THE NAPOLEON BLOWNAPARTS is an American garage punk rock group formed in 1995. Led by lead singer/guitarist Ajax Garcia and drummer Jesus Mendez JR. The BLOWNAPARTS released their latest album CRISIS in late 2010. Originally (1994) the band was called The Voodoo Tubes featuring Ajax Garcia on lead guitars/vocals singer Kenny Santillian, Shawn Gatlin on bass and drummer Charlie Odahl. The VoodDoo Tubes disbanded in 1994. In 1995 Ajax Garcia and new bassist Dat Ngo recruited drummer Baba Chenelle from 1970’s punk band The Zeros and began rehearsing in Van Nuys California under the Voodoo Tubes moniker. Singer/guitarist Dave James was later added to the band to split lead vocal duties with Garcia. Shortly after the Voodoo Tubes changed their name to The Super Bees. After a few live performances as the Super Bees Ajax Garcia left the Super Bees and recruited former Voodoo Tubes members Charlie Odahl (drummer) and Shawn Gatlin (bass) to form the first version of The Napoleon Blownaparts. In 1997 The Napoleon Blownaparts released their debut album “ThrillBound”.
Thrillbound spawned a mild radio hit and cult classis “Do Ya Like My Haircut” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Lx8BM68XA A raunchy garage rock song about a disgruntled girlfriend and her druggy boyfriend.
By late 1995 The Blownaparts had recruited a young music mogul by the name of Frank Munoz to cover the band’s manager duties. Munoz and the Napoleon Blownaparts parted ways for reasons unknown after The Blownaparts opened for KISS and WEEZER in 2000 and 01 (see KISS-WEEZER below). Munoz then went on to work with METALLICA bringing with him Blownaparts members Ajax Garcia and drummer Jesus Mendez Jr., Munoz remains a part of the METALLICA team.
July 2000 saw Ajax and the Blownaparts playing on the KISS farewell tour as the band struck a sponsorship deal with the LEVI’S brand. August 2001 The Napoleon Blownaparts perform a home coming concert in California in front of a sold out audience of more than 7,000 kids. Also on the bill are nerd rockers WEEZER, and rap rockers CRAZY TOWN.
In 2004, during a radio interview as part of a joke Garcia expressed interest in the vacancy left by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Bucket Head. Ajax Garcia receives a telephone call back from Guns N’ Roses bassist Tommy Stenson regarding the spot made vacant by guitarist who hides his identity with a chicken bucket. Axl Rose later goes public denying him or Stinson had ever heard from Garcia. Ajax later says what ever to the statement made by Axl Rose and says he has Tommy Stinson on voice mail. [1] Though it would be Bumblefoot not Garcia who replaced Buckethead in Guns N’ Roses during early 2006 fans on G N’R forums express that it was Garcia who would have been the best choice to fill the giant boots of Slash.
During 2004-2005, bassist of the Murderdolls; Eric Griffin joined the Blownaparts and Griffin enters the recording studio to put down bass tracks to a cover of Puss N’ Boots a NEW YORK DOLLS classic, The Napoleon Blownaparts (Jesus Mendez Jr, Ajax Garcia, Eric Griffin) were asked to contribute to JETBOYS OF BABYLON a tribute to The Dolls album that included such legends as THE ALARM, David Johansen (NY DOLLS) and Steve Jones (SEX PISTOLS). Also regarding this Dolls song it is friend and sit in drummer Wade Krause who performs the drums on the Puss N’ Boots track and not drummer Jesus Mendez. Mendez was on tour with the Richie Scarlet band and was unavailable during the recording schedule. Krause is a member of the band SPARKLE JET and is also a founding member of the popular low brow toy company CIRCUS PUNKS.http://www.circuspunks.com
See: Richie Scarlet/Jesse Mendez:http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,7385.sm;jsessionid=86526FC30D1C0B1CDD31322784B7C089
In 2006 Griffin was officially replaced as the Blownaparts bass player by former PIPE DOWN bassist Doug Welon. In 2005 Drummer Jesus Mendez Jr joins a band with former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted. Blownaparts drummer Jesus Mendez Jr also backs Ritchie Scarlet former Ace Frehley (KISS)guitarist on a west coast tour.
2004– EXTREME BEVERAGE CO. “BLAVOD” teams up with rocker Ajax Garcia for an unprecedented multi media ADV campaign- http://blackvodka.com/read.html
In 2004 Dark Horse Comics releases the pictorial novel titled ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN”. The coffee table book features the art work of Ajax Garcia. A follow up for 2007 is in the works-never before seen KISS art from the 1995 reunion tour days are rumored to appear in the new book.
2005– Ajax Garcia launches the “FLY ON THE WALL” editorial piece. Celebrity guest interviews include from Image Comics Kevin Conrad (SPAWN and KISS artist), THE HIVES guitarist Niklause Arsen, Brian Ball of the Ernie Ball/Music Man Co.http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/10807/tempidx/5/menuid/3
2006– Magnatune Licensing Company sells THE BLOWNAPARTS music to restaurant chain and an amusement theme park in both mid west and west coast markets for radio and television advertisements. See Blownaparts profile on www.magnatune.com for licensing details: http://magnatune.com/artists/blownaparts
2006– EeriePop issues a product line to feature the art work of Ajax Garcia through a toy product called EeriePop BLISTER PACKS. Each Blister Pack comes packaged up two posters, FREE CDs, Decals and other goodies all design to suck in the adolescent consumer! see:
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