Eugene Chadbourne makes a good impression of a Richard Scarry monster, especially all roly-poly during improv. Little did I realize he figured in one of my favorite albums evar, Camper Van Beethoven's Camper Van Beethoven (1986). I bought two cassettes from him wrapped in stray socks that he had shlepped from somewhere, possibly a laundromat, possibly from underneath his bed. Oh Camper. I lost you for a while, but now you're found again. I'll never leave you far away again amidst lonely vinyl, 6 states away in self-storage. Such is the destiny of found objects, and such is the libery of digital bits on a platter spinning at 7200 rotations per minute. Take that Edison. Did I mention this is my favorite album. It has saved me more than once. Why did I take you for granted? All the tracks here are gems, one after another, backtracked for sure, but there is something else too hidden within the narishkeit. You can tell from the rise and fall of Chadbourne's violin tonic. They're in the know, just listen to "Peace & Love" -- all I can do is recommend it, and beg you to listen. Bring this album to your next hoedown, and play "Hoe Yourself Down" and I promise you'll have the most psychedelic squaredance, possibly rhomboid even. Special treats, "The History of Utah" and a cover of "Interstellar Overdrive" which I could swear is better than the original. Trust me, I'm sitting in a sweltering apartment in Louisiana, warming a fesh bottle of cider, tripping to this album like a pea melting in soup.
Image copyright Frank Schindelbeck
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huh? that ain't a synthesizer spaceling? is there some midi connected from that guitar into a synclavier or something?
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fnord
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the Campers have had a special place in my heart since "Take the Skinheads Bowling" in the '80s. And Cracker too. But I don't know this album. I'll have to look for it. Thanks for sharing.
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Grew up in Santa Cruz and got to see CVB plenty of times, including opening up for Husker Du at the Filmore sometime in mid-late 80's (85-86? All I remember is being really high that night). Anyhoo, saw CVB's second-ever show at a club called Cha-Cha's in Soquel and quite a few shows at Club Culture and Sluggo's Pizza. Loved every show I ever saw with them.
Like sedagive, CVB will always have a special place in my heart, too. Them were some crazy, hazy days in SC back then...
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ah, chadbourne. i lived in greensboro, nc for quite a while. eugene is a long-time greensboro resident. great guy. i put out one of his singles ('two cuts from eugene') and a compilation which contained camper van chadbourne playing eric dolphy's 'out to lunch'. amazing recording. truly one of the best american innovators and improvisors. one of my all time favorite records is the record he did with john zorn of old country songs.
an old girlfriend and a former bandmate both appear on one of his recordings, termite damage. pretty crazy stuff.
it always blew my mind how chadbourne can go to europe and sell out shows but he can play a free show in a church in greensboro and maybe 10 people show up.
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I saw Eugene Chadborne in Concert in the early 1980s. He was a scary monster freak, to be sure, destined never to rise from the underground. I love how his appearing on a CVB album is three steps away from fame, i.e. Cracker had one semi-known hit, Cracker was born from the ashes of CVB and known by those who watched MTV's 120 minutes in the 80s, but never had a hit beyond Take the Skinheads Bowling, and Chadborne appears on a CVB record. I also love that Chadborne is a link between the Campers and John Zorn.
For the record, I dig Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart and "Good Guys and Bad Guys" on the record you rave above.
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Which songs do you like on Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart (1988)? I like "My Path Belated", "Never Go Back", and "One of These Days". I think this album sounded more punchy than the others, like a more ska country than there others. But maybe I have to go back and listen to the earlier albums.
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The album y'all seem to be referring to here, with Interstellar, Hoe Yourself Down and Never Go Back is also known as Their Third Album - probably in order to distinguish it from their second album, which was called II/III. The third one from them was the first one for me. I went to school at UCSC for a while in 84-85, and remember seeing a flyer tacked to a phone pole that said "COME SEE CAMPER VAN, MAN!" My curiosity piqued, but I never did see 'em until I was back in St Louis, and they came through Mississippi Nights in october '89. Check out the live concert at archive.org! Gosh I love Archive.org! I should also note that CVB broke up in 1990, and when they got back together in 2002, they wound up recording one of their best efforts ever- NEW ROMAN TIMES!
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I came on this blog to find out more of Camper Van Beethoven. For a band that that cited so much influence to so many bands, I haven't even heard a single note from their extensive repertoire. I wonder if anyone can help and advise me which is the best album to get (if still available). I tried to listen to their music on site, but as I'm now using LYNUX instead of WINDOWS my soundcard is karput. So I cannot download anything. Please help this musically starved person to the wonders of Camper as I am into experimental music and like to discover more. Thanks...
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Well, the two albums I would recommend are Camper Van Beethoven (1986) aka their Third Album and Key Lime Pie (1989). You'll find that both of these albums are easy to find.
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Thanks Spaceling, I certainly check out these albums. I found a whole list of them on one of the Amazon.com websites, so I can order them over the internet. Other artists on this site which seem interesting (Viktor Krumm? can't remember the name properly but will make a note of it) I know he was in Camper but what sort of music does he play? There's a lot of music out there which needs investigating and radio doesn't accommodate people who like anything but mainstream. Many thanks.