Clockwise from upper left: Ron Juntunen, Jim Wilson, Billy
Tanon, Art Hicks.
Creme Soda was a mid-70s garage/hippie kinda band based
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I became a rabid fan based solely on their
still-amazing 1974 single "(I'm) Chewin' Gum"/"Roses All Around" (Trinity
Records; with eye-in-pyramid logo). They also put out an earlier single,
"Keep It Heavy"/"And That Is That." In 1975, they released a great full-length
LP called Tricky Zingers, and then seemed to disappear from the
face of the earth (or the rock underground anyway). What follows is
a Q&A I sent them in 1974, gathering info for an article which eventually
ran in mangled form in a crappy Chicago "prozine."
* * *
EDDIE: How long has the
band been together, and what brought you all together in the first
place?
JIM: It all started years ago in the dusty depths of
Billy's mind, but the members of the band started drifting in from
other bands about two years ago. We were brought together by a '64 Chevy,
a '67 Mustang, a '60 Stude, and a '65 LeMans with lots of dents in it.
EDDIE: Where did the name Creme Soda come from?
RON: Well, it all started years ago in the dusty depths
of Billy's mind. . . .
EDDIE: What are each of your individual musical influences?
RON: Pat Boone.
JIM: The sky, the clouds, the mountains, and the depth
of beauty.
ART: I had violin lessons in school, so I dropped that
and took up the drums.
BILLY: I was born with a silver guitar in my mouth.
EDDIE: Was your single "(I'm) Chewin' Gum" a conscious
cop from the old Stick McGhee/Jerry Lee Lewis tune "Drinkin' Wine
Spo-Dee-O-Dee"?
EVERYONE: A cop from who? what? how? when?
EDDIE: Why have you never performed together publicly?
RON: Next question?
EDDIE: Why do Art and Jim live 300 miles from Billy
and Ron?
ART: We moved from the city to enjoy the peace and friendliness
of Sturgeon Bay, a slow-paced community where we can know ourselves
and our friends.
EDDIE: What do you think of your "Chewin' Gum" single in
terms of what you're capable of?
ART: We're capable of a variety of sounds, from folk
to heavy rock. When we find a form of expression we work well in,
we don't cut off the other styles--we let them influence us.
EDDIE: When you start playing together live, will there
by any type of stage act?
BILLY: Yeah, but our fans will come basically to hear
us.
EDDIE: What kind of music do you consider what you do?
JIM: We do a variety of things, we don't like to get
bogged down with one style.
EDDIE: Just out of curiosity, do any of you listen to,
or have you ever listened to, the 13th Floor Elevators? Can? The Stooges?
Amon Düül? The Godz?
RON: After listening to "(I'm) Chewin' Gum," who wants
to listen to anyone else?
EDDIE: Where do you call hail from?
ART: We all come from Milwaukee. Jim and I come to play.
We'll be moving back down shortly before Creme Soda goes on the road.
EDDIE: What instruments were used on "(I'm) Chewin'
Gum"?
BILLY: Lead, rhythm, and bass guitars; drums; and various
percussion instruments, including a sink. (You thought it was a cowbell?)
Left to right: Art Hicks (drums, vocals), Ron Juntunen
(guitar), Billy Tanon (guitar, vocals), Jim Wilson (bass, vocals).
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