Rick Sims, the leader of The Gaza Strippers, was the founding member and leader of pioneering and influential Chicago punk heroes the Didjits. Releasing five albums on Touch and Go Records over the course of the late eighties and early nineties, the band toured consistently all over the world.
As the Didjits called it quits, an up and coming punk band called The Offspring recorded the Didjits' tune "Killboy Powerhead" for its blockbuster 1994 album, Smash (Epitaph) which has gone on to sell upwards of seven million copies. Rick then joined The Supersuckers on their 1994 album, Sacrilicous (Sub Pop) and Fred Schneider of The B-52s on his 1996 album, Just Fred (Reprise). Also active in local theater in current hometown Chicago, Rick has written and performed music for many productions at the Lookinglass Theater company.In 1996, after leaving The Supersuckers, Sims got the itch to start a new band of his own. With bassist Darren Hooper and former drummer Todd Marino, The Gaza Strippers were born. Releasing their first single in 1997 and their first album in 1998 Laced Candy (Mans Ruin), began to create excitement around the country with their exciting, bratty and some time confrontational live show. Said the Chicago Reader: "(The Gaza Strippers) transfers the hyper energy of the Didjits to outsize 70's hard rock." Now The Strippers have been able to channel that energy into an incredible new record, "1000 Watt Confessions" (Lookout!), which has been released in October 2000. With second guitarist Mike Hodgkiss and new drummer Mark Allen, The Gaza Strippers are set to keep rock and roll alive and kicking for many years to come.
