| |
| SEPTEMBER |
The band soon to be known as the
Dickies forms in San Fernando Valley, California.
After returning from England clutching the latest punk releases,
Billy hooks up with school friend Stan, who has been playing guitar
for three months and wants to form a punk band.
After numerous unsuccesful line-ups, Karlos is recruited from
a David Bowie cover band, named Kixs, which also featured Rembrandts
singer Danny Wilde on guitar/vocals, and Chuck Wagon on bass.
The search for a front man takes Stan through a bunch of classified
ads, and word of mouth enquiries. He is finally introduced to
Leonard through a mutual friend - the Quick's guitarist Steve
Hufsteter. Steve had also given Stan his first guitar lessons.
Leonard (who is still recovering after a nervous breakdown and
believes that being in a band will get him out of the house) attends
his first audition in Billy's parent's family room and proceeds
to wrap Stan in his own guitar lead, wrap everyone else up in
Bugs Bunny 8mm film, cut up his own sweater into a Dickie and
run out without singing a note! Stan dismisses him as an idiot
and continues his search.
Steve asks Stan to reconsider and another rehearsal is set up.
Leonard gets to sing this time and brings along his stage props.
The Dickies have their man.
Leonard now brings in his friend Chuck Wagon to complete the line
up.
The line up now consists of Leonard Graves Phillips on vocals;
Stan Lee on guitar; Chuck Wagon (real name Bob Davis) on keyboards,
sax, and guitar; Billy Club (real name Bill Remar) on bass and
Karlos Kabellero (real name Carlos Cabellero) on drums and no
vocals.
Many band names are suggested. Karlos refuses to be in a band
called the Imbeciles so names the band after a Sixties fashion
accessory (a mock turtleneck jumper bib). Their main aim is to
headline at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood and appear in local
punk magazine 'Slash'.
After only three weeks of rehearsal the band are 'discovered'
by L.A. scene-maker, Rodney Bingenheimer, who books them to appear
as the midweek opening act at the Whisky a Go Go on Sunset Boulevard.
Their set currently consists of eight songs.
The debut appearence takes place at a video game arcade next to
the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. They play four songs. |
| OCTOBER |
The band plays at the Masque Theatre
(a small club in the basement of Hollywood's Pussycat Theatre) with
Model Citizens, and the Deadbeats.
At their next gig John Hewlett offers to act as the band's manager,
Stan is wary. |
| NOVEMBER |
The Dickies continue to build up a strong
local following, due mainly in part to their frenetic live shows.
At a gig at the Starwood, opening for the Quick, Leonard
jumps off the PA scaffolding during 'You Drive Ape (You Big Gorilla)',
breaks his right ankle, and sprains his left. He finishes the gig
flat on his back while Stan kicks him repeatedly - he is under the
impression that Leonard is doing his 'stupid Stiv Bators impersonation'!
They record their first demo at Audio Asylum rehearsal rooms, San
Fernando Valley. Financed by John Hewlett (now the band's manager),
the tracks recorded are 'Hideous', 'I'm OK You're OK', 'You Drive
Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)', and 'Walk Like An Egg'. They will later
be re-recorded at the Beach Boys studio. |
| DECEMBER |
After a month out of action the band
return to the stage with Leonard in a wheelchair.
Brian, the band's midget roadie, pushes Leonard around during the
performance.
Their local following continues to grow and this month also sees
the band opening for the Runaways.
25TH
WHISKY A GO GO, HOLLYWOOD, CA
26TH WHISKY A GO GO, HOLLYWOOD, CA |
|
1978 |
| FEBRUARY |
25TH
ELKES LODGE, CA – MASQUE BENEFIT
After hearing their first demo, John Hewlett proceeds to take the
tape around to all the major labels in an effort to secure a deal
for what he describes as 'the best live band he has ever seen'. |
| MARCH |
Derek Green (the man who signed the Sex
Pistols) persuades A & M chairman, Jerry Moss, to come and see the
band - they are signed on the spot.
The Dickies sign to A & M records in the UK for $100,000.
The band makes their TV debut appearing in the hit comedy 'CPO Sharkey'
starring Don Rickles. They play 'You're So Hideous'. |
| MAY |
The Dickies release their first single.
'Paranoid' is backed with 'Hideous' and 'You Drive Me Ape (You Big
Gorilla) and produced by Hewlett, Earle Mankey and Stan Lee.
Initial copies in the US are produced on white vinyl which A & M
have to order in especially.
The single will appear in the UK in June. The 7" will feature 'I'm
OK, You're OK' on the flipside, and will be available on clear,
milky or black vinyl.
A promotional video is also scheduled to accompany the singles release.
The band begin a promotional tour which will take in New York (where
they play with Richard Hell at CBGB's), Boston, Philadelphia and
the UK (where they play with the Skids amongst others). The UK leg
of the tour brings in £4800.
21st - the band appear on KROQ as guests of Rodney Bingenheimer
who interviews them. |
| JULY |
The band return to LA where they begin
recording songs for their first long-playing record - 'Incredible
Shrinking Dickies'.
Leonard's idea is to put all the songs they had up until they were
signed onto the first side of the record, whilst the second side
would feature all the band's new material written since the A &
M deal. |
| AUGUST |
'Eve of Destruction' / 'Doggie Do' is
released. Some copies feature the expletive in the second verse
bleeped out. The love affair with coloured vinyl continues, this
time pink as well as the standard black. |
| SEPTEMBER |
6TH
GOLDEN BEAR, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA |
| OCTOBER |
4TH
THE WHISKY A GO GO, HOLLYWOOD, CA |
| NOVEMBER |
The Dickies embark upon the 'Apocalypse'
UK tour with The Jam, sets are kept short as the crowd are anxious
to see The Jam and seem largely uninterested by 'these blokes
from America'. The general consensus seems to be that they are
'taking the piss out of punk'.
The single 'Give It Back'/ 'You Drive Me Ape' is released during
the tour.
1st Empire Theatre, Liverpool
2nd De Montfort Hall, Leicester
3rd St Georges Hall, Bradford
4th City Hall, Newcastle
5th Apollo, Glasgow
6th Capitol Theatre, Aberdeen
7th University of St Andrews, Fife
10th Polytechnic, Sheffield
12th University, Leeds
13th Apollo, Manchester
14th Odeon, Birmingham
15th Apollo, Coventry
17th Corn Exchange, Cambridge
18th ABC, Great Yarmouth
20th University, Cardiff
21st The Dome, Brighton
22nd University of Kent, Canterbury (cancelled)
24th Guildhall, Portsmouth
25th Electric Ballroom, London (support from the Skids and the
Members)
26th Colston hall, Bristol
29th Great British Music Festival, Empire Pool, Wembley |
| DECEMBER |
7th University of Kent, Canterbury
21st Music Machine, London
'Silent Night' is released in time for the festive season and reaches
number 47 in the UK charts. |
| 1979 |
| FEBRUARY |
'Incredible Shrinking Dickies' is released,
pressed up in four different coloured vinyl's - blue, orange, yellow
and traditional black. It will go on to sell 50,000 copies in the
UK by the end of the year. John Hewlett, who co-produced the record,
said that being involved with it was 'the happiest experience of
my life'. |
| APRIL |
14TH
WHISKY A GO GO, HOLLYWOOD, CA
What will become the Dickies biggest hit single, 'Banana Splits',
is released and reaches the UK top 5. It will go on to sell in excess
of 250,000 copies. A promotional video also accompanies its release.
Paranoid' is re-released but only makes #45 in the UK chart. |
| MAY |
The band embarks on their first headlining
tour of the UK - it is largely attended by a very young audience.
A riot breaks out in Newcastle when the band appears at a record
signing. 2500 kids skip school to meet them but end up breaking
the store's front window. The police are called.
2nd College of Technology, Cheltenham
3rd Adri's Ballroom, Manchester
4th The Block, Hull
7th Routes Club, Exeter
8th Woods, Plymouth
9th Stowaways, Newport
10th Polytechnic, Leeds
11th Sandpiper, Nottingham
13th King Georges Hall, Blackburn
14th Pop Club, York
15th Rock Garden, Middlesborough
17th Barbarellas, Birmingham
18th St. Georges Hall, Bradford
19th Eric's, Liverpool
22nd Locarno, Bristol
23rd Top Rank, Sheffield
24th Mayfair, Newcastle
25th Clouds, Edinburgh
29th The Nashville, London (support from the Magnets)
A new song, 'Stukas Over Disneyland', is previewed on the tour.
|
| JULY |
A promotional video for Paranoid is filmed. |
| SEPTEMBER |
The Dickies cover of the Moody Blues
'Nights In White Satin' is released. Justin Heyward (Moody Blues
frontman) says he "likes the song but it's not the original".
The singles' original, controversial, cover features the band dressed
in KKK robes. This is soon withdrawn in favour of a picture of the
band dressed in white tuxedos. The track is a minor hit and reaches
#39 in the UK chart.
The promotional video, which accompanies the track, was filmed earlier
this month. |
| OCTOBER |
The band's second album, 'Dawn of the
Dickies' is released. The title is derived from George Romero's
Dawn of the Dead movie, of which Leonard is a big fan. Other titles
considered were 'Nightmare Alley', and 'Git The Snack'.
Robin Geoffrey Cable of Genesis, Van Der Graaf generator fame, produces
the album. |
| NOVEMBER |
'Fanmail' is released, backed with Tricia
Toyota. |
| DECEMBER |
8th University, Lancaster (cancelled)
15th Marquee, London |
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