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Rubber Rodeo

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Rubber Rodeo, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 2025
Rubber Rodeo
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1980 in Rhode Island, United States
ProductsMusic albums, singles

Rubber Rodeo was a band from Rhode Island active during the 1980s, known for blending new wave music inspired by Roxy Music with elements of country rock and western genres. They frequently performed dressed in authentic 1950s country-style outfits. Their 1984 single "Anywhere With You" reached number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

1980–1983: Formation and Early Period

Established in Rhode Island in 1980, Rubber Rodeo's original lineup featured Bob Holmes (vocals, guitar), Trish Milliken (vocals, keyboards), Gary Leib (synthesizers), Eddie Stern (pedal steel guitar), Doug Allen (bass), and Barc Holmes (drums). Most members were enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design, with lead vocalists Holmes and Milliken also maintaining a romantic relationship. Bob Holmes once described their sound as "a blend of Gene Autry and Devo." Milliken’s vocal style was occasionally likened to a country-inflected version of Blondie.

Their setlists primarily included original compositions by Holmes or the duo of Holmes and Milliken, alongside renditions of classic country tunes such as Ennio Morricone's "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and Patsy Cline’s "Walkin' After Midnight." The group’s first independent release was a 1981 cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene." Following this release, pedal steel guitarist Stern departed and was succeeded by Mark Tomeo. A 1982 live performance review in The Boston Phoenix highlighted Rubber Rodeo’s talent for reviving songs that new wave audiences often dismissed as overly sentimental or outdated.

1984: Scenic Views

After issuing two independent EPs through Eat Records, Rubber Rodeo launched their debut full-length album Scenic Views in 1984 under Mercury Records. The recording process encountered difficulties when producer Hugh Jones opted to use a Linn drum machine instead of drummer Barc Holmes, and bassist Allen contributed only partially on the track "Walkin' After Midnight" before being replaced. Former producer John Doelp took over bass duties and steered the musical direction for the remaining sessions without officially joining the band. Hal Cragin was brought on as bassist for live shows and appeared in promotional videos for the album.

Despite internal production conflicts, Scenic Views saw moderate commercial success. Its lead single, "The Hardest Thing," did not enter the charts but received significant rotation on MTV. The follow-up single, "Anywhere With You," peaked at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also enjoyed exposure on MTV. The album’s fusion of new wave and country elements led critic J.D. Considine to describe their style as "cowboy pop" in Musician magazine.

Later that year, Rubber Rodeo received a Grammy nomination for their long-form video accompanying Scenic Views, produced by Second Story Television and directed by David Greenberg. This home video release also featured the music video for their earlier Eat Records single "How The West Was Won."

1986: Heartbreak Highway

Before recording their sophomore album, the band experienced another personnel change when Mark Tomeo was replaced by Ray Gantek on pedal steel guitar and dobro.

Produced by Ken Scott, renowned for his collaborations with David Bowie and Devo, the 1986 album Heartbreak Highway did not achieve commercial success, resulting in the band being dropped by their record label. Despite this disappointment, Rubber Rodeo briefly continued with Reeves Gabrels stepping in as steel guitarist following Gantek’s departure.

Band Dissolution and Subsequent Endeavors

By the end of the 1980s, Rubber Rodeo had ceased operations, with their last recorded work featured on a 1991 tribute album dedicated to Duplex Planet poet Ernest Noyes Brookings. At this stage, bassist Doug Allen had returned to the lineup, which was then recognized as a four-member group consisting of Bob Holmes, Trish Milliken, Gary Leib, and Allen. During the 1990s, Holmes and Milliken ended their marriage, coinciding with the birth of their son Zane Holmes.

Bob Holmes advanced into a distinguished production career, collaborating with prominent musicians such as David Bowie and Nils Lofgren, and subsequently engaged in producing multimedia projects based in New York City. In 2011, he established The Crusty Gentlemen alongside original bassist Doug Allen and other artists; this ensemble specializes in classic bluegrass and country covers, occasionally incorporating popular tracks like "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses. Both Allen and Gary Leib utilized their art school training to develop successful careers as cartoonists. Reeves Gabrels moved to London to join David Bowie's band Tin Machine, while Tomeo, Cragin, and Gantek built reputations as accomplished session musicians. Rubber Rodeo briefly regrouped during the 1990s to record a third album that has yet to be released.

In November 2007, Gary Leib provided an overview of Rubber Rodeo’s history during an appearance on the Alternative Classix podcast.

Holmes and Leib later joined forces in the "ambient country" project SUSS, which had produced three albums by December 2020. Following Leib’s passing in 2021 at age 65, SUSS continues with Holmes and other contributors releasing new works.

Albums

EPs

  • Rubber Rodeo (1982 Eat Records)
  1. "The Theme for Rubber Rodeo" (1:35)
  2. "Jolene" (4:17)
  3. "Slippin' Away" (4:08)
  4. "How the West Was Won" (3:26)
  5. "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds" (2:36)
  6. "True Confessions" (2:58)
  • She Had to Go... (1982 Eat Records)
  1. "She Had to Go..." (5:11)
  2. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (2:44)
  3. "Forbidden Valley" (3:59)

LPs

  1. "Need You, Need Me" (4:39)
  2. "Slow Me Down" (3:31)
  3. "Anywhere With You" (4:40)
  4. "Walking After Midnight" (3:56)
  5. "City of God" (5:13)
  6. "The Hardest Thing" (3:15)
  7. "House of Pain" (4:45)
  8. "Mess o' Me" (5:03)
  9. "Before I Go Away" (5:57)
  10. "Woman of Straw" (4:20)*
  • Heartbreak Highway (1986 Mercury Records)
  1. "Heartbreak Highway" (4:33)
  2. "If You're Ever Alone" (4:10)
  3. "Everybody's Talkin'" (3:40)
  4. "Souvenir" (3:48)
  5. "The Civil War" (4:14)
  6. "Deadtown" (4:43)
  7. "When Words Collide" (4:13)
  8. "Look Who's Back" (4:11)
  9. "Maybe Next Year" (4:28)

-*Available on CD and cassette editions

Singles

  • "Jolene" (1981)
  • "She Had To Go" (1982)
  • "The Hardest Thing" (1984)
  • "Anywhere With You" (1984)
  • "Everybody's Talkin'" (1986)
  • "Souvenir" (1986)
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