Trans Ams, The
Silly punk rockers from Moorhead. They were the only band that learned their Madonna covers when Phil Leitch first tried to organize Madonnarama in the mid 90s. They acted goofy, sang songs about grocery stores and getting free pizza from Sarah Hassel, made absurd zines (ChickenX, Trans Zine, White Crane Beggar, etc.) and had a lot of fun. For some reason, they really amused Nine Pound Hammer and Hammerhead.
Members
- Phil Hunt (vocals)
- Lon Jerome (guitar, backup vocals)
- Justin Seng (bass)
- Chris Blaze (drums)
Highlights
- Toured across the US twice (more like 1.5 times, since they went broke & turned around in Illinois on trip #2).
- Remembered for playing a show on August 19, 1995 at the Coffee Club in Moorhead where Phil cut his head open on a stage light & got blood all over the place.
- When Meat Records released Draggin' Tracks compilation, The Trans Ams performed a set consisting of covers of every song/band on the CD in order of appearance at Bill & Aaron's request.
- Performed the South Dakota State Song on the Coolidge 50 compilation because the label could not find a band from South Dakota, apparently.
- From Carothers Brothers #5, "The Definitive Guide to Everything Punk Rock in the Moorhead/Fargo Area": Trans Am - four guys who defied the odds and played Cosmic Ark until their brains froze.
Shows
1995
1. Feb. 19, Minot Labor Temple, Minot ND w/Fitz of Depression & Apollo Kings
2. Feb 21, Bowler, Fargo, ND w/Fitz of Depression, 7 O'Clock Sucker, Pathos
3. March 17, Ralph's w/Bossk, Pawnee's Camper
4. April 17, Country Suites, Fargo w/Trusty, Onespot Fringehead, the Sweethearts
5. April 28, DRAGONSTOCK, MSU Campus, Dahl Hall w/Three Minute Hero, the Sweethearts, Black Eyed Susan
6. April 30, A DAY IN THE PARK, Gooseberry Park, Moorhead w/James Zespy, Beauty School Dropouts, Three Minute Hero, the Sweethearts, Pawnee's Camper, Humdrum
7. May 13, American Legion, Grand Forks w/The Make-Up, Free Jesse, Soliday
8. May 14, The Bowler w/The Make-Up, Los Micros
9. June 23, DIY Center, Fargo w/Bootlick, Bombshell, Bossk, Standard, 7 O'Clock Sucker, John Smith, Man Afraid
10. June 30, Hallock City Hall w/Karma, Aggrecko Salve
11. July 27, Coffee Club, Moorhead w/Silkworm, John Smith
12. August 5, Minot Collective Cultural Center, Minot w/Humdrum, Dr. Starr
13. August 19, Coffee Club w/Shove, Bossk
14. August 26, Ralph's w/Bombshell
15. September 13, VIA, Moorhead w/Fifteen, Bisy Backson, Humdrum, Martian, Pathos
16. September 16, Ralph's
17. October 3, Ralph's w/Nine Pound Hammer, Day 28
18. October 15, Coffee Club w/Vampire Lesbos, Martian, Dr. Starr
19. October 19, Raplh's w/Gnomes of Zurich, Mickey Finn
20. October 26, MSU Ballroom w/godheadSilo, Skeeter
21. October 27, Coffee Club w/Nothing To Lose, 7 O'Clock Sucker, Martian, Jane Fonda Workout
22. November 5, Coffee Club w/Assrash, State of the Union
23. December 2, Underground, Moorhead w/Humdrum, "new" Three Minute Hero
24. December 16, Java Joint, St. Cloud w/Baba Booey
1996
25. February 2, Coffee Club w/Supernova, Baba Booey, Martian
26. March 1, Ralph's w/John Smith, Bombshell, Orange 17, Camel Paw, El Dorado Corn Bandits, Stan Heston Experience, the Grossouts
27. March 2, Artemis Suite, Moorhead w/the Women, Sarah Goode, Huxley, Juror #7, the Grossouts
28. March 21, The Bowler & Ralph's w/Hammerhead, Bossk
29. March 22, 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis w/Hammerhead, Gnomes of Zurich, Silver Salute
30. March 29, Ralph's w/Fuck, the Grossouts, the Women
31. March 30, NDSU Ballroom, Fargo w/Daughter Julie, Stormtrooper, Liquid Sunshine, DOB, Gummy, Lead Pipe Headache, E Hook, Dionysus
32. April 12, Ralph's w/Smatch, 7 O'Clock Sucker, the Grossouts
33. April 17, Ralph's w/the Grossouts (first show as "the trans ams")
34. May 4, MSU Campus, MALL MUSIC MADNESS w/Gnomes of Zurich, Willy Wisely and the Conquores, Green Pyramids, Orange 17, Three Minute Hero
35. May 9, Ralph's w/the Women, Larry Gin and the Tonics, the Grossouts
36. August 13, Cramm Music, Pensicola FL w/Latex Generation, Pee Tanks, Swank
37. August 14, Coffee House, Mobile AL w/This Bike is a Pipebomb, the Helltones
38. August 16, Skatestation, Fayetteville, AR
39. August 18, The Grind, Joplin MO w/The Kreeps
40. August 19, Nora's Backyard & Basement, Warrensburg MO w/Kosher
41. August 21, Fun Loving Coffee House, Appleton WI w/Wings of Life
42. August 23, Java Joint, St. Cloud w/Real Estate Fraud, E Bola
43. August 27, 1st Avenue, Fargo w/Jimmy Eat World
44. August 31, Trevor's House, Fargo w/Floid Matrix, DOB
45. September 8, 1st Avenue, Fargo w/New Bomb Turks, Space Cookie
46. September 9, Underground w/Three Minute Hero
47. October 12, Ralphs w/Rats of Unusual Size, Orange 17
48. October 21, 1st Ave, Fargo w/Uranium 9 Volt, Bossk
49. October 25, MSU Ballroom w/Calvin Krime, Action Slacks, Bossk
50. October 27, Underground w/Phono-Comb, Larry Gin and the Tonics
51. October 30, Ralphs w/This Bike is a Pipebomb, June Panic
52. October 31, Justin's House, Moorhead w/Krebscouts, Filled With Disgust, Krusties
53. October 31, Ralphs El Camino, June Panic, Orange 17
54. November 13, MSU Ballroom w/Unibombers, Floid Matrix, Bossk, Orange 17
55. November 17, 1st Ave, Fargo w/Chixdiggit, Punchbuggy
56. November 30, the Bowler w/Senator, Economical (Meat CD release party)
57. December 6, 1st Ave, Fargo w/Sky Klad, Bossk
58. December ??, House Show, Fargo w/Olde Style
1997
59. January 17, Ralphs w/Standard
60. March 1, Ralphs w/Real Estate Fraud, Scrodonauts
61. March 25, Perot House, Fargo w/Buglite, Scrodonauts
62. April 3, Ralphs w/Buggin' Out, Scrodonauts
63. May 30, Ralphs w/Bombshell, Real Estate Fraud, [CTRL-D]
--right around here is where i lost track...-
64. July 11, Java Joint, St. Cloud w/Space Cookie
65. July 12, Perot House w/Space Cookie
66. July 12, Ralphs w/Space Cookie
67. ????, Show at Doug's House (tour '97)
68. September 16, 1st Ave, Fargo w/Pansy Division
69. November 11, Knights of Columbus, Fargo w/ZOINKS!, Scrodonauts
70. November 12?, All Star Bowl w/Howlin' Switchblades
1998
71. February 6, Ralphs OFFICIAL LAST SHOW w/Standard, Isaac Breaks Glass, Sarah Goode
72. December ??, Rock'N'Roll X-Mas 2 at old School w/Orange 17, Submarine, Floid Matrix, Dag Island Lewds
2003
73. December 20, Ralphs w/Ten Extra Pounds, Les Dirty Frenchmen
Discography
- S/T CD-R on Dart Records (2001) A not-officially-released, post-humous collection of the "Race The Devil" 7" and unrleased demos of the recording session, "Turbo" from the Draggin' Tracks compilation, the South Dakota State song, and additional unreleased demos recorded by Jim Zespy. Includes a full-color cover with photos & liner notes by Ross Kroetch. Only five copies of this exist. I'm surprised that we never put this out, actually. Even with all the mistakes in the unreleased tunes, it's really not too bad.
- "Race The Devil 7" on Meat Records/Ramblin' Charlie Records (1997) Available at Dart Records www.dartrecords.com
- "Outlaw Riders" cassette Captain Blood Records
- "Outlaw Riders Letterboxed Edition" cassette Captain Blood Records
- "Outlaw Riders Companion" cassette Captain Blood Records
- "You can't stop the rock(?)" [cassette Captain Blood Records
- V/A "Draggin' Tracks" Meat Records
- V/A "Coolidge 50: Bands From Each State Performing Their State Song" Coolidge Records
- V/A "Captain Blood Makes 10 Bands Walk The Plank" Little German Girl Captain Blood Records
External Links
http://www.dartrecords.com/transams/
Selected tunes are available for sampling at: http://www.myspace.com/thetboys
Video for Ropin here shot Sept 23rd 2006
