The Fleshtones


The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York. Celebrated for their frenetic live performances, the Fleshtones are credited with coining their own genre, "Super Rock," to describe their blend of garage rock, R&B, and psychedelia. The band formed after Keith Streng and original bassist Jan Marek Pakulski discovered instruments in the basement of their Queens house. The Fleshtones made their debut at the legendary club CBGB in 1976, the only band that debuted at CBGB in 1976 that has not had an inactive year.

History

1976–1979

The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York, by Keith Streng and Jan Marek Pakulski, two roommates who discovered that a previous tenant had left behind some instruments in the basement of the house they were renting. Streng, on guitar, and Pakulski, on bass, were soon joined by neighborhood friends Peter Zaremba, on harmonica, keyboards, and vocals, and Lenny Calderon, on drums. Starting in 1978, the group was often joined onstage by Action Combo, a horn section composed of brothers Gordon and Brian Spaeth. Gordon Spaeth became an official band member in 1983.
The Fleshtones debuted at CBGB on May 19, 1976. In the late 1970s, The Fleshtones earned a local following and played often in Manhattan at CBGB and Max's Kansas City. Later, they found a favorite venue at Club 57 on St. Mark's Place. The Fleshtones were the first band to be booked or to play at several famous venues, including Irving Plaza and Danceteria in Manhattan, Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, and the original 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.
The Fleshtones shared a rehearsal space with The Cramps on the Bowery in Manhattan in 1977. The following year, The Fleshtones signed with Marty Thau's Red Star Records, and recorded their first album. In addition, filmmaker/artist M. Henry Jones and the band produced Soul City, a performance-animation video composed of hand-painted cutouts that is a historic representation of the band and Jones' art form. The Fleshtones' first single, titled "American Beat", was issued on Red Star in 1979.

1980–1989

In 1980, with the Red Star Records album not released, the Fleshtones were signed by Miles Copeland III at I.R.S. Records, where they worked with producers Richard Mazda and Richard Gottehrer. It was at this time that the band replaced Calderon with drummer Bill Milhizer, and appeared in the British punk/new wave film Urgh! A Music War, and released its first EP Up-Front. Four albums on I.R.S. followed: Roman Gods, Hexbreaker!!, and the live Speed Connection and Speed Connection II. In 1982, they appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand TV show. In 1984 they re-recorded "American Beat" as part of the soundtrack of the Tom Hanks movie Bachelor Party.
Despite having a large cult following, the band never achieved commercial success: Roman Gods debuted at No. 174 on Billboard's album chart, the highest position that a Fleshtones release would attain until 2020, when Face of the Screaming Werewolf debuted at No. 9 on Billboard's Alternative New Artist Albums Chart, and 2021, when the "Mi Engañaste Bien" single entered the Billboard Hot Singles Chart at No. 38.
Zaremba was the host of I.R.S. Records Presents The Cutting Edge on MTV from 1984 to 1987. The I.R.S. Records-produced show featured up and coming underground artists. The program was short-lived but the format prefigured 120 Minutes. Zaremba's MC talents surfaced again in the late 1990s at New York City's "Cavestomp" Garage Rock festivals.
In the mid-1980s, The Fleshtones regularly played at the Pyramid Club on Avenue A in the East Village, and were instrumental in helping to start Wigstock, the drag queen festival that became a New York City staple. In the late 1980s, The Fleshtones were without major-label support, though they continued to tour America and Europe steadily, including shows opening for Chuck Berry and James Brown. In 1987, The Fleshtones made an appearance on the final episode of Andy Warhol's Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes, an MTV program, during which they backed up famed English stage actor Ian McKellen as he recited William Shakespeare's Twentieth Sonnet.
The Fleshtones recorded the title track to the 1987 camp-horror film I Was a Teenage Zombie. They released the albums Fleshtones vs. Reality in 1987 and Soul Madrid in 1989. I.R.S. Records released a best-of compilation, Living Legends, in 1989.
In late 1986, Pakulski left the Fleshtones. He was replaced by , who left the band in 1988. Fred Smith of Television and Andy Shernoff of The Dictators were interim bass players in the studio and on tour until 1990.

1990–2000

Ken Fox joined the Fleshtones on bass in July 1990. Fox had formed Raving Mojos in Toronto and played with Joan Osborne and in Jason & the Scorchers. Since Fox joined, the Fleshtones lineup has remained stable.
In 1992, the Fleshtones signed with Ichiban Records, where they stayed until the label's demise. In the 1990s, the Fleshtones worked with musician-producers Dave Faulkner, Peter Buck, and Steve Albini.

2001–2010

In the 21st century, the Fleshtones collaborated with musician-producers Rick Miller, Jim Diamond, Lenny Kaye, and Ivan Julian, as well as self-producing work in Paul Johnson's Compactor basement studio in Brooklyn. The Fleshtones signed with Yep Roc Records in 2003.
The Fleshtones were one of the last bands to play at Windows on the World atop the World Trade Center. In 2002, they played at a Night of Remembrance and Hope festival at CBGB.
In December 2003, the Fleshtones played at a CBGB 30th Anniversary show along with The Dictators, and in August of the next year, played Little Steven's Underground Garage Festival at Randalls Island in New York City with 39 other bands, including The New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, The Strokes, and Bo Diddley.

2010–present

In September 2016, the Fleshtones toured China for the first time in the band's career. The tour was organized by Shanghai-based punk band Round Eye.
In December 2024, they supported The Damned and Doctor and the Medics on their UK tour., and in January 2026 toured India for the first time in their career.

Book, tribute, feature documentary and reissues

Former members
  • Jan Marek Pakulski — bass, vocals
  • Lenny Calderon — drums, vocals
  • Danny Gilbert — guitar
  • Gordon Spaeth — sax, harmonica, organ, vocals
  • Mitchell Ames — guitar
  • Walter Scezney — bass
  • Robert Burke Warren — bass, vocals
Session/Touring
Horn players
  • Brian Spaeth — sax
  • Gregory D Grinnell — trumpet
  • Ken Fradley — trumpet
  • Mark McGowan — trumpet
  • Steve Greenfield — sax
  • Joe Loposky — trumpet
  • Markus Arike — sax
Timeline

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:120 bottom:120 top:0 right:20
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1976 till:08/03/2026
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1976
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1976
Colors =
id:v value:red legend:Lead_vocals
id:bv value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
id:g value:green legend:Guitar
id:b value:blue legend:Bass
id:k value:purple legend:Organ,_wind_instruments
id:d value:orange legend:Drums
id:alb value:black legend:Studio_Albums
id:bar value:gray
LineData =
layer:back
at:01/07/1982 color:alb
at:06/30/1982 color:alb
at:06/07/1983 color:alb
at:03/13/1987 color:alb
at:06/30/1989 color:alb
at:06/30/1992 color:alb
at:06/30/1994 color:alb
at:10/01/1995 color:alb
at:10/22/1996 color:alb
at:06/17/1997 color:alb
at:01/13/1998 color:alb
at:06/14/1999 color:alb
at:07/22/2000 color:alb
at:06/30/2003 color:alb
at:08/09/2005 color:alb
at:01/22/2008 color:alb
at:10/14/2008 color:alb
at:03/15/2011 color:alb
at:02/10/2014 color:alb
at:06/30/2016 color:alb
at:10/24/2020 color:alb
at:11/01/2024 color:alb
BackgroundColors = bars:bar
PlotData =
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:
bar:Peter Zaremba from:start till:end color:k width:3
bar:Peter Zaremba from:start till:end color:v
bar:Keith Streng from:start till:end color:bv width:3
bar:Keith Streng from:start till:end color:g
bar:Danny Gilbert from:04/01/1976 till:06/30/1976 color:g
bar:Mitchell Ames from:07/01/1979 till:08/31/1979 color:g
bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:start till:06/30/1979 color:bv width:3
bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:start till:06/30/1979 color:b
bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:09/01/1979 till:08/31/1986 color:bv width:3
bar:Jan Marek Pakulski from:09/01/1979 till:08/31/1986 color:b
bar:Walter Scezney from:07/01/1979 till:08/31/1979 color:b
bar:Robert Burke Warren from:09/01/1986 till:06/30/1988 color:bv width:3
bar:Robert Burke Warren from:09/01/1986 till:06/30/1988 color:b
bar:Ken Fox from:07/01/1990 till:end color:bv width:3
bar:Ken Fox from:07/01/1990 till:end color:b
bar:Lenny Calderon from:start till:12/31/1979 color:bv width:3
bar:Lenny Calderon from:start till:12/31/1979 color:d
bar:Bill Milhizer from:01/01/1980 till:end color:bv width:3
bar:Bill Milhizer from:01/01/1980 till:end color:d
bar:Gordon Spaeth from:01/01/1978 till:12/31/1988 color:bv width:3
bar:Gordon Spaeth from:01/01/1978 till:12/31/1988 color:k

Discography

Studio albums

  • Blast Off! cassette + CD 1990 + CD 1993 + CD 1997 + LP 2001 + LP 2002
  • Roman Gods 1990]
  • Hexbreaker!
  • Fleshtones vs. Reality
  • Powerstance!
  • Beautiful Light
  • Laboratory of Sound
  • Hitsburg USA!
  • More Than Skin Deep
  • Hitsburg Revisited
  • Solid Gold Sound
  • Do You Swing?
  • Beachhead
  • Take A Good Look
  • Stocking Stuffer
  • Brooklyn Sound Solution with Lenny Kaye
  • Wheel Of Talent
  • The Band Drinks For Free
  • Face Of The Screaming Werewolf
  • It's Getting Late

    Live albums

  • Speed Connection: Live In Paris 85 LP
  • Speed Connection II – [The Final Chapter ] LP/cassette 1985 + download 2010
  • Soul Madrid LP
  • Live at Yep Roc 15: The Fleshtones

    Singles

  • American Beat b/w Critical List - 7"
  • The Girl from Baltimore b/w Feel the Heat - 7"
  • The World Has Changed b/w All Around the World - 7"
  • Roman Gods b/w Ride Your Pony + Chinese Kitchen - 12"
  • Shadow-Line b/w All Around the World - 7"
  • American Beat '84 b/w Hall of Fame - 7"
  • Armed and Dangerous b/w Let It Rip + Electric Mouse - 7"
  • Beautiful Light + Treat Me Like a Man + Mushroom Cloud - CD
  • Take a Walk with The Fleshtones b/w One of Us - 7"
  • Gentleman's Twist b/w Red Sunset + Gentleman's Twist - 7"
  • Jetset Fleshtones b/w Les Temps Dira - 7"
  • Bite of My Soul b/w Remember The Ramones - 7"
  • I Can't Hide b/w B-Side - 7"
  • For a Smile b/w Everywhere Is Nowhere - 7"
  • Available b/w Let's Live 7" –
  • Gotta Get Away b/w 2000 Light Years from Home - 7"
  • I Surrender! b/w Dominique Laboubee - 7"
  • The End of My Neighborhood b/w Cardboard Casanova - 7"
  • The Band Drinks for Free b/w Love My Lover - 7"
  • Ama Como Un Hombre b/w Ama Mas - 7"
  • Layin' Pipe b/w Lady Nightshade - 7"
  • Lost on Xandu b/w 'Lost on Xandu with Lenny Kaye - 7"
  • Santa Claus Conquers the Martians b/w Hooray for Santa Claus - 7"
  • Mi Engañaste Bien b/w Decimos Yeah! - 7"
  • Festa di Frankenstein b/w The Dedication Song - 7"

    EPs

  • Up-Front 1980
  • American Beat '84 1984
  • Los Fleshtones: Quatro x Quatro 2012

    Compilations

  • The Fleshtones: Living Legends Series CD 1989
  • Angry Years 1984–1986 CD 1994 + CD 1997
  • It's "Super-Rock" Time!: The IRS Years 1980–85 CD 2010
  • Hexbreaker! / Speed Connection CD 2010
  • Roman Gods / Up-Front / Speed Connection II CD 2011
  • Budget Buster: Just the Hits! CD/LP 2017

    Compilation appearances

  • Marty Thau Presents 2 X 5 1980 + 2005
  • Start Swimming 1981
  • Bachelor Party 1984 + 2003
  • 688 Presents 1986
  • I Was a Teenage Zombie 1987
  • Time Bomb: Fleshtones Present the Big Bang Theory 1988
  • New York Rockers: Manhattan's Original Rock Underground 1989
  • Shangri-La: A Tribute to The Kinks 1989
  • Turban Renewal: A Tribute to Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs 1994
  • Dictators Forever Forever Dictators: A Tribute to The Dictators, Vol. 1 1996
  • Super Bad @ 65: A Tribute to James Brown 1998
  • Guitar Ace: Tribute to Link Wray 2003
  • Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995 2005
  • Little Steven's Underground Garage Presents: The Coolest Songs In The World Vol. 3 2007
  • So Indie It Hurts: Roir Rocks Volume Two 2010
  • Mondo Zombie Boogaloo 2013

    Videos and DVDs

  • "Right Side of a Good Thing," The Beast of I.R.S. Video Vol. 1 VHS 1984
  • "F-f-fascination," Back in the Day: Live at Hurrah's New York City DVD 2006
  • The Fleshtones: Brooklyn à Paris! Live at La Maroquinerie DVD 2006
  • The Fleshtones—Live at the Hurrah Club DVD 2008
  • Pardon Us for Living, but The Graveyard Is Full 2009

    Side projects

  • Peter Zaremba's Love Delegation
  • Full Time Men
  • The Tall Lonesome Pines
  • The Master Plan
  • The Split Squad.
  • Strengsbrew