Soon after, a mutual friend, Tal Bayer moved in. He was very much into ska and reggae and suggested that the band play some of the catchy songs that they loved to drink to. It proved to be the direction they needed, as well as an easier style to cover. Soon, The Slugs were skipping classes and practicing for hours to learn songs by Madness, The Specials, Bad Manners, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Skatalites, The Business, and others. Unfortunately, the name The Slugs was already taken and the band needed a new name. Some British neighbors used to refer to the heftier guys in the band as Pietasters, which is British slang for "fat guys". The name stuck and The Pietasters were born.
A few months later, a similar band from the DC area, The Skunks asked The Pietasters to play a local ska night at a bar in Georgetown. The Pietasters were still rough around the edges, but when you’re in college, quality stage performances take second place to getting free beer. Soon, The Pietasters were playing every dive bar in DC. The manager of one such bar befriended the band and helped them record their first record, The Pietasters, more commonly known as Piestomp.
In the summer of 1993, The Pietasters set out on their first national tour in a used school bus they'd bought for $900. The tour was haphazard with stops in Ohio, Oregon, Kansas and even many stops in Canada. By the end of the tour, almost all of the original members quit the band. To this day, only trumpeter, Carlos Linares, and lead singer, Steve Jackson, remain as original members.
The Pietasters auditioned many players and decided on Jeremy Roberts, Toby Hansen and Alan Makranczy as their horn players, Rob Steward (Covington) on drums, and Paul Ackerman on keys. Tom Goodin remained on guitar. The new line-up continued to tour whenever possible, and soon attracted the attention of Bucket Hingley, front man of The Toasters and owner of Moon Ska Records. He asked if The Pietasters wanted to be a part of a tour package called, "Skavoovie 94". The Pietasters accepted and were soon touring with The Toasters and The Scofflaws. The tour was much more organized than their last outing and proved to be very educational. By the end of the tour, The Pietasters were scheduled to record "Oolooloo" on Moon Ska with Victor Rice producing.
Oolooloo came out in the summer of 1995. The Pietasters continued to tour the country, and even managed to record "Strapped Live" between stops in Raleigh, NC and the Black Cat Club in Washington, DC. "Strapped Live" was released in 1996 and quickly became a fan favorite and the closest thing to a live Pietasters show. Throughout this period, The Pietasters had been recording new songs, re-recording older ones, and recording some covers. The results ended up as "Comply", and the song selection foreshadowed their next release.
While touring with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the band made a stop in Los Angeles. Backstage at the show, Tim Armstrong from the band, Rancid, approached the band and asked if they'd like to be a part of a new label he was putting together. The Slackers, Hepcat and Dropkick Murphys were already committed and he wanted The Pietasters on board.
After clearing such a move with Moon Ska, The Pietasters signed with Epitaph Records and their next album, Willis was recorded and released in 1997. A tour of the US soon followed as well as their first ever tour of Europe. The Pietasters also made appearances on the Warped Tour and opened for such acts as The Reverend Horton Heat, Cherry Poppin Daddies, and Ozomatli.
By 1999, The Pietasters were in the studio again to record Awesome Mix Tape #6 for Epitaph's Hellcat Records. They finished the album and hit the road again touring Europe with the Warped Tour, then the US again with the Pilfers and Spring Heeled Jack, and closing out 1999 with an opening stint for the legendary Joe Strummer. Years of touring finally took it's toll on Paul Ackerman and Tom Goodin, who amicably left the band. Bassist Todd Eckhardt also left the band and was replaced by Jorge Pezzimenti of The Decpticonz. Erick Morgan, formerly of The Skunks, took over keys, and Toby Hansen replaced Tom Goodin on guitar.
In late 2001, The Pietasters were well into recording their next album when they learned that former bassist, Todd Eckhardt, had died in his sleep. The news was extremely hard on The Pietasters and their fans. The Pietasters soldiered on and released a new album Turbo, a nickname of Todd's, in 2002. The new album's blend of Jamaican riddims and Northern Soul won praise from fans and critics alike. It even caught the attention of James Brown who asked The Pietasters to be his backing band at a sold-out concert in Washington DC in 2003. The following year, The Pietasters released their first ever DVD, Live at The 9:30 Club. In 2006, The Pietasters played the International Ska Circus in Las Vegas.
On August 21, 2007, seventeen years after their inception, The Pietasters released a new studio album entitled, "All Day".
Discography:
Studio albums:
The Pietasters - 1993 on Slug Tone Records
Oolooloo - 1995 on Moon Ska Records
Willis - 1997 on Epitaph Records
Awesome Mix Tape vol. 6 - 1999 on Hellcat Records
Turbo - 2002 on Fueled by Ramen
All Day - 2007 on Indication Records
Rare Albums, EP's, Singles, and Others:
The Ska-Rumptious 7 Inch"" - 1992 on Slug Tone Records
All You Can Eat (EP) - 1992 on Slug Tone Records
Soul Sammich - 1994 on Slug Tone Records
Ocean - 1996 on Moon Records
Strapped Live! (live album) - 1996 on Moon Records
Comply - 1996 on Moon Records
Out All Night (Promo) - 1997 on Hellcat Records
Out All Night (EP) - 1998 on HellCat Records
Yesterday's Over (Promo) - 1999 on Hellcat Records
The Pietasters 1992-1996 - 2003 on VMS Records
Live at the 9:30 Club (DVD) - 2005 on MVD
Band members:
Current lineup:
Stephen Jackson - vocals
Toby Hansen - guitar, trumpet
Jorge Pezzimenti - bass
Rob Steward - drums
Alan Makranczy - saxophone
Jeremy Roberts - trombone
Carlos Linares - trumpet
Jon Darby - keyboard
Past members:
Talmage Bayer - vocals
Tom Goodin - guitar
Pat Kelley - guitar
Todd Eckhardt - bass
Chris Watt - bass
Ben Gauslin - drums
Eric Raecke - tenor saxophone
Rob French - trombone
Caroline Boutwell - farfisa
Paul T. Ackerman - keyboards
Erick Morgan - keyboards
Jeb Crandall - keyboards
Under My Thumb
The Pietasters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Under my thumb is a girl who pushed me around
It's down to me, the difference in the clothes she wears
Down to me, the change has come, she's under my thumb
Under my thumb is a squirely dog who's just had her day
Under my thumb is a girl who just changed her way
It's down to me, the way she does just what's she's told
Under my thumb is a siamese cat of a girl
Under my thumb, well, she's the sweetest little pet in the world
It's down to me, the difference in the clothes she wears
Down to me, the change has come, she's under my thumb
It's down to me, the way she talks when she's spoken to
Down to me, the change has come, she's under my thumb
Under my thumb, her eyes are just kept to herself
Under my thumb, well I, I can't still look at someone else
It's down to me, the difference in the clothes she wears
Down to me, the change has come, she's under my thumb
The Pietasters' "Under My Thumb" is a cover of a popular Rolling Stones song released in 1966. The song is about a woman who was once in control, but is now submissive and under the control of the singer. The first verse describes a girl who used to have power over the singer, but now she is submissive and under his thumb. The second verse introduces a dog and how it has lost its way, but the singer has control over it now. The chorus repeats the idea that the woman is under the singer's control and how he has changed her behavior. The third verse compares the girl to a Siamese cat and describes how she is now a docile pet.
The lyrics hold a controversial message that can be interpreted as controlling towards women. The song possesses a similar theme throughout with the idea of control and being under someone's thumb. The song has become an anthem in the United States for women's rights advocates. The Pietasters' cover of Under My Thumb is from the early 1990s and has a more upbeat and lively feel compared to the original version. Despite the song's controversial message, The Pietasters are known for their lively performances and unique ska sound, which has earned them a dedicated fan base.
Line by Line Meaning
Under my thumb is a girl who once had me down
I used to be at the mercy of this girl, but now she's under my control
Under my thumb is a girl who pushed me around
This girl used to dominate me, but I'm now the one in charge
It's down to me, the difference in the clothes she wears
What this girl wears is now completely up to me and my influence on her
Down to me, the change has come, she's under my thumb
I caused the change in her behavior, and now she's completely under my control
Under my thumb is a squirely dog who's just had her day
I've put this dog in its place after it had its moment of power
Under my thumb is a girl who just changed her way
This girl has completely changed her behavior because of my influence
It's down to me, the way she does just what's she's told
This girl follows my orders without question, and it's because of my control over her
Under my thumb is a siamese cat of a girl
This girl is like a house cat to me, completely under my control
Under my thumb, well, she's the sweetest little pet in the world
This girl is completely obedient and subservient, just like a beloved pet
It's down to me, the way she talks when she's spoken to
I have complete control over how this girl communicates with others
Under my thumb, her eyes are just kept to herself
This girl is completely submissive, even in how she looks at others
Under my thumb, well I, I can't still look at someone else
Although I have complete control over this girl, I still can't help but be possessive
It's down to me, the difference in the clothes she wears
I completely control how this girl presents herself to the world, including her clothing choices
Down to me, the change has come, she's under my thumb
I am responsible for the change in this girl's behavior, and now she's completely under my control
Contributed by Jayden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dead
on Set Me Up
The song is about former DC mayor, Marion Barry.
On January 18, 1990, Barry was arrested with a former girlfriend, Hazel Diane Moore, in a sting operation at the Vista International Hotel by the FBI and D.C. police for crack cocaine use and possession. Moore was an FBI informant when she invited Barry to the hotel room and insisted that he smoke freebase cocaine before they had sex, while agents in another room watched on camera, waiting for Barry to accept her offer. During the videotaped arrest, Barry says of Moore, "Bitch set me up.”