The Shemps formed around the turn of the
century when Dave "Squeaky" Wilentz returned
to the NYC punk scene after four years in
Taiwan and Japan. Squeaky had previously
masterminded renowned local acts like
The Chimpanzees, The Hot Corn Girls,
and The Stallions. Now, along with former
Bugout Society bassist and current Maximum
Rock N' Roll columnist Bill Florio, a new plan to
assemble an elite cadre of lowbrow rock musicians
was hatched.
Numerous lineup changes plagued The Shemps
in their nascent stages, but when the dust settled,
our heroes lurched into action. Jim Hass, a veteran
of almost every Lower East Side punk band
you could name (and some that you'd rather not),
found a seat behind the drums, while social leper
Artie Philie (ex-Milhouse, Indecision) assumed
crowd control duties. Neil Halpin took a break from
his busy schedule of boozing and wanking off
with The Mercy Killers to become the aural
tourniquet for Squeaky’s guitar butchery, and the
enigmatic Mr.Callaghan showed up one day with a
big red piano and never got asked to leave. Thus,
The Shemps began their journey to the stars!
Be forewarned: this is a band that has no names
to drop, no friends in high places, and nothing
relevant at all to say. They're simply a handful
of unhinged morons whose only agenda is to have
a good time- hopefully at someone else's expense!
After two vinyl 7” EPs, tons of shows, and multiple
tours (including a brief trip to Japan), Reservation
Records has made the colossal mistake of
releasing Spazz Out With The Shemps! , their
full-length debut! Jesus H. Christ, how could
anyone let this happen?
If you're reading this, you might be considering
allowing these dangerous idiots into your bar,
record label, laundromat, or even your home! Ask
yourself: is that really a wise move? Can you really
trust The Shemps? Isn't punk rock actually a
pretty dumb and decidedly unprofitable use of your
time in general? Shouldn't you crumple this up right
now, throw it in the trash, and go do something
useful. Maybe you could try internet dating, learn
yoga, or buy a low-carb soft drink. Because let’s
admit it- If you give in to The Shemps, haven’t the
terrorists already won?
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