the touchies

The Touchies (“slang for cuddling with your special someone”) were launched in late 2008 by Anthony Stanze (AKA Anthony Touchie) on lead vocals and guitar, and Mishey Moreno (AKA Mishey Touchie) on bass and backing vocals. The duo has played together locally since 1995, originally known as Happy Endings, a band later rechristened the Esthas. “That [name] was our tribute to Fox 6 News anchor Estha Trouw and her awesome pixie haircut,” according to Stanze.

Having just been nominated for a 2011 San Diego Music Award for their newest album Friends of the Friendless, they'll embark later this month on a ten day west coast tour.

"We're a non signed band, and don’t come wealthy, well known families, like a lot of other bands," Mishey tells the Reader. "So we have to pay for everything ourselves. It actually makes some things quiet humorous, especially when it came to recording our double album. I think in total we spent over $5,000, but it took seven months to do it, simply 'cause we had to save up money to do each step."

"We first had to save up to buy protocols. Then we had to save up to buy the interface. Luckily, we had all the mics , cables and stands, and studio monitors from our old bands Happy Endings and The Esthas, when we recorded on a little zip disk 4 track recorder back in 2001. Then, we had to save up to buy one of the most expensive things ever created, the darn plug ins for ProTools. Then, a couple months of saving for the mastering, printing the CDs, the artwork, etc."

"The whole process was hilarious, waiting for payday so we could buy a $200 EQ plug-in or something."

The tour starts July 28 in Eugene Oregon and wraps up August 6 at the Double Down saloon in Las Vegas. Says Mishey, "The last few months since the CD release, we’ve been saving up the same way for the tour!" - San Diego Reader

Showing the sensitive side of their punk rock roots the Friday Find showcases the touchies’ “Dirty Mirror” from their latest record Mess With The Unicorn…Get The Horn has me from the first line:
“Makes me look ten years younger..”
HELL Yeah touchies!! Seriously,-if you’re here in San Diego, wanna have a great time and your heart can keep a beat, your toes will start tappin’ next thing you know you might end up dancing or moshing with Dino Touchie in his signature Luchador mask .
Bottom line- you don’t wanna miss a single show that this terrific trio deliver every time. Frontman, Stanze Touchie, is charismatic and is as relentless with his Fender Jagstange as he his with his swift and witty lyrics, and from the first show you’ll ever see he’ll make you feel like an instant old friend. Bassist, Mishey Touchie, wails away while joking with the audience and sings harmony punk rock style, which is to say that she’s completely awesome. Drummer, Von Touchie, deliverers rhythm that just won’t quit at punishing speeds to his skins that holds this trio together. For another glimpse of what the touchies are like, I recommend “GO!” also found on their Reverbnation page http://www.reverbnation.com/thetouchies.
The Touchies are playing something akin to one of their dream-come-true-shows TOMORROW night at the Casbah with The Loons, Pleasure Fix, and the iconic pop punk powerhouse, The Muffs, tickets are actually still available for $12 but I’d get a scurry on it here.
Get there early this is one show you won’t wanna miss.
LOOK OUT HERE COME THE TOUCHIES!!!! - Sound in San Diego

San Diego punk rock-n-rollers The Touchies are about having fun with friends and ROCKIN OUT!! Guitarist/Lead Vox- Stanze Touchie, Bassist/ Background Vox- Mishey Touchie and Drummer- Von Touchie play a fast paced set of original punk songs with a rock-n-roll feel. Along with punk rock gogo dancer, Dino Touchie, The Touchies have opened for such greats as: Peelander-z, CJ Ramone, and Sonny Vincent (of The Testors). June 20th 2013, The Touchies released their 3rd full length release, MESS WITH THE UNICORN...GET THE HORN! Shortly after, it was nominated for a San Diego Music Award for 2013.The Touchies have been compared to: Peelander-Z, The Muffs, The Groovie Ghoulies, and of course The Ramones. - San Diego Music Thing

New year, new resolutions. Whereas “normal humans” resolve to accomplish goals such as losing weight, swearing less, and cutting back on alcohol, musicians come from a different mindset. They’re “cut from a different cloth,” as the saying goes, and as you’ll see by the following list of resolutions from your local noise-makers.

Brian Reilly, who plays in the New Kinetics, the Hiroshima Mockingbirds, the Diddley Daddies, and the Little Richards, complains, “My posture sucks. I look like I should be pushing a walker with tennis balls on it.” Okay, when Oxford decides to redefine resolution as “pretty much the same thing as a confession,” this will make perfect sense. Reilly then coughed up an actual resolution (sort of), “I want to drive to Texas and throw my phone in the Gulf of Mexico. This will allow me to spend time writing about the drive back on 66 and not wasting time reading the ‘Best of Craigslist.’” May as well “hold the phone,” Brian. There won’t be a ton to write about regarding a road that hasn’t technically existed since June 27, 1985.

Mishey Touchie of the Touchies says, “My New Years resolution is to become a better drummer. I don’t play drums in my band, it’s just my side music. So far, I know two beats. My current level of drumming is about as good as Ritchie Valens’s brother Bob from La Bamba...remember the scene in the bar? ‘Oh boy!’ My inspiration is Lety from Schitzophonics. If I could be even half as good as she is, I will be stoked. Practice practice.” “Oh boy” is right, Mishey. Better hope Esai Morales isn’t reading this, he is notoriously sensitive about his onscreen drumming. - San Diego Reader

“Yes, the songs are licensed,” says singer/guitarist Anthony Stanze of The Touchies. And their upcoming comedic-covers album David Cover-Riverdale includes irreverent versions of tunes like “Angelfuck” (Danzig), “First of the Gang to Die” (Morrissey), “Teenage Kicks” (the Undertones), “Only Shallow” (My Bloody Valentine), and “Ziggy Stardust” (David Bowie).

“The song choices may seem uncharacteristic [for us], but we wanted do a fun devil-may-care punk vibe for the Touchies and not take ourselves too seriously. The chosen songs really do reflect artists that we are inspired by.”

At least one track is actually performed as a cover of a cover of a cover. “One of our fave bands, the Groovie Ghoulies from Sacramento, has covered Neil Diamond’s ‘Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow),’ a song made famous when covered by the Monkees. We cover the Groovie Ghoulies version, which has such a great fun vibe that welcomes the unwelcomed, and who can’t relate to that?”

The Touchies (“slang for cuddling with your special someone”) were launched in late 2008 by Anthony Stanze (AKA Anthony Touchie) on lead vocals and guitar, and Mishey Moreno (AKA Mishey Touchie) on bass and backing vocals. The duo has played together locally since 1995, originally known as Happy Endings, a band later rechristened the Esthas. “That [name] was our tribute to Fox 6 News anchor Estha Trouw and her awesome pixie haircut,” according to Stanze.

A release party for David Cover-Riverdale happens May 13 at the Whistle Stop, where the Touchies will also debut a new all-original album called Friends of the Friendless. “Attendees will be treated to the usual high-energy Touchies fashion and sound, on permanent loan from the Ramones,” says Moreno. “We’ll play most of the originals album, and quite a few of the covers, plus a few surprises. Barring technical difficulties, anyway. Anthony is a chronic A and D guitar-string breaker, despite using thick gauges and graphite string saver saddles on his guitars.”

The Kabbs and DJ Robin Roth are also on the bill. - San Diego Reader

San Diego may never get the national recognition of being a trendy musical hotbed alongside the likes of Seattle, Austin, and Brooklyn, but for the adventurous fan seeking quality indie and garage rock, the city has always had plenty to offer. San Diego may have more clubs and bars offering up live music than at any time in its history, so let’s take a look at what’s out there....
Turning west and heading into Hillcrest, the Merrow is still presenting live music in the spirit of the Ruby Room. Judging by a recent night I spent there, the somewhat legendary complaining neighbor of the past seems to be history. I caught a full set of the Touchies with their amps on full-crank that didn’t end with a visit from the cops. Maybe the local police just have a soft spot for quality pop-punk. - San Diego Reader

A San Diegan perspective on the rock ‘n’ roll legends

On May 24, the Rolling Stones will perform at Petco Park. This will no doubt be one of the biggest concerts of the year in San Diego, but it also raises the question of whether a band that's been performing for more than 50 years still has what it takes. I asked several local musicians if they'd see the show, and whether or not Mick and Keef—snd the rest—still got that Jumpin' Jack Flash.
...
Mishey Touchie, The Touchies: "Mick Jagger is the bomb. He makes me feel old, and he is 40 years older than me. I saw the Rolling Stones a few years back. I was amazed. During the whole concert, Mick Jagger ran around the stadium non-stop, putting on the best show. And Keith and the rest of the band—come on, you can't get much cooler than that. And cool is always relevant." - San Diego City Beat