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Oblivians | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
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Years active |
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Past members | Greg Cartwright Jack Yarber Eric Friedl |
The Oblivians are an American garage punk trio that has existed since 1993. In the 1990s, their blues-infused brand of bravado, crudely recorded music made them one of the most popular and prominent bands within the underground garage rock scene.
Formed in Memphis, Tennessee, the band consisted of three members—Greg Cartwright, Jack Yarber, and Eric Friedl—who alternated between instruments on stage and in the studio, each member serving as vocalist, guitarist, and drummer, in turn. The band recorded four LPs, as well as a number of EPs and singles, typically recording songs live in the studio.
The band has performed numerous reunion shows since disbanding in 1998, including a highly anticipated 2009 European reunion tour with The Gories, who also reformed to co-headline.
Oblivians released the studio album Desperation on May 28, 2013 through In The Red Records. [1]
The Oblivians began performing together in the summer of 1993. At the time of the Oblivians' inception, both Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber were members of the garage-rock band the Compulsive Gamblers, however, following the departure of most of the band's members from the band's home base in Memphis, the two decided to continue playing together in a more compact incarnation of their former band, recruiting Shangri-la Records employee and future Goner Records founder Eric Friedl to round out the three-piece. Within a short time of the group's formation the band had written much of the material that would appear on their first recording, the posthumously released "On the Go." As almost the entire album was written over the first weekend following the group's decision to play together, Yarber, who had been staying in New Orleans with former Compulsive Gamblers Drummer Rod Thomas hoping to continue with his former band in some form, felt the Oblivians had enough promise for him to return to Memphis. Upon Yarber's return, the Oblivians got a gig opening for Southern Culture on the Skids, their first show as a three-piece.
The Oblivians' sound was much harsher than the Compulsive Gambler's sound had been, owing both to Friedl's influence on the band, and to some of the music the members had taken to heart since the Gamblers disbanded, including Thee Headcoats and The Gories. The music was also much more stripped-down than that of the Compulsive Gamblers; the Oblivians had no bass player and no bass drum on their drum kit, instead using only two guitars and a standard drum kit between the three of them. All three members shared songwriting responsibilities, and each member of the group supplied vocals, guitar, and drums, when recording. During live performances, it was not uncommon for members to switch back and forth multiple times between a shared set of instruments. The band did catch a certain amount of flack for their unconventional setup; while the band was working at Sun Studios the group was refused a space to record until they procured a bassist. Despite being offered a chance to record for free, with the only condition being that they add a bass player to the lineup, the band opted to record elsewhere rather than conform to the request.
The group underwent a few name changes before finally choosing their eventual moniker. The group was originally known as PP (an abbreviation for Pontius Pilate) and the Naildrivers. The name lasted for only one show, and after a short stint as the Gentlemen of Leisure, the group members eventually renamed their outfit the Oblivians. With a definitive name in place, each member adopted a Ramones-style surname; Cartwright became Greg Oblivian, Yarber became Jack Oblivian, and Friedl became Eric Oblivian. The surnames became an integral part of the band.
As the band began to play more shows, Friedl began sending out the band's demo tapes, hoping to spur some label interest. One of the band's first big shows was as an opening act for the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, a show that was arranged for them by a bookie at Maxwell's in New Jersey after having heard a copy of the band's "On the Go" demo which he had received from Friedl. For the show, the band flew to New York City, and while there the band received a fax from Crypt Records requesting a full-length album from the band and offering to set the band up with further tour dates in support of Crypt's stable of recording artists. With Crypt's support the band began touring overseas, though at home the band handled their own bookings. The band would go on to tour extensively in Europe, playing shows in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, England, and Sweden, before continuing on through Asia, supporting Guitar Wolf in Japan.
The band released their first LP, "Soul Food," in 1995. The album was recorded at Easley Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, and was released by Crypt Records. This was followed by a collaboration with fellow Memphis musicians Walter Daniels and Monsieur Jeffery Evans on the "Walter Daniels Plays With Monsieur Jeffrey Evans & The Oblivians At Melissa's Garage" 10", released in 1995.
Between their first and second LPs the band released a compilation album called "Sympathy Sessions," which featured a collection of recordings the band had written and recorded in 1996 at Easley Studios for release on the independent record label Sympathy for the Record Industry. The album was a collection of two previously released 10" EP's, Never Enough and Six of the Best, as well as four additional tracks also recorded for the Sympathy label. [2] This was followed by the band's second proper LP, "Popular Favorites," released in 1996, again on Crypt Records.
In 1997 the band teamed up with New Orleans one-man band and nightclub organist Mr. Quintron to record their third and final LP, the Gospel music-inspired ...Play 9 Songs with Mr Quintron. The Oblivians' final album was recorded in a single eight-hour session; Quintron traveled 16 hours roundtrip by bus from New Orleans to Memphis in order contribute a days worth of improvised percussion and organ accompaniments. A rough demo of the songs the band intended to record for the album failed to reach Mr. Quintron by mail, and so he was forced to begin arranging his contributions upon arrival, without prior knowledge of the content of the album. Cartwright credited the dramatic shift in styles between ...Play Nine Songs and the rest of the Oblivians' catalogue as one of the reasons for the eventual breakup of the band, noting that the group had begun to stray from a musical aesthetic that all its members could agree upon.
In 1998, after five years together, the Oblivians broke up and the bandmembers went their separate ways. After the Oblivians, Jack Yarber and Greg Cartwright reformed their old band, the Compulsive Gamblers. Yarber then went on to do some work with Impala and currently plays with his own band, Jack O and the Tennessee Tearjerkers. Yarber has been the most prolific former Oblivian, contributing to a number of bands, including: Tav Falco's Panther Burns, Knaughty Knights, South Filthy, The Cool Jerks, The Limes, The Brand New Love Affairs, King Louie & His Loose Diamonds, the Natural Kicks and Harlan T. Bobo.
Greg Cartwright went on to form his current band Reigning Sound, who have released a number of records on In the Red, Goner Records, Spoonful Records, Slovenly Recordings and Norton Records. He has also started producing albums for the likes of Mr. Airplane Man, The Goodnight Loving, Suttree, The Cuts, Porch Ghouls and The Deadly Snakes. Greg released one album, "Head Shop," with his wife, under the name Greg Oblivian and The Tip Tops. Cartwright periodically plays guitar on tour and some recordings with the Detroit soul-cover band The Detroit Cobras. Greg also started Legba Records, a Memphis record store which eventually came to house bandmate Eric Friedl's record label, Goner Records. Cartwright also went on to produce and write much of the material for the album "Dangerous Game" by Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las which was released by Norton Records in March 2007. Cartwright performed one of his originals, "Stop and Think It Over" with Weiss on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
After the Oblivians, Eric Friedl continued to run the independent record label, Goner Records, and recorded an album with Jay Reatard of The Reatards and King Louie Bankston of the Royal Pendletons called Bad Times. Friedl is currently a member of the Dutch Masters and The True Sons of Thunder.
In 2008, Greg Cartwright announced via the Goner Records message board, that the Gories and the Oblivians would play reunion shows in Detroit, Memphis, and Europe in 2009.
On February 21, 2012, many sources indicated that the Oblivians would be reconvening in order to record a new full-length on In the Red. This was confirmed by In The Red through their Twitter account.
On February 25, 2017 the Oblivians, the Craig Brown Band, Kelley Stoltz and the Mummies played a free concert to celebrate the opening of the pressing plant at the Third Man Records store in Detroit.
Studio albums
Other albums
Singles
EP's
Splits
Johnny Vomit & The Dry Heaves was an American high school garage band, that formed in mid-1980s in Corinth, Mississippi, United States, that featured future leaders of the Oblivians and Squirrel Nut Zippers, Jack Oblivian and Jim Mathus. Under the names Johnny Goopa and Bart Barf, they supported Johnny Vomit on two seven-inch records issued on Eric Oblivian's Goner Records.
Reigning Sound was an American rock and roll band originally based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. As of 2019, along with fronting Reigning Sound, Cartwright also reformed his past band Greg Oblivian and the Tip Tops. In 2020, he also reformed with the original "Memphis lineup" of Reigning Sound is once again playing shows with the outfit's first incarnation. In a June 8, 2022, message on the group's Facebook page, Cartwright formally announced the end of Reigning Sound.
The Gories are an American garage punk trio that formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1986. They were among the first 1980s garage rock bands to incorporate overt blues influences. The band features Mick Collins, Dan Kroha on guitar and vocals, and Peggy O'Neill on drums.
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Gregory Johnathon Cartwright, also known by his stage name Greg Oblivian, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee. From 2001 to 2022 he fronted Reigning Sound which was signed to Merge Records. After moving away from Memphis in the mid-2000s, he has since lived with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.
...Play Nine Songs with Mr. Quintron is the third studio album by the Oblivians, released in 1997 on Crypt Records. The album features noted Ninth Ward nightclub organist Mr. Quintron playing organ and percussion on a number of tracks.
Popular Favorites is the second studio album by the Oblivians. It was released in 1996 on Crypt Records.
Compulsive Gamblers were an American garage rock group formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1990 by Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber, both future members of the Oblivians.
Eric Friedl, also known by his stage name, Eric Oblivian, is a musician and the founder and owner of Goner Records, an independent music label and record store located in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jack Yarber, also known by his stage name Jack Oblivian, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist based in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a founding member of the garage bands The Compulsive Gamblers, and The Oblivians and currently fronts Jack O & the Tennessee Tearjerkers.
'68 Comeback is an American garage rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1992 by singer, songwriter, and musicologist Jeffrey Evans. For the purposes of the band, Evans is frequently billed as either "Monsieur Evans" or "Monsieur Jeffrey Evans". The group contains a revolving cast of musicians, the only constant member being Evans himself.
Walter Daniels is an American musician and harmonica player noted for introducing the instrument into a number of styles of music not usually associated with the harmonica, including punk rock, and avant-garde free improvisation.
Gambling Days Are Over is the debut studio album by the Compulsive Gamblers. It was released in 1995 by Sympathy for the Record Industry. The album, with the exception of the last three songs, was recorded on an 8-track recorder in vocalist Jack Oblivian's apartment. The album was released after the band had already broken up, and was essentially a collection of the group's three 7-inch releases, "Church Goin'," "Joker," and Goodtime Gamblers." During the recording of the album the Compulsive Gamblers lineup consisted of Jack Oblivian and Greg Oblivian on guitar and vocals, Bushrod Thomas on drums, Fields Trimble on bass, and Greg Easterly on violin. The first three songs on the album are cover songs reflecting the band's diverse influences; the album contains covers by The Tornados, the Bar-Kays, and Tom Waits. The song "Sour and Vicious Man" was covered by Jay Reatard of the Reatards on their third album, Not Fucked Enough.
Bluff City is the second studio album by the Compulsive Gamblers. It was released on April 27, 1999, by the independent music label, Sympathy for the Record Industry. The album was recorded after the band returned from a four-year hiatus in which members Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber were recording under the name, the Oblivians. Bluff City was written while the Compulsive Gamblers were a threesome, with Cartwright and Yarber joined by Bushrod Thomas on drums. After the recording of Bluff City, the group recruited bassist Jeff Meier for a European tour in support of the album.
Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing is the third and final studio album by The Compulsive Gamblers. The album was released June 20, 2000 by Sympathy for the Record Industry. The album's lineup consisted of Gamblers mainstays Greg Cartwright and Jack Yarber on guitar and vocals. The Compulsive Gamblers began recording the album following their first European tour, which saw the addition of bassist Jeff Meier and keyboardist Brendan Lee Spengler to the Compulsive Gamblers' formerly three-piece outfit. The track Rock & Roll Nurse was covered by the band The Von Bondies on their 2001 debut album Lack of Communication.
Live & Deadly: Memphis–Chicago is a live album recorded by the Compulsive Gamblers. It is the final release by the band, released on April 15, 2003 by the independent record label Sympathy for the Record Industry. The album contains 16 tracks recorded during two May 2002 performances, one in Memphis, Tennessee, and the other in Chicago, Illinois. Live & Deadly was released just prior to the second and final time the Compulsive Gamblers disbanded. The album contains cover songs by the Bar-Kays, Tom Waits, and Nolan Strong & The Diablos. The song "Sour and Vicious Man" was in turn covered by The Reatards on their third album, Not Fucked Enough.
Jeffrey Evans is a singer and songwriter best known for his Memphis, Tennessee based bands: '68 Comeback, The Gibsons Bros., South Filthy and his current solo career. Evans' musical style combines elements of rockabilly, blues, garage rock, punk and rock and roll.
Greg Roberson is a Memphis, Tennessee-based session drummer, songwriter, producer, independent-record-label owner, and SiriusXM Radio host for Deep Tracks with Greg Roberson. The show focuses on classic rock's "lesser played songs and forgotten gems."
The Reatards were an American garage punk band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1995. Originally a one-man project by guitarist Jay Reatard, the group's sound was marked by raw, stripped-down instrumentals and lo-fi recording quality. After distributing privately pressed cassettes and EPs, most notably Fuck Elvis, Here's the Reatards, the band released their debut album Teenage Hate in 1998, followed by Grown Up, Fucked Up a year later. By 1999, the group only sporadically performed as Reatard began exploring other endeavors, but in 2005 he reformed the band for their third and final studio album. Much of the Reatards' discography remains a subject of interest, leading to reissues of their work years later.