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The Skunks are an American three-piece rock band formed in 1977 in Austin, Texas. The band debuted in early 1978 at Raul's, quickly became a mainstay of the Austin music scene. They rapidly expanded their fan base beyond early punk/new wave into clubs whose audiences crossed the spectrum, including the Armadillo World Headquarters, the Continental Club, Dukes Royal Coach, Club Foot, Liberty Lunch, and many others in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Skunks music channeled classic rock influences, such as The Rolling Stones and The Who, with 1970s cult figures such as the New York Dolls and The Velvet Underground.^[1]

History

The Skunks made their Austin debut at Raul's club in February 1978, after having played a series of dates in Dallas and Fort Worth in January of that year with another Austin band, The Violators.^[2] The original band members were Jesse Sublett on vocals and bass, "Fazz" Eddie Munoz on guitar and Billy Blackmon on drums. After recording their first eponymous album, the so-called Black LP, Eddie Munoz left for Los Angeles at the end of 1978 and joined The Plimsouls. Jon Dee Graham replaced him on guitar in January 1979, thus forming the definitive Skunks lineup.^[3]

Their first single release, "Earthquake Shake", was recorded for $10. Copies are known to fetch hundreds of dollars when they appear at auction. Infused with a powerful guitar attack and Sublett's active, up-front electric bass, The Skunks' sound is best represented in songs like "Cheap Girl" and "Push Me Around", both of which appeared on the first Austin punk compilation album, Live at Raul's.^[4]

The Violators co-headlined their opening gig at Raul's with a band, which featured, along with Jesse Sublett, Kathy Valentine who would later join the Go-Go's, Carla Olson and Marilyn Dean.^[5] The Skunks and The Violators are generally recognized as Austin's first two punk bands, and this gig as the first Austin punk show. The core fan base that formed at Raul's would provide the alternative voice in an evolving Austin music scene that would eventually be called "The Live Music Capital of the World", spawning the SXSW and ACL festivals. Local Austin punk bands which sprouted from this scene included The Explosives, The Dicks, The Huns, The Big Boys, Terminal Mind, Sharon Tate's Baby, and Butthole Surfers.^[6]

The Skunks were one of the first Austin punk bands to tour nationally. They played CBGB's in August 1979 and Max's Kansas City in 1980 and opened for The Ramones, The Police, Gang of Four, Ultravox, The Clash, John Cale, The Cramps and many others. During their sets they were often joined onstage by touring artists such as Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, and Joe Ely,^[7] as well as members of The Clash, Cheap Trick and Blondie.

The Skunks were inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

Formation

Founders Jesse Sublett and Eddie Munoz started played together in the glam blues band Jelly Roll from 1975 to 1977 before recruiting Billy Blackmon and forming the initial lineup of The Skunks. After Munoz's departure in 1978 he was replaced on guitar by Jon Dee Grahm who remained with the band until the summer of 1980 and was replaced by Doug Murray, formerly of Terminal Mind. Blackmon left the band in 1982 and was replaced on drums by Doug Murray's brother, Greg Murray, a lineup that lasted until 1983 when conflicting opinions within the band led to their break up during pre-production of their second LP on Republic Records. Austin rock critic Margaret Moser writes: "In Austin’s punk rock history book, the Skunks are the first page. From the time they played the original alt-rock nightspot, Raul’s, through lineup changes that eventually brought them right back to the beginning, this trio toughed it out. Bassist Jesse Sublett, guitarist Jon Dee Graham, and drummer Billy Blackmon's muscular power punk is still as potent and danceable now as it was 20 years ago."^[8]

Jesse reunited what is considered the classic lineup of Sublett, Graham, and Blackmon in 1985 for a reunion show at Austin's Liberty Lunch. Starting in 2000 this lineup began playing annual reunion gigs at The Continental Club in Austin, Texas.^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]

Discography

Studio albums

The Skunks aka the Black Album (Rude Records, 1980)
The Skunks aka the Purple Album (Republic, 1982)

Live albums

Earthquake Shake live CD (Skunks Records, 2001)
Earthquake Shake vinyl LP (Rave Up Records, 2002)

Compilation albums

Live at Raul's (Raul's Records, 1979)

Extended plays

Cheap Girl (Skunks Records, 1980)

Singles

"Earthquake Shake" b/w "Can't Get Loose" (Skunks Records, 1979) (re-released by Last Laugh Records in 2011)
"The Racket" b/w "What Do You Want" (Skunks Records, 1981)

References

^ Jesse Sublett, "Never the Same Again: A Rock 'n' Roll Gothic," Ten Speed Press, 2004
^ ""No Willie, Waylon, or the Armadillo in 1977!!!" the Punk Beast Begins to Stir in Austin".
^ "MUSICIAN | Jesse Sublett AUTHOR | ARTIST | MUSICIAN".
^ Ken Lieck, "Young, Loud and Cheap: The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies," The Austin Chronicle, December 8, 2000, https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-12-08/79685/
^ Kathy Valentine, All I Ever Wanted: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir, UT Press, Austin 2021
^ Klemen Breznikar, "The Skunks: Interview: Jesse Sublett," It's Psychedelic, Baby, https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-12-08/79685/
^ [1] ^{[dead link]}
^ Austin Chronicle, December 12, 2006
^ "The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies, The Austin Chronicle, December 8, 2000
^ Never the Same Again: A Rock N' Roll Gothic, Jesse Sublett, Ten Speed Press / Boaz 2004
^ "Skunks". Archived from the original on 2008-06-19. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
^ [2] ^{[dead link]}
^ "Concert 1978-05-22 Austin - the Elvis Costello Wiki".

[1] Jesse Sublett, "Never the Same Again: A Rock 'n' Roll Gothic," Ten Speed Press, 2004

[2] ""No Willie, Waylon, or the Armadillo in 1977!!!" the Punk Beast Begins to Stir in Austin".

[3] "MUSICIAN | Jesse Sublett AUTHOR | ARTIST | MUSICIAN".

[4] Ken Lieck, "Young, Loud and Cheap: The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies," The Austin Chronicle, December 8, 2000, https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-12-08/79685/

[5] Kathy Valentine, All I Ever Wanted: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir, UT Press, Austin 2021

[6] Klemen Breznikar, "The Skunks: Interview: Jesse Sublett," It's Psychedelic, Baby, https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-12-08/79685/

[7] [1] ^{[dead link]}

[8] Austin Chronicle, December 12, 2006

[9] "The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies, The Austin Chronicle, December 8, 2000

[10] Never the Same Again: A Rock N' Roll Gothic, Jesse Sublett, Ten Speed Press / Boaz 2004

[11] "Skunks". Archived from the original on 2008-06-19. Retrieved 2009-05-24.

[12] [2] ^{[dead link]}

[13] "Concert 1978-05-22 Austin - the Elvis Costello Wiki".

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|American rock band}}
-{{Cleanup|date=May 2009}}
-{{for|the ska band from Washington, DC, formed in 1988|The Skunks (ska band)}}
+{{For|the ska band from Washington, DC, formed in 1988|The Skunks (ska band)}}
+{{Refimprove|date=June 2023}}
-'''The Skunks''' are a [[Musical ensemble#Three parts 2|three-piece rock band]] formed in 1977 in [[Austin, Texas]].
+'''The Skunks''' are an American [[Musical ensemble#Three parts 2|three-piece rock band]] formed in 1977 in [[Austin, Texas]]. The band debuted in early 1978 at [[Raul's (night club)|Raul's]], quickly became a mainstay of the Austin music scene. They rapidly expanded their fan base beyond early [[Punk rock|punk]]/[[New wave music|new wave]] into clubs whose audiences crossed the spectrum, including the [[Armadillo World Headquarters]], the [[Continental Club]], [[Dukes Royal Coach]], [[Club Foot]], [[Liberty Lunch]], and many others in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Skunks music channeled classic rock influences, such as [[The Rolling Stones]] and [[The Who]], with 1970s cult figures such as the [[New York Dolls]] and [[The Velvet Underground]].<ref>Jesse Sublett, "Never the Same Again: A Rock 'n' Roll Gothic," Ten Speed Press, 2004</ref>
 ==History==
+The Skunks made their Austin debut at Raul's club in February 1978, after having played a series of dates in Dallas and Fort Worth in January of that year with another Austin band, The Violators.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2021-12-24/no-willie-waylon-or-the-armadillo-in-1977-the-punk-beast-begins-to-stir-in-austin/ | title="No Willie, Waylon, or the Armadillo in 1977!!!" the Punk Beast Begins to Stir in Austin }}</ref> The original band members were [[Jesse Sublett]] on vocals and [[bass guitar|bass]], "Fazz" Eddie Munoz on [[guitar]] and Billy Blackmon on [[drums]]. After recording their first eponymous album, the so-called ''Black LP'', Eddie Munoz left for Los Angeles at the end of 1978 and joined [[The Plimsouls]]. [[Jon Dee Graham]] replaced him on [[guitar]] in January 1979, thus forming the definitive Skunks lineup.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jessesublett.com/musician | title=MUSICIAN &#124; Jesse Sublett AUTHOR &#124; ARTIST &#124; MUSICIAN }}</ref>
-The band debuted in early 1978 and quickly became a mainstay of the [[Austin, Texas]] music scene. They rapidly expanded their fan base beyond the club they started, [[Raul's (night club)|Raul's]] and other similar early [[Punk rock|punk]]/[[New wave music|new wave]] venues, but into clubs whose audiences crossed the spectrum, including the [[Armadillo World Headquarters]], the [[Continental Club]], [[Dukes Royal Coach]], [[Club Foot]], [[Liberty Lunch]], and many others in the late 1970s and early 80s. The Skunks music channeled classic rock influences, such as [[The Rolling Stones]] and [[The Who]] with Seventies cult figures such as the [[New York Dolls]] and [[The Velvet Underground]], infused with a powerful guitar attack and Sublett's active, up-front electric bass. The Skunks sound is best represented in songs like "''Cheap Girl''" and "''Push Me Around''", both of which appeared on the first Austin punk compilation album, ''[[Live at Raul's]].''
+Their first single release, "Earthquake Shake", was recorded for $10. Copies are known to fetch hundreds of dollars when they appear at auction. Infused with a powerful guitar attack and Sublett's active, up-front electric bass, The Skunks' sound is best represented in songs like "Cheap Girl" and "Push Me Around", both of which appeared on the first Austin punk compilation album, ''Live at Raul's''.<ref>Ken Lieck, "Young, Loud and Cheap: The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies," ''The Austin Chronicle'', December 8, 2000, https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-12-08/79685/</ref>
-The Skunks made their Austin debut at Raul's club in February 1978, after having played a series of dates in Dallas and Fort Worth in January of that year with another Austin band, The Violators. The original band members were [[Jesse Sublett]] on vocals and [[bass guitar|bass]], "Fazz" Eddie Munoz on [[guitar]] and Billy Blackmon on [[drums]]. After recording their first eponymous album, the so-called "Black LP", Eddie Munoz left for Los Angeles at the end of 1978 and joined [[The Plimsouls]]. [[Jon Dee Graham]] replaced him on [[guitar]] in January 1979, thus forming the definitive Skunks lineup. Their first single release, "Earthquake Shake", was recorded for $10. Copies are known to fetch hundreds of dollars when they appear at auction. The Skunks were inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
-Co-Headlining their opening gig at Raul's with a band called The Violators which featured, along with Jesse Sublett, [[Kathy Valentine]] who would later join the [[Go-Go's]], [[Carla Olson]] and Marilyn Dean. The Skunks and The Violators are generally recognized as Austin's first two punk bands and this gig as the first Austin punk show. The core fan base that formed around Raul's would provide the alternative voice in an evolving Austin music scene that would eventually call its base "The Live Music Capital Of The World," spawning the [[South by Southwest|SXSW]] and [[Austin City Limits Music Festival|ACL]] festivals. Some of the other Austin connected punk bands sprouting from this scene included The Explosives, The Dicks, The Huns, The Big Boys, Terminal Mind, Sharon Tate's Baby, and [[Butthole Surfers]].
+The Violators co-headlined their opening gig at Raul's with a band, which featured, along with Jesse Sublett, [[Kathy Valentine]] who would later join the [[Go-Go's]], [[Carla Olson]] and Marilyn Dean.<ref>Kathy Valentine, ''All I Ever Wanted: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir'', UT Press, Austin 2021</ref> The Skunks and The Violators are generally recognized as Austin's first two punk bands, and this gig as the first Austin punk show. The core fan base that formed at Raul's would provide the alternative voice in an evolving Austin music scene that would eventually be called "The Live Music Capital of the World", spawning the [[South by Southwest|SXSW]] and [[Austin City Limits Music Festival|ACL]] festivals. Local Austin punk bands which sprouted from this scene included The Explosives, The Dicks, The Huns, The Big Boys, Terminal Mind, Sharon Tate's Baby, and [[Butthole Surfers]].<ref>Klemen Breznikar, "The Skunks: Interview: Jesse Sublett," It's Psychedelic, Baby, https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-12-08/79685/</ref>
-One of the first Austin punk bands to tour nationally, The Skunks played [[CBGB's]] in August 1979 and [[Max's Kansas City]] in 1980 and opened for such national and international acts as [[The Ramones]], [[The Police]], [[Gang Of Four]], [[Ultravox]], [[The Clash]], [[John Cale]], [[The Cramps]] and many others. During their sets they were often joined onstage by touring artists such as [[Elvis Costello]], [[Patti Smith]], [[Joe Ely]],<ref>http://homepage.mac.com/blackmarketclash/Bands/Clash/recordings/1979/79-10-04%20Armadillo%20HQ/79-10-04%20Armadillo%20HQ.html</ref> as well as members of [[The Clash]], [[Cheap Trick]] and [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]].
+The Skunks were one of the first Austin punk bands to tour nationally. They played [[CBGB's]] in August 1979 and [[Max's Kansas City]] in 1980 and opened for [[The Ramones]], [[The Police]], [[Gang of Four (band)|Gang of Four]], [[Ultravox]], [[The Clash]], [[John Cale]], [[The Cramps]] and many others. During their sets they were often joined onstage by touring artists such as [[Elvis Costello]], [[Patti Smith]], and [[Joe Ely]],<ref>[http://homepage.mac.com/blackmarketclash/Bands/Clash/recordings/1979/79-10-04%20Armadillo%20HQ/79-10-04%20Armadillo%20HQ.html] {{Dead link|date=August 2022}}</ref> as well as members of [[The Clash]], [[Cheap Trick]] and [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]].
+The Skunks were inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
-Founders Jesse Sublett and Eddie Munoz initially played together in the glam blues band Jelly Roll from 1975 to 1977 before recruiting Billy Blackmon and forming the initial lineup of The Skunks. After Munoz's departure in 1978 he was replaced on guitar by Jon Dee Grahm who remained with the band until the summer of 1980 and was replaced by Doug Murray, formerly of Terminal Mind. Blackmon left the band in 1982 and was replaced on drums by Doug Murray's brother, Greg Murray, a lineup that lasted  until 1983 when conflicting opinions within the band led to their break up during pre-production of their second LP on Republic Records. Austin rock critic [[Margaret Moser]] writes: "In Austin’s punk rock history book, the Skunks are the first page. From the time they played the original alt-rock nightspot, Raul’s, through lineup changes that eventually brought them right back to the beginning, this trio toughed it out. Bassist Jesse Sublett, guitarist Jon Dee Graham, and drummer Billy Blackmon’s muscular power punk is still as potent and danceable now as it was 20 years ago."<ref>Austin Chronicle, December 12, 2006</ref>
+=== Formation ===
-Jesse reunited what is considered the classic lineup of Sublett, Graham, and Blackmon in 1985 for a reunion show at Austin's Liberty Lunch. Starting in 2000 this lineup began playing annual reunion gigs at The Continental Club in Austin, Texas.<ref>"The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies, The Austin Chronicle, December 8, 2000</ref><ref>Never the Same Again: A Rock N' Roll Gothic, Jesse Sublett, Ten Speed Press / Boaz 2004</ref><ref>http://www.unlockaustin.com/Band/Skunks</ref><ref>http://malford.ci.austin.tx.us/library/news/nr20080403.htm</ref>
+Founders Jesse Sublett and Eddie Munoz started played together in the glam blues band Jelly Roll from 1975 to 1977 before recruiting Billy Blackmon and forming the initial lineup of The Skunks. After Munoz's departure in 1978 he was replaced on guitar by Jon Dee Grahm who remained with the band until the summer of 1980 and was replaced by Doug Murray, formerly of Terminal Mind. Blackmon left the band in 1982 and was replaced on drums by Doug Murray's brother, Greg Murray, a lineup that lasted until 1983 when conflicting opinions within the band led to their break up during pre-production of their second LP on Republic Records. Austin rock critic [[Margaret Moser]] writes: "In Austin’s punk rock history book, the Skunks are the first page. From the time they played the original alt-rock nightspot, Raul’s, through lineup changes that eventually brought them right back to the beginning, this trio toughed it out. Bassist Jesse Sublett, guitarist Jon Dee Graham, and drummer Billy Blackmon's muscular power punk is still as potent and danceable now as it was 20 years ago."<ref>''Austin Chronicle'', December 12, 2006</ref>
+Jesse reunited what is considered the classic lineup of Sublett, Graham, and Blackmon in 1985 for a reunion show at Austin's Liberty Lunch. Starting in 2000 this lineup began playing annual reunion gigs at The Continental Club in Austin, Texas.<ref>"The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies, ''The Austin Chronicle'', December 8, 2000</ref><ref>Never the Same Again: A Rock N' Roll Gothic, Jesse Sublett, Ten Speed Press / Boaz 2004</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.unlockaustin.com/Band/Skunks |title=Skunks |access-date=2009-05-24 |archive-date=2008-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619040045/http://www.unlockaustin.com/Band/Skunks |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://malford.ci.austin.tx.us/library/news/nr20080403.htm] {{dead link|date=June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php?title=Concert_1978-05-22_Austin | title=Concert 1978-05-22 Austin - the Elvis Costello Wiki }}</ref>
 ==Discography==
@@ Line 22: / Line 26: @@
 '''Live albums'''
-* ''Earthquake Shake'' Live CD  (Skunks Records, 2001)
+* ''Earthquake Shake'' live CD  (Skunks Records, 2001)
-* ''Earthquake Shake'' Vinyl LP  (Rave Up Records, 2002)
+* ''Earthquake Shake'' vinyl LP  (Rave Up Records, 2002)
 '''Compilation albums'''
-* ''Live At Raul's'' (Raul's Records, 1979)
+* ''Live at Raul's'' (Raul's Records, 1979)
 '''Extended plays'''
@@ Line 32: / Line 36: @@
 '''Singles'''
-* ''Earthquake Shake'' b/w ''Can't Get Loose''  (Skunks Records, 1979) (re-released by [[Last Laugh Records]] in 2011)
+* "Earthquake Shake" b/w "Can't Get Loose" (Skunks Records, 1979) (re-released by [[Last Laugh Records]] in 2011)
-* ''The Racket'' b/w ''What Do You Want''  (Skunks Records, 1981)
+* "The Racket" b/w "What Do You Want" (Skunks Records, 1981)
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-<references/>
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Skunks}}

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