I grew up in California’s Bay Area during the 1970s, probably the center of the Tubes’ popularity at the time. The San Francisco band produced memorable songs such as “What Do You Want from Life?,” “White Punks on Dope” and “Don’t Touch Me There.” Some people dismiss them as novelty songs, but the Tubes combined serious musicianship with satire and one of rock’s most theatrical stage shows.
Somehow, I overlooked “Tubes World Tour” until the past few years. The opening track from Young and Rich draws upon the band’s experiences touring overseas and turns them into a funny, exaggerated rock travelogue. It captures the Tubes’ blend of glam, hard rock and theatrical absurdity.
I’ve seen the Tubes three times—once during the Remote Control tour in California and twice more recently at smaller Pennsylvania clubs. They still sound remarkably good. Fee Waybill’s act may be somewhat dated, but I still get a kick out of seeing him emerge as his outrageous alter ego, Quay Lewd. I haven’t seen the motorcycle onstage since the old days, however.
This isn’t my absolute favorite Tubes song, so they may appear again.