The Tubes

About The Tubes

The Tubes were a popular rock band in the late 1970's and the early 1980's, known not solely for their brand of glam/satiric rock, but also for their performance style. The Tubes introduced a new level of entertainment to the usual rock concerts because they took the time to choreograph entire shows that were often satirical of other music bands and most often, television shows. Like an early version of Weird Al Yankovic, The Tubes made comments on the social scene through their music and through their acts that mimicked popular trends and questioned their validity. General topics for mockery included politics, capitalism, and the media in such a way as to incorporate pornography and other questionable acts.nnFrontman Quay Lewd (a stage name) often took this role of social satirist and performance excess to the utmost extremes, appearing drunk and intoxicated on any number of illegal substances, dressed in gaudy clothes and sparkling sunglasses to deliver his piece. The band has been cited as one of the forerunners to the ultimate modern rock show: the music video. Creating entire productions within one song, The Tubes made their fans and their money from the success that comes of shock value and distinctiveness. nnThis rare brand of production quality and dedication to an entire theme made The Tubes a frontrunner to artists like the above mentioned Al Yankovic, but also to several other modern bands who excel in both their music video productions and their ability to carry off satirical content; notably Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies, NOFX and The Darkness. In recent years the band released The Tubes World Tour 2001 and they continue to tour.