Since 1990, the Queers have released five delightfully quick-and-dirty studio albums (including the suberb new Don't Back Down), a rarities compilation, two psuedolive discs and a cover of the Ramones' entire Rocket to Russia. While some of the Queers' early numbers were too raw or derivative to be much good (ed. note: Fuck that, the Queers' early stuff was just as good as the new), 1993's wonderful Love Songs for the Retarded brought the group into it's stylistic own, staking out the genial animosity and melodic soft spot at the Queers' core.
"We're laughing at ourselves; the Queers are about having fun," says singer, guitarist and sometime surfer (in New Hampshire?) Joe King, who admits to being 35 but has the energy and gee-whiz enthusiasm of a horny high schooler - if no longer the drinking habits. King's inclusion of "I Only Drink Bud" on Don't Back Down is a confusing hangover from the now-sober rocker's intemperate past.
Inspired by the Ramones' cartoon delinquency and three-chord blare, King, a native of Portsmouth, NH, formed the Queers in the early 80's, taking crude and bratty shots at everything in sight, starting with the scruffy punk he saw in the mirror. The orginal Queers didn't last long, and King bounced around California and Hawaii for a time (Obviously learning to surf, the poser!), playing sporadic gigs with assorted lineups when he was back home. In 1990, he and drummer Hugh O'Neill Jr. met bassist B-Face (Chris Barnard) at a Social Distortion show and relaunched the band, making up for lost time with a vengeance.
With the Ramones retiring this year, the Queers are posed to fill that band's Converse sneakers and carry it's breakneck banner. But while Don't Back Down has it's share of typically entertaining bashers, the album steers towards '60s pop, specifically the Beach Boys. Quuers records have always made room for tuneful candy floss, but never to this degree.
"The kids are coming along with us," King says. "When we do the pop stuff, that's what they grasp onto: the simple three-chord , 'Louie Louie'-type shit. A lot of them think the Beach Boys aren't cool, so we figured we'd throw that at 'em."
Apparently, the Queers don't need menacing tough-guy poses to make their loud-fast rock rule. After all, appearances an be illusions. "There's a lot of phonies," King says. "Lesley Gore's more of a punk than any of these kids in leather jackets and mohawks." Takes one to know one.