MICKEY LEIGH
MICKEY LEIGH was born in the Forest Hills section of Queens, New York. In the late 70s-early 80s, Mickey played guitar in two legendary New York bands, BIRDLAND (featuring rock-n-roll journalist, the late LESTER BANGS*) and THE RATTLERS.
It was at New York's "CBGB's" that guitarist Mickey Leigh and Lester Bangs formed BIRDLAND. Birdland played over 100 shows over the next few years with various musicians backing them before adding David Merrill on bass and Matty Quick on drums. It was this quartet that recorded Birdland's one and only album. Bassist David Merrill was working on the renovation of New York's ELECTRIC LADY studios and had the keys to the building. BIRDLAND was able to sneak into the studio on April Fools Day, 1979 for a somewhat illegal recording session. Internal conflict within the band forced Birdland to break up two months after that session. The master tapes were misplaced and found years later. Mickey came up with enough money to release the album by selling ads on the back of the album cover. It was finally released in 1985 as a tribute to one of the pioneers of rock and roll "gonzo" journalism.
BIRDLAND: Matty Quick, Mickey Leigh, David Merril
(front) Lester Bangs (Photo by Roberta Bayley)
After Birdland's demise, Mickey Leigh took over the lead vocal spot. and he, Matty Quick and David Merril reformed as THE RATTLERS, adding Billy Baillie on keyboards and vocals. Dave U. Hall eventually replaced David Merril on bass. The Rattlers had instant critical acclaim. Bridging the musical gap between The Who and The Sex Pistols, The Rattlers often would outshine the bands they opened up for which Included The Clash, The B52s, The Stranglers. The Buzzcocks and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.
(The RATTLERS: Mickey Leigh, Billy Baillie, Dave U. Hall, Matty Quick)
Between 1979 and 1985, The Rattlers released one album, "Rattled!" and two singles, "What Keeps Your Heart Beatin'?" and "On The Beach", which showed Mickey's nepotistic side when he invited his brother Joey Ramone (R.I.P.) to sing back-up vocals. Journalists Legs McNeil and George Tabb credit The Rattlers as being the garage pop/punk prototype band that paved the way for bands like Green Day.
The Rattlers eventually went their separate ways and Mickey then formed his next band, CROWN THE GOOD with himself on guitar and backing vocal, Steven Sane on bass and lead vocals and Whitey Benezra on drums.
"I was at some "Rock against something or another" benefit at CBGB.s in December of 1990. At the time, I was the booking agent and promoter of BLACK CAT, one of NYC's top rock clubs and I had to attend the show. After several hours of really bad music and self serving speeches by the endless parade of guest hosts I was on my way out the door when it hit me. A wall of sound like none I'd heard before. It was Crown The Good. I turned around expecting to see a six piece band and three were missing! A power trio? How could this be? Crown the Good put forth Rock rhythms that could make Pete Townsend blush with envy. With an anger and energy that other bands would kill to have. They brought the entire club to whispered hush when they played their haunting "With Our Blood" and then made them get up and dance to "Don't Be So Strange". I stayed for their entire set but couldn't stay to meet them, I had another "Let's do a benefit so we can feel self-important" event I had to go to. I left CBGBs with one thing on my mind, Crown The Good!" - Harry Slash: The East Coast Angle
(Steven Sane, Whitey Benezra, Mickey Leigh)
A few months later, Harry Slash "took over' the booking of talent at the space at chase and Crown The Good became a staple in the club's band rotation. A great admirer of Mickey Leigh's guitar playing, Harry Slash gave Crown The Good the preverbal "Keys To The Stage". They could come in and play anytime they wanted. Crown The Good performed throughout the US and Canada 'till Whitey Benezra quit the band in December of '92.
In January of 1993 Mickey Leigh teamed up with ex-Dictators frontman "Handsome" Dick Manitoba to form
THE PLUG UGLIES. It was on that fateful night of March 27th, 1993, the night that The SLASHTONES were to make their first and last appearance that the Pug Ugglies made their first and last appearance.
On March 30th of 1994 Mickey jammed with The Slashtones at New York City's 'Rock Ridge Saloon' during the final night of The Slashtones' "JazzTones". Shortly thereafter, Harry Slash invited Mickey Leigh to join The Slashtones full time as the bands fourth guitar player for their upcoming 'Slashtones Orchestra'. At the time, Mickey had reformed and retooled Crown The Good as STOP with Steven Sane on bass and Pat Carpenter on drums. Mickey rehearsed with The 12 member 'Slashtones Orchestra' but conflicting performance schedules forced Mickey to step down from playing with The Slashtones to concentrate on STOP. (Mickey jammed with the Slashtones once again in 1996.)
"I'll go see STOP anytime, anywhere, because not only do they play the best rock & roll around, but they remind me of what the Ramones could have become if Johnny ever learned to play the guitar. You see, twenty years after the Ramones reinvented rock & roll with their tidal wave of sound, and fifteen years after rap music pushed the boundaries of pop even further, I am missing the sound of lead guitars. Enter Mickey Leigh and STOP. ... STOP combines the best moments of punk -- great three minute songs with the explosive lead riffs and great passionate vocals.... Yeah. I love that. STOP is the closest thing I've seen to Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers." - Legs McNeil
STOP has performed throughout the U.S. and England and have released one CD on SMUT Peddlerz Records.
Steven Sane, Mickey Leigh, Pat Carpenter
Mickey Leigh has also recorded a series of TV promos for Nickelodeon's
"Angry Beavers" and "Hey Arnold" shows.
See Discography for other music.
* LESTER BANGS wrote for Rolling Stone, Village Voice and Cream magazines,
He is the subject of a recent biography called "Let It Blurt - The Life and Times of America's Greatest Rock Critic" by Jim DeRogatis and is portrayed in the movie "Almost Famous" by Phillip Seymour Hoffman