Dramarama: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 20:16, 1 September 2010

Dramarama is a Los Angeles, California-based alternative rock/power pop band. The band was formed in New Jersey in 1982 and disbanded in 1994. The band formally reunited in 2003 following an appearance on VH1's Bands Reunited reality show.

Since 1996, an evolving lineup of the band, always fronted by singer/songwriter John Easdale, has been performing in one incarnation or another (initially billed as Easdale solo but usually joined by former Dramarama band mates), and from then until 2003 played occasional shows in the L.A. area, as well as in New Jersey. However, amid renewed interest since the Bands Reunited episode in January 2004 and a large-scale appearance at KROQ-FM's annual Inland Invasion festival concert (attended by more than 78,000 fans) in September 2003, Dramarama has been touring nationally, and released their first new, full-length studio CD, titled "everybody dies", on October 25, 2005. The band has been recording new material and there are plans to release a new CD in 2010.

History

1981–1994

Band formed out of the ashes of Dept. Of Public Works (which featured Mark Englert, Peter Wood, John Easdale, Ron Machuga and Paul Contino) who were strictly a cover band with Contino doing majority of vocals circa 1980-1981. Band played locally in Wayne, NJ area.

Initial Dramarama formation was John Easdale (drums vocals), Chris Carter (bass) and Mark Englert (guitar). Band began in the basement of Chris Carter's record store Looney Tunez records and slowly built up repertoire in 1981. Addition of Peter Wood (guitar) and Ron Machuga (drums) became the first official line-up. John Easdale was the main songwriter. Majority of songs leaned towards more straight-ahead power pop than later work.

Songs like "I Guess You've Won," "She's Got A Right (aka The Big Star Song)," "Pretend" and "The La La Song" focused on either a 12-string Byrds/Big Star vibe or punky Cheap Trick hooks.

Band slowly made in-roads onto local new wave/punk scene playing clubs like The Dirt Club and The Meadowbrook whilst making several appearances on The Uncle Floyd Show between 1982-1984.

In 1983 they released their first 7" single ("You Drive Me" b/w "A Fine Example") on their own label, ? Records (aka Questionmark Records). Single made small dent on local scene. But nothing on a wider scale.

Looking to broaden their scope, band refocused and went through small line-up changes (mostly drummer-related). After 1983 band relied on Easdale for drumming on demos and studio work whilst looking to replace Machuga for future live shows. Band rehearsed with several drummers, inlcuding Ken Moutenot (who drums on "All I Want" on the "Comedy" EP). Band added keyboardist, Ted Ellenis to line-up in 1984.

Accrued from studio work between 1983-1984, Dramarama released the EP, Comedy" on ? Records. The self-funded five-track debut garnered both critical and cult praise in the unexpected location of France. Shortly after released, band hired drummer Jesse (Farbman)full-time.

In 1985, band caught the ears of writer/DJ Jose Ruiz who helped bring the band to the attention of Patrick Mathe's New Rose Records which was main supporter of classic '70s punk and current '80s garage rock. Band demo'd new songs for New Rose (at Hoboken's Water Music in spring of '85). Mathe further funded the band to cut 6 more songs to add to "Comedy" and make it their full-length debut.

As such, Dramarama issued its first full-length release, 1985's Cinéma Vérité, on France's New Rose Records. Band members, Jesse Farbman, Peter Wood, Chris Carter and John Easdale went to France in November, 1985 to support release with interviews and acoustic performances.

Initial buzz on release came from Village Voice critic Robert Christgau (who gave it an A-) as well as college radio and Mike Marrone's upstart alternative station WHTG (in Asbury Park). Easdale made memorable appearance on The Joe Franklin Show in winter of 1986.

It wasn't until the spring of 1986, that "Cinema Verite" began to catch on. The album caught the eyes (via cover model Edie Sedgwick) and ears of famed LA disc jockey, Rodney Bingenheimer.

Rodney (who initially thought the band was French) helped create a monster underground buzz for the band when he started playing "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" on his weekly radio shows on KROQ-FM (then in Burbank, CA). By the summer of 1986 the song was the most requested song on Rodney's show ("Rodney On The ROQ").

It was during Bingenheimer's east coast visit in late May of '86 (along with Gary Stroble) that he met Dramarama. Carter made a memorable LA radio-debut on KROQ, when he and Rodney called in to "Rodney On The ROQ" which was being subbed by Steve Jones and Andy Taylor that week.

In July of 1986, Chris Carter, Peter Wood (and artist liaison Pat Pierson) flew out to southern California to test the waters and book possible shows. Carter and Wood were Rodney's on-air guests. During radio show, Carter made quip about wanting to play with the Psychedelic Furs (whose ad for their Irvine Meadows gig in Sept. was aired). Rodney tipped Carter to concert promoters, Avalon Attractions.

Shortly after, Carter met with Steve Rennie and Jim Guernoit and sealed a management deal as well as the opening slot at Irvine Meadows (behind The Untouchables). Dramarama officially moved out to southern California in mid-August, 1986; although it wasn't official until months later when they decided to stay.

Along with The Psychedelic Furs gig at Irvine Meadows (9.5.86), Dramarama made it's "California debut" at The Roxy Theatre (9.3.86) on the Sunset Strip. By autumn, "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" was on heavy rotation at KROQ (whose playlist, at the time consisted mostly of synth-based UK bands like Depeche Mode, New Order, Erasure, and post-punk like The Cure and The Smiths). Needless to say, the song's angst-ridden blaze and guitar hooks stood out amongst all the hair-spray and pretty boys.(In 1986's year-end countdown, the song reached #4; not bad for an obscure French-import.)

Dramarama's second album, 1987's Box Office Bomb, underperformed in the marketplace but went on to become a fan favorite. Their third LP, Stuck in Wonderamaland, was released in 1989 through independent Chameleon Records of California. Shortly thereafter, Chameleon, distributed by Elektra Records, went out of business.

The recording sessions for Stuck in Wonderamaland produced enough material for three albums. Instead of letting so many songs go to waste, Easdale & Carter decided to again try a foreign release. Thus, Looking Through..., a 14-song album, was released in Europe by "The Bent-Backed Tulips," a pseudonym the band chose in reference to The Beatles (see the lyrics to "Glass Onion" if you don't get the connection; even the album's title is directly lifted from that song's lyrics). Looking Through... was eventually re-released in the U.S. through Fullerton, CA-based eggBERT Records with extra tracks, increasing the number of songs to 20.

The band then signed with Chameleon distributor Elektra and released 1991's Vinyl. Backed by a major label for the first time, Dramarama started getting nationwide airplay, most notably the singles "Haven't Got A Clue" and "What Are We Gonna Do?" The album's high-end production w/ Don Smith (Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Keith Richards) was a highlight adding to the success of the LP.

After Vinyl, a limited-edition 17-song CD called The Days of Wayne and Roses (The Trash Tapes) was made available to members of the Dramarama fan club. It included the band's earliest recordings together, songs that were dropped from their early albums, a couple of self-admitted poorly-recorded live performances, and one song exclusive (at the time) to the disc.

The band's final release on Elektra, 1993's hi-fi sci-fi, was a favorite among both critics and fans, and remains a cult staple. Clem Burke, who had joined the band for the Vinyl tour, appears on this album. The subsequent tours wound down and the group broke up shortly thereafter.

Mid-1990s-2005

Following two relatively quiet years after the 1994 breakup, John Easdale began performing live music again in 1996, doing shows in both New Jersey and the L.A. area. He assembled a band that he has on occasion called "The John Easdale Group," and has also casually named "The Newcomers," but which in reality featured Dramarama's Mark Englert, as well as Peter Wood for east coast appearances. Other Newcomers have included fellow eggBERT alum Nick Celeste (of former Bongo Richard Barone's band and once the frontman for In Color; has also worked with Aimee Mann and Jules Shear) on guitar, Muddy Shews on bass, Danny Roselle on keys and guitar, and Chris O'Hara on drums. However, eventually Easdale was able to find steady players in the personae of Mike Davis, Tony Snow, and Craig Ballam, who connected with Easdale circa 1996 and, along with Easdale, Englert and Wood, form the core of Dramarama as it exists today.

In 1998, John Easdale released a "solo" CD on the eggBERT label called Bright Side, on which many of the tracks featured musicians with ties to both Dramarama and the Newcomers, including Mark Englert and Clem Burke, as well as Mike Davis, Tony Snow, and Craig Ballam, who also contributed production and engineering skills. Prior to Bright Side, Easdale issued a homegrown, fan-only, no-label version of the Bright Side CD in 1996 that contained versions of songs that made the final cut, as well as some that did not. Easdale refers to it as his "blueprint" for the final collection, and fans call it the "prerelease" Bright Side.

Following the considerable Bands Reunited and Inland Invasion publicity, including an article in Rolling Stone magazine lauding their retooling of the Dead Kennedys' politically-charged "California Über Alles" in response to Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2003 run for governor of California, Easdale decided in late 2003 the band name "Dramarama" should go on. To cement this point, the next CD (an EP) would be billed to Dramarama, and was yet another unlabeled home-brewed affair entitled Absolutely, 100% Made in N.J., which was recorded on a whim while John and the band were on a brief tour of New Jersey in 2003. The EP's liner notes indicated that most of the seven tracks were "from the forthcoming Dramarama album, everybody dies."

After yet another distribution setback, the album was released on October 25, 2005, on 33rd Street Records, a California-based label that is now or has been home to notable artists including Peter Frampton, Eagles, and Gregg Rolie of Journey and Santana fame. 33rd Street is now a boutique label funded by the late major retailer Tower Records. They appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Ellen's 50th birthday present from her DJ Ted Stryker.

Current activity

Original bass player/producer and Dramarama cofounder Chris Carter is currently a disc jockey in Los Angeles who's primarily known for hosting America's longest-running Beatle show, "Breakfast With the Beatles", in which he plays nothing but Beatles material and comments upon the history of the Beatles for as long as 4 hours every week. Carter also went on to produce and write the film Mayor of the Sunset Strip, which in 2003 was nominated for Best Documentary by the Independent Spirit Film Awards, and which featured members of Dramarama. After Dramarama split in 1994, Carter formed QM Management, for which he manages LA's pop group The Wondermints, currently touring as Beach Boy Brian Wilson's backing band.

Former keyboard player and guitarist Tommy "Secret Weapon" Mullaney has appeared onstage with the band on more than a few occasions, most recently earlier this year at a New Jersey show. Hi-Fi Sci-Fi-era drummer Clem Burke has returned to his original band Blondie. Original drummer Jesse Farbman, now known as Anant Jesse, lives in Montreal, Quebec, where he teaches spiritual therapeutics, maintains a private practice and continues to record and perform internationally.

The band has been very active in 2009, a year in which they played for the Troy High School Battle of the Bands. This event took place on February 3, 2009 at Plummer Auditorium located in Fullerton, California. Over 1,000 people attended this event. They finished the event with an encore, playing the 1985 hit single Anything, Anything. Also in 2009 have been several shows at House Of Blues venues in Texas and Southern California, as well as Six Flags Magic Mountain. Dramarama returned to New Jersey for two shows in November 2009, and performed in Downtown Los Angeles and San Juan Capistrano's The Coach House in December 2009. They returned to Troy High School's Battle of the Bands in 2010.

Lineup changes

In 1982, Dramarama formed in and around Wayne, New Jersey, where founding member Chris Carter owned a record store called Looney Tunez Records. The initial line-up consisted of singer/songwriter John Easdale, "Mr. E Boy" (Mark Englert) and Carter, later joined by Peter Wood on guitars, Ron Machuga on drums. Jesse would leave the group after the third album, and was eventually replaced by drummer Clem Burke, whose prior band was Blondie. Other early bandmates included keyboardists Theothorous Athanasious "Teddy" Ellenis and "Secret Weapon" Tommy Mullaney.

A number of prominent musicians have joined the band for studio sessions on specific tracks over the years, perhaps most notably pianist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers and guitarist Mick Taylor, late of the Rolling Stones, on Vinyl. Legendary British session pianist Nicky Hopkins can be heard on the album Hi-Fi Sci-Fi. In addition, fellow power pop artist Dwight Twilley lent vocals to several songs on Hi-Fi Sci-Fi, on which The New York Dolls' Sylvain Sylvain also made a vocal appearance.

In addition, other artists often join Dramarama onstage or in the studio, including bassist Steve "Muddy Shews" Shewchuk from seminal Jersey shore band Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes; keyboardist Morley Bartnoff from Cosmo Topper (formerly of the 1980s band Burning Sensations), and harmonica player "Trashcan" Ray Barwick, former No Soap Radio members Danny Roselle on keys and guitar, and drummer Chris O'Hara, and former Whirling Dervishes keyboard player Billy Siegel.

Today

The current lineup consists of frontman John Easdale and several players from Dramarama's former incarnation, including lead guitarist Mark Englert and rhythm guitar player Peter Wood (the only band member who moved back to New Jersey and still maintains a residence there). Rounding out the band are Los Angeles-based musicians Tony Snow on drums, and (former Lizzy Borden member) Mike Davis on bass. In addition, Tony Snow leads his own band, Tony Snow & The Change, and Mike Davis is the official bass player for Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford's eponymous solo band.

The Dramarama song Anything Anything serves as the title and theme song of New York City radio station WRXP-FM's free form program "Anything Anything with Rich Russo".. The version from "Live at the China Club" begins each show.

A special live version of "Last Cigarette" was recorded for the limited edition 500 pressing vinyl album "Anything Anything with Rich Russo on 101.9 RXP presents Exclusive Live Perfromances" in this version the band replaces "johnny Carson" with "Rich Russo" as an homage to the free form DJ. The Album was released April 2010

Discography

Studio albums

Name	Released	Record Label
Cinéma Vérité	1985	New Rose
Box Office Bomb	1987	Question Mark/ Harvey Star
Stuck in Wonderamaland	1989	Chameleon
Bent Backed Tulips "Looking Through..."	1989	New Rose Records
Vinyl	1991	Chameleon
Hi-Fi Sci-Fi	1993	Chameleon
Bent Backed Tulips "Looking Through..." Extended	1998	Eggbert Records
"everybody dies"	2005	33rd Street

Live, compilations, and EPs

Name	Type	Released	Record Label
Comedy	EP	1984	? Records
Play New Rose for Me	Compilation	1986	New Rose
Days Of Wayne & Roses	Compilation	1992	New Rose
Best of Rodney on The Roq	Compilation	1989	Posh Boy Records
Rock'n'Rose	Compilation	1990	New Rose
Days Of Wayne & Roses	Compilation	1992
Live at the China Club	Live	1990	Chameleon
Days Of Wayne & Roses	Compilation	1992
KBCO Studio C Vol. 2	Compilation	1992
Welcome to Our Nightmare: A Tribute to Alice Cooper	Compilation	1993	Triple X
Amongst Friends - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	Compilation	1993	Atlantic
10 from 5	Compilation	1993	Rhino
Melody Fair	Compilation	1994	EGGBERT
Sing the Hollies in Reverse	Compilation	1995	EGGBERT
The Best of Dramarama: 18 Big Ones	Compilation	1996	Rhino
Blockbuster: A 70's Glitter Glam Rock Experience	Compilation	2000	Robison Records
One Step Beyond: The Best of New Wave	Compilation	2002	Rhino
Mayor of the Sunset Strip	Compilation	2003	Shout Factory
Anything Anything with Rich Russo Exclusive live performances	Compilation	2010

Singles

Year	Title	Chart position	Album
Year	Title	US Modern Rock	Album
1983	"You Drive Me" b/w "A Fine Example", "Femme Fatale"	N/A
1985	"Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You)"		Cinéma Vérité
1987	"It's Still Warm" b/w "Private World"		Box Office Bomb
1989	"Last Cigarette"	13	Stuck in Wonderamaland
1989	"Wonderamaland" b/w "70's TV"	—	Stuck in Wonderamaland
1989	"Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" b/w "I Wish I Was Your Mother"	—	Nightmare on Elm Street 4
1991	"Haven't Got a Clue"	6	Vinyl
1991	"What Are We Gonna Do?"	10	Vinyl
1993	"Work For Food"	10	Hi-Fi Sci-Fi
1998	"Tie Me Down" b/w "Last of the Famous International Playboys"	—	Bent Backed Tulips "Looking Through..."
2003	"California Über Alles"	—
2005	"Physical Poetry (A-B-C-D-1-2-3)"	—	Everybody Dies

"N/A" = not applicable as the US Modern Rock chart was not introduced until 1988
"—" = song did not chart

Videos/DVD

70's TV (Contained on the Slipping Through the Cracks (An Uprising of Young Pacifics) compilation video); IceWorld Video
Anything, Anything (I'll Give You) (video) 1987
Last Cigarette (video) 1989
Wonderamaland (video) 1989
Anything, Anything (I'll Give You) (video) 1990
Haven't Got a Clue (video) 1991
Work 4 Food (video) 1993

TV/Film

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
Three Fugitives (1989)
The Pat Sajak Show (1990)
Pet Sematary II (1992)
Dennis Miller Show (1992)
MTV's 120 Minutes (1993)
In the Army Now (1994)
Higher Learning (1995)
Bio Dome (1996)
"Roswell" (1 episode, 2000)
Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003)
VH-1 Bands Reunited (2003)
11:14 elevenfourteen (2004)
The Ellen Degeneres Show (2008)

External links