Supersuckers

Supersuckers are an American punk rock band from Tucson, Arizona, formed in 1988. Their line-up includes Eddie Spaghetti, Ron “Rontrose” Heathman, Dan Bolton, Dancing Eagle, Rick Sims and Scott “Chernobyl” Churilla. The band is also associated with garage punk, garage rock, cowpunk, post-grunge and rock and roll.

History

The band begins as The Black Supersuckers and first forms in Tucson with Eddie Spaghetti on bass, Dan “Thunder” Bolton and Ron “Rontrose” Heathman on guitars, Dancing Eagle on drums, and Eric Martin as lead singer. In 1989, the group moves to Seattle, where Eric Martin leaves and the remaining members continue as a four-piece, with Eddie Spaghetti taking over lead vocals.

Supersuckers issue a series of singles on small labels before signing to Sub Pop. A collection of those early recordings appears on The Songs All Sound the Same in 1992. Their first album for Sub Pop, The Smoke of Hell, also appears in 1992.

Country material and later releases

In 1995, Ron “Rontrose” Heathman briefly leaves the band and is replaced by Rick Sims of Didjits for the recording and tour for The Sacrilicious Sounds of the Supersuckers. Heathman returns for Must've Been High, the band’s fourth album and first country album, which marks a major change in their direction. The group also performs country shows under different names, while continuing to use Supersuckers as one of those names.

Their fifth and final album for Sub Pop is the 1999 compilation How the Supersuckers Became the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World, followed in the same year by the studio album The Evil Powers of Rock 'N' Roll.

Mid-Fi Recordings

In 2001, Supersuckers set up their own label, Mid-Fi Recordings. On it, they release the studio album Motherfuckers Be Trippin' along with several live recordings and singles. A singles collection, Devil's Food, appears in 2005, and the EP Paid follows in 2006.

Style and identity

The band describes itself as the “Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World.” Its work moves between punk rock and country, with a strong garage punk edge, and it remains active from 1988 to the present.