Stick Men with Ray Guns
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas , United States |
| Products | Punk rock music |
| Website | www |
Stick Men with Ray Guns was a punk rock band originating from Dallas, Texas. Their name was inspired by a comic strip created by lead vocalist Bobby Soxx (Bobby Glenn Calverley), which depicted a violent figure armed with a raygun.
The group formed in 1981 after Bobby Soxx attended a concert featuring guitarist Clarke Backer's former band, Bag of Wire. Their first live appearance took place at the Zeros club in Fort Worth. Early in their career, Clarke often defended Bobby’s conduct to venue managers. Closely linked with the Butthole Surfers, they frequently performed as openers for them before the Surfers achieved widespread acclaim. Additionally, they supported major punk bands such as X, Dead Kennedys, T.S.O.L., The Misfits, Bad Brains, and UK Subs during Texas gigs. The band paused activities in 1987 but briefly reunited in 1988 to compose new songs, concluding with their final show in June of that year.
Stick Men with Ray Guns were recognized for their intense, loud sound characterized by wailing guitars and heavily distorted bass lines. Their lyrics were confrontational and matched Bobby’s infamous lifestyle. Their live shows often resembled performance art with an antagonistic or even hostile attitude toward the audience. They incorporated unconventional audio tapes and lighting effects to generate eerie environments and occasionally opened out-of-town concerts with unrehearsed material.
Prior to forming the band, Bobby Soxx had already gained notoriety for his provocative stage behavior, which contributed significantly to the group’s cult status.
The band’s studio recordings were sparse; Clarke Backer reportedly destroyed master tapes from one unsatisfactory session, though some rough mixes survived and were later released. They never toured outside Texas but maintained a strong regional presence and developed a cult following as interest in early Texas punk expanded. Their profile rose when Dim Stars—a project involving Richard Hell and Thurston Moore—covered "Christian Rat Attack," a track written by Bobby Soxx and Steve Dirkx during Bobby’s tenure with the Teenage Queers. In 2000, Clarke issued 16 tracks under the title Some People Deserve to Suffer, which was reissued in 2002 by Emperor Jones/Drag City featuring 23 songs. This release received critical praise and was ranked number six on Mojo's Best Underground Albums of 2002 list.
After spending time incarcerated and hospitalized for mental health issues, Bobby Soxx passed away from liver failure caused by alcoholism on October 23, 2000.
With growing interest in the band’s legacy, Clarke Blacker and Bob Beeman provided extensive interviews online. The Some People Deserve to Suffer album was reissued digitally worldwide on the band’s own label, We Don't Have the Time Music. A second digital release titled Rock Against Reagan - Live in Houston April 6, 1984 followed in May 2014.
During Thanksgiving 2014, Austin-based record store End of an Ear launched its own label debut by issuing the vinyl LP Grave City. The initial pressing quickly sold out, leading to a second pressing in January 2017 that featured inverted label colors.
In September 2016, the label 12XU simultaneously released two live vinyl albums—Property of Jesus Christ and 1,000 Lives to Die—showcasing remastered live performances from 1984 and 1987 respectively. These recordings highlight distinct yet equally intense facets of this seminal Texas punk outfit.
Members
- Bobby Soxx (Bobby Glenn Calverley) – lead vocals
- Clarke Blacker – guitarist
- Scott Elam – drummer
- Bob Beeman – bassist
- Valerie Bowles – bass guitar (short tenure)
- Mark Ridlin – bass guitar (short tenure)