How Tight Are The Rumble Bees?
About as tight as the dresses worn by the SEXY WORKER BEES, and that's as tight as you can get without getting arrested.

But exactly who are these bluesy RUMBLE BEES, and why are they causing so much excitement whenever they headline at clubs like B.B. KINGS, or festivals like the International Lobsterfest, (that's right, Lobsterfest, baby!), or good old Rusty's Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier? And why have their songs been featured on the "Tonight Show" "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy" and "Cold Pizza" on ESPN 2 (not the real ESPN, but ESPN 2)

And who cares? Who are these guys?

Mike Himelstein is the group's founder, leader, singer and songwriter. He is, in his own words "An idiot". His R&B and blues songs have been recorded by great artists including the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Al Jarreau, The Temptations, the Baha Men, Vanessa Williams, William Shatner, Billy Gilman, CeCe Winans, Joe Bonamassa, Karyn White, Tony Danza and many others. Legendary blues man Johnny Winter recorded Mike's classic Rumble Bee song "Hey You". Rick Derringer recorded his "Big Time Love". He's written songs for films such as "Shrek" and is a frequent contributor to Walt Disney Records children's albums, and has recorded for them. He wrote and produced the children's CD "Bozo And Pals" for the Music For Little People label. He is a Dreamworks Music staff songwriter. If you add it all up, he's a heck of a guy.
John "Hot Rod" Tompkins is the group's cofounder and lead guitar player. He's got fast hands and a knock out punch. When we all played basketball together on the playground, he followed his shots. He's that type of guy. In his hands, the guitar is a weapon. He recently tried to buy a guitar and had to go through the seven day waiting period while they did a background check.

John Lawson is the drummer, and he’s a wonderful musician. Mike Novitch plays guitar, and used to be the musical director of the band, but then that stopped. Mr. Greg “Rock Bottom” Bowden is the bass player and is a really great musician, a very nice guy and a cool cat. He’s actually too good to be true and will probably leave the band soon. Mike Curry plays saxophone, he used to play bass and he has played guitar and cello in the band. Each member brings something different to the group dynamic.

Carol Eckstein and Hope Levy are the Sexy Worker Bees. They’re sexy, they work, hence the moniker “Sexy Worker Bees”. They are sworn never to wear panties during performances, but who the hell knows what’s happening in this life

.A Brief History Of The Band

The Rumble Bees did their first performance on April 27, 1986, that’s right, 1986 in the last century at a club called “The Central” on Sunset Strip in Hollywood. That club is now called “The Viper Room” and the Rumble Bees have vowed never to play that room again until they change it back to “The Central”. That night they performed “Hey You” and they’ve done it a thousand times since. The group at that time was Mike Himelstein, John ‘Hot Rod” Tompkins, Dann Novak on drums, Jory Schulman on second guitar, and David “The Cadillac” Stolyer on bass.

Through the years the group has been home to several great musicians including Doug Corbin, John “Bongo” Chinburg, Abbot Stein, Lincoln Adler, Donny Seirer Jr., Rick Winquist and Chris Black. World class musicians such as Joe Bonamassa, Armand Sabal Lecco and David McKelvey ave jammed with us.

The Bees been called everything from “The greatest bar band in the world”, to “a bunch of losers”. The general comment is, “Whatever”.

In 1990 Del fi Records released "A Lot Like Life" and "Hey You" as a single, and it made it to the top twenty in several alternative radio markets before failing miserably.
.
They released their CD "Be Pretty Be Naked Be Quiet" in 2000 to rave reviews and quickly sold out the first run. "BPBNBQ" is in it's second printing. The band released "Public Fool From A Public School" (More stupid songs for genius people) in October of 2003.
top