Special thanks to Clio Leeuwenburgh for providing photographs.
Illustration by Jack C. Gregory.
Anthonie Cornelis Leeuwenburgh. A known figure in the international underground punk rock n’ roll world died battling throat cancer on October 7th in his family’s Amsterdam home. He was 60.
Leeuwenburgh was better known worldwide as Tony Slug, and news of his death has spurned various tributes online and through social media. Born in Humlebæk, Denmark, but called Amsterdam his home, Slug was a giant (standing 6 ‘5) player in the development and international exposure of Dutch punk rock across four decades.
Slug was a bonafide rock n’ roll lifer; there is no clearer way to describe the man. So we’ll start at the beginning on how he came to be one.
A History of Slug Rock
With the first-wave punk movement in full swing by the late 70s, Slug formed The Nitwitz in May 1978 and carried their firebrand punk n’ roll attack well into the new millennium with releases on his own Vögelspin and Rocketdog Records, along with Get Hip out of the United States. Fast and raging was The Nitwitz game; they didn’t know any other way to rock. To up the ante, Leeuwenurgh had to become faster. In 1983, the U.S. hardcore movement was in full swing. M.A.D. became a near reality with Soviet Operation RyAN paranoia and the KAL 007 incident. The blistering speed of Leeuwenburgh’s next band, B.G.K. (Balthasar Gerards Kommando), captures the hostility of the time with blitzkrieg guitars, a Gatling gun drum attack, and lyrics about techno-terror, nuclear war, rampant consumption, religious zealots, and unchecked media propaganda. Word of B.G.K.’s relentless European touring and chaotic sound came to America. The following year, then small-time local promotions company Goldenvoice extended the band an invitation to appear on an international billing in Los Angeles as openers for Dead Kennedys alongside Raw Power (Italy), Reagan Youth (New York), Riistetyt (Finland), and Solución Mortal (Mexico) at the Olympic Auditorium. This performance would lay the groundwork for the band’s few runs across the United States until their split in 1987. B.G.K. ‘s short time was impactful, with two LP releases on Slug’s Vögelspin label and American licenses granted to R Radical and Alternative Tentacles, with the latter releasing a retrospective release in 2001.
The post-thrash years saw Slug’s playing style depart from a full-on breakneck sound and incorporate more melody and groove with the riffs of Loveslug. Formed in 1987, Loveslug floated in the silver lining between hardcore punk and garage rock with a sound paralleling the then-current happenings of the underground rock bands within the Pacific Northwest punk movement before the marketing of the grunge tagline caught fire with the global public. Solo and tag team runs across the European continent, along with a one-month run alongside Sub-Pop alums The Fluid, and recording sessions with Seattle producer Jack Endino would ensue. In Loveslug’s seven-year span (87 – 94), the band released three LPs and a slew of singles through German underground rock imprint Glitterhouse Records, with cross-continental splits with The Fluid and Endino’s own Skin Yard.
The tail end of the 1990s brought a renewed interest in players, past and present, within the underground punk n’ roll movement from the mainstream music press talking about high-energy groups nestling across Europe, Australia, and America. Garage revival was about to go full tilt. Slug would ride the wave alongside Scott Morgan (Sonic Rendezvous Band) and Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters) with the formation of The Hydromatics, a three-generation pronged unit who blended no-frills, gut-punch action guitar work with soulful vocals across a revolving lineup with Morgan and Slug anchoring the ship. Their sound was a complete departure from everything in Slug’s early life and leaned more towards his unabashed admiration and appreciation of the ways of Fred “Sonic” Smith, one of the few musicians he would consistently cite as de facto inspiration during the time we spoke. What began as a tribute to Morgan’s Sonic Rendezvous Band became its own beast throughout three records, festival appearances, and European tours.
Other groups Slug participated in towards the latter part of his career were The Spades and touring across Europe with another player he admired growing up as a member of Cheetah Chrome and The Knobs in 2016.
The Tony Slug Experience
Shortly before Slug’s illness, he was working on The Tony Slug Experience, his first solo album of 12 new songs, with a slew of friends making contributions, including Jennifer Precious Finch (L7), Happy Tom (Turbonegro), Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Jerry A (Poison Idea), and many more. The record will be released in early 2024 via Suburban Records and Wap Shoo Wap Records, with a documentary of his life in the works with a release date to be determined.
Slug, The Man
Many people worldwide knew Slug as a rock n’ roll dictator. Why a dictator? Because they’re far more memorable than kings. The term compromise didn’t exist in his vocabulary. With Slug, you were guaranteed an ounce of intensity in different avenues. Whether it was his firebrand style of playing, his vocal opinion on both world and musical issues (plenty of the latter), or his sense of black humor that knew no bounds. During his cancer battle, he would update his friends with detailed email entries about his grueling experiences of undergoing treatment and care without giving any notion of self-pity; he just wanted to keep his friends informed of the realities he was dealing with. His writing on such a grim subject manner was not without his trademark sense of humor and a prose style that mixed action and entertainment with vivid depictions of past life incidents and current dealings. A description is taking the blunt antagonism of James Ellroy with the societal observations of Lenny Bruce, all with the down-and-dirty delivery of Rudy Ray Moore. As stated earlier, Slug made no compromises in giving his opinions. His death leaves a hole in the punk rock community, and one more reason our email inboxes, for those who received his updates, will become square. Slug was hilarious, and that’s not an opinion; that’s a fact.
Slug Love Worldwide
”I only have good memories and things to say about Tony. We first met in the mid-90s at a Hellacopters show in The Netherlands, and he was always in a good mood and a true spreader of action. I’m so bummed out that he’s left us.” – Dregen (The Hellacopters/Backyard Babies – Stockholm, SE)
“It was a great honor to have known him for 40 years, the last as an innovator, entrepreneur, provocateur, and talented individual since our first meeting in 1986. Tony had a unique gift for storytelling; his anecdotes would make me laugh and occasionally roll my eyes in disbelief. He had a passion for the bleeding edge in everything he did.” Jennifer Precious Finch (L7 – Los Angeles, CA)
“Just listen to “Jackass” by The Nitwitz, hands down one of the best punk songs ever made, and a ‘trademark’ Tony Slug masterpiece: A two-and-a-half minute barrage of next-level riffs that each make you wish they were yours, everything tight as fuck, and you’ll hear why he was one of the true greats. I’m glad I got to record at least one song with him. He’ll be sorely missed.” Bart Geevers (Peter Pan Speedrock/Speedmobile – Eindhoven, NL)
“Musically, Tony Slug was incredible, and he really shaped a specific sound.” Blind Marky Felchtone (Zeke – Seattle, WA)
“Tony: you are hands-down plain & simp the most bad-ass rock’n’roller to ever emerge from the European Continent, and WE SALUTE YOU, AND WE LOVE YOU.” Happy Tom (Turbonegro – Oslo, NO)
“I’ve known Tony since 1990 when I recorded the first of two Loveslug albums in Holland. He was so damn funny and a better lyricist in English than MOST native speaker I know!” Jack Endino (Producer/Engineer – Soundhouse – Seattle, WA)
“I was first introduced to Tony’s with B.G.K. When I was a young kid. I have always and still do a lot of record shopping and mail order. I used to order a lot from S.S.T., A.T., and R Radical Records. I had a comp on ROIR cassettes called “world-class punk,” and if I remember correctly, it starts with B.G.K. “gone mad,” fucking great! Also, have “peace, war comp on R Radical with B.G.K. “Arms Race,” GREAT!!! So I got a mail order inside an MDC record, and it has a full-length release by B.G.K., Jonestown Aloha, and it says Holland’s best Hardcore band. I ordered it for something like $8.00 POSTPAID! I have been a fan of Tony “Nitwit” “Slug” since 1984. His work on bass on Jonestown Aloha and his guitar work on Nothing Can Go Wrong. I am still a hardcore music fan and listen to it daily! The 80s is still the best era for music, and Tony and B.G.K. are undeniably in my top ten list of bands from this era. So long, Tony Slug R.I.P. Gone but not forgotten. See you on the other side, wherever that may be.” Nick “Rex Everything” Oliveri (Mondo Generator/Dwarves – Los Angeles, CA)
“Tony was not only a Rock and Roller’s best friend but one of my best friends for close to thirty years. His mastery of American slang would put Statesiders to shame as he whipped out updates of his opinions, adventures, and hilarious band antics as he documented the craziness of dealing with the shadiness of promoters, record labels, and bandmates. He had an artist’s vision, a Viking’s soul, and a heart of gold. There will never be another like him: A True Dutch Master.” Dan Vargas (Producer/Musician – Safe at Home Studios – Long Beach, CA)
“The world has lost the RIFF master, lord of sarcasm and scorching fun. Quesitos, tronco forever in our hearts” Juan (The Rock n’ Roll Aztec – Guadalajara, MX)
“My introduction to B.G.K was through the Welcome to 1984 compilation, which soon led me to Nothing Can Go Wrogn! a couple of years later—fast forward a dozen years or so, The Nitwitz and The Hydromatics parked themselves in my grey matter. It wasn’t until recently that I had the opportunity to share a few emails back and forth with Tony that the pieces fell into place. The common denominator in all my admiration for these bands was Mr. Tony Slug! And that is just a portion of his output. Tony was full of stories and the embodiment of Rock and Roll. May his guitar tone ring on forever.” Christopher Duda (Journalist – Ontario, CAN)
Tony Slug is survived by his daughter. May he Rest In Power.
