Ass Ponys

Ass Ponys was an indie rock band based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their sound combines rock and country into an off-kilter blend of Americana music. They have gone on national tours with bands such as Pavement, Throwing Muses, and Possum Dixon. Among other periodicals, they have been featured in Rolling Stone, CMJ, and The Cincinnati Post.^[1]

Ass Ponys
Origin	Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Genres	Alternative country, country rock
Years active	1988–2005, 2015
Labels	A&M Checkered Past Records Okra Safe House Shake It
Members	Chuck Cleaver Randy Cheek Dave Morrison
Past members	Bill Alletzhauser Dan Kleingers John Erhardt

History

The Ass Ponys was formed in 1988 from members of Ohio band the Libertines and Midwestern band Gomez.^[2] The group was active for 17 years, releasing six studio albums from 1988 to 2005. The Ass Ponys went on hiatus in 2005, after releasing the compilation album The Okra Years^[3] – four years after their last original material was released in Lohio.^[4][5] More importantly, it appears that core band members are focused on new projects, so new Ass Ponys output seems unlikely any time soon.^[6] Vocalist Chuck Cleaver is focusing his attention on his current band, Wussy. Bill Alletzhauser currently fronts the band The Hiders.^[7] Randy Cheek plays with The Libertines US, The Fairmount Girls, and The Ready Stance. Chuck Cleaver and Randy Cheek performed together at TedxCincinnati in November 2013.^[8] In July 2015, the band announced they would play two shows at the Woodward Theater in Cincinnati on Friday, November 6, and Saturday, November 7, 2015.^[9][10] The reunion shows featured the bands Swim Team and Vacation as openers for the Ass Ponys.

Members

• Chuck Cleaver – vocals, guitar (1988–2005)
• Randy Cheek – bass, backing vocals (1988–2005; died 2024)
• John Erhardt – guitar (1988–1994; 2003–2005; died 2020)
• Kevin Lung – guitar (1994)
• Bill Alletzhauser – guitar, slide, banjo, backing vocals (1995–2002)
• Dan Kleingers – drums (1988–1991)
• Dave Morrison – drums, keyboards, backing vocals (1991–2005)

Discography

Studio albums

• 1990 – Mr. Superlove (Okra)
• 1993 – Grim (Okra/Safe House)
• 1994 – Electric Rock Music (A&M)
• 1996 – The Known Universe (A&M)
• 2000 – Some Stupid with a Flare Gun (Checkered Past)
• 2001 – Lohio (Checkered Past)

Extended plays

• 1994 – Little Bastard (A&M)
• 1996 – Under Cedars and Stars (A&M)

Compilations

• 2006 – The Okra Years (Shake It)

Singles

• Little Bastard, from Electric Rock Music (#26 on US Billboard Modern Rock)

References

1. Simutis, David. "Cover Story: The Life and Death and Life of the Ass Ponys". Cincinnati CityBeat. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
2. DeRogatis, Jim (12 January 2001). "Still kicking butt". Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
3. "Ass Pony's – The Okra Years". AllMusic Guide. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
4. "Ass Ponys: The Okra Years, PopMatters". PopMatters. 2006-04-25. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
5. chicagoreader (2001-09-20). "Ass Ponys". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
6. Cohen, Jason (1 December 2009). "The Ballad of Chuck and Lisa". Cincinnati. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
7. Baker, Brian (28 May 2008). "::new citybeat interview:: hiders seek". Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2012. Alletzhauser finds lightning striking twice as his new Americana aggregation, The Hiders, bears the enviable -- or perhaps unenviable -- tag of "the hottest unsigned band in America
8. "Ass Ponys: Randy Cheek and Chuck Cleaver at TEDxCincinnati". TedxCincinnati. 12 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
9. "Ass Ponys Announce November Reunion Shows". Archived from the original on 2015-09-07. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
10. Baker, Brian (November 11, 2015). "How Ass Were My Ponys". city beat. Retrieved 2016-08-06.

External links

• Sheffield, Rob (August 30, 2001). "The Ass Ponys". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 8 November 2004. Retrieved 19 October 2012. The Ass Ponys' America sure is a grim place: all small-town despair, nuclear-family breakdowns, grandmothers who build crucifixes out of matchsticks, kids who torture bugs and grown men who can only explain their existential dread with references to Kung Fu, Scatman Crothers and "Smoke on the Water."
• Bird, Rick (2000-03-02). "The Word: Veteran local bands head for Austin festival". The Cincinnati Post. E. W. Scripps Company. Archived from the original on 2007-03-12.
• Hobart Rowland; Bob Burtman (11 April 1996). "Hillbilly Revenge". Houston Press. Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
• Ass Ponys discography at MusicBrainz
• Ass Ponys discography at Discogs
• Ass Ponys collection on the Internet Archive's live music archive
• Chuck Cleaver interviews on Outsight Radio Hours
• CincyMusic Profile