Watch Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp cover ‘White Punks On Dope’ by The Tubes
Married duo Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp delivered the latest edition of their Sunday Lunch series yesterday by taking on ‘White Punks On Dope’, the 1975 proto-punk staple by The Tubes.
Famously, the track was first released in 1975 on The Tubes’ eponymous debut album. One of the San Francisco group’s most revered pieces, it parodied the children of the rich and famous in Hollywood. Later, it was covered by the likes of Mötley Crüe and the Nina Hagen Band.
Every Sunday since 2020, Willcox and Fripp have performed a host of covers from their kitchen, which has now become somewhat iconic. A notable aspect of the series is that Fripp always sits in his chair, playing the guitar, while Willcox dons a host of outlandish outfits.
Recently, they’ve undertaken renditions of Mötley Crüe’s ‘Shot at the Devil’, Kiss’ ‘I Was Made for Lovin You’, and The Offspring’s punk classic ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’. Elsewhere, the pair have also added an energetic twist on Korn, Black Sabbath, Megadeth and Metallica cuts.
Last year, Fripp explained that the series had upset some fans of his band, King Crimson. “My wife insists performers have a responsibility to lift people’s spirits in hard times. Do I respect that? My answer is yes, completely and utterly I do,” he said in response to the criticism.
“We’re keenly aware of what people have experienced during lockdown. I mean, banged up in a small apartment while your mother’s dying, and you can’t go to the funeral. My wife said to me, if all we’ve done in two years is help one person through their bad time, it’s all worth it,” he continued.
Later in 2023, Fripp and Willcox will take Sunday Lunch on tour. “We are very excited to announce Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch Tour 2023,” they wrote when announcing the run last June.
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