The Dead Milkmen
 

I think I heard Punk Rock Girl while growing up - once or twice - and never thought of it or the group again. Now, at age 34, I re-discovered the song and think it is great! Is it the group's crowning achievement, song-wise? I know they have a big underground following, but is Punk Rock Girl the only song that the average joe would enjoy? --I think Bitchin' Camaro is a good song, but I haven't heard that one since the 80's.

Those were the only two songs I'd heard from them as well...I picked up their Greatest Hits cd a few years back and enjoyed it.

Just heard Bitchin' Camaro, and thought it had a great intro - riffing on a Doors song (Love Me Two Times, cause I got aids

http://www.interpunk.com/itemimages/76953.jpg

Oddly enough, I always considered the Milkmen to be more of an “album” kind of band... especially around the middle of their career. Which is my personal favorite.

Bucky Fellini, Beelzebubba and Metaphysical Graffitti are damn great albums begninning to end. And the tracks all seem to dovetail into each other in a “whole greater than the sum of its parts” kinda way.

"You'll dance to anything... by De-Peche Commode."

You ever go to make a pork sausage and find it's got hair growin' all over it?

And then Hiro gave me a look... THIS LOOK... that I remember to THIS VERY DAY!!!

In Punk Rock Girl, how come they mention that someone put on a Beach Boys song and that it was California Dreamin', which is a Mamas & Papas song. Is it because the protagonist doesn't know the difference with oldies songs, or is it a real mistake?

Punk Rock Girl quickly became my least favorite Dead Milkmen song - followed by Bitchin Camaro. I was big into these guys in high school - Everything up until Metaphysical Graffiti was good shit. I wasn't a big fan of that particular album though. I wouldn't say that those are the only songs an average joe would like - I'd suggest Beelzebubba as an album to try out and then work backwards if you like that one. Metaphysical Graffiti may even appeal to a wider audience than previous efforts... songs like Methodist Coloring Book would stand out for the average joe I think.

They're more of a comedy rock than a real band I think. You can almost file them under funny instead of music.

I love the DM. Big Lizard is still my favorite, and I love Tugena from that one. Check out Big Lizard, Metaphysical Graffitti and the great ep Smoking Bannana Peels.

Punk Rock Girl was good, if for nothing else than being catchy and actually being played on the radio and having a video made.
The first DM song I ever heard was Stuart, and I had to pull over because I was laughing so hard. That was also the first DM album I got [Beelzebubba]. I also think Beelzebubba is a good 'intro' album, it's a little more musical than some of their others, and the production values of Big Lizard are not real good. Although it's got some great tracks on it :)

someone shot my dog mavis and I'm gonna find out just who the hell it was

Anyway, Metaphysical Graffiti, I think, is underrated--it's deeper in general while being a little more surreal lyrically, rather than just being 'silly'.

Any DM is good DM, they're one of my all time favorite bands, and they ROCKED live. Don't forget to check out the DVD, Philadelphia in Love, featuring all 7 'promotional videos', some live clips, and some archive footage. DDD's got it for 9 bucks, cheaper than a CD.

RIP Dave Blood :(

A year or two ago I went to Philly to visit some friends. We went to Zipperhead so I could buy a DM t-shirt and THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY!

I chalked it up to them being out of stock rather than not carried at all, since I had seen them being sold there on previous trips. The day that Zipperhead stops selling DM shirts will be a sad day indeed.

Jumpin Jesus on a pogo stick! Everyone knows that a burrow lives in a hole in the ground - why do you think they call it a burrow owl?

You know Stuart? I like you. You're not like the other kids here - at the trailer park.


Funny how some lyrics just stay with you.

No no, don't get me wrong. They're good people, fine Americans.

yep :)

And I love the emotional delivery of 'Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick!'

I think I actually heard somewhere that Zipperhead did quit carrying their shirts. Purely hearsay, however, I've never been there.

They are comedy rock, but there's some music in there somewhere as well, and their musicianship definitely advanced through the years/albums.

Anyone listen to some of the members side bands, Butterfly Joe or the other one, can't remember, supposed to be some sort of folk/gothic/humor thing.

I went to your house last night/Your dad called me the human torch/Got a little pissed at him so I burnt down your front porch/Now I feel a little bad/Bout pouring gas on your dad/But you know it's hard to quit/And besides, he started it.

If you love somebody better set them on fire...


Dead Milkmen are awesome...definitely worth at least owning a greatest hits album...

The Milkmen are definitely one of my all time favorite bands. I can understand why people say that they are a joke band or a comedy band, but they really are much more than that.

I wouldn't say that any of their albums are bad, but Soul Rotation as a whole I don't like very much. It definitely has some gems on it though.

Big Lizard is a great starting point I think, maybe Beelzebubba too.

I only got to see them once live (Soul Rotation tour) but it is still one of my favorite live show experiences. They were all very cool people too.

Damn, I really need to load the rest of their songs into my mp3 player, now I'm jonesing.

RIP Dave.

It's because the Beach Boys' atrocious cover version of "California Dreamin'" was all over the radio at the time, along with their atrocious cover of "Wipeout" with the Fat Boys.

God, I loved the Dead Milkmen. I think I saw them on tour four times in college. The last time they were co-headlining with the Fleshtones, along with Ween and Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet. They(the DM) were actually at their worst at that show - they seemed falling-down drunk and turned every song they played into a cover of "Slack Motherfucker," which was only funny the first few times and then got old. The best show I saw them do was in support of Beelzebubba where they opened with a cover of Yes' "I’ve Seen All Good People" and the centerpiece performance of "Bitchin'(sic) Camaro" lasted 30 min. alone swear to god.
For my money Beelzebubba was their last really solid album; the number of clunkers and retreads got higher on each release afterward, especially listening to them now.(I also second the recommendation of the "Smokin' Banana Peels" EP, though - those B-sides were all pretty good.) I think Enigma/Restless didn't know how to market them anymore, either. Anyone pick up the "Methodist Coloring Book" single packaged with the actual coloring book and crayons? I imagine it didn't help that two different labels went out of business on them and MTV wouldn't play them nightly like they did with "Punk Rock Girl." Still, no one could mix humor and rock the way they could. I can't see The Dick Van Dyke Show without thinking:
"Morey Amsterdam can make a sane man crazy
Morey Amsterdam could make a nice guy kill..."

The year was 1988? The Beach Boys song on the radio was Kokomo from the movie Cocktail. Not California Dreamin'.

Their version of "California Dreamin'" did come out in 1986, though. Maybe "Punk Rock Girl" was written around then?

Regardless, the Beach Boys did perform a song called California Dreamin' and it was on a Jukebox and it rhymed with 'screamin' so whatever.

"gonna beat my wife...gonna beat her with a 2x4, gonna chase her down with a lawn mower"

damnit! now i have to spend more money at iTunes. its been so long since i have heard them...what happened to the albums i once had?