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Phil Gammage
"Adventures in Bluesland"
Phil Gammage: Adventures in Bluesland


Phil Gammage
"Kneel to the Rising Sun"
20th Anniversary Edition
originally released on New Rose (France)
Phil Gammage: Kneel to the Rising Sun
Gammage


The Scarlet Dukes
"Rogue Escapade" Jump blues/swing
The Scarlet Dukes: Rogue Escapades
The Scarlet Dukes - Rogue Escapades


Certain General
"November's Heat" 1985's classic NYC post-punk LP November's Heat


Phil Gammage
"Tracks of Sound"
Edgy downtown jazz Phil Gammage - Tracks of Sound

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THE GUYS
By Jo Ann Sieger
the guys An all-girl punk band from Denver, The Guys, were a popular opening act at Denver (Malfunction Junction and Ground Round) and Boulder (Tulagi's, Boulder Free School) area clubs. Their line-up was Aleta Haas (guitar), Cherri Morris (bass), Cleo Ortiz (drums) and Jo Ann Gogue (vocals.) At the time of their inception the Guys were new to their instruments and to playing music but got plenty of experience after their debut gig at Malfunction Junction in early 1979. What they lacked in musical chops, the girls made up in their contagious enthusiasm and catchy tunes. They quickly became one of the most well liked groups on the punk circuit and opened for the Jonny III, Defex, Violators, and Instants among others.

They made one demo tape in summer 1979 at Heartbreak Hotel Studios (Logan St., Denver) that consisted of original songs: Sidney, Rock-A-Teens, Hey Look, God of Rock 'n' Roll, Teenage Boredom, You're The One, Disco Clash and Rock, Rock, Rock.

Cover songs: I'm Gonna Kill That Girl, California Sun, Okay, You Don't Break My Heart, First Time, and Wild Thing (a favorite among fans).

Guys facts:

  • Rehearsed in an office (by night)
  • Jo Ann made her surprise debut (no one knew who the singer was) with the Guys four days after joining
  • last two shows ended abruptly in squirmishes and near riots
    - (Boulder Lesbian show - the audience did NOT like punk music nor the fact that the Guys were not lesbians - turned off power and shown the door)
    - Outdoor Mexican fiesta ended when drunken macho crowd got unruly and yelled "get off the stage you dykes"
  • were rabid Jonny 3 fans (Jo Ann was the self appointed Fan Club President; Aleta wrote "God of Rock 'n' Roll about Kenny Vaughan (which Jo Ann was only too glad to sing.)
  • managed for a short time by a guy named Mike O'Dell who always wore a German helmet
  • Jo Ann once published "La Dolce Vita" local fanzine
The Guys (Mach I) disbanded in the fall of 1979 but resurfaced again with Cherri and Cleo with a new guitarist, vocalist and keyboard player.

Jo Ann Gogue joined forces with Carolyn Crampton and Sue Digby (Boulder's Prophylactics) and formed the Varve (see Varve page for more info.) while Aleta Haas joined forces with her then husband, Shawn McNary, (ex Violators) to form a band in the early 80's called S.T.A.B.

Their written manifesto circa 1979 reads:

THE GUYS are a powerpop all girl band. They've been called the female RAMONES but with a touch of SHANGRILAS/RONETTES. Seeing the GUYS onstage would be like watching SHINDIG in 1984. Pure, unadulterated fun!

Fashionwise, you'll find mini skirts and leopard pands to stiletto heels or pink cowboy boots and the standard "Ramone" gear of T-shirts, jeans and tennis shoes. But whatever they wear, it's cool. From Fiorucci to Goodwill.

guys live
The Guys rip it up at Malfunction Junction, Denver 1979
Though they aren't pros, YET, they do have catch songs that are energetic and honest about everyday things like boredom, teen idols, drive ins, B movies, The Twist or even just plain BOYS! They have a growing list of original songs: "TEENAGE BOREDOM," YOU'RE THE ONE," "HEY LOOK," "ROCK-A-TEENS" and fun covers of "YOU DON'T BREAK MY HEART," "THE FIRST TIME" and the ever popular "WILD THING."

CLEO ORTIZ (18) plays powerhouse drums. Who knows, she could be the female KEITH MOON someday. CHERRI MORRIS plays bass and keeps up the rhythm with CLEO. Besides that, she is the most normal one in the group. Every group needs one sane one to keep things going you know. Speaking of normal, JO ANN GOGUE (vocalist and go-go girl) is not, to say the least. Vocally a cross between JOEY RAMONE and WANDA JACKSON. Before she left the band (just recently this month) ALETA HAAS was on guitar.

So c'mon mods and rockers or punks, if you wanna have fun, you better get with it and go-go with THE GUYS.

Sittin here with the radio on
M.O.R. and Disco
There's nothing goin' on
I can't take it, I just wanna die
Nothin' left to live for
There's no Dave Clark Five!!!

LISTEN to the guys on youtube, you'll have to scroll in:
first song at 1:03-ish
Rock-a-Teens, right after that