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Back in 1979, there was nothing to do. Out of boredom, Dry Heaves were formed in Windsor, Ontario
Canada (across the ditch from Detroit Michigan). There was an amateur band contest called The Battle of the
Bands and that was reason enough to write 6 or 7 songs. It was a place to play (in front of 1000 people).
Rehearsals
began with the original band... Hevy Kevie (vocals), Tommy Vomit (guitar), Ray Maybe (bass and keys), Mark Truck
(drums) and Ex Heave (guitar).
A few things were apparent from the start. Ray couldn't play bass to save his life.
Luckily he had a groovy old ARP synth and could manage a bass line on the keys. Ex Heave (appropriately named) wanted
to play Eric Clapton riffs and left the band after one or 2 rehearsals. The band really sucked.
Most
of the bands at the Battle were cover bands playing what is now called Classic Rock. The Heaves played originals and
Iggy covers. Much to the bands surprise, they made the finals in the competition and came in second the first paying
gig and free beer!
Little did they know that there were people in the crowd who actually booked bands for real shows in
and around the Motor City. Calls started coming in.
Rehearsals continued and more songs were written.
Mark Truck was replaced by old friend The Poet on drums. Rudy Baby was added on guitar, bass and teen appeal.
The gigs started
In Windsor: JPs, the Coronation, Donlan Hall, the Polish Club, the Radio, Masonic Temple, the Bali Hi,
the University of Windsor, Wyandotte St, Bush Bash, Croatian Hall and Walker 917.
In Detroit: Bookies, Nunzios and The
Red Carpet.
Sometime during all this, The Poet left and was replaced by The Spys' drummer Cookie Man.
Some of the bands
that the Heaves hung around with/played with at this time Crayon Killers, Destroy All Monsters, Hardtops, Spys, Teenage Head,
the Cubes, Seatbelts, the Damage, Blue Peter, and Foreplay.
Rehearsals moved to Salem Studio, an old school house in Essex
County. Here the band recorded all of their material (around 30 songs). A three song EP was released on the Salem
Label Shoot Yourself.
The gigs continued until sometime in 81 when Hevy Kevie moved to Toronto.
In
1985 Dry Heaves reunited for a benefit concert in downtown Detroit for Jerry's Kids. The Poet was back on drums and
Ray's brother Baby Maybe joined in on bass.
Dry Heaves tunes appeared on a couple of comp LPs, Smash The
State and Oh Canaduh where The Evaporators did a crazy version of I Cant Puke.
In the late 90s
the Heaves got together for another reunion in Windsor at The Loop. The Poet was on drums and Trevor Malcolm (yes he
played in the Buttholes) was on bass.
The band played another benefit at The Loop with newcomer Nick Piquante of the Scaffold
Monkeys.
In 1999, Hevy Kevie was approached by Italian record label RaveUp. He sent them a cassette of some of the
Salem sessions, that had been in his glovebox for ten years.
In 2000, RaveUp released the 12 song Shoot Yourself
LP (available in fine stores or on the web worldwide).
The band figured they should get together for a record release show
in 2002 and have been back and gigging ever since with the current lineup. Hevy Kevie (vocals), Tommy Vomit (guitars,
vocals), Ray Maybe (keys, vocals?), Cookie Man (drums) and Nick Piquante (bass).
The first show of 2002 was at
the Capitol Theatre in Windsor where the band was recorded and the song Shoot Yourself was included in the The Capitol Sessions
2002 comp CD. Other shows followed at Diesel Concert Hall, The Coach, The Gino and The Press Club.
In March 2003,
the band recorded all of their material at The Capitol Theatre sound stage and are currently mixing their first studio release
in over 20 years.
The April 2003 Hevy Kevies Birthday Bash show at Diesel Concert Hall was recorded and the CD So
Messed Up with 11 live tracks is now available (fine record stores).
If any information is not correct, we were really drunk at the time.
Ray
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