Rudi Protrudi

Rudi Protrudi
Background information
Born	(1952-12-15) December 15, 1952 Washington D.C., USA
Genres	Rock, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, blues, garage punk, garage rock, Alternative Country, Exotica
Occupations	Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Performer, Record producer, actor
Instruments	Vocals, harmonica, guitar, organ, bass
Years active	1966 - present
Labels	RCA, Music Maniac, Sundazed, Bomp, Electrique Mud, Get Hip, Skyclad, ABC Records, Midnight, Enigma/Pink Dust, Rhino, Wicked Cool
Associated acts	The Fuzztones
Website	Rudi Protrudi

Rudi Action Protrudi (born December 15, 1952) is an American rock musician, songwriter, record producer, artist and actor best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of the rock and roll 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 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 the opportunity to play bass for them at CBGBs. But a future with the Dead Boys was not his fate. Soon after 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.

Tina Peel

Bubblegum-Punk band, formed in 1976. Rudi says, that this band was heavily influenced by The Monkees, Cryan' Shames, 1910 Fruitgum Company and Dave Clark 5.^[1] It is also Rudi's first band, where he performed as frontman. Rudi wrote or co-wrote 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 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.

The Fuzztones

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) on drums. Their first studio LP Lysergic Emanations has been released in 1985 and has achieved gold record status. The band has also released a live album with Blues legend Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1984. One year later the band toured for 3 month 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 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 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 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. The band is still touring and releasing albums.

Solo

Personal life

Rudi's first television appearance was in 1970, when he and his band, Rigor Mortis, played his original composition, "Bandit," on the Weekend Show, Hershey PA. He made his first record in 1972, a single released by Springhead Motorshark.

Discography

Has played with or recorded with

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 (Doors, 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 (Dictators)
29. The Headhunters (members of the Fuzztones, Tommyknockers and Groovie Ghoulies)

References

Further reading

1. Interview with Low Cut Magazine
2. Article on Leave Your Mind At Home with Screamin' Jay Hawkins
3. Screamin' Jay Hawkins Movie
4. REM remembers Rudi Protrudi in NYC
5. Tina Peel review
6. Interview with InYourEyes Zine
7. Rudi Protrudi Interview in German Magazine OX

External links

• Rudi Protrudi's Official Website
• Article on Rudi Protrudi's life in newspaper