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Leisure Class (band)

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This page is about a band. For the social theory, see The Theory of the Leisure Class.
For the 2015 comedy film, see The Leisure Class.

Leisure Class is an American rock band. Formed in Detroit in 1977 as Mr. Unique & the Leisure Suits, the band got their start as the opening act for The Mumps (featuring Lance Loud) and local favorites like Flirt and Destroy All Monsters. In the following years, they managed to amuse, annoy, and antagonize all manner of audiences before finally releasing their four-song EP, Mr. Unique & the Leisure Class in 1983. The record received generally favorable, though puzzled, reviews from Dennis Loren in the Metro Times, who found "something to offend everyone",[1] and Ira Robbins in Trouser Press.[2]

The band moved to New York City, making their debut at CBGB in 1984. Venues for the band during this period included CBGB, 8BC, SNAFU, the Henry Street Settlement, the Kitchen, the Gas Station, the Lone Star Roadhouse, Under Acme, Woody's, Beowulf, and Tramps. Their performances featured, at various times, writer Herbert Huncke, impaled goat's heads (causing a trombonist to quit in disgust), and a two-story prison (designed and built by conceptual artist and photographer Misha Gordin.[3]

The iconoclastic band recorded at least three albums' worth of original material, none of which managed to make it to a major label release. At last, 2004 saw the release of 36 songs on the two-CD compilation, Leisure Class Recordings 1979–1994. Since that time, lead singer and lyricist Dimitri Mugianis was the subject of the 2009 documentary film by Michel Negroponte, I'm Dangerous With Love,[4] and Leisure Class was profiled on the National Public Radio show, Day to Day.[5] The 2010 compilation Parents Night at the Leper Colony has been called "a splendid one hour introduction to this criminally overlooked band."[6]

Lineups

1977–1978

  • Dimitri Mugianis – Vocals
  • Glenn Johnson – Drums, Vocals
  • Jeff Mullins – Guitar
  • Brian Garwood – Bass
  • Ted Moniak – Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals

1978–1979

  • Dimitri Mugianis – Vocals
  • Glenn Johnson – Drums, Organ, Vocals
  • James Myers – Guitar, Bass
  • Dave Rice – Guitar, Bass
  • Ted Moniak – Mandolin, Vocals

1979–1980

  • Dimitri Mugianis – Vocals
  • Glenn Johnson – Drums, Vocals
  • John E. Louder (Howard Glazer) – Guitar
  • Scotch Hiballs (Bob Godwin) – Bass

1981

  • Dimitri Mugianis – Vocals
  • Glenn Johnson – Drums, Percussion, Piano, Vocals
  • Dan Porvin – Guitar
  • Sal Monella (Michael Tudor) – Guitar
  • Greg Gilmore – Bass
  • Matthew J. Karp (Dan Matuszczak) – Saxes, Flute, Bass Clarinet
  • Stan Johnson – Trumpet

1981–1983

  • Dimitri Mugianis – Vocals
  • Glenn Johnson – Drums, Percussion, Piano, Organ, Harmonica, Tin Whistle, Vocals
  • Dan Porvin – Guitar
  • Sal Monella (Michael Tudor) – Guitar
  • Chris McGorey – Bass
  • Matthew J. Karp (Dan Matuszczak) – Saxes, Flute, Bass Clarinet
  • Stan Johnson – Trumpet
  • Guy Zublin – Trumpet

1984–1989

  • Dimitri Mugianis – Vocals
  • Glenn Johnson – Drums, Percussion, Piano, Organ, Synthesizers, Tin Whistle
  • Dan Porvin – Guitar
  • Sal Monella (Michael Tudor) – Guitar
  • Mark Dannenhirsch – Guitar
  • Chris Hunt – Guitar
  • Dave Boonshoft – Bass (founder of Aguilar Amplification and Naked Music)
  • Ric Frank – Tenor Sax and Flute
  • Mike Walters – Tenor Sax and Flute
  • J. J. Silva – Trumpet, Trombone (original member of Ten Wheel Drive)
  • Leonard Belota – Trumpet
  • Leif Arntzen – Trumpet
  • Pat McCarty – Trombone
  • Paul Romero – Vocals
  • Kevin Weist – Vocals (composer of the infamous cockroach songs from the film Joe's Apartment)
  • Melissa Schaffer – Vocals
  • David Lawton – Vocals

1990–1995

  • Dimitri Mugianis – Vocals
  • Glenn Johnson – Drums, Percussion
  • Dan Porvin – Guitar
  • Al Korosy – Guitar
  • Dave Boonshoft – Bass
  • Bob Marx – Tenor Sax and Flute
  • Russ Johnson – Trumpet
  • Pat McCarty – Trombone
  • Paul Romero – Vocals
  • Kevin Weist – Vocals
  • David Lawton – Vocals
  • Angel Jemmott – Vocals (also appeared as Angela on Sesame Street)

Discography

  • Mr. Unique and the Leisure Class (Leisureco LC 1) 1983
  • Leisure Class Recordings 1979–1994 (Leisureco LC 002) 2004
  • We Went and Recorded It Anyway: The Best of Pop-Punk and Power Pop 1977–84 (Brutarian: BRUT CD-009) 2009
  • Parents Night at the Leper Colony (Leisureco LC 003) 2010

References

  1. ^ Loren, Dennis. "Mr. Unique and the Leisure Class", Detroit Metro Times, March 1983.
  2. ^ Robbins, Ira. "America Underground", Trouser Press, September 1983, p. 39.
  3. ^ "Misha Gordin".
  4. ^ I'm Dangerous With Love (official site)
  5. ^ Kay, Trey. "The Rise, Fall and Reunion of The Leisure Class", Day to Day, National Public Radio, August 23, 2005.
  6. ^ "Leisure Class - Parents Night At The Leper Colony".
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