Since late 2001, the modern-day Creepy T's have terrorized the dance halls, bars and clubs of South and Central Florida. Previous band personnel have included Bobby Sox, Fang, and Gary Harris of Billy Boloby fame on skins, Marky Crypt on bass and guitar, and the one and only Steve of Destruction on bass.
The current lineup:
Introducing eclectic electric bass player of Die Stinkin' fame Eric Ridgemont
Frontman Derek "Derwood" Hyde
Organist / electric piano player Thomas Dementrius
Guitarist John "Surabaya Johnny" Letsch
Skin man Tony Sacc of Come Ons fame!!!
Rub the Monkey's Paw!
The Creepy T's and Die Stinkin'
By D. Sirianni
Published: Thursday, September 29, 2005
The T is for totally awesome.
On a dark and stormy night last year, the creepiest band in America was burning bridges at one of the friendliest venues in Palm Beach County. A temporary ban from the Red Lion, two drummers, two bass players, and a new guitarist later, the Creepy T's return to the scene of that fateful night. The departure of the loved/reviled, always volatile drummer Fang resulted in the recent additions of Captain Gary Harris (ex-Billy Boloby) on drums and John "Foxton" Letch on lead guitar. With their revamped lineup, the T's have been turning heads, shrunken, pickled, and otherwise, with their almost (dare we say it?) tight performances. Always a band with great songs and over-the-top performances, the T's were teetering on the brink of total combustion every night until the shakeup. Grab a bowl of witches brew, put your arm around Swampy, rub the monkey's paw, and hope tonight's show is a roller coaster, not a train wreck.
In November 2005 we toured with the ONE AND ONLY KING COLEMAN on vocals up and down Eastern Seaboard! We performed a mix of new songs we wrote for King as well as many of his old faves like (DO THE) MASHED POTATOES, LOOKEY DOOKEY, BULLDOG AND ALLEY RAT! Some of the places we went:
Nov. 3: Baltimore, Md. - The Mojo w/ The Woggles
Nov. 4: Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Lanes w/ The Woggles
Nov. 5: Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's w/ The Woggles
Nov. 6: NYC WFMU Record Fair 1:00 PM AFTERNOON SHOW
Nov. 11: Orlando, Fla. - Will's Pub with the Delusionaires
We've been called everything in the book in the media, from being deemed the " Best Local Rock Band 2005" by the Broward/Palm Beach New Times (thanks!) to "The 'T' Stands For Trashed" by an Orlando fishwrapper; both are appellations we bear proudly. As of late we have had the privilege of backing up and recording with the legendary Mashed Potato Man, KING COLEMAN! Check his Myspace profile HERE .
Best Local Rock Band
Creepy Ts
Yes, the band that New Times chose as Best Band to Leave Broward/Palm Beach in 2000 is one of the few bands that hasn't made New York City its new home. Though guitarist/vocalist Derek Hyde and drummer Eddie Brandt took a stab at relocating to the Big Apple, Hyde moved back home in 2001. And we can thank the rock gods for that, because this is one of the few local bands that truly knows how to rock. There ain't no shoe-gazing here, just pure entertainment. The Creepy T's balance song and shtick, whether it's Hyde's manic meltdowns or the band's catchy, B-movie-inspired tunes with amusing titles you're not likely to find on the next Franz Ferdinand album. Try "Tiger with the She-Bitch On" or "Fire Gods of the South Pacific" -- quite a bit more interesting than songs about heartbreak and cheating girlfriends. Then again, Hyde's not big on following the whole indie hipster trend; he's more likely to wear a hula skirt than denim and Converse. And while the vintage farfisa sounds of keyboardist Thomas Dementrius place the Creepy T's in garage territory, the band operates outside that genre's hipster image as well. But if you doubt the T's rock cred, check out their new gig as backing band for King Coleman, the legendary "Mashed Potato Man" himself. Indeed, the Creepy T's carry the torch of rock 'n' roll like a South Pacific fire god -- hula skirt and all.
newtimesbpb.com | originally published: May 12, 2005
