Tina and the B-Sides

Tina and the B-Sides was formed out of the edgy new wave rock scene that was Minneapolis in the late ’80’s. Schlieske had caught the bug early and had been working the bar scene for several years before she was even legal by sneaking into clubs to perform as early as 1984. Gradually she assembled a band playing a tight fusion of bluesy rock folk-inspired and roughly hewn Americana. They played every club that would have them and by 1989 recorded their debut album Tina and the B-Side Movement. It was released on her own Movement Records, which also became home to 1992’s “Young Americans” and 1994’s “Monster”. Pursuing a more rootsy vision of American rock & roll, Tina and the B-Sides (or sometimes B-Side Movement) went on to become one of the most popular bar bands in the Mid West during the 1990’s developing a cult following that endures to this day. The line-up consisted of Pete Young and Patrik Tanner on guitar (later Troy Norton), bassist Jeremy Plumb, drummers Joel Richmond and Bill Oehrlein (later Ron Caron) and her sister Laura Schlieske on vocals. The band had won several local music awards by that time and was much in demand in nearby Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and various other Mid Western cities and towns. Word of mouth and relentless touring helped the band sell well over 50,000 CD’s and caught the attention of several major labels. A chance meeting in an elevator between Tina and Seymour Stein of Sire Records convinced him to attend their show at CBGB. He signed them three days later. They released their debut “Salvation” in early 1996 with follow up “It’s All Just The Same” in 1998. “The Last Polka” (a live recording) was released in 1999 and became the band’s last album. After 10 plus years of touring and recording Tina and band decided to take a break while she brought up her family. But Tina and the other members never gave up playing and writing. Each of them still contribute to various musical projects as well as having their own bands. In 2009 the band played a reunion concert at the outdoor amphitheater Minnesota Zoo and released A-Sides: The Best Of TBS independently on Movement Records. Currently, Schlieske along with members Laura, Troy, Jeremy and Ron have decided to get together to write and record a new Tina and the B-Sides album due out in April 2014. Latest album 'Barricade' available now!