The Tubes – Re Styles, Then & Now

From the very beginning of The Tubes, I was always taken with the vocal and performance style of band member Re Styles – born Shirley Marie MacLeod (certainly being a teenage boy at the time didn’t hurt my infatuation very much). Watch Styles in her role as Patty Hearst, live at California Hall in 1974, as The Tubes perform “Whiz Quiz” and “Crime Medley” (above), then 35 years later as she makes a one night only appearance with the band doing exactly what made her a natural member of the band as the band performs “Smoke” (below).

Author: urbangraffito

I am a writer, editor, publisher, philosopher, and foole (not necessarily in that order). Cultural activist and self-described anarchist.

14 thoughts on “The Tubes – Re Styles, Then & Now”

  1. I know Re still performs with Tubes now and then but are you sure that’s her? That doesn’t look like a woman who’s pushing the age of sixty?
    But if it is her . . . Hot Damn! Styles you’re looking out of sight. Rock on, sister!

  2. [quote comment=”26546″]I know Re still performs with Tubes now and then but are you sure that’s her? That doesn’t look like a woman who’s pushing the age of sixty?
    But if it is her . . . Hot Damn! Styles you’re looking out of sight. Rock on, sister![/quote]

    Not positively sure, Hugh, but the clues are all there – especially at the end of the song when she steps up to the microphone to begin singing “Don’t Touch Me There”. Check out the resemblance between Styles in this 1976 Playboy pic and the one in the video 35 years later:

    http://img245.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=49297_Up-the-Tubes.13_123_463lo.jpg

  3. It would be great to see the full filming of the California Hall ’74 concert, if the full show was recorded(?)

  4. I still can’t tell for sure but thanks for the photo link UrbanG. A beautiful & talented woman. A very lucky find for The Tubes.
    Any stories about her joining the band?

    That is one tight unit in that ’74 clip.
    I’m with Harry, bring on more please! πŸ™‚

  5. [quote comment=”26676″]I still can’t tell for sure but thanks for the photo link UrbanG. A beautiful & talented woman. A very lucky find for The Tubes.
    Any stories about her joining the band?

    That is one tight unit in that ’74 clip.
    I’m with Harry, bring on more please! :)[/quote]

    Here’s the rest of that Tubes Playboy pictoral layout, Hugh:

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 , 17, 18, 19.

    Unlike some of the Irish women in my family, Hugh, not all women age like old Druid hags – and, indeed, I’ve known many, many women who have aged wonderfully and beautifully.

  6. Nice “spread” indeed, Urb.! πŸ˜‰

    I hesitate to write this(!) but here goes: after quickly glancing at the “prop” penis in Fee’s pants (sorry!) i have to wonder if he might have shared that with FZ for the cover photo of Zoot Allures!

    Those photos give new meaning to “Rock And Roll Hospital”!!!

  7. I agree UrbanG, some people age better than others. And luckily, none of those photos above included pics of old Druid hags. But I’m sure there’s a site. πŸ˜†
    Harry when doing a photo shoot with a stark raving nude Re Styles, you don’t need a “prop”. Plus look at the size of Fee’s hands!

  8. Don’t think so Hugh! πŸ˜‰
    Fee’s actually quite the little fella (height wise–but i’m not privy to the size of his *member*–luckily)! The Quay Lewd costume featured ridiculously oversized “naughty bits” as part of its get-up. Reminds me of the airport scene in Spinal Tap. πŸ™‚

  9. [quote comment=”26781″]I agree UrbanG, some people age better than others. And luckily, none of those photos above included pics of old Druid hags. But I’m sure there’s a site. πŸ˜†
    Harry when doing a photo shoot with a stark raving nude Re Styles, you don’t need a “prop”. Plus look at the size of Fee’s hands![/quote]

    Well, to quote Robin Williams:

    “Big hands and big feet — you ladies all know what THAT means, right?

    Yep — big gloves and big shoes!”

  10. Yes, indeed, the Tubes always had BIG personalities! Still, if you have seen the “uncensored” Sports Fan video which exposes Fee’s personality for all to see, like most North American males, you’ll agree Fee’s an average guy – when it comes to hands and feet!

  11. [quote comment=”26934″]Yes, indeed, the Tubes always had BIG personalities! Still, if you have seen the “uncensored” Sports Fan video which exposes Fee’s personality for all to see, like most North American males, you’ll agree Fee’s an average guy – when it comes to hands and feet![/quote]

    Unfortunately I saw it a few years back by accident.

    P.S. Are there any plans to release the ‘Suffer For Sound’ album from 1980, Urban?

  12. I’m not 100% sure, but I seriously doubt that’s Re for the reasons Hugh stated. The Tubes have had many female dancers and singers perform with them over the years. I believe Re was Prairie’s girlfriend back in the early days. Any idea when Michael Cotton’s Tubes documentary is coming out? I’ve been hearing about this for years. Almost as long as Zappa’s Roxy dvd.

  13. [quote comment=”27019″]Are there any plans to release the ‘Suffer For Sound’ album from 1980, Urban?[/quote]

    I’m afraid ‘Suffer For Sound’ will always be a bootleg album like Zappa’s ‘Crush All Boxes’. However, I just got this in my inbox:

    Re-release of CBP with bonus tracks
    The Completion Backward Principle has been digitally remastered and will be re-released on April 5th with four bonus tracks:
    β€’ Tube Talk
    β€’ What’s Wrong With Me
    β€’ Sport Fans
    β€’ and the elusive Gonna Get It Next Time
    This edition also includes new liner notes by rock journalist Brett Milano and recent interviews with Fee and Roger.

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