THE MEATMEN (interview w/Tesco Vee)
The Meatmen
The Meatmen were a Michigan, United States punk band headed by Tesco Vee from 1980 to 1997.
They made fun of the hardcore punk scene of the time.
Tesco Vee, far left.
I recently did a post on The Meatmen (http://punkworldviews.com/themeatmen) after watching their The Devil’s in the Details Vol.1 DVD I received at Christmas (excellent gift, I might add…). Everything about this band makes me want to dig deeper and find out more about them. Heading up this fiasco is none other than Tesco Vee, so he was definitely the man I was most curious about. Luckily, I got the chance to ask him a few questions that have been lingering in my mind. For a second, I was worried that he may hold back and not be as crude and offensive as he may want but to, luckily for us, he didn’t disappoint me at all and his answers totally rule. Check ’em out!
The Devil’s in the Details Vol. 1 DVD
1) Explain the name The Meatmen. Who came up with it? Was anyone opposed or did you all agree with it from the start?
Actually my buddy Dave Stimson (who I started Touch and Go Fanzine with used to hop in my car as we headed out to a show and he would always crack off huge burp and I would guess what his mom had served up that nite…as I gently took a pull of the brackish regurgitated stenchwind I would hazard a guess Lamb Shank with Mint Jelly? Right again! He started callin’ me The Meatman cuz I was so good at it…and alas the name was born! Nobody ever complained or didn’t want to call it that…my first band in college was Space Chuck and The Ray Guns I was the drummer and singer..we did Clash, Iggy. Black Flag etc..Barry from the Necros has a tape but he wont send it to me!
2) In the sissy punk scene that we now live in, can you see any band capable of carrying the Tesco Vee torch?
Fuck No! That’s why I dusted off the fake fur and had to get back in action…I read an interview last week with 78 year old Clint Eastwood, (one my all time fave actors along with Lee Marvin, Telly Savalas and Chuck Bronson) and he lamented the fact that the PC climate in our country is ruining our culture and I couldn’t agree more…People are afraid to laugh, or be themselves anymore..Its truly pathetic..so it was my solemn duty to rise from the ashes like a grizzled Phoenix,, sans a few feathers, but still able to lay waste to all these teeny peeny poseur punkers masquerading as punks…Heresy! Punk is about Anger, Hostility, Anti Social behavior and fucking shit up!
3) Who do you hate more, the French or crippled children?
Oh definitely the French!
4) When did you start collecting old, vintage toys? Have you gotten your hands on anything cool recently?
I started in 1988 so I’ve been at it a good while..I got into an old house in Rhode Island on tour last year and got to go diggin..This place was built in 1888 and was 3 floors packed to the rafters! Found a lot of cool stuff..tin Spaceman Robot, Someone’s Uncle Pervie as they called him took a bunch of dirty pictures of girls in the 60s and I found stacks of these as well., old fireworks..all sorts of cool stuff….there’s nothing better than rooting thru an old house full of old stuff!
5) If you could punch anyone in the face “dead or alive- who would it be?
That would be God-But he doesn’t exist so I cant punch him, so I get another try..let me see..how about Sarah Palin.. she was sooooo cringe inducing I think she needs to be put out of her Alaskan Misery..so many bungholes, so little time..
6) Every time I do or say something really bad, I say, well, that’s another notch on my Hell belt! How many notches do you think would be on your Hell belt?
Oh geez I probably have a bezillion! Just lay nite I was laying down GG Allin’s Highest Power on my new Cover CD The Meatmen ‘Cover The Earth (mine is rawer and more nasty than GG’s..don’t believe me?..buy it..its out April 1) and the Engineer said…are you saying ‘Virgin Mary Ill rape that fuckin Clit? I said sure am! Most people would be afraid of even thinking that s tuff but I’m a full blown atheist so no problema.. Organized Religion is the root cause of many of the worlds ill..If you want a good read pick up Christopher Hitchen’s God Is Not Great…
7) Where exactly does one obtain a pair of American flag-print overalls?
Custom made by my bride Gerta…you should see the stage duds I’m having made…Its like a cross between a Spanish Bullfighter, Day Of The Dead and the WWE…I will truly be the best dressed punk rocker ever…call me the Lansing Liberace!
8 ) There’s a lot of talk about change in politics lately. What kind of change would you bring about if elected to office? Or would you run an even more vague policy?
Shit we need the best and brightest to dig us out of this mess.. I would legalize Marijuana as my first order of business, oh and Crucifixion of all Christians on Pay Per View…no make that free TV..start with that televangelist Joel Osteen.. that’s the guy I wanna bash in the face!
9) Rumor has it that if you buy any of The Meatmen albums, you get an air conditioned room in Hell. Sounds pretty awesome, can you elaborate on this?
Well you know Satan gets a bad rap..he’s really not a bad guy..we hang out and have martinis every Tuesday nite, just before our devilishly dreadful hedonistic bowling league..gotta say the ball returns at Satan’s Lanes could use some work! Really who wants to go to heaven and hang out with assholes and parents and all that?..the party’s in Hades folks…and we never close!
10) Final question: What can we expect in the future from you? Do you plan to retire from music, or play until they pry your cold, dead hands from the necks of young children?
As long as Mick Jagger, Iggy and that wrinkled up old alligator handbag David Johansen are still cookin’ I will too..fuck I was 10 years younger than those geezers…when the new Cover CD is done we start working on our all new album of originals..Tours are planned for the East in April and the West in May…Touch and Go Magazine the book is close to happening, our DVD Vol 2 will be out late 2009, lots going on…I plan on sodomizing the sensibilities of this great land for the foreseeable future so you cant get rid of me that easily! Check out www.tescovee.com and myspace.com/hatepolice and buy some of my cool shit..we got a whole passel of evil-wear, and all my catalog is back in print on Meat King Records….and check out some real Hate Rock in 2009 and come check out the Meatmen!!!!!!!!!
******
For more info on Tesco Vee and The Meatmen, visit: http://www.tescovee.com and check out the merchandise, info, pics and more.
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
Related Posts
PHOTOS: Anthony Raneri @ The Lodge Room (LA) →
Best of 2024: from Ricky Frankel →
PHOTOS: Mac Sabbath Celebrates 10 Years alongside Guttermouth and Angry Samoans →
Pingback: The Meatmen Announce New Tour - PunkWorldViews.com