Although known primarily for founding and fronting
the legendary garage “revivalists”, THE FUZZTONES,
Rudi has actually been performing since 1966, when he
formed his first Rock & Roll band, King Arthur’s
Quart.
Rudi spent his teen years in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, playing in local bands. After seeing a
particularly inspired show by the DEAD BOYS at NYC’s
CBGB in 1976 , Rudi convinced Dead Boys frontman STIV
BATORS to let him audition as bassist. Although Rudi
did actually play one show with The Dead Boys (on the
same bill as DAVID JOHANSEN, PATTI SMITH, BLONDIE,
RICHARD HELL and SUICIDE!), a future with the band was
not his fate. He returned to Harrisburg and formed
TINA PEEL, Harrisburg’s (and possibly the World’s)
only Bubblegum-Punk band. Heavily influenced by The
Monkees, Cryan’ Shames, 1910 Fruitgum Company and Dave
Clark 5, TINA PEEL eventually moved to NYC where they
became a popular attraction, often headlining the
major clubs of the time (Hurrah, Irving Plaza, Ritz,
CBGB), as well as appearing on several television
shows, including the cult favorite, THE UNCLE FLOYD
SHOW.
Although the band was courted by major labels, and
enjoyed frequent press, TINA PEEL broke up in 1980,
when founding members RUDI and DEB O’ NAIR went on to
form THE FUZZTONES. Generally regarded as the most
important, if not the most notorious, of the 80’s
garage pioneers, THE FUZZTONES were among the first to
release vinyl (their first two LPs, “LEAVE YOUR MIND
AT HOME” and “LYSERGIC EMANATIONS” are considered
classics). They also performed and recorded with
legendary 50’s R&B shouter, SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKINS.
Perhaps the most important contribution the band made,
however, was to be the first of the revivalists to
introduce the 60’s garage/ psych sound to a European
audience. In 1985, the band endured a grueling 3 month
tour where they opened for THE DAMNED. Although THE
FUZZTONES headlined several shows of their own as
well, it was the shows with the English bad boys of
Goth Punk that brought them to the attention of the
European masses. Considering how popular THE FUZZTONES
became soon after, it’s hard to believe that at the
time a typical show would consist of the punk audience
pelting the band with beer bottles and showering them
with “gob” ( a punk term for spit). The ‘TONES
performed 28 days a month for three months, and
eventually won over the DAMNED’s fans. That was not to
imply that it was ever smooth sailing for THE
FUZZTONES. Rudi was actually shot at during a show in
Lyon, France, and Deb was sucker-punched unconscious
by The Damned’sdrummer, RAT SCABIES (in front of Jimmy
Page, so less), during an offstage argument. After
returning to the States, The Fuzztones broke up, right
at the height of their popularity.
In 1986 Rudi formed LINK PROTRUDI & THE JAYMEN,
originally an instrumental tribute to LINK WRAY (back
when very few knew who he was!). The band soon
advanced to writing many of their own songs, and
recorded several albums. They succesfully toured
Europe and Canada, and still pop up occasionally to
back burlesque legends such as TEMPEST STORM and
KITTEN NATIVIDAD. At one point in his career, LINK
WRAY himself used Protrudi’s Jaymen as his own backing
band!
In 1987, Rudi and drummer “MAD” MIKE moved to Los
Angeles, where they reformed THE FUZZTONES. Ironically
the new lineup consisted almost entirely of
transplanted New Yorkers. This line-up was the ONLY
garage "revival" band to land a major record deal (“IN
HEAT” on RCA/ Beggars Banquet), and toured Europe
frequently, often headlining festivals for up to
20,000 screaming fans. It was also this line-up that
earned the moniker, the “PAISLEY PUSSY POSSE” for
their offstage antics, which were often even wilder
than their onstage hormone blast! “To me, Rock & Roll
is like a primitive mating call..” Rudi has been
quoted as saying, “...It’s a form of RELEASE...like an
orgasm...releasing teen angst.”
THE FUZZTONES officially ended their 13 year career
in 1992, after a succesful tour of Israel. Rudi went
on to other projects, including recording with SKY
SAXON (singer of 60’s garage icons, THE SEEDS),
producing other bands, recording his first solo LP in
1993 (“WHITE TRASH”, his foray into psycho-country
music, predating MIKE NESS by several years), and
performing and recording with THE JAYMEN. In 1994,
LINK PROTRUDI & THE JAYMEN recorded “SEDUCTION”, a
lounge-a-delic slice of Exotica, with strong Middle
Eastern overtones, predating the Lounge Music fad and
MADONNA’s (and PLANT & PAGE’s) dabbling with the Mid
Eastern genre.
In 1996, the renowned reissue label SUNDAZED
released " FLASHBACKS," a "best of The Fuzztones"
collection, making THE FUZZTONES the first non-60's
band to be released by the label.
In 1997, Rudi succesfully reformed the “IN HEAT”
line-up of THE FUZZTONES and performed sporadic shows
in L.A. and NYC including CAVESTOMP ‘97 (where
FLESHTONES vocalist, PETER ZAREMBA, joined them
onstage as a go-go dancer!) and a co-headlining show
with QUESTION MARK & THE MYSTERIANS. In 1998 Rudi
reformed the ORIGINAL NYC LINE-UP of THE FUZZTONES
(with DEB O’ NAIR) to play CAVESTOMP ‘98. This was the
first time they’d played together in 13 years! The
band was joined onstage by VANILLA FUDGE’s guitarist
VINNIE MARTELL for a rousing version of “Psychotic
Reaction,” which climaxed by an impromptu striptease
from Rudi! The NYC line-up donned their Vox Phantom
guitars once more in 1999 when they played the INDIAN
BIKER FESTIVAL in Matera, Italy. Rudi also toured
Italy and Germany with Italy’s garage heroes THE
OTHERS as backing band. Consequently, Italy’s top
Garage ‘zine and record label, MISTY LANE, released
the album “Yellow, Green & Purple”, a solo record of
sorts featuring RUDI backed by THE OTHERS on one side,
and GONN vocalist CRAIG MOORE backed by the band on
the other. At the Misty Lane festival in Rome in
2000, Rudi joined 60’s legends the CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND
onstage for a wailing “Don’t Need Your Lovin’. Rudi
continued his solo with a consequent European tour
backed by Spain's NUGGETS and occasional Midwest shows
with Chicago's CROOKSHANKS.
Rudi officially reformed The FUZZTONES in 2000 and
they have been successfully touring Europe ever since.
In 2004 they backed PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS frontman
MARK LINDSAY on a mini-tour of Greece! Their last
studio album, “SALT FOR ZOMBIES” received rave
reviews, and selections have been featured on the
international Rock ‘n’ Roll radio show, LITTLE
STEVEN’S UNDERGROUND GARAGE, where their version of
“Don’t Blow Your Mind” made #2 in the annual
Underground Garage listener poll as “Coolest Song In
The World.” Rudi has also recorded 2 solo albums in
the (admittedly bent) classic Country mode, and is the
only Rock & Roll artist who has covered artists as
diverse as PATSY CLINE, PAT BOONE, KORLA PANDIT,
TSCHAIKOWSKY, GERSHWIN, DAVID ROSE, BOBBY DARIN and
BLACK OAK ARKANSAS.
2003 found COURTNEY LOVE playing FUZZTONES videos
on MTV, remarking that THE STROKES were influenced by
THE FUZZTONES, “even if they don’t know it.” THE
FUZZTONES were one of the headlining acts at the
LITTLE STEVEN UNDERGROUND GARAGE FESTIVAL at Randall’s
Island in NY Aug. 14th, 2004, which featured, among
others, rock legends IGGY & THE STOOGES,
N.Y. DOLLS, ELECTRIC PRUNES, CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND, and
the PRETTY THINGS, as well as current hitmakers THE
STROKES. The concert was filmed by director CHRIS
COLUMBUS (Mrs Doubtfire, Harry Potter, Home Alone)
with the intention of a major motion picture release.
Meanwhile, "SALT FOR ZOMBIES" has been released on
vinyl by Italy's TEEN SOUND label, and licensed for
international CD release by Germany's TRIBAL STOMP,
and Italy's ABRAXAS label has recently released LSD25
(a double CD/DVD "Best of The Fuzztones" collection),
as well as reissued Leave Your Mind At Home, Live in
Europe, and Live with Screamin' Jay Hawkins on vinyl.
The new RHINO compilation, "CHILDREN OF NUGGETS,"
features the classic Fuzztones anthem, "Bad News
Travels Fast."
Rudi claims to be the "World's Oldest Teenager," and
in fact It would be hard to imagine rockers half his
age keeping up with the pace Rudi sets for himself.
Never content to rest on past laurels, he’s always
onto the next project. He is a featured writer for
CLUB INTERNATIONAL, and a gifted artist, having
provided album graphics for all FUZZTONES albums, as
well as the 60’s Garage compilation series, “SIXTIES
REBELLION.” He's even responsible for the cover art
for the ELECTRIC PRUNES album,"CALIFORNIA," one of
their later outings.
Rudi is currently working on his autobiography, to be
entitled "PISSING IN THE WIND(the story of my life).
His online cd label, SIN, offers at least 28 FUZZTONES
related releases, with more on the
way(www.fuzztones.net)! RUDI HAS PLAYED WITH: 1. Screamin' Jay Hawkins 2. Lydia Lunch & The Devil Dogs 3. Esquirita 4. The Dead Boys 5. Peter Stampfel (ex-Fug and Holy Modal Rounder) 6. Billy Idol 7. Ian Astbury (Doors, Cult) 8. Ann Magnuson (Ann's heavy metal satire band, Vulcan Death Grip, appears in her Cinemax special, Vandemonium and performs 2 songs co-written by Rudi.) 9. Big Sandy 10. The Unholy Modal Rounders 11. Sean Bonniwell and Ron Edgar (as Music Machine 2001) 12. Arthur Lee 13. The Miracle Workers 14. The Chocolate Watchband 15. Craig Moore (Gonn) 16. The Surfaris 17. Vinny Martell (Vanilla Fudge) 18. Mark Lindsay (former lead singer for Paul Revere & The Raiders) 19. Pretty Things 20. Syl Sylvain (N.Y. Dolls) 21. Davie Allan 22. The Damned 23. Marky Ramone 24. Jeff Salen (Sparks, Tuff Darts) 25. Mars Bonfire 26. Tempest Storm 27. Dixie Evans RUDI HAS BEEN IN THE FOLLOWING FILMS 1. Night Tour (lead role as a vampire) 2. Chelesa Barracks (small speaking role) 2. I Put A Spell On You (featured interviewee) 4. The Doors (extra) RUDI'S MUSIC HAS APPEARED IN THE FOLLOWING FILMS 1. Sammyville 2. The Unknown Dog 3. Real Sex (HBO V documentary on "Exotic World") |