Holy Modal Rounders

[[Image:Holy Modal Rounders.jpg|right|framed|Holy Modal Rounders Steve Weber (l.)

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and Peter Stampfel (r.)]]

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The Holy Modal Rounders were a folk music duo in Greenwich Village started in the early 1960s, consisting of Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber.

Related Topics:
Folk music - Greenwich Village - 1960s - Peter Stampfel - Steve Weber

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Their first album, "The Holy Modal Rounders," was released in 1964. The unique blend of Folk Music Revival, psychedelia, and musicianship on this record make it popular among people interested in these phenomena. Shortly after their second album in 1965, "The Holy Modal Rounders 2", they joined The Fugs for a short time. After leaving The Fugs, the Rounders reformed with Sam Shepard and Lee Crabtree to record their third album ("Indian War Whoop"), and to appear in Shepard's play "Forensic". The fourth album, "The Moray Eels Eat The Holy Modal Rounders", recorded in 1968, was not particularly memorable, except that one song plays in the soundtrack of Dennis Hopper's film Easy Rider. In 1970, Robin Remailly and Dave Reisch joined the band and the Holy Modal Rounders relocated to Boston, adding Ted Deane, Roger North, and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. In 1971, the band released their fifth album, "Good Taste is Timeless", and their sixth, "Alleged in their Own Time" in 1975 on Rounder Records. Later albums with either Stampfel or Weber, or both, include: "Havy Moicy" by Michael Hurley (1976), "Last Round" (1978), "Going Nowhere Fast" (1980), "Peter Stampfel and the Bottlecaps" (1986), "You Must Remember This" (1994), and "Too Much Fun" (1999).

Related Topics:
1964 - Psychedelia - 1965 - The Fugs - Sam Shepard - Lee Crabtree - 1968 - Dennis Hopper - Easy Rider - 1970 - Boston - 1971 - 1975 - Rounder Records - Michael Hurley - 1976 - 1978 - 1980 - 1986 - 1994 - 1999

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As regards the name, Peter Stampfel explained in Perfect Sound Forever: "We kept changing the name. First it was the Total Quintessence Stomach Pumpers. Then the Temporal Worth High Steppers. Then The Motherfucker Creek Babyrapers. That was just a joke name. He was Rinky-Dink Steve the Tin Horn and I was Fast Lightning Cumquat. He was Teddy Boy Forever and I was Wild Blue Yonder. It kept changing names. Then it was the Total Modal Rounders. Then when we were stoned on pot and someone else, Steve Close maybe, said Holy Modal Rounders by mistake. We kept putting out different names and wait until someone starts calling us that then. When we got to Holy Modal Rounders, everyone decided by acculumation that we were the Holy Modal Rounders. That's the practical way to get named."

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In later years, Stampfel had a day job as submissions editor of DAW Books. Rather surprisingly, perhaps, he won a Grammy in 1998 for writing part of the liner notes for the CD reissue of Anthology Of American Folk Music. When asked if he had plans for his award, he was quoted in the New York Times as saying "I'm going to put honey on mine and lick it off."

Related Topics:
DAW Books - Grammy - New York Times

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