The Wildparty Sheiks
The Wildparty Sheiks were an American band based in New York City, from approximately the mid-1990s until 2002. They specialized in music originally performed by African-American musicians or Caucasians in blackface in the minstrel genre and related works, primarily from the early twentieth century. Each member of the band assumed a 'Sheik' pseudonym and they often played in costumes, such as Shriner-esque suits and fezzes.
Band lineup
The band's lineup was:| Real Name | Pseudonym | Instrument |
| Jonathan Royce | Sheik Professor Honeycat Crozet | Mandolin, Tenor Guitar, Vocals |
| Frank Gresham | Sheik Crazy Wild Surprise | Guitar, Lead Vocals |
| Joe LeSage | Sheik Liquid Giuseppe LeSage | Bass, Vocal Miscellanea |
| Willis DeBarge | Sheik Uptown Willis DeBarge | Drums, Engineering |
Album
In 2002, the band released an eponymous CD on 7th Room Records with the following tracks, all covers, crediting the original artist and date:Track list
- "My Money Never Runs Out" - Banjo Joe 1927
- "Loan Me Your Heart" - Papa Charlie Jackson 1929
- "You Shall" - Frank Stokes 1927
- "Take Those Lips Away" - Doc Roberts and Asa Martin 1928
- "What Is It That Tastes Like Gravy" - Tampa Red and Georgia Tom 1929
- "Can't Be Bothered With No Sheik" - Rosa Henderson 1931
- "Boot It Boy" - Tampa Red and Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon 1929
- "Lady Quit Her Husband Onexpectingly" - Tub Jug Washboard Band 1928
- "Old Jim Canaan" - Robert Wilkins 1935
- "Dallas Rag" - Coley Jones and the Dallas String Band 1927
- "O Tierra Del Sol" -
- "Gonna Tip Out Tonight" - Simmie Dooley and Pink Anderson 1928
- Bliss Blood of The Moonlighters provided guest vocals on "Can't Be Bothered With No Sheik" and the disc contained a bonus track accessible only by computer, which was a cover of the explicit version of "Shave 'Em Dry" as recorded by Lucille Bogan in 1935.