10,000 Maniacs

10,000 Maniacs is an American group of Rock, formed in 1981 and credit since with various changes of personnel. Its most known member is undoubtedly Natalie Merchant, which left the group in 1993 in order to continue a career solo.

Biography

The group is founded under the name Still Life in Jamestown, in the State of New York, by Steven Gustafson (23 years at the time, low), Dennis Drew (23 years, keyboards), Robert Buck (22 years, guitar), Terry Newhouse (song) and Chet Cardinale (battery). Gustafson invites Merchant then, old only 17 years, with the song. John Lombardo (28 years), guitarist of The Millets, another local formation, joined the group. With the departures of Newhouse and Cardinal, in July 1981, Merchant becomes only vocalist. Several beaters go and come; the group renames Burn Victims, then 10,000 Maniacs, according to a film of horror to small budget, Two Thousand Maniacs .

10,000 Maniacs occurs for the first time on September 7th, 1981, with a line-up made up of Merchant, Lombardo, Buck, Gustafson, Drew and Tim Edborg (battery). Edborg leaves the group and is replaced by Bob " Bob-O-Matic" Wachter for the remainder in the concerts of the year. Wearied to play of the recoveries, the group starts to write and compose, Merchant dealing with the words and Lombardo of the music. In February - March 1982, with Jim Foti with the battery, the group records a first EP entitled Human Conflict Number Five , of inspiration pop, Reggae, but also country, and turns the remainder of the year 1982.

At the beginning 1983, Jerry Augustyniak (26 years) joined the group with the battery. From March to July, Maniacs record for the publication of Secrets Off The I Ching , their first album, on a label founded for the occasion, Christian Burial Music. The disc is well accommodated by criticism and arrives at the ears of John Peel, DJ with BBC with London, which will contribute to make title " My Mother The War" a minor success in Great Britain, where it will return in the independent charts .

10,000 Maniacs is signed at Elektra in 1985 and records a second album, The Wishing Chair , in London, with Joe Boyd with the production.

Lombardo leaves the group on July 14th 1986, while the five members remaining start the recording of a new album with Los Angeles, this time with Peter Asher with the production. In My Tribe , more directed Pop rock'n'roll, leaves on July 7th 1987: it is a business success in the United States, like its successor Blind Man' S Zoo in 1989. In 1990, with the assistance of Lombardo, the first two discs, Human Conflict and … I-Ching , are remasterisés and published in the form of a compilation entitled Hope Chest . Lombardo and the singer Mary Ramsey, who formed a group folk named John & Mary, makes the first part of the concerts of the 10,000 Maniacs.

In 1991, during the recording of the new album, Merchant informs the other members of the group of his intention to leave this one later two years for a career solo. The year 1992 sees the exit of Our Time In Eden . The recording in a concert for the emission MTV Unplugged , in April 1993, will be the last appearance of Natalie Merchant with the 10,000 Maniacs (it leaves officially the group on August 5th) and will give place to the exit of an album of the same name. The remaining members integrate John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey, the latter Merchant substitute with the song. Two albums will still follow ( Love Among The Ruins in 1997 and The Earth Pressed Flat in 1999).

December 19th 2000, Robert Buck dies of one impaired renal function at the 42 years age, one month after a concert with Buffalo, State of New York. Except for a fine concert of charity 2001, the group is put outstanding until in 2003, where Gustafson, Drew and Augustyniak form new a line-up with Jeff Erikson with the guitar and Oskar Saville of Rubygrass to the song, for some concerts.

In 2004, Elektra published Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings , a retrospective compilation in two CD including/understanding 31 remasterized pieces, including four demonstrations and a new.

Discography

Human Conflict Number Five (1982)
Secret off the I Ching (1983)
The Wishing Flesh (1985)
In My Tribe (1987)
Blind Man' S Zoo (1989)
Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983 (1990)
Our Time in Eden (1992)
MTV Unplugged (1993)
Coils Among the Ruins (1997)
The Earth Pressed Flat (1999)
Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings (2004)

External bonds

Official site
Official site of Natalie Merchant
Foundation Robert Buck
10000 Maniacs Lyrics

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