The Fuzztones are an American garage rock revival band formed in 1982.
38-615: Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi Protrudi in New York City , the band has gone through several member changes but is currently active in Europe. Dismissed by some critics and listeners as a "bar band" or unoriginal, they maintained a strong fan base in New York, in Europe (with their music being played on Hungarian State Radio), and in Los Angeles . Rudi Protrudi moved to Los Angeles in 1987, after
76-504: A 2001 reunion. Hawkins died after emergency surgery from an aneurysm on February 12, 2000, in Neuilly-sur-Seine , France, near Paris, at 70 years old. Although Hawkins was not a major success as a recording artist, his highly theatrical performances from "I Put a Spell on You" onward earned him a steady career as a live performer for decades afterward, and influenced subsequent acts. He opened for Fats Domino , Tiny Grimes and
114-519: A Spell on You ", he sometimes used macabre props onstage, making him an early pioneer of shock rock . He received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in the 1989 indie film Mystery Train . Hawkins was born and raised in Cleveland , Ohio. He had three older sisters, but his mother decided to put him into foster care. He grew up in
152-548: A coffin onstage. Hawkins initially declined, reportedly saying "No black dude gets in a coffin alive – they don't expect to get out!" However, he later relented and soon created an outlandish stage persona in which performances began with the coffin and included "gold and leopard-skin costumes and notable voodoo stage props, such as his smoking skull on a stick – named Henry – and rubber snakes." These props were suggestive of voodoo , but also presented with comic overtones that invited comparison to "a black Vincent Price ." Despite
190-633: A live album with blues legend Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1984. One year later the band toured for 3 months in the UK and Europe opening for The Damned , and introducing the 60's garage/ psych sound to a European audience. After the tour the band broke up, and in 1987 Rudi and new drummer Mike Czekaj moved to Los Angeles, where they reformed the Fuzztones . The additional band members were Jordan Tarlow on guitar, John Carlucci on bass and Jason Savall on organ. This line up toured Europe excessively between 1987 and 1990, and
228-459: A million copies in sales, although it failed to make the Billboard pop or R&B charts . Although Hawkins blacked out and was unable to remember the session, he relearned the song from the recorded version. Meanwhile, the record label released a second version of the single, removing most of the grunts that had embellished the original performance; this was in response to complaints about
266-543: A performance the day before in Salonica . In the documentary notable artists such as Jim Jarmusch , Bo Diddley , Eric Burdon , Frank Ash, Arthur Brown and Michael Ochs talked about Screamin' Jay Hawkins' early life, personality and career, and about his incredible talent. From 1962 to 1971, Hawkins lived in Hawaii. He returned to New York after purchasing a home in Hawaii and establishing his own publishing company, sustained by
304-500: A regular singer without making a bogeyman out of me?" "I Put a Spell On You" became a classic, covered by a variety of artists such as Creedence Clearwater Revival , Nina Simone , Alan Price , The Animals , Them with Van Morrison , Arthur Brown , Bryan Ferry , Buddy Guy , Carlos Santana , Tim Curry , Leon Russell , Joe Cocker , Nick Cave , Marilyn Manson , Mica Paris , David Gilmour , Jeff Beck , Joss Stone , Diamanda Galas , and Annie Lennox . Hawkins' original version
342-627: Is an American rock musician, songwriter, record producer, artist, and actor best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of the garage band The Fuzztones . Rudi Protrudi was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Both he and his younger sister, Rene Laigo, inherited their artistic talent from parents, John and Janet. Rudi attended school in Camp Hill, Lemoyne and New Cumberland, where he graduated from Cedar Cliff High School in 1970. He attended York Academy of Art from 1971 to 1972. At
380-506: The AllMusic Guide to the Blues , "Hawkins originally envisioned the tune as a refined ballad." The entire band was intoxicated during a recording session where "Hawkins screamed, grunted, and gurgled his way through the tune with utter drunken abandon." The resulting performance was no ballad but instead a "raw, guttural track" that became his greatest commercial success and reportedly surpassed
418-534: The Rolling Stones . This exposure in turn influenced rock acts such as Alice Cooper , Tom Waits , the Cramps , Screaming Lord Sutch , Black Sabbath , Creedence Clearwater Revival , Arthur Brown , Led Zeppelin , Marilyn Manson , Rob Zombie , and Glenn Danzig . Vox.com described Hawkins as a " goth icon". In the 2020 retrospective documentary mini series Red Dwarf : The First Three Million Years , Hawkins
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#1732859562807456-530: The US Army with a forged birth certificate (aged 16). He was stationed at Fort Bliss . During this time, he entertained the troops as part of his service. Hawkins was an avid boxer during his years in the US Army boxing circuit. He later claimed that he won several boxing titles; however, there is no record of his wins. He also told friends and reporters various embellished stories about attending Yale University and
494-566: The University of Cincinnati Conservatory . Additionally, he claimed he fought in World War II and the Korean War and killed enemy combatants. In 1951, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins began his career performing vocals and keyboards for Philadelphia guitarist Tiny Grimes , and was subsequently featured on some of Grimes' recordings. When Hawkins later went solo, his first single “Why Did You Waste My Time”
532-545: The Fuzztones, Tommyknockers and Groovie Ghoulies) 30. Steve Mackay ( The Stooges ) 31. The 69 Eyes 32. Sami Yaffa (New York Dolls, Hanoi Rocks ) 33. James Lowe ( The Electric Prunes ) 34. Sky Saxon ( The Seeds ) Screamin%27 Jay Hawkins Jalacy J. " Screamin' Jay " Hawkins (July 18, 1929 – February 12, 2000) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, film producer, and boxer. Famed chiefly for his powerful, shouting vocal delivery and wildly theatrical performances of songs such as " I Put
570-670: The Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files , in 1996. This song was featured in the show's Season 2 episode " Humbug ". It was also covered by the band Batmobile . In 2001, the Greek director and writer Nicholas Triandafyllidis made the documentary Screamin' Jay Hawkins: I Put a Spell on Me about various stages of his life and career, including a filming of his final live performance, in Athens on December 11, 1999, two months before his death, following
608-1710: The Weekend Show, Hershey PA. He made his first record in 1972, a single released by Springhead Motorshark. In July 2016 he released his autobiography The Fuzztone . Exception to the Ruler Today Is Just Tomorrows Yesterday Drive It Home Missing Links Drive It Live Slow Grind Seduction Hit & Run Yellow Green & Purple It's A White Trash Thing Unfuzzed Live 1. Screamin' Jay Hawkins 2. Lydia Lunch & The Devil Dogs 3. Esquerita 4. The Dead Boys 5. Peter Stampfel (ex-Fug and Holy Modal Rounder) 6. Billy Idol 7. Ian Astbury ( The 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 Watch Band 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. Sylvain Sylvain ( New York 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 28. Andy Shernoff & Ross The Boss ( The Dictators ) 29. The Headhunters (members of
646-463: The age of 12, after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show , Rock & Roll became his obsession. Through The Beatles, he became familiar with Chuck Berry , who quickly became his idol. Like Berry, Rudi chose guitar as his instrument, and by the age of 14 had formed his first band, King Arthur's Quart. He continued to play in local bands until 1976 when an audition for the Dead Boys provided him
684-556: The album Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Fuzztones Live , recorded at Irving Plaza in December 1984. They performed in the 1986 movie Joey . In 1990, Hawkins performed the song "Sirens Burnin'," which was featured in the 1990 horror film Night Angel . In July 1991, Hawkins released his album Black Music for White People . The record features covers of two Tom Waits compositions: " Heartattack and Vine " (which, later that year,
722-437: The boarding house his foster mother owned. Hawkins studied classical piano as a child and learned guitar in his 20s. In a 1993 interview, Hawkins recounts telling his music tutor, ...to leave before I make your life miserable [...] because with the type of music I want to play. The things I want to do with music and don't want to do it the old conventional way that everybody knows. I want to come up with my own ideas. I've got all
760-411: The breakup of the original band, to organize a new Fuzztones, consisting of Jordan Tarlow (lead guitar), John "Speediejohn" Carlucci (bass guitar), Jason Savall ( Vox combo organ ), and "Mad" Mike Czekaj (drums). This lineup bears the distinction of being the only 1980's garage rock revival band to secure a major label record deal, when they signed to RCA. The group's name is derived from Fuzz Tone ,
798-449: The commercial name of a guitar effect pedal invented in 1962 and whose distinctive sound was popularized in the 1965 hit song " (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction " by the Rolling Stones . Sources: Charts: #20 UK Indie Charts: #5 UK Indie 7" split album ,1986 - Enigma Europe - CARA 1D 223 Charts: #20 UK Indie Rudi Protrudi Glen Dalpis (born December 15, 1952), known by his stage name Rudi Action Protrudi,
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#1732859562807836-523: The commercial success of the gimmick, Hawkins resented the schlock-factor that made him famous. He found it exploitative, and believed it undermined his sincerity as a vocalist and a balladeer. In a 1973 interview, he bemoaned the Screamin' epithet given to him by his label Okeh records, saying "If it were up to me, I wouldn't be Screamin’ Jay Hawkins...James Brown did an awful lot of screamin’, but never got called Screamin’ James Brown...Why can't people take me as
874-483: The critically acclaimed studio album "Salt For Zombies". In 2010 they began their new album's tour. The album, named "Preaching to the Perverted", was released in 2011. With Rudi as the only remaining original member, the band is now based out of Berlin and is still touring and releasing albums. Rudi's first television appearance was in 1970, when he and his band, Rigor Mortis, played his original composition, "Bandit," on
912-559: The cult favorite, The Uncle Floyd Show . Even though the band was courted by major labels, and enjoyed frequent press, Tina Peel broke up when members Rudi Protrudi and Deb O'Nair went on to form The Fuzztones in 1980. Other band members were Deb O'Nair on keyboards and vocals, Michael Jay on bass, Elan Portnoy on lead guitar and Ira Elliot (now with Nada Surf )(also in Bambi Kino) on drums. Their first studio LP Lysergic Emanations (1985) achieved gold record status. The band also released
950-574: The flip-side. In February 1976, he suffered facial injuries when he was burned by one of his flaming props while performing with his guitarist Mike Armando at the Virginia Theater in Alexandria, Virginia . He appeared in performance (as himself) in the Alan Freed bio-pic American Hot Wax in 1978. Subsequently, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch featured "I Put a Spell on You" on the soundtrack – and deep in
988-749: The information that I need to get from you to do what I want, now if you stick around, I'm going to make your life miserable. His initial goal was to become an opera singer (Hawkins cited Paul Robeson as his musical idol in interviews), but when his initial ambitions failed, he began his career as a conventional blues singer and pianist. Other influences included Mario Lanza , Enrico Caruso , Lionel Hampton , Dizzy Gillespie , Charles Brown , Amos Milburn , Wynonie Harris , Nellie Lutcher , Roy Brown , Jimmy Witherspoon , Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson , Roy Milton , Elmore James , Lightnin' Hopkins and H-Bomb Ferguson . Three months after World War II ended, he dropped out of East Technical High School and joined
1026-454: The majority of the original material recorded by Tina Peel with then members Deb O'Nair, Jim Nastix and Jackson Plugs. Dave U. Hall (ex-bassist from Birdland with Lester Bangs) replaced Jim Nastix after his tenure with the band. Dave went under the name Rick O'Shea. Soon, they became a popular NYC attraction, often headlining the major clubs of the time (Hurrah, Irving Plaza, Ritz, CBGB), as well as appearing on several television shows, including
1064-514: The monumental success of "I Put a Spell on You". In Paris in 1999 and at the Taste of Chicago festival, he actually performed "Constipation Blues" with a toilet onstage. He continued to tour and record through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in Europe, where he was very popular. Hawkins released a single recording of mainstream ballads in 1969, "Too Many Teardrops" and the Hawaiian styled "Makaha Waves" on
1102-523: The opportunity to play bass for them at CBGBs . Soon afterward, he founded Tina Peel with then girlfriend/live-in partner, Deb O'Nair and they moved to New York in 1977, where their serious music careers started. Bubblegum-Punk band, formed in 1976. Rudi says that this band was heavily influenced by The Monkees , Cryan' Shames , 1910 Fruitgum Company and the Dave Clark 5 . It is also Rudi's first band, where he performed as frontman. Rudi wrote or co-wrote
1140-453: The original material recorded by the Fuzztones. Among Protrudi's most popular compositions are Ward 81, She's Wicked, Bad News Travels Fast, Highway 69, Nine Months Later, Romilar D, Action Speaks Louder Than Words. Their version of The Sonics Strychnine reached No. 1 in Italy. In 2000 Rudi reformed the band with founding member, Deb O'Nair and again toured Europe frequently. In 2003 they released
1178-475: The plot – of his film Stranger Than Paradise (1983), and then cast Hawkins himself as a hotel night clerk in his film Mystery Train . Hawkins also had acting roles in Álex de la Iglesia 's Perdita Durango and Bill Duke 's adaptation of Chester Himes ' A Rage in Harlem . In 1983, Hawkins relocated to the New York area. In 1984 and 1985, Hawkins collaborated with garage rockers the Fuzztones , resulting in
The Fuzztones - Misplaced Pages Continue
1216-510: The recording's overt sexuality. Nonetheless it was banned from radio in some areas. Furthermore, the recording attracted the ire of groups such as the NAACP, "which worried that his act would reflect badly on African Americans." Hawkins later credited the uproar with a boost in sales due to the perceived taboo nature of his performances. Soon after the release of "I Put a Spell on You", radio disc jockey Alan Freed offered Hawkins $ 300 to emerge from
1254-459: The royalties from covers of "I Put a Spell On You". Hawkins had six marriages; his last wife was 31 at his death. Singing partner Shoutin' Pat Newborn stabbed him in jealousy when he married Virginia Sabellona. He had three children with his first wife and claimed variously to have 57 or 75 children in total. After his death, his friend and biographer Maral Nigolian set up a website to trace these children, identifying 33, at least 12 of whom met at
1292-526: The songs " Jungle Boogie " and " Disco Inferno ". He also toured with the Clash and Nick Cave during this period, and not only became a fixture of blues festivals but appeared at many film festivals as well, including the Telluride Film Festival premiere of Mystery Train . His 1957 single "Frenzy" (found on the early 1980s compilation of the same name) was included in the compilation CD, Songs in
1330-467: Was featured during the show and over the credits of the 2003 The Simpsons episode " I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can ". Hawkins' later releases included "Constipation Blues" (which included a spoken introduction by Hawkins in which he states he wrote the song because no one had written a blues song before about "real pain"), " Orange Colored Sky ", and "Feast of the Mau Mau ". Nothing he released, however, had
1368-404: Was performed with accompaniment from Grimes’ band. In 1956, Hawkins signed with OKeh Records . When Hawkins became a solo performer, he often performed in a stylish wardrobe of leopard skins, red leather, and wild hats. Hawkins's most successful recording, " I Put a Spell on You " (1956), was selected as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll . According to
1406-409: Was the only band from the 80's Garage Revival to land a major label record deal ( RCA /Beggars Banquet). Their album, In Heat, was produced by the legendary Shel Talmy . A later line-up has recorded the third studio album called Braindrops (1991), followed by and Monster A Go-Go in 1992. A live album, Lysergic Ejaculations, was released after their break up in 1992. Rudi wrote or co-wrote the majority of
1444-779: Was used in a European Levi's advertisement without Waits' permission, resulting in a lawsuit), and "Ice Cream Man" (a Waits original and not a cover of the John Brim classic). Hawkins also covered the Waits song "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard" on his album Somethin' Funny Goin' On . In 1993, his version of "Heartattack and Vine" became his only UK hit, reaching No. 42 on the UK singles chart . In 1993, Hawkins moved to France. When Dread Zeppelin recorded their "disco" album, It's Not Unusual in 1992, producer Jah Paul Jo asked Hawkins to guest. He performed
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