10,000 Maniacs

10,000 Maniacs is a US rock band, formed in 1981 and active with various line-ups since that time. Perhaps the most well-known member has been Natalie Merchant, who left the band in 1993 to pursue a solo career.

Related Topics:
Rock - 1981 - Natalie Merchant - 1993

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The band was formed, as Still Life, in Jamestown, New York, by Steven Gustafson (then 23 years old and a bass player), Dennis Drew (23; keyboards) and Robert Buck (22; guitar), Terry Newhouse (Buck's ex-wife and a vocalist) and Chet Cardinale (drums). Gustafson invited Merchant, then aged 16, to do some vocals. John Lombardo (28; guitar) who was in a band called The Mills, used to play with Still Life occasionally and was invited to join permanently. Newhouse and Cardinale left the band in July, and Merchant became the main singer. Various drummers came and left. The band changed its name to Burn Victims and then to 10,000 Maniacs, after the low-budget horror movie Two Thousand Maniacs.

Related Topics:
Jamestown, New York - Steven Gustafson - Bass - Dennis Drew - Robert Buck - John Lombardo - Two Thousand Maniacs

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They performed as 10,000 Maniacs for the first time on September 7, 1981 (Labor Day), with a line-up of Merchant, Lombardo, Buck, Gustafson, Drew, and Tim Edborg (drums). Edborg left and Bob "Bob O Matic" Wachter was on drums for most of the 1981 gigs. Tired of playing other people's songs, they started to write their own, usually with Merchant writing lyrics and Lombardo the music. In February-March 1982, with Jim Foti on drums, the band recorded an EP called Human Conflict Number Five. More gigs followed in 1982.

Related Topics:
September 7 - 1981 - Labor Day - 1982 - EP - Human Conflict Number Five

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At the beginning of 1983, drummer Jerry Augustyniak (26) joined the band. The Maniacs met Augustyniak when they played in Buffalo, New York, where he was in a punk band called The Strains and he was invited to be part of the band. Between March and July they recorded songs for a second record, Secrets of the I Ching — their debut album — which was pressed by Mark Records for the band's own label, Christian Burial Music. The record was well-received by critics and it caught the attention of John Peel, a DJ at Radio BBC Radio 1 in London. One song, "My Mother the War" turned out to be a minor hit in the United Kingdom, and it entered the independent singles chart. During 1983 and 1984, touring was a way of life for the band and they also played some gigs in the UK. It was during this time that they lived in Athens, Georgia for a short while.

Related Topics:
1983 - Jerry Augustyniak - Buffalo, New York - Secrets of the I Ching - Debut album - John Peel - BBC Radio 1 - London - My Mother the War - United Kingdom - 1984

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Peter Leak, an Englishman living in New York City, became interested in the band, made contact and was made their manager. With the help of Leak and Elektra Records A&R man Howard Thompson, 10,000 Maniacs signed to Elektra in 1985. They recorded their second full-length album, The Wishing Chair, in London with Joe Boyd as producer.

Related Topics:
Elektra Records - 1985 - The Wishing Chair - Joe Boyd

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Lombardo left the band on July 14, 1986. The remaining five members started the recordings of a new album in Los Angeles, with Peter Asher as the producer. In My Tribe, a more pop-rock oriented record, was released on July 7, (1987), hit the charts and established a large US audience for the group, which was expanded by Blind Man's Zoo (1989). In 1990, with the help of Lombardo, they remastered their first two records (Human Conflict and I-Ching) and released them as a compilation called Hope Chest. Lombardo and Mary Ramsey, who had formed a folk act called John & Mary, opened gigs for the Maniacs on the Hope Chest Tour in 1990. In 1991, during the recordings of a new album, Merchant revealed to the other members that she would be leaving for a solo career in two years time. In 1992, Our Time in Eden was released. On April 19, 1993, 10,000 Maniacs recorded MTV Unplugged and Merchant announced her leaving the band on MTV on August 5, 1993. (Her first solo album, Tigerlily, was released by Elektra on June 20, 1995.) The 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged CD was released in October of 1993. The remaining members of 10,000 Maniacs then absorbed John & Mary, with Ramsey on viola and vocals.

Related Topics:
July 14 - 1986 - Los Angeles - Peter Asher - In My Tribe - Pop - July 7 - 1987 - Blind Man's Zoo - 1989 - 1990 - Hope Chest - Mary Ramsey - Folk - John & Mary - 1991 - 1992 - Our Time in Eden - April 19 - 1993 - MTV Unplugged - August 5 - Tigerlily - June 20 - 1995

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10,000 Maniacs released two albums with Mary Ramsey on vocals. In 1997 they released Love Among the Ruins and followed up in 1999 with The Earth Pressed Flat.

Related Topics:
1997 - Love Among the Ruins - 1999 - The Earth Pressed Flat

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On December 19, 2000, Robert Buck died of liver failure at age 42. Their last concert with Buck had been on November 3, 2000, when the band played with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, in Buffalo, New York.

Related Topics:
December 19 - 2000 - November 3 - Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra - Buffalo, New York

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The band took a break. Gustafson and Drew, with Jeff Erikson (guitar) started a band called Mighty Wallop. Jerry joined a band called Only Human. On December 5, 2001, a 10,000 Maniacs line-up comprising Gustafson, Drew, Augustyniak, Lombardo and Ramsey played on a benefit concert in Toronto, with Erikson on guitar. Lombardo and Ramsey left 10,000 Maniacs in 2002.

Related Topics:
Jeff Erikson - December 5 - 2001 - 2002

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In 2003, Gustafson, Drew and Augustyniak formed a new line-up by adding Erikson on guitar and Oskar Saville from Rubygrass on vocals, and played some gigs.

Related Topics:
2003 - Oskar Saville - Rubygrass

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On January 27, 2004, Elektra/Asylum/Rhino Records released Campfire Songs, subtitled "The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings", a two CD set compilation, with 31 digitally remastered songs, four of them demos and one unreleased. The 2nd disc contained b-sides and outtakes throughout the band's (up to that point) career, including many covers. Jackson Browne's "These Days" and Tom Waits "I Hope that I Don't Fall in Love with You" were among those included.

Related Topics:
January 27 - 2004 - Campfire Songs - B-side - Jackson Browne - Tom Waits

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