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True to its new wave aesthetic, Rubberlegs gets a lot of fun mileage out of the continued repetition of a simple phrase, be it vocal or instrumental. This mantra/Zen-like minimalism helps provide a deeper mystique to what otherwise might appear to be just a regular pop song. Lyrical hooks like "I lost my leg in '52" and "I want to go to China," repeated ad infinitum, can mean both nothing and something, be both flippant and thought-provoking, all at the same time. Think back to MTV's new wave/techno golden age, when we were all “turning Japanese” while “wearing sunglasses at night” and you get the picture.

Because the tracks on Reheated are actual re-animations of past recordings, they retain all their original, vintage synth patches. Listening in has a time-warping, nostalgic effect on the ear. With vintage Yamaha DX7 sounds, classic analog horn/string pads,
clap-traps, beat-boxes, etc., Rubberlegs offers fans a big dose of genuine retro-80's pop. This is also true of their live shows, where they've been known to pull out gems like Devo’s "Whip It" or Gary Numan’s "Cars".

The second half of the CD is comprised of restored instrumental pieces, some composed, some improvised. These are more musically adventurous than the previous songs, and often more spooky. Again, Robert Mesrach's talents are prominently featured. Listening to these "living in the past" musical reveries, I was immediately reminded of the numerous tapes and videos I myself have tucked away of past jams, live shows, rehearsals, etc.--many involving colleagues no longer around. Any musician in a similar situation should appreciate how dear these memories must be to the surviving band members.

My personal favorite song on Reheated is "Bound and Gagged," unusual for Rubberlegs in its rockier style, and apparently a harbinger of things to come. The song is a light-hearted yet poignant look at Robert and Gordon's many years together as lovers, its title a playful take on the drama of being married and doing absolutely everything together.

In my interview with him for this article, Gordon Smith offered some heartfelt insights into his musical relationship with his departed lifemate/bandmate. “One of the reasons Rubberlegs never played out in the '80s”, says Gordon, “is that Robert absolutely did not believe that a gay rock group could 'make it.' At the time, we were quite fond of the gay band Our Daughter's Wedding, and I would point to them as an example, but then they didn't last so long. So here we are now in 2005, being ourselves and playing live, even covering our favorite ODW song, “Lawnchairs.” My definition of what it means to "make it' is so very different now. Now the "it" is just music itself: making music. It seems the more we do it, the more we ARE doing it, and things just follow from that. I am just so delighted to have rediscovered my creative self, which was buried for more than a decade, and to have it return still so intimately connected to Robert is a real blessing”.

In fact, an all-new version of “Bound and Gagged” (this one featuring real drummer/new bandmember Anthony Maulella instead of a drum machine), has just been recorded and is being distributed as a “pre-release” single for the band’s upcoming EP entitled Boyfriends. Furthermore, with Anthony on board, Rubberlegs' live-in-concert achieves a level of excitement they were never quite able to reach when using only backing drum machine tracks.

Now a trio again, the new Rubberlegs continues to perform the songs from Reheated. They also continue to evolve. With Reheated, the band invited the world to not only observe the talents of their departed comrade Robert Mesrach, but to also share in their own experience of the man and their continued memory of him. Painstakingly restored onto CD, the album is both a loving tribute and a tribute to love.

Get more info at rubberlegs.com

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