Teresa Taylor | Photo by Pat Blashill, via Butthole Surfers
Teresa Taylor, who, as Teresa Nervosa, helped power experimental psych-rock maniacs Butthole Surfers through the 1980s as one of the band’s two drummers, then took an iconic on-screen role in Richard Linklater’s ’90s opus “Slacker,” died over the weekend at age 60.
The Butthole Surfers announced on social media that she “passed away peacefully this weekend after a long battle with lung disease. She will live in our hearts forever. RIP, dear friend.”
Singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary formed the Butthole Surfers in San Antonio, Texas, in 1981, with drummer King Coffey joining in 1983 and forming the three-person nucleus of the band that continues to this day. Following the 1983 release of debut EP Butthole Surfers, Taylor joined as the band’s second drummer; she and former high school marching bandmate Coffey would play together in unison.
Taylor played with the Butthole Surfers through the ’80s, including on the group’s key early albums, which currently are being reissued by Matador Records. She left for a spell in 1985-1986, then stepped away in 1989, after which she suffered an aneurysm and underwent brain surgery.
She famously had a role in Linklater’s 1990 independent film “Slacker” as a woman trying to sell Madonna’s pap smear. It was a small role, but she became the face of the film after appearing on the movie’s poster.
Taylor rejoined the Butthole Surfers for a 2009 tour, but didn’t remain back in the band.
In November 2021, she announced on Facebook that she had “end-stage lung disease,” with one to five years’ life expectancy. “I don’t have cancer or any harsh treatments,” she wrote. “I know I smoked like a chimney and this is to be expected. My spirits are up. I broke my arm when I fell and wish I had something for pain, but otherwise I’m pretty comfortable.”
Almost exactly a year later, in another Facebook post, she referenced “this imminent death,” and said she’d recently received a message from Leary and spoken with Haynes and Coffey. “It’s all been a blast,” she wrote.
Her last post, one week ago today, referenced her partner Cheryl Curtice: “I’m leaving for a short stint at a care home, so Cheryl can have a week of caretaker respite. I hope everybody has a good week.”
Below, check out some of Taylor’s performances with the Butthole Surfers.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Butthole Surfers’ first 5 albums and more getting digital, physical reissues by Matador Records
- Butthole Surfers working on first new album since 2001’s ‘Weird Revolution’
- Publisher launches Kickstarter to get Butthole Surfers bio ‘Scatological Alchemy’ into print
- Butthole Surfers’ ‘Independent Worm Saloon’ to receive 180-gram vinyl reissue
- Butthole Surfers to reissue 4 out-of-print Touch and Go albums on vinyl this fall
- Butthole Surfers set 12-date tour of western U.S., Canada later this summer
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RIP!
Looking forward to The Hole Truth doc!
Tempus fugit