Cherry Poppin' Daddies

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Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Origin Eugene, Oregon, United States
Genre(s) Rock, swing revival, funk rock, third wave ska
Years active 1989–present
Label(s) Space Age Bachelor Pad, Sonic Recollections, Mojo
Associated acts White Hot Odyssey, The Visible Men
Website daddies.com
Members
Steve Perry
Dana Heitman
Dan Schmid
Jason Moss
Sean Flannery
Tim Donahue
Dustin Lanker
Joe Manis
Former members
Chris Azorr
Tim Arnold
Adrian Baxter
Brooks Brown
Darren Cassidy
Ian Early
John Fohl
Adam Glogauer
John Goetchius
James Phillips
Rex Trimm
Hans Wagner
Brian West
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Cherry Poppin' Daddies is an American rock band formed in 1989 in Eugene, Oregon.

Although the band's work finds them experimenting with many genres, mostly swing, rock, funk, and ska, they are best known for their contributions to the swing revival movement in the late 1990s, namely their multi-platinum[1] album Zoot Suit Riot and its title track, their first (and only) hit single. They are also known for their Oregon-based cult following and lively stage shows.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] The Beginnings (1989-1993)

The Cherry Poppin' Daddies first came together as a band in 1989, made up mainly of dropouts from the University of Oregon. Frontman Steve Perry wanted to distance himself from the popular grunge sound that was gaining notoriety across the Northwest and play something that was more compositionally challenging and genre-defying[2]. They came up with the intentionally provocative name "Cherrypoppin' Daddies" as a campy homage to the cartoonish risque of the early Dixieland recordings that had inspired them.[3]

The Cherry Poppin' Daddies almost immediately gained a considerable following in their hometown of Eugene, due in part to their uniquely wild, over-the-top stage shows, often featuring Perry and the other band members dressing in drag or wild costumes, dancing with a giant phallic pickle statue, gyrating with scantily-clad female dancers, and other such lewd acts. This stirred some controversy in the band's community[4] [3], resulting in hate mail, threats, and even protests outside of their concerts. However, the band eventually gave into community pressure and The Cherry Poppin' Daddies temporarily changed their name to "The Bad Daddies".[3]

In 1990, they released their self-produced debut, Ferociously Stoned (originally titled "The Enemy Within")[5] on the band's own label, Space Age Bachelor Pad Records. The album was the epitome of early Daddies: heavy emphasis on bass and brass, lyrics that ranged from deep to raunchy, and musical diversity, swaying between swing, funk rock, metal, and even disco. The band released the album under the name 'Cherry Poppin' Daddies', yet continued to perform in the Eugene area as 'The Bad Daddies'. The record sold well enough to ensure the band a small cult following throughout the northwest.

[edit] Mainstream recognition (1994-1999)

In 1994, soon after the compact disc rerelease of "Ferociously Stoned", the Daddies started to make a name for themselves by extensively touring, notably throughout California, where (most likely because of their use of brass) they played and toured with a number of acts from the burgeoning third wave ska scene such as Skankin' Pickle, Less Than Jake[6], and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones[7]. Four years later, the Daddies released their second self-produced concept album, Rapid City Muscle Car. This album proved to be more eclectic than the last, touching upon newer genres such as rockabilly, neo-lounge, country and ska-punk amidst the usual swing and psychedelic funk. Following the release of Rapid City Muscle Car, the Daddies began to tour nationally.

In 1996, the band released their third self-produced album, Kids on the Street. Kids was a notable departure from the last two albums, featuring a more straightforward two-guitar alternative rock sound, with less of an emphasis on horns. The success of Kids, combined with their popularity in the ska scene that had just gained wide mainstream attention, helped the Daddies get picked up by major label Mojo Records[8].

By 1997, the third wave ska craze had started to give way to the swing revival, a movement sparked by such bands as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Squirrel Nut Zippers. This had brought attention to the Daddies' work and, choosing to quickly jump on the bandwagon, Mojo released Zoot Suit Riot: The Swingin' Hits of the Cherry Poppin' Daddies, a compilation disc featuring all of the straight swing tracks from the last three albums and four brand-new tracks, including the title song[9].

Zoot Suit Riot and it's accompanying music video shot the band to the brink of major stardom, rocketing them to #1 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers, #17 on the Billboard 200, gaining them a nomination for a MTV Video Music Award[10], and even a parody song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. However, the neo-swing revival, along with the Daddies' mainstream popularity, died out by the turn of the century, an event which Perry blamed on record company mismanagement in the press.

[edit] Soul Caddy and Onwards (2000-present)

With 2000's Soul Caddy, the Daddies returned to their multi-genre routine, touching upon hard rock, soul, ska, and funk rock, and released a single: the Tony Visconti-produced glam rock-inspired Diamond Light Boogie. Ultimately, despite critical acclaim, the single didn't chart and album met with low sales, due not only in part of the demise of the swing revival, but because the majority of new fans the band had accumulated during the Zoot Suit Riot were unaware of the Daddies' early work and knew them only as a swing-only band, and were thus confused and disappointed over the lack of swing tracks on the album.

Following Soul Caddy, the Daddies were dropped from Mojo Records and endured a period of inactivity while Perry worked on his degree in molecular biology and worked on his glam-rock side project, White Hot Odyssey[11]. However, the band continues to tour extensively, still selling out shows in the Eugene area and finding success performing on the county fair circuit.

In late September 2007, Perry announced on the band's official MySpace that they had begun recording a new album, their first release in over seven years. The album, Susquehanna, named after the river, was released on the band's website for digital download in February 2008. CD distribution is planned for early June, to coincide with the Daddies' next US tour.

[edit] Members

[edit] Current members

  • Steve Perry (MC Large Drink) – lead vocals/guitar (formation – present)
  • Dana Heitman – trumpet (formation – present)
  • Dan Schmid (Dang Outlet) – bass (formation – 1997, 2000 – present)
  • Jason Moss – guitar (1993 – present)
  • Joe Manis; alto saxophone (2006 – present)
  • Tim Donahue – drums (1997 – present)
  • Dustin Lanker – keyboards (1997 – 1999, 2000 – present)

[edit] Former members

  • Chris Azorr – keyboards (formation – 1997)
  • Tim Arnold – drums (formation – 1990)
  • Adrian P. Baxter – tenor saxophone (1993 – 1996)
  • "CrackerJack" Brooks Brown – alto saxophone (formation – 1994)
  • Darren Cassidy – bass (1997 – 2000)
  • Ian Early – alto saxophone (1997 – 2006)
  • Sean Flannery – tenor saxophone (1996 - 2008)
  • John Fohl – guitar (1990 – 1993)
  • Adam Glogauer – drums (1996 – 1997)
  • John Goetchius – keyboards (1999 – 2000)
  • James Gossard – guitar (formation – 1990)
  • James Phillips – tenor saxophone (formation – 1993)
  • Rex Trimm – alto saxophone (1996 – 1997)
  • Hans Wagner –drums (1996 – 1997)
  • Brian West – drums (1990 – 1996)
  • Wayne Conkey – Trombone (Bass)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

Year Title Label
1990 Ferociously Stoned Sub Par Records
1994 Rapid City Muscle Car Space Age Bachelor Pad
1996 Kids on the Street Space Age Bachelor Pad
2000 Soul Caddy Mojo
2008 Susquehanna Space Age Bachelor Pad

[edit] Compilations

Year Title Label Information
1997 Zoot Suit Riot Mojo Four new tracks

[edit] Singles/promos

* Denotes non-album tracks
Year Title Tracks Label
1989 Four From on High cassette 1. "Dr. Bones" (Steve Perry) – 3:32
2. "Diabolic Tastemaker" (Perry) – 5:12
3. "Up From the Gutter" (Perry) – 4:30
4. "Cherry Poppin' Daddy Strut" (Perry) – 3:05
1992 The Daddies 7 in. 1. "Ding Dong Daddy of the D-Car Line" (Perry) – 3:34 Sonic Recollections
2. "Mom Was No Fat Broad" (Perry) – 4:51 *
1997 Vacationing In Palm Springs 7 in.
(Split with Reel Big Fish on track 1)		 2. "Hi & Lo" (Perry) – 3:41 * Mojo
3. "2:29" (Perry) – 3:43 *
1997 Zoot Suit Riot promo CD 1. "Zoot Suit Riot" (Perry) – 3:53 Mojo
1997 Zoot Suit Riot UK 7 in. 1. "Zoot Suit Riot" (Perry) – 3:53 Mojo
2. "No Mercy for Swine" Live from the House of Blues (Perry) – 3:35 *
1997 Brown Derby Jump promo CD 1. "Brown Derby Jump" (Perry) – 3:01 Mojo
2. "Zoot Suit Riot" Spanish version (Perry) – 3:55 *
1998 Zoot Suit Riot Australia CD single 1. "Zoot Suit Riot" (Perry) – 3:53 Mojo
2. "2:29" (Perry) – 3:43 *
3. "Zoot Suit Riot" Spanish version (Perry) – 3:55 *
1998 Zoot Suit Riot UK CD single 1. "Zoot Suit Riot" (Perry) – 3:53 Mojo
2. "2:29" (Perry) – 3:43 *
3. "No Mercy for Swine" Live from the House of Blues (Perry) – 3:35 *
1998 Here Comes the Snake promo CD 1. "Here Comes the Snake" alternate mix (Perry) – 3:13 Mojo
2000 Diamond Light Boogie promo CD 1. "Diamond Light Boogie" single edit (Perry) – 3:30 * Mojo
2. "Diamond Light Boogie" album version (Perry) – 3:42
3. "Diamond Light Boogie" instrumental (Perry) – 3:37 *

[edit] Other non-album tracks

Year Track Source
1993 "Nobody's Friend" (Perry) – 5:17 I-5 Killers, Volume 2 compilation
1993 "The Graduate" (Perry) – 3:24 Northwest Ungrunge compilation
1997 "Sound System" (Operation Ivy) – 2:06 Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy tribute album
1998 "Jump in the Line (Shake, Shake Senora)" (Harry Belafonte, Rafael De Leon, Gabriel Oller, Stevenson C. Samuel) – 3:45 BASEketball Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
1998 "Butch the Gay Santa Claus" (Perry) – 1:37 Kevin and Bean: Santa's Swingin' Sack Christmas album from radio station KROQ
1999 "Brown Derby Jump" Live (Perry) – 3:22 Jingle Ball '98: The CD live album from radio station Star 100.7 (KFMB-FM)
"Zoot Suit Riot" Live (Perry) – 4:03
2001 "Jake's Frilly Panties" (Perry) – 2:48 Available for download on official website for fan club members from 2001 through April 2006

[edit] Movie Soundtrack Appearances

[edit] Other songs performed live

Songs performed live at various times without released studio recordings

[edit] Originals

  • "Jack & Jill"
  • "Cool Yule"
  • "Pool Shark"

[edit] Covers

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ MTV News. 'Cherry Poppin' Daddies Singer Gets Platinum Record for Birthday' MTV News, 1998.
  2. ^ St. James, Adam. 'Zoot Up Punk' Miami New Times.
  3. ^ a b c Rodriguez, Ming. 'Bad Daddies Fight Bad Reputation' The Daily Emerald.
  4. ^ .'Band Name Starts Controversy' What's Happening.
  5. ^ Glauber, Rich. 'The Baddest Daddy' What's Happening.
  6. ^ Oregeon Ska Shows. 'Oregon Ska Shows, 1996'.
  7. ^ Steve Perry Interview 1997. 'Steve Perry Interview, 1997'.
  8. ^ Band profile on musicianguide.com. 'The Cherry Poppin' Daddies bio on Musicianguide.com.
  9. ^ Steve Perry Interview 2000. 'Steve Perry Interview, 2000'.
  10. ^ MTV News 1998. 'Cherry Poppin' Daddies Discuss What Really Swings' MTV News.
  11. ^ Daddies.com Biography. 'Official Band Biography'

[edit] External links