A small, red vintage television sits on the ground with a rock ’n’ roll album leaning against the wall next to it. The television flickers with the muted sounds of tornado sirens and images of crashing ocean waves. Then suddenly, the sound of a guitar roars, and a man with aviator glasses and a cowboy hat atop his head fills the screen. With a bang, the rest of the band joins in unison dealing out a grungy symphony of rock ’n’ roll.
Earlier this year, the rock band Supersuckers released this music video in combination with its album, Get the Hell. The Arizona-based band got its start nearly 26 years ago in 1988, combining the members’ dreams of fame and passion for rock ’n’ roll.
“It happened like things happen, you know? Like-minded kids got together and started something awesome,” band leader Eddie Spaghetti said.
The group will continue its Get the Hell tour 9 p.m. Saturday at Gabe’s, 330 E. Washington St., with admission set at $10. Audience members must be 19 or older.
The Supersuckers consists of Captain Chris Von Streicher on drums, Metal Marty Chandler and Dan Thunder Bolton on guitar and Spaghetti on lead vocals and bass. The Supersuckers has continued to perform in order to live up to its self-proclaimed title as “the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world.”
Supersuckers’ publicist Melissa Dragich-Cordero supports the members’ claim of superiority and believes the band is a distinctive group.
“I think it’s the power behind the music, the mix of punk with country rock, sets it apart from many,” she said. “That they have been doing it for so many years and still deliver an amazing live show each and every time is a testament to the hard work the band puts into its live shows and its albums.”
Spaghetti said being able to write and record the members’ own music is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. However, he said, the band has also provided him with opportunities for great personal achievement.
 “Meeting my wife and subsequently having my children is easily the best thing this band has brought me … It’s been a success in that regard,” he said.
Gabe’s is one of many venues that have been intrigued by the Supersuckers and its raw style of rock. Gabe’s owner and talent buyer Scott Kading said he very much looks forward to the performance.
“Anytime you have a chance to book some ‘high volume ass-kickery,’ you go for it,” he said. “And the response so far has been impressive. We expect this to be a barn-burner.”
Spaghetti said that any time the group performs, the ultimate goal is to make sure it “rocks the house.”
“I just want to make sure the people who come leave satisfied,” he said. “Oh, and to not fall on my ass.”
The Supersuckers has released 12 albums in addition to numerous live recordings and singles collections. The band has toured across Europe and all around America, and it doesn’t appear it will slow down any time soon. Spaghetti said he and the band are excited to add Iowa City to this list on Saturday.
“I still love playing the shows,” he said. “It’s a great release. You get all sweaty, and the feedback from the crowd can’t be beat.”
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