunion concerts in Austin and beyond. The lineup for the shows consisted of the original Dicks, with the exception of Glen Taylor, who had died in 1997.[2] His role was filled by Brian Magee. At the Austin show, the band was joined in singing "Wheelchair Epidemic" by David Yow, whose band the Jesus Lizard had covered the song on multiple records and who made the song a staple of their live act.

Magee has since been replaced by Davy Jones.[4]

[edit] Members

[edit] Present members

  • Gary Floyd – vocals (1980–1986, 2004–present)
  • Buxf Parrott – bass, guitar, vocals (1980–1983, 2004–present)
  • Pat Deason – drums (1980–1983, 2004–present)
  • Davy Jones – guitar (2005–present)

[edit] Former members

  • Glen Taylor (deceased) – guitar, bass (1980–1983)
  • Tim Carrol – guitar (1983–1986)
  • Lynn Perko – drums (1983–1986)
  • Sebastian Fuchs – bass, vocals (1983–1986)
  • Debbie Gordon – manager (1982–1986)
  • Brian Magee – guitar (2004–2005)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Singles

[edit] Compilation appearances

  • "Gilbeau" on Cottage Cheese from the Lips of Death (1983), Ward 9 Records
  • "I Hope You Get Drafted" on P.E.A.C.E./War (1984), R Radical Records
  • "Legacy of Man" on Rat Music for Rat People Vol. 2 (1984), CD Presents, Ltd

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Shapiro, Gregg (2003-06-18), "Gay Dinosaurs and Others", Windy City Times, http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=3405, retrieved 2008-08-12 
  2. ^ a b c d True, Christopher "Dicks Biography", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
  3. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 504-505
  4. ^ a b c Beets, Greg "The Dicks", Austin Chronicle

[edit] External links

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