In the mid-’70s, the San Francisco–based band the Tubes came roaring out of the gate with over-the-top live shows, blistering musicality, and an outrageously satirical take on modern culture. Toning down their outrageousness a bit helped them crack MTV and the charts in the early ’80s, with hits like “Talk to Ya Later” and “She’s a Beauty,” but label honchos, producers, and the public largely continued to scratch their head at the group’s unflagging weirdness.

February 2015 Issue