Creators of the songs “She’s a Beauty,” “Talk to Ya Later,” “White Punks on Dope,” and many more, The Tubes perform at Suffolk Theater on Saturday, December 2, at 8 p.m. Almost 50 years after their debut, The Tubes still consists of original members, the irrepressible front man Fee Waybill, world-class drummer Prairie Prince and virtuoso guitarist Roger Steen. The group continues to delight fans across the country and around the world with their iconic live shows.
Led by singer Fee Waybill — known for his classic characters, including the glam-rocking, stackheeled Quay Lewd, the dangerous Mr. Hate or the gnarly punk parody Johnny Bugger — The Tubes released five albums on A&M Records, starting with the Al Kooper-produced self-titled debut in 1975, which included “White Punks on Dope,” dubbed an “absurd anthem of wretched excess” later covered by Motley Crue, German chanteuse Nina Hagen as well as set staple, “Mondo Bondage.” “What Do You Want From Life?” was yet another signature song for the band, a prescient satire of consumerism and celebrity culture that calls out Bob Dylan and Randy Mantooth along with “a herd of Winnebagos, we’re givin’ em away”. With the help of Kenny Ortega, they mounted the stage show for which they’re still known, using videos as part of the presentation long before MTV was born.
“It’s so great that people still love our music and sing along at shows. The best part is, we’re a way better band today than we ever were,” says Waybill.
Tickets to The Tubes are $59 to 79 at thesuffolk.org. Suffolk Theater is at 118 East Main Street, Riverhead.
Staff Writer on Nov 16, 2023