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Rubber Rodeo was an American, Rhode Island–based band active in the 1980s. The band fused Roxy Music-influenced new wave music with Country music influences, and dressed in 1950s-vintage country and western clothing. Their 1984 release "Anywhere With You" reached No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Most of the band's material consisted of original songs composed by Bob Holmes, or by the team of Holmes and Milliken. However, the group also recorded takes on country and western classics such as Ennio Morricone's "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and the Patsy Cline standard "Walkin' After Midnight". As well, their first independently released single was a cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" in 1981. Shortly after this single was released, pedal steel guitarist Stern left the band, to be replaced by Mark Tomeo. Commenting on a 1982 live performance, The Boston Phoenix observed that "Rubber Rodeo are smart enough to present themselves as straights who find hipness in songs neglected by new-wave audiences as too quaint ('Jolene') or too corny ('Wichita Lineman')."
Despite the difficulties in making the record, Scenic Views was a moderately successful release. The LP's first single "The Hardest Thing" failed to chart, but the video received significant MTV airplay. The album's second video "Anywhere With You" also received MTV play, and the "Anywhere With You" single was a minor hit in the US, reaching no. 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Rubber Rodeo's fusion of new wave and country music on the album led music critic J.D. Considine to coin the term "cowboy pop" in his review published in Musician.
Later in 1984, the band picked up a Grammy Awards nomination for a long-form video they made for Scenic Views. The video was produced by Second Story Television and written and directed by David Greenberg. The home video release also included the music video for their early Eat Records single, "How The West Was Won".
The band's second album, 1986's Heartbreak Highway, was produced by Ken Scott, who had previously produced albums by David Bowie and Devo. However, the album was not a commercial success and the band was subsequently dropped by their label. Nevertheless, the group soldiered on for a while, with Reeves Gabrels taking over from Gantek as Rubber Rodeo's steel guitarist.
Bob Holmes (not to be confused with guitarist Robert Holmes from the new wave band 'Til Tuesday) went on to a successful production career for artists ranging from David Bowie to Nils Lofgren, and now produces multi-media in New York City. In 2011, Holmes formed a new band called The Crusty Gentlemen, with original Rubber Rodeo bassist Doug Allen, pedal steel guitarist Jonathan Gregg, bassist Roger Moley, and banjo player Jeffrey Freidberg.Bladow, Janel. "NYC’s bluegrass hot spot is now at the Seaport," AmNY (June 11, 2014). The "Crusties" perform covers of classic bluegrass/country songs, with the occasional cover of popular songs such as, "Sweet Child O' Mine," originally done by Guns N' Roses. "Crusty Gentlemen to perform," Sullivan County Democrat (August 5, 2022). Both Doug Allen and Gary Leib, meanwhile, drew upon their art school backgrounds and became noted cartoonists. Elsewhere, Reeves Gabrels moved to London and joined David Bowie's band Tin Machine; and Tomeo, Cragin, and Gantek all carved out careers as notable session musicians. Rubber Rodeo did get back together to record a third album some time in the 1990s, but it has never seen release.
In November 2007, Gary Leib was interviewed for the Alternative Classix podcast, where he discussed Rubber Rodeo's history and legacy.
Bob Holmes and Gary Leib performed in a new project named SUSS, that has been referred to as “ambient country" music. SUSS released three albums as of December 2020.
Leib died in 2021, aged 65. Suss has continued, with Holmes and compatriots continuing to release new albums under the Suss banner.
LPs
-*on CD and cassette releases
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