Beatnik Termites

The Beatnik Termites are a Cleveland, Ohio power pop band with a heavy surf rock influence.

The band's original lineup of Reggie Silvestri on drums, Pat Kim (AKA Pat Termite) on guitar and lead vocals and Brian McCafferty on bass formed in 1987. Their sound and vocals are similar in style to the Beach Boys and early 1960s girl groups. While often lumped under the category pop punk, what sets them apart from other bands in this genre is their more complicated melodies, vocal arrangements, and mid-tempo beats. They are seen as the progenitors of subgenre of punk dubbed "oldies-core", which is characterized by sugary doo-wop/oldies-influenced harmonies coupled with aggressive buzzsaw guitars and surf punk drumbeats.

After releasing several EPs and compilation tracks, the Beatnik Termites released their first full-length album, "Taste the Sand", in 1995, which established them as the torchbearers of the oldies-core genre.

After Brian McCafferty left the band in 1995 and joined another Cleveland area pop-punk band, The Unknown, the band lacked a bass player for several years. Soon after, Josh Yakunich, formerly with The Proms, joined the band to record the live album "Live at the Orifice" in 1996 which was later released in 1997. Also in 1997, they recorded "Bubblecore" with Pat Kim playing Bass. This release was a foray into harder-edged sounds, and after discussions to release the album with pop-punk giant Lookout! Records, they eventually released it with Recess Records in 2002.

In 1997, the band covered the entire Ramones 1981 album "Pleasant Dreams" released jointly by Coldfront Records and Clearview Records. In 2003, they returned to their classic oldies-influenced sound with "Girl Crazy". The Beatnik Termites' catalog is currently available on Insubordination Records.

Examples of other bands derivative of this style (some of whom cite the Beatnik Termites as a direct influence) include the Spazzys, The Proms, The Travoltas and The Unlovables. The Beatnik Termites are also cited as a major influence by numerous straightforward pop punk acts including the Teen Idols, Mach Pelican, and The Steinways. The Queers are rumored to have named their "Bubblegum Dreams" EP after two Beanik Termites releases, "Bubblecore" and "Schoolboy's Dream", respectively; even co-opting the artwork theme from "Bubblecore". Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is documented to have cited the Beatnik Termites as a favorite band in the "Cobain Diaries".

Discography

*Self-Titled [LP] (1989)Charlie Brown Gets A Valentine

Strawberry Girl

When She's Nearby

Circles

Veronica

Faces

Sand Castles

*Ode to Susie and Joey [7"] (1991)Ode to Susie and Joey

Termite Hop

*Schoolboy's Dream [7"] (1993)Charlie Brown Gets A Valentine

Denise,Denise

9:15

Veronica

Angel Saw Reggie's D*ck

*Taste the Sand [LP/CD] (1995)Ode To Susie and Joey

9:15

Denise, Denise

Angel Saw Reggie's D*ck

Halfpipe

Surf Dancin'

Mary Lou

Voice On The Radio

Termite Hop

Undesirable

My Sweet Valentine

*Strawberry Girl [7"] (1995)Strawberry Girl

When She's Nearby

*Live at the Orifice [LP/CD] (1997)Charlie Brown Gets A Valentine

9:15

How Many Times

Strawberry Girl

Angel Saw Reggie's D*ck

Mary Lou

When She's Nearby

Granola Head

Veronica

Surf Dancin'

Ode To Susie and Joey

Termite Hop

I Don't Wanna Be Bad

Shit, Fuck

*Bubblecore [LP/CD] (1996)I Don't Wanna Hang Around

You're All Talk

A Girl I Know

Sh*t, F*ck

I Don't Wanna Be Bad

Skateboard

You're the Only One

You Make Me Sick

Circles

Eddie's Got a New Zit

Can't Pretend

Jailbreak

Beach Girl

Don't Tell Me

*Pleasant Dreams [LP/CD] (1997)We Want the Airwaves

All's Quiet on the Eastern Front

The KKK Took My Baby Away

Don't Go

You Sound Like You're Sick

She's a Sensation

7-11

You Didn't Mean Anything to Me

Come on Now

This Business is Killing Me

Sitting in My Room

*Girl Crazy [CD] (2003)Red Haired Girl

Somebody Else's Baby

Amanda Tells Me

Rock All Night

Reanna

Dream Girl

Angel

Sorry

All Messed Up

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/beatniktermites/ Beatnik Termites' Unofficial Home Page]
* [http://www.insubordinationrecords.com Insubordination Records]
* [http://www.myspace.com/BeatnikTermites Beatnik Termites' MySpace Page]