10,000 Maniacs: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
Line 86: | Line 86: | ||
*''[[Human Conflict Number Five]]'' (EP) (1982) |
*''[[Human Conflict Number Five]]'' (EP) (1982) |
||
*''[[Secrets of the I Ching]]'' (1983) |
*''[[Secrets of the I Ching]]'' (1983) |
||
*''[[The Wishing Chair (album)|The Wishing Chair]]'' (1985) |
*''[[The Wishing Chair (album)|The Wishing Chair]]'' Silver (1985) |
||
*''[[In My Tribe]]'' 2x platinum (1987) |
*''[[In My Tribe]]'' 2x platinum (1987) |
||
*''[[Blind Man's Zoo]]'' platinum (1989) |
*''[[Blind Man's Zoo]]'' platinum (1989) |
Revision as of 20:32, 22 January 2012
This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2010) |
10,000 Maniacs | |
---|---|
![]() 10,000 Maniacs original band (excluding original member John Lombardo): L to R: Rob Buck, Steve Gustafson, Natalie Merchant, Dennis Drew and Jerry Augustyniak | |
Background information | |
Origin | Jamestown, New York, United States |
Genres | Alternative rock, college rock, jangle pop, folk rock, soft rock |
Years active | 1981–2001, 2002–2007, 2009–present |
Labels | Elektra, Bar/None |
Members | Jerry Augustyniak Dennis Drew Jeff Erickson Steve Gustafson Mary Ramsey |
Past members | Teri Newhouse Chet Cardinale Bob "O'Matic" Wachter Tim Edborg John Lombardo Natalie Merchant Rob Buck Jim Colavito Duane Calhoun Debbie Heverly Oskar Saville |
Website | www |
10,000 Maniacs is a United States-based alternative rock band, which formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups.[1]
History
1981–1993
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Natalie_merchant1.jpg/170px-Natalie_merchant1.jpg)
The band was formed as Still Life in 1981 in Jamestown, New York, by Dennis Drew (keyboards), Steve Gustafson (bass), Chet Cardinale (drums), Robert Buck (guitar), and Teri Newhouse (Buck's ex-wife and vocalist). Gustafson invited Natalie Merchant, who was 17 at the time, to do some vocals. John Lombardo, who was in a band called The Mills (along with brother guitarist/vocalists Mark Liuzzo and Paul Liuzzo and drummer Mike Young) and used to play occasionally with Still Life, was invited to join permanently on guitar and vocals. Newhouse and Cardinale left the band in July, and Merchant became the main singer. Various drummers came and left. The band changed its name to Burn Victims and then to 10,000 Maniacs after the low-budget horror movie Two Thousand Maniacs!.
They performed as 10,000 Maniacs for the first time on September 7, 1981 – Labor Day, with a line-up of Merchant, Lombardo, Buck, Drew, Gustafson, and Tim Edborg on drums. Edborg left and Bob "Bob O Matic" Wachter was on drums for most of the 1981 gigs. Tired of playing cover songs — though their first notable American hit was found in covering the Cat Stevens hit "Peace Train" — the band started to write their own music, usually with Merchant handling the lyrics and Lombardo the music. In March 1982, with Jim Foti on drums, the band recorded an EP album called Human Conflict Number Five. More gigs followed in 1982. It was during this time that they lived in Atlanta, Georgia for a short while at the encouragement of friends who said that many gigs were available there. The band moved back to Jamestown in November 1982.
At the beginning of 1983, Jerry Augustyniak joined the band as their permanent drummer. The Maniacs met Augustyniak when they played in Buffalo, New York, where he was in a punk band called The Stains. Between March and July, the band recorded songs for a second record, Secrets of the I Ching — their debut full-length album, which was pressed by Mark Records for the band's own label Christian Burial Music. The record was well-received by critics and it caught the attention of John Peel - DJ at BBC Radio 1 in London. One song, "My Mother the War" turned out to be a minor hit in United Kingdom, and it entered the independent singles chart. During 1983 and 1984, touring was a way of life for the band, which included gigs in the UK.
Peter Leak, an Englishman living in New York City, became interested in the band, made contact and was made their manager. With the help of Leak and Elektra Records A & R man Howard Thompson, 10,000 Maniacs signed to Elektra in November 1984. In the spring of 1985, they recorded their second full-length album, The Wishing Chair, in London at Livingston Studios, with Joe Boyd as producer. Though the album was not a blockbuster hit, its status as the band's major label debut did win it some notice, and it received significant critical acclaim.
Co-founder Lombardo left the band during a rehearsal on Monday, July 14, 1986. The remaining five members started the recordings of a new album in Los Angeles, with Peter Asher as the producer. In My Tribe, a more pop-rock oriented record, was released on Tuesday, July 7, 1987, hit the charts where it stayed 77 weeks, peaking at #37 and established a large US audience for the group and was also well received in the UK. The album originally contained "Peace Train." It was removed from subsequent pressings after Cat Stevens (now Yusef Islam) made comments implying he agreed with a death Fatwa against author Salman Rushdie. The next album, 1989 Blind Man's Zoo hit #13 and went gold, further increasing the group's following. In May 1989, the British music magazine, NME reported that 10,000 Maniacs had won the songwriter category prize at the New York Music Awards.[2] In 1990, with the help of Lombardo, they remastered their first two records Human Conflict Number Five and Secrets of the I Ching and released them as a compilation called Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983. Lombardo and Mary Ramsey, who had formed a folk act called John & Mary, opened gigs for the Maniacs on the Hope Chest Tour in 1990. In 1991, during the recordings of a new album, Merchant revealed to the other members that she would be leaving for a solo career in two years' time. In 1992, Our Time in Eden was released. On April 21, 1993, 10,000 Maniacs appeared on MTV Unplugged and Merchant announced her leaving the band on MTV on August 5, 1993 saying she "didn't want art by committee anymore."[3] The MTV Unplugged album was released in October 1993. The band also played President Clinton's Inaugural Ball in January 1993, with Merchant a vociferous supporter of the Democratic Party.
1994–2001
In late 1993/early 1994, the remaining members of 10,000 Maniacs (Augustyniak, Buck, Drew, and Gustafson) asked John & Mary to join the band and continue. The revamped band began performing new material almost immediately, initially calling themselves 'John & Mary, Rob, Steve, Dennis, & Jerry,' before they were to legally regain control of the 10,000 Maniacs name.
10,000 Maniacs released two albums with Ramsey on vocals. In 1997 they released Love Among the Ruins on Geffen Records and followed up in 1999 with The Earth Pressed Flat on Bar/None.
In December 1998, Buck took some time off from the band, moving to Texas to focus on a new project called League of Blind Women. The band recruited Buffalo-based Michael Lee Jackson of the band Animal Planet to step into the lead guitar role. Buck returned to the band in the summer of 1999.
On November 3, 2000, 10,000 Maniacs played with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, in Buffalo, NY. It was the last concert they performed with Buck. On December 19, 2000, Buck died of liver failure at the age of 42. He was buried in Mission Cemetery in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania.
The band took a break. Gustafson and Drew, with Jeff Erickson started a band called The Mighty Wallop!. Augustyniak joined a band called Only Humen. On December 5, 2001, a 10,000 Maniacs line-up comprising Gustafson, Drew, Augustyniak, Lombardo, and Ramsey played on a benefit concert in Toronto, with Buck's former guitar technician, Erickson, on lead guitar.
2002–2007
In 2002, Gustafson, Drew, and Augustyniak decided that they wished to continue with a new lead singer. Lombardo showed up at the first band practice, found out that the band had hired Erickson to play lead guitar and Oskar Saville of the Chicago-based band Rubygrass to sing, and quit the band. This lineup toured sporadically between 2002 and 2006, playing at various festivals. Ramsey rejoined the current edition of 10,000 Maniacs for several dates in 2006, playing viola and singing backing vocals.
In 2006, John & Mary formed a folk-rock band called the Valkyries. John & Mary & the Valkyries are composed of several longtime Buffalo music scene stalwarts.
On January 27, 2004, Elektra/Asylum/Rhino Records released Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings, a two CD set compilation, with 31 digitally remastered songs, four of them demos and one unreleased. The second disc contained B-sides and outtakes throughout the band's career up to that point, including many covers. Jackson Browne's "These Days" and Tom Waits's "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" were among those included.
Saville left in 2007 and Mary Ramsey regained the lead vocalist spot.
2008–present
The current edition of the band (Augustyniak, Drew, Erickson, Gustafson and Ramsey) remains active. On October 24, 2009, they performed at a benefit in Buffalo for the Griffis Sculpture Park in Ashford Hollow, New York. The band recorded an "Unkempt" acoustic show in Jamestown on January 16, 2010. Other recent shows include concerts in Chicago, IL; Keystone, CO; Rochester, NY and Clarence, NY.They also played a powerful performance at the popular Mohegan Sun Wolf Den in Uncasville CT on 8/4/10. Then later in 2010 played at the famous Oyster Festival in Norwalk, Connecticut. John Lombardo has joined his former band mates on numerous occasions; Buffalo-based singer/songwriter Maria Sebastian has also accompanied the band at recent shows.
A new album and a 30-city 30th anniversary tour is planned for 2011 with shows already scheduled in Chicago, IL, Uncasville, CT, Alpine, CA and Buenos Aires, Argentina.[4]
Band members
10,000 Maniacs have gone through a variety of musicians throughout the history of the band. Here is a partial list of the past, present, and touring musicians:
- Jerry Augustyniak – (1983- Present) Augustyniak is the drummer of 10,000 Maniacs. He has also played with The Stains, Only Humen, League of Blind Women, The Michael Lee Jackson Band, Buffalo Rising, and The Damn Straights. He has been the band's main backing vocalist since 1994.
- Rob Buck – (1981-1989) Buck was the original lead guitar player. He co-wrote many of the band's most popular songs. He died on December 19, 2000 of liver failure at the age of 42.
- Duane Calhoun – (1981) Calhoun played lead guitar while Buck was officially in the band, but not performing with them.
- Chet Cardinale – Cardinale was an early drummer for the band. He left to pursue a career in acupuncture.
- Jim Colavito – (1981) Colavito played saxophone with the band in.
- Dennis Drew – (1981-present) Drew has been the keyboard player in the band since. He has also played with The Mighty Wallop!, where he co-wrote much of the band's material, played keyboards, and had lead and harmony vocal duties.
- Jeff Erickson – (2001-present) Erickson took over lead guitar after Buck died, beginning by playing a short set during the band's only 2001 appearance. The first time he played with the band was December 12, 1998 on the song "These Are Days", while Buck was away from the band. Erickson was a lead singer/guitar player in the short-lived band The Mighty Wallop!.
- Tim Edborg – Edborg played drums with 10,000 Maniacs in 1981.
- Steve Gustafson – (1981- Present)Gustafson has been the band's bass player since 1981. He has also been one of the band's backing vocalists in their live performances since 1994. He was also the bass player in The Mighty Wallop!.
- Debbie Heverly – (1981) Heverly played piano with the band.
- John Lombardo – (1981-1986,1994-2002) Lombardo, the band's rhythm guitar player and occasional odd vocalist, co-wrote most of the early Maniacs songs, but left the band in 1986. He returned in 1994 with his duo partner Mary Ramsey, and picked up right where he left off by writing and shaping the band's music. He left the band again in 2002.
- Natalie Merchant – (1981-1993) Merchant was the voice of 10,000 Maniacs until she decided to embark on a solo career in 1993. In her later years with the band, she played piano as well. In a 1985 article in Spin magazine Merchant said regarding her musical influences "I don't feel like I've been influenced by other bands. I'm influenced by the people I meet, the things I see".[5]
- Mary Ramsey –(1990-1991,1992-1993, 1993-2002, 2007-present)) Ramsey opened up shows with John Lombardo as John & Mary in 1990, and would play viola and sing backing vocals with the band on a few songs in 1990-1991. She was a touring musician with the band in 1990-1991, playing viola and singing backing vocals. When Merchant left the band in 1993, Ramsey replaced her on lead vocals and added the viola as a main instrument of the band, starting with live shows in 1994 and continuing on until 2001. Oskar Saville replaced her as lead singer in 2002, but Ramsey agreed to become a touring musician with the band in 2006, singing backing vocals and playing viola on select songs. She agreed to be the lead singer for the band again for their final show of 2007 after Oskar Saville left the band.
- Oskar Saville – (2002-2007) Saville took over lead vocals from Ramsey in 2002. She occasionally plays acoustic guitar during live performances. May 8, 2003 was her first live performance with the band. During the song "Stockton Gala Days", she pulled the band's webmaster (at the time) Adam Zeitz on stage to share lead vocals. Oskar was the former lead singer of Rubygrass and also has a solo career. She left the band in late Summer, 2007 and was replaced by the woman she replaced, Ramsey.
- Bob "O'Matic" Wachter – An early drummer for 10,000 Maniacs, Wachter never appeared on a Maniacs album, but was an official member from 1982-1983.
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
- Human Conflict Number Five (EP) (1982)
- Secrets of the I Ching (1983)
- The Wishing Chair Silver (1985)
- In My Tribe 2x platinum (1987)
- Blind Man's Zoo platinum (1989)
- Our Time in Eden 2x platinum (1992)
- Love Among the Ruins (1997)
- The Earth Pressed Flat (1999)
- Triangles (EP) (2011)
Live albums
- SPIN Radio Concert (Promtional Release 1986)[6]
- MTV Unplugged 3x platinum (1993)
- Because the Night (EP) (1993)
- Live Twenty-Five (2006)
- Extended Versions (2009)
Compilation albums
- Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983 (1990)
- Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings (2004)
Singles
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Hot100 | US Alt | US Main | US AC | CAN | UK[7] | ||||
1983 | "My Mother the War" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Secrets of the I Ching | |
1985 | "Can't Ignore the Train" | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Wishing Chair | |
"Scorpio Rising" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1987 | "Don't Talk" | — | — | — | — | — | — | In My Tribe | |
"Peace Train" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1988 | "Like the Weather" | 68 | — | 37 | — | — | — | ||
"What's the Matter Here?" | 80 | 9 | — | — | — | — | |||
1989 | "Trouble Me" | 44 | 3 | 20 | 7 | 31 | — | Blind Man's Zoo | |
"Eat for Two" | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | |||
1992 | "These Are Days" | 66 | 1 | — | 34 | 35 | 58 | Our Time in Eden | |
"Candy Everybody Wants" | 67 | 5 | — | — | 71 | 47 | |||
1993 | "Few and Far Between" | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"Everyday Is Like Sunday" | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | |||
"Because the Night" | 11 | 7 | — | 9 | 10 | 65 | MTV Unplugged | ||
1997 | "More Than This" | 25 | — | — | — | 11 | — | Love Among the Ruins | |
"Rainy Day" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Filmography
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | MTV Unplugged | 10,000 Maniacs | MTV |
1992 | Saturday Night Live | 10,000 Maniacs | (NBC) Aired 31 October 1992; songs: Candy Everybody Wants and These Are Days |
1993 | MTV Unplugged | 10,000 Maniacs | First artist to make 2nd appearance |
1997 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series) ("A River of Candycorn Runs Through it") | 10,000 Maniacs | They performed "Rainy Day" from Love Among the Ruins with then lead singer Mary Ramsey |
References
- ^ "Blarney Island Calendar of Events". Archived from the original on 2009-08-10. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 456. CN 5585.
- ^ Hajari, Nisid (1995-07-21). "Naturally Merchant". EW.com. Retrieved 2011-10-02.
- ^ 10,000 Maniacs official website, Band News.
- ^ Cummings, Sue (1985). They're not REM — They're 10,000 Maniacs. And their new album "The Wishing Chair" is upbeat, folky, and unusually straightforward. Spin Magazine. Retrieved 2011-04-30.
{{cite book}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help); Unknown parameter|month=
ignored (help) - ^ http://www.discogs.com/10000-Maniacs-SPIN-Radio-Concert/release/3155184
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.