Alternative Rock Center: The Refreshments

The Refreshments were a band from Arizona. The band is best known for the single "Banditos" from their 1996 breakthrough album Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy, and also for "Yahoos and Triangles," the theme song to the long-running animated series King of the Hill. The latter was a piece the band traditionally performed at soundchecks.^[1] The Refreshments broke up in 1998, although Roger Clyne and P.H. Naffah continue to tour and play Refreshments songs along with new music as Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.

Originally The Mortals in 1992, Roger Clyne and Dustin "Dusty" Denham wanted to continue playing after that band's tenure had come to an end. They formed The Refreshments in early 1993 and had considered names like "Pop Enema" & "All You Can Eat" before settling on a more conventional name. The original lineup consisted of Clyne (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, kazoo), Brian David Blush (lead guitar, backing vocals), Art Edwards (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Denham (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Blush came from a band called August Red, who were active around 1991 and consisted of Tim Thiel, Brian Spector, Brian Blush, Zowie Bowie, and Michael Gatt. Denham & Edwards had played together for a short time in a band called the The Hanson Brothers.

In one year the band went from opening for such powerhouse local bands as Dead Hot Workshop and the Gin Blossoms to headlining and packing venues five nights a week. The Refreshments applied for entry to South By Southwest in Austin, TX and were not only received, but learned that the band's demo tape had been played for an A&R rep for Mercury Records; as a result of their performance at the music festival, the band was signed by the label as well as signing with manager, Michael Lustig. In 1995, original drummer Dustin "Dusty" Denham departed, and was replaced by Paul "P.H." Naffah who had played in a local band called Rain Convention.

The Refreshments recorded their first record in the summer of 1995 and it was released in January 1996. The band hit the number one spot on Billboard's Heatseekers list with the single "Banditos" and toured throughout the U.S. The Australia tour the band was slated to leave for in the late fall was canceled by the new president of Mercury Records, and the band members were told to hit the recording studio. They wrote and recorded their second album in early 1997 and it was released in the fall of that year. As there was no support coming from Mercury to promote the tour, The Refreshments decided that the writing was on the wall and left Mercury before they were dropped from the label's lineup. The band had sold 10,000 units in December 1997, their last month with the label.

Internal problems led to two members being replaced. Roger Clyne and P.H. Naffah decided to rename the band and to continue touring and making music; the band still plays today as Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.

The group was known for its "Southwestern Sound," similar to other bands hailing from Arizona such as The Sidewinders,Gin Blossoms, The Meat Puppets and Dead Hot Workshop. The group had two charting singles, both from 1996's Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy (both written by Roger Clyne): "Banditos" (U.S. Mainstream Rock #11, Modern Rock #14), and "Down Together" (Modern Rock #38).^[2]

Roger Clyne also wrote the opening theme song to Mike Judge's animated series King of the Hill.