Manitoba's Wild Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Manitoba's Wild Kingdom is a heavy metal
and punk rock
band based in New York City
. They are perhaps most notable for consisting, in part, of members of the New York punk band The Dictators
and for being one of the very few musical groups Sandy Pearlman
ever signed to his short-lived record label, Popular Metaphysics
. They were formed in 1989 and still occasionally perform.
, bassist and songwriter Andy Shernoff
, and guitarist Daniel Rey
(Rabinowitz), brother of the late Joey Ramone
of The Ramones, organized to form the band Wild Kingdom. The Dictators had disbanded in late 1978. The three released a cover version of the song, "New York, New York" on the 1988 soundtrack to the film, Mondo New York
.
They signed with Sandy Pearlman (best known for his work with Blue Öyster Cult
), who had also produced albums for The Dictators, on his Pearlman's new label, Popular Metaphysics, which was formerly the San Francisco punk label, 415 Records
. Soon after they began recording, Rey left the band and was replaced in 1989 by guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman, also formerly of The Dictators. The band began billing itself as Manitoba's Wild Kingdom in 1989 after Rey's departure, in shows around the New York
and New Jersey
region. Drummer J.P. Thunderbolt Patterson, who would later become a Dictator too, also joined Manitoba's Wild Kingdom and they continued recording as Manitoba's Wild Kingdom.
Pearlman released the band’s debut album, ...And You?, in 1990, on Popular Metaphysics, co-branded with MCA
. The album is 25 minutes long, contains ten songs, and was released in Germany, the UK, and the US on CD, LP, and cassette. The cover of the album was controversial, in that it depicted an image from a Nazi recruiting poster from World War II
. The Dictators had experienced similar provocation around their first album, Go Girl Crazy, which contained the songs, "Master Race Rock" and "Back to Africa." Perhaps ironic was the fact that most bandmembers, of both bands, were and are Jewish. The album itself was well-received. Rolling Stone calling it "the first great punk rock album of the '90s", and All Music Guide's Geoff Ginsberg called the album "amazing", and also said of it, "Twenty-five minutes of blazing, cleanly recorded punk/metal, the disc is close to perfect, if a bit short.". They filmed a video for the song "The Party Starts Now!!", featuring the future Mrs. Kelsey Grammer, Camille Donatacci, that received regular airplay on MTV and rose to #8 on its Video Countdown in the summer of 1990.
The band did a club tour that year and then in 1991, rhythm guitarist Scott Kempner
, formerly of both The Dictators original lineup and the Del Lords
, joined the band, whereupon they became The Dictators again. They still perform occasionally as Manitobas Wild Kingdom; their most recent performance having been at the 2008 Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, with a lineup that featured Manitoba, Shernoff, Friedman and Patterson.
Their album ...And You? was re-released in 2009 on LP & CD on American Beat Records in the US. The Dictators still play songs from Manitoba's Wild Kingdom's album, and frequently open their shows with either New York, New York or The Party Starts Now! Daniel Rey currently plays with The Martinets.
)
Tracklist
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. They are perhaps most notable for consisting, in part, of members of the New York punk band The Dictators
The Dictators
The Dictators are an American punk rock band formed in New York City in 1973. Critic John Dougan said that they were "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth." The Dictators are represented in the "Punk Wing" of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio...
and for being one of the very few musical groups Sandy Pearlman
Sandy Pearlman
Sandy Pearlman is an American music producer, artist manager, professor, poet, songwriter, and once was a record company executive...
ever signed to his short-lived record label, Popular Metaphysics
Popular Metaphysics
Popular Metaphysics was a record label created by Sandy Pearlman in Studio C of the Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco in 1989. The label was short lived, but it signed a few solid acts and released their records on the MCA label, including Love Club , Manitoba's Wild Kingdom, and World...
. They were formed in 1989 and still occasionally perform.
History
In late 1986, former members of The Dictators, vocalist Richard ManitobaRichard Manitoba
Richard "Handsome Dick" Manitoba is an American punk rock singer and radio personality, best known as the lead singer of the New York City band The Dictators.- Background :...
, bassist and songwriter Andy Shernoff
Andy Shernoff
Andy Shernoff is a musician, songwriter, record producer and oenophile.He is a founding member of The Dictators, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and keyboards, and sang backing vocals and occasional leads...
, and guitarist Daniel Rey
Daniel Rey
Daniel Rey is an American musician, music producer and songwriter from New York City best known for his work with the Ramones....
(Rabinowitz), brother of the late Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
of The Ramones, organized to form the band Wild Kingdom. The Dictators had disbanded in late 1978. The three released a cover version of the song, "New York, New York" on the 1988 soundtrack to the film, Mondo New York
Mondo New York
Mondo New York is a 1988 Mondo film directed by Harvey Nikolai Keith.-Overview:Mondo New York examines the lives and activities of Manhattan performance artists, and features Joey Arias and Rick Aviles. A number of New York City denizens appear in various sketches, each linked by a young woman's...
.
They signed with Sandy Pearlman (best known for his work with Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
), who had also produced albums for The Dictators, on his Pearlman's new label, Popular Metaphysics, which was formerly the San Francisco punk label, 415 Records
415 Records
415 Records was a San Francisco record label created in 1978. The label focused its efforts on local punk rock and new wave music acts of the late 1970s through the late 1980s, including The Offs, The Nuns, Romeo Void, and Wire Train...
. Soon after they began recording, Rey left the band and was replaced in 1989 by guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman, also formerly of The Dictators. The band began billing itself as Manitoba's Wild Kingdom in 1989 after Rey's departure, in shows around the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
region. Drummer J.P. Thunderbolt Patterson, who would later become a Dictator too, also joined Manitoba's Wild Kingdom and they continued recording as Manitoba's Wild Kingdom.
Pearlman released the band’s debut album, ...And You?, in 1990, on Popular Metaphysics, co-branded with MCA
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. The album is 25 minutes long, contains ten songs, and was released in Germany, the UK, and the US on CD, LP, and cassette. The cover of the album was controversial, in that it depicted an image from a Nazi recruiting poster from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Dictators had experienced similar provocation around their first album, Go Girl Crazy, which contained the songs, "Master Race Rock" and "Back to Africa." Perhaps ironic was the fact that most bandmembers, of both bands, were and are Jewish. The album itself was well-received. Rolling Stone calling it "the first great punk rock album of the '90s", and All Music Guide's Geoff Ginsberg called the album "amazing", and also said of it, "Twenty-five minutes of blazing, cleanly recorded punk/metal, the disc is close to perfect, if a bit short.". They filmed a video for the song "The Party Starts Now!!", featuring the future Mrs. Kelsey Grammer, Camille Donatacci, that received regular airplay on MTV and rose to #8 on its Video Countdown in the summer of 1990.
The band did a club tour that year and then in 1991, rhythm guitarist Scott Kempner
Scott Kempner
Scott "Top Ten" Kempner is the rhythm guitarist with The Dictators since they formed in 1974. He is also a founding member of The Del-Lords....
, formerly of both The Dictators original lineup and the Del Lords
Del Lords
The Del-Lords are an American rock'n'roll band that formed in New York City in 1982, founded by The Dictators' guitarist Scott Kempner. The band combined elements of '60s garage rock with country, blues, and folk influences to become one of the initial progenitors of urban-roots-rock...
, joined the band, whereupon they became The Dictators again. They still perform occasionally as Manitobas Wild Kingdom; their most recent performance having been at the 2008 Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, with a lineup that featured Manitoba, Shernoff, Friedman and Patterson.
Their album ...And You? was re-released in 2009 on LP & CD on American Beat Records in the US. The Dictators still play songs from Manitoba's Wild Kingdom's album, and frequently open their shows with either New York, New York or The Party Starts Now! Daniel Rey currently plays with The Martinets.
Discography
...And You? (19901990 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
)
Tracklist
- The Party Starts Now!! 2:09
- Haircut And Attitude 3:10
- New York, New York 3:04
- D.W.I. 2:30
- I Want You, Tonight 2:38
- Fired Up 2:50
- The Perfect High 2:40
- Had It Coming 2:17
- Prototype 2:52
- Speedball 2:12