The Tubes perform at The Guild Theatre

Editor’s note: The Tubes show tonight (March 7) at the Guild is sold out. 

Glam rock trailblazers, The Tubes, are set to appear at The Guild Theatre tonight, promising an unforgettable night of music and spectacle. Hailing from San Francisco, the band has carved a niche in the music industry since getting started in the 1970s, combining theatrical flair with a diverse musical palette.

In an exclusive interview, lead singer Fee Waybill (pictured top) — speaking with The Guild’s Marketing and PR Manager, Fallon Falore — delved into the band’s journey. In the interview, Fee, who grew up in Phoenix alongside other founding members of The Tubes, recounted their early days as transplants to the vibrant music scene of San Francisco in the 1970s.

The Tubes’ genesis was marked by the fusion of two bands from Phoenix — The Beans and Red White and Blues Band — who had moved to San Francisco. Fee, initially the roadie, found himself stepping into the spotlight after joining in on band practice and filling in as the singer. The band eventually decided on the name The Tubes after a quirky selection process involving a dog named Sandwich.

The Tubes’ live performances are legendary for their visual extravagance, with Fee wearing multiple costumes and creating a theatrical experience akin to a play. He explained that focusing on visuals started when the band was trying to stand out among so many other up-and-coming bands in the San Francisco music scene of the ’70s.

The show at The Guild is anticipated to be a testament to their enduring creativity. About the upcoming show, Fee said, “The Guild Theatre is the perfect venue for us… You get the big stage, and people are close enough to see what’s happening, the subtlety of it all.”

Fans might be surprised to know that the show will also feature Fee’s wife, Elizabeth, who takes the stage for different roles such as Fee’s character Quay Lewd’s night nurse as well as a magician’s assistant.

Fee Waybill’s musical influences, including his idol David Bowie, and other iconic musicians such as Frank Zappa, Rod Stewart, and Paul Rodgers, have shaped The Tubes’ genre-defying sound. Their 1981 album, The Completion Backward Principle, produced by David Foster and featuring the hit single Talk to Ya Later, holds a special place in Fee’s heart. Memories of recording that album stand out to him as he explained it was the first time they worked with Foster, and they were blown away by his level of professionalism and attention to detail. He recounts that the first vocal take he did with Foster was for the song Amnesia, and it took 10 days to get done. He said the whole process made him a better singer.

For Fee Waybill, sharing music with the world is a lifelong dream realized. Now, at 73, he remains grateful for a remarkable journey that began in his early twenties and for being able to continue captivating audiences with The Tubes’ one-of-a-kind musical and theatrical prowess. When asked about what sharing his music means to him, Fee said, “It means the world to me, it’s my life, my whole life.”

Sarah Bueno Mendes wrote this post based on Fallon Falore’s interview wit Fee Waybill.