The Tubes
Since the difference that separates The Tubes and Utopia is slight, I don't have any trouble tossing The Tubes into a discussion of progressive rock (recognizing that the centrifugal force of certain loyalties will eventually push them to the periphery). The band's debut was over-the-top theatre rock ("White Punks On Dope," "Mondo Bondage"), and remains for many their best album. The second was funny but less musically astute ("Don't Touch Me There," "Slipped My Disco"). On the concept album Remote Control, produced by Todd Rundgren, the fortunes of Utopia and The Tubes intersected; in a sense, this is the great lost Utopia album. In the 1980's, The Tubes retracted their claws and began making more commercial music, including some of their most memorable hits: "Talk To You Later," "Don't Want To Wait Anymore," "She's A Beauty." They resurfaced in the mid 90s with the intelligent but largely ignored Genius of America, and mounted the Tubes World Tour (the name taken from a song on their second album) at the dawn of the new millenium.
| Date | ALBUMS / Singles |
|---|---|
| 1975 | THE TUBES |
| 1975 | White Punks On Dope |
| 1975 | What Do You Want From Life |
| 1976 | YOUNG AND RICH |
| 1976 June | Don't Touch Me There |
| 1977 | NOW |
| 1978 March | WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM LIVE |
| 1978 | Show Me A Reason (live) |
| 1978 | I Saw Her Standing There (live) |
| 1979 April | Prime Time |
| 1979 June | REMOTE CONTROL |
| 1979 | Telecide |
| 1981 | THE COMPLETION BACKWARD PRINCIPLE |
| 1981 June | Don't Want To Wait Anymore |
| 1981 | Sushi Girl |
| 1981 | T.R.A.S.H. (TUBES RARITIES AND SMASH HITS) |
| 1983 | OUTSIDE INSIDE |
| 1983 March | She's A Beauty |
| 1983 | The Monkey Time |
| 1983 July | Tip of My Tongue |
| 1985 | LOVE BOMB |
| 1985 February | Piece By Piece |
| 1992 April 1 | THE BEST OF THE TUBES 1981-1987 |
| 1992 November 9 | THE BEST OF THE TUBES |
| 1995 November 1 | ATTACK OF THE TUBES |
| 1996 | GOIN' DOWN |
| 1996 October 15 | GENIUS OF AMERICA |
| 1997 | How Can You Live With Yourself |
| 2000 March 21 | DAWN OF THE TUBES |
| 2000 March 28 | THE TUBES INFOMERCIAL: HOW TO BECOME TUBULAR |
| 2000 August 7 | WHITE PUNKS ON DOPE |
| 2000 October 10 | TWT 2001 |
| 2000 | Loveline |
| 2000 October 17 | THE BEST OF THE TUBES - THE MILLENIUM COLLECTION |
| 2001 March 6 | PREMIUM GOLD COLLECTION |
| 2001 March 29 | EXTENDED VERSIONS: THE ENCORE COLLECTION |
| 2002 January 15 | MASTERS OF ROCK |
| 2002 May 22 | HOODS FROM OUTER SPACE |
| 2004 March 9 | THEN AND NOW |
| 2005 February 21 | THE BEST OF THE EMI YEARS |
| 2005 June 20 | WILD IN LONDON |
SEE ALSO...
Xanadu soundtrack
Todd Rundgren: Nearly Human
BILL SPOONER discography
FEE WAYBILL discography
VINCE WELNICK discography
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