The Polkats, an offshoot of Two Legs, played an eclectic mix of polka (both German and Mexican), Tex-Mex, zydeco, folk, waltz, tango, etc.
The group was founded in 1988 by St. John’s College schoolmates John Schock (accordion) and Grady Harris (bass), John’s cousin Mike Barth (rhythm guitar ex-Pang Pang), and childhood friends Steve Raskin (snare drum), and Paul Margolis (lead guitar). Schock and Harris had played together in Alien Blues and were active members of Two Legs. Raskin was also a member of Two Legs and played with several other Baltimore groups (later with disappear fear, The Barn Burners, Gypsy Dawg). Barth had performed with a couple of local bands in the late 1960’s before moving to Wyoming (he had returned to Baltimore in 1976). Margolis grew up in Baltimore and spent the prior four years performing and recording in Los Angeles (e.g., with Jeff Ross of the Hellecasters and Eddie Munoz of The Plimsouls) and produced Two Legs’ first album.
The Polkats began jamming in a practice space usually used by Two Legs in the basement of Bread & Roses (All Peoples Congress) on 31st Street. Within six weeks, these sessions evolved into a well-received all-acoustic performance at Max’s on Broadway in Fells Point in 1988. Soon after their first performance, bassist Grady Harris was replaced by John Keith (another St. John’s College alum). At that point the band’s repertoire was almost completely appropriated from some old Mexican ranchero albums. They quickly branched out into playing a wide variety of styles, though the world roots sound persisted.
Their first full-length recording “The Polkats” was recorded in Margolis’ basement studio and released in 1990.
Two songs from “The Polkats” were entered into a contest sponsored by Musician magazine, who subsequently named them “The Best Unsigned Band in America” in 1990. One of the songs (“I Watch from The Window”) was used as the lead track on one of the Warner sampler albums.
The Polkats began performing more frequently, often at the Eight by Ten, The Cat’s Eye, Roots Café, Max’s on Broadway, Café Tattoo, and the SoWeBo, Hampden Fest, and Fells Point festival, as well as in clubs and colleges in the mid-Atlantic region, such as Tornado Alley in Wheaton, The Front Page in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and the Barbary in Philadelphia.
Steve Raskin rejoined the band (on a full trap set) when Schock left the group in 1992. At this point, the band moved to a louder, more aggressive approach to playing their world roots repertoire, shifting to electric guitar and heavily amplified accordion. The band and some members received several recognition awards from The City Paper and Maryland Musician magazine.
In 1991 bassist John Keith was replaced by Mark Young (former member of Red Tape), owner and engineer at The Commercial Refinery, a local recording studio.
The group shared bills with Buckwheat Zydeco (who, after The Polkats set, pronounced John Schock “a nasty little mosquito”), also C.J. Chenier, Bill Kirchen, Los Lobos, Terrence Simian. During this time, the group and its members also performed or recorded with Mark Brine, Dodie McMillan, Bob Bradley, Tommy Roberts, and Jorma Kaukonen.
The Polkats released their second self-produced full-length recording, “Low Man” in 1994.
The Polkats were one of the most novel and versatile bands of their time. They finally went their separate ways, playing a packed farewell concert at St. John’s Church on 27th Street on March 5, 1995.
1990(CD) The Polkats
1994(CD) Low Man
