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UNCLE RAKE
UNCLE RAKE
The CHADBOURNES
Featuring the “SON OF SHOCKABILLY’ CHADBOURNES
The premier performance by my ensemble The Chadbournes
took place in 1979 at the basement venue Studio Henry in
New York City. Only one player on the “stage” (a space in
front of a fish tank display) went on to play in later versions
of the band, Mark Kramer. The material recovered from this
concert for “UNCLE RAKE” has not been available for a long
time. Kramer, playing trombone as well as his customary
organ and his tapes, is joined by M.E. Miller on drums and
violinist Jim Katzin.
For the ensuing three years, The Chadbournes were active in
an ever-shifting line-up as I shifted residency between NYC and
Greensboro and figured out who would put up with me.
Which was, especially, drummer David Licht.
Whenever home I worked with all of my recording equipment,
creating home recordings that I released on my own, my home
label productions shifting from the expensive investment-heavy
vinyl to the instant profit and unbelievable freedom of the cassette.
Inevitably the “final” version of The Chadbournes trio with Licht
and Kramer changed its name to Shockabilly and dominated my
band activities. Nonetheless another trio with Licht and bassist
Tom “Shep the Hep” Shephard was convenient for many regional
performances and although nicknamed “Son of Shockabilly” to
cash in on my main band’s success, Greensboro locals knew the
band as “The Chadbournes”, or better, simply “Chadbournes”.
The same must be said for Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the venue
The Chukker, where the owner/booker publicized a Shockabilly
gig under the name of The Chadbournes, because he said “Folks
here know Chadbournes!”
Almost immediately after the 1979 show, a critic described my
Country and Western direction as “Frank Zappa on LSD.”
So I wondered, what would my “Uncle Meat” be? It would
be a history of The Chadbournes, 1979-1982, comprised of
recordings recently rediscovered and digitized from cassette
archives.
The CHADBOURNES
Featuring the “SON OF SHOCKABILLY’ CHADBOURNES
The premier performance by my ensemble The Chadbournes
took place in 1979 at the basement venue Studio Henry in
New York City. Only one player on the “stage” (a space in
front of a fish tank display) went on to play in later versions
of the band, Mark Kramer. The material recovered from this
concert for “UNCLE RAKE” has not been available for a long
time. Kramer, playing trombone as well as his customary
organ and his tapes, is joined by M.E. Miller on drums and
violinist Jim Katzin.
For the ensuing three years, The Chadbournes were active in
an ever-shifting line-up as I shifted residency between NYC and
Greensboro and figured out who would put up with me.
Which was, especially, drummer David Licht.
Whenever home I worked with all of my recording equipment,
creating home recordings that I released on my own, my home
label productions shifting from the expensive investment-heavy
vinyl to the instant profit and unbelievable freedom of the cassette.
Inevitably the “final” version of The Chadbournes trio with Licht
and Kramer changed its name to Shockabilly and dominated my
band activities. Nonetheless another trio with Licht and bassist
Tom “Shep the Hep” Shephard was convenient for many regional
performances and although nicknamed “Son of Shockabilly” to
cash in on my main band’s success, Greensboro locals knew the
band as “The Chadbournes”, or better, simply “Chadbournes”.
The same must be said for Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the venue
The Chukker, where the owner/booker publicized a Shockabilly
gig under the name of The Chadbournes, because he said “Folks
here know Chadbournes!”
Almost immediately after the 1979 show, a critic described my
Country and Western direction as “Frank Zappa on LSD.”
So I wondered, what would my “Uncle Meat” be? It would
be a history of The Chadbournes, 1979-1982, comprised of
recordings recently rediscovered and digitized from cassette
archives.