Norman Transcript-Pop Magazine
Sugar Free Allstars sweeten Deli
June 18, 2004

The Sugar Free Allstar’s new sticker looks like a green pack of spearmint gum. It says “Chewing up the Midwest one town at a time.” That’s exactly what they’ve been sinking their teeth into.
SFAS play club dates constantly, here and on the road. They perform at outdoor festivals and events-even the Junior department at Dillard’s last fall.
“We were like Tiffany playing the mall,” Chris Wiser (keys/sax) said.
“I had never played a gig where I didn’t use a microphone. The idea was very attractive to me just because it’s so ridiculous. And it was all about clothes. We got gift certificates,” he said
SFAS are now a duo with Dr. Rock (Rob Martin) on skins. “We played some gigs before there was even a chance to worry about not having a guitar player. In Lawrence, people were flipping out because it’s a really big sound. Unusual instrumentation for the rock-pop genre,” Wiser said.
“We played an after-hours place in Little Rock where the gig’s from one to five in the morning. Then we played Tribal Revival (outdoor festival) six hours after we got home to Norman. That’s life on the road,” Wiser said.
SFAS plan on fewer local performances and more in bordering states. They’re touring in support of their slinky new disc “Dos Machos” (Wiser Music, 2004). Strong jazz and funkazoid flavor permeate the record’s 10 selections.
Smartass sense of humor and loopy musical sensibilities recall G Love and Special Sauce and Mike Hosty Duo. Wiser’s wise-guy vocals and submarine-heavy Hammond B3 are the focus. Dr. Rock’s rhythm technique is seasoned and sensitive to the nuances of Wiser’s compositions.
SFAS were taking a break, talking about music before a show June 4 at the Deli.
Their influences are wide. If only allowed three discs each on a 1,000 mile road trip they’d pick: Martin-The Beatles “White Album;” Zappa, “Apostrophe;” Devo, “Freedom of Choice;” \ Wiser-Dr. John “Gumbo;” Maceo Parker, “Life on Planet Groove;” and Ben Folds Five’s debut.
The last record Wiser bought was Outkast’s 2003 double masterpiece, the “White Album” of it’s generation. Dr. Rock’s most recent purchase was Zappa’s “Zoot Allures” (1976) on vinyl. Platters on a turntable are his prescription for maximum listening enjoyment.
The Spy, KOMA and King Country topped their list of favorite radio stations.
Wiser covets lyrics written by the Flaming Lips. “You can crush the flowers/but you can’t stop the spring,” he recited from the “Oh My Gawd” album.
Wiser and Martin agreed on favorite music movies” “This is Spinal Tap” and “The Blues Brothers.” Their torture music is gruesome. “Jessica Simpson singing ‘Take My Breath Away’ or Creed,” Wiser said.
Best record stores (in order): “Guestroom, Rainbow and Size.”
Wiser outed the silliest love song. “What could be sillier than naming your song ‘Silly Love Songs.’”
That’s two Sir Paul slams by two musicians in one week.
Worst rapper? “Nelly gets on my nerves, but Rob can’t stand any rap,” Wiser revealed.
Sugar Free Allstars
They opened with “RV.” It’s a tune about funny people who drive around in motor homes.
Wiser has a devilishly good voice. His fingers flew on the B3’s keys. Over time, Wiser’s vocal pitch has grown into the organ’s canyon-deep tones like vines around an oak.
He sand “Bad Day,” a story that starts off locking keys in car at the Git ‘N Go on the way to work.
“Come on y’all! Give Dr. Rock some lovin’,” Wiser suggested between numbers. After a jazz interlude, SFAS opened a Stevie Wonder sampler.
A nubile girl danced to the tasty white soul with a turbo wheelchair dude. Their fingers touched lightly and she stepped all around him. Todd Balcom sat in with SFAS on drum synthesizer for a few tunes.
Wiser sang scat during their boudoir-burner about a “….special kind of lady.”
He slurred lyrics on “Tight Rope” (No 2, 1972) sounding like cranky old Leon Russell’s Cleveland county clone.
They played songs about being hog-tied by a woman, the mighty Mississippi and a spider buddy in the shower. Sugar Free Allstars chewed up the Deli and spat it out.

-Doug Hill