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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:39 pm
by swirlgirl
I told my husband about this and here's what he had to say:
Ah, Wheelz of Steel...
I found my copy at a used record store in Milwaukee. A friend had told me that Rich & Ray had recorded an album, but I'd always dismissed it with a "Yeah, sure." But there it was.
The Markowskis were classmates of mine in Milwaukee. We were not friends, but were in one class together...for a few weeks.
Rich & Ray were identical twin brothers. I never really knew which was which, as both had the same hair and the same wardrobe: jeans & army jacket (decorated with band logos in black marker). Oh...and both were in wheelchairs....hence the band name?
The recording:
I visited the studio once. Not a bad place, but a friend of mine recorded there and was talked into recording the guitar direct through a distortion pedal. Sounded awful...and awfully similar to the W.O.S. tone. The drummer ("T.R.") was either a Roland TR606 or TR808. The wife and have joked that the drum machine was added later.
As far as selling it, I don't know. We do have a cleaned-up version on CD. Maybe I'll make some of it available. We'll see.
I am curious as to how you guys found it/heard of it. I know we've shared it with many people around here.
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:09 pm
by swirlgirl
You guys may already be aware, but some bits of it are up on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDIDO9PTvXw
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:17 pm
by swirlgirl
Hmm...I was just looking around. In my previous post my husband had said that Rich & Ray were twins...but I'm seeing info that Rich is 46 and Ray is 48.
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:17 pm
by DaN
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:22 pm
by swirlgirl
DaN wrote:Sorry, that was rude again
Not sure why they were in chairs. He has mentioned that they were not pleasant guys...
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:48 pm
by The Knell
Awesome...thanks for the infos. Heh, that bandname seems a lot cooler now
Wouldnt mind to get the full record
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:44 am
by Stormspell
Alright, I can understand that two retarded kids with too much time on their hands can sit in their bedroom and record such "album".
What I completely fail to understand is why people keep talking about it and even want to buy it... it is so pointlessly stupid and crappy it is not even funny...
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:48 am
by The Knell
why bother mr. stormspell, it's not your money
I have a thing for such shite
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:35 pm
by Satan is Our Pal
stormspell wrote:Alright, I can understand that two retarded kids with too much time on their hands can sit in their bedroom and record such "album".
What I completely fail to understand is why people keep talking about it and even want to buy it... it is so pointlessly stupid and crappy it is not even funny...
Hmmmmm, not a nice attitude towards the handicap. The fact that this LP has been released puts a smile on my face. Although it's not a patch on NWOBHM hopefuls Storm Cry, Black Metal from the bedroom.
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:45 pm
by ION BRITTON
What's interesting for me is the fact that people who are not interested in crap/weird/incredibly strange metal usually make the same kind of comments on such albums. One thing i have to say is that something can be entertaining or interesting in many different ways, you don't always have to bang your head and raise your fist when you listen to metal...
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:30 pm
by swirlgirl
stormspell wrote:Alright, I can understand that two retarded kids with too much time on their hands can sit in their bedroom and record such "album".
What I completely fail to understand is why people keep talking about it and even want to buy it... it is so pointlessly stupid and crappy it is not even funny...
What I completely fail to understand is how "in wheelchairs" equals "retarded"....
Also, it was recorded in a "real studio". They, or their family, obviously bought studio time and had records made.
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:51 pm
by The Knell
Do you still have some sort of contact to this band available? I'd like to know if they sit on a pile of unsold LP copies or the like , ha
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 5:01 pm
by DaN
swirlgirl wrote:stormspell wrote:Alright, I can understand that two retarded kids with too much time on their hands can sit in their bedroom and record such "album".
What I completely fail to understand is why people keep talking about it and even want to buy it... it is so pointlessly stupid and crappy it is not even funny...
What I completely fail to understand is how "in wheelchairs" equals "retarded"....
I don't think anyone is saying that. The "retarded" speculations has more to do with how the record sounds and why.
Also, it was recorded in a "real studio". They, or their family, obviously bought studio time and had records made.
..which is really kinda sweet when you think about it. Unlike most "professional" album releases this was a snapshot out of the everyday life of this family, something you very seldom see preserved on an
LP. I guess this is why records like this are often referred to as "Real People-music".
Btw, wasn't it mentioned in this thread that one of the brothers has passed away? If it's true it leaves a somber note on this whole story
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 5:01 pm
by swirlgirl
The Knell wrote:Do you still have some sort of contact to this band available? I'd like to know if they sit on a pile of unsold LP copies or the like , ha
We don't. Like I posted, they were in a class with my husband, but only briefly, and he wasn't friends with them. Just knew of them.
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:08 pm
by doomedplanet
How did we hear about it? We I started mentioning it on this forum some years ago to the forum owner, because it falls into the category of "incredibly strange music". I first heard this album I think in 1994 or 1995 at a friends house, any time he would get a few beers in him he felt like pulling this record out and playing a song or 2 off of it. I didn't like it but I didn't forget it either. There are a number of guys on this forum that like strange music too and though it isn't metal, the album is rare and obscure and has a kind of "metal" name. As a result of our interest now we are hearing some of the real history behind the album.
cheers,
Rob
swirlgirl wrote:
I am curious as to how you guys found it/heard of it. I know we've shared it with many people around here.
