History

Chronology Page

Building on the 30+ years from one of Minneapolis' finest rock bands.

Flamingo Years ~ '77 - '79

Flamingo formed in 1977 with members Robert Wilkinson and Johnny Rey playing guitars, Jody Ray playing bass, Bob Meide pounding the percussion and Joseph Behrend on keyboards. They recorded an EP record at Tracks On 5th that included the songs Smart Girl, We Do What We Like, One More Night, and one of the band's all time best songs I Remember Romance.

Star Tribune quotes: Hard edged Stones-style rock n roll. East Coast Street Anthems coupled with Midwestern Optimisim and Enthusium.

St. Paul Dispatch says: Howling and grimacing under his vacuous white sunglasses, leaping and stomping across the stage, at times crawling, beseeching on his knees, Wilkinson is an infectious inciter, one who, in the trade, is affectionately described as a "showman".

Twin Cities Reader wrote: Listeners are beginning to discover that these are exciting straightforward rock 'n' roll boys, and that their only connection with "punk-rock" lies is their obbession with the politics of "cool." The four songs on this record tell that story. "One more night, that's what I need to be with you/ One more night with you girl would be so...cool." The carnivorous chick in Flamingo's Smart Girl knows instinctually how to play with singer Robert Wilkinson's ego, how to offend his radio-activated heart: "When we were in love last night/ You forced me down/ When we got home last night/ You kicked me around/ You put me down/ Like some kind of clown."

After the EP Flamingo was released on Bigger Than Life Records the band toured the east coast playing at New York clubs including, Max's Kansas City and Peppermint Lounge.

Johnny Rey leaves to persue his own writing ventures and soon forms Johnny Rey and the Reaction.

Flamin' Oh's Years ~ '80 - '87

When Flamingo released their EP they were contacted by the 50's group The Flamingos and were told "change the name or we sue". So the band dropped the "G" and became known as Flamin' Oh's. By this time the band was being called the Oh's anyway by all the regulars at the Longhorn.

The band released two albums on the Fat City Records label. Their debut LP was self-titled Flamin' Oh's. This became known as the GREEN album to the growing numbers of local followers. The band started playing to packed audiences at the Cabooze and Duffy's.

The Flamin' Oh's were one of the earliest bands to make music videos. Chuck Statler directed two videos including I Remember Romance from the first LP that had Joseph playing his keyboard atop a giant scrap steel pile. The video ran on a new television network dedicated to music, MTV.

The other video, Stop from the second LP Oh !, saw the members as classical musicians all decked out in tuxedos. Robert strummed a string harp, Bobby pounded on a kettle drum, Jody bowed a cello, and Joseph played a grand piano.

The band's busy touring schedule took them around the U.S. and was capped off with a festival performance in Bogata, Columbia.

Robert decided to cool it for a while after the last string of Oh's shows at the Union Bar during the summer of '87.

RW Band Years ~ '89 - '97

In the works.

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