From Greasers To G-Men: “The Untouchables”
Move over Eliot Ness and your group of incorruptible law-enforcers for a five-piece band of merry pranksters wielding an assortment of instruments, and your illustrious namesake. Here come “The Untouchables.”
Or rather, here they’ve come for the past two decades. Formerly “The Cruisers,” an oldies band formed over 23 years ago, members donned the ultra-stylish greaser-garb to croon a selection of goodies from the 50’s. In summer, they’d shed their increasingly thigh-chaffing threads for a Beach Boy look and sound, and even experimented with a block of “girl-group” songs, dressed as cheerleaders. Everything in the spirit of fun and entertainment, a not-so solemn creed of the band’s.
Despite their popularity at the time, the ever-widening variety of music in their repertoire forced an image shift.
“People were just expecting oldies music when they heard “The Cruisers,” Bill Schindler, a founding member, explained. “So if we did something else, it would seem out of place. Or people wouldn’t come out and see us at all because they thought we only played oldies music.”
They had outgrown “The Cruisers” as a band name, and, due to the sharp-dressed, dark-shaded--though ducktail-free--Blues Brother’s look they developed afterwards, finally became “The Untouchables.” The band now consists of Billy Lisa on guitar and blues harp (also a founding member of “The Cruisers”), Bill Schindler on drums, Mike Dietzen on bass guitar, and Jeff Julian on saxophone as well as 12-string and slide guitar--all of whom were members of “The Cruisers”.
“The Untouchables” make a fairly regular tour of local bars, lodges, VFW’s, festivals, and even occasional weddings and fundraisers, playing every show like it was Madison Square Garden. With set lists ranging from swing to swamp, and doing well in biker bars as well as country clubs, they continually attract fans from a broad demographic with their catchy musical renditions and contagious sense of humor.
Focused on playing mostly songs that people know and can dance to, with their own unique twist, they remain a band dedicated to the audience. For them, the audience makes the gig, and so they play accordingly. If there’s a lot of couples they’ll play slow songs; a younger crowd, more contemporary music. This tends to make each of their shows very much different from one to the next.
“We’re not there just to play and get our money and go,” Julian said. “We want people to have a good time.”
Unlike other less-than-jovial, I’m-artistic-and-too-enigmatic-for-you type bands, each appearance is not simply a gig for “The Untouchables.” It’s a musical show in which entertainment and comedy play as large a part as the song’s themselves. They make an effort to bring the audience in on the fun and make them a part of the show, with constant playful banter among band-members and similar interaction with the crowd.
“A good band can reproduce a song and play appropriate music, but a band that really hooks people is the kind that makes them feel like they’re apart of the fun.” Julian said, commenting on the band’s attitude towards performing.
You can check them out soon at The Lakeview Hotel in Mayville on April 20th, Willowfest at the Willow Creek Winery on June 29th, Midway Park (before the fireworks) on July 4th, and The Surf Club in Beamus Point on July 20th.
You won’t meet a group of guys more dedicated to entertaining you. And if they seem to be having a little too much fun on stage. . .well, that’s only fair.
For further show information, or to contact the band, visit www.untouchablesband.com