The Pugilists are four Milwaukee rock veterans ranging from ruggedly handsome to somewhat homely. Originally the backing band for Milwaukee power-pop stalwart Nick Pipitone, the Pugs have now left the nest and are learning to fly by means of falling out of tall trees.
Led by nobody, really, the Pugilists are, in alphabetical order by first name, Don Moore (The Swarthy One) on guitar and vocals, Jack Rice (The Hypochondriac) on bass and vocals, Jack Rodee (The One Who Rather Looks A Bit Like A Beardless Jesus) on guitar and vocals, and Nick Verban (He Who Is Recently Optimistic) on the drums.
NOTE: The Pugilists are the only band in the known world whose members' names, when arranged alphabetically by first name, are in the exact same order as they would be in if arranged alphabetically by last name. The Pugilists challenge you to find another band who shares this remarkable trait. Go ahead. Send us a message if you can find another band like this and you'll win a fabulous prize. Queen? Nope, guess again, Slugger. Four words: John Deacon, Brian May. What about Finnish metal outfit Children of Bodom? Sorry, Tiger. Close but no tomato. Keyboardist Janna Wirman does have the last alphabetical surname of the band, but drummer Jaska Raatikainen has the last alphabetical first name.What are you, scared? Thought so.
Bands and artists they have played with or still play with reads like a "Who's
Who" of bands consisting of them and people they've played with, including: The Lackloves,
Spill, The Pugilists, The Mighty Deer Lick, The Carolinas, Sugarsmack, The Blow
Pops, Michelle Anthony & Stick Pony, Goat Radio, Pipitone, Spin Jive, The Nads, Debt Service,
the Substitutes, the Billy Seidel Band, happytown, Covert Operation, Mary Karlzen, Chris DeMay, Neon Moon, Tommyheld, the Nick Verban 3, Tinted Blind,
Stealing Dan and The Don Moore Soultet.
Will the Pugilists rock YOU? The answer to that question can be summed up in one word: Perhaps.
Fun Factoids!
*Jack Rodee and Jack Rice have many alarming similarities to them, as anybody who has encountered them both together drunk in a bar can attest. Both have the same given first name (John), the same nickname (Jack), the same initials (Jack Charles Rodee and Jack Clement Rice), were born one day apart (Rodee: 12-13-68, Rice: 12-14-68) in the same city (Milwaukee) and have driver's license numbers that, despite consisting of 13 numbers and one letter, are identical save for two digits. The actual odds of this happening, as calculated on a calculator, are 1 in 2,599,999,999,999,948,000,000,000,000,026.
* A major league pitcher is often judged on the basis of his earned run average, or ERA. This number represents the average number of earned runs given up by the pitcher per nine innings. The earned run average can be calculated using the following formula: (Earned Runs/Innings Pitched) x 9
*Occasional Wife was a half-hour sitcom that aired on NBC during the 1966-67 season. The lead character was Peter Christopher, a bachelor who enjoyed the single life but was blocked from professional advancement by not having a wife, as his boss, baby-food manufacturer Max Brahms (played by Jack Collins) was, because of his product, a strong believer in marriage and family. Christopher asked a young painter, Greta Patterson, to pose as his wife at company functions. In return, Peter set up Greta in an apartment above his own in a Manhattan building.