Tough MoFos: The Supersuckers

My bad for not doing this post earlier – much earlier -- but I really wanted to get something up about Eddie Spaghetti, the lead singer of the self-proclaimed “Greatest Rock-N-Roll Band In The World,” the Supersuckers, who is currently engaged in a fight with throat cancer.

It was announced in June that Eddie Spaghetti (born Edward Daly) was diagnosed with stage 3 oropharynx cancer. Since then, he has undergone surgery. The following note was posted to Spaghetti's Facebook page by his family on August 20:


“Thank you everyone for all your sweet messages. Eddie is out of surgery and in his room, resting comfortably now although super sore. This afternoon around 1 p.m. we saw Eddie's speech and swallow therapist, she thinks he has a long way to go before he will be eating and drinking again. Eddie and I both think his progress is being held back by the NG tube. It is like your finger is up your nose and down your throat- of course it is hard to swallow! So we have our fingers crossed that with the tube now placed in his stomach (ouch!) he will make more progress. Just one of the many joys of cancer- you just have to keep standing the **** up and going forward.”

Since the announcement in June, there have been benefit concerts and fundraisers across the country for Eddie Spaghetti's treatment and to help offset some of the income lost because of the illness. There had been a European tour planned that was cancelled as a result of the cancer. Fans have responded well and of course we'll post information on where you can donate as well.
 
Despite all the illness and all of the disruption that has come with it, the Supersuckers have just finished a new CD, Holdin' the Bag, due for release October 16. Word is that the album returns the group to a country sound, a road they’ve traveled over frequently in the course of their almost 20-year history.You can listen to the first track here.
 
For those of you yet to have the Supersuckers experience, they're a music writer’s nightmare to describe. At times, they've flirted with arena rock, at other times moved more in a punk direction, or blues-rock. Fact is, they’ve gone in so many directions it's tough to track them all. One constant has been a tongue-in-cheek attitude that prevents them from taking anything – especially themselves – too seriously. Their brand of rock and roll may always keep you guessing, but it also keeps you listening, too.

The band started in 1988 in Tucson, Arizona, taking their name from a piece of, as they described it, "fine adult literature." By 1989 they decided Tucson wasn’t happening for them, and they set their sights on a few different locales, including New Orleans and Seattle.

I was lucky enough to do a story about the Supersuckers for the local paper here in Riverside, Calif., where they did a show in 2007. I interviewed former guitarist Rontrose Heathman, who gave me a little insight to the band. 

The story they told publicly was that they flipped a coin, and heads they pointed them northwest to Seattle or tails would send them Southeast to the Crescent City. Heathman confirmed the story -- sort of -- but said they took steps to make sure the coin came up heads.

The band arrived in Seattle just as grunge was busting out, and also signed to the label famous for breaking grunge, Sub-Pop. But while the band's music did have his punkish flourishes, as well as its DIY work ethic, in reality they had little else in common with bands like Nirvana or Soundgarden.

For many years darlings of the underground, Their most successful album came in 1997 with Must've Been High, a terrific album really more in the cowpunk vein than straight-up country. The album featured a guest spot from none other than Willie Nelson. Later, the band would also collaborate with Steve Earle.

Much of Spaghetti's solo work tilts heavily towards country, both with his originals and with covers of the likes of Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, although as with all things Supersucker, it never fit completely in anybody else's lines.


 
Far too quirky for mainstream radio, the Supersuckers have found Little Steven's Underground Garage as

one of their best outlets. They've had at least two "Coolest Song in the World" picks -- "Shake it Off" in 2005 and "Get the Hell" in 2014, and have also performed on an Underground Garage road show.




While fans have obviously been quite generous, every bit helps. If you wish to donate, there you can help out at here.