Ass Ponys

Last updated
Ass Ponys
Origin Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Genres Alternative country, country rock
Years active19882005, 2015
Labels A&M
Checkered Past Records
Okra
Safe House
Shake It
Members Chuck Cleaver
Randy Cheek
Dave Morrison
Past membersBill Alletzhauser
Dan Kleingers
John Erhardt

Ass Ponys was an indie rock band based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their sound combines rock and country into an off-kilter blend of Americana music. They have gone on national tours with bands such as Pavement, Throwing Muses, and Possum Dixon. Among other periodicals, they have been featured in Rolling Stone , CMJ, and The Cincinnati Post. [1]

Contents

History

The Ass Ponys was formed in 1988 from members of Ohio band the Libertines and Midwestern band Gomez. [2] The group was active for 17 years, releasing six studio albums from 1988 to 2005. The Ass Ponys went on hiatus in 2005, after releasing the compilation album The Okra Years [3] – four years after their last original material was released in Lohio. [4] [5] More importantly, it appears that core band members are focused on new projects, so new Ass Ponys output seems unlikely any time soon. [6] Vocalist Chuck Cleaver is focusing his attention on his current band, Wussy. Bill Alletzhauser currently fronts the band The Hiders. [7] Randy Cheek plays with The Libertines US, The Fairmount Girls, and The Ready Stance. Chuck Cleaver and Randy Cheek performed together at TedxCincinnati in November 2013. [8] In July 2015, the band announced they would play two shows at the Woodward Theater in Cincinnati on Friday, November 6, and Saturday, November 7, 2015. [9] [10] The reunion shows featured the bands Swim Team and Vacation as openers for the Ass Ponys.

Members

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Compilations

Singles

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<i>Lohio</i> 2001 studio album by Ass Ponys

Lohio is the sixth and final studio album by Ohio-based indie rock band Ass Ponys. It was released on June 12, 2001, on Checkered Past Records. It was produced by Brad Jones, who also produced their previous album, Some Stupid with a Flare Gun. Ass Ponys frontman Chuck Cleaver thought that the album was the Ass Ponys' best, which was one reason the band disbanded soon after it was released.

<i>The Known Universe</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Ass Ponys

The Known Universe is the fourth studio album by Cincinnati-based indie rock band Ass Ponys, released in April 1996 on A&M Records. It was the band's second album for A&M, and was produced by the Afghan Whigs' John Curley.

<i>Electric Rock Music</i> 1994 studio album by Ass Ponys

Electric Rock Music is the third album, and major-label debut, by Cincinnati-based rock band Ass Ponys. It was released in 1994 on A&M Records. It was produced by John Curley of the Afghan Whigs, at whose Ultrasuede Studio the album was recorded. The band was planning to self-release the album after they recorded it, but then they landed an unexpected deal with A&M when Jeff Suhy, one of the label's representatives, called the band's frontman, Chuck Cleaver on the phone. Suhy told Cleaver that he had pitched a recording of the album to A&M executives, and that they had approved it for release.

<i>Grim</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Ass Ponys

Grim is the second studio album by Cincinnati, Ohio-based indie rock band Ass Ponys. It was originally released in 1992 on OKra Records, and was re-released by Safe House Records in 1993.

OKra Records was a Columbus, Ohio-based independent record label established in the late 1980s. It was founded by Dan Dow, the former guitarist for the Gibson Bros. and the former owner of Used Kids Records, which he “co-founded” with Ron House in 1986. According to Cordelia's Dad drummer Peter Irvine, OKra was run almost entirely by Dow himself. The label stopped putting out records in 1993.

<i>Mr. Superlove</i> 1990 studio album by Ass Ponys

Mr. Superlove is the debut studio album by Cincinnati, Ohio-based indie rock band Ass Ponys. It was originally released in 1990 on OKra Records, and was subsequently reissued by Anyway Records with several bonus tracks. It was produced by the Afghan Whigs' bassist John Curley, and was recorded in his house. Upon its initial release, the album became a commercial flop due to distribution problems. In 2006, select remastered songs from the album and its follow-up, Grim, along with various new outtakes, covers, and live versions, were released by Shake It Records on the album The Okra Years.

References

  1. Simutis, David. "Cover Story: The Life and Death and Life of the Ass Ponys". Cincinnati CityBeat. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  2. DeRogatis, Jim (12 January 2001). "Still kicking butt". Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  3. "Ass Pony's – The Okra Years". AllMusic Guide. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  4. "Ass Ponys: The Okra Years, PopMatters". PopMatters. 2006-04-25. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  5. chicagoreader (2001-09-20). "Ass Ponys". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  6. Cohen, Jason (1 December 2009). "The Ballad of Chuck and Lisa". Cincinnati . Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  7. Baker, Brian (28 May 2008). "::new citybeat interview:: hiders seek". Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2012. Alletzhauser finds lightning striking twice as his new Americana aggregation, The Hiders, bears the enviable -- or perhaps unenviable -- tag of "the hottest unsigned band in America
  8. "Ass Ponys: Randy Cheek and Chuck Cleaver at TEDxCincinnati". TedxCincinnati. 12 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  9. "Ass Ponys Announce November Reunion Shows". Archived from the original on 2015-09-07. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  10. Baker, Brian (November 11, 2015). "How Ass Were My Ponys". city beat. Retrieved 2016-08-06.