Austin Lounge Lizards
Encyclopedia
The Austin Lounge Lizards are a band from Austin, Texas
formed in 1980. The band includes founding members Hank Card and Conrad Deisler, along with Darcie Deaville (2008) and Bruce Jones
(2010). The third founding member, Tom Pittman, retired from the band in the spring of 2011.
The band started out experimenting with folk
but was still heavily country in its style, combining the bluegrass
form with which Pittman was familiar with the progressive-themed folk rock
Card and Deisler had been accustomed to. Between the members a large number of different instruments have been played, including a rich variety of string instruments such as the banjo
, mandolin
, and fiddle.
The band got its name because, Deisler explained, "I think it was a slang term I'd heard my grandmother use to describe gentlemen of easy virtue who hung around in bars. When we started out, that's just what we were doing—hanging out and playing for beer and tips and stuff like that." The Austin Lounge Lizards began by playing covers, but eventually they wanted to move towards trying to write their own songs.
The sound became less country and progressed more to politically-aware songs. The songs they wrote tended to be humorous in an extremely off-beat way, in addition to their political nature, in a way reminiscent of Country Joe McDonald
's Fixing to Die Rag. These songs tend to have primarily liberal
messages, "The Ballad of Ronald Reagan
", criticizes the Republican
American president, while "Gingrich the Newt" criticizes the then Speaker
of the United States House of Representatives
, Newt Gingrich
. One of their most famous songs, "Saguaro" co-written by Ann Clardy , is based on the story of David Grundman, who died from shooting a cactus (see cactus plugging
).
All the group’s members contribute to songwriting, but the two principal songwriters have been Card and Deisler. Card’s lyrics often rely on clever word plays, double entendres, and off-beat but sometimes poignant narratives about ordinary life. His most frequent subject matter is love, especially comically forlorn yearning. (Example: The Dogs, they Really Miss You.) Deisler’s lyrics, in contrast, focus on the existentially absurd, often combining absurdly unexpected pairings (such as making Richard Petty
the subject of a surreal Luis Buñuel
film) as well as pitiable, sometimes lovable characters bewilderingly unaware of their own absurdity and oddness (Example: Wendell the Uncola Man). A recurring theme is the inanity of country music clichés, for example the "we were happier when we were poor" trope exaggerated into absurdity in "Love in a Refrigerator Box". Deisler's lyrics also marry comedy with a remarkably dark vision of humanity and its future (Example: Bonfire of the Inanities).
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
formed in 1980. The band includes founding members Hank Card and Conrad Deisler, along with Darcie Deaville (2008) and Bruce Jones
Bruce Jones
Ian Roy Jones is an English actor, best known for his role as cab driver Les Battersby-Brown in Coronation Street. He left the role in 2007. His real name is Ian Roy Jones, but he took the name of his father for professional purposes.-Early life:Jones was born to Bruce and Irene Jones in...
(2010). The third founding member, Tom Pittman, retired from the band in the spring of 2011.
The band started out experimenting with folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
but was still heavily country in its style, combining the bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
form with which Pittman was familiar with the progressive-themed folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
Card and Deisler had been accustomed to. Between the members a large number of different instruments have been played, including a rich variety of string instruments such as the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and fiddle.
The band got its name because, Deisler explained, "I think it was a slang term I'd heard my grandmother use to describe gentlemen of easy virtue who hung around in bars. When we started out, that's just what we were doing—hanging out and playing for beer and tips and stuff like that." The Austin Lounge Lizards began by playing covers, but eventually they wanted to move towards trying to write their own songs.
The sound became less country and progressed more to politically-aware songs. The songs they wrote tended to be humorous in an extremely off-beat way, in addition to their political nature, in a way reminiscent of Country Joe McDonald
Country Joe McDonald
Country Joe McDonald is an American musician who was the lead singer of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Country Joe and the Fish.-Personal life:...
's Fixing to Die Rag. These songs tend to have primarily liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
messages, "The Ballad of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
", criticizes the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
American president, while "Gingrich the Newt" criticizes the then Speaker
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
. One of their most famous songs, "Saguaro" co-written by Ann Clardy , is based on the story of David Grundman, who died from shooting a cactus (see cactus plugging
Cactus plugging
Cactus plugging is the practice of vandalizing or destroying a cactus,usually a saguaro, for fun. Typically the cactus is cut open, drained, then packed with explosives and ignited...
).
All the group’s members contribute to songwriting, but the two principal songwriters have been Card and Deisler. Card’s lyrics often rely on clever word plays, double entendres, and off-beat but sometimes poignant narratives about ordinary life. His most frequent subject matter is love, especially comically forlorn yearning. (Example: The Dogs, they Really Miss You.) Deisler’s lyrics, in contrast, focus on the existentially absurd, often combining absurdly unexpected pairings (such as making Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
the subject of a surreal Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
film) as well as pitiable, sometimes lovable characters bewilderingly unaware of their own absurdity and oddness (Example: Wendell the Uncola Man). A recurring theme is the inanity of country music clichés, for example the "we were happier when we were poor" trope exaggerated into absurdity in "Love in a Refrigerator Box". Deisler's lyrics also marry comedy with a remarkably dark vision of humanity and its future (Example: Bonfire of the Inanities).
Discography
- Creatures From the Black Saloon (1984)
- The Highway Cafe of the Damned (1988)
- Lizard Vision (1991)
- Paint Me on Velvet (1993)
- Small Minds (1995)
- Employee of the Month (1998)
- Never an Adult Moment (2000)
- Strange Noises in the Dark (2004)
- The Drugs I Need (2006)