The Nervebreakers

The Nervebreakers A Dallas-area punk rock band in the late 1970s. Well known for their melodic, rocking punk with a liberal smattering of George Jones, they have the distinction of being one of the only bands to open for The Sex Pistols.

Background

The Nervebreakers began life as a cover band doing avant' garde songs from the sixties. As the Ramones and the Sex Pistols became big in America, the band was finally able to find a sustaining audience. The Nervebreakers first big break came when they opened for the Ramones on December 31, 1977 at The Electric Ballroom, a dance hall in the industrial district of Dallas. In 1978 The Nervebreakers opened for the Sex Pistols at The Longhorn Ballroom, and a photo of Barry made it into the March 1979 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. Later that year the band recorded their debut EP "Politics", and the song "My Girlfriend is A Rock" became a runaway hit in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Boston and was later covered by the Angry Samoans and Wool, among others. They also opened for The Clash, John Cale, The Police and The Boomtown Rats.

The Nervebreakers contacted legendary Psychedelic rock pioneer and Texas native, Roky Erickson and opened several shows as the Nervebreakers and doing double duty by being Roky's backing band.

In 1979 they recorded "Hijack the Radio" and "Why Am I So Flipped", and contributed 2 songs ("So Sorry" (Barry Kooda) and "I Love Your Neurosis") to the ESR Compilation "Are We Too Late For The Trend?" They recorded another song "I Don't Believe In Anything" but it was not released. By 1980, The Nervebreakers were one of the biggest bands in Dallas. They began recording their Debut album "We Want Everything" on May 27, but the album was not released for another fourteen years and then by the French record company, [http://www.limbos.org/newrose/newrose.htm New Rose Records] . After the departure of Mike and Bob, Paul Quigg and James Flory joined and the band won the "Agora's Battle of the Bands" in Dallas. Their prize was recording time at Pantego Studios and they recorded an original "Girls, Girls, Girls, Girls, Girls," along with an obscure Rolling Stones cover "I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys". The band parted company shortly before the single was released on black and blue vinyl in a clear sleeve.Mike, Tex, Bob, Barry and Carl have recently (2007) re-entered the studio to record and release many of the songs they never were able to at the time and, as usual, the release date is yet to be determined.

Band members

* Tom "Tex" Edwards: Vocals
* Mike Haskins Lead Guitar/Vocals
* Barry Kooda Rhythm Guitar/ Vocals
* Carl Giesecke: Drums
* Pierre Thompsons Bass was replaced by Clarke Blacker and later "BBQ" Bob Childress
* Paul Quiqq (Guitar) and James Flory (Bass) replaced Mike and Bob for the East Coast tour and the 45 single *"Girls.../...Boys"
* Walter Brock: played Farfisa and was instrumental in writing some of the band's most notable, early songs prior to the name change from Mr. Nervous Breakdown to The Nervebreakers when Walter left and Barry joined.

External links

* [http://www.nervebreakers.com Official Website]