Brownsville Station (band)

Brownsville Station
Brownsville Station, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1972
Background information
Origin	Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Genres	Rock, Hard rock
Years active	1969–1979, 2012-Present
Labels	Warner Bros. Records, Palladium, Big Tree, Wounded Bird, Private Stock, Epic, Rhino, Atlantic
Past members	Cub Koda Mike Lutz T.J. Cronley Tony Driggins Henry "H-Bomb" Weck Bruce Nazarian Andy Patalan

Brownsville Station is an American rock band from Michigan that was hugely popular in the 1970s. Original members included Cub Koda (guitarist/vocalist), Mike Lutz (guitarist/vocalist), T.J. Cronley (drummer), and Tony Driggins (bassist/vocals). Later members included Henry "H-Bomb" Weck (drummer) and Bruce Nazarian (guitarist/vocalist).

They are remembered for the top-10 hit single "Smokin' in the Boys Room" (1973).

History

Early History

Brownsville Station was formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1969. Brownsville Station's early albums included song covers from bands which had inspired them.^[1] In 1970, they released their debut studio album, No BS, on a Warners Bros. label. Their biggest hit, "Smokin' In the Boys Room", written by Michael Lutz & Cub Koda, from their 1973 album Yeah!, reached No. 3 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 27 in the UK Singles Chart. The track sold over two million copies and was awarded a gold disc status by the RIAA on 15 January 1974.^[2]

Later History

In 1977, Brownsville Station recorded "Martian Boogie". "Martian Boogie" was one of seven singles for Brownsville Station to chart on the Hot 100.^[3] Martian Boogie was also a feature on Dr. Demento's radio show.

After drummer T.J. Cronley left the band, Van Wert, Ohio native, Henry "H-Bomb" Weck was called on to drive the band to its highest heights. The bands second-highest Billboard charting single was "Kings of the Party" which topped out at No. 31 in 1974.

Original members of Brownsville Station disbanded in 1979 and their final studio album together, Air Special, was released by Epic in 1978. Lee Centracchio from Stubenville, Ohio played bass briefly with the band before leaving to join the Army. Koda died of kidney disease on 1 July 2000 at the age of 51. Lutz went on to produce many bands, including Ted Nugent's Spirit of the Wild album, and toured in the 1990s with Nugent. Lutz still resides in Ann Arbor, teaches guitar and bass at a local music store called Oz's Music, writes and produces many acts. While still in Brownsville Station, Weck engineered and co-produced the Strikes album for Blackfoot, and then two more albums stateside, as well a live Blackfoot album with the Rolling Stone mobile in the UK. Henry continues to record and produce in Memphis, in Ann Arbor at Lutz's Tazmania Studios and is the co-driving force of re-united re-energized Brownsville Station.^[4] After Cronley's early tour with Brownsville Station, he spent a career in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Marine Aviator, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1992. He is currently a pilot for FedEx and resides in Yuma, Arizona. He is also an artist.^[5] Bruce Nazarian continued on to produce, engineer and perform with his band 'The Automatix". He is the currently the CEO of Digital Media Consulting Group and the TDG Foundation in Nevada, and runs a popular digital media website "TheDigitalGuy.com". He also produces and hosts The Digital Guy radio show as well as being a music producer, concert impresario and artist manager.

Brownsville Station is Still Smokin'(2012 and beyond)

Through the band’s early days Weck captured over 500 hours of Brownsville demos, rehearsals, live shows and even some special events. In 2012, Lutz and Weck began sorting through the recordings in Lutz’s Tazmania Studio. The creative juices, always at the heart of Brownsville Station, were flowing and the result is the 13 tracks (12 brand new songs and the updated version of the band’s classic “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”) on Still Smokin’ (2012).

Augmented by new players Billy Craig, Arlen Viecelli and Brad Johnson Brownsville Station returned to the road in 2013.

Influences

Brownsville Station's early influences included Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and other 1950s rock and roll musicians. Koda's onstage antics influenced many rockers including Peter Wolf and Alice Cooper.^[1]

Band members

• Mike Lutz (1969-Current) - guitarist/vocalist/bassist
• Henry "H Bomb" Weck (1972-Current) - drummer/vocalist
• Billy Craig (2012-Current) - guitarist/vocalist
• Arlen Viecelli (2013-Current) - guitarist/vocalist
• Brad Johnson (2013-Current) - bassist/vocalist

Former members

• Cub Koda (1969–1979) - guitarist/vocalist
• T.J. Cronley (1969–1971) - drummer
• Tony Driggins (1969–1972) - bassist/vocalist
• Bruce Nazarian (1975–1979) - guitarist/vocalist/bassist/keyboardist
• Andy Patalan (2012-2013) - guitarist/vocalist
• Lee Centracchio (1979) - bassist

Discography

Albums

Compilations

• 1993: Smokin' In the Boys Room: The Best of Brownsville Station
• 2003: Smokin' In the Boys Room and Other Hits
• 2005: Smokin' In the Boys Room
• 2006: Rhino Hi-Five: Brownsville Station

Singles

References

1. www.arlenrocks.com
2. Thompson Entertainment Group www.thompsonentertainmentgroup.com

External links

• Brownsville Station at AllMusic
• www.brownsvillestation.com
• www.facebook.com/BrownsvilleStationMusic