Column Chronicles: The Spaniels ensue, part two

The Spaniels ensue, part two

Frank Cotolo
October 17, 2024

Rip, Rolly, Ricky and Smug - The Spaniels - paid little attention to the violence their live shows stimulated but it caught on and the paying crowds increased by the millions. A pop music publication wrote: "Though The Spaniels music stinks and the quartet never plays a song more than once - because they make up everything as they go along and pay no attention to one another when performing - their following is humungous."

A fan attending a concert said, "A Spaniels show is the only kind that allows violence and that kind of expression has been denied to audiences for decades." Another said, "Couples hating one another go to Spaniels' shows to release their inner angst, especially when the group plays slow pieces."

What began as an audience attacking the band turned into audiences inspired to beat up one another and loving it. One critic called the groups' music "fight rock because it strikes chords that make listeners strike one another."

Rip, Rolly, Ricky and Smug began to live off ticket sales that broke records for every live music act in history. Fight rock went commercial. Every product and service company wanted to target, so to speak, their following. "A concert movie was written for us with a billion dollar budget," said Smug "and it grossed more than any movie and won twenty Oscars".

Sadly, Rip, Rolly, Ricky and Smug grew apart as fame and success grew. Then, at their Vatican concert they opened playing an original tune with a melody and an arrangement and each musician playing in tune and in time. The audience booed and left quietly. When the incident was reported The Spaniels' empire collapsed and "fight rock went down for the count."

Rip, Rolly, Ricky and Smug left the business and retired wealthy. "There are no plans for a reunion concert," said Rolly.

Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.