The Squirrels

l (sort of like a cross between a '70s High School dance band from Hell & a low-rent version of The Mothers. Again, sort of. Perhaps it's supposed to be "ART" or something. Maybe, as one ex-member-who-shall-go-nameless so candidly put it 'back in the day', the whole thing is basically just "a men's club with instruments". With, like, bubbles & stuff. In the end, the truth is that it's really sort of pointless to try & explain, analyze or pigeonhole what The Squirrels do at all. It is what it is, and BOY, what an "IS" it is am be ARE. Specializing in offering up what the band likes to call "total entertainment" (a term coined by Rob's long time heroes The Tubes), The Squirrels' world incorporates twisted takes on hits of the 60s, 70s & beyond, bizarre originals, rapid fire improv & low budget theatrics to create an act that truly has to be experienced to be fully understood. It's like a freakin' punk vaudeville Top 40 NIGHTMARE! And don't even ASK me about that damn talking Cabbage Patch Doll... OR that freaky Giant Dancing Squirrel. I mean, we don't wanna scare any little kids around here. Seriously. YIKES. Anyway, over the years a veritable who's-whooo of Seattle musicians have joined Morgan in the project including members of such well known & influential NW bands as The Young Fresh Fellows, The Posies, The Frazz, Prudence Dredge (Dredge guitarist/vocalist Joey Kline- now leading The Plaintiffs- has played in 89.2% of the Squirrels lineups to date), The Fastbacks, Radio Nationals, Bitter End, The Chicken Noodle Soups, Sister Psychic, & Duffy Bishop & The Rhythm Dogs. Rob & his seemingly ever evolving cast of co-horts have released numerous albums, singles & what not under The Squirrels name over the years, mostly on Conrad Uno's Popllama Products label. Critics seem to LOVE 'em (knock on wood), & tend to cite the highly acclaimed Pink Floyd tribute/parody "The Not-So-Bright Side Of The Moon" from 2000 &/or 1988's uber-schizo "Oz On 45 / Alone Again, Naturally" single (one of legendary British DJ John Peel's all time personal favorites) as the catalog's high water marks. Meanwhile, longtime fans often site the 1990 "What Gives?" CD (long out of print & capable of fetching stupid money on internet auction sites) as well as the band's overly joyous & truly frightening Christmas album "Digital Snowman" as personal favorites. On the live front Rob, Joey & the gang have played literally hundreds of shows together over the years in a variety of venues all over the West Coast: punk clubs, jazz clubs, festivals, parties, colleges, weddings, giant coffee pots- you name it, they've probably done it! But, as we all know, time is a BITCH, and all good things must come to an end. (Or... DO they?) After 25 years of non stop craziness and hundreds of performances, the band officially "retired" in December 2009 following their several month long (and entirely local) "Death With Dignity" Retirement Tour. It was just... time. For years, everybody- including the band- thought that that was it. And for almost 8 years, it was. HOWEVER, things have changed. Largely in response to a certain orange faced moron accidently getting elected President Of The United States and subsequently setting out to destroy the world just for the Hell of it (WTF?), Rob announced in January 2017 that the band were reforming and RETURNING TO SAVE THE WORLD (or at least make people smile for a few hours) on their open ended "Squirrels Trump Hate" Tour, with the debut of a slightly revised but ultimately classic line-up (see below) making their debut on April 14th, 2017 at Darrell's Tavern in Shoreline to a packed and ecstatic room. A grand ol' time was had by ALL, to say the least. So, what does the future hold? Who knows. But the band are committed to running with this for awhile and seeing what happens, and are currently rehearsing new material and booking shows further into the year. The world needs to smile and let off some steam after all, now more than ever. Like, "bigly". The Squirrels understand this, and are up for doing their part. In the words of Kojak, "Who loves ya, baby?". STAY TUNED, AMERICA! SQUIRRELS GROUP 2017- "Fifty Shades Dorkier"
Returning alumni-
ROB MORGAN- Lead vocals, kazoo, blurred visionary
JOEY KLINE- Vocals, guitar, co-pilot
JIMMY "J.T." THOMAS- Stunt guitar, vocals
BRUCE LAVEN- Keyboards, vocals
BABY CHEEVERS- Social commentary
Meet the NEW GUYS! KEITH LOWE- Bass (Crack Sabbath, BRAD, David Sylvian, Wayne Horvitz, etc.) BILL RAY- Drums (Leroy Bell & his Only Friends, Ike Turner & the Kings Of Rythym, Mike Keneally, Paul Gilbert, etc.) NOTE: There is also a pretty decent entry on the band posted on Wikipedia- head on over to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Squirrels to check that out! And thanks to everyone who contributed. PS- The Squirrels are STILL looking for someone to put out "Rock Polisher", the follow up to TNSBSOTM, so all you label peeps &/or potential investors best be headin' on over to http://www.thesquirrels.com/poplust/2002CD.htm for more info on what is sadly shaping up to be the "Great Lost Squirrels Album"...it really is quite the Magnum Opus. Or something. TO BE CONTINUED. Oh, & "Long Live Rock" & stuff like that. Ya know? Bux Dirmedosequez
(world famous music historian, brainiac, Poplust Office Boy & all around swell guy.