Beelzebubba

Last updated
Beelzebubba
Beelzebubba.jpg
Studio album by
the Dead Milkmen
Released1988
Genre
Length45:29
Label Enigma [1]
Producer Brian Beattie, Mike Stewart
The Dead Milkmen chronology
Bucky Fellini
(1987)		Beelzebubba
(1988)		 Metaphysical Graffiti
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Robert Christgau B+ [4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Philadelphia Inquirer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]

Beelzebubba is the fourth studio album by the American satirical punk rock band the Dead Milkmen, released in 1988. [8] It peaked at No. 101 on the Billboard 200. [9] The album contains perhaps the band's best-known song, "Punk Rock Girl". [10]

Contents

Five tracks from Beelzebubba ("I Walk the Thinnest Line", "Stuart", "Punk Rock Girl", "Smokin' Banana Peels", and "Life Is Shit") are included on the band's 1997 compilation album Death Rides a Pale Cow: The Ultimate Collection .

Overview

Beelzebubba was recorded in Austin, Texas, and was produced by Mike Stewart and Brian "Orchid Breath" Beattie. [6] [11] The cover photo is of Rodney Linderman's father, also named Rodney.

The album includes the song "Punk Rock Girl", which was released as a single. The song debuted on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart on January 7, 1989, at position 27; [12] it spent ten weeks on the chart, [13] peaking at number eleven on February 4, 1989. [14] The video was filmed in part at Eastern State Penitentiary. [15]

The track "Stuart" features Dead Milkmen vocalist Rodney Linderman speaking rather than singing; the song is presented in the form of Linderman rambling to an apparent man named Stuart in a trailer park about what "the queers are doing to the soil", which he claims is related to building "landing strips for gay Martians". [16] [17]

In 1989, the Dead Milkmen released the Smokin' Banana Peels EP, which contains remixes of the song "Smokin' Banana Peels". It also contains several previously unreleased songs. [18]

Critical reception

The Washington Post 's Mark Jenkins wrote that "it's 'Punk Rock Girl', the only song that shows some vulnerability amidst all the attitude, that redeems the record." [1] Trouser Press thought that "the Milkmen's skimpy charms run very thin on Beelzebubba, an album with precisely three assets: a great title, amusing artwork and the catchy but dumb 'Punk Rock Girl'." [18] The staff of People wrote: "You won't find the Dead Milkmen beating any dead horses. They just tickle one and move on to their next victim." [19]

James Muretich of the Calgary Herald wrote that the album "rides a sound of manic, minimalist rock that leaves behind such hit-and-run victims as homophobic trailer park residents, bleach boys (people with strange drinking habits) and PBS." [20] Tom Barrett of the Vancouver Sun called Beelzebubba the band's best album and "a flying drop kick of a disc that pokes savage fun at hippies, frat boys, Bob Hope and homophobes." [21]

In a retrospective article, Nicholas Pell of LA Weekly called the album "a bona fide rock & roll masterpiece" and "nothing short of the White Album of its day." [22]

Track listing

All tracks are written by the Dead Milkmen

No.TitleLength
1."Brat in the Frat"1:06
2."Rc's Mom"2:27
3."Stuart"2:22
4."I Walk the Thinnest Line"2:11
5."Sri Lanka Sex Hotel"3:41
6."Bad Party"1:53
7."Punk Rock Girl"2:40
8."Bleach Boys"3:49
9."My Many Smells"2:21
10."Smokin' Banana Peels"3:49
11."The Guitar Song"3:31
12."Born to Love Volcanos"3:13
13."Everybody's Got Nice Stuff But Me"2:51
14."I Against Osbourne"1:56
15."Howard Beware"2:30
16."Ringo Buys a Rifle"2:21
17."Life Is Shit"3:19
Total length:45:29

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan of Xymox</span> Dutch rock band

Clan of Xymox, also known as simply Xymox, are a Dutch rock band formed in 1981 best known as pioneers of darkwave music. Clan of Xymox featured a trio of singer-songwriters – Ronny Moorings, Anka Wolbert, and Pieter Nooten – and gained success in the 1980s, releasing their first two albums on 4AD, before releasing their third and fourth albums on Wing Records and scoring a hit single in the United States. The band is still active, continuing to tour and release records with Moorings as the sole remaining original member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dead Milkmen</span> American satirical punk rock band

The Dead Milkmen is an American punk rock band formed in 1983 in Philadelphia. Their original lineup consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Rodney Linderman, guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro, bassist Dave Schulthise and drummer Dean Sabatino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Linderman</span> American musician

Rodney Linderman, also known by his stage name Rodney Anonymous, is an American musician, journalist, and humorist currently based in Philadelphia. He is best known as the lead vocalist, keyboardist and co-songwriter of the satirical punk rock band The Dead Milkmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Possum Dixon</span> American rock band

Possum Dixon was an American rock band, which existed between 1989 and 1999. Fronted by singer-songwriter and bassist Rob Zabrecky, the group's neo-new wave pop and post punk style first appeared among a string of early independently released 7 inch singles and on their self-titled debut on Interscope Records in 1993. Zabrecky's lyrical content often described love lost and slacker life in Los Angeles.

<i>Big Lizard in My Backyard</i> Album by the Dead Milkmen

Big Lizard in My Backyard is the debut album by the Dead Milkmen, released by Restless Records in 1985.

<i>Eat Your Paisley!</i> 1986 studio album by The Dead Milkmen

Eat Your Paisley! is the second studio album by The Dead Milkmen, released on Restless Records in 1986.

<i>Bucky Fellini</i> 1987 studio album by Dead Milkmen

Bucky Fellini is the third studio album by The Dead Milkmen. It was released in 1987 by Enigma. The album peaked at No. 163 on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punk Rock Girl</span> Song by the Dead Milkmen

"Punk Rock Girl" is a song by American rock band the Dead Milkmen. It was the first single released from the band's fourth album Beelzebubba (1988). Released in December 1988, the track was primarily composed by guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro and bassist Dave Schulthise, though it is credited to all four band members. The idea behind the song was to create a punk rock nursery rhyme; as such, it is a simple love song, written from the perspective of a sheltered boy dreaming of a rowdy, delinquent girlfriend. Lyrically, it depicts the duo bonding over record-shopping and eating pizza.

<i>Soul Rotation</i> 1992 studio album by The Dead Milkmen

Soul Rotation is the sixth studio album by the Dead Milkmen, released in 1992. It was their first album to be released on Hollywood Records. The album was digitally re-released in 2013, after being out of print for many years.

<i>Not Richard, But Dick</i> 1993 studio album by the Dead Milkmen

Not Richard, But Dick is the seventh studio album by the Dead Milkmen, released in 1993 via Hollywood Records. Like Soul Rotation, the album was a commercial disappointment. After being out of print for years, Hollywood Records released the album for digital download on April 2, 2013. The title of the album is not a reference to "Tricky" Dick Nixon, but rather a person by the name of Richard J. "Dick" Latch, who preferred to be addressed as "Not Richard, but Dick."

<i>Stoneys Extra Stout (Pig)</i> 1995 studio album by The Dead Milkmen

Stoney's Extra Stout (Pig) is the eighth studio album by the Dead Milkmen. It was released by Restless Records in 1995. The Dead Milkmen had decided to break up prior to its release; the band (minus deceased bass player Dave Schulthise) would not record again until 2011's The King in Yellow.

<i>Metaphysical Graffiti</i> 1990 studio album by The Dead Milkmen

Metaphysical Graffiti is the fifth studio album by the Dead Milkmen, released by Enigma Records in 1990. The album title and cover art, the latter designed by the band's drummer Dean Clean, parody the 1975 album Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin. Two tracks appear on Death Rides a Pale Cow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roddy Radalj</span> Musical artist

Rodney John "Roddy" Radalj is a Croatian-born Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He has provided guitar, bass guitar and vocals in several influential Australian bands starting with Perth punk bands in the late 1970s before relocating to Sydney to become a founder of the Hoodoo Gurus in 1981 and of Dubrovniks in 1988. Since 1989, as Roddy Ray'Da he has released a number of solo albums, including Guns Girls & Guitars in 2005.

<i>Death Rides a Pale Cow</i> (The Ultimate Collection) 1997 greatest hits album by Dead Milkmen

Death Rides a Pale Cow is a greatest hits album by the punk rock band the Dead Milkmen, released in 1997.

Burn Witch Burn were an American Celtic rock/goth/Appalachian/Gypsy/folk/punk rock band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and active between 1994-2001. The band was a side project of Dead Milkmen singer and keyboardist Rodney Linderman.

"Bitchin' Camaro" is a song by American rock band the Dead Milkmen, released on their debut album Big Lizard in My Backyard (1985). The song was written by vocalist Rodney Linderman, guitarist and vocalist Joseph Genaro, bassist Dave Schulthise, and drummer Dean Sabatino. The track contains an extended, rambling intro of two characters having a conversation, after which the song shifts into a hardcore punk song about the bitchin' Chevrolet Camaro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang</span> 1981 single by Heaven 17

"(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" is a song by British synth-pop band Heaven 17. It was their debut single, released on 6 March 1981, and the lead single from their debut studio album, Penthouse and Pavement (1981). It was a minor hit in the UK in 1981, despite being banned by the BBC. It was also a minor dance hit in the US. It developed from an instrumental, "Groove Thang", that Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh created earlier that year for Music for Stowaways, an album they released as British Electric Foundation.

<i>The King in Yellow</i> (album) 2011 studio album by The Dead Milkmen

The King in Yellow is the ninth studio album by the Dead Milkmen. It was their first studio album in 16 years. It was released digitally on the band's website in 2011; a CD release followed shortly thereafter.

<i>Chaos Rules: Live at the Trocadero</i> 1994 live album by the Dead Milkmen

Chaos Rules: Live at the Trocadero is a live album by the punk band the Dead Milkmen. It was released by Restless Records on November 8, 1994. Chaos Rules contains one song from Soul Rotation and none from Not Richard, But Dick, as the group could not work out a deal with Hollywood Records, their former record label.

<i>Possum Dixon</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Possum Dixon

Possum Dixon is the debut album by the American band Possum Dixon, released in 1993. The first single, "Watch the Girl Destroy Me", was a minor hit.

References

  1. 1 2 Jenkins, Mark (December 30, 1988). "Milkmen Driving on Empty Thoughts" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  2. ↑ Beelzebubba at AllMusic
  3. ↑ Popson, Tom (20 Jan 1989). "CAJUN, ROCK, FOLK AND MORE FROM THE INDIE WORLD". Chicago Tribune: North Sports Final 1.
  4. ↑ "Robert Christgau: Album: The Dead Milkmen: Beelzebubba". www.robertchristgau.com.
  5. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 803.
  6. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 319.
  7. ↑ Moon, Tom (27 Nov 1988). "The Dead Milkmen Beelzebubba". The Philadelphia Inquirer: G12.
  8. ↑ "Dead Milkmen | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. ↑ "The Dead Milkmen". Billboard.
  10. ↑ "Modern Rock Tracks – For Week Ending January 7, 1989" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 101, no. 1. Prometheus Global Media, LLC. January 7, 1989. p. 14. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  11. ↑ Blackstock, Peter (3 Feb 1989). "Dead Milkmen achieve an obnoxious success". Austin American-Statesman: F2.
  12. ↑ "Modern Rock Tracks – For Week Ending January 7, 1989" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 101, no. 1. January 7, 1989. p. 14. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  13. ↑ Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981–2008. Hal Leonard Corporation. 2008. p. 70. ISBN   978-0898201741.
  14. ↑ "Modern Rock Tracks – For Week Ending February 4, 1989" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 101, no. 5. February 4, 1989. p. 16. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  15. ↑ Weidman, Rich (2022). Punk: The Definitive Guide to the Blank Generation and Beyond. Backbeat Books. p. 164.
  16. ↑ Moore, Bobby (May 6, 2015). "The Dead Milkmen return". Creative Loafing . Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  17. ↑ Molseed, John (May 17, 2015). "Dead Milkmen's Joe Genaro at Octopus Monday". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier . Archived from the original on July 9, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  18. 1 2 "TrouserPress.com :: Dead Milkmen". www.trouserpress.com. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Picks and Pans Review: Beelzebubba". People . November 21, 1988. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  20. ↑ Muretich, James (26 Jan 1989). "Disc". Calgary Herald : E5.
  21. ↑ Barrett, Tom (2 May 1989). "Reality makes Dead Milkmen feel alive: These funny guys fling abuse at whatever comes their way". Vancouver Sun : B5.
  22. ↑ Pell, Nicholas (February 17, 2016). "Unpopular Opinion: The Dead Milkmen's Beelzebubba Is the White Album of Its Day". LA Weekly .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.