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Points: 5482 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: The Tubes, live Oct 30 2014
    Posted: October 31 2014 at 06:58
The Tubes played at a venue about a 5 minute drive from my house last night.
 
I had never seen them live before, but I own a few of their albums, and have heard about their shows.
 
The band these days consists of 3 original members: Fee Waybill, Prairie Prince (drums) and Rick Anderson (bass).  Roger Steen (guitar) and David Medd (keyboards) have been with the band since the 90s.
 
While Waybill's voice has deteriorated, his showmanship was still spot on.  Changing characters, and outrageous costumes throughout the show, he entertains the crowd masterfully.
 
The group is tight and impressive.  Staring the show with Frank Sinatra's "This Town", and following that with "A Town Without Pity", The Tubes showed they were not just relying on their pop hits to carry the show.
 
Most of their set consisted of the more arty pieces from their repertoire, with only "Sushi Girl" showing their blander, pop side. 
 
Favorites, like "Mondo Bondage", "What Do You Want From Life" and "White Punks On Dope" were spectacular. 
 
The encore featured the pop hits "She's A Beauty" and "Talk To Ya Later", but both were much more exciting than the recorded versions.
 
Surprises were covers of Zappa's "Trouble Every Day" and Hendrix' "3rd Stone From The Sun".
 
While not a prog show, The Tubes are definitely art rock, and still a good time.
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Points: 26138 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2014 at 07:42
Cool, thanks for sharing that.  The Tubes are a fun band, glad to see they're still at it.
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Points: 10213 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2014 at 20:51
It is ridiculous that The Tubes aren't already in PA' Prog Related section.
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2014 at 04:04
There are many things in this world that can rightfully be held up for ridicule. Alas not including a parody rock band into a web-based archive of Progressive Rock isn't one of them.
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Points: 20616 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2014 at 09:54
Originally posted by Svetonio Svetonio wrote:

It is ridiculous that The Tubes aren't already in PA' Prog Related section.
Yes, then we could have blamed the Tubes for killing Prog.
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Points: 17777 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 02 2014 at 13:09
Hi,
 
I still have the 1st album ... lovely listen right from the start and soooooooo California, soooo California that it would never make it to progressive, because that means you have to get London'ers to like it!
 
I hear California girls are still better than London!
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 02 2014 at 20:17
Sleepy Change the record Pedro. The Tubes were as popular in London and they were In San Francisco, that still does not make them Progressive Rock.
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Points: 5482 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 11:02
I have to side with Dean, here. 
 
Early on, they seemed to be doing parodies of different rock styles.  In the composition of these, they did incorporate some features that we think of as prog: mixed time signatures, odd tempos, unusual chord patterns.  But while those features were evident, they were never so prevalent as to qualify them as a prog band.  The time, tempo and key changes mostly seemed to be for shock value, usually to kick a song into a different gear.
 
I consider them art-rock, but not prog.  And they may have had influence on other artists of their time, but mostly in the theatrical performance of their shows, not their music.  I would find it difficult to even classify them as prog-related, except in distant ways.  But not so distant as to stop me from posting this thread in the proto/related thread Wink.
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Points: 10213 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 11:49
Originally posted by Evolver Evolver wrote:

I have to side with Dean, here. 
 
Early on, they seemed to be doing parodies of different rock styles.  In the composition of these, they did incorporate some features that we think of as prog: mixed time signatures, odd tempos, unusual chord patterns.  But while those features were evident, they were never so prevalent as to qualify them as a prog band.  The time, tempo and key changes mostly seemed to be for shock value, usually to kick a song into a different gear.
 
I consider them art-rock, but not prog.  And they may have had influence on other artists of their time, but mostly in the theatrical performance of their shows, not their music.  I would find it difficult to even classify them as prog-related, except in distant ways.  But not so distant as to stop me from posting this thread in the proto/related thread Wink.
*Prog-related* is not prog, actually. However, The Tubes' debut is progressive rock album, and all folks know that; so the question is: why "we" have to pretend that we don't hear that magnificent prog at their first LP released in 1975?
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 11:52
Not all Art Rock is Prog Rock.
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Points: 13097 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 21:13
Originally posted by Dean Dean wrote:

Not all Art Rock is Prog Rock.

...or a baby's arm holding an apple.
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to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...
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Points: 23104 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 04 2014 at 01:47
Originally posted by Svetonio Svetonio wrote:

Originally posted by Evolver Evolver wrote:

I have to side with Dean, here. 
 
Early on, they seemed to be doing parodies of different rock styles.  In the composition of these, they did incorporate some features that we think of as prog: mixed time signatures, odd tempos, unusual chord patterns.  But while those features were evident, they were never so prevalent as to qualify them as a prog band.  The time, tempo and key changes mostly seemed to be for shock value, usually to kick a song into a different gear.
 
I consider them art-rock, but not prog.  And they may have had influence on other artists of their time, but mostly in the theatrical performance of their shows, not their music.  I would find it difficult to even classify them as prog-related, except in distant ways.  But not so distant as to stop me from posting this thread in the proto/related thread Wink.
*Prog-related* is not prog, actually. However, The Tubes' debut is progressive rock album, and all folks know that; so the question is: why "we" have to pretend that we don't hear that magnificent prog at their first LP released in 1975?

LOL
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Points: 17777 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 06 2014 at 19:32
Originally posted by Dean Dean wrote:

Sleepy Change the record Pedro. The Tubes were as popular in London and they were In San Francisco, that still does not make them Progressive Rock.
 
Never thought of them as "progressive". I don't do music, or collect things, because they are progressive, or PA announces them to their children. It is a great record and worth having. Be it progressive or not, who gives a sh*t, except you and some admins here!


Edited by moshkito - November 06 2014 at 19:32
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 06 2014 at 19:56
I have been accused of being a bully.

Not wanting to let my adoring public down, I shall leave you with this thought to ponder:

Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by Dean Dean wrote:

Sleepy Change the record Pedro. The Tubes were as popular in London and they were In San Francisco, that still does not make them Progressive Rock.
 
Never thought of them as "progressive". I don't do music, or collect things, because they are progressive, or PA announces them to their children. It is a great record and worth having. Be it progressive or not, who gives a sh*t, except you and some admins here!
This is a Progressive Rock site.

If you cannot get that into your tiny little drug-addled mind then you should not venture to open your big flappy mouth. 

Now be a like good little boy and toddle off.
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Points: 10213 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 07 2014 at 01:47
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

 
Never thought of them as "progressive". (...)

Also never thought about The Tubes as a progressive rock band but I thought about them as a prog related act as well - due to their magnificent & worthy debut. There's not doubt that The Tubes' debut is a 100% progressive rock album. All that is needed for a prog album, especially when it was released (39 years ago), their debut contains; odd time signatures, that plentiful use of synthesizers and electronic effects, a sudden use of folk (latin), a complex orchestration where the musicians showed a high degree of skill in the instrumental parts of songs, that "weird" atmosphere flows from the first to the last stroke, satirical and smart lyrics, an astonishing & very original album jacket - these are all features of our beloved genre, especially (I will repeat again) in 1975.
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Points: 8238 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2014 at 19:25
Really on the fence about the Tubes being prog or not.  Could go either way but I think I'd lean towards them being more of an eclectic rock act than prog in the long run.  I've got three of their LPs and I've been a fan of theirs since the early 80s so I definitely dig their music and sharp sense of humor.  Saw them without Fee in the mid 80s outdoors in downtown Dallas and they were tight and dynamic but without Waybill it just wasn't the same deal.  Great band with some great tunes, tho.
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Points: 28363 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2014 at 14:23
Glad to see The Tubes still confuse the hell out of everyone.  God forbid they should ever be considered as prog as Queen or David Bowie. Silly idea.LOL

Edited by richardh - December 09 2014 at 14:24
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Points: 4596 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 11 2014 at 18:05
Originally posted by Evolver Evolver wrote:

The band these days consists of 3 original members: Fee Waybill, Prairie Prince (drums) and Rick Anderson (bass).  Roger Steen (guitar) and David Medd (keyboards) have been with the band since the 90s.
 
While not a prog show, The Tubes are definitely art rock, and still a good time.

Roger Steen is also an original member Wink  

The Tubes were my very first concert experience in '76 (I saw Yes & Gentle Giant a month later).  While I wouldn't consider the Tubes a prog band, they were certainly unique, highly theatrical, and fantastic musicians.  I definitely see them as prog related. 
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Points: 872 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2014 at 09:11
I saw them about 18 years ago - still long after their prime..
It was great to see them - even after they got off to a rough start thanks to a technical gaff.
(they opened with 'Turn Me On)
 
it was a smaller club and there weren't a lot of people there but they still came out and gave it their all ..
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Points: 28363 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 28 2015 at 01:37
Originally posted by The.Crimson.King The.Crimson.King wrote:

Originally posted by Evolver Evolver wrote:

The band these days consists of 3 original members: Fee Waybill, Prairie Prince (drums) and Rick Anderson (bass).  Roger Steen (guitar) and David Medd (keyboards) have been with the band since the 90s.
 
While not a prog show, The Tubes are definitely art rock, and still a good time.

Roger Steen is also an original member Wink  

The Tubes were my very first concert experience in '76 (I saw Yes & Gentle Giant a month later).  While I wouldn't consider the Tubes a prog band, they were certainly unique, highly theatrical, and fantastic musicians.  I definitely see them as prog related. 
 
Would easily be in my top ten bands I would go back and see live given the chance. They used to sell out any gig in the UK without a problem because they had such a strong reputation even though their albums didn't sell in vast quantities. I suppose their first real commercial success was the Todd Rundgren produced Remote Control. I love that album! Not a single weak track.
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