Representative Albums: "Don't Back Down," "Love Songs for the Retarded," "Move Back Home"
Representative Songs: "I Hate Everything," "Granola Head," "Don't Back Down"
Biography
Sometimes they are mistaken for a queercore band like labelmates Pansy Division, but one listen to the Queers' adolescent-boy-who-never-grew-up lyrics ("she got no tit," "I'm really goo-goo over you/I'm mentally retarded too," "she's my Burger King Queen," etc.) will dispel that misconception. While some of their songs border on sexism and homophobia, they are simply too goofy and good-natured to mean any harm with their left-back-four-grades, dumb-ass shtick. Formed in 1982, this New Hampshire group ambled their way through the 1980s, recording a few singles and compilation tracks along the way, most of which were collected on Lookout's A Day Late and a Dollar Short. Before recording their first full-length studio album, Grow Up, the group finally settled on a permanent lineup consisting of singer/guitarist Joe King/Queer, drummer Hugh O'Neill, and bassist B-Face. Grow Up was released on a small English label called Shakin' Street, which promptly went belly up after only 1,000 copies were pressed. Screeching Weasel frontman Ben Weasel got Lookout label owner Larry Livermore to sign the Queers, and in 1993 Lookout released the Ben Weasel-produced Love Songs for the Retarded. Love Songs was followed by a yearly salvo of bubblegum punk, from 1994's Beat Off to 1996's magnum opus Don't Back Down, the best late-'70s-era Ramones album the Ramones never recorded. After a long bout with brain cancer, O'Neill died on January 21, 1999; Later Days and Better Lays, issued that spring, assembled unreleased Queers material recorded during his tenure with the band. B-Face next left the band, and after signing with Hopeless Records, the Queers went through various lineups as King remained the only constant. 2000's Beyond the Valley... marked the first studio album since O'Neill's death and, somewhat fittingly, was a relatively darker album than the rest of the band's prior catalog. A string of releases followed in the early 2000s, including the Today EP, Live in West Hollywood, and Pleasant Screams. A split with Manges appeared in 2003, and the classics collection Summer Hits, Vol. 1 was issued the next fall. Recorded live during a two-day stint at Bernie's Distillery in Columbus, OH, the Queers next released the aptly titled album Weekend at Bernie's in May 2006. The record featured King joined by Teen Idols' Philip Hill on bass and Dave Tervino on drums. That same year, Asian Man Records began reissuing several of the band's classic albums (remixed and remastered), starting with 1993's Love Songs for the Retarded. In February 2007, and also via Asian Man, the Queers released Munki Brain, their first album of new material since 2002, while the band commemorated their 25th year of immaturity with the DVD The Queers Are Here, which was chock-full of live footage, interviews, and music videos. The reissues continued into 2007. ~ Kembrew McLeod, All Music Guide
The Queers are an Americanpunk band formed in 1982 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King (A.K.A. Joe Queer). Supposedly, the name 'Queers' was used simply to poke fun at what he called the "Art Fag" community in New Hampshire. The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1990. That year, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up. The album earned the band notoriety within New England, but with the release of their next album 1993's Love Songs for the Retarded, on Lookout! Records, their following grew to larger proportions.[1]
In 2006, after releasing six albums on Lookout!, the band rescinded their master rights from the label, citing breach of contract over unpaid royalties. Later that year they signed with Asian Man Records.
The Queers play a Ramones-derived style of pop punk, commonly and appropriately referred to as "Ramones-core"[citation needed]. Much like the Ramones, common lyrical themes are girls, drugs, alcohol and having fun. Musically the band deviates slightly from the driving rhythm guitar sound of the Ramones and augments their songs with harmony vocals, handclaps, keyboards and guitar solos. They have been described as "The Ramones meets The Beach Boys". Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel frequently collaborates with Joe Queer to write their songs. The band are well known for the variety of cover versions they include on their records and in live appearances. Bands/artists covered by The Queers include The Beach Boys, The Ramones (including a complete re-recording of the Rocket to Russia album), Angry Samoans, The Mr T Experience, Skeeter Davis, The Fantastic Baggys, The Who, The Undertones, The Hobos, Tommy James and The Shondells, Helen Love, The Catalogs (from Hawaii) and many more.
Members
Since its formation, the band has gone through many line-up changes with Joe Queer as the only constant member. The band currently consists of Joe Queer (Guitar/Vocals), Dangerous Dave (Bass), and Lurch Nobody (Drums).
The full list of band members includes:
Joe Queer (Vocals/Guitar) (1982-1984, 1990-Present)
The bonus tracks on the "Grow Up" re-issue consist of a short lived version of The Queers that included Joseph (J.D.) Hughes on drums and Kevin Kecy on Bass Guitar. The tracks were found on an old cassette tape by former vocalist Bobby Goodreau. This line-up opened for The Ramones on several dates. Joe King mistakenly gave drum credit to Hugh O'Neil. on the re-issue.
