" What started out as a joke in San Francisco has blossomed into something of a cult, selling out venues with punked up ...polka..." Interview Magazine
Polkacide: the Line Up
Founded in 1985, Polkacide was originally organized to play a one-night stand for the Deaf Club in San Francisco. The Deaf Club (an actual club for deaf people) had been hiring punk bands to perform. When it was suggested that some did not want a punk band, an inspired band leader and founder Ward Abronski, along with his long term girlfriend and Polkacide's first drummer, Hayok Kay, formed a "really loud polka band" to play. When the gig was cancelled (ironically for noise abatement), Ward realized it was too good of an idea with too many great musicians, to just let die. He booked the band for San Francisco's punk club The Mabuhay on February 8, 1985. Unfortunately, the Mab misspelled their names on the flyers but the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, Polkacide has played with such diverse groups as Sun Ra, Primus (Basa guest with his ocarina at The Fillmore), Brave Combo, k.d. lang, The Dead Kennedys, and many, many more.
None of the original members were polka musicians at the time, but all were active in the San Francisco music scene. Musical influences included classical, rock, punk and jazz. Bruce Ackley of the renowned group, Rova Saxophone Quartet, played saxophone. Rico Goff, the original trombonist, was then the musical director of The San Francisco Boys Chorus.
Clarinetist Neil Kaitner, a.k.a Neil Basa, came up with the name for the band and is the creator of the band's logo, a skull and crossed kielbasas. He played with many local bands including punk (Raw Sewage), dance hall (Pennsylvania Mahoney and Her Safe Sextet), freestyle (The Geeks) and traditional jazz (The Original Red Hot 1919 Blue Flame Jazzola Novelty Syncopators). The famous band logo, a skull and crossed kielbasas, was his design as well. He is their musical director and wrote the sassy Weiner Dog Polka. An original Aprés Gardé member, his spikes were installed one night long ago when he had passed out in Bohemia, his last words to his bandmates being that he better not wake up with a tattoo. His wife says the only downside has been it's murder on their pillowcases (though there was an unexpected upside as well.)
Drummer John Paulus (Johnny Jack) who started out on the first album as a trumpeter, ruined his knees sliding across the dance floor blaring drunkenly on the trumpet while polka sluts doused him with beer. (And let's give a nod to all the drunken dancers that have embraced the polka pit.) His extraordinary drumming solos are a direct result of his training with the legendary jazz great Tony Williams. When his knees could take no more, he retired the trumpet to continue on the drums, and when Johnny couldn't take it anymore, he retired to South Carolina, where he is happy with his new paramour and throws empties at the seagulls.
Johnny's estranged dad, Dudzo Wartniac, was the second trumpet of the original band. After the fallout with his son, he retired to the Sunset where he smokes dope and remembers the good old days. Bruno D'Smartass was the original guitarist and it is his smoking licks on The Butterfly Polka that caused Polkacide to be named best band at the Battle of The Polka Bands at Club Lingerie in Los Angeles. Bruno is still playing around the San Francisco music scene, but prefers not to be anonymous so they will take him seriously.
The original band also boasted Josh Ende as the accordianist. He was quickly joined by Big Lou, giving the band two(!) accordianists on stage.
Sexy saxophonist J.S. Jones (a.k.a. J.X. LoveJones), donned his long flowing blond wig and dark glasses and would be the silent type in the shadows of the stage. When pressed into service, the multi-talented Mr. X plays the second clarinet part in the dueling Clarinet Polka. He also is lovely when donning a slut dress for Halloween. He is still the fashion guru of the band, known for his trend setting knickers and argyle socks.
Bassist/minister-to-the band Alistair Shanks (a.k.a. Rev. Elvister, aka Lance Boyle, aka Murder'r Bob) completes the original members. Ali led or was a part of many San Francisco's favorite underground bands, including Tragic Mulatto, Pig Latin and Three Day Stubble. Although he only plays a spiritual leader to the band, ironically Ali is now sought for his wisdom, and plans on opening his own Esalen-like self help training centers, so that he can retire to his own tropical island.
The band itself has changed from a beginning 12 members, to 15 on a stage, down to its present day 9 members. The current line up of Polkacide became more solid musically with the addition of trombonist Lawrence Jarach (Roamin' Polkalanski), who helps center the band with his bass-like counterpoints to the reed instruments. Ms. Maggie Martin (Mad Maggie) joined the band after putting an ad into a local paper looking for new musical opportunities. Shortly after joining the band, Mags was crowned San Francisco's Accordian Queen. At the time, she was involved in both musical theater and juggling pins with her hubby. Maggie has since left the band in search of greater accordian heights.
John Hensley (J. Notso Nieuwguyski) is the truly gifted trumpeter now and more than makes up for the father and son duo of old. Classically trained, he's one of the few musicians who actually can make a living as a musician. Have trumpet, will travel is his motto, as long as his lip holds out. Finally, for sex appeal to the under-30 fans, Brian Kehoe (Dr. Mooseknuckles) came on board bringing professional experience (Kehoe Nation) and a penchant for hats (cowboy, porkpie), then decided the many hats were one too many, and went back to fronting his own band. Now featured on guitar is Max Baloin, who will debut with the band September 12, 2009 at 12 Galaxies. Also playing publicly with the band for the first time is drummer, Jon Weiss. Both are awaiting their new nicknames.
For the last 24 years, San Francisco's Polkacide has polka'd in venues ranging from punk dives to American's largest Polka Festival-Polka Fireworks at Seven Springs Pennsylvania, The Ms. Nude Pagent and Urban Circus acts. Polkacide has 2 self produced CD's "Polkacide" and "Hardcore 2-4" as well as numerous appearances on various compilation albums. Polkacide has appeared on national television and has received attention in the national and international press. Read more at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polkacide and at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/polkacide.
About the members
Ward Abronski: saxophones,whistles,toys, ukulele, vocals, front man
Neil Basa: clarinet, ocarina,vocals, sargeant-at-arms
Johnny Jack: drums, bullhorn, cross-bearing
J.X. Lovejones: tenor sax, clarinet, toys, vocals
Alistair Shanks: bass, vocals, soul patch
Lawrence Jarach: trombone,resident EMT, vocals
Maggie Martin: accordion, vocals, legs
John Hensley Nieuwguyski: trumpets, trombone, baritone horn, vocals, sex appeal
Bryan Kehoe: guitar, vocals
Current and former members of Polkacide have played with: Flipper, Tragic Mullatto, Rova Saxaphone Quartet, MDC, The Geeks, Pig Latin, Texas Manglers, Fisherman's Famous San Francisco Xylophonic Burlesque Orchestra, Duct, Bad Posture, The Sluglords, Goofball, Extra Action Marching Band, The Original Red Hot 1919 Blue Flame Jazzola Novelty Syncopators, Pennsylvania Mahoney and her Safe Sextet, The San Francisco Boys Chorus, Snakeoil Boys, Those Darn Accordions, Mad Maggies, The Kehoe Nation & more.
Read their stories at the Biography page.
