2) Mark Gunnery (of the Riot-Folk colle… Read Full Bio ↴1) The Band of “Psycho Chicken”.
2) Mark Gunnery (of the Riot-Folk collective) and Mahra Parian.
3) Japanese R&R Band.Check also フールズ.
(1) The Fools Story
By Hugh Jarse
Sometime around 1975, deep in the Home of the Fried Clam, Ipswich, Massachusetts, a really fun bunch of guys who had a band called "The Rhythm A's" somehow changed and became The Fools. This is their story.
All entertainers have a gimmick, a shtick, if you will (even if you won't). The object of a Fools show was to blow real life out of all proportion and morph ‘just another night out to see a band’ into the most fun anyone had ever had — anywhere! Meeting with great success, it wasn't long before the lads were masterminding stage trickery, pratfalls, skits, themes, twisted audience participation, practical jokes, paybacks, big nights and even some colossal events. Then they discovered radio.
In 1979 "Psycho Chicken," X-rated parody of The Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer," exploded over the airwaves of Boston. The boys were so excited they followed up almost at once with another whopping hit — "It's a Night for Beautiful Girls." And the guys weren't the only ones to get excited. EMI Records signed the band and sent them right out to tour the U.S. with The Knack. The tour was a smashing success. Then, off to Miami to record the victorious debut album "Sold Out."
The 1980’s saw the band through a storybook journey of mounting success and achievement. Adoring fans, media attention, the second album "Heavy Mental," touring the U.S. with Van Halen, massive "hometown" shows in Boston, TV appearances galore, European Tours with dizzying record sales, music videos and MTV. Then came the break with EMI. The band, alone and exhausted, retired to Cape Cod for a summer and bravely wrote their most successful album, "World Dance Party." Fueled by no less than four big radio tunes, WDP flew out of stores all across the nation. The title track "World Dance Party," along with a "Doo Wah Diddy" remake, "Life Sucks…Then You Die" and "She Makes Me Feel Big" all added up to a blockbuster of an independent release bringing in sales in excess of either 500,000 or 1,000,000 or 2,000,000 — depending on which band member you ask. Are they playing it up? (Or playing it down.)
Record-breaking radio airplay, new videos with heavy MTV play, new releases and constant touring propelled The Fools through the mid-1990's. Now in the new millenium they're at it again. Do not miss an opportunity to experience the spectacle and splendor, the legendary bombast, yes the shock and the awe — The Fools!
Who Have To Fools Played With ?...Heres just a few according to Rich Bartlett !
Let me see........There were more than a few....Though not a complete list I do remember these: In no particular order: The Doobie Brothers,[ our first 'big' show. people threw things at us] Rush,[couldn't have been nicer] J Geils,[a few times] Jefferson Starship, Blondie,[ the show at the Orpheum got us signed to EMI] The Knack,[ they're one and only tour] Van Halen,[nuff said] Toto, The Plasmatics [with Wendy O'Williams. Scary!], The Bangles,[sigh] Alvin Lee, Joan Jet, Roger McQuin, Steppenwolf, Rick Derringer, The Ramones, The Motels, Otis Day and the Knights [what a joke], Los Lobos, David Johansen, that guy who did 'It's too late for Sharon Tate' and 'People who Died', Oh yeah, that girl who did 'Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves. I know there's more. The mind is a terrible thing. Plus we did some television in Europe with Cheap Trick, Motorhead, Girl School, Peter Gabriel, The Pointer Sisters, Kate Bush, Billy Squire, 'The Dolly Dots' , a 1981 Dutch version of 'The Spice Girls, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Dukes. Or is it Jukes? I know I'm forgetting some...
Then there were a lot of Boston bands like: The Drive, The Del Fuegoes, The Dawgs, Jon Butcher Axis, The Cars,[remember Footstock?], Til Tuesday, The Nervous Eaters, Farrenheit, The Stompers, New Man, Steve Smith and the Nakeds, Girls Night Out, Face To Face, Private Lightning, The Bristols, Tom Hambridge, Human Sexual Responce, Robin Lane, Reddy Teddy, James Montgomery, The Neighborhoods, New England, Orchestra Luna, The Joe Perry Project, The Rings, The Swinging Erudities, The Orbits, and most of Ralph Fatello's bands [The Vinny Band, The Nor'easters, Semper Fi] My apologies to those I can't remember now. If I can think of anybody else, I'll let you know...
Rich Bartlett
You know, I was looking at the web site and saw all those bands you guys played with ! VERY impressive ! If you want to add a few local band names to the list, here's what I got ! In August of "76 ( that's right,I was 5 years old ) yoos guys played at the Twin Rinks on 114 in Danvers with : " Hot To Trot ", "Cloud ", " Voyage " and " Blue Moon " ( My second band with Paul Bonaiuto and Mike Shea )! Let's not forget the many times we played together when Sadler and I had "The Carmody Band " ! Gigs at the Summit Club,The Main Act ( Harbor House ) and I believe the Paradise ( though I'm not too sure about THAT one, I know we played with " The Stompers " and " Private Lightning" a couple of times) I'm sure you're getting inundated with "has beens" trying to re-fresh your memory of those legendary bygone days and I won't take-up any more of your time ! It's not that IMPORTANT to me!
Roger Carmody
(2) The Fools are Mark Gunnery (of the Riot-Folk collective) and Mahra Parian. Their S/T (2006) album was recorded in Mark's bedroom in Berkeley in fall and winter, 2006. The CD has a twenty page booklet full of foolish lyrics, art and writings. They have toured parts of the USA and Canada. They are currently working on a zine/CD combo, no release date as of yet.
I
The Fools Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flockin' to the prophets of pain, they're losing their eyes.
The frustration of the atmosphere is growin' anew.
They're going to the pyre to fan the flame - and you.
The flame and you.
Tell me how long, tell me how long.
It won't be long before they all
Tell me how long.
Animals switch on bright lights to delude you,
Encouraged by the silent masses, encouraged by the dark,
Dumb brains they all forget and now they're baitin' again.
Modesty was never real, was never real. Never.
Tell me how long, tell me how long.
It won't be long before they all
Are sorry for the gods they called.
Tell me how long.
There's a wall of hatred, there's a wall of pain.
There's one solution, you can get out again,
There's a sea of tears and a life of sorrow.
But if we're blind today, we will get lost tomorrow.
Tomorrow we will get lost.
Tell me how long, tell me how long.
It won't be long before they all
Are sorry for the gods they called.
Tell me how long.
How long.
In "I" by The Fools, the lyrics describe a society that is blindly following "prophets of pain" and losing their sense of reality. The frustration of the atmosphere is growing again, and people are going to the pyre to fan the flame of their own destruction. The song questions how long it will be before people realize that they have made a mistake in worshipping false idols and manipulating their own emotions. The animals use bright lights to delude people, and silence from the masses encourages them to forget their modesty and continue baiting others. The lyrics point to the fact that there is a wall of hatred and pain in society, and the only solution is to escape from it. There is a sea of tears and a life of sorrow, and if people remain blind to the truth today, they will certainly get lost in the future.
Line by Line Meaning
The game of the allurement, they're echoin' now again,
People are once again falling for the lure of something enticing, and those who promote it are repeating their message.
Flockin' to the prophets of pain, they're losing their eyes.
People are blindly following those who preach a message of suffering.
The frustration of the atmosphere is growin' anew.
The collective mood is becoming increasingly tense and uneasy.
They're going to the pyre to fan the flame - and you.
People are actively contributing to their own destruction, as well as that of others.
The flame and you.
The danger affects everyone, not just a select few.
Tell me how long, tell me how long.
The singer is asking for a timeframe for when people will realize their mistake.
It won't be long before they all
The singer is convinced that it's only a matter of time until everyone
Are sorry for the gods they called.
regrets their decision to blindly follow those in power.
Animals switch on bright lights to delude you,
Those in power use flashy distractions to deceive and manipulate people.
Encouraged by the silent masses, encouraged by the dark,
People are emboldened by the lack of opposition, and by the unspoken acceptance of their actions.
Dumb brains they all forget and now they're baitin' again.
People are easily swayed and forget past mistakes, causing them to repeat them.
Modesty was never real, was never real. Never.
The idea of humility and modesty was always just an illusion.
There's a wall of hatred, there's a wall of pain.
There are societal barriers that make it difficult to achieve peace and happiness.
There's one solution, you can get out again,
Despite the obstacles, there's still a way to find a way out and start anew.
There's a sea of tears and a life of sorrow.
The world can be a difficult and painful place.
But if we're blind today, we will get lost tomorrow.
If we ignore the problems and dangers today, things will only get worse in the future.
Tomorrow we will get lost.
The future is uncertain and potentially treacherous.
How long.
The singer is again wondering when things will change and people will see the truth.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JawNeeOh
Ah !! when great musicianship, and humor combined to make an unstoppable force!
@philgrimes5068
Great song about my favorite subject (I have seen the best and they beat all the rest)
@gategate6
cool song!!!!!!!!! I love yappers!!!!!!!!!
@davidmorin6667
They also did "life ducks then you die"
@jebdulles5809
It used to be the Monday morning anthem on 106 WHCN Hartford back in the 80's and 90's when radio was radio and individual stations had true disc jockeys with personality.
Picozzi and the Horn was my choice to start the day.
@rapman5791
Thanks for the mammaries 😉
@prji3
fuckin brilliant...!
@kingdomruler1
Not surprised at all that there are no dislikes :D
@davidmorin6667
I saw them in new Britain ct what a riot
@robertmoore8744
I did too I think at the jokers!!