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The Story According to Bobby Smiley |
газобетон
Paris, Texas was
formed at 112 S. Hancock, Madison, WI in December 1997 where a convergent
interest in America’s Funny Man, Neil Hamburger (and rather peripheral
interest in music too) led to a collaboration between three roommates
(Scott Sherpe -- vocals, Sam Vinz -- Drums, Nick Zinkgraf -- Guitar)
and two not-roommates (Matt Tennessen -- Bass, Matt Mangan -- Guitar).
Playing instruments simply wasn’t enough. As Macolm McLaren might remind
us, the next step was coming up with a catchy name. Eschewing punk rock
tradition, they decided for a totally original name, taking profound
pains to avoid facile cultural references to either, say, contemporary
French cinema or dusty southwestern cities. Unfortuately, they failed
(quite obviously and, well, one can only conjecture where they got “Paris,
Texas” from).
Playing instruments did, however, turn out to be their strong suit;
so strong, in fact, they recorded a five-song demo tape in January,
1998 in the basement of Madison’s own Kyle Fischer. Circulated around
the indie rock samiszat of the midwest, they landed their first show
at Whole Music Club in Minneapolis with Rainer Maria and the no longer
extant Baby I’m a Star (with whom, a bit later, they released their
first 7”). It was Valentine’s Day, 1998 and theyd with The Psychedelic
Furs song “Pretty in Pink”, thereby prompting immediate comparasions.
By the good graces of providence, Polyvinyl Record Company gave their
demo an earnest listen and they shortly released an EP in Fall of 1998,
and a full length in October, 1999 and the "Brazilliant" CDEP
in the fall 0f 2000. In the intervening time, Paris, Texas, in the grand
tradition of punk rock bands, began touring in their 1976 Ford Econoline
(Consumer Report’s #1 car for that year. Lamentably, they recently purchased
a new van which, although 14 years younger, is deciedely less reliable)
. Also in the intervening time, Matt Magan left the band for New York
and was supplanted by the uber-talented Nolan Treolo in Fall, 1999.
With Nolan, Paris, Texas rounded their already unique sound and since
have been sedulously touring and recording.
Now a healthy, vitamin-replete staple of the indie music scene (at least
in the Midwest, or at least in Wisconsin -- or at the very least in
Madison -- and maybe Milwaukee on a good day), Paris, Texas is bent
on world domination through music. Although they concede this an easily
achievable quest, they’re simply content to experiment with their sound,
tour and entertain kids with an authenicity which is impossible to miss
at live performances. They continue to play almost everywhere in the
U.S. and write songs with curious originality and carefully nuanced
power.
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