[.ca] Campfire Songs: Popular,..

A Reminiscence from a Comrade (7th Maniac?):
Being from Jamestown, N.Y., and an old friend of the band, I can bear witness to the birth of 10KM. In fact, conceivably I might have even been a member of the group myself, as the members of the embryonic, proto-Maniacs (then Still Life, aka Is There Still Life: Rob, Steve, Dennis, Natalie, etc. w/o John or Jerry) actually invited me to join them as rhythm guitarist after a couple of jams in my studio at the infamous Broadhead Mills (see Hope Chest's liner notes or the "Pit Viper" clip on Time Capsule). This was, of course, during those heady, post-punk days when the D.I.Y. aesthetic held sway. They didn't seem to care if I could play or not, God bless 'em. I must say this was a tempting offer. I had just spent a good while trying to form a band with the redoubtable John Lombardo, who is one of my oldest friends. I'm afraid John grew impatient with my Stu Sutcliffe-like amateurism; it just never clicked. In fact, we got the artist's co-op at the Mills going with band rehearsal space in mind. But these Still Life people intrigued me: possibly out of necessity, they played mostly original material. I recall thinking that (dearly departed) Rob had such great raw potential...he was unsteady tempo-wise (a better drummer might have helped!), but he had such moments of gonzo guitar frenzy...that you knew he had something. And Natalie was special from the get-go; Dennis should be credited with acknowledging her talent straight away. I have a fond memory of her calling out for Roxy Music at the Mills when I first met her, me blaring out "Do The Strand" on the hi-fi there and her doing her patented dervish dance one afternoon... I thought, pretty hip for a 16 yr. old...we've got a live one here! Despite all this, I decided not to join and be sensible for a change. I opted to marry my British girlfriend, Susan, and look for a real job, relocating from Rust Belt blight to sunny Atlanta, GA. 10KM really took seed one night in July 1981. Before I left town for good, Still Life had a farewell gig in a subterranean pub called the Gatsby. They invited all sorts of their musician friends to sit in with them, some "ringers" with pretty fair chops...including John, who played with them for the first time that night I believe. They were breaking up with a bang...even I joined in for some songs, cool covers like "Cross-eyed and Painless" and "Armagideon Time". I'll bet Dennis has a tape of this stuff somewhere in his attic...although I seem to remember a dancer knocking over their reel-to-reel deck with tape spooling out over the dancefloor, so maybe not! It was a great night...and within weeks they were busy forming a new band with John. For one gig they were the Burn Victims, 10,000 Maniacs thereafter. Rob sat out for a time and had to be coaxed back into the fold. The rest, as they say, is history. I'd like to offer my perspective in contrast with Anthony DeCurtis' liner notes to Campfire Songs. Hey Anthony, if you're puzzled by that Hedgen's gig, well, I'm the guy who got it for 'em. As I said, I moved to Atlanta in late '81 and I helped to urge the Maniacs to try their luck down here in '82. Through a mutual friend, they hooked up with Johnny "Hib-Tone" Hibbert, but their initial stay here was fraught with frustration. Gigs like the one at Tokyo Beach, with a sum total of four revellers including me (I was on their guest list, but I felt so bad for them that I paid the cover anyway!)They got bummed and fled for home turf, writing some good new material and eventually producing an indie LP. Natalie wrote me asking for help landing a gig here...so I schlepped a tape of their LP around the clubs like 688 and Rumours, but only Hedgen's bit. As I recall, although it was certainly the Satellites turf, Hedgen's also would book people like Guadalcanal Diary, so it's not that weird. The place wasn't really that empty either; it was their best attended gig to that point...40-50 people probably. It was a memorable gig as Jon King and Andy Gill (of Gang of Four) came to that show...we were tickled as we were big fans of theirs. This was at a crucial turning point for 10KM; afterwards, they got noticed in NYC, got proper management, etc. I must say that I'm proud that my friends made their mark, that something of note came out of our daft little scene in our shrinking, backwater town. I'm glad that Natalie chose to include a lot of photos featuring John in Campfire Songs; he was a crucial member in those formative years. They were at their best during his original stint, and yes, I concur with Mr. DeCurtis, they were best experienced live. My own favorite Maniac songs aren't included on this new CD...I like "Puzzle Lover" and "Maddox Table"...and Wishing Chair, with all the local color of WNY, has special resonance to someone like me. I don't discount In My Tribe...it is the most consistant one and deserved to be a hit, Peace Train or not. But I really think they missed John thereafter...I never much liked Blind Man's Zoo...material such as John's Angels of Stone would have pumped some much needed life into that one and he might have helped to talk them out of the lesser material. What a shame. As far as the rarities go, well, real fans will always second guess any such compilation, and so it goes with me. I'd like to have seen "Don't Call Us" turn up; after all it was a track I spun their way. During an extended visit to the U.K., I taped a segment of John Peel's show and this track cropped up...it amused me, so I sent it to John suggesting they cover it and they did! The song was a student project, sung by kids from near Coventry, I believe, reflecting the dire job market of the day and we from WNY could relate. Digital Dinasaurs was the name of this one-off group. Also m.i.a. are a nifty cover of "Rum and Coca Cola" (problem obtaining the master) and the B-side with Billy Bragg ("Party of God") which I don't know what happened there. And I always loved their Eno cover, "Burning Airlines..."...were there no live recordings available of this one? I dunno. Nice notes from the various band members...Jerry and Dennis really capture the spirit of the thing. And Natalie's tribute to Rob was touching...he always deserved more credit than he seemed to get. Natalie was right: we were scavengers all; we were Clash fans all; and we were comrades all.

EXCEPTIONAL COMPLIATION:
First off let me say I love Natalie's voice. I feel she has a gift to sing in her voice the emotion she is feeling. I had a couple of maniacs LPs years ago (the hope chest and the wishing well)but that was about it for my intrest. I have every NAtalie Merchant CD made (well a copy of each) so I was intrested in her roots. I bought the Campfire Songs and I was not disappointed. The first side contains all the hits that they had mixed with some songs of mention BUT the real treasure is the second CD. It is awesome. I find myself playing the second side the most. If you like Natalies style and want to see where she developed it or if you want to hear a band that is so underrated that it make you sick then buy this compiliation. 10,000 manaics are a lost gem in the roots late 80's and 90's music that took a close eye on the world around us.Natalies lyrics can at times be rebelious and scarcastic as well as sad and hopeless portraying a world of economic disparity, a world of addiction but also the glimmer of hope that seems to come just when you need it most. Yes, these are the days that you'll remember. I promise!

Smart Music:
If you are a conversationalist with an open mind, this one is for you. It is smart pop/rock. It is cool music. It will educate you if you know someone with a drinking problem or give an overview on child abuse.

Finally . . .:
I first saw 10,000 Maniacs performing their Peace Train video on MTV and became an instant fan - and immediately bought In My Tribe. Much to my dismay, although Peace Train was listed on the CD jacket and in the lyrics section, it wasn't on the CD itself! I assumed there was some copyright issue and figured I'd have to be content with the rest of their great music. Some 17 years (wow) later - I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it listed as one of the songs in Disc 2. WOO-HOO!!! Disc 1 is a good selection from their other albums - good for the car while keeping the other CDs in the house. The real reason to buy this is for Disc 2. A must have for any 10kM or Natalie Merchant fan.

Amazed me again:
This is a wonderful collection of Maniacs' works. It includes a lot of great songs, popular and obscure alike. Scorpio Rising, Happy Puppet, and a great version of "To Sir, with Love" (w/ Michael Stipe) are just a few of the choice tunes you'll hear on this 2 disc set. The packaging includes several classic photos of the band and the liner notes are written by the Maniacs themselves (including an entry from original band member John Lombardo). Whether you are a Maniacs fan, a Natalie fan, or both - this purchase will not disappoint.

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