Nervebreakers are a

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

-area

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

band that formed in 1973. The band became known for melodic, rocking punk with liberal doses of

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American Country music, country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and is well known for his distinctive voice an ...

and

psychedelia Psychedelia usually refers to a Aesthetics, style or aesthetic that is resembled in the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience produced by certain psychoactive substances. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic ...

, and has the distinction of being one of the few bands to open for

The Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...

Background

Nervebreakers started as a cover band playing songs from the 1960s. As the

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...

and The Sex Pistols became big in America, the band was able to find a sustaining audience. The band's first big break came when they opened for the Ramones on July 24, 1977 at The Electric Ballroom, a dance hall in the industrial district of Dallas. In January 1978, Nervebreakers opened for The Sex Pistols at The Longhorn Ballroom, and a photo of guitarist Barry Kooda appeared in the March 1978 issue of

Rolling Stone Magazine ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known ...

. Later that year, the band recorded their debut EP, ''Politics''. 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 Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...

, among others. The band also opened for

The Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...

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and

Johnny Thunders John Anthony Genzale (July 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991), known professionally as Johnny Thunders, was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He came to prominence in the early 1970s as a member of New York Dolls. He later formed the He ...

. The band contacted legendary

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

pioneer and Texas native

Roky Erickson Roger Kynard "Roky" Erickson (July 15, 1947 – May 31, 2019) was an American musician and singer-songwriter. Called an "outsider genius," he was a founding member and the leader of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic r ...

and wound up doing double duty by opening several shows as Nervebreakers, as well as being Erickson's backing band. A live recording of one of these shows was released on CD by the French record company New Rose Records. In 1979 they recorded a single for Wild Child Records containing the songs "Hijack the Radio" and "Why Am I So Flipped," and contributed two songs ("So Sorry" 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, Nervebreakers were one of the biggest bands in Dallas. They began recording a full-length album, ''We Want Everything'', on May 27 that year, but the album remained unreleased until 1994 when a vinyl LP on the Texas rarities/reissue label Existential Vacuum was released to rave reviews. Shortly thereafter, the album was picked up by garage/punk label Get Hip Records, and a CD was made available worldwide. In 2000, Italian label Rave Up Records released ''Hijack the Radio'', a vinyl collection of singles, rarities and live cuts. After the departure of Mike Haskins and Bob Childress in 1981, Paul Quigg and James Flory joined, and Nervebreakers won the Agora's Battle of the Bands in Dallas. The prize was recording time at Pantego Studios, where they recorded the Thom Edwards/Mike Haskins original "Girls, Girls, Girls, Girls, Girls," along with an obscure Rolling Stones cover, "I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys." The single was released on black and blue vinyl in a clear sleeve, but by then the band had already parted company. In 2014, the

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series '' Halt and Catch Fire'', which takes place in the 1980s, featured the Nervebreakers' "I Love Your Neurosis" briefly during the opening sequence of the fourth episode of the series' first season.

Reforming

Mike, Tex, Barry, Carl and Bob re-entered the studio in 2007-2008 to record new original material for an album entitled ''Face Up to Reality'', which was initially slated for release in 2011. In 2009, Nervebreakers returned to live performance, with several shows in

Austin Austin refers to: Common meanings * Austin, Texas, United States, a city * Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...

and Dallas.

Band members

* Thom "Tex" Edwards: Vocals * Mike Haskins: Lead Guitar/Vocals * Barry "Kooda" Huebner: Rhythm Guitar/ Vocals * Carl Giesecke: Drums * Pierre Thompson: Bass; was replaced by Clarke Blacker and later "BBQ" Bob Childress * Paul Quigg (Guitar) and James Flory (Bass) replaced Mike and Bob for the East Coast tour and the 45 single *"Girls.../...Boys" * Walter Brock: Farfisa; was instrumental in writing some of the band's most notable early songs prior to the name change from Mr. Nervous Breakdown to Nervebreakers when Walter left and Barry joined. * Tom Ordon: sometime manager and proprietor of Wild Child Records which released three singles for the band.

References

External links

Nervebreakers Official Website

Nervebreakers on Facebook

T. Tex Edwards

Barry Kooda

Dallas Observer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nervebreakers Punk rock groups from Texas Musical groups from Dallas Musical groups established in 1975