The Maggots was a band formed in San Francisco in 1977 by Vicki Berndt (vocals), Susan Garza (vocals), Dave Torres (guitar),
Richard Mostert (bass), Robert Conner (synthesizer) & Jane "Insane"
Weems (drums).
Vicki Berndt provides de background: "The Maggots
asked me to be their singer sometime in 1978. I was in high school in San Jose,
CA at the time and would commute on weekends to rehearse with the band in Jane's
basement in San Francisco. Jane's mother was always upstairs listening to country
music and watching the Grand Ole Opry on TV. People magazine came out with
a cover story about Tammy Wynette's abduction. She was beaten and left for dead.
We thought that this was the funniest thing in the world so Jane wrote the lyrics,
and I fit the lyrics into a song that the guys had written. The cover of the single
is from that old People magazine cover with Jane's homemade punk lettering.
The one and only show that I remember playing with The Maggots was at a
warehouse show south of Market in S.F. We played before The Dils and I was scared
to death! Due to my stage fright I realized that I would not make a good punk rock
singer so I retired.
When it was time to record The Maggots' single, they asked me to come back to sing "(Let's Get, Let's Get) Tammy Wynette." Susan Garza, who was their current singer sang the B-side, "2/2/79."
Jane was the mastermind behind the record. She put it out and made all of the extras that went with it which included stenciled & spray painted stickers, buttons and a pet maggot. The maggot was a rubber fishing lure that came in it's own handmade carrying case."
When it was time to record The Maggots' single, they asked me to come back to sing "(Let's Get, Let's Get) Tammy Wynette." Susan Garza, who was their current singer sang the B-side, "2/2/79."
Jane was the mastermind behind the record. She put it out and made all of the extras that went with it which included stenciled & spray painted stickers, buttons and a pet maggot. The maggot was a rubber fishing lure that came in it's own handmade carrying case."
They only put out this 7" but is a KBD classic. This is what Jane Weems has to say about the record: "yes the original Maggots did put out an apparently highly collectable
record in 1980 called "Lets get, lets get, Tammy Wynette!!!" a song I wrote from the kidnappers point of view, after a bizarre "kidnapping"
incident in the late 70s (later found to be an elaborate hoax concocted
by Tammy to cover up for her abusive husband kicking her ass...) no
wonder she was pissed when this guy I knew asked her to sign a copy of
it at an autograph session at Marriots Great America Amusement Park...she actually threw his record and started screaming, and they
escorted him out, sans autograph....it is now being re-issued by the Portland based Discourage rock & roll, who have made up quite a nice
collectable package to go with it, a nice book, original demo versions,
all on good old fashioned vinyl just like granpa used to make em..."
