Leisure Class

Band history

Formed in Detroit in 1977 as Mr. Unique & the Leisure Suits, the band got their start as the opening act for The Mumps (featuring Lance Loud) and local favorites like Flirt and Destroy All Monsters. In the following years, they managed to amuse, annoy, and antagonize all manner of audiences before finally releasing their four-song EP, "Mr. Unique & the Leisure Class" in 1983. The record received generally favorable, though puzzled, reviews from Dennis Loren in the Metro Times, who found "something to offend everyone," and Ira Robbins in Trouser Press.

The band moved to New York, making their debut at CBGB in 1984, and evolved into the ever-changing Leisure Class, launching a musical and visual assault on the comfort and sanity of those poor unfortunate souls who wandered into the East Village bars and performance spaces of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Venues for the band during this period included CBGB, 8BC, SNAFU, the Henry Street Settlement, the Kitchen, the Gas Station, the Lone Star Roadhouse, Under Acme, Woody's, Beowulf, and Tramps. Their performances featured, at various times, legendary writer Herbert Huncke, a custom-built two-story prison, impaled goat's heads (causing a trombonist to quit in disgust), and Abraham Lincoln.

Their graphics and stage sets were often created by artists Taly and Russ Johnson. The group performed surrounded by giant lungs painted on industrial foil; In a Jeopardy style game show set featuring bizarre word clues slowly disappearing to reveal portraits of a cancer patient; and white flags covered the stage and venue for their “War On Fun” show.

The iconoclastic band recorded at least three albums' worth of original material, none of which managed to make it to a Major Label Release or even a 99-cent bargain bin special. 2004 saw the release of the 2-CD compilation, "Leisure Class Recordings 1979-1994". On August 23, 2005 (ten years after their last live performance together) Leisure Class was profiled on the National Public Radio show, Day to Day.

Lineups

1977-1978

Dimitri Mugianis - Vocals
Glenn Johnson - Drums, Vocals
Jeff Mullins - Guitar
Brian Garwood - Bass
Ted Moniak - Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals

1978-1979

Dimitri Mugianis - Vocals
Glenn Johnson - Drums, Organ, Vocals
James Myers - Guitar, Bass
Dave Rice - Guitar, Bass
Ted Moniak - Mandolin, Vocals

1979-1980

Dimitri Mugianis - Vocals
Glenn Johnson - Drums, Vocals
John E. Louder (Howard Glazer) - Guitar
Scotch Hiballs (Bob Godwin) - Bass

1981

Dimitri Mugianis - Vocals
Glenn Johnson - Drums, Percussion, Piano, Vocals
Dan Porvin - Guitar
Sal Monella (Michael Tudor) - Guitar
Greg Gilmore - Bass
Matthew J. Karp (Dan Matuszczak) - Saxes, Flute, Bass Clarinet
Stan Johnson - Trumpet

1981-1983

Dimitri Mugianis - Vocals
Glenn Johnson - Drums, Percussion, Piano, Organ, Harmonica, Tin Whistle, Vocals
Dan Porvin - Guitar
Sal Monella (Michael Tudor) - Guitar
Chris McGorey - Bass
Matthew J. Karp (Dan Matuszczak) - Saxes, Flute, Bass Clarinet
Stan Johnson - Trumpet
Guy Zublin - Trumpet

1984-1989

Dimitri Mugianis - Vocals
Glenn Johnson - Drums, Percussion, Piano, Organ, Synthesizers, Tin Whistle
Dan Porvin - Guitar
Sal Monella (Michael Tudor) - Guitar
Mark Dannenhirsch - Guitar
Chris Hunt - Guitar
Dave Boonshoft - Bass (founder of Aguilar Amplification and Naked Music)
Ric Frank - Tenor Sax and Flute
Mike Walters - Tenor Sax and Flute
J.J. Silva - Trumpet, Trombone (original member of Ten Wheel Drive)
Leonard Belota - Trumpet
Leif Arntzen - Trumpet
Pat McCarty - Trombone
Paul Romero - Vocals
Kevin Weist - Vocals (composer of the infamous cockroach songs from the film, Joe's Apartment)
Melissa Schaffer - Vocals
David Lawton - Vocals

1990-1995

Dimitri Mugianis - Vocals
Glenn Johnson - Drums, Percussion
Dan Porvin - Guitar
Al Korosy - Guitar
Dave Boonshoft - Bass
Bob Marx - Tenor Sax and Flute
Russ Johnson - Trumpet
Pat McCarty - Trombone
Paul Romero - Vocals
Kevin Weist - Vocals
David Lawton - Vocals
Angel Jemmott - Vocals (also appeared as Angela on Sesame Street)

Discography

* "Mr. Unique and the Leisure Class" (Leisureco 001) 1983
* "Leisure Class Recordings 1979-1994" (Leisureco 002) 2004

External links

* [http://www.leisureclass.net/ Official website]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4811940 "The Rise, Fall and Reunion of The Leisure Class" on NPR]
* [http://www.youtube.com/leisureclass1 Leisure Class video clips]
* [http://www.motorcityrock.com/ Motor City Rock 1980-1990]
* [http://www.geocities.com/detroitrockandroll Detroit Rock and Roll]