Newspaper Page Text
October 16, 1991
FLAGPOLE MAGAZINE
Page 21
The myth of Eugene
Eugene Chadbourne isn't your typical
roaming troubadour. Hailing from Boulder,
Colorado originally and settling in Greens-
borough, North Carolina, Chadbourne is a
mystical kind of figure that you only hear tell
about after he's passed through town
Since the early 70s. Chadbourne has
been astounding music afficianados with
his varied uses of acoustic instrumentation,
some of which he's de
veloped himself like the
“electric garden rake"
and “the plunger." A
world-reknown avant-
garde protest singer,
Chadbourne has worked
with members of the Vio
lent Femmes, Camper
Van Beethoven and Evan
Johns and the H-Bombs
A startling visit to the
Flagpole office was
made by Chadbourne.
Preparing for his show at
the Downstairs on Sun
day, he breezed into the
office to enlighten those
of us who had never
heard of him. But the
noise of the outside world
was too deafening, the
buzz of activity too overwhelming and within
the blink of an eye, Chadbourne was gone,
but not until imparting the following informa
tion about himself into a seemingly nonde
script tape recorder that was left to rust on
an old shelf It hadn't been used in years,
there was no doubt in anyone's mind the
thing was broken, but low and behold —
Chadbourne had the magic touch. The
LEDs flickered briefly, the old audio tape
whirred and he recorded his bio
“[I’m] a wondering musician, a
troubadour llivedinalotofdifferentplaces.
[I play] a combination of country, jazz,
protest songs. I like different types of instru
mental music. This concert will be solo. [I
have ] 54 albums, released since 1974. A
lot of them are on the Fundamental label
which used to be out of Covington Now the
guy’s in Mississippi They're on a lot of other
little labels too. There are probably people
that have 5 times that many out there that I
have that you haven’t heard of
“I’ve done a whole series of records I did
as backup. Like the Violent Femmes, I've
done three with various members of Camper
Van Beethoven we’ve kmda made a spin
off group based on that but we still do a lot
We had Camper Van Chadbourne. they al
lowed us to use that name. Then Eugene
Van Beethoven. They gave us Van, so we
can use Van. Now we’re calling thegroup.. I
can't even remember
Done some projects with
some of the old Mothers
of Invention...
“I ao a lot of old jazz
material — various
people like Coltrane. a
lot of country songs
Classic country writers
like Willie Nelson, David
Allan Coe. Merle Hag
gard, etc. etc. (People]
should bring their re
quests if they want, sheet
music too...
"I really wanted to
play with Earnest Tubb
and the Texas Trouba
dours, but he’s dead. I
always wanted to play
with Miles Davis’ band
but he’s dead now too.
I’m doing a lot of playing now with different
bluegrass players. That’s something that
I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I’m playing
with a lot of musicians from different types
of ethnic music...asitar player I’m playing
a couple of concerts in Alabama, Arkansas,
one in St. Louis, Memphis, a little hiking,
looking at Indian Mounds ..[click]"
When we turned to look for Chadbourne
he was gone The tape player was making
a buzzing sound and to our surprise the
LEDs were still blinking wildly The machine
still had some life in it. it seemed, but the
tape had wound itself around the recording
heads We worked meticulously to salvage
what audio tape we could to relay the magic
incantations Chadbourne recorded The
above paragraph was all that remained of
his visit to the Flagpole office Catch him at
the Downstairs, Sunday, Sept 20 before he
disappears down the maze of country high
ways that cover the south
Hillary Meister
Cheese-eaters beware
WEDNESDAY
F Dance
— DJ —
Brian
"Love Daddy"
Bone
THURSDAY
Night Live
Magneto
Next week:
Lotion
Coming soon:
Lava Love
FRIDAY
Dance Party
Ladies FREE
— DJ —
Mike
Church
SATURDAY
Beat the
Clock
Drink ’til
midnight
Dance‘til Three
— DJ —
Brain
"Love Daddy"
Bone
Clockhammer has played
Athens several times over the
past two years, including a
godlike performance at the
Downstairs this past spring that
was worshipped by all but the
staunchiest local cheese-eat
ers. Any minute now, you can
expect their newest recording
Klinefelter to be released by
First Warning Records and if
the title doesn’t send you run
ning for the dictionary, the guitarist's expansive chord vocabulary will. Seriously, don’t miss
this chance to witness one of the true greats. From Nashville, no less!
Porn Orchard, on the other hand, have been holed up inside their chipped plaster rock
n’ roll think tank these past few months awaiting the release of a landslide of their recorded
material Here’s the rundown and the tentative dates, Tenyaki Asthma Vol 1-5 will be
available on one CD on or around October 30. This will be a twenty band/song CD,
featuring Porn Orchard's "What Kills" along with tunes by other luminaries including
Nirvana. Babes in Toyland, L7, etc. Porn Orchard’s newest offering Urges and Angers is
slated for release on November 15 and will be available on all three formats. Sorry, no eight
tracks. Finally, Something's Gone Wrong Again, a Bjzzcocks tribute album featuring
P.O.’s version of "Why Can’t I Touch It?’, done as a duet with Larry King All of the above
will be released by Seattle's CZ Records. Finally, P.O. will be playing the CMJ Music
Seminar in N Y C. as part of a CZ showcase Above all else, remember this, Porn Orchard/
Clockhammer at the 40 Watt on Saturday, Oct. 19. Get there early.
Call
369-7315
For Details
and Info on
Private Parties
DOWNTOWN
Best clucking wings
around, and over
100 different beers
vash 'em down.”
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