The Tubes
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972-03-22 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The Tubes are a rock ensemble originating from San Francisco. Their initial album, released in 1975, included the track "White Punks on Dope". They achieved significant success in 1983 with the single "She's a Beauty", which entered the U.S. top 10 charts and featured a music video that was among the early clips aired on MTV. Additionally, the band appeared in the 1980 movie Xanadu, performing the rock portion of the song "Dancin'".
History
Established on March 22, 1972, in San Francisco, The Tubes were formed by members from two Phoenix-based groups: The Beans (Bill Spooner, Rick Anderson, Vince Welnick, Bob McIntosh) and the Red White and Blues Band (Prairie Prince, Roger Steen, David Killingsworth). After participating in Expo '70 in Japan, Killingsworth departed, prompting Steen and Prince to search unsuccessfully for new bassists. The Beans had gained local acclaim in Phoenix with their conceptual production "The Mother of Ascension." Upon relocating to San Francisco, Bill Spooner balanced employment at Fillmore West with performances at smaller venues. Their intense jam sessions failed to capture local interest, leading them to return to Phoenix where they attracted sold-out audiences.
At manager John Speer's suggestion, Prince, Steen, and roadie John "Fee" Waybill were combined for a single performance. Early shows under the name "The Radar Men from Uranus" took place at Phoenix's Celebrity Theatre and biker bars such as The Inn of The Beginning in Cotati, California. Vocals were distributed among Spooner, Steen, and Waybill who embodied different characters. Both Prairie Prince and Michael Cotten attended the San Francisco Art Institute and garnered attention by painting a mural on the Cliff House. Cotten became part of the group as an ARP synthesizer player and prop designer.
One notable early performance occurred at the Art Institute cafeteria for fellow student and future filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow. During this time, Prince and Cotten met model Re Styles, who by 1975 was contributing costume design and choreography to their theatrical shows. Styles had appeared in films by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Sun Ra and worked as a model for Playboy and Penthouse. By 1979, she had married Prince.
Despite years of playing biker bars with limited progress—even after a brief association with producer David Rubinson—The Tubes aimed for wider recognition. Connections through Prince to jazz-rock band Journey enabled manager Herbie Herbert to arrange three sold-out performances at a San Francisco venue known as the Village. Herbert also secured an opening act spot for The Tubes at a Led Zeppelin concert held at Kezar Stadium. Their provocative stage act received mixed audience reactions but ultimately gained support from promoter Bill Graham, who then booked them for prominent California locations such as Winterland.
Although Herbert offered management in 1973, the band opted for local managers Mort Moriarty and Gary Peterson ("Bag O' Bucks"). Moriarty foresaw video as an essential promotional medium compatible with The Tubes' elaborate live shows. Following Bob McIntosh's death due to cancer, Prairie Prince assumed sole drumming responsibilities.
In 1974, Bag O' Bucks produced a live recording at California Hall to create a video demo aimed at Los Angeles industry contacts. While George Daly—Columbia Records' San Francisco A&R representative—produced demo tracks for them, resistance from Columbia's New York executives prevented signing because of the band's unconventional style. After eighteen months without progress at Columbia, Daly introduced The Tubes to A&M Records via his associate Kip Cohen. This led to an uncommon cross-label signing with A&M Records. With legal assistance from Greg Fischbach, The Tubes completed their contract agreement with A&M.
Debut album
The Tubes' first album, The Tubes (1975), produced by Al Kooper, included the track "White Punks on Dope," a satirical anthem targeting the privileged youth of Hollywood. This song was subsequently covered by artists such as Mötley Crüe, P.O.L. (Parade of Losers), and German singer Nina Hagen, who reinterpreted it with new lyrics under the title "TV-Glotzer" on her debut record Nina Hagen Band (1978). Another significant song, "What Do You Want from Life?," offers a critique of consumerism and celebrity culture, culminating in a rapid monologue that references various celebrities and iconic American brands.
By the end of 1975, The Tubes had crafted a distinctive live show under the guidance of director and choreographer Kenny Ortega, incorporating comedian Jane Dornacker and video innovator T.J. McHose. Their critically praised performances consistently sold out venues including the Roxy Theater, Boarding House, Bimbo's in San Francisco, and The Bottom Line in New York City. The production combined sharp social satire with subversive humor akin to Saturday Night Live and Andy Kaufman, featuring theatrical elements such as Waybill’s staged confrontations during concerts.
The band played a key role in the mid-1970s underground comedy circuit alongside groups like The Credibility Gap and National Lampoon. Despite receiving invitations to appear on Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell and NBC's Saturday Night, their manager Mort Moriarty declined these offers due to restrictions on song length, limiting their television presence and reinforcing their cult following into the early 1980s. At this point, their touring entourage grew to as many as 24 members, making prolonged tours—common for peers building fan bases—more complex.
Young and Rich
Released in 1976 on A&M Records, The Tubes' sophomore album Young and Rich was produced by Ken Scott. It featured the provocative duet "Don't Touch Me There," arranged in the classic "Wall of Sound" style by Jack Nitzsche. This track was co-written by Ron Nagle alongside Tubes dancer and vocalist Jane Dornacker.
During their American tour supporting this album, the band introduced a new live show that included numbers like "Slipped My Disco," "Madam, I'm Adam," and "Pimp." They performed several sold-out engagements at Los Angeles' The Shrine and San Francisco's Bimbo's. Percussionist Mingo Lewis joined the lineup after appearing with them at Bimbo's for multiple shows.
Now, What Do You Want From Live, Remote Control
The Tubes’ third release, Now (1977), marked a shift toward less satirical material, with songwriting contributions shared with Bill Spooner. The album was recorded during weekend gigs at Los Angeles’ The Whisky, followed by a West Coast tour and a month-long residency at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, showcasing their most elaborate stage production to date. Manager Rikki Farr, whom they met while opening for Alice Cooper, branded them as "America’s Answer to Punk" after facilitating their exit from the Bag O’ Bucks contract.
They unveiled a new “best of” stage presentation and toured Europe, earning front-page coverage for their darkly satirical take on American consumerism through dancers, video projections, and sketches. Their appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test featured performances of "God-Bird-Change" and "White Punks on Dope."
Following their live album What Do You Want from Live (1978), recorded during a record-breaking engagement at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, The Tubes toured the U.S., selling out venues such as Hollywood’s Pantages Theater, drawing celebrities including Cher and Gene Simmons. Their increasingly risqué stage show incorporated elements like Quay Lewd’s oversized dildo costume and a faux bomb threat segment titled "The Terrorists of Rock," which caused Cher to leave but later invite them to appear on her television special. A European tour was postponed after Waybill sustained a broken leg; once recovered, they resumed touring and headlined the Knebworth Rock Festival, sharing the bill with artists like Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, and Boomtown Rats.
Their fourth album for A&M, Remote Control (1979), produced by Todd Rundgren, was a concept work centered on a television-obsessed idiot-savant character inspired by Jerzy Kosinski’s novel Being There. The album cover showcased Rikki Farr’s son using a custom-designed "Vidi-Trainer," created by Michael Cotten and Dave Mellot. Rundgren extensively reworked much of the material in studio, including transforming "Get Over It" into "Turn Me On" and reimagining "The Terrorists of Rock" as "Telecide."
Vocals on "Prime Time" were shared between Waybill and Styles; however, Rundgren initially recorded it solely with Styles. Due to internal tensions, this track was eventually removed from later setlists. For the accompanying tour, Michael Cotten developed an innovative multimedia stage production featuring multiple television monitors and a 35 mm projector costing approximately US$12,000. Nevertheless, technical difficulties combined with management concerns about expenses and overshadowing the music led to abandoning this concept after a trial performance at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
Subsequently, The Tubes toured across the United States, Japan, and Europe with a simplified show format supported by Squeeze. They performed two concerts at the Greek Theatre alongside Yellow Magic Orchestra, which were released on home video in 1982. In 1980, they auctioned off stage props and costumes before attempting to present themselves as a straightforward rock band during several sold-out dates at Los Angeles’ The Roxy.
Music videos
According to John Tobler, the Tubes possessed the media expertise and theatrical flair ideal for rock videos, but their emergence preceded the genre's mainstream popularity by several years. In 1982, the band released a compilation of music videos titled The Tubes Video on RCA Capacitance Electronic Disc and Pioneer Laserdisc. This collection included twelve tracks such as "White Punks on Dope," "Mondo Bondage," and "Talk to Ya Later," alongside much of the The Completion Backward Principle album, all presented through polished videos inspired by their live performances. The project was directed by Russell Mulcahy and shot at Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, England.
Stage show production pioneers
The Tubes dedicated substantial resources to their live shows, transforming songs into intricate productions featuring custom-made props and costumes assembled at their Tubes Warehouse by band members, crew, and collaborators. Their performances offered satirical takes on various subjects—from beach film spoofs in "Sushi Girl" to S&M themes in "Mondo Bondage," as well as game show parodies in "What Do You Want from Life?" At their height, these spectacles incorporated numerous additional performers such as tap dancers and acrobats. The choreography, overseen by Kenny Ortega, included a cast from 1975 to 1977 comprising Jane Dornacker, LeRoy Jones, Michael Holman, Michael Springer, Cindi Osborn, Heline Gouax, and Mary Niland.
From 1978 to 1979, the ensemble featured Sharon Collins, Caty Bevan, and Loryanna Catalano. During the Completion Backward tour, performers included Shelley Pang, Cheryl Hangland, Joey Richards, and Cynthia Rhodes. Between 1983 and 1985, lead dancers Michele Gray (who later married Todd Rundgren) and Cheryl Hangland took center stage. Crew members such as Tour Manager Steve "Chopper" Borges, Lee Collins, and Gail Lowe also frequently appeared during performances.
In their late 1970s to early 1980s shows, The Tubes integrated references from popular films like Dr. Strangelove, Rollerball, Saturday Night Fever, and Grease, as well as obscure B-movies including Wild Women of Wongo and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. Their acts drew upon diverse musical styles ranging from Tom Jones to punk rock, television shows such as Let's Make a Deal and Fernwood 2Nite, anime like Raideen, and literary works including Nelson Algren's A Walk on the Wild Side.
Although widely regarded as one of the most captivating live acts of their time, the expensive nature of these productions left the band financially indebted to A&M Records by the early 1980s—despite selling song rights to fund touring expenses.
Dropped by A&M Records and signing with Capitol Records
The Tubes’ fifth album, the self-produced Suffer for Sound, was created to satisfy their contractual obligations with A&M Records. The early 1980s economic downturn severely impacted the music industry, prompting A&M to release many artists from their rosters—including The Tubes, who had accrued significant debt to the label. After alienating A&M executive Jerry Moss during a listening session, the band negotiated their contract termination. Their associate Matt Leach assembled a compilation of outtakes and rare tracks into T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits) (1981). Subsequently, The Tubes signed with Capitol Records, under the guidance of Bruce Garfield and Bobby Colomby. They encouraged a streamlined lineup and more restrained live performances aimed at enhancing mainstream appeal. Collaborating with Colomby on a new creative direction led them to select producer David Foster. Together they recorded "Gonna Get It Next Time" for Chevy Chase's film Modern Problems.
Transition to a new label and mainstream breakthrough
The Completion Backward Principle (1981), with production by David Foster and engineering by Humberto Gatica, showcased the enduring rock radio favorite "Talk to Ya Later," co-written by Waybill, Foster, and Steve Lukather of Toto. The songwriting duties were distributed among band members, featuring tracks such as "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" (Prince) and "Don't Want to Wait Anymore" (Vince Welnick). The album offered a satirical take on Reagan-era corporate optimism while presenting the group with a sleek, professional image. Their initial US Top 40 success arrived with "Don't Want to Wait Anymore," highlighting Spooner's vocals. The band resumed touring across the United States and Europe, unveiling a refreshed stage production crafted by Cotten, Prince, and Ortega. New dancers joined the lineup, including Cynthia Rhodes, who soon transitioned into a film career. Around this period, Styles reportedly exited the band.
The track "Sports Fans" was captured live during halftime of the legendary San Francisco 49ers "The Catch" game; crew members featured in slow-motion replay sequences.
As their fame increased, Waybill auditioned for films such as Night Shift and made two appearances on Late Night with David Letterman.
Produced once more by Foster, Outside Inside (1983) included the US top 10 hit "She's a Beauty." Employing studio musicians from Chicago and Toto, the album adopted a more polished sound that intensified conflicts between members focused on artistic expression and those leaning towards commercial pop appeal. The Tubes appeared on Solid Gold and toured various American venues including theme parks and college campuses to broaden their audience base. They recorded an hour-long concert special at San Francisco's Kabuki Theatre for MTV, directed by Jim Yukich. "She's a Beauty" received song of the year accolades, and The Tubes performed live at the BAM music awards.
Love Bomb era and exit from Capitol Records
In 1984, the group reunited with Todd Rundgren for their eighth studio album, Love Bomb (1985). Frustrated by escalating studio expenses, they established their own recording space named "Cavum Soni," where Rundgren produced sessions and XTC recorded parts of Skylarking, featuring Prince on drums and Glen Tilbrook of Squeeze providing backing vocals. The recording process was documented on Betamax video. During widespread layoffs at Capitol Records, Bruce Garfield and Bobby Colomby were dismissed, and The Tubes were dropped from the label just as they commenced touring in support of the album. To fulfill fan obligations, the band self-funded the tour; combined with studio costs since 1980, this effort resulted in $500,000 of debt. Consequently, they performed in smaller venues over the following year to recuperate financially.
During this time frame, The Tubes contributed tracks to soundtracks including Hardbodies, My Science Project, and Heavenly Bodies. Despite these projects, financial strain following Love Bomb led to their dissolution by late 1985. Drummer Prairie Prince joined Todd Rundgren’s touring ensemble and became an in-demand session musician for artists such as XTC, Brian Eno, and Tom Waits.
Guitarist Bill Spooner embarked on solo ventures, releasing First Chud through Ralph Records, followed by Mall to Mars, co-produced with Jim Blake and featuring Prairie Prince. Issued via Visible Records—owned by longtime publishing partner Richard Kaye—the album contained covers like "Theme from Star Trek" and "Dimming of the Day".
Departure of Waybill
In 1984, Waybill launched a solo album produced by David Foster (Read My Lips, Capitol Records), and he made an on-camera appearance at the 1985 MTV Video Awards. Additionally, he collaborated in songwriting with Capitol labelmate Richard Marx, notably co-creating the hit "Edge of a Broken Heart" for the band Vixen. Waybill exited the Tubes in 1986.
Changes in Band Lineup
Later that same year, the group brought on David Killingsworth, a longtime acquaintance from Phoenix, to serve as lead vocalist. Killingsworth had previously performed alongside Prince and Steen in the Red and White Blues Band. In 1987, the band appeared on The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers, delivering performances of "Talk to Ya Later" and "No Baby's Gonna Break My Heart," coupled with an interview segment.
Michael Cotten moved to New York City to dedicate himself to artwork, stage design, and production, establishing himself as a prominent production designer. By fall 1988, Bill Spooner concluded his final tour and departed early the following year. Vince Welnick left in 1989 to tour with Todd Rundgren and subsequently joined the Grateful Dead in 1990. In 1989, Gary Cambra joined as keyboardist and guitarist, sharing lead vocal responsibilities with Roger Steen after Killingsworth’s departure in early 1990.
Fee Waybill returned to the band in 1993. This lineup toured Europe and released two albums, including Genius of America in 1996. That same year, David Medd was added on keyboards alongside Cambra. The band maintained touring activities and issued a live recording titled The Tubes World Tour 2001.
From 2000 Onward
The group maintained annual tours across the United States featuring Waybill, Steen, Anderson, Medd, Cambra, and Prince; Cambra departed in 2006. A UK tour in 2004 led to the release of the live album and DVD Wild in London. Former keyboardist Vince Welnick passed away on June 2, 2006. In September 2007, the remaining members reunited for their induction into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall Of Fame.
On April 17, 2022, Styles died at age 72; Rick Anderson passed away on December 16, 2022 at age 75.
The Tubes Project and Other Key Events
In 2005, Michael Cotten initiated the Tubes Project aimed at digitizing the band's reel-to-reel tapes and video archives. These materials were preserved by the son of fan club president Marilyn Wood after nearly being discarded. The archive contains full-color television recordings from Bimbo's San Francisco (1975) and Dutch VARA TV during their 1977 European tour. More than seventy interviews were conducted with band members and collaborators including Styles, Todd Rundgren, Al Kooper, Devo, and David Foster. Hundreds of photographs contributed by band members and fans were gathered to support a documentary.
Following her departure from the band, Jane Dornacker pursued a career in stand-up comedy and served as a traffic reporter at WNBC—taking over from Howard Stern—until her tragic death in a helicopter crash during a live broadcast in 1986. A benefit concert for her daughter was held at San Francisco’s Warfield featuring performances by The Tubes and Todd Rundgren.
On November 10, 2009, Mondo Birthmark, a collection of unreleased rarities including early demos with original drummer Bob Macintosh, was issued by Fuel 2000. The packaging was crafted by Michael Cotten and Prairie Prince, featuring rare photographs and interviews.
On July 24, 2019, Kenny Ortega was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; Fee Waybill, Michael Cotten, and Michael Holman attended the ceremony.
Band members
Present lineup
- Fee Waybill – lead singer, occasional guitarist (1972–1986, 1993–present)
- Roger Steen – guitarist, vocalist (1972–present)
- Atom Ellis – bassist (2022–present)
- Prairie Prince – drummer, percussionist (1972–present)
- David Medd – keyboardist, vocalist (1996–present)
Past members
- Rick Anderson – bass guitar, occasional backing vocals (1972–2022; deceased)
- Bill Spooner – guitar, vocals (1972–1989)
- Vince Welnick – keyboards, vocals (1972–1989; passed away 2006)
- Michael Cotten – synthesizer player (1972–1986)
- Bob McIntosh – drummer (1972–1973; deceased)
- Re Styles – vocalist (1975–1979; died 2022)
- Mingo Lewis – percussionist, drummer (1976–1979)
- David Killingsworth – lead vocals (1986–1990)
- Gary Cambra – guitar, keyboards, vocals (1989–2006)
Studio albums
| Year | Album information | Highest chart rankings | Certifications (sales levels) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | GER | DUT | AUS | NZ | CAN | |||
| 1975 | The Tubes
|
113 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1976 | Young and Rich
|
46 | — | — | — | 55 | — | 75 | |
| 1977 | Now
|
122 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1979 | Remote Control
|
46 | 40 | — | 46 | 70 | — | 53 | |
| 1981 | The Completion Backward Principle
* Released: April 6, 1981 * Label: Capitol |
36 | — | 28 | — | 74 | 4 | 26 Music Canada: Gold NZ: Gold |
|
| 1983 | Outside Inside
* Released: April 4, 1983 * Label: Capitol |
18 | 77 | 44 | — | — | 22 | 27 CAN: Gold |
|
| 1985 | Love Bomb
* Released: February 1985 * Label: Capitol |
87 | — | 59 | — | — | — | 98 | |
| 1996 | Genius of America
* Released: October 15, 1996 * Label: Critique |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album information | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| US | ||
| 1981 | T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits)
|
148 |
| 1992 | The Best of the Tubes
|
— |
| 2000 | Millennium Collection: the Tubes
|
— |
| 2002 | Hoods from Outer Space
|
— |
| 2003 | White Punks on Dope
|
— |
| 2008 | Goin' Down the Tubes
|
— |
| 2009 | Mondo Birthmark
|
— |
Live albums
| Year | Album information | Peak chart rankings | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | AUS | CAN | ||
| 1978 | What Do You Want from Live
|
82 | 38 | 87 | 75 |
| 2001 | The Tubes World Tour 2001 (live)
|
— | — | — | — |
| 2005 | Wild in London
|
— | — | — | — |
| 2006 | Alive in America
|
— | — | — | — |
| 2017 | Live at German Television: The Musikladen Concert 1981
* Taken from an '81 live broadcast; issued by Sireena Records (SIR4041 2LP) |
— | — | — | — |
| 2020 | Live in San Francisco
* '83 live broadcast at Kabuki Theater; unauthorized release by Notlob |
— | — | — | — |
| 2020 | "The Fantastic Live Delusion"
* Two-disc compilation featuring FM broadcast shows including the '83 Kabuki Theater performance; FM In Concert label |
— | — | — | — |
Singles
| Year | Track | Highest chart rankings | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Main. Rock |
UK |
AUS | NZ | CAN | |||
| 1975 | "White Punks on Dope" | — | — | 28 | — | — | — | The Tubes |
| 1976 | "Don't Touch Me There" | 61 | — | — | 26 | — | 86 | Young and Rich |
| 1979 | "Prime Time" | — | — | 34 | 49 | — | — | Remote Control |
| 1981 | "Don't Want to Wait Anymore" | 35 | 22 | 60 | 36 | — | — | The Completion Backward Principle |
| "Talk to Ya Later" | 101 | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | "Sports Fans" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| 1983 | "She's a Beauty" | 10 | 1 | 79 | — | 37 | 18 | Outside Inside |
| "Tip of My Tongue" | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Monkey Time" | 68 | 16 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | "Piece by Piece" | 87 | 25 | — | — | — | — | Love Bomb |
Video Albums
| Year | Video Information |
|---|---|
| 1981 | The Tubes Video
|
| 1982 | The Tubes: Live at the Greek
|
| 2016 | The Tubes: German TV 1981
|