BUBBA

What is Bubba, anyway?

• The idea behind Bubba was originally conceived by Mark LaFaver and Frank "Tuck" Lentz. After both had played in local Harrisburg, PA bands for many years, they decided that it was too much of a struggle to try to make it as a band doing original music. "There was too much separation between the audience and the band", as Mark put it. "We'd play our original music and people were not familar with it. It was like we were playing for ourselves, which doesn't make us a very exciting band to watch." They wanted to form a band with a very simple concept. "Lets play music that everyone could relate to. Let's play cover songs that other bands wouldn't touch anymore."

The Puss Boy days.

• In the early nineties, Mark had a little project called "The Puss Boys". This was a fairly unrehearsed "musical" group consisting of Mark on vocals, Mike "daddy" Bonilla on vocals and percussion, Tim Ulsh on guitar, and "Spike" who's stage role consisted on standing on stage sporting donkey ears. The "band" became known as the house band, as all the members lived in the same house. The Puss Boys played a few open mic performances with surprisingly good response, given the fact that their talent was limited. The material performed was usually cheezy new wave and disco cover tunes which was rehearsed only a hour or so before performing.

Bubba becomes legitimate.

• Soon after then, Mark approached Mike and Tim with concept of forming the "Puss Boys" into a real working band. At the time, Tim and Mike had already given up on their last "real" band, Frozen Poet, and decided to give it a shot. However, they wanted to try new instruments. Tim had always played drums in previous bands, and Mike had always been a drummer or lead singer, previously. Both decided to play guitar, which put the new band at "beginner level" status. They called in Andew Zek to play bass and round out the lineup. Andy was opposed to calling the band the "Puss Boys", so a new name was needed. Mark had often told Tim and Mike to call their previous serious band Bubba. "Band names are often pretentious sounding. I always wanted to call a band Bubba. It's simple, stupid, and means absolutely nothing", said Mark.
• So, there you have it. The original Bubba: Mark on lead vocals and keyboard, Mike "daddy" on guitar and vocals, Tim on guitar, percussion, and vocals, Tuck on drums, and Andy on bass. The material performed by Bubba was all cover tunes; mostly songs that other bands wouldn't think of playing anymore. Cartoon themes (scooby doo, school house rock, etc.), TV themes (S.W.A.T., Partridge Family, Brady Bunch, etc.), disco songs (Bee Gees, Commodores, etc.), and lost and forgotten New Wave songs (Devo, B-52's, Vapors, etc.). The band played opening shows for local friends, the Armadillos, and soon developed a following of their own.
• After a short time of playing in the Harrisburg, PA area, Andy decided to leave the band to persue more serious outlets. Tim had asked his friend (and boss at the time) Jon Victor to join the team on bass guitar. Jon was apprehensive about joining a cheezy cover band, but his attitude changed when he saw the band live. "The band was so stupid and funny, that I wanted to be part of it" stated Jonny. He soon replaced Andy on bass. Jonny, a guitarist, had never played bass before (except for his childhood country band), but the challenge fit the bill. Afterall, most of the guys were playing "foreign" instruments anyhow. The concept of Bubba remained the same. Phrases such as: "the more you drink, the better we sound", and "stop thinking and start drinking" became the bands anthem.

Bubba, back in the day.

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