Fleshtones — Roman Gods

• Artist: Fleshtones
• Title: Roman Gods
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1982 ? No idea where, just glad to have it.
• Keeper: Yes

Thanks to my friend John Hurlock and his older brother Mike I was exposed to the Fleshtones early on. They were one my favorite alternatives to the alternative bands of the 1980s. Not that anyone used the word “alternative” back then, but you know what I’m saying. These guys were essentially rock and roll (a high compliment) at a time when a lot of non-mainstream music was anything but. The Fleshtones called it “Super Rock.”

The Fleshtones did have a 1960s vibe but their sound was unlike anything before, or since. I think they are one of the most under-rated bands ever. The music was fun but not silly, the lyrics smart but not pretentious, and they put on a helluva show. I was lucky enough to see them a number of times, always in small venues. I even got to talk to my hero Peter Zaremba, the lead singer. He also hosted the coolest show ever on MTV, The Cutting Edge. I’ll admit it, I wanted to be Peter Zaremba. I even grew my hair like his. If only I could do that now.

Roman Gods is an excellent album, one of the most played records in my collection. My favorite song is Shadow-line. I have a lot more Fleshtones records, but I haven’t kept up with the band for a long time. That’s dumb. I’m going to catch up on what I’ve been missing.

They are still kicking it. Read more about the Fleshtones. (I wrote this while playing the album. Every few songs I increased the rating. By the end of Roman Gods it was clear, this can only be a “10.”)