Boneheads (4)

Fueled by a hatred of Reaganomics and a love of bock beer, David Gunkel and Tom Schnier began writing and recording songs as the fictional characters Nigel and Mick Bonehead in the spring of 1981. Unencumbered by the burdens of musical training, professional equipment, and talent, the Boneheads simply made it up as they went along. Anything and everything became a "song." When David had a relationship go sour, Tom came up with "20 Degrees Below Frigid." Long before there was talk of Weapons of Mass Destruction "hidden" from UN inspectors in Iraq, David suggested concealing ICBM's in his yard to save money in the cult classic "Defense Spending." Schnier's lime green Chevy Chevette (Shoveit?) was the inspiration for the blatant Stray Cat's rip-off "My Little Coupe." Anxiety in the face of high school graduation and the endless needling of guidance councilors resulted in the "International Career Anthem of Gynecologists." And the Reagans? Well, the sky was the limit (please refer to "Let 'em Eat Cake" and "Beef Stroganoff"). The Boneheads self-produced and distributed two tapes, Smash Super Hits, released in autumn of 1982, and Sloppy Seconds, published in the summer of 1983 and packaged in a doggy bag. As these tapes began to circulate to local radio stations, music stores, and trade rags, word spread of this off-the-wall combination of the Sex Pistols meet the Bonzo Dog Band. In the March 1983 issue of Option, the original independent music magazine, the Boneheads were described as the "highpoint (low point?) in the history of badly-produced joke punk." And in May of the same year, Ira Robbins' Trouser Press featured the "eclectic Boneheads" in an article about the Milwaukee scene. Bonehead compositions were also covered by the Milwaukee Journal, The Express, and Lars Kvam's fanzine The Communist Atrocity. Although putting their emphasis on recording, the Boneheads did perform occasional live shows in the Milwaukee area, appearing in suburban basements, University of Wisconsin social events, the Lincoln Arcade, and local punk clubs. In fact, Einstein's Rice Boys still owe the Boneheads $10 for a gig at the now defunct Stone Toad.