Loveslug was a rocknroll band from Amsterdam, that existed from 1987 to 1994 and consisted of Tony Slug, Mike De Veer, Frank Sloos and Oekel Brenzev. Starting out as a reaction against the rigid and overly-politicized hardcore punk and extreme political corectness in the Amsterdam punk scene, the four initially wanted to call their band The Sand Niggers, but eventually opted for Loveslug
Rejecting both hardcore/metal crossover and the quirky "jazzcore" sounds of those times, Loveslug grew their hair long and took their lead from the MC5, Stooges and Australian bands such as Radio Birdman instead, aiming to blend these style with the energy and fast tempos of hardcore punk, into something called "Slugrock".
The first cassette demo "Strike Me Blind" was immediately picked up by German Glitterhouse Records, leading to the album "Slug em All". Despite lacking the needed guitar crunch, and a much too polished sound, the debut became an instant hit in Germany, resulting in Loveslug playing almost exclusively in Germany rather than in their own country.
(Half of the tracks from record were later remixed - much fatter guitars -, and scheduled for release in Japan as a split 12 inch with a Japanese group, but as Glitterhouse never sent the tapes this project never came to fruition).
In 1989 Loveslug did a European wour with Denver-based labelmates The Fluid, to promote the new "Snailhouse Rock" 12 inch record.

• Read the Tour Diary HERE

• MORE

Slug 'Em all LP
Snailhouse Rock 12 inch mini-LP
Live split single with The Fluid
Split single with Skin Yard
Coyote Date / Quest for Fire single
Circus of Values LP/CD
Compilations :
The Basement Tapes
Motorcity Madness
Quest for Fire on "Howl" magazine freebie single
This House Is Not A Motel

MP3

• Search & Destroy (demo cassette 1987)
• Slap your slug (demo cassette 1987)

Video

• Loser Bar
• Slap Your Slug

Loveslug flyers and posters ...

More press

Two years later, a second European tour with the Fluid ensued. A live recording from a show in Bielefeld, Germany found it's way to a Loveslug/Fluid split single.
With no other music in the tour van than a single advance cassettetape of the yet unreleased "Bleach" album by Nirvana that Fluid drummer Garrett Shavlik had brought along, Loveslug were impressed with the production, and became interested in working with future "guru of grunge" producer Jack Endino.
Endino went on to produce the albums "Beef Jerky" and "Circus of Values".
Noteable is Loveslug's odd cooperation with famed Dutch jazz saxophone player Hans Dulfer, who plays on "Beef Jerky" and would join the band live on stage at local shows regulurly. Dulfer briefly enlisted Loveslug as his backing band, but playing to jazz crowds was not a big success to say the least, and a shortlived experiment at that.
But Loveslug toured abroad more, now alone, this time also exploring previously uncharted territories such as Spain, and Scandinavia, (where future members of Gluecifer and The Hellacopters, still in their teens, took notes).
From here on, things went downhill. The Loveslug recording sessions with Celibate Rifles guitarist Kent Steedman behind the knobs became a complete fiasco. Master tapes went missing several times, things didn't sound right and had to be remixed, and the whole project started to drag. With Steedman demanding rather excessive payment for his services already, the studio bill got higher and higher. When the studio got paid at last and the master tapes could be pickef up, they were gone : As it turned out the studio had gone bankrupt, which they conveniently "forgot" to tell the band, and a few days earlier Mr. taxman had confiscated all the equipment including the master tapes.
From those sessions, only "Loser Bar", was ever released as a split single with Endino's band, Skin Yard. It came out in Europe on Glitterhouse, and on Rave Records in the US (who re-released it on a compilation LP years later)
At home, Loveslug had now gained widespread notoriety for a more-than-excessive beer consumption affecting live performnces, drunken offstage behavior, backstage destruction, a trail of offensive graffiti all over the continent, etc.
This eventually caused venues and clubs to shun the band. Then there was a conflict with the booking agent, and Loveslug found themselves thrown out of their rehearsal space.(The proprietor, a woman with rather prominent front teeth, promptly received 5 kgs of carrots in the mail.)

• MORE

by Ricky Kulwicky (RIP).

Loveslug's 4th record would take almost 2 years to come out. Apparently Glitterhouse lost interest.
Meanwhile, Frank Sloos had begun double tasking with sixties garage revivalists The Kliek, who eventually morphed into the surfy Treble Spankers, and enjoyed more success in Holland than Loveslug.

When Mike De Veer came down with diabetes and decided to quit the band for medical reasons, Sloos followed suit.
Loveslug played a farewell show at the Amsterdam Arena, throwing 10 kgs of sugar cubes into the crowd, resulting in a very sticky floor, very not amused club owners and, next morning, a very angry cleaning crew.
Over the years Loveslug played with the likes of Mudhoney, UK Subs, Das Damen, White Zombie, Antiseen, L7, etc.

FACTOZOIDS :
Loveslug songs were covered and recorded by Germany's Duke Of Dicks and Great Unwashed as well as Spanish punkers N.C.C.
The Loveslug title "RocknRoll Übermensch" was (admittedly) stolen by German chartbusters Die Ärtze, who used it for an album they sold trillions of.

Glitterhouse never paid a dime and was never heard from again.

• bio
• pics
• press
• media
• records