Tuesday

Local Band Profile Thalidomides

Local Band Profile

Thalidomides

Thalidomide – (thuh-lid-o-mide) 1) Experimental drug from the early 20th century used to combat post-pardom depression, resulted in numerous deformed and handicapped children.

Thalidomides – (thuh-lid-o-mides) 1) support group for child victims, now grown, of the drug Thalidomide. 2) Punk Rock band from Reno Nevada.

Now that you know where the name came from, and now that you know how to pronounce it, let me tell you about this unique and powerfully talented new band. I recently attended one of the band’s practices, and what happened there was plain and simply awesome! What I heard was a strong blend of the complex style of Canada’s Nomeansno melded with the style of infamous British Punk Rock legends Citizen Fish, featuring ex-Subhumans front man Dick.

Citizen Fish is best known for blending the “scat” guitar riff, most recognized for its use by ska and reggae bands, with the world-renown British Punk Rock style. But Citizen Fish, as is also the case with the Thalidomides, knew how to blend these two musical genres in such an organic way that it just simply blew jokers like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Save Ferris straight off the stage. I need to reiterate that the Thalidomides are not some rehashed version of the worn out style of 90’s ska/punk! Nor are the members of the Thalidomides at all new to the Reno Punk scene.

Vocalist Morgan Slipowitz is also the front man for Reno’s own Correction, as well as an ex-member of the old Truckee band Gusher. Bass player Paddy, and drummer Mike are the same rhythm section of the recently disbanded Stale Ale - the politically charged three-piece so reminiscent of the old SST three-piece, the Minutemen. Mike also got his start playing for the old Truckee band Week, with Thalidomide guitarist Randy Wolf. And lastly, Wolf has played for a number of recognizable bands such as All Opposed, Correction, The No-Goodnicks and the Emperors. Wolf is also a Truckee transplant. In fact The Thalidomides are immensely proud of their combined Truckee heritage, moreover, they insisted this fact be made very clear herein!

By Aaron Alvarez