The Cynics are an American garage rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. … Read Full Bio ↴The Cynics are an American garage rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band, consisting of guitarist Gregg Kostelich, drummer Bill Von Hagen, vocalist Michael Kastelic, bass player Steve Magee, and keyboardist Becky Smith (later founder of New York City's Bellwether gallery), who debuted with their first album, Blue Train Station in 1986. Becky Smith wrote one of the four extra tracks included on the expanded reissue of Twelve Flights Up, entitled Sixteen Flights Up. (The other three tracks are cover songs.) They underwent a number of lineup changes culminating in 1990s Rock and Roll album. Get Hip Records is their independent record label.
Members
Gregg Kostelich - Guitar (1983–1994; 2002–present)
Michael Kastelic - Lead vocals, percussion (1985–1994; 2002–present)
Pablo González "Pibli" - Drums (2008–present)
Angel Kaplan - Bass guitar (2008–present)
Past members
Mark Keresmann - Lead vocals (1983-1985)
Becky Smith - Keyboard (1986–1988)
Bill von Hagen - Drums (1983–1987, 1988)
Mike Kolesar - Drums (1987–1988, 1988–1989)
Mike Quinlan - Drums (1988, 1991)
Amy Mathesius - Bass (1985–1986)
Max Terasauro - Drums (1993–1994)
Pam Reyner - Bass (1983–1984)
Steve Magee - Bass (1986–1990)
Kris Kasperowski - Bass (1990–1992)
Mike Michalski - Bass (1992–1994)
Dave Vucenich - Bass, backing vocals (1993–1994) (November 13, 1966 - February 5, 2017)
Richard Schnapp - Guitar (1985)
Smith Hutchings - Bass (2002)
Thomas Hohn - Drums (1989–1991; 2002)
Jack "JACKIE ROBIN" Schmitt- Drums (1991 European tour) (2004-2005)
Discography
Albums
Blue Train Station (1987)
Twelve Flights Up (1988) - reissue as Sixteen Flights Up (2000)
Rock 'n' Roll (1989)
Learn to Lose (1993)
Get Our Way (1994)
Living is the Best Revenge (2002)
Here We Are (2007)
Spinning Wheel Motel (2011)
Singles
Painted My Heart/Sweet Young Thing (1984)
No Place to Hide/Hard Times (1985)
Lying All The Time/Summer's Gone (1986)
'69/Friday Night (1986 - Fan Club)
No Way/Dancing On The Walls (1987)
I'm In Pittsburgh and It's Raining/Smoke Rings (1988 - Fan Club)
I Don't Need You/Girl, You're On My Mind (1990)
Buick Mackane/Born to Lose (1991)
Right Here With You/Learn to Lose (1992)
I Live Alone/Hand In Hand (1993)
Live[edit]
No Siesta Tonight (Live in Madrid) (1994)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania guitarist/producer/record company head Gregg Kostelich is the frenetic force behind THE CYNICS. He managed to keep the band afloat in the wake of constant personnel changes, he recorded some of the finest garage tracks ever, and also launched one of the best independent record labels of the 1980s. THE CYNICS’ style has been clear since their 1983 inception: fuzzed ultra-distorted guitar, screaming, moaning vocals, with a straight-ahead no frills rhythm section. The influences are extreme ‘60s Punk, R&B, and other loud, frantic trash. Gregg has occasionally steered the band into flirtations with folk-rock and little pop, but it’s the grunged-out punkers that have created THE CYNICS’ reputation. Their first two 45s were released by the Californian Dionysus label, but soon after Gregg had established his own Pittsburgh-based GET HIP RECORDS. This new indy label would release all of THE CYNICS subsequent discs, as well as those by several dozen other cool groups around the globe.
Though Gregg’s guitar is the backbone of the band, vocalist Michael Kastelic’s contribution to THE CYNICS sound cannot be underestimated. In concert (and on record) he screeches, wails, and moans with great abandon, while his frail, thin body shakes throughout the room. Michael is a truly possessed frontman. On and off bassist Steve Magee should also be noted for his fine artwork for both THE CYNICS and many of the GET HIP releases. The initial line-up featured the talents and 60’s looks of keyboard player Becky Smith. After she left the band in the late 80’s they stayed with the simple but strong guitar/singer/bass/drums that they currently display.
Each and every CYNICS release is a passage into the depths of simple, heartfelt punk rock. It should be noted that their live perfomances can be just as effective as their vinyl. A bit “harder rock” sound began to creep into band’s style as the ‘90s dawned. But with their last album “Get Our Way” they proved they haven’t forgotten any of their influences and once again you hear incursions into Garage, Punk, Folk-Rock and even Psych (with surprising farfisa and theremin parts in a couple songs).
In an interview on March 21, 1986, Gregg Kostelich said “I was maybe 4 or 5 when I started collecting Garage records, and I’ve been listening to that type of music ever since. And I was lucky enough to see a couple of shows I was a little kid…my parents would bring to see bands like THE SONICS and THE BLUE MAGOOS and THE WHO, when I was about 7 or 8! I didn’t know what was going on really, but it was really exciting. I was kinda embarrassed in a way because I was with my parents.” When I mentioned that this early exposure to garage music explained THE CYNICS style, Gregg responded “Yeah, maybe I got brain damage from all the noise!”
-Tim Gassen
from www.thecynics.ws
Members
Gregg Kostelich - Guitar (1983–1994; 2002–present)
Michael Kastelic - Lead vocals, percussion (1985–1994; 2002–present)
Pablo González "Pibli" - Drums (2008–present)
Angel Kaplan - Bass guitar (2008–present)
Past members
Mark Keresmann - Lead vocals (1983-1985)
Becky Smith - Keyboard (1986–1988)
Bill von Hagen - Drums (1983–1987, 1988)
Mike Kolesar - Drums (1987–1988, 1988–1989)
Mike Quinlan - Drums (1988, 1991)
Amy Mathesius - Bass (1985–1986)
Max Terasauro - Drums (1993–1994)
Pam Reyner - Bass (1983–1984)
Steve Magee - Bass (1986–1990)
Kris Kasperowski - Bass (1990–1992)
Mike Michalski - Bass (1992–1994)
Dave Vucenich - Bass, backing vocals (1993–1994) (November 13, 1966 - February 5, 2017)
Richard Schnapp - Guitar (1985)
Smith Hutchings - Bass (2002)
Thomas Hohn - Drums (1989–1991; 2002)
Jack "JACKIE ROBIN" Schmitt- Drums (1991 European tour) (2004-2005)
Discography
Albums
Blue Train Station (1987)
Twelve Flights Up (1988) - reissue as Sixteen Flights Up (2000)
Rock 'n' Roll (1989)
Learn to Lose (1993)
Get Our Way (1994)
Living is the Best Revenge (2002)
Here We Are (2007)
Spinning Wheel Motel (2011)
Singles
Painted My Heart/Sweet Young Thing (1984)
No Place to Hide/Hard Times (1985)
Lying All The Time/Summer's Gone (1986)
'69/Friday Night (1986 - Fan Club)
No Way/Dancing On The Walls (1987)
I'm In Pittsburgh and It's Raining/Smoke Rings (1988 - Fan Club)
I Don't Need You/Girl, You're On My Mind (1990)
Buick Mackane/Born to Lose (1991)
Right Here With You/Learn to Lose (1992)
I Live Alone/Hand In Hand (1993)
Live[edit]
No Siesta Tonight (Live in Madrid) (1994)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania guitarist/producer/record company head Gregg Kostelich is the frenetic force behind THE CYNICS. He managed to keep the band afloat in the wake of constant personnel changes, he recorded some of the finest garage tracks ever, and also launched one of the best independent record labels of the 1980s. THE CYNICS’ style has been clear since their 1983 inception: fuzzed ultra-distorted guitar, screaming, moaning vocals, with a straight-ahead no frills rhythm section. The influences are extreme ‘60s Punk, R&B, and other loud, frantic trash. Gregg has occasionally steered the band into flirtations with folk-rock and little pop, but it’s the grunged-out punkers that have created THE CYNICS’ reputation. Their first two 45s were released by the Californian Dionysus label, but soon after Gregg had established his own Pittsburgh-based GET HIP RECORDS. This new indy label would release all of THE CYNICS subsequent discs, as well as those by several dozen other cool groups around the globe.
Though Gregg’s guitar is the backbone of the band, vocalist Michael Kastelic’s contribution to THE CYNICS sound cannot be underestimated. In concert (and on record) he screeches, wails, and moans with great abandon, while his frail, thin body shakes throughout the room. Michael is a truly possessed frontman. On and off bassist Steve Magee should also be noted for his fine artwork for both THE CYNICS and many of the GET HIP releases. The initial line-up featured the talents and 60’s looks of keyboard player Becky Smith. After she left the band in the late 80’s they stayed with the simple but strong guitar/singer/bass/drums that they currently display.
Each and every CYNICS release is a passage into the depths of simple, heartfelt punk rock. It should be noted that their live perfomances can be just as effective as their vinyl. A bit “harder rock” sound began to creep into band’s style as the ‘90s dawned. But with their last album “Get Our Way” they proved they haven’t forgotten any of their influences and once again you hear incursions into Garage, Punk, Folk-Rock and even Psych (with surprising farfisa and theremin parts in a couple songs).
In an interview on March 21, 1986, Gregg Kostelich said “I was maybe 4 or 5 when I started collecting Garage records, and I’ve been listening to that type of music ever since. And I was lucky enough to see a couple of shows I was a little kid…my parents would bring to see bands like THE SONICS and THE BLUE MAGOOS and THE WHO, when I was about 7 or 8! I didn’t know what was going on really, but it was really exciting. I was kinda embarrassed in a way because I was with my parents.” When I mentioned that this early exposure to garage music explained THE CYNICS style, Gregg responded “Yeah, maybe I got brain damage from all the noise!”
-Tim Gassen
from www.thecynics.ws
Hard to Please
The Cynics Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Hard to Please' by these artists:
Blue and the Face im so glad your not honest cuz your more beautiful when…
Boxkar She called up early in the morning and rattled off…
Robben Ford Good mornin' baby what's the matter You didn't sleep so wel…
Sally Dige A tainted thought Had made you restless And pulled everythin…
Shihad It's just us against the world If only I believed Though we'…
Spelling Take me with you to the sky Or leave me here…
SPELLLING All that I want to please Flower of January Smile on me Eyes…
State Champs You've got a plan inside a deep breath, but it always…
The Black Lillies I've been working my fingers to the bone Every day is…
The Weepies Maybe if you came about Maybe if you turned this ship…
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Cynics:
Abba Oooooh I saw Abba, late last night Come to me girl,…
All About You I cannot see the rain For it falls so far below Been…
Baby What's Wrong You didn't hear me when I tried to tell you You…
Baby, What's Wrong You didn't hear me when I tried to tell you You…
Bells and Trains Oh brother I'm Pale and I'm sickly I went from funny…
Circles Arcs and Swirls Circles, arcs, and swirls On the souls of boys and girls Wil…
Gehenna Gehenna Depths of Gehenna Steps to the Throne He travels fa…
Here We Are If no man′s an island Then I'm not a man I′m lost…
How Could I How could I forget such a revelation To love without fear…
I Need More I Need More I hope this letter finds you well There's not…
Junk Load the ammunition Fuel up the tanks Tonight we're in …
Let Me Know Paper lace and long sad face Sun shining on the…
Love Me Then Go Away I told you baby once before I don't need people anymore…
Now I'm Alone Well you've got no money and you've got no car The…
Revenge I'm sick and tired of that radio sound I need…
Turn Me Loose I'm not the lover you want me to be I'm…
Yeah! I see my baby with another guy ah yeah I see…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Robert Cubinelli
Very underrated album indeed.
Javier Roqueiro
Muy buenos rock club
Veganwarrior77
I used to have tgis on vinyl, sadly I must have sold it, dont know why 😣
Javier Roqueiro
Rok club Ourense