Cheese Borger and the Cleveland Steamers "Terminal" "Best Record Ever"

(

Smog Veil, 2013/2018) As the top historians of Weirdo Ohio music, Smog Veil records has repped a lot of the Burning River State's best historical weirdo bands. However, this band really nicked a lot of notches (and Nick-ed the perfect amount of Knox-es, as it features the best drummer of Ohio weirdo worldbeaters the Cramps). The main Cleveland kook in charge is Cheese Borger, of Pink Holes, but other heroes who make appearances are Mike Hudson of the Pagans, Electric Eel John Morton, Pere Ubu-outlier John Thompson, and Steve-O from Death of Samantha. Remarkably, this band is not particularly weird, they make perhaps the most pleasant rock/pop by a poop-name themed band I have ever heard, especially on the more recent record where Meredith Ruthledge (Mrs. Borger, if you please) handling most of the vocals with power and nuance.  We have since lost Nick and Mike, and I thank the Smog monsters (oddly, an historically Chicago operation despite the Buckeye obsession) for championing, spreading the germs, and combining the viruses of Ohio oddness so many times over the last three decades.