The Tubes are a San Francisco-based rock band that used a mix of progressive rock theater, multimedia, and scathing social criticism of America's television culture.

The original line up consisted of Fee Waybil (Vocals), Rick Anderson (Bass), Prairie Prince (Drums), Roger Steen (Guitar and Vocals), Vince Welnick (Keyboards), and Michael Cotten (Synthesizer).

Their live performances were surreal vaudeville shows in which songs became full fledged production numbers.

After stunning the rock world with their memorable debut in 1975, the Tubes ran into trouble.

Although Young And Rich and Now had fine moments, they were uneven and left many rock pundits wondering if the Tubes had anything to offer besides shock value.

They got their answer with the release of Remote Control, a cohesive and surprisingly thoughtful concept album.

On this 1979 outing, the Tubes enlisted the services of wunderkind producer Todd Rundgren to create a concept album that skewers the television generation.

The choice was a wise one - Rundgren helped the group harness their satirical bite and love of pomp-rock excess to create a sharp and engaging collection of songs.

As they chronicle the life of an average joe whose life and dreams are swallowed by his television addiction, the Tubes lead the listener through a dazzling array of musical styles that include new-wave, lounge pop, reggae, and even full-throttle punk.

Highlights include "Prime Time," a song that utilizes an effective combination of lounge-lizard atmosphere and new wave synthesizer textures to convey its portrait of television's seductiveness, and "Love's A Mystery (I Don't Understand)," a surprisingly straightforward ballad about romantic loss that features a truly heart-rending vocal from Fee Waybill.

The group also gets a chance to show off their formidable instrumental chops on "Get-Overture," a tight instrumental that goes from atmospheric prog-rock to driving hard rock as it cleverly weaves together snippets of all the other songs' melodies.

In short, Remote Control proves the Tubes were more than a bunch of musical jokesters. The end result is the band's finest hour and a treat for concept-album fanatics.

The Tubes scored their first hit "White Punks on Dope," on their self-titled debut album released on A&M records.

Their second album, "Young And Rich," included their second hit single - the suggestive duet "Don't Touch Me There." The Tubes released three more albums on A&M before being dropped in 1982.

Capitol Records signed them upon their release from A&M and they released their most successful album to date, the concept album "The Completion Backward Principle." "The Completion Backward Principle," contained the hits, "Don't Want To Wait Anymore," "Sushi Girl," and the classic rock staple "Talk To You Later." Their next release on Capitol was "Outside Inside," which featured the top 10 US single "She's A Beauty." In 1985 The Tubes released "Love Bomb," which was not a commercial success and years of expensive tours left the band a half million dollars in debt.

Capitol dropped the Tubes and lead singer Fee Waybill left the band. The years that followed saw several personnel changes in the band, with Waybill ultimately returning to the band in the 1990's.

While the Tubes have continued to release music, the fame and notoriety of the late 70's and early 80's remain as the bands true legacy.