Even though they had a record issued on the legendary Dangerhouse label, the Deadbeats were always too weird and too “punk” for what the punk scene later morphed into with the hardcore scene taking over. By its very nature punk was avant-garde and the Deadbeats were very avant-garde. They were incredible musicians who employed jazz time signatures into their songs. Boasting a super tight drummer in the late Shaun Guerin they could rock beats and starts and stops that would make even the best hardcore drummer hang his head in shame. They also featured a saxophone player not as a soloist but as one of the rhythm drivers giving their songs a sinister and grimy quality crawling underneath it all. Geza X was the guitarist and he brought a wild and unorthodox style with him that worked well with the band’s jagged and choppy jazz phrasing. Shaun and brother/vocalist Scott were the sons of the legendary John Guerin who played drums for musical acts that varied from Frank Sinatra to Frank Zappa. When Geza left they changed their name to Bent and added former Screamer Paul Roessler on keyboards and sort of faded out of the scene with Shaun becoming a successful session player.
With their “Kill The Hippies” single becoming a much sought after collectable they seemed a natural for a reunion. The band started playing some shows with Roessler and had started recording but with the death of his brother followed by the death of his father, Scott was rather overwhelmed. Going back to the recordings with a large cast of musicians providing a support system while finishing the work, the songs have finally seen the light of day as a two-disc set in an all black gatefold cover with a lenticular sticker on the front.
“Deadbeat Beat” and “Dragged Out Drag Strip Drag Queen” are solid rock tunes with some sick breaks. “Period 4” uses a backdrop of funk and hip-hop jazz to tell a story of a young lady menstruating for the first time. After Professor Guerin explains her situation she replies, “Oh”. As the record progresses the rock elements become fewer and the music delves deeper into the jazz and avant-garde all the while maintaining the band’s humorously edgy lyrics. Female vocalists join Guerin on some of the songs and it adds a whole other quality to the Deadbeats’ sound. The song “Love” recalls “Deadbeat” from the single. Fans of the Dangerhouse era will be glad to have the band back and people new to the band who enjoy adventurous music mixed with brilliant playing will have much to appreciate here.
Scott and Paul also produced a seven-inch record credited to The Suction Cups called “Fuck Like A Bunny” through Deep Six Albatross. A cool kick of female dominated garage rock that is super sleazy and fun. On pink vinyl.
