10,000 Maniacs
Encyclopedia
10,000 Maniacs is a United States-based alternative rock
band, which formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups.
, by Dennis Drew
(keyboards), Steve Gustafson
(bass), Chet Cardinale (drums), Robert Buck (guitar), and Teri Newhouse (Buck's ex-wife and vocalist). Gustafson invited Natalie Merchant
, who was 17 at the time, to do some vocals. John Lombardo
, who was in a band called The Mills (along with brother guitarist/vocalists Mark Liuzzo and Paul Liuzzo and drummer Mike Young) and used to play occasionally with Still Life, was invited to join permanently on guitar and vocals. 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!
.
They performed as 10,000 Maniacs for the first time on September 7, 1981 – Labor Day, with a line-up of Merchant, Lombardo, Buck, Drew, Gustafson, and Tim Edborg on drums. Edborg left and Bob "Bob O Matic" Wachter was on drums for most of the 1981 gigs. Tired of playing cover songs — though their first notable American hit was found in covering the Cat Stevens
hit "Peace Train" — the band started to write their own music, usually with Merchant handling the lyrics and Lombardo the music. In March 1982, with Jim Foti on drums, the band recorded an EP album
called Human Conflict Number Five
. More gigs followed in 1982. It was during this time that they lived in Atlanta, Georgia
for a short while at the encouragement of friends who said that many gigs were available there. The band moved back to Jamestown in November 1982.
At the beginning of 1983, Jerry Augustyniak
joined the band as their permanent drummer. The Maniacs met Augustyniak when they played in Buffalo, New York
, where he was in a punk band called The Stains. Between March and July, the band recorded songs for a second record, Secrets of the I Ching
— their debut full-length 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
- DJ at BBC Radio 1
in London. One song, "My Mother the War" turned out to be a minor hit in United Kingdom
, and it entered the independent singles chart. During 1983 and 1984, touring was a way of life for the band, which included gigs in the UK.
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 November 1984. In the spring of 1985, they recorded their second full-length album, The Wishing Chair, in London at Livingston Studios, with Joe Boyd
as producer. Though the album was not a blockbuster hit, its status as the band's major label debut did win it some notice, and it received significant critical acclaim.
Co-founder Lombardo left the band during a rehearsal on Monday, 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 Tuesday, July 7, 1987, hit the charts where it stayed 77 weeks, peaking at #37 and established a large US audience for the group and was also well received in the UK. The album originally contained "Peace Train." It was removed from subsequent pressings after Cat Stevens (now Yusef Islam) made comments implying he agreed with a death Fatwa against author Salman Rushdie. The next album, 1989 Blind Man's Zoo
hit #13 and went gold, further increasing the group's following. In May 1989, the British
music magazine, NME
reported that 10,000 Maniacs had won the songwriter category prize at the New York Music Awards
. In 1990, with the help of Lombardo, they remastered their first two records Human Conflict Number Five
and Secrets of the I Ching
and released them as a compilation called Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983. 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 21, 1993, 10,000 Maniacs appeared on MTV Unplugged
and Merchant announced her leaving the band on MTV
on August 5, 1993 saying she "didn't want art by committee anymore." The MTV Unplugged
album was released in October 1993. The band also played President Clinton's Inaugural Ball in January 1993, with Merchant a vociferous supporter of the Democratic Party
.
10,000 Maniacs released two albums with Ramsey on vocals. In 1997 they released Love Among the Ruins
on Geffen Records
and followed up in 1999 with The Earth Pressed Flat
on Bar/None.
In December 1998, Buck took some time off from the band, moving to Texas
to focus on a new project called League of Blind Women
. The band recruited Buffalo-based Michael Lee Jackson of the band Animal Planet to step into the lead guitar role. Buck returned to the band in the summer of 1999.
On November 3, 2000, 10,000 Maniacs played with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
, in Buffalo, NY. It was the last concert they performed with Buck. On December 19, 2000, Buck died of liver failure
at the age of 42. He was buried in Mission Cemetery in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania
.
The band took a break. Gustafson and Drew, with Jeff Erickson started a band called The Mighty Wallop!
. Augustyniak joined a band called Only Humen. 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 Buck's former guitar technician, Erickson, on lead guitar.
showed up at the first band practice, found out that the band had hired Erickson to play lead guitar and Oskar Saville
of the Chicago-based band Rubygrass to sing, and quit the band. This lineup toured sporadically between 2002 and 2006, playing at various festivals. Ramsey
rejoined the current edition of 10,000 Maniacs for several dates in 2006, playing viola and singing backing vocals.
In 2006, John & Mary
formed a folk-rock band called the Valkyries. John & Mary & the Valkyries are composed of several longtime Buffalo music scene stalwarts.
On January 27, 2004, Elektra/Asylum/Rhino Records released Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings
, a two CD set compilation, with 31 digitally remastered songs, four of them demos and one unreleased. The second disc contained B-sides and outtakes throughout the band's career up to that point, including many covers. Jackson Browne
's "These Days
" and Tom Waits
's "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" were among those included.
Saville
left in 2007 and Mary Ramsey
regained the lead vocalist spot.
has joined his former band mates on numerous occasions; Buffalo-based singer/songwriter Maria Sebastian has also accompanied the band at recent shows.
A new album and a 30-city 30th anniversary tour is planned for 2011 with shows already scheduled in Chicago, IL, Uncasville, CT, Alpine, CA and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band, which formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups.
1981–1993
The band was formed as Still Life in 1981 in Jamestown, New YorkJamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
, by Dennis Drew
Dennis Drew
Dennis Drew is the keyboardist for the band 10,000 Maniacs. He has been with the band since its inception in 1981 and is one of only two remaining founding members of the band...
(keyboards), Steve Gustafson
Steve Gustafson
Steve Gustafson is the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. He and Dennis Drew are the only remaining founding members of the group....
(bass), Chet Cardinale (drums), Robert Buck (guitar), and Teri Newhouse (Buck's ex-wife and vocalist). Gustafson invited Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
, who was 17 at the time, to do some vocals. John Lombardo
John Lombardo
John Lombardo was one of the founding members of the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material.- Biography :...
, who was in a band called The Mills (along with brother guitarist/vocalists Mark Liuzzo and Paul Liuzzo and drummer Mike Young) and used to play occasionally with Still Life, was invited to join permanently on guitar and vocals. 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!
Two Thousand Maniacs!
Two Thousand Maniacs! is a low budget 1964 splatter film directed and written by Herschell Gordon Lewis. It is the second part of what the director's fans have dubbed "The Blood Trilogy", including Blood Feast and Color Me Blood Red...
.
They performed as 10,000 Maniacs for the first time on September 7, 1981 – Labor Day, with a line-up of Merchant, Lombardo, Buck, Drew, Gustafson, and Tim Edborg on drums. Edborg left and Bob "Bob O Matic" Wachter was on drums for most of the 1981 gigs. Tired of playing cover songs — though their first notable American hit was found in covering the Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
hit "Peace Train" — the band started to write their own music, usually with Merchant handling the lyrics and Lombardo the music. In March 1982, with Jim Foti on drums, the band recorded an EP album
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
called Human Conflict Number Five
Human Conflict Number Five
Human Conflict Number Five was the debut EP by 10,000 Maniacs. It was released in 1982 on their Christian Burial Music label.-Track listing:#"Tension" - 3:18#"Planned Obsolescence" - 4:22...
. More gigs followed in 1982. It was during this time that they lived in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
for a short while at the encouragement of friends who said that many gigs were available there. The band moved back to Jamestown in November 1982.
At the beginning of 1983, Jerry Augustyniak
Jerry Augustyniak
Jerome Stanley "Jerry" Augustyniak is the drummer for the American band 10,000 Maniacs. Augustyniak joined the band in March 1983, two years after the group formed...
joined the band as their permanent drummer. The Maniacs met Augustyniak when they played in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, where he was in a punk band called The Stains. Between March and July, the band recorded songs for a second record, Secrets of the I Ching
Secrets of the I Ching
Secrets of the I Ching is the 1983 independent debut album by 10,000 Maniacs. This is also the first album with new and permanent drummer Jerome Augustyniak...
— their debut full-length 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
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
- DJ at BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
in London. One song, "My Mother the War" turned out to be a minor hit in United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and it entered the independent singles chart. During 1983 and 1984, touring was a way of life for the band, which included gigs in the UK.
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
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
in November 1984. In the spring of 1985, they recorded their second full-length album, The Wishing Chair, in London at Livingston Studios, with Joe Boyd
Joe Boyd
Joe Boyd is an American record producer and former owner of the Witchseason production company. Boyd was instrumental in launching the careers of Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, and The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
as producer. Though the album was not a blockbuster hit, its status as the band's major label debut did win it some notice, and it received significant critical acclaim.
Co-founder Lombardo left the band during a rehearsal on Monday, July 14, 1986. The remaining five members started the recordings of a new album in Los Angeles, with Peter Asher
Peter Asher
Peter Asher is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He first came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a record producer.-Early life:He was born at the Central Middlesex Hospital, a child actor and...
as the producer. In My Tribe
In My Tribe
In My Tribe is an album by American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. It was their second major-label album and their first to achieve large-scale success. John Lombardo, Natalie Merchant's songwriting partner on previous albums, left the band in 1986...
, a more pop-rock oriented record, was released on Tuesday, July 7, 1987, hit the charts where it stayed 77 weeks, peaking at #37 and established a large US audience for the group and was also well received in the UK. The album originally contained "Peace Train." It was removed from subsequent pressings after Cat Stevens (now Yusef Islam) made comments implying he agreed with a death Fatwa against author Salman Rushdie. The next album, 1989 Blind Man's Zoo
Blind Man's Zoo
Blind Man's Zoo 10,000 Maniacs' fourth album, released in 1989. The LP version of the album was pressed on high quality audiophile vinyl.-Track listing:All songs written by Natalie Merchant except as noted.Side one#"Eat for Two" – 3:26...
hit #13 and went gold, further increasing the group's following. In May 1989, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music magazine, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
reported that 10,000 Maniacs had won the songwriter category prize at the New York Music Awards
New York Music Awards
New York Music Awards™ is an annual awards ceremony and live concert, established in 1986 with its first sold-out show at Madison Square Garden...
. In 1990, with the help of Lombardo, they remastered their first two records Human Conflict Number Five
Human Conflict Number Five
Human Conflict Number Five was the debut EP by 10,000 Maniacs. It was released in 1982 on their Christian Burial Music label.-Track listing:#"Tension" - 3:18#"Planned Obsolescence" - 4:22...
and Secrets of the I Ching
Secrets of the I Ching
Secrets of the I Ching is the 1983 independent debut album by 10,000 Maniacs. This is also the first album with new and permanent drummer Jerome Augustyniak...
and released them as a compilation called Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983. Lombardo and Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey , currently a resident of Buffalo, NY is a member of folk duo John & Mary and lead singer for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.- Biography :...
, who had formed a folk act called John & Mary
John & Mary
John & Mary is a U.S. based folk music duo featuring John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey who have had a long-time close association with alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.-1989-1993:...
, 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
Our Time in Eden
Our Time in Eden is a 1992 album by 10,000 Maniacs, the last studio album featuring original lead singer Natalie Merchant. The album featured her future replacement Mary Ramsey on viola on such tracks as "Stockton Gala Days," "Jezebel," and "How You've Grown." Singles from the album were "These Are...
was released. On April 21, 1993, 10,000 Maniacs appeared on MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
and Merchant announced her leaving the band on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
on August 5, 1993 saying she "didn't want art by committee anymore." The MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged (10,000 Maniacs album)
MTV Unplugged is a 1993 live album by 10,000 Maniacs. The music was recorded for the MTV Unplugged series and it was also the last album by the band featuring Natalie Merchant as vocalist...
album was released in October 1993. The band also played President Clinton's Inaugural Ball in January 1993, with Merchant a vociferous supporter of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
1994–2001
In late 1993/early 1994, the remaining members of 10,000 Maniacs (Augustyniak, Buck, Drew, and Gustafson) asked John & Mary to join the band and continue. The revamped band began performing new material almost immediately, initially calling themselves 'John & Mary, Rob, Steve, Dennis, & Jerry,' before they were to legally regain control of the 10,000 Maniacs name.10,000 Maniacs released two albums with Ramsey on vocals. In 1997 they released Love Among the Ruins
Love Among the Ruins (album)
Love Among the Ruins was the first album released by 10,000 Maniacs with their new lead singer, Mary Ramsey after the 1993 departure of Natalie Merchant. The two singles from the album, "More Than This" and "Rainy Day", were not originally slated to be included on the album at all...
on Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
and followed up in 1999 with The Earth Pressed Flat
The Earth Pressed Flat
The Earth Pressed Flat is a 1999 album by 10,000 Maniacs featuring vocalist Mary Ramsey who replaced Natalie Merchant after she left the band in 1993...
on Bar/None.
In December 1998, Buck took some time off from the band, moving to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to focus on a new project called League of Blind Women
League of Blind Women
League of Blind Women was a short-lived all-star alternative rock band that included Robert Buck from 10,000 Maniacs, Jerry Augustyniak from 10,000 Maniacs, Casey Orr from GWAR, Mike Scaccia from Ministry and Rigor Mortis, Kol Marshall from Critical Mass and See No Evil, and Chris Kelly...
. The band recruited Buffalo-based Michael Lee Jackson of the band Animal Planet to step into the lead guitar role. Buck returned to the band in the summer of 1999.
On November 3, 2000, 10,000 Maniacs played with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra located in Buffalo, New York. Its primary performing venue is Kleinhans Music Hall, which is a National Historic Landmark. Its regular concert season features gala concerts, classics programming of core repertoire, Pops...
, in Buffalo, NY. It was the last concert they performed with Buck. On December 19, 2000, Buck died of liver failure
Renal failure
Renal failure or kidney failure describes a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to adequately filter toxins and waste products from the blood...
at the age of 42. He was buried in Mission Cemetery in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania
Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania
Sugar Grove is a borough in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 613 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sugar Grove is located at ....
.
The band took a break. Gustafson and Drew, with Jeff Erickson started a band called The Mighty Wallop!
The Mighty Wallop!
The Mighty Wallop! was a short-lived Jamestown, New York-based band formed by Dennis Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Jeff Erickson of the band 10,000 Maniacs in 2001. It was quickly a sextet, which included Ryan Seekings on drums, Stan Barton on fiddle, and another guitar player...
. Augustyniak joined a band called Only Humen. 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 Buck's former guitar technician, Erickson, on lead guitar.
2002–2007
In 2002, Gustafson, Drew, and Augustyniak decided that they wished to continue with a new lead singer. LombardoJohn Lombardo
John Lombardo was one of the founding members of the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material.- Biography :...
showed up at the first band practice, found out that the band had hired Erickson to play lead guitar and Oskar Saville
Oskar Saville
Oskar Saville is the former lead singer of Chicago-based Rubygrass, and is also a solo artist. She served as lead vocalist for 10,000 Maniacs from 2002 to 2007.-Discography:Rubygrass*Fireflies Solo*A Girl Named Oskar 10,000 Maniacs;...
of the Chicago-based band Rubygrass to sing, and quit the band. This lineup toured sporadically between 2002 and 2006, playing at various festivals. Ramsey
Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey , currently a resident of Buffalo, NY is a member of folk duo John & Mary and lead singer for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.- Biography :...
rejoined the current edition of 10,000 Maniacs for several dates in 2006, playing viola and singing backing vocals.
In 2006, John & Mary
John & Mary
John & Mary is a U.S. based folk music duo featuring John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey who have had a long-time close association with alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.-1989-1993:...
formed a folk-rock band called the Valkyries. John & Mary & the Valkyries are composed of several longtime Buffalo music scene stalwarts.
On January 27, 2004, Elektra/Asylum/Rhino Records released Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings
Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings
Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings is a 2004 compilation album by 10,000 Maniacs featuring their biggest hits, b-sides and unknown recordings from the Natalie Merchant era.-Track listing:Disc One - The Most Popular Recordings...
, a two CD set compilation, with 31 digitally remastered songs, four of them demos and one unreleased. The second disc contained B-sides and outtakes throughout the band's career up to that point, including many covers. Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
's "These Days
These Days (Jackson Browne song)
"These Days" is a song written by Jackson Browne and principally recorded by Nico, Gregg Allman, and Browne himself in three distinctly different musical styles...
" and Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
's "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" were among those included.
Saville
Oskar Saville
Oskar Saville is the former lead singer of Chicago-based Rubygrass, and is also a solo artist. She served as lead vocalist for 10,000 Maniacs from 2002 to 2007.-Discography:Rubygrass*Fireflies Solo*A Girl Named Oskar 10,000 Maniacs;...
left in 2007 and Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey , currently a resident of Buffalo, NY is a member of folk duo John & Mary and lead singer for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.- Biography :...
regained the lead vocalist spot.
2008–present
The current edition of the band (Augustyniak, Drew, Erickson, Gustafson and Ramsey) remains active. On October 24, 2009, they performed at a benefit in Buffalo for the Griffis Sculpture Park in Ashford Hollow, New York. The band recorded an "Unkempt" acoustic show in Jamestown on January 16, 2010. Other recent shows include concerts in Chicago, IL; Keystone, CO; Rochester, NY and Clarence, NY.They also played a powerful performance at the popular Mohegan Sun Wolf Den in Uncasville CT on 8/4/10. Then later in 2010 played at the famous Oyster Festival in Norwalk, Connecticut. John LombardoJohn Lombardo
John Lombardo was one of the founding members of the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material.- Biography :...
has joined his former band mates on numerous occasions; Buffalo-based singer/songwriter Maria Sebastian has also accompanied the band at recent shows.
A new album and a 30-city 30th anniversary tour is planned for 2011 with shows already scheduled in Chicago, IL, Uncasville, CT, Alpine, CA and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Band members
10,000 Maniacs have gone through a variety of musicians throughout the history of the band. Here is a partial list of the past, present, and touring musicians:- Jerry AugustyniakJerry AugustyniakJerome Stanley "Jerry" Augustyniak is the drummer for the American band 10,000 Maniacs. Augustyniak joined the band in March 1983, two years after the group formed...
– Augustyniak has been the drummer of 10,000 Maniacs since 1983. He has also played with The Stains, Only Humen, League of Blind WomenLeague of Blind WomenLeague of Blind Women was a short-lived all-star alternative rock band that included Robert Buck from 10,000 Maniacs, Jerry Augustyniak from 10,000 Maniacs, Casey Orr from GWAR, Mike Scaccia from Ministry and Rigor Mortis, Kol Marshall from Critical Mass and See No Evil, and Chris Kelly...
, The Michael Lee JacksonMichael Lee JacksonMichael Lee Jackson is an American guitarist. He was part of Ian Gillan's backing band on the Deep Purple frontman's US solo tour in August and September 2006. He also performed on guitar and acted as musical director for Gillan's CD/DVD Gillan's Inn , Live in Anaheim also on CD/DVD , and One Eye...
Band, Buffalo Rising, and The Damn Straights. He has been the band's main backing vocalist since 1994. - Rob Buck – Buck was the lead guitar player from 1981 to 1999. He co-wrote many of the band's most popular songs. He died on December 19, 2000 of liver failure at the age of 42.
- Duane Calhoun – Calhoun played lead guitar in 1981 while Buck was officially in the band, but not performing with them.
- Chet Cardinale – Cardinale was an early drummer for the band. He left to pursue a career in acupunctureAcupunctureAcupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
. - Jim Colavito – Colavito played saxophone with the band in 1981.
- Dennis DrewDennis DrewDennis Drew is the keyboardist for the band 10,000 Maniacs. He has been with the band since its inception in 1981 and is one of only two remaining founding members of the band...
– Drew has been the keyboard player in the band since 1981. He has also played with The Mighty Wallop!The Mighty Wallop!The Mighty Wallop! was a short-lived Jamestown, New York-based band formed by Dennis Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Jeff Erickson of the band 10,000 Maniacs in 2001. It was quickly a sextet, which included Ryan Seekings on drums, Stan Barton on fiddle, and another guitar player...
, where he co-wrote much of the band's material, played keyboards, and had lead and harmony vocal duties. - Jeff Erickson – Erickson took over lead guitar after Buck died, beginning by playing a short set during the band's only 2001 appearance. The first time he played with the band was December 12, 1998 on the song "These Are Days", while Buck was away from the band. Erickson was a lead singer/guitar player in the short-lived band The Mighty Wallop!The Mighty Wallop!The Mighty Wallop! was a short-lived Jamestown, New York-based band formed by Dennis Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Jeff Erickson of the band 10,000 Maniacs in 2001. It was quickly a sextet, which included Ryan Seekings on drums, Stan Barton on fiddle, and another guitar player...
. - Tim Edborg – Edborg played drums with 10,000 Maniacs in 1981.
- Steve GustafsonSteve GustafsonSteve Gustafson is the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. He and Dennis Drew are the only remaining founding members of the group....
– Gustafson has been the band's bass player since 1981. He has also been one of the band's backing vocalists in their live performances since 1994. He was also the bass player in The Mighty Wallop!The Mighty Wallop!The Mighty Wallop! was a short-lived Jamestown, New York-based band formed by Dennis Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Jeff Erickson of the band 10,000 Maniacs in 2001. It was quickly a sextet, which included Ryan Seekings on drums, Stan Barton on fiddle, and another guitar player...
. - Debbie Heverly – Heverly played piano with the band in 1981.
- John LombardoJohn LombardoJohn Lombardo was one of the founding members of the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material.- Biography :...
– Lombardo, the band's rhythm guitar player and occasional odd vocalist, co-wrote most of the early Maniacs songs, but left the band in 1986. He returned in 1994 with his duo partner Mary RamseyMary RamseyMary Ramsey , currently a resident of Buffalo, NY is a member of folk duo John & Mary and lead singer for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.- Biography :...
, and picked up right where he left off by writing and shaping the band's music. He left the band again in 2002. - Natalie MerchantNatalie MerchantNatalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
– Merchant was the voice of 10,000 Maniacs from 1981 until she decided to embark on a solo career in 1993. In her later years with the band, she played piano as well. In a 1985 article in SpinSpin (magazine)Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine Merchant said regarding her musical influences "I don't feel like I've been influenced by other bands. I'm influenced by the people I meet, the things I see". - Mary RamseyMary RamseyMary Ramsey , currently a resident of Buffalo, NY is a member of folk duo John & Mary and lead singer for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.- Biography :...
– Ramsey opened up shows with John LombardoJohn LombardoJohn Lombardo was one of the founding members of the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material.- Biography :...
as John & MaryJohn & MaryJohn & Mary is a U.S. based folk music duo featuring John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey who have had a long-time close association with alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.-1989-1993:...
in 1990, and would play violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
and sing backing vocals with the band on a few songs in 1990-1991. She was a touring musician with the band in 1992-1993, playing viola and singing backing vocals. When Merchant left the band in 1993, Ramsey replaced her on lead vocals and added the viola as a main instrument of the band, starting with live shows in 1994 and continuing on until 2001. Oskar SavilleOskar SavilleOskar Saville is the former lead singer of Chicago-based Rubygrass, and is also a solo artist. She served as lead vocalist for 10,000 Maniacs from 2002 to 2007.-Discography:Rubygrass*Fireflies Solo*A Girl Named Oskar 10,000 Maniacs;...
replaced her as lead singer in 2002, but Ramsey agreed to become a touring musician with the band in 2006, singing backing vocals and playing viola on select songs. She agreed to be the lead singer for the band again for their final show of 2007 after Oskar Saville left the band. - Oskar SavilleOskar SavilleOskar Saville is the former lead singer of Chicago-based Rubygrass, and is also a solo artist. She served as lead vocalist for 10,000 Maniacs from 2002 to 2007.-Discography:Rubygrass*Fireflies Solo*A Girl Named Oskar 10,000 Maniacs;...
– Saville took over lead vocals from Ramsey in 2002. She occasionally plays acoustic guitar during live performances. May 8, 2003 was her first live performance with the band. During the song "Stockton Gala Days", she pulled the band's webmaster (at the time) Adam Zeitz on stage to share lead vocals. Oskar was the former lead singer of Rubygrass and also has a solo career. She left the band in late Summer, 2007 and was replaced by the woman she replaced, Ramsey. - Bob "O'Matic" Wachter – An early drummer for 10,000 Maniacs, Wachter never appeared on a Maniacs album, but was an official member from 1982-1983.
Studio albums
- Human Conflict Number FiveHuman Conflict Number FiveHuman Conflict Number Five was the debut EP by 10,000 Maniacs. It was released in 1982 on their Christian Burial Music label.-Track listing:#"Tension" - 3:18#"Planned Obsolescence" - 4:22...
(EP) (1982) - Secrets of the I ChingSecrets of the I ChingSecrets of the I Ching is the 1983 independent debut album by 10,000 Maniacs. This is also the first album with new and permanent drummer Jerome Augustyniak...
(1983) - The Wishing Chair (1985)
- In My TribeIn My TribeIn My Tribe is an album by American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. It was their second major-label album and their first to achieve large-scale success. John Lombardo, Natalie Merchant's songwriting partner on previous albums, left the band in 1986...
2x platinum (1987) - Blind Man's ZooBlind Man's ZooBlind Man's Zoo 10,000 Maniacs' fourth album, released in 1989. The LP version of the album was pressed on high quality audiophile vinyl.-Track listing:All songs written by Natalie Merchant except as noted.Side one#"Eat for Two" – 3:26...
platinum (1989) - Our Time in EdenOur Time in EdenOur Time in Eden is a 1992 album by 10,000 Maniacs, the last studio album featuring original lead singer Natalie Merchant. The album featured her future replacement Mary Ramsey on viola on such tracks as "Stockton Gala Days," "Jezebel," and "How You've Grown." Singles from the album were "These Are...
2x platinum (1992) - Candy Everybody Wants (EP) (1992)
- Love Among the RuinsLove Among the Ruins (album)Love Among the Ruins was the first album released by 10,000 Maniacs with their new lead singer, Mary Ramsey after the 1993 departure of Natalie Merchant. The two singles from the album, "More Than This" and "Rainy Day", were not originally slated to be included on the album at all...
(1997) - The Earth Pressed FlatThe Earth Pressed FlatThe Earth Pressed Flat is a 1999 album by 10,000 Maniacs featuring vocalist Mary Ramsey who replaced Natalie Merchant after she left the band in 1993...
(1999) - TrianglesTriangles (album)Triangles is a 2011 EP by 10,000 Maniacs released on Ruby Wristwatch Records. It is the band's first release of new material since the 2000 death of lead guitarist Robert Buck, as well as the first 10,000 Maniacs album to feature singer Mary Ramsey without her songwriting partner John Lombardo, who...
(EP) (2011)
Live albums
- MTV UnpluggedMTV Unplugged (10,000 Maniacs album)MTV Unplugged is a 1993 live album by 10,000 Maniacs. The music was recorded for the MTV Unplugged series and it was also the last album by the band featuring Natalie Merchant as vocalist...
3x platinum (1993) - Because the Night (EP) (1993)
- Live Twenty-FiveLive Twenty-FiveLive Twenty-Five is a 2006 live album by 10,000 Maniacs recorded to commemorate the band's twenty-fifth anniversary and was only sold on tour...
(2006) - Extended VersionsExtended Versions (10,000 Maniacs album)Extended Versions is a live album from 10,000 Maniacs released in 2009 as a part of the Extended Versions collection of discounted albums. The album was recorded during the band's 2006 tour with Oskar Saville as lead vocalist...
(2009)
Compilation albums
- Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983 is a 1990 album by 10,000 Maniacs. It compiles tracks from their early releases Human Conflict Number Five and Secrets of the I Ching...
(1990) - Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown RecordingsCampfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown RecordingsCampfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings is a 2004 compilation album by 10,000 Maniacs featuring their biggest hits, b-sides and unknown recordings from the Natalie Merchant era.-Track listing:Disc One - The Most Popular Recordings...
(2004)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Alt | US Main | US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||||
| 1983 | "My Mother the War" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Secrets of the I Ching | |
| 1985 | "Can't Ignore the Train" | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Wishing Chair | |
| "Scorpio Rising" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1987 | "Don't Talk" | — | — | — | — | — | — | In My Tribe | |
| "Peace Train Peace Train "Peace Train" is the title of a 1971 hit song by Cat Stevens, taken from his album Teaser and the Firecat. The song climbed to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the week of October 9, 1971, becoming Stevens' first US Top 10 hit. The song also spent three weeks at #1 on the adult contemporary... " |
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1988 | "Like the Weather" | 68 | — | 37 | — | — | — | ||
| "What's the Matter Here?" | 80 | 9 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1989 | "Trouble Me" | 44 | 3 | 20 | 7 | 31 | — | Blind Man's Zoo | |
| "Eat for Two" | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1992 | "These Are Days These Are Days "These Are Days" is a song by alternative rock group 10,000 Maniacs from their 1992 album Our Time in Eden. Its lyrics are essentially ruminations on the present. They also performed the song for their 1993 album MTV Unplugged. The song hit number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in... " |
66 | 1 | — | 34 | 35 | 58 | Our Time in Eden | |
| "Candy Everybody Wants" | 67 | 5 | — | — | 71 | 47 | |||
| 1993 | "Few and Far Between" | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Everyday Is Like Sunday Everyday Is Like Sunday "Everyday Is Like Sunday" is the third track of Morrissey's debut solo album, Viva Hate, and the second single to be released by the artist. It made number nine in the UK Singles Chart and remains one of his best-known songs... " |
— | 22 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Because the Night Because the Night "Because the Night" is a song by the Patti Smith Group, written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith which was released as a single in 1978, taken from Smith's album Easter. The song was a hit, rising to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and helping propel sales of Easter to mainstream success –... " |
11 | 7 | — | 9 | 10 | 65 | MTV Unplugged | ||
| 1997 | "More Than This More Than This (song) -Track listing:CD single#"More Than This " – 3:17#"Clear" - 3:59#"More Than This " - 7:18-Charts:... " |
25 | — | — | — | 11 | — | Love Among the Ruins | |
| "Rainy Day" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | MTV Unplugged | 10,000 Maniacs | MTV |
| 1992 | Saturday Night Live | 10,000 Maniacs | (NBC) Aired 31 October 1992; songs: Candy Everybody Wants and These Are Days |
| 1993 | MTV Unplugged | 10,000 Maniacs | First artist to make 2nd appearance |
| 1997 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series) Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series) Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem... ("A River of Candycorn Runs Through it") |
10,000 Maniacs | They performed "Rainy Day" from Love Among the Ruins Love Among the Ruins (album) Love Among the Ruins was the first album released by 10,000 Maniacs with their new lead singer, Mary Ramsey after the 1993 departure of Natalie Merchant. The two singles from the album, "More Than This" and "Rainy Day", were not originally slated to be included on the album at all... with then lead singer Mary Ramsey Mary Ramsey Mary Ramsey , currently a resident of Buffalo, NY is a member of folk duo John & Mary and lead singer for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.- Biography :... |