Tragic Mulatto was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, United States. Performing under pseudonyms, the band’s nucleus consisted of vocalist Flatula Lee Roth (Gail Coulson) and bass guitarist Reverend Elvister Shanksley aka Lance Boyle (Alistair Shanks). The band released their albums on Jello Biafra‘s label Alternative Tentacles, with Dead Kennedys’ bassist Klaus Flouride acting as producing several of their early albums.
Tragic Mulatto’s music has been called “Butthole Surfers-esque”, their label describing them as “[t]he dark and seedy underbelly of the average big city underbelly. A twilight zone for the already poorly adjusted.” Coulson has also received praise for her vocal contributions, with her powerful delivery earning comparisons to Janis Joplin and Grace Slick.
