Sweat

Interviewed by Rockford Review
Mention in Memphis Flyer
"I just finished a biography of the band, called Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band. I would have given this book 873 stars, but they only let me give it five. Me? I live to read. I lust for the book that I cannot bear to put down. That is what I like, that is what I look for. This is one of those books. A love letter, a labor of love, and a gripping read about people who have brought nothing but happiness to thousands of people for a long, long time. It helps to already have spent some time living in total intoxication of the Fleshtones, of course, but it is a brilliant book no matter what." -Chicago Boyz
"Everyonehas a favorite overlooked bank they feel should have sold millions of records, filled arenas and enjoyed household-name status; among those commerciallyunsuccessful stalwarts, the Fleshtones rank as one of America's mostenduring musical forces. Crawling outfrom under New York City's punk and new wave scenes in the mid-1970s, this gangof misfits dubbed their fuzzy yet danceable mix of guitars, Farfisa organ, old-school R&B, rockabilly and surf music as "Super Rock," then watchedcontemporaries such as the Ramones, Talking Heads, R.E.M., and Blondie becomestars. Topping out on the Billboardalbum charts at no. 174, the Fleshtones, still active 30 years on, make for anunconventional study in rock 'n' roll survival. Bonomo, better known for his essays and poetry, has conducted newinterviews with all the principals to provide an exhaustive account of the band'scheckered history, colored by excessive amounts of alcohol and drugs, mismanagement and the 2005 suicide of sax man Gordon Sp
Dr. Joe Bonomo interviewed about the writing of Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones by Collin Quick, "RRStar.com", September 26, 2007
Nice cars, Playboybunnies, wealth and thrown underwear as the Nickelback song suggests, theawesome life of a rock 'n' roll band, right? According to NIU English professorJoe Bonomo, not quite. "Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's GarageBand," Bonomo's first biography, was published by Continuum in September. For seven years, Bonomo spent his summers trekking to New York to interview and research for hisbook. As the title suggests, the book chronicles the lives of the Fleshtones, alittle known band Bonomo first heard in the 1980s. According to Bonomo, TheFleshtones are the only band that debuted at CBGB that played togetheruninterrupted since. "The Fleshtonesredefined what it means to be successful," said Bonomo. "They're simply a greatAmerican rock band that no one's heard about."However, Bonomo says his book is more than just a biography of an obscure rockband. "It's a great story ofperseverance and staying true to your dreams and visions," said Bonomo. The perseverance Bono
"Most bands have a narrative arc that runs from formative years to rock-star years to rock-star ascent to inevitable breakup. The Fleshtones' chart flatlines somewhere between fame and obscurity, and this is where Bonomo takes an interesting angle. By recounting the band's Sisphean chase of fame, which is rewarded only with a raging cult following, he offers a unique "view from the bottom" familiar to 99.9 percent of the all bands of rock's last three decades.'Sweat' reads like a true labor of love. It's a highly detailed account of the band that refused to go away until, through determination and stamina, they got the book they deserved" Stephen Charles Kleiner, "New York Post"
"What's a Northern Illinois University English professor at Northern Illinois University doing writing a 400-page tome about an obscure post-punk band from Whitestone, Queens, who barely ever reached the outer regions of the "Billboard" Hot 200? God only knows, but the 'Tones' passion and longevity doing their thing a rousing combination of "Nuggets"-style psychedelic rock, R&B beats and a British Invasion take on American soul is matched by the author's dogged recreation of their long, winding, and mostly hidden, history."-Sonic Boomers
"What's a Northern Illinois UniversityEnglish professor at Northern Illinois University doing writing a 400-page tomeabout an obscure post-punk band from Whitestone, Queens, who barely ever reachedthe outer regions of the "Billboard" Hot 200? God only knows, but the'Tones' passion and longevity doing their thing a rousing combination of"Nuggets"-style psychedelic rock, R&B beats and a British Invasion takeon American soul is matched by the author's dogged recreation of their long, winding, and mostly hidden, history."-Sonic Boomers
"More than an account of a particular band, sound, or specific era in rock history, Joe Bonomo's compelling, well-researched, and thoroughly riveting account of the Fleshtones is an homage to a way of living your life one that revolves around raucous music, what Jack Kerouac once called the "quest for kicks," and most of all a whole lot of sweat and passion." Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic, Chicago Sun-Times, and author, Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, America's Greatest Rock Critic.
"[An]elegantly written biography of the Fleshtones." -Popmatters.com--,
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"A Chicago area resident and teacher at Northern Illinois University, Joe Bonomo is nearly religious in his devotion to the long-running combo fronted by Peter Zaremba, who some may remember from his side job as the host of MTV's alternative showcase, "120 Minutes." In "Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band" (Continuum, $19.95), the author approaches his tale with the same scholarly devotion that Drummond employed...In the end, the author concludes that it will go one as long as the musicians are still walking and breathing, and their story is ultimately one of perseverance and faith in a rough 'n' ready aesthetic originally defined on long-forgotten 45s but so enduringly powerful that grown men devote their lives to it." "Chicago"" Sun Times"
Nice cars, Playboy bunnies, wealth and thrown underwear as the Nickelback song suggests, the awesome life of a rock 'n' roll band, right? According to NIU English professor Joe Bonomo, not quite. "Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band," Bonomo's first biography, was published by Continuum in September. For seven years, Bonomo spent his summers trekking to New York to interview and research for his book. As the title suggests, the book chronicles the lives of the Fleshtones, a little known band Bonomo first heard in the 1980s. According to Bonomo, The Fleshtones are the only band that debuted at CBGB that played together uninterrupted since. "The Fleshtones redefined what it means to be successful," said Bonomo. "They're simply a great American rock band that no one's heard about." However, Bonomo says his book is more than just a biography of an obscure rock band. "It's a great story of perseverance and staying true to your dreams and visions," said Bonomo. The perseverance Bonomo refers to involves a journey of music that has spanned more than three decades and does not involve fame or fortune. Bonomo joined the band on its Midwest tour in 2001 and discovered the realistic lives of rock stars. "The memory I have from that tour is how much they struggled," said Bonomo. "Sleeping on promoter's floors and in flea-bag motels, playing to half-empty clubs. It cemented to me why their story is so unique and so interesting, why it's a worthwhile story. They didn't give up and soldiered on." Although the Fleshtones story is enthralling, Bonomo had difficulty getting "Sweat" published. Bonomo believes that while "Sweat" works as a manual for those in a band, it is also an inspirational story for those who have no affiliation with music. "If you're in a band as a 20-something, this is an absolute crucial book. It shows what your future is," said Bonomo. "[But] no matter what your passion is, you will find yourself mirrored in this book. As you get older, y
"Formed in New York in 1976, the Fleshtones have never experienced even a moment of Next Big Thing-ness, and yet they just keep playing. It's like they couldn't stop even if they wanted to. Joe Bonomo's Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band was unputdownable: the people and places who drifted through its pages were memorable, and the story stubbornly refused to stoop to pathos."-The Chicago Reader
Joe Bonomo has written a fine book; a book not only about a band or times passed, but also about the rare virtue of endurance. Nick Tosches--Sanford Lakoff
"In "Sweat", Joe Bonomo confronts the realities of life in one of America's great unsung bands of heroes: the Fleshtones. Rocking the house down night after night, holding on to their unique vision forever, whether laughing in the face of failure, caught in the rip tides of American culture, battling on the New York streets, or crowded in the back of a van on its way to the furthest reaches of the solar system...It's a 'Blue Whale' of a story: hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately inspiring." Peter Case, singer-songwriter
"Rock and roll is a pretty egalitarian affair. On any given night any band can be the best band in the world, if only for ten minutes. The amazing thing about the Fleshtones is that every night for the last thirty years they have consistently been the best live band on earth. Year in, year out high, low and in between the Fleshtones have embodied the very essence of rock and roll. This great book by Joe Bonomo really gets to the heart of who the Fleshtones are, and the price they paid. Now it's up to you to check out the Fleshtones when they hit your town. And in my own defense, that fire that Keith and I started in France was really a very small fire. Not worth mentioning at all. Please." Peter Buck, R.E.M.--Sanford Lakoff

"Most bands have a narrative arc that runs from formative years to rock-star ascent to inevitable breakup. The Fleshtones' chart flatlines somewhere between fame and obscurity, and this is where Bonomo takes an interesting angle.

By recounting the band's Sisyphean chase of fame, which is rewarded only with a raging cult following, he offers a unique "view from the bottom" - familiar to 99.9 percent of all bands - of rock's last three decades.

"Sweat" reads like a true labor of love. It's a highly detailed account of the band that refused to go away until, through determination and stamina, they got the book they deserved." The New York Post--Sanford Lakoff
"Rather than chalk up the band to be some amazing quartet who've surpassed their time in the spotlight (or lack of in this case), [Bonomo] focuses on their longevity and passion. Thirty years in the game and no hits to be accounted for but the band still holds it together because of their love, their pure unadulterated love of rock and roll." Spill Magazine--Sanford Lakoff
"Joe Bonomo, across 410 fact/anecdote-packed pages, follows the trajectory of New York's Fleshtones, from juvenile delinquents Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng falling under the spell of AM radio in the '60s, through the band's mid-'80s college rock ascendency, and on to the present, where the Fleshtones remain a vital force.It's a quintessential rock 'n' roll story. No shit, man." Harp Magazine--Sanford Lakoff
"Everyone has a favorite overlooked bank they feel should have sold millions of records, filled arenas and enjoyed household-name status; among those commercially unsuccessful stalwarts, the Fleshtones rank as one of America's most enduring musical forces. Crawling out from under New York City's punk and new wave scenes in the mid-1970s, this gang of misfits dubbed their fuzzy yet danceable mix of guitars, Farfisa organ, old-school R&B, rockabilly and surf music as "Super Rock," then watched contemporaries such as the Ramones, Talking Heads, R.E.M., and Blondie become stars. Topping out on the Billboard album charts at no. 174, the Fleshtones, still active 30 years on, make for an unconventional study in rock 'n' roll survival. Bonomo, better known for his essays and poetry, has conducted new interviews with all the principals to provide an exhaustive account of the band's checkered history, colored by excessive amounts of alcohol and drugs, mismanagement and the 2005 suicide of sax man Gordon Spaeth. Bonomo marches a parade of colorful characters in and out of his narrative, including past and present band members, business associates, friends, family members and fellow musicians, to present an honest and dramatic look at rock semi-obscurity." -"Publishers Weekly Annex"
"I would have given this book 873 stars, but they only let me give it five...A love letter, a labor of love, and a gripping read about people who have brought nothing but happiness to thousands of people for a long, long time...it is a brilliant book no matter what." Lexington Green, Book Notes, Music--Sanford Lakoff
"The story of the Fleshtones is a Behind The Music-worthy tale of hard-earned fans and well-deserved debauchery, but lacks one essential element: hits. Despite three decades of dedication, the Fleshtones have yet to produce a wildly popular record that could propel them past the dead-end intersection of fame, infamy and obscurity. And yet the Queens-bred bandmates soldier on, refusing to retreat and amassing a growing number of rabid superfans (author Joe Bonomo included) in the process. Clocking in at an impressive 400 pages, Bonomo's book chronicles the band's career with fluid narratives, interviews, pictures, setlists, discographies and meticulous detail. It's a story for music-makers and music-lovers alike, with Bonomo finding universal appeal in one small band's trip from the New York City suburbs to a near-permanent residency on the road. It doesn't matter if readers don't know the Fleshtones from the Monotones, as the author's adoring approach, which manages to be at once casual and encyclopedic, will convert most skeptics. And even if it doesn't, Sweat is about much more than a hard-working band that never quite broke even; it champions the enduring spirit of rock'n'roll, and the lengths to which musicians and fans will travel to keep that spirit flamed."-CMJ--Sanford Lakoff
"[An] elegantly written biography of the Fleshtones." -Popmatters.com--Sanford Lakoff
"The Fleshtones are a minor footnote in most people's memories, but Bonomo convincingly explains how a group can stay the same and yet still matter. As a bonus, The Fleshtones aficionados will also appreciate the biographer's exhaustive, inclusive discography and the extensive listing of cover songs The Fleshtones have recorded and/or performed on stage." Doug Simpson, Skyscraper Magazine--Sanford Lakoff
"Besides being a thorough bio of the band and its members, and a great NYC timepiece, Sweat takes a good hard look at the music industry, of bands who don't quite make it, who are as good or better than bands who do make it, and what their lives are like. It's a story of fighting against the odds with persistence and conviction, but this book certainly isn't just about struggle; it's filled with humor, fun, weirdness, bizarre coincidences, and heady descriptions of their most glorious shows and triumphs...If you already know and love the band, you're sure to enjoy this book. If you aren't familiar with the 'Tones, by all means check them out." -Tone and Groove magazine
"As the subtitle accurately describes, the career of the Fleshtones could be narrowed down to "30 years, 2,000 shows, 1,000 blue whales, no hits, no sleep." It's always been about fun, and not stardom, for Peter Zaremba, Keith Streng, and the rest of this (should be) legendary band. Bonomo accurately describes not only the positive points in the band's history, but also the frustrations, addictions, and boredom of never being the right band in the right place. Verdict: As they say on the web, Ohmigod! Old CD's were immediately copied onto the iPod, and old vinyl was dusted off after years of storage. Now if I only was confident enough to attempt to drink some blue whales, the band's poison of choice." -Prime Magazine
"What a long, strange trip it's been. That Grateful Dead designation really belongs to The Fleshtones, New York City's long-running garage rock band. Sweat, Joe Bonomo's energetic, warts-and-all biography, encapsulates The Fleshtones' three-decade and counting career) as the cover proclaims: "30 years, 2,000 shows, 1,000 Blue Whales, no hits, no sleep"), but the book is actually a story of determination, perseverance, and persistence...While Sweat is geared toward fans, this is one of the rare rock music biographies neophytes can peruse with enjoyment, due to the band's brio and banter, which gives Sweat more clarity and candor than typical like-minded accounts. Discover for yourself how Wigstock, Joan Osbourne, Jason and the Scorchers, The Hoodoo Gurus, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Seve Albini, the Big Apple's disco scene, horror movies and Gene Simmons all have one thing in common: The Fleshtones..." Doug Simpson, Skyscraper Mag, Spring 2008 --Sanford Lakoff
FIVE STARS"As far as rock biographies go, Joe Bonomo's 400-page labour of love is almost impossible to fault. It's got it all: social and musical background, undying belief, frustration, heartache, tragedy, laugh-out-loud anecdotes and a welter of rock'n'roll excess from the late 60s onwards. It's also another thrilling testament to the lost New York. Bonomo's research is peerless, his writing engaging and the band's narratives frequently hilarious. Most importantly, the book instils the desire to track down some of these lost classics. If nothing else, when they do finally hang up their guitars, The Fleshtones will have this magnificent tribute to tell them what they did, and that they did make their mark." Record Collector--Sanford Lakoff
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\: *{behavior: url(#ieooui) } ! /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent: ""; margin:0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin: .5in; mso-footer-margin: .5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page: Section1;} > /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name: "Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow: yes; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: #0400; mso-fareast-language: #0400; mso-bidi-language: #0400;} "Pursuing an unquenchable lust for life, music, and partying since forming in a debauched Queens basement, The Fleshtones have paid homage to Archie Bell and the Drells, Standells-era pink and also plugged into the hedonistic energy of the New York experience at gay club The Cock Ring. Dismissed by one critic as a 'mindless twist band' the Fleshtones weren't feted like their contemporaries but, undaunted, have released some 20 albums and have gigged relentlessly, remaining undimmed of spirit and happy that Suicide are fans. Bonomo's beautifully written band assisted account is both hilarious and tragic. There's heroic excess, dogged obsession, personal tragedy and slapstick situations, and even if the Hall of Fame never beckons, The Fleshtones can at least count their name on one of the great music biographies." -Mojo, UK