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Electric Six

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Electric Six
File:Electric Six band.jpg
Background information
Years active1996–present
MembersDick Valentine - vocals
The Colonel - guitar
Johnny Nashinal - guitar
John R Dequindre - bass guitar
Tait Nucleus - keyboards
Percussion World - drums
Past membersRock and Roll Indian
Surge Joebot
Disco
M
Frank Lloyd Bonaventure
Dr. Blacklips Hoffman
Mojo Frezzato
Johnny Vegas
Jeff Simmons
Macro Duplicato
Dr. Diet Mountain Dew


Electric Six is a six-piece Detroit-based rock band, that plays a mix of hard rock, funk and disco. They can be considered part of the post-punk revival.

Biography

The band's first notorious formation was comprised of Dick Valentine (vocals), Rock and Roll Indian (guitar), Surge Joebot (guitar), Disco (bass, ex member of Detroit Cobras), and M (drums). Dick Valentine (real name Tyler Spencer) is and has always been the primary songwriter (both music and lyrics) of Electric Six, currently and under their former incarnation, when they were known as the Wildbunch. During the band's temporary split at the end of the 1990s, Tyler Spencer formed his own band called 'The Dirty Shame' and released one CD entitled 'Smog Cutter Love Story' which featured, among other tracks, a first version of Fire track 'Vengeance and Fashion'. The band reformed by 2001 to record and release the first release of 'Danger! High Voltage' and record the track 'Dealin' with death and stealin' in the name of the Lord' with Troy Gregory for his 'Sybil' album.

The Six's sound is immediately distinguishable by its frequent fusing of the macho aggression of heavy metal and punk with the laid-back funky rhythms and falsetto vocals of disco, and a distinctly comic touch. They, however, vehemently reject such genre classifications as disco-metal and disco-punk. They formed the band in 1996 and were initially known as The Wildbunch, eventually dropping that name due to pressure from the Bristol trip-hop collection of the same name. Throughout the latter half of the '90s, they played about once a month at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, Magic Stick, and the now-defunct Gold Dollar in Detroit, the center of a scene that produced breakout acts like the White Stripes.

Electric Six's 2002 breakout single "Danger! High Voltage" was an infectious dance-rock number with touches of funk and metal. It earned the group critical and public attention after word got out that a pre-fame Jack White from The White Stripes sang back up vocals on this track when it was recorded in 2002. The single reached number 2 on the UK singles chart, and they enjoy icon status in that nation.

Their second single, "Gay Bar", released in 2003, became a hit as well in the UK, reaching #5 in the charts and further aided the group's growth. Curiously, in the American Radio Edit of this track, The words "Nuclear War" are Censored With Whip-crack Sound Effects. After fulfilling their recording duties (namely their debut album) three members left in June, leaving Dick Valentine, Tait Nucleus?, and M.

The Colonel (Zach Shipps, guitar, ex member of Brendan Benson and Mood Elevator), John R Dequindre (guitar and whose stage name is a combination of two Detroit streets) and Frank Lloyd Bonaventure (bass) subsequently joined the group, though they had all been credited on the album and most had been associated with the group for some time. At that time, they were touring in the UK, and they managed to seamlessly replace the members without interrupting the gigs. In time, Johnny Nashinal joined the group on guitar, Dequindre switched to bass, and Bonaventure switched to law school.

2003 was a successful year for Electric Six in spite of the departure of half of the band. They released the album Fire, which made it into numerous best-of-2003 lists, as well as reaching the top 10 in the UK album chart, and another single "Dance Commander," which gave E6 its 3rd Top 40 single in the UK. They also toured the world including such far flung places as Japan and Russia.

Electric Six became minor Internet celebrities in 2003, due to a pair of unofficial online music videos for Gay Bar. One, featuring kittens in viking helmets singing the song, was animated in Flash by Joel Veitch of Rathergood.com. The other, created by ATMO, was comprised of pieced-together clips of public appearances by George W. Bush and Tony Blair. The clips and music were juxtaposed in such a way as to make it appear, to humorous effect, that Bush and Blair were singing and gesticulating along to the song (see the video here.)

Songs by Electric Six are primarily concerned with subjects like fire, nuclear wars, human sexual behavior, masculinity and dancing, generally employing a heavy degree of irony in the lyrics and cliché musical techniques.

They have recently been the center of controversy, especially with Queen fans following a cover of the Queen hit song "Radio Ga Ga." The controversial promo video shows lead singer Dick Valentine as the ghost of Queen's flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury and a backing band of poddles (An obvious reference to Brian May's hairstyle).

A latest album, Señor Smoke, was released in the UK on February 14, 2005. The American version of Señor Smoke came out on February 7, 2006 on Metropolis Records.

In November of 2004, drummer M. called it quits, leaving Dick Valentine as the sole original member of the former Wildbunch. Their new drummer, Percussion World has been affiliated with the band and its members for some time, and has been named as a permanent member of the band.

Electric Six have completed recording their third major album, entitled "Switzerland." The tentative release date for North America has been set for September 12, 2006.

Discography (as The Wildbunch)

Albums

  • An Evening With The Many Moods Of The Wildbunch's Greatest Hits... Tonight! (8-Track) (Uchu Cult) (1996)
  • Don't Be Afraid Of The Robot: Live At The Gold Dollar (CD) (Off Woodward Productions, GD-101) (1998-07-25)
  1. Nuclear War (On The Dance Floor)
  2. Speak English
  3. Naked Pictures
  4. The Model
  5. Computer
  6. The Ballade Of MC Sucka DJ
  7. Clones
  8. Immolate Me
  9. Taxi To Nowhere
  10. Don't Be Afraid Of The Robot
  11. Breaking Up
  12. I'm On Acid
  13. R U Afraid Of The Devil?
  14. Meat The Band
  15. I Am the Knife
  16. I Am Detroit
  17. I Lost Control
  18. Freshman
  19. I'm A Demon
  20. Tiny Little Men
  21. Take Off Your Clothes
  22. Gay Bar
  23. I Know Karate
  • Rock Empire (CD) (Uchu Cult) (1999-07-??)
  1. Don't Be Afraid Of The Robot
  2. Remote Control (Me)
  3. Gay Bar
  4. TV
  5. Getting Into The Jam
  6. Take Me To Your Leader
  7. Animal Attraction
  8. Dancing Like An Idiot
  9. Synthesizer
  10. I Am The Knife
  11. Naked Pictures (Of Your Mother)
  12. R U Afraid Of The Devil?
  13. I'm On Acid
  14. Computer
  15. Christian Radio Manchester
  16. I Am Detroit
  17. Honolulu
  18. I'm A Demon
  19. Gay Bar (Remix)
  20. Persona Vs. Wildbunch

Singles

  • "I Lost Control (Of My Rock'n' Roll)" (7") (Uchu Cult, SC 001) (1996)
500 copies
  1. "I Lost Control (Of My Rock And Roll)"
  2. "Tiny Little Men"
  3. "Gay Bar"
  4. "I Know Karate"
  • "The Ballade Of MC Sucka DJ" (7") (Flying Bomb Records, FLB-105) (1997)
  1. "Take Off Your Clothes"
  2. "Nuclear War (On The Dancefloor)"
  3. "The Ballade Of MC Sucka DJ"
  • "Danger! High Voltage" (7") (Flying Bomb Records, FLB-117) (2001)
recorded by Jim Diamond
  1. "Danger (High Voltage)"
  2. "Neurocameraman"
  3. "She's Guatemala"

Compilations

  • X-Mas Surprise Package (7") (Flying Bomb Records, FLB-106) (1997)
clear green or black vinyl
- X-Mas Xorcismus (Ho Ho Ho)
  • Troy Gregory's Sybil (CD) (Fall Of Rome Records, FOR 1005) (2002)
recorded by Jim Diamond
- Dealin' In Death N' Stealin' In The Name Of The Lord

Discography (as Electric Six)

Albums

  • Fire (Beggars Xl Recording) (May, 2003)
  • Señor Smoke (WEA Records) (February, 2005) / (Metropolis Records) (February,2006)

Singles

"Danger! High Voltage"

  • 7" (XL-Recordings, XLS 151) (2002)
    1. Danger! High Voltage (Original 7" Mix)
    2. I Lost Control (Of My Rock & Roll)
  • 12"-promo (XL-Recordings) (2002)
    • recorded by Jim Diamond
    1. Danger! High Voltage (Soulchild Mix)
    2. Danger! High Voltage (Kilogram Mix)
    3. Danger! High Voltage (Kilogram Dub)
  • CDS (XL-Recordings, XLS 151 CDS) (2002)
    1. Danger! High Voltage (Soulchild Radio Mix)
    2. I Lost Control (Of My Rock & Roll)
  • EP (XL-Recordings, XLS 151 CDS) (February, 2003)
    1. Danger! High Voltage (Soulchild Radio Mix)
    2. I Lost Control (Of My Rock & Roll)
    3. Remote Control (Me)
    4. Danger! High Voltage (Thin White Duke Remix)
  • CDS (UK) (March 2003)
    1. Danger High Voltage
    2. I Lost Control (Of My Rock And Roll)
    3. Remote Control (Me)
  • CDS (Mixes) (UK) (March 2003)
    1. Danger High Voltage (Soulchild 12 Inches Blitz Mix)
    2. Danger High Voltage (Thin White Duke Mix)
    3. Danger High Voltage (Kilogram Remix)

"Gay Bar"

  • 7" (XL-Recordings, XLS 158) (2003)
    1. Gay Bar
    2. The Living End
  • CDS (UK) (XL-Recordings) (June, 2003)
    1. Gay Bar
    2. Don't Be Afraid Of The Robot
    3. Take Off Your Clothes
  • 1xcd, 1xdvd

Dance Commander

  • 1x12"
  • CDS (UK) (XL-Recordings) (October, 2003)
    1. Dance Commander [Radio Edit]
    2. I Am Detroit
    3. Dance Commander [Soulchild Extended Night Version]
  • CDS (Beggars XL-Recordings) (November 25, 2003)
    1. Dance Commander [Radio Edit]
    2. I Am Detroit
    3. Dance Commander [Soulchild Extended Night Version]

Radio Ga Ga

  • Promo
    1. Radio Ga Ga (Rock Radio Edit)
    2. Radio Ga Ga (Vertigo Remix - edited)
  • CD1
    1. Radio Ga Ga
    2. Gay Bar (Live at Manumission)
  • CD 2
    1. Radio Ga Ga
    2. Vibrator (Download Mix)
    3. Radio Ga Ga (Vertigo Remix)
    4. Radio Ga Ga (Remix)
  • 7 inch
    1. Radio Ga Ga
    2. Gay Bar (Live at Manumission)

Others

  • Rockshow (rare joint release on 7" with Peaches)

Past formations

  • The Wildbunch #4 (Sybil CD-track)
    • Disco
    • Surge Joebot
    • Martin M.
    • Rock'n'Roll Indian
    • Dick Valentine
  • The Wildbunch #3 (FLB-117 7")
    • Dick Valentine: vocals
    • Surge Joebot: guitar, synth
    • The Rock and Roll Indian: guitar
    • Frank Lloyd Bonnaventure: bass
    • M. Cougar Mellencamp: drums
    • Dr. Blacklip Hoffman (intern): synth
  • The Wildbunch #2 (FLB-105 7")
    • Disco: bass
    • Mojo Frezzato: guitar
    • Martin M.: drums
    • Jackson Pounder: vocals
    • Rock&Roll Indian: guitar
    • Blacklips Hoffman: keyboard, rhodes
  • The Wildbunch #1 (Uchu Cult 7")
    • Jackson Pounder: vox, guitar, bass, synth
    • Martin M: drums
  • Appearances: John S. O'Leary: vocals (appears on "Danger (High Voltage)" only)
    • Bill Clinton: sax (appears on "Danger (High Voltage)" only) - This is a rumour, which was later contradicted and put to rest when Dick Valentine himself stated that it was not Bill Clinton at all (http://onetrickpony.ws/electric_excellence).
  • Former Members:
    • Johnny Vegas: keyboards
    • Jeff Simmons: keyboards
    • Macro Duplicato: keyboards
    • Dr. Diet Mountain Dew: keyboards

Trivia

The woman featured in the Danger! High Voltage video is Tina Kanarek. She is an actress from Toronto in Canada and was 70 at the time of the video shoot (http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/electricsix-fire.shtml)

See also

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