The FUs

The F.U.'s began as an early-mid 80's Boston Hardcore punk band consisting of John Sox, (vocals, bass) Steve Grimes (guitar), Bob Furapples (drums) and shortly after recording their first demo as a three piece they recruited Wayne Maestri to take over the bass duties leaving John more freedom as frontman. John got the idea for the name while watching a TV interview with Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics. On the local talk show People Are Talking with Tom Bergeron (Yup, the America's Funniest Videos and Dancing with the Stars guy) Tom asked Wendy why she smashed TVs. She quickly responded "Its a great way to say 'F U' to society." They played fast, snotty thrash/hardcore, although like many '80s hardcore bands (and especially Boston hardcore bands), they later switched to a more hard rock/heavy metal sound. Their first recorded output was on the 1982 Modern Method compilation, This Is Boston, Not L.A., which also featured Gang Green, Jerry's Kids and The Freeze, among others. A companion 7" EP, Unsafe At Any Speed, included another F.U.'s track. Later the same year, their debut LP, Kill For Christ, was released on X-Claim Records, featuring cover artwork by legendary artist (and Septic Death frontman) Brian 'Pushead' Schroeder. Their second LP, also on X-Claim, entitled My America, was wrought with controversy due to a rush to judgement by the Humorless Hardcore Punk Elite that the band had become instant right wing jingoists due to its over the top patriotic artwork and one patriotic song by the same name. The "Rambo band" tag was unjustified however. A quick read of the lyric sheet tells the reader that behind the flag waving looms a very critical look at the dark underbelly of modern American life. The band used a stock album sleeve, available pre-printed in bulk for cheap record projects (q.v. the Flex Your Head "wheat field" cover), featuring a sentimental American landscape on the front, and George C. Scott as General Patton, in front of an American flag, on the back. The LP Do We Really Want To Hurt You? followed in 1984, on Gasatanka/Enigma. This record showed hints of the band going in a more rock direction. In 1985 Steve Martin joined the band as lead guitarist and Chris "Bones" Jones replaced Bob as the drummer. After being made semi-finalists in The WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble competiton the band morphed into Straw Dogs (not to be confused with other bands by the same name like the folkish space-rock band from Seattle or the Scottish SLF cover band or the English oi-punk band, etc. etc. etc.) F.U.'s were the first to perform, record, and release material with the name Straw Dogs having been signed to Restless/Enigma and later releasing an eponomous 12" EP in 1986 and an album called We Are Not Amused in 1987. The Straw Dogs hung up their instruments in early 1992 having released a third LP on Lone Wolf Records called Your Own Worst Nightmare, touring North America extensively, and Europe twice. After a long early retirement, 2010 marks the reunion of The FUs with founding members John, Bob and Steve, with new guitarist Jones Stunt as well as new bass guitarist ???. For booking information please E-mail johnsox1@yahoo.com FUs are kid tested, mutha approved since 1981.