The Supersuckers

The Supersuckers were once billed as the hardest working band in rock. For a while they hooked up on this tour for Camel cigarettes playing various cities. There was no cover charge or tickets to these events. Camel would give passes to people working in restaurants or bars as an appreciation type of thing.

I slipped in one of those shows (November 18th, 1998 – Phoenix, AZ) by getting on the guest list, courtesy of Danny Bland (formerly of The Dwarves), the band’s then manager.

A couple hundred people waited out on the sidewalk for the doors to open. While waiting we were entertained by a guy on a unicycle and a belly-dancer. Not top notch entertainment – but how many concerts give you any “waiting for the doors to open entertainment”.

Finally the doors open, and my name is crossed off the guest list as I enter (another free concert). Upon entrance there was a large room with tables set up on either side, on the tables were buffets lines set up with enough food to feed all the homeless in Phoenix for a month. Since the homeless weren’t invited it was up to me to eat and waste as much of the food as I could. The next thing I noticed was that the bars are open - yes kiddies FREE ALCOHOL. There were girls going around handing out Camel smokes away too. (Smokes, Booze, Food, and Rock – all for free)

The evening started with basic hip-hop music piped in and some outrageously hot looking babes dancing (pros from a local gentleman’s club). The belly-dancer made her way inside, only now she had a large snake wrapped around her shoulders. The unicyclist was juggling as he rode his one-wheeled bike..

Dancing Eagle, drummer for the Supersuckers, recognized me and talked with me for a few minutes. He took me along heading upstairs (backstage) to have a few beers with the band while they were waiting for the opening band to finish.

As we neared the room with the band and groupies somebody caught his attention. Dan told me to head in and have a beer. After entering, somebody handed me a beer and told me to go ahead and eat some of the food.

So there I am, standing in the room with the band and groupies, nobody knows who I am. I have a beer in one hand and food in the other.

Eddie (the Supersuckers singer) sees me, walked up then asks,

“Who are you George Costanza or something? Did you just wander backstage to drink out beer and eat our food”?

Eddie can be a bit stand-offish at times. I said,

“My name is Kevin, Dan sent me up".

What a nice bunch of boys they are! I had another beer and met their friends from Tucson.

I followed the band down to play...

The opened up with Beat To Shit, and ended with Born With A Tail. I was going to grab the set list, but some ass took them before the band was through with it. They played all the new songs, Santa Rita High, Dead Ends and Dust, and others - they also played The Cowboy Song and Hell City, Hell (only the second time I've heard Hell City, Hell live).

I spent the rest of the time just rocking out to the excellent tunes, and gazing all the excellent looking women. There were so many hot chicks there I almost came in my shorts right there.

A couple months later I decide to take a vacation up to Seattle and visit a friend I’ve never met. Doug Niman the accountant for the band. I got to see all the famous places in Seattle from a rock perspective, play cards with the famous Danny Bland, and watch football at Gerald Collier’s (Formerly of The Best Kissers in the World) house.

The trip led up to a big show at some Laundromat called the Crocodile Cafe that had a large room for rock shows. I was invited by management to the warm-up. Te band ran through the set list really quick. I was going to be a special show of only cool cover songs. Doug and Danny introduced me to a bunch of people that the band wrote songs about including;

  • The 19th Most Powerful Woman in Rock (booking manager)
  • Sugie
  • Mudhead

When the set list was finished Danny called Eddie over to introduce me. He said,

“I don’t know of you’ve ever actually met Eddie or not, but this is Eddie”

I quickly stuck my hand out and said,

“Yeah we met, back in Phoenix last November. Costanza, George Costanza!”