The Dead Milkmen Artistfacts

1983-1995, 2008-
Joe GenaroGuitar, vocals, keyboards
Rodney LindermanKeyboards, whistle
Dean SabatinoDrums, percussion
Dave SchulthiseDrums, percussion1983-1995
Dan StevensBass2008-
The Dead Milkmen existed on paper before they were ever a live act. The band are well known for their sly humor and, fittingly, started out as something of a joke. Founder Joe Genaro was writing a parody of fan club letters of popular bands, finding the style and tone of them ludicrous and over the top. He invented 'The Dead Milkmen' as a fictitious band for the satirical newsletter to revolve around. This spur-of-the-moment creation inspired Joe and the other members to actually form the band.
The Dead Milkmen played their first live show at the Harleysville Youth Center in Pennsylvania. The band had never performed all together before, and Dean Sabatino met Rodney Linderman for the first time moments before they began to play. The band recalls an audience of roughly 14 people — dwindling by two after a woman took her daughter away, offended by the band's colorful language.
The band has stated that they have no explanation for their name, and that Joe Genarod doesn't remember why he picked it.
The Dead Milkmen had a dramatic encounter with the law during a mid-tour stopover in Tucson, Arizona. As the band pulled into their hotel parking lot, their van was stopped and encircled by a squadron of police cars. The band were told to exit the vehicle one at a time, hands behind their head, while an officer kept his gun trained on the van. The band were handcuffed and patted down before ultimately being let go, the official explanation being a case of mistaken identity. They were never told who or what the police were looking for.
At one point, the Dead Milkmen toured in a converted ambulance, dubbed the "Jambulance." It was group's first big investment as a band. In an interview with Monster Fresh, Rodney Linderman revealed that they used to turn out the flashing lights, loudly blow whistles out the window, and speed toward their destination screaming "Hospital, emergency!". After putting heavy mileage on the vehicle (200,000 miles, as jokingly estimated by Linderman), the Jambulance was sold to another band.
Each original band member has a pseudonym used in association with an act. These are: Rodney Anonymous (Rodney Linderman), Joe Jack Talcum (Joe Genaro), Dave Blood (Dave Schulthise), and Dean Clean (Dean Sabatino).

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

WoodstockCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Joni Mitchell wrote "Woodstock" - the most popular song about the festival - but didn't attend the event because she was booked on The Dick Cavett Show.

What's Love Got To Do With ItTina Turner

Tina Turner hated "What's Love Got To Do With It" but when her manager convinced her to record it anyway, it became her big comeback hit.

Happy BirthdayStevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder wrote his own version of "Happy Birthday" in an attempt to get Martin Luther King's birthday declared a national holiday.

The Right ProfileThe Clash

After a devastating car accident, the actor Montgomery Clift had to be filmed from "The Right Profile" to look good - that provided the name of The Clash song.