copacetic zine - where are they now?

who were they then?

I fell in love with The Dead Milkmen back in 1988 with their release of the song "Punk Rock Girl." Isn't that terrible?! That sooo uncool to admit! That's like being a Grateful Dead fan because of "Touch of Grey" or something...but it's true.

The Dead Milkmen were a quirky punk-rock quartet from my hometown of Philadelphia, PA. They put out some home-recorded cassettes throughout the early 80's, building their reputation as all-out weirdos. (And I mean that affectionately...) Then somehow they got signed to Enigma in the late 80's, and here came the MTV videos and spots on "Beavis & Butthead" throughout the early 90's.

I lost track of the band after a while, but I still listen to their albums pretty frequently. Nothing can make me laugh quite like "Instant Club Hit (You'll Dance To Anything)" --- especially the whole, "Blow it out your hairdo/'Cause you work at Hardee's" since I recently learned it was my husband's first job! HA! : ) But that song's really about me back in my all-black, snobby-new wave days. It's okay, I know it's true. : )

and where are they now?

Sadly, the band is no more, and don't hold your breath for any reunion tours or albums. But the guys are all still friends and see each other from time to time. Here's what they're doing as taken from the site's FAQ page (but I highly recommend you check out their site for yourself! It's great, friendly and has soo much info it'll make your head spin. See the link below.):

• Rod: Rod and his wife Vienna have a great new band called "Burn Witch Burn" - a six-piece Celtic/Gothic/Bluegrass/Punk/Slavic band.

• Joe: Joe has done a few band projects over the past year or two. His current is called "The Town Managers". They have one single out on Shredder Records and have recorded and are releasing another single this Spring. They have done some touring in the Northeast USA.

• Dean: Dean works for an advertising/software development company, but musically, he has been playing in The Big Mess Orchestra for a few years. Besides songs, the Big Mess Cabaret Players perform burlesque skits and dance troupes perform dances. An extravaganza you must see to believe.

• Dave: UPDATE 2004: We are terribly sorry to report that Dave Blood is no longer with us, having passed away on March 10th, 2004, at the age of 47. Everyone at copacetic sends their deepest condolences to his friends, family, and fellow Milkmen. A benefit is being planned. Please keep checking their official site for details.