Jamestown Community College’s Weeks Gallery presents It was the first song on the first record, and it was the Roof; Roxy Music’s In Every Dream Home a Heart- kind of song. “Skateland.” ... Teri had the keyboard and The revolving drummer’s seat was finally settled into by Dennis Drew: The record company said, “Well, you video that embarrasses the band to this day). “Peace certainly the first thing that hit you: the voice. A young ache; The Maytals’ Monkey Man; Eno’s Burning Airlines she could play some things, but I actually knew more Buffalo band vet Jerry Augustyniak, and they put out a know, as far as we’re concerned The Wishing Chair Train” got loads of college radio airplay, but didn’t drive Homegrown Excellence II: 10,000 Maniacs Celebrate 30 Years, Saturday, October 1, 2011. girl (Karen Dotrice? Hayley Mills?) sings knowingly to Give You So Much More; Dandy’s Rudy, A Message To about the keyboard than she did. So I could play more second self-released record, an album called Secrets is a failure. We don’t know what we’re going to do. album sales. Then Elektra’s marketing came up with herself, maybe winding a bike down a country road. You; Gang Of Four’s Armalite Rifle; and Barry McGuire’s chords and do a few more things. And she liked being of the I Ching, Drew ran their booking and business out You need a big-deal producer to do this.” And we’re another angle. The tune is lovely—sunny and melodic. But what is up front dancing. Still Life had these two girls dancing Tickets go on sale August 29 at JCC’s FSA bookstore box office, 716·338·1187. Eve of Destruction. Here was a band aiming to be the of his briefcase and his parents’ Jamestown kitchen. In like, oh. We came back [to the States] in ’85, toured, it she’s saying? rebellious jukebox of all that they loved and didn’t see around up front, singing lead vocals and yelling and fact you might say it was the Furniture City’s work ethic toured, toured. It was a really exciting time. We had a Dennis Drew: The song that broke off of that album We anticipate a sold-out concert well before October 1, so please order tickets early! anyone else loving, at least locally. screaming. A lot of screaming. that kept things rolling along. And then, a golden ray of record out and we’re playing everywhere in America. was “Like the Weather” ... They had this great hook, A local post will list your friends recognition. The whole frickin’ country. “Like the weather! Like the weather! Play it before the in order of disappearance Yet they were disparate even among themselves, in Still Life performed most anywhere they could, which weather forecast! They can send people on trips to There are two ticket/package tiers—a pre-concert meet and greet package or traditional ArtParty. The lawn scattered, tins feed birds some ways having come together because they didn’t saw them in some unusual venues. Steve Gustafson: Lombardo said, “We gotta send one Steve Gustafson: West coast, east coast, in the mid- Hawaii!” They finally had something they could hang A portion baked for absent guests fit in elsewhere, even in this musically eclectic region. to John Peel at the BBC.” So we sent him one. And he dle. We completed one tour that was 12,000 miles, 20 their hat on, and it blew up for them and did really, And the mass edition icon Drew loved pop in its myriad forms and was especially Steve Gustafson: We went to group homes. In fact liked “My Mother the War.” And his listeners voted it #26 gigs in 45 days. really well the winter of ’87-’88. And by the summer of Tier 1: The meet and greet package begins in the Weeks Gallery at 6:15 p.m. and includes a God sent comfort, your salvation fond of Broadway show tunes. He and Gustafson, close we did a Saturday afternoon matinee for the Achieve- on his year-end poll. (reading from a hand-written note ’88 we’re playing 15,000-seat sheds. champagne toast, group photograph, premium concert seating, and ArtParty as listed below. But who grants absolution friends since childhood, were both devotees of reggae ment Center. They brought clients in. Natalie and Teri sent by John Peel to the band) “Thank you for brighten- Tensions in the band finally prompted the exit of John For sins that never were committed and the Grateful Dead. Rob Buck, the band’s brilliantly roller-skated around the dining room, and they would all ing 1983 considerably. Have a stirring 1984. John Peel.” Lombardo, just as they were limbering up to record In total the interviews paint a telling picture of pop Only 73 tickets will be sold. Price: $25. inventive lead guitarist, had been an early adopter of drink pop. We would play all of our new songs in front And, of course, we were what ... 26 on his Festive Fifty. the next album. The big-deal producer that Electra success and artistic ambition from the point of view of With those lines from “Tension,” Natalie Merchant punk, and came from a band called The Obsessions, of that audience. They loved it ... We’d play at the Hotel And U2 was 41! (laughter) wanted was Grammy winner Peter Asher, who’d had its non-plussed Chautauqua County protagonists. It’s introduced herself to the world, and the world to while 17-year-old Natalie Merchant loved Bryan Ferry Franklin, which was a factory bar. It had a back dining a string of hits in the ’70s with Linda Ronstadt, James what it was actually like, in the twilight of the record Tier 2: The traditional ArtParty program includes the 10,000 Maniacs concert and ArtParty. Scharmann 10,000 Maniacs. and Jamaican music. But it was the second guitarist, room with a little stage at one end. It was perfect. We They networked like crazy. A copy of I Ching landed Taylor, and Diana Ross. Asher himself wasn’t sure if it industry, to gain enormous popularity and attention Theatre doors open at 6:45 p.m., Maniacs memorabilia slide show starts at 7:15, and the concert John Lombardo, who’s credited by the rest as having charged a buck. on the desk of Rough Trade Records head Jeff Travis, was a good fit, so he flew in to town to hang out with and, later, to struggle to shepherd both past the band In the three intervening decades it’s been their music’s begins at 7:30. The ArtParty—including JCC’s art faculty exhibition, music by Buffalo’s Band Named the most eclectic and, at times, eccentric tastes. Those who wrote them back to say that he’d love to work with the band. and its figurehead parting ways in 1993. The Maniacs, spare articulation of mystery and the ineffable that has nonetheless included a solid knowledge of British rock, Over time the band got tighter, the music more focused, them, but for all his time being taken up by his new sign- with Mary Ramsey now their singer, went on to score Sue (a Johnny Cash and country tribute band), hors d’oeuvres, and wine and beer tasting—begins most impressed itself on fans and critics alike. The mix notably the electric folk end of the spectrum. and after a number of cast changes, including Lombar- ing, a young band called The Smiths. Finally after per- Dennis Drew: We took him to the Grog Shop, which a hit with “More Than This,” and are today an active immediately after. Prices are: general admission, $15; senior citizens and students, $10; and JCC/FSA, of upbeat post-punk jangle and the spooked-out minor do’s joining and Teri and Rob Buck’s leaving, most forming at New York’s Danceteria in Spring 1984, they was down on 2nd Street. Now it’s Mojo’s. He took us touring band with a new album. Merchant has record- chords (and politics) of American folk that forms the Natalie Merchant: When I was about 17 and started of Still Life morphed into 10,000 Maniacs. Eventually snagged a manager who could do something for them, to dinner and bought new socks. He doesn’t travel ed five solo collections, and maintains a busy touring $8. This package does not include the meet and greet. Visit weeksgallery.sunyjcc.edu for information. basis of much of their sound has guaranteed that it’s playing music with John Lombardo ... he gave me Rob returned, and in the summer of 1982 they self- Peter Leak. Leak in turn knew Howard Thompson, a with socks. (laughs) ... The thing about Peter is that schedule as well. Her most recent album, Leave Your still fresh today. But where did it come from? [Fairport Convention’s] Liege and Lief. I was so drawn to released their first EP, Human Conflict Number Five, storied A&R man who wanted to take the Maniacs along he’s really, really smart. He was right into technology. Sleep, is an ambitious double set of songs that she Sandy Denny and her voice. It’s how I learned about folk opening with the afore-quoted “Tension”. With that, the with him as he began working with the legendary Elektra He said, “I’ll do this, but two things. First of all you adapted from 19th and 20th century poetry about A special matinee concert is scheduled for Sunday, October 2, 2 p.m.