Biography
In July 2000 the Gluey Brothers etched their place in music history as the earliest independent rock outfit to launch an album, Stiff for the Elders, at once in conventional stereo alongside DTS 5.1 Surround Sound. DTS followed in July 2001 by packaging both mixes into a DVD-Audio disc that incorporated moving images and dynamic navigation menus. Those visuals allowed audiences to witness the complete spectacle delivered by the act, complete with stage accessories, simulated dramatic gestures that swung between elevated and absurd, and eye-catching costumes.
Although unrelated by blood, the Gluey Brothers share an intense connection that operates on an almost enchanted plane, enabling humor to pass between them with remarkable ease. M.C. Tahina and King Hummus, the eccentric guiding forces, first bonded at Walter Reed Junior High School in Studio City, CA, where they performed side by side in the jazz ensemble. Their distinctive and memorable stage identities emerged only in 1989 inside a North Hollywood Middle Eastern restaurant known for its falafels, at which point the pair officially adopted the Gluey Brothers name.
King Hummus grew up in a household shaped by two actor parents who appeared in numerous films and advertisements, so playful exaggeration formed a daily norm. That same impulse frequently surfaced in classrooms, where his impulsive energy and pranks often invited disciplinary consequences; yet he mastered the skill of extracting himself from tight spots, a talent that later translated directly into performance. He also excelled on trumpet, joining the acclaimed Eagle Rock High School Jazz Band for a performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
M.C. Tahina absorbed an eclectic mix of creative influences from his mother, a dancer, performer, musician, sculptor, and visual artist, while his father contributed a business-oriented perspective; the combination surfaced in Tahina’s own multifaceted approach. His drumming carried him through jazz, hard rock, tribal, pop, blues, and zydeco groups, exposing him to a wide spectrum of rhythmic traditions.
The pair debuted together at Kavanaughs in Van Nuys, where their unrefined yet oddly dignified antics quickly captivated the modest audience. From that point the Gluey Brothers maintained a steady presence across Los Angeles venues for several years, rotating through an ever-changing roster of supporting musicians. Their songwriting grew increasingly refined, an achievement made more notable by the fusion of roughly eight distinct genres, while the onstage tension for which they became recognized continued to intensify.
In 1994 the duo relocated to Santa Fe, NM, assembling the Established Gentlemen as their backing unit with Clarabelle on guitar, Dollarstore Cowboy on bass, and Leif Rakker on drums. The expanded Gluey Brothers spent most of 1995 tracking their first album, Luncheon Meat of the Giants, issued the following year. After completion they embarked on two years of nonstop Southwest touring aboard a yellow school bus, delivering their incisive stage antics to packed houses. Clarabelle departed in summer 1998; longtime associate Uncle Moustache, an experienced guitarist, stepped in. By autumn the group had appeared on the cover of the Santa Fe Reporter and made its national television debut on Penn & Teller’s Sin City Spectacular, the music-magic-variety program broadcast on FX, with additional exposure on CNN’s Showbiz Minute and in Entertainment Weekly. Touring persisted uninterrupted.
Early in 1999 they issued Live! Sleece, a compilation drawn from road performances. Rakker exited in November 1999 to front a heavy-metal project, succeeded by Sweet Roll Swope on drums. One month later the Gluey Brothers entered an agreement with DTS, Inc. concerning their Surround Sound release Stiff for the Elders. They capped the year by performing at a private millennium celebration for Val Kilmer and his guests at the actor’s Santa Fe ranch.
The yellow bus continued its nationwide route, and in April 2000 the band received a two-page gatefold feature in the Santa Maria Times. The Playboy Channel, impressed by the group’s professionalism and presence, cast them in the original film The House of Love, distributed internationally. June 2000 brought the worldwide release of Stiff for the Elders in both stereo and DTS 5.1 Surround Sound formats; guest contributors included Dweezil Zappa, Scott Real, and Michael Sherwood. The DVD-Audio edition followed one year later.
On Christmas Eve 2000 Hummus sustained a collarbone fracture in a car accident. Recovery proved only a brief interruption; he incorporated the required medical apparatus into his stage routine. This capacity to adapt instantly to unforeseen circumstances, whether onstage or off, helped secure appearances at the Grammy Showcase in Los Angeles, South by Southwest in Austin, and the NEA Extravaganza in Nashville.
Though far from larger-than-life heroes, the Gluey Brothers’ personas nevertheless earn affection and regard; they preserve their composure even while subjecting themselves to pointed humor, particularly when they themselves supply embellished accounts of their fictional backstories.
Although unrelated by blood, the Gluey Brothers share an intense connection that operates on an almost enchanted plane, enabling humor to pass between them with remarkable ease. M.C. Tahina and King Hummus, the eccentric guiding forces, first bonded at Walter Reed Junior High School in Studio City, CA, where they performed side by side in the jazz ensemble. Their distinctive and memorable stage identities emerged only in 1989 inside a North Hollywood Middle Eastern restaurant known for its falafels, at which point the pair officially adopted the Gluey Brothers name.
King Hummus grew up in a household shaped by two actor parents who appeared in numerous films and advertisements, so playful exaggeration formed a daily norm. That same impulse frequently surfaced in classrooms, where his impulsive energy and pranks often invited disciplinary consequences; yet he mastered the skill of extracting himself from tight spots, a talent that later translated directly into performance. He also excelled on trumpet, joining the acclaimed Eagle Rock High School Jazz Band for a performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
M.C. Tahina absorbed an eclectic mix of creative influences from his mother, a dancer, performer, musician, sculptor, and visual artist, while his father contributed a business-oriented perspective; the combination surfaced in Tahina’s own multifaceted approach. His drumming carried him through jazz, hard rock, tribal, pop, blues, and zydeco groups, exposing him to a wide spectrum of rhythmic traditions.
The pair debuted together at Kavanaughs in Van Nuys, where their unrefined yet oddly dignified antics quickly captivated the modest audience. From that point the Gluey Brothers maintained a steady presence across Los Angeles venues for several years, rotating through an ever-changing roster of supporting musicians. Their songwriting grew increasingly refined, an achievement made more notable by the fusion of roughly eight distinct genres, while the onstage tension for which they became recognized continued to intensify.
In 1994 the duo relocated to Santa Fe, NM, assembling the Established Gentlemen as their backing unit with Clarabelle on guitar, Dollarstore Cowboy on bass, and Leif Rakker on drums. The expanded Gluey Brothers spent most of 1995 tracking their first album, Luncheon Meat of the Giants, issued the following year. After completion they embarked on two years of nonstop Southwest touring aboard a yellow school bus, delivering their incisive stage antics to packed houses. Clarabelle departed in summer 1998; longtime associate Uncle Moustache, an experienced guitarist, stepped in. By autumn the group had appeared on the cover of the Santa Fe Reporter and made its national television debut on Penn & Teller’s Sin City Spectacular, the music-magic-variety program broadcast on FX, with additional exposure on CNN’s Showbiz Minute and in Entertainment Weekly. Touring persisted uninterrupted.
Early in 1999 they issued Live! Sleece, a compilation drawn from road performances. Rakker exited in November 1999 to front a heavy-metal project, succeeded by Sweet Roll Swope on drums. One month later the Gluey Brothers entered an agreement with DTS, Inc. concerning their Surround Sound release Stiff for the Elders. They capped the year by performing at a private millennium celebration for Val Kilmer and his guests at the actor’s Santa Fe ranch.
The yellow bus continued its nationwide route, and in April 2000 the band received a two-page gatefold feature in the Santa Maria Times. The Playboy Channel, impressed by the group’s professionalism and presence, cast them in the original film The House of Love, distributed internationally. June 2000 brought the worldwide release of Stiff for the Elders in both stereo and DTS 5.1 Surround Sound formats; guest contributors included Dweezil Zappa, Scott Real, and Michael Sherwood. The DVD-Audio edition followed one year later.
On Christmas Eve 2000 Hummus sustained a collarbone fracture in a car accident. Recovery proved only a brief interruption; he incorporated the required medical apparatus into his stage routine. This capacity to adapt instantly to unforeseen circumstances, whether onstage or off, helped secure appearances at the Grammy Showcase in Los Angeles, South by Southwest in Austin, and the NEA Extravaganza in Nashville.
Though far from larger-than-life heroes, the Gluey Brothers’ personas nevertheless earn affection and regard; they preserve their composure even while subjecting themselves to pointed humor, particularly when they themselves supply embellished accounts of their fictional backstories.
Albums