Love Tractor
Encyclopedia
Love Tractor was a band from Athens, Georgia
and like The B-52's
, Pylon
and R.E.M.
, was recognized as a founder of the Athens, Georgia alternative rock scene
. Love Tractor toured extensively and recorded five critically acclaimed albums during the 1980s—and was particularly known for their instrumental rock
.
After a return to the public eye in the late '90s, Love Tractor released 2001's The Sky At Night. The group disbanded in 2002.
(future R.E.M. drummer), and studio keyboard player Alfredo Villar (of Fans) were soon added. Love Tractor originally performed only instrumental material, but vocals from Richmond were added starting with their second album.
The band first signed to DB Records
, their first release being a self-titled album, produced by Bruce Baxter and Alfredo Villar. 1983 saw second album Around the Bend; while on a tour promoting that album's release, Jon Pareles
of The New York Times
saw them at the Danceteria
; in his September 1983 review, he said:
After two albums in 1984, the band signed to Big Time (America), releasing This Ain't No Outer Space Ship in 1987. After a final album in 1989 (Themes from Venus), the band split up. Wellford later joined Gutterball
. Later, the original lineup (with several different drummers replacing Schwartz) recorded for RCA
and Razor and Tie Records. The band stopped touring in 1992, but Cline, Richmond, and Wellford continued to meet every couple of years in Athens to write songs. The band re-formed in 1996 as a performing entity eventually recording 2001's 'The Sky at Night' for Razor and Tie.
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
and like The B-52's
The B-52's
The B-52's are an American rock band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider , Kate Pierson , Cindy Wilson , Ricky Wilson , and Keith Strickland . Following Ricky Wilson's death in 1985 Strickland switched to guitar...
, Pylon
Pylon (band)
Pylon is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The band's danceable jangle pop sound influenced the Athens music scene and the 1980s American pop underground. Allmusic wrote that Pylon's "role as elder statesmen of the alternative rock explosion is unassailable".-History:All four members of...
and R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, was recognized as a founder of the Athens, Georgia alternative rock scene
Music of Athens, Georgia
The music of Athens, Georgia, includes a wide variety of popular music and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and New Wave. The city is well known as the home of chart-topping bands like R.E.M. and The B-52s, and several long-time indie rock groups...
. Love Tractor toured extensively and recorded five critically acclaimed albums during the 1980s—and was particularly known for their instrumental rock
Instrumental rock
Instrumental rock is a type of rock music which emphasizes musical instruments, and which features very little or no singing.Examples of instrumental rock can be found in practically every subgenre of rock, often from musicians who specialize in the style, most notably Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Link...
.
After a return to the public eye in the late '90s, Love Tractor released 2001's The Sky At Night. The group disbanded in 2002.
History
The band was formed in the spring of 1980 by guitarists Mark Cline and Mike Richmond. The band played their first few gigs with no bassist and a drum machine, but bassist/multi-instrumentalist/artist Armistead Wellford, drummers Kit Schwartz (formerly of Side Effects) and Bill BerryBill Berry
William "Bill" Thomas Berry is a retired American musician, multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other instruments including guitar, bass guitar, and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M....
(future R.E.M. drummer), and studio keyboard player Alfredo Villar (of Fans) were soon added. Love Tractor originally performed only instrumental material, but vocals from Richmond were added starting with their second album.
The band first signed to DB Records
DB Records
DB Records is a record label owned by Danny Beard. The label's headquarters reside in the Wax N Facts record store in the Atlanta, Georgia neighborhood of Little Five Points.-History:In 1978, Danny Beard helped some friends in an Athens, Georgia rock band...
, their first release being a self-titled album, produced by Bruce Baxter and Alfredo Villar. 1983 saw second album Around the Bend; while on a tour promoting that album's release, Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
saw them at the Danceteria
Danceteria
Danceteria was a well-known four-floor nightclub located in New York City which operated from 1980 until 1986 and in the Hamptons until 1995. Throughout its history, the club had seven different locations, three in NYC and four in the Hamptons...
; in his September 1983 review, he said:
"Most of Love Tractor's material moved at the steady pace of 1960's folk-rock, using winsome guitar leads above a cushion of rhythm guitar and a reassuring bass. Like instrumentals by the VenturesThe VenturesThe Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
or the RaybeatsRaybeatsThe Raybeats were an instrumental neo-surf rock combo from New York City that arose from the No Wave musical scene. The original line-up consisted of Don Christensen , Jody Harris , Pat Irwin , and George Scott III .- History :The Raybeats formed in 1979, brought together by George Scott...
, Love Tractor's tunes use two or three recurring segments and little improvisation. But they don't repeat - they develop. Where song lyrics might have told a story, Love Tractor let the texture of the music thicken. The drumming would get busier, or the bass line pushier, or the lead guitar line more intricate; the clear, catchy melodies grew more urgent with each reprise. When a vocal would float in for a few moments, it was just one more unassuming, thoroughly melodic piece of a song."
After two albums in 1984, the band signed to Big Time (America), releasing This Ain't No Outer Space Ship in 1987. After a final album in 1989 (Themes from Venus), the band split up. Wellford later joined Gutterball
Gutterball
Gutterball is a compound word devised from "gutter" and "ball", which has several meanings:*"Gutterball" is a phrase often used in American ten-pin bowling to describe a delivery that falls into one of the gutters before it reaches the pins....
. Later, the original lineup (with several different drummers replacing Schwartz) recorded for RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
and Razor and Tie Records. The band stopped touring in 1992, but Cline, Richmond, and Wellford continued to meet every couple of years in Athens to write songs. The band re-formed in 1996 as a performing entity eventually recording 2001's 'The Sky at Night' for Razor and Tie.
Discography
- Love Tractor (1982) DB RecordsDB RecordsDB Records is a record label owned by Danny Beard. The label's headquarters reside in the Wax N Facts record store in the Atlanta, Georgia neighborhood of Little Five Points.-History:In 1978, Danny Beard helped some friends in an Athens, Georgia rock band...
- Around the Bend (1983) DB
- Till the Cows Come Home (1984) DB
- Wheel of Pleasure (1984) DB
- This Ain't No Outer Space Ship (1987) Big Time RCA
- "Party Train" single (1987) Big Time RCA
- Themes from Venus (1989) DB
- The Sky at Night (2001) Razor & TieRazor & TieRazor & Tie is a New York-based corporation founded in 1990 by Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. The company encompasses a record label with major label distribution , a home video company, a media buying company, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and a direct...