Roach Motel had a certain amount of noteriety around town, as they were the most visible out-and-out "punk" band, and had the wacky song titles ("I Hate The Sunshine State," "More Beer," "Shut Up," etc.), authentic appearance, and over-the-top behavior that the media lapped up. The Alligator ran a few pieces about them between about 1982-84. I bought their EP "Roach And Roll" when it came out in '82, and thought it was funny. I saw the band twice, briefly. One time was in probably 1983 at Catch-22, a biker bar way out west on Newberry Road near Westend Golf Course. Paul Brey and I drove out there with a couple of girls we knew, not knowing what band would be there, walked in, and there was singer Bob Fetz gyrating around in front of a small group of indifferent bikers and rednecks playing pool, plus a few fans. We didn't stick around long. (Catch-22 was one of those bars that would book just about any band, but if you didn't bring along your own audience you weren't likely to get one).

The other time was in 1984 at Reality Kitchen, that is, the incarnation of Reality Kitchen that was on NE 1st Avenue just off Main Street near Phil-Nick's Restaurant. Paul, Mark Underberger and I went out to see Slime, who were opening for the 'Roaches, and watched maybe half the Roach Motel set. The main thing I remember about it is that afterward Paul and I wrote a letter to Destroy magazine (published, more or less by RM lead singer Bob Fetz) saying Slime kicked their ass.

ROACH MOTEL
Gainesville's Greatest Punk Rock Band!
Long Live the Roach Motel!

The post about Catch-22 and the Roach Motel Reality Kitchen shows really brought back memories! I do not know that I saw Roach Motel at Catch 22, but I do remember seeing the Bazookas there. I had met this girl called Debbie McLeod at some art or film-school party I crashed and she turned me on tho the whole burgeoning Gainesville punk scene, including Catch-22 (Debbie lived at the House of Death where Frank Mullen, the Roach Motel drummer, lived). There was this punk dance of the day where the partners would grab each others' necks and basically throttle each other, and I can remember the rednecks at Catch-22 looking at the punks like we were from some alien planet, and me thinking we were gonna get our heads kicked in the whole time.

As far as the Reality Kitchen show around the corner form Phil-Nick's, I played at it! My band, the Atomics (I believe we billed ourselves as Wally and the Beavers that night, for reasons which currently escape me), was one of the opening bands. A few other times I saw the Roaches: the first time the Atomics played, at an apartment complex party, the RM came up after we finished and played a set using our gear (Frank Mullen, RM drummer, was also the Atomics' bassist at the time; I actually have a couple photos of the Roach Motel set and still own the amp and guitar I and George Tabb played at the show); also saw them play the basement of Broward Hall, where they basically intentionally provoked a riot by taunting some frat boys-- this one ended in chairs and other furniture being thrown all over the place; plus the Atomics played at least one party with the Roaches at the House of Death. Oh, and at another Reality Kitchen location (the third location was further north on Main Street downtown, where a later Rickenbackers, and subsequently Gruv, were located)on South Main Street, in an abandoned industrial site where they had a punk fest with RM and the Necros, that was a weird one, I can remember people getting haircuts between band sets, but mainly I missed a lot of that show because an ex-girlfriend came down from Jacksonville and was there and I was trying to avoid running into her. I still have the T-shirt from that show!

Ah, those were the days. Or daze.

The post about Catch-22 and the Roach Motel Reality Kitchen shows really brought back memories! I do not know that I saw Roach Motel at Catch 22, but I do remember seeing the Bazookas there. I had met this girl called Debbie McLeod at some art or film-school party I crashed and she turned me on tho the whole burgeoning Gainesville punk scene, including Catch-22 (Debbie lived at the House of Death where Frank Mullen, the Roach Motel drummer, lived). There was this punk dance of the day where the partners would grab each others' necks and basically throttle each other, and I can remember the rednecks at Catch-22 looking at the punks like we were from some alien planet, and me thinking we were gonna get our heads kicked in the whole time. As far as the Reality Kitchen show around the corner form Phil-Nick's, I played at it! My band, the Atomics (I believe we billed ourselves as Wally and the Beavers that night, for reasons which currently escape me), was one of the opening bands. A few other times I saw the Roaches: the first time the Atomics played, at an apartment complex party, the RM came up after we finished and played a set using our gear (Frank Mullen, RM drummer, was also the Atomics' bassist at the time; I actually have a couple photos of the Roach Motel set and still own the amp and guitar I and George Tabb played at the show); also saw them play the basement of Broward Hall, where they basically intentionally provoked a riot by taunting some frat boys-- this one ended in chairs and other furniture being thrown all over the place; plus the Atomics played at least one party with the Roaches at the House of Death. Oh, and at another Reality Kitchen location (the third location was further north on Main Street downtown, where a later Rickenbackers, and subsequently Gruv, were located)on South Main Street, in an abandoned industrial site where they had a punk fest with RM and the Necros, that was a weird one, I can remember people getting haircuts between band sets, but mainly I missed a lot of that show because an ex-girlfriend came down from Jacksonville and was there and I was trying to avoid running into her. I still have the T-shirt form that show! Ah, those were the days. Or daze.

I saw the Roach Motel a few times. In fact, they played at my party for a keg of beer when I lived in a house at 240 South Main St. in about 1982. They just set up on the porch, plugged in, and rocked. The downtown area was really dead at that time, so there was no one around to complain. A couple of cops stopped by to see the party on Main St. and I asked them to stay. They listened to the band for a minute and fled.

I think I went to their recording session when they recorded their first EP in a little studio on University Ave. Some of the songs that made it to disk: More Beer, Brooke Shields must die, Burger King is dead.

article 1134 I can't believe I stumbled upon this site! Brought back hazy memories. I played bass for one illustrious year with Roach Motel. It was downhill from there. I peaked at 17! I think I played the Broward Hall gig. Truthfully I can't be sure as I drank quite a lot that year! I don't know where everyone scattered to. I did find a website for the Roach Motel ( if anyone is interested. I think Eric is now a criminal defense attorney. I last heard from him back in the early 90s and he was in law school, so that makes sense. The last I saw of George he was in the movie, "Summer of Sam", yeah, the one directed by Spike Lee. I nearly fell out of my chair. He has about 5 seconds of screen time as a member of Adrian Brody's band, but it is quite clearly him. If you don't believe me go to movies.com and search "Summer of Sam" and you'll get a cast list.

Great site!

rhonda

Gonna guess that Rhonda was the only person in rock 'n roll history to play, on stage, a $40 bass from defunct discount chain Woolco.

Rock on!

This isn't a Roach Motel story but more of an inquiry. I was in Gainesville in 1979-82 and I remember the Roach Motels singing a song with a lyric that was something along the lines of, "I Hate the Handicapped." I remember it had something to do with not liking that they got all the good parking spaces. Now, the Supreme Court is about to hear the University of Michigan cases on racial preferences in college admissions, and now the Roach Motel's basic point about those handicapped spaces is hugely significant. In short, the attitude of Gainesville punk has reached the U.S. Supreme Court! Does anyone remember this song, and what the name of it was? Is it currently available for purchase on any compilations? That would be so awesome if it were.

Roach Motel Press Release (2/12/03): Gainesville's "Roach Motel" put Florida on the punk-rock map with their 1983 compilation, "We Can't Help it if We're from Florida.". Now they're back to take another swipe at the Sunshine State with three live shows, their first in nearly 20 years. Friday, March 20 - Eddie C's in Gainesville, FL Saturday, March 21 - Sound Idea Records in Tampa, FL Sunday, March 22 - Sound Idea Records in Tampa, FL In their three-year history, Roach Motel put out three records and were inlcuded on several high-profile compilations; played with bands like the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag and Minor Threat; were featured in reviews and "top-ten" lists in magazines like "Maximum ROck & Roll", "Flipside" and others. These live shows will feature all original members of the band: Eric Engan (bass), Bob Fetz (vocals), Jeff Hodapp (guitar), Frank Mullen (drums), and George Tabb (guitar). Friday's show in Gainesville will feature Crash Pad, and Billy Reese Peters. For more information, contact Frank Mullen, frank@matteblack.com or 770.722.0595 MORE INFORMATION DISCOGRAPHY: Roach and Roll (1982) We Can't Help It If We're From Florida (1983) "Barricaded Suspects" (1983) "Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol. 2." (1983) What The Hell, It's Roach Motel (1984) We Still Can't Help It if We're From Florida (1992) Killed by Florida (1998) "Barricaded Suspects" (CD Reissue, circa 2000) Worstest Hits (2002) Split LP: Hated Youth / Roach Motel Live (2002) MILESTONES: * Played with Black Flag, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Suicidal Tendencies, CH3, and other seminal 80's hardcore bands * Members include George Tabb of "Furious George", "False Prophets", "Iron Prostate" and writer for MaxRR, New York Press, etc... * Band ran Destroy Records, which released a memorable Florida punk compilation: "We Can't Help It". This compilation and their initial release, "Roach & Roll" are sought-after collector's items. * Their records were reviewed in Maximum Rock & Roll, Flipside, Touch & Go, and other bibles of the punk scene * Asked for by name: Ian MacKaye, Jello Biafra * Attracted fan mail from as far away as France, Poland, Italy and elsewhere * Added to playlists on dozens of radio stations across the US and internationally * They played throughout Florida and the US, including Miami, Gainesville, Tampa, Tallahassee, Atlanta, Washington, DC, and New York. LINKS: http://www.matteblack.com/roachmotel http://www.soundideadistribution.com/news.html#FLORIDA http://www.punkmagazine.com/morestuff/listening_party9.html#roach http://www.georgetabb.com

Hiya kids! Well the re-onion tour went so well were gonna try it again! Hopefully in Febuary or March. I recently had a chance to meet up with our old & current bassist Eric, in Las Vegas & we saw the Sex Pistols Friday & Bad Religion Saturday (I admit there's something downright wrong about flying to Vegas & seeing the Pistols & staying at the Luxor but that's why they invented credit cards, right?) Both shows were good but the Pistols were great. Anyway, on Saturday me & Eric went to a couple record stores & a couple music stores. It was fun and after I told him I kinda wrote a new RM song- we went to a Sam Ashe (?) music store, he got a great SG copy put it in an amp & a new RM song was born! 1rst 1 in 21 years! Woo Hoo! YES it was fast punk rock, but, thanks for asking! In some of your remarks about us- No dude, the handicap parking song I sang but Generic White Trash not RM & although I liked em & loved Milo I was never in the Gay Cowboys In Bondage.

An update to Bob's post above, RM will be in Gainesville @ Eddie C's on Friday April 2, 2004. The line-up will be: Roach Motel Crash Pad Sugardish The Suicide Bombs The presently confirmed dates for the RM tour, from their website (see Deb's post above), are: * Fri., March 26 - Miami, FL (Churchill's) * Sun., March 28 - West Palm Beach, FL (Ray's Downtown Blues) * Tue., March 30 - Tallahassee, FL (Big Daddy's) * Wed., March 31 - Chattanooga, TN (Ziggy's) * Thu., April 1 - Atlanta, GA (Echo Lounge) * Fri., April 2 - Gainesville, FL (Eddie C's) * Sat., April 3 - Tampa, FL (Green Room) Cheers, BK

Hey all, I played with RM in 1983 (Bass) for about 6 months. Its been quite a while. While look you all up when you get to West Palm Beach.