The Embarrassment

Last updated
The Embarrassment
The-embarrassment.jpg
Lawrence 2006
Background information
Origin Wichita, Kansas, United States
Genres Punk rock
Years active1979–1983
Labels
Members
  • Bill Goffrier
  • John Nichols
  • Ron Klaus
  • Brent "Woody" Giessmann
Website Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Embarrassment was an American rock band formed in 1979 in Wichita, Kansas, that was initially active from 1979 to 1983 and has reunited several times since then. The band consisted of guitarist Bill Goffrier, lead singer and organist John Nichols, bassist Ron Klaus, and drummer Brent Giessmann. After the band broke up, Giessmann played for the Del Fuegos and Goffrier formed Big Dipper. The band was considered a prominent part of the Lawrence music scene of the early 1980s.

Contents

History

Although some[ who? ] considered the band punk rock, the band described themselves as "Blister Pop". The Village Voice's long-time chief music critic Robert Christgau called them a "great lost American band". [1] Along with bands like Get Smart! and the Mortal Micronotz, the Embarrassment were prominent in the Lawrence punk scene of the early 1980s [2] [3] and they would regularly play at venues like the Lawrence Opera House (now called Liberty Hall) and the Off the Wall Hall (later called Cogburn's, now called the Bottleneck). [4] [5]

The Embarrassment stopped performing when two of the members moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Giessmann drummed for the Del Fuegos, and Goffrier formed the band Big Dipper with former members of the Volcano Suns. Several of the Embarrassment's unreleased songs were recorded by Big Dipper, including "Faith Healer", which was later covered by the Japanese all-girl group Shonen Knife. [6]

Reunions

1980s

The Embarrassment played a reunion show on New Year's Eve in 1985 at Cogburn's in Lawrence. Geissmann was unable to participate, as he was on tour with the Del Fuegos.

They played the following New Year's Eve at Cogburn's, with all four original members participating. Also on the bill was another Kansas band, the Micronotz. [7] In 1988–1989, they converged again for three reunion shows: one on New Year's at Big Dog Studio in Wichita and the next two at the Bottleneck on January 5 and 6. The Moving Van Goghs opened the show on January 5, and the Sin City Disciples opened the show on January 6. [8] [9]

2000s

The Embarrassment played a few reunion shows in 2006, first at the Roadhouse in Wichita, with Local Band on August 18 and the Sluggos on August 19. On August 20, the band performed at Liberty Hall, with special guests Kill Creek and the Micronotz. [10] [11] [12] [13] The Embarrassment performed an acoustic concert on August 30, 2008, at John Barleycorn's in Wichita. [14] The performance was opened by Giessmann solo on electric piano for a few songs, then the local group the Sluggos. The original trio of Goffrier, Nichols, and Giessmann then took the stage with Eric Cale (cover artist for the 1983 Death Travels West album) on upright bass and Freedy Johnston on additional guitar and backing vocals. Some new or previously unperformed work was presented, including the song "Carpshoot", written by Ron Klaus, who was not able to attend. Johnston closed the night with his solo work. [14]

2020s

Following a screening of We Were Famous, You Don't Remember: The Embarrassment, on June 30, 2023, Goffrier and Nichols reunited for an 18-song set at Liberty Hall. [15] [ better source needed ] The duo was joined by Britt Rosencutter on drums and Cale on bass.

Legacy

Kansas-born political writer Thomas Frank quoted lyrics from their song "Sex Drive" in his bestselling 2004 book What's the Matter with Kansas? . [16]

A feature-length documentary about the band, titled We Were Famous, You Don't Remember: The Embarrassment, premiered at the 2022 Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, Kansas. [17] [18] [19] The film was named the best music documentary of 2023 in Spin by Bob Guccione Jr., founder of Spin. [20]

Discography

Singles/EPs

Albums

Compilation albums

Compilation appearances

[29]

Reception

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yo La Tengo</span> American rock group

Yo La Tengo is an American indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew. In 2015, original guitarist Dave Schramm rejoined the band and appeared on their fourteenth album, Stuff Like That There.

For many decades, Kansas has had a vibrant country and bluegrass scene. The Country Stampede Music Festival – one of the largest music festivals in the country – and the bluegrass/acoustic Walnut Valley Festival are testament to the continued popularity of these music genres in the state. Among current leading country artists, Martina McBride and Chely Wright are natives of Kansas.

<i>Substance 1987</i> 1987 compilation album by New Order

Substance is a compilation album by English alternative dance band New Order. It was released in August 1987 by Factory Records. The album compiles all of the band's singles at that point in their 12-inch versions, along with their respective B-side tracks. The then-newly released non-album single "True Faith" is also featured, along with its B-side "1963" and new versions of "Temptation" and "Confusion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric's Trip</span> Canadian indie rock band

Eric's Trip is a Canadian indie rock band from Moncton, New Brunswick. Eric's Trip achieved prominence as the first Canadian band to be signed to Seattle's flagship grunge label Sub Pop in the early 1990s. The band had a minor hit in alternative circles with the single "View Master", from the 1994 album Forever Again.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Feelies</span> American post-punk rock band

The Feelies are an American rock band from Haledon, New Jersey. They formed in 1976 and disbanded in 1992 having released four albums. The band reunited in 2008, and released new albums in 2011 and 2017.

The High Water Marks is an indie rock band associated with the Elephant 6 collective. The band has two lead creative members, Hilarie Sidney and Per Ole Bratset, who co-write the band's music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Young Fresh Fellows</span> American rock group

The Young Fresh Fellows are an American alternative rock group, that was formed in 1981 in Seattle, Washington, United States, by Scott McCaughey and Chuck Carroll. Tad Hutchison, Chuck Carroll's first cousin, joined for the recording of the group's debut album in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Smart! (band)</span> American post-punk band

Get Smart! is a three-piece post-punk band formed in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1980 consisting of Marcus Koch, Lisa Wertman Crowe and Frank Loose. The band released 2 studio albums along with some singles and EPs over a 10-year career. The band re-united in 2020.

<i>Dont Cry Now</i> 1973 studio album by Linda Ronstadt

Don't Cry Now is a studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt. It was released by Asylum Records on October 1, 1973 and contained ten tracks. While some tracks were new material, many of the songs were cover tunes. The album explored the genres of Country folk, country rock and pop rock. It was Ronstadt's first album recorded on the Asylum label and first to feature producer Peter Asher. Don't Cry Now was given favorable reviews from several music publications and was a commercial success. Along with reaching chart positions in multiple countries, it also certified gold in the United States for selling over 500,000 copies.

The Mommyheads are an indie pop band who played from around 1987 through 1998, disbanded for a decade, and then reformed in 2008. Starting in New York City as the brainchild of singer Adam Cohen, the band produced a string of quirky and highly inventive releases on various independent labels, most notably Simple Machines. Their music has been compared to XTC and 80s King Crimson. They relocated to San Francisco in 1990. The band signed to Geffen Records in 1997, producing a single album for the label before breaking up in 1998. Jon Pareles from the NY Times wrote that their Geffen LP had "perfectly balanced melodies". They reunited to record a new CD in 2008 and have been active ever since.

Big Dipper are an American indie rock band who formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, in 1985 by former members of Volcano Suns and the Embarrassment. They released four studio albums between 1987 and 1990, before splitting up. The band reunited in 2008. They were described in a New York Times article as "musical contortionists: they love to toy with extremes, juxtaposing ferocious guitar noise with celestial vocal harmonies or planting a delicate melody in jagged rhythm".

Angst was an American band from San Francisco, California.

<i>Slam</i> (Big Dipper album) 1990 studio album by Big Dipper

Slam is the third and final studio album by the Boston indie rock band Big Dipper. The album was released in 1990 on Epic Records, making it the group's major-label debut. The band supported the album with a North American tour. They were dropped from the label a year later.

<i>Fresh Sounds from Middle America (vol 1)</i> 1981 compilation album by Various Artists

Fresh Sounds From Middle America was the first in a series of compilations featuring bands from the Midwest region of America. Volume 1 was a split compilation cassette-only release featuring 22 tracks from 4 bands and is sometimes referred to as "the Buffalo tape" because of the Buffalo imprint on the cover of the tape.

<i>Fresh Sounds from Middle America (vol 2)</i> 1981 compilation album by Various Artists

Fresh Sounds From Middle America was the second in a series of compilations featuring bands from the Midwest region of America. Volume 2 was a split compilation cassette-only release featuring 18 tracks from 5 bands.

<i>Fresh Sounds from Middle America (vol 3)</i> 1986 compilation album by Various Artists

Fresh Sounds From Middle America was the third album released in the series of compilations featuring bands from the Midwest region of America. The mix of styles was about half punk rock and half alternative rock. The best known of the bands included are the Micronotz, the Pedal Jets and the Homestead Grays. This volume was presented by "Redline and KJHK".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Micronotz</span> American rock band

The Micronotz, also known as the Mortal Micronotz, were an American punk rock/alternative rock quartet formed in 1980 in Lawrence, Kansas, that, along with bands like The Embarrassment and Get Smart!, were prominent on the local music scene in Lawrence in the early 80s.

<i>Live from Lawrence</i> 1988 compilation album by Various Artists

Live from Lawrence was the fourth album in the "Fresh Sounds From Middle America" series of compilation albums, and like the previous album in the series it was a collaborative effort by Fresh Sounds Records and the KJHK radio station.

<i>Fresh Sounds from Middle America (vol 5)</i> 1990 compilation album by Various Artists

Fresh Sounds From Middle America is the fifth and last album in the Lawrence, Kansas-based series of compilation albums. This volume was the first to be released on compact disc.

Fresh Sounds Records was an independent record label from Lawrence, Kansas, run by local music promoter Bill Rich. Acts that have been on the label include Get Smart!, the Embarrassment, the Mortal Micronotz, Start, SPK, the Homestead Grays and William S. Burroughs.

References

  1. 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide Reviews". RobertChristgau.com.
  2. ↑ Mills, Mike (July 1985). "Our Town". Spin . p. 23. If the Embarrassment from Lawrence, Kansas, had become a huge national hit, people would have gone, "God, there's Get Smart!, and The Mortal Micronotz - LOOK AT ALL THOSE BANDS! What is it about Lawrence, Kansas, that produces these bands?"
  3. ↑ Fricke, David (December 18, 1986). "The Underground Empire". Rolling Stone . p. 116. Archived from the original on June 6, 1997. Lawrence, Kansas, has been a hotbed of alternative music for several years, thanks principally to the indefatigable Bill Rich, who runs the hardy, little Fresh Sounds label there. As far back as 1981, Rich was issuing the first pressings by the Lawrence bands Get Smart! and the Embarrassment, both of whom went on to underground-cult fame. Alt URL
  4. ↑ Gintowt, Richard (February 19, 2003). "Inside the Outhouse". Lawrence.com. Retrieved Jan 6, 2011.
  5. ↑ "The Bottleneck History" . Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  6. ↑ Wall, Matt. "The Embarrassment History" . Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  7. ↑ Hitchcock, Doug (December 14, 1986). "New year's Eve reunites Embarrassment". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  8. ↑ Hitchcock, Doug (December 25, 1988). "The Embarrassment reunites to rock after five-year hiatus". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  9. ↑ "The Embarrassment's back". Lawrence Journal-World. January 5, 1989. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  10. 1 2 Niccum, Jon (August 20, 2006). "The best band you never heard of". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  11. ↑ Brown, Ashley (August 24, 2006). "The Embarrassment with the Mortal Micronotz and Kill Creek". the Kansas City Star. Retrieved Jan 6, 2011.
  12. ↑ "THE EMBARRASSMENT TO REUNITE FOR TWO SHOWS". Wichita Eagle. August 18, 2006. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  13. ↑ "The Embarrassment News" . Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  14. 1 2 Demolition Kitchen Video, produced by Joel Sanderson (2008), The Embarrassment - Who Pulled The Plug Reunion Show 2008 , retrieved 2023-08-14
  15. ↑ "The Embarrassment Setlist at Liberty Hall, Lawrence". setlist.fm. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  16. ↑ Thomas, Frank (2004). What's the Matter with Kansas? (paperback ed.). p. 57.
  17. ↑ Hudnall, David (September 21, 2022). "Kansas band flirted with success. 40 years later, these 'nerds' are having a moment". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  18. ↑ Beaudoin, Jedd (September 29, 2022). "'We Were Famous: You Don't Remember' tells the story of beloved Wichita band The Embarrassment". KMUW. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  19. ↑ Olcese, Abby (July 15, 2022). "A film nearly 20 years in the making tells the story of Wichita's The Embarrassment". The Pitch. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  20. ↑ Guccione Jr., Bob (December 13, 2023). "Editors' Picks: The Best (& Worst) of Everything Else in 2023". SPIN. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  21. 1 2 Hitchcock, Doug (November 24, 1985). "Homestead mulls Embarrassment disc". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  22. ↑ Pick, Steve (April 27, 1990). "The Embarrassment Can Be Proud Now". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  23. ↑ "THE EMBARRASSMENT: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN". Wichita Eagle. May 7, 1990. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  24. ↑ "My Pal God Records - Blister Pop" . Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  25. ↑ "PUNK PIONEERS -- NEARLY 18 YEARS AFTER ITS DEMISE, WICHITA'S THE EMBARRASSMENT HAS A NEW CD". Wichita Eagle. April 8, 2001. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  26. ↑ Hitchcock, Doug (October 19, 1986). "The Embarrassment's time for album is coming". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  27. ↑ "The Embarrassment LP Review". Faster Louder. June 29, 2005. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  28. ↑ "EMBARRASSMENT WON'T FADE AWAY". Wichita Eagle. November 1, 1995. Retrieved Jan 5, 2011.
  29. ↑ "Discography". The Embarrassment. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  30. ↑ "The Embarrassment - Blisterpop". www.embos.org. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  31. ↑ Robbins, Ira; Green, Jim; Partain, Jack. "Embarrassment". Trouser Press . Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  32. ↑ Phares, Heather. "The Embarrassment Biography". Allmusic . Retrieved March 15, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.