The Del Fuegos

The Del Fuegos
Background information
OriginBoston, Massachusetts, United States
GenresRoots rock, garage rock, alternative rock,[1] punk rock, garage punk, blues rock, hard rock, power pop, new wave
Years active1980–1990; 2011–2012; 2023
LabelsSlash/Warner Bros. Records (1984-1987)
RCA/BMG Records (1989)
February (2011-2012)
Past membersDan Zanes
Warren Zanes
Tom Lloyd
Steve Morrell
Brent "Woody" Giessmann
Adam Roth
Joe Donnelly
Sonny Columbus
Brother Cleve

The Del Fuegos were an American 1980s garage-style rock band. Formed in 1980, the Boston, Massachusetts, United States–based band gained success in 1986 with their songs "Don't Run Wild" and "I Still Want You" and appearing in a widely seen television commercial for Miller Beer. The band's fans included Tom Petty,[2] who appeared on one of the band's songs and featured them as an opening act on one of his tours. The band is named after the island of Tierra Del Fuego.[3]

History

The relationship between brothers Warren Zanes and Dan Zanes, then and now, has been described as "fractious".[4] Shortly after the band was dropped by Slash Records due to the commercial disappointment of their third album for the label, Warren left the band, as did Woody.[5] After Dan and Tom recruited two replacement members, they released a fourth album with RCA Records. The band broke up within a year of the album's release. Dan later said of the group's demise, "The '80s were over, we were over."[2]

On June 23 and 24, 2011, the band played together for the first time in 21 years at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, Massachusetts.[6] These shows raised money for Right Turn, a rehab program run by Woody. Later, they embarked upon a reunion tour beginning in February 2012 and ending in Dan and Warren's home town of Concord, New Hampshire, at the Capital Center for the Arts on March 4, 2012.

The reunited band also recorded eight new songs in three days, releasing them on February 21, 2012, as an EP titled Silver Star.[7][8]

The Del Fuegos did reunite for a one night event in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in July 2023.[9]

Band members

Dan Zanes released a solo album in 1995. Later, after distributing a cassette of original children's songs throughout his neighborhood, he began recording children's music with his band Dan Zanes and Friends.[2] The band's music became very popular due to heavy airplay of the group's music videos on the Disney Channel's preschool morning block Playhouse Disney (now Disney Junior) and Noggin (now Nick Jr. Channel). In 2007, his album Catch That Train! received a Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children.

Warren Zanes left the Del Fuegos after the band's third album. He went on to earn two master's degrees and a Ph.D. in Visual and Cultural Arts. He is also the Vice President of Education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He returned to music in 2002 with a solo album titled Memory Girls.

  • Tom Lloyd (bass)

Lloyd left the Del Fuegos after the band's fourth album. He went back to college and earned a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley before earning a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1999.

  • Adam Roth (guitars)

After The Del Fuegos, Roth (born Adam Wingfield Roth on May 16, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)[10] worked on musical endeavors with comedian Denis Leary and recorded with Jim Carroll, David Johansen and The Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando. He was also involved in the bands The Enablers and The Liza Colby Sound.[11] Roth died of cancer on December 16, 2015, at the age of 57.[12]

Morell left the Del Fuegos before the band recorded their first album.[2]

  • Woody Giessmann (drums)

Giessmann founded Right Turn, a program offering assistance to artists in recovery from drug addiction and other mental health issues, in 2003.

  • Joe Donnelly (drums)

Donnelly has worked in a number of music projects since the end of the Del Fuegos, including Wiki 3 and Chris Pahud.

  • Sonny Columbus

Columbus worked with the Fuegos for Christmas music.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock
1985 "Don't Run Wild" – – 46 Boston, Mass
1986 "I Still Want You" 87 – 33
1987 "Name Names" – – 43 Stand Up
1989 "Move With Me Sister" – 22 32 Smoking in the Fields

Other appearances

  • Miller Music[14] (1984; promotional compilation album; multiple artists; RCA)
  • Miller Music II[15] (1986; promotional compilation album; multiple artists; RCA)

References

  1. ^ Mark Deming. "The Del Fuegos | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
  2. ^ a b c d "Kids music pays off for 'Kindie' king Dan Zanes". Finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  3. ^ "Those Rock 'N' Roll Dreams Coming True for del Fuegos". 13 December 1985.
  4. ^ "Del Fuegos are back". The Boston Globe. February 9, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "The Del Fuegos Bio | The Del Fuegos Career | MTV". Cmt.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  6. ^ "Del Fuegos are still on fire". Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  7. ^ Christopher Hislop (2012-02-27). "Back track: The Del Fuegos wrap up reunion tour in Concord on March 4 - Entertainment* - seacoastonline.com - Portsmouth, NH". Seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  8. ^ "Silver Star: The Del Fuegos: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  9. ^ "Ledgendary Boston Rockers THE DEL FUEGOS Reunion Concert - July 15, 2023". Allevents.in.
  10. ^ Adam Wingfield Roth Obituary, Legacy.com, access-date March 18, 2018
  11. ^ "Adam Roth : Biography". Adamroth.com. 15 May 2007. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
  12. ^ Colin Stutz (December 17, 2015). "Adam Roth, NYC Guitarist & Composer, Dies at 57". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
  13. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20080514085834/http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/d.htm [bare URL]
  14. ^ "Miller Music (1984, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Miller Music II (1986, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.