Their tale is one of true friendship and ultimate betrayal...what could have been one of the most talked about bands in the land ended up being famous, even infamous, for an entirely different reason. When the smoke cleared, little was left of their careers or their music...and the tragedy that may have claimed the life of more than one of the band members, left one man with a beautiful view of granite city...from his cell at the St. Cloud Penitentiary. Through it all, the backfighting and schemes never stopped. The only people they hated worse than each other was themselves. With all the break-ups and make-ups, the music...the one constant...remained the same. In the end...all that was left...was the music. This is the story of 11 1/2".
The small collection of songs presented here in MP3 format are not the original masters from that infamous album that never was, "The Great Midwestern Brewery Tour". Those original recordings suspiciously came up missing just weeks before this project began...removed from a vault where they had done little else than gather dust since being locked there in late 1996. One of the known existing tapes was located under the floor mats of a 1984 Cavalier (aptly titled Somehow It All Went Wrong) and provides the source of these sound files. Also included is the EXTREMELY RARE track that hasn't surfaced since it's original recording, an early version of "Munchies". Although these analog transfers are studio scratch tracks recorded live in the studios at KVSC-FM, you get a sense of the blinded vision they had in those days.
Their story begins like that of many other bands, at a local pub over a few pints. As the Glueks flowed and Gear Daddies cranked they sat in a booth in the back room of D.B. Searles where they came up with a name...11 1/2". Although it would be years before they entered the studio to record the poignant music presented here, the original 3 with Reek-O on Drums, The Fat Kid on Bass, and Boat Boy on guitars knew there was something big about that name...something, really BIG! True to their roots, the band wanted to explore the Speedmetal-Polka genre, but mixed it up with just a hint of a Salsa influence. This Dance-O-Matic cocktail of musical blends leaves them truly in a class all by themselves.
After a few chance meetings, a couple of fistfights and a whole lot of Leinenkugel's the boys solidified as a rock powerhouse in early 1995. Playing for an audience of die hard fans they held closely to their die hard underground roots, staying out of the mainstream A&R crowd and instead searching for a die hard independent label. The buzz among those in the "know" was enormous and they knew that with a little help from their friends that "Brewery Tour" would take off like a cannon, instead it turned into a ticking time bomb. The other local acts on the scene took notice of their instant celebrity and the often partied with the stars like Martin Zellar and Flipp. One night the world famous Wally Pleasant stopped by to drink a few shots of Jagermeister and was very impressed by the bands first few demos, if only he had known how truly twisted they were.
The parties weren't always so friendly. Liquor didn't always equal fun with this crowd and on occasion a late night of drinking and one spilt beer drove Boat Boy into a rage. He went crazy, grabbing a local bartender known as Mij, holding him at knifepoint for more than 10 minutes before being escorted out of the club.
Violence and booze were always a part of the band and The Fat Kids struggle with both is also legendary. On another summer evening, the band broke up briefly after a heated exchange amongst all three members. The Fat Kid...as was his custom...took off in a rage headed for destinations unknown, close friends say not even he was really sure where. It wasn't till the next morning and a pleading call from a police station that we discovered what happened. The Fat Kid...having made it home (albeit in a drunken haze) never could quite make it through the front door - the key to which was in his right pocket - to make it to the safety of a toilet where he could retire for the night. The police, called by frightened residents complaining there was a drunk man in the hallway yelling "Fluffy! Fluuufffyy!!!" had no choice but to apprehend The Fat Kid. It was just one of many wandering incidents that The Fat Kid was prone to. Another, involving an alleged vehicular homicide while The Fat Kid was driving home after a night of booze, remains unsolved to this day.
The third member, Reek-O was no stranger to the underbelly of society either. One warm summer morning he made a deranged phone call from a seedy motel rattling on about some sort of meeting he claimed to be late for. He begged the band to help him escape a crazed dominatrix with a cat's claws and a pension for pain. His women or "Squirrels" as they were known at the flop house where he lived, were a strange breed, many with the same name to prevent confusing them. One woman we tracked down through a mutual friend had this to say. "It was all very strange...I never did it THAT way."
It was all going wrong from the very beginning...but through the bar fights, liquor binges, and strange sexual affairs...through the good and bad times, behind it all, they always had the music.
The first song presented here is their earliest recording. It has surfaced on a number of bootlegs and was thought by many to be the Fire element in the scheme of the album with it's reference to smoke...often referred to as "Dude I'm So Fuckin' Wasted, Where's That Taco Bell Again?" it is actually titled "Munchies, The Emily Sebasky Mix". This song was not written by the boys, but the original version is believed to be done by a local band called The Smashing Newts. With the help of a friend, to which this mix is dedicated, hear for the fist time the original 11 1/2" version of the Munchies in it's original arrangement.
CLICK HERE to download MUNCHIES, THE EMILY SEBASKY MIX 1.7M mp3
Their first session in the studio was volatile at best but what damage they did do, was nothing compared with the horror that lie ahead of them. One man, who asked not to be named here, told the story of that night. "It was awful...I don't know what the hell is wrong with those people. They would stop singing and start throwing things. They broke up between every take. And the liquor...you wouldn't even believe it. I'm amazed they're not all locked up...they should be."
After that first night, they decided they better write some songs and learn how to play their instruments. That never quite happened, but nearly a year later they finally went into the studio to start the album. In early November 1996, the studio was approached once again, and after much pleading with staff, one of the band members stole a key to the facility and on November 16th, these tracks were recorded. An updated version of "Munchies" with a ready, steady, go feel has a more polka tempo than the previous version. Note Boat Boys comments at the end of the track.
CLICK HERE to download MUNCHIES 1.6M mp3
The next track, "The Dog Song" is a far darker tune than "Munchies". Written while one band member was on a drug induced binge and refined later by another, adding the second verse and melodic chorus. The song reaches that bond between a man and his dog in a way no other song has. This version features Reek-O's haunting vocal at the beginning and end of the track.
CLICK HERE to download THE DOG SONG 1.8M mp3
The third and last song presented here was written by The Fat Kid. This cry for help is so overt that "Laid" is probably the most telling of all the tracks. It shows the twisted, depraved side of the band. Note the out of rhythm guitar tracks, the out of key vocals and the completely lost rhythm section in this original recording. This track also features the 2 female singers used by the band. Although their sweet harmonies help fill out the song's final chorus and add much needed credibility in the band, Spam & Clam were mearly hired as Eye-Candy for the bands notorious live performances. Note the exchange in the beginning of this track, demonstrating how sexually frustrated the band truly was.
CLICK HERE to download LAID 1.7M mp3
The legend of what happened next is far fuzzier than even these tracks imply. Though the courts have sealed the final documentation...there are a few facts that are public record. In a bizarre twist of events. There was a nasty break-up, a deadly fire, and a month long trial on Court-TV. Although the "Great Midwestern Brewery Tour" was planned, only 2 of the members actually made the trek and it was more of a meet and greet with the fans than an actual performance. The Christian names of the original members may never be known, and just how the fire started is also a mystery but one man remains in maximum security at St. Cloud Penitentiary and the others have not spoken to one another since. After the smoke was gone and the ashes cleared away, all that's left of 11 1/2" is just another Rock n' Roll tragedy. "The Great Midwestern Brewery Tour" album remains unfinished forever and the story of 11 1/2" comes to a bittersweet end.
I hope you enjoy these songs, the world was never meant to hear. All of the anger, frustration and Boones Farm wine comes through on every chord, every beat, every harmony.
If you have comments or questions about this material, please contact the author of this web site.
"The Dog Song" lyrics by Garrido and Braith music by Garrido and 11 1/2"
"Laid" lyrics by Braith music by Braith and 11 1/2"
"Munchies" written by ? as originally performed by The Smashing Newts
All music produced by Braith
Special thanks to KVSC 88.1FM
All music copyright 1996 11 1/2" Publishing ASCAP
Reproduction and further distribution of this material is unlawful.
Used with permission by 11 1/2" Publishing