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Those Darn Accordions

Those Darn Accordions
Origin San Francisco, California
Genres Rock, pop, polka, comedy
Years active 1989–present
Labels Globe Records, Flying Fish Records
Associated acts Polkacide, Big Lou's Polka Casserole, The Christmas Jug Band
Website www.thosedarnaccordions.com
Members Paul Rogers
Suzanne Garramone
Lewis Wallace
Michael Messer

Those Darn Accordions, commonly abbreviated as TDA, are an American accordion band from San Francisco, California, originally formed in 1989 by Linda "Big Lou" Seekins.

Boasting several accordionists whose numbers have fluctuated over the years and rounded out by a bassist and a drummer, Those Darn Accordions play a multi-genre mix of rock, pop and polka originals, characterized by the unusual use of effects and distortion on their accordions and the humorous lyrics of current frontman Paul Rogers. The band also performs from an extensive repertoire of covers, ranging from traditional accordion standards and polkas to hard rock, funk and new wave songs.

Since their formation, TDA have released six studio albums and one EP, with their most recent album Squeeze Machine having been released in 2007. As of 2014, the band continues to tour the United States, often performing as part of music festivals, fairs and Oktoberfest celebrations across the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.

The concept behind Those Darn Accordions was initially conceived by keyboardist and accordionist Linda "Big Lou" Seekins in early 1989. Seekins, who was active in several Bay Area bands including the polka punk band Polkacide, was called up by the owner of San Francisco's Paradise Lounge and offered an open performance slot if she could put together a band in time. As a joke, she contacted every accordionist she knew in an attempt to assemble an all-accordion band, ultimately recruiting thirteen accordionists to play the show, where they sight read "Beatles songs and polkas" before a packed house. Despite the disorganized and under-rehearsed nature of the band, the audience response was tremendous: "everyone liked us so much that they wanted an encore, and we'd already played everything we knew", Seekins recalled, "so we just had to play a song over again". Almost immediately, what was originally intended to be a one-time gag started developing into plans to become an ongoing project.


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