madonnabes

   I've had this band since 1993 and it was dedicated to interpreting the works of madonna. it was sort of an extension of my first tribute to this lady, a collaboration w/the folks in sonic youth known as ciccone youth back in 1986. that project, in fact, was a very therapeutic moment in my life, being my first "band endeavor" since the passing of my friend and musical partner d. boon. it really helped me get things rolling again. I asked them to do a single w/me after they had me record bass on a few things for their EVOL sessions in nyc. thurston thought up the name for the band. we recorded a 45 rpm 7" single w/me doing "burnin' up" (an interpretation of madonna's "burning up") on one side and the sonic folks doing thurston's own "tuff titty rap" along w/a take on madonna's "into the groove" called into the groovy" on new alliance records (released as a 12" 45 in england via blast first). sonic youth would later release "the whitey album" as ciccone youth and include both their songs from the 45 and a four track demo of my "burnin' up" w/me on everything done in my old apartment on 14th street (the 45 had greg ginn on lead guitar and ethan james doing the drum programming). I don't appear on any of the other tunes on that album but I did write the liner notes for the re-release on geffen.

   for three and a half years the madonnabes was mainly a way for me to keep in shape, finger-wise, especialy since I wasn't doing the daily practice thing w/ edward and george of fIREHOSE anymore (that band stopped in january of 1994). however, w/the addition of dancers glenda sherrell, miranda molen and daniela eden, I thought the band had enough of a personality of it's own to do a live show and in april of 1996, the madonnabes did their debut gig at san pedro's sacred grounds coffee pad. after a few more gigs the lineup settled on croatian wedding band man pete mazich on synth and singing, his wife ljiljana on backup singing and jerry trebotic on drums. I did the first bunch of gigs in a mouse suit (I kind of felt we were sidemousing madonna since they are her works) but that costume got lost, damn. miranda and daniela are now in college (they started w/us when they were still in high school!) so we only do gigs when they're on break, mainly in the winter and summer.

   this is a great team and we have lots of fun when we get together to play so join us and celebrate! I have to tell you this group is in no way a slam on madonna. we genuinely look up to her outspokeness, fearlessness, work ethic and strength and try to show that admiration by doing our best in interpreting her body of musical accomplishments.

this page created 7 may 00