THE FAGS: LAYING SKID MARKS SINCE 1981. The Fags might be the most fun Seattle band to play ‘six degrees of separation’ with…except we’d only have to play with one or two degrees. Direct ties lead to everywhere from 70’s Omni sexual performers Ze Whiz Kidz to neo-hippies SKY CRIES MARY. From THE LEWD to showgirl JULIE MILLER and The Casino de Monte Carlo. From John Holbrook, the man who mastered classic albums like “Tommy” and “Axis: Bold as Love” to Solger’s grimey recording of ’Raping Dead Nuns. And those connections barely scratch the surface.
The band rose out of a loose-knit community of musicians and punks that come and left Seattle’s infamous Fag House during the 1980’s. Key members of the band included Upchuck Gerra who died in 1990; drummer Ben Ireland,, legendary guitarist Paul Solger; filmmaker Barb Ireland and poet/painter Danny Reed. This free-for-all led to some of the most outrageous stage performances ever seen in Seattle….and later in downtown New York where the band re-located in the mid 1980’s. Studio recordings of the band are rare. One of the most astounding is ‘Lock You Up’ which was recently released on a career-spanning CD by Upchuck Gerra. After considerable success in Seattle the band headed to NYC. They found a niche in the downtown music and arts scene, and recorded with producer Yoram Vazan, but called it quits in 1986 to pursue other individual interests. Lead singer Charles "Upchuck" Gerra remained in NYC where he formed and recorded with his band 'Such' until his death from AIDS in 1990.
The members of The Fags continue to work in pop music. BEN IRELAND now drums with the neo-hippie world music band SKY CRIES MARY. PAUL SOLGER having fronted bands like Solger and Ten Minute Warning disappeared from the Seattle scene, but over the years has worked with everyone from JAYNE COUNTY to MARK LANEGAN. DAHNY RAPHAEL has gone on to become a noted poet, songwriter and painter. BARB IRELAND currently collaborates and tours with PEARL JAM'S STONE GOSSARD.
In 2008, with the release of a career-spanning CD by Upchuck" Gerra gave The Fags an opportunity to come together in a tribute concert dedicated to their friend and former lead singer. They were joined onstage by Stone Gossard, who, in a tip of the hat to Gerra, performed in drag. This reunion was so well received that the band decided to reform The Fags as a working outfit. Rather than go the route of reviving their 80’s music the band has chosen to write and record new music. An album is due later this year. Until then, here’s a couple of tracks to remember the classic Fags line-up and the late Upchuck Gerra.
CLICK THROUGH PLAYER TO DOWNLOAD 'LOCK YOU UP'