Welcome to day 13 of a 30-day tribute to the history of Duluth's favorite
sons, Bone Appetit. Use the Calendar at right to view days you missed.

One of Bone Appetit's best friends throughout their career was the weekly alternative paper The Ripsaw News, which was staffed by various local writers, artists, and scenesters.

The first thing ever written about Bone Appetit was their bio for the Homegrown 2 guide. The author is unknown, however theircomment regarding the band's cover of "You Shook Me All Night Long" spurred the boys into performing it live at the festival, as heard in the recording found here, and sucking it up even worse than on the demo CD (which was reviewed three weeks later).

Rather quickly Bone Appetit, via their goodwill party ambasador Hot Rod, entered the good graces of the Ripsaw staff and in no time the paper was giving them something of an unofficial push. It seemed for a time that any garbage that came out of the their mouthes over drinks would make it into The Buzz section.

Numerous shows Bone Appetit played would be chosen as High-5 events for that week and the back-page Kiosk also became something of a hot spot for band related tid-bits as well.

A Ripsaw cover was promised to Bone Appetit as well. They were to appear on the the annual Homegrown Issue in 2001(?), but their photo was rejected and deemed in poor taste because it featured a girl in a bikini on her knees in front of the band in the alley behind the Norshor. Yes, the photo was misogynistic in a way the band didn't comprehend back then, and history is a little bit better thanks to the good consciences at the Ripsaw.

Gossip and Unconfirmed Tidbits Gleaned from Casual Bar-talk and Unsubstantiated E-mails
August 2, 2000
Bone Appetit is changing its name to The Mummies. Lead singer
Cory Ahlm will be dressing up as a mummy during shows.

Ready to rock your house party
September 3, 2000
Bone Appetit, widely known as “Duluth’s worst band,” issued a back-to-school press statement last week. The group announced in a brief e-mail that it “will play any upcoming keg party for free glasses.” Bone Appetit proudly confessed that the offer is an attempt “to impress many freshman girls.” The band can be contacted at www.d.umn.edu/~cahlm or boneappetit22@hotmail.com.

Bone Appetit replaces bass player; Ahlm changes name
October 18, 2000
Bassist Ian O’Connel (a.k.a. “Mr. 10”) has joined Duluth’s worst band, Bone Appetit. O’Connel replaces Andy Ellis, who recently left the band.

Bone Appetit also announced last week that lead vocalist Cory Ahlm has officially changed his name to Hot Rod.

Bone Appetit recently did an interview for the Modern Rock Twin Cities television program, which will air locally on KDUL on Oct. 20. A news release from the band noted that “all the ladies” should make sure to watch the TV interview because “it will cause auto-orgasms statewide.”

Everyone and his brother has a CD coming out
November 29, 2000
According to a drunken news release issued Nov. 17, Bone Appetit apparently intends to record a “compilation” CD sometime after Christmas. The album would be called Bone Appetit Does Duluth and feature Duluth’s worst band covering songs by other Twin Ports groups. Despite the news release, no one actually believes this will happen.

Bone Appetit to Save Rock and Roll
September 19, 2001
Duluth’s self-proclaimed “sexiest band” (formerly Duluth’s worst band, but members accidentally learned how to play their instruments and simultaneously discovered the attraction women feel toward them) Bone Appetit has generated a computer model for their biggest show ever and are working diligently to bring their scheme to life. Band members have refused to divulge details of the plan, saying simply, “We will save rock and roll” and “This is huge.” RipSaw attempts to gather intelligence about the concert have been largely unsuccessful. However, Bone Appetit guitarist Richie Gunns was spotted recently at a local discount store sifting through the women’s fall-fashion clearance rack. We have no idea what that means. Bone Appetit’s rock and roll coup’ d’état is scheduled for Oct. 5 in the main room of the NorShor Theatre, and will will be supported by rawk allies Giljunko, MS222 and the Undesirables. To stay current with this story and other Bone Appetit developments, check out www.d.umn.edu/~cahlm.

Duluth Does Kiss?
May 29, 2002
Bone Appetit frontman, Hot Rod, is threatening to produce a follow-up to Duluth Does Dylan. Undaunted by the fact that Duluth lacks an official tie to the legendary rock band Kiss, he sites one reason for producing a new compilation called Duluth Does Kiss: “Because Kiss is a fuckin’ awesome band, that’s why!”

So far, it seems Duluth Does Kiss is more of a vision than a plan, but Hot Rod doesn’t expect any barriers to finding talent. “Who wouldn’t want to be on a Kiss tribute?” he asked rhetorically.
The Ripsaw will keep readers posted on any and all developments.

[Sexiesetband.com Note: Johnny Heartless articles have been omitted here and instead will be covered in detail in the coming days.]

Rock n Roll Rewind 2002
January 1, 2003
-Various mentions-

Two Days, Two Parties, One Birthday and Sudden Death
January 8, 2003
"...the highlight of which, Lindquist forewarns, may well be a rare solo appearance by Bone Appetit bassist Sudden Death. “It [a Sudden Death solo] is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. He had a show at Lucè a while ago and started drinking at 4[pm]. By the end of the night, I don’t even know if he was playing music anymore—just acting out Guns ‘n’ Roses videos onstage.”

Bone Appetit Double Dose
February 12, 2003
Congratulations to Bone Appetit, they will soon be the first Duluth band to have a tribute band. That’s right, Brain Invaders will be making their debut at HomeGrown playing all your favorite Bone Appetit songs with Bone Appetit style. The Brain Invaders features Magnum on drums, Ishy Young on guitar, Still Born on bass, Itchy Buns on lead guitar and, of course, Hot Dog Heartburn on vocals.

Duluth Does Kiss Redux
March 12, 2003
The May 29, 2002 Buzz reported that Hot Rod Heart-throb, of Bone Appetit, was embarking on a quest to produce, record and release the ultimate tribute album, Duluth Does KISS, despite a lack of any connection between the Twin Ports and KISS. Nine months after that announcement, Hot Rod has torn himself away from his incessant touring (and groupie visitation) schedule to issue this statement: “If you’re in a band and you want to do a song for [the album], e-mail me the three songs you’d most want to do at boneappetit22@hotmail.com. Or call me at: 218.393.1096.”
The album, to be recorded at Dog Talk Studios, is scheduled to go into production within the next month. Bands already rumored to be involved include Both, Bone Appetit, Low, Ol’ Yeller, If Thousands, Words to a Film Score and the Undesirables.

In true Bone Appetit fashion, the media machine is three steps ahead of the actual product; www.duluthdoeskiss.com, complete with message board, is already up.

2003 Sawyer Awards
Worst Band - Brain Invaders
March 26, 2003
Bone Appetit has, we acknowledge with some wistfulness, managed to get rather good, considering that it used to proudly be the worst band in Duluth. Most of their fans can hardly remember the days when Hot Rod could clear a bar with his twitchy arhythmic knee-knocking and off-key balladeering. Now, in a stroke of idiot-savant self-promotion genius, Bone Appetit has started its own tribute band: Brain Invaders. If you miss the days of bewildered would-be fans scrambling for the doors in fear and loathing, look no further than these guys to bring it all back home. If Insane Clown Posse, Boltthrower and Jizzy Young were thrown into a blender, squeezed through cheesecloth, and imperfectly cloned … ah, forget it—it defies description.

Rock n Roll Rewind 2003
December 31, 2003
Hot Rod Heartthrob [his music highlights from the last 12 months]
 member of Bone Appetit

Bone Appetit tours to Reno, stops in cowboy town on way.

[that's it.]

Another bone to chew on
July 31, 2004
Bone Appetit, self-proclaimed "Duluth Rawk saviors," begin preproduction on their second album tentatively titled Hit Factory with tracks like "Too High to Die," "Asleep at the Knife" and "I Do Whatever I Want to Do." They’ll be self-producing and describe the effort as "garage land guitar rock with a stadium attitude."