The Tubes Albums (11)
What The Critics Say
Ask a serious music historian what artists had the wildest, most insane live shows in the '70s, and the Tubes are likely to be mentioned along with Kiss, Alice Cooper, and Parliament/Funkadelic. Back then, a Tubes show was more than a concert -- it was a theatrical event and a musical circus. That type of wilder-than-wild showmanship didn't disappear after the Nirvana/Pearl Jam/grunge upheaval of the early '90s, but it became harder to find. Post-'80s alterna-rockers who are known for their over-the-top theatricality on-stage (Mushroomhead, Powder, the Genitorturers, the Dresden Dolls, among others) are the exception instead of the rule, which is why it was good to know that the Tubes were still touring in the mid-2000s. This 73-minute CD documents a Tubes show at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on December 6, 2004; Wild in London isn't in a class with What Do You Want from Live (a great live album the Tubes recorded in 1977), but there is still a lot to enjoy -- and Fee Waybill sounds quite inspired on old '70s and early-'80s favorites like "White Punks on Dope," "Don't Touch Me There," "She's a Beauty," and the kinky "Mondo Bondage." Of course, some longtime Tubes devotees will argue that no audio-only release can truly capture the glorious insanity of a Tubes show -- that a live Tubes release really needs to be a video or DVD because they are so visually dynamic on-stage. But What Do You Want from Live was a classic despite the audio-only factor -- and Wild in London also shines (although not as brightly) even without the visuals. No casual listener should choose either Wild in London or Tubes World Tour 2001 (a CMC International release) over What Do You Want from Live, but this disc is still worth hearing if one is a truly hardcore Tubes addict. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Tubes World Tour 2001'
Release Date 10/10/2000
Tracks 12
Label CMC International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The Tubes didn't invent the idea of rock & roll as theater, but they certainly thrived on the concept. Few bands have had a more entertaining and over the top live show than the Tubes; while their studio albums can be uneven, they never had a problem going that extra mile on stage. 1978's What Do You Want From Live? remains the best document of the Tubes in a live setting and is among the band's most essential releases, but there is still room for another live Tubes album. That is where Tubes World Tour 2001 comes in. Released in 2000 (not 2001), this CD isn't perfect but often manages to capture the excitement and insanity of a Tubes concert. Even though Tubes World Tour 2001 falls short of definitive, serious Tubes addicts will have a hard time passing up the chance to hear inspired performances of songs that range from the '80s hits "She's a Beauty" and "Talk to Ya Later" to humorous '70s favorites like "White Punks on Dope," "Mondo Bondage," and "Don't Touch Me There." This CD isn't recommended to casual listeners, who would be better off starting out with What Do You Want From Live? and Capitol's 1992 release The Best of the Tubes. But for the die-hard Tubes fan, Tubes World Tour 2001 is worth having in your collection. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After more than a decade, the Tubes reconnected for the contemporary-sounding, edgy Genius of America. If you're afraid that the band picks up where Love Bomb left off, relax. With material presumably stockpiled over the years (including much of it from new guitarist/keyboardist Gary Cambra), this is a rejuvenated Tubes. Like Yes after the addition of Trevor Rabin, this incarnation of the band produces masterful studio rock with equal amounts of atmosphere and giant guitar riffs ("Say What You Want," "I Never Saw It Comin'"). Unfortunately, the band's long absence, combined with the marketing challenges of a minor-label release, meant that Genius of America didn't show up on everyone's radar. It's too bad, since this disc is every bit as good as The Completion Backward Principle or Outside Inside, albeit in a different musical vein (guitar-driven rock vs. arena/dance-pop). The single "How Can You Live With Yourself," cowritten and produced by Richard Marx, is handily their best ballad since "Don't Want to Wait Anymore," while "Fishhouse" and "Who Names the Hurricanes" carry the Tubes' funky vibe into the contemporary rock scene. By breaking into numerous songwriting partnerships, the band keeps the flow fresh, alternating between slightly over the top songs ("Big Brother's Still Watching," co-written with Steve Lukather) and disarming gems like "After All You Said" or "It's Too Late." It would be interesting to speculate that these sessions started as a collection of solo projects, much like Yes' Union, since some of the songwriting credits read like a Fee Waybill record. Regardless of its origin, the end product is consistent in sound and vision, a rare case of a band returning from the shadows more luminous than when it left. Longtime fans can take solace in the fact that Mike Cotton (presumably the same guy) and Re Styles Macleod are credited in the liner notes for concept consultant and donut, respectively. ~ Dave Connolly, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Another bit of clever packaging outside (the record label featured an iris that appeared through a cutout on the sleeve) and inside, where producer David Foster and even more members of Toto help the Tubes punch up their new radio-ready sound with added energy. If their last record showed a newfound dancefloor sensibility, Outside Inside is absolutely funky. There are plenty of over-the-top arena pop numbers on here, including the hit "She's a Beauty," "No Not Again," and "Tip of My Tongue." Yet with so many cooks in the kitchen, the record is peppered with some strange entries, like "Wild Women of Wongo," "Drums," and "Outside Looking Inside." Maybe the Tubes were trying to exorcise their own artistic demons, the better to play a song like "Fantastic Delusion" or "The Monkey Time" with a clear conscience. Outside Inside is definitely a party record, which is fine, except that the Tubes were never a party band (after all, their most radio-friendly album to date, The Completion Backward Principle, was still pretty dark). The change in direction will probably alienate old fans, just as it clearly attracted new ones (the record reached the U.S. Top 20). If you enjoyed their hits from the '80s (e.g., "Talk to You Later," "She's a Beauty"), this is the album to own. ~ Dave Connolly, All Music Guide
'The Completion Backward Principle'
Release Date 1/1/1981
Tracks 10
Label Capitol
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The Completion Backward Principle was the first release on EMI/Capitol by San Francisco-based the Tubes. It found the outrageous septet working with producer David Foster, who gives the record a high-gloss sheen. It's a pairing that, while possibly surprising to fans of the band's earlier releases, actually works quite nicely. The ballads (the Top 40 hit "Don't Want to Wait Anymore" and the Toto-esque "Amnesia") don't suit the band, but most everything else does. There's a pair of catchy new wavish rockers in "Talk to Ya Later" and "Think About Me," the wacky "Sushi Girl," and the R&B-flavored "A Matter of Pride." The Completion Backward Principle rightfully earned the Tubes new fans and set the table for their commercial breakthrough, Outside/Inside, two years later. ~ Tom Demalon, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After stunning the rock world with their memorable debut in 1975, the Tubes ran into trouble. Although Young And Rich and Now had fine moments, they were uneven and left many rock pundits wondering if the Tubes had anything to offer besides shock value. They got their answer with the release of Remote Control, a cohesive and surprisingly thoughtful concept album. On this 1979 outing, the Tubes enlisted the services of wunderkind producer Todd Rundgren to create a concept album that skewers the television generation. The choice was a wise one - Rundgren helped the group harness their satirical bite and love of pomp-rock excess to create a sharp and engaging collection of songs. As they chronicle the life of an average joe whose life and dreams are swallowed by his television addiction, the Tubes lead the listener through a dazzling array of musical styles that include new-wave, lounge pop, reggae, and even full-throttle punk. Highlights include "Prime Time," a song that utilizes an effective combination of lounge-lizard atmosphere and new wave synthesizer textures to convey its portrait of television's seductiveness, and "Love's A Mystery (I Don't Understand)," a surprisingly straightforward ballad about romantic loss that features a truly heart-rending vocal from Fee Waybill. The group also gets a chance to show off their formidable instrumental chops on "Get-Overture," a tight instrumental that goes from atmospheric prog-rock to driving hard rock as it cleverly weaves together snippets of all the other songs' melodies. In short, Remote Control proves the Tubes were more than a bunch of musical jokesters. The end result is the band's finest hour and a treat for concept-album fanatics. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide
'What Do You Want from Live'
Release Date 1/1/1978
Tracks 17
Label A&M
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Although their studio albums were often hit-and-miss affairs, the Tubes could always be counted on for a good live show during their mid-'70s heyday. In fact, they became a legend in the rock & roll world for their glitzy shows, which included half-nude women performing elaborate dance routines and a variety of characters invented by frontman Fee Waybill, like punk rocker "Johnny Bugger" and blissed-out glam rock icon "Quay Lewd." What Do You Want from Live can't reproduce all this visual stimuli but it does show what many critics forgot to notice about the Tubes, i.e., the fact that they were a really sharp and exciting live band. Stripped of their outre visual surroundings, songs like "Mondo Bondage" and "I Was a Punk Before You Were a Punk" still pack a visceral punch thanks to their effective combination of gonzo humor and catchy melodies. Elsewhere, the Tubes get to show off their surprisingly impressive chops on "Overture," a fast-paced medley that transforms the instrumental highlights of six different songs into one head-spinning pomp-rock blitz, and "Crime Medley," a witty tapestry of crime jazz woven from television theme songs like "Theme from Peter Gunn" and "Theme from Dragnet." The downside of What Do You Want from Live is that some of the numbers are less potent without the choreographed routines surrounding them: "Smoke (La Vie en Fumer)" and "What Do You Want from Life" both feature Fee Waybill talking about the visual chaos surrounding him and this leaves the listener feeling like they're only witnessing part of the joke (if only someone would put out a video of one of the Tubes' shows from this era). Despite this caveat, What Do You Want from Live remains a witty and entertaining live album. It may not win any new converts to the Tubes' camp, but fans of the group will definitely want to check out this entertaining souvenir from the group's wildest era. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After knocking out an impressive debut with their self-titled 1975 release, The Tubes fell prey to the dreaded sophomore slump on their second album Young And Rich. Although this album contains a fistful of inspired and witty tracks, it simply lacks the coherence and consistent material that made The Tubes such a cheeky delight. Young And Rich finds the group trying to expand their satirical/theatrical rock style into new subgenres like disco and pre-Beatles pop and this material forms the best moments on this disc: "Slipped my Disco" effectively sends up the social rituals of the disco scene over a backing track that fuses the Tubes' pomp-rock excesses to a mocking dance beat while "Don't Touch Me There" is a hilarious, over-the-top send up of Phil Spector's "wall of sound" style built on a lascivious duet between Fee Waybill and Re Styles. However, the effect of these tracks is diluted by some less-inspired moments where the Tubes hedge their bets by trying to recycle some of the finer moments of their previous album. For instance, "Proud To Be American" tries to skewer the American Dream like "What Do You Want From Life" did but comes off as both toothless and overty obvious while "Poland Whole/Madam I'm Adam" tries to recapture the orchestral sturm-und-drang of "Up From The Deep" but doesn't have enough riffs and hooks to fill its overtly-busy arrangement. Despite these problems, some other tracks manage to shine through the dull moments: "Tubes World Tour" and the title track is an effective send-up of children of privilege that plays out over a surprisingly elegant ballad-style arrangement. In the end, Young And Rich offers enough impressive tracks to satisfy the Tubes connoisseur but the casual listener would be better off sampling its highlights via a compilation. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide
