Raybeats
Encyclopedia
The 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 (drums), Jody Harris
(guitar), Pat Irwin
(guitar, saxophone, Acetone organ), and George Scott III
(bass).
, and he had worked with Pat Irwin in 8-Eyed Spy
. When Scott died from a drug overdose in August 1980, he was replaced by Danny Amis. Amis left in the spring of 1982, after which the Raybeats used several bassists-for-hire, including David Hofstra, Bobby Albertson and Gene Holder. Amis later formed Los Straitjackets
.
With Amis, the Raybeats recorded an EP
called Roping Wild Bears, which was released in 1981. Later that year, they recorded and released a full-length album titled Guitar Beat produced by Martin Rushent
. It featured ten original tunes, plus a cover of Jan Berry's "B-Gas Rickshaw." After Amis's departure in 1982, the Raybeats recorded one more album, It's Only A Movie!, which was released on Shanachie Records
in 1983. They disbanded in 1984.
In 1990, Christensen, Harris and Irwin reunited one more time, playing a benefit concert for the Brooklyn Academy of Music
. Jared Nickerson played bass.
On August 21, 2010 Pat Irwin, Jody Harris, Don Christensen, with Gail Ann Dorsey on bass backed up Adele Bertei (Contortions/The Bloods) at Joe's Pub in Greenwich Village. They played another show on August 25, 2010 at Bowery Electric (327 Bowery at 2nd Street). Also on the bill is Faith as well as Command V which is a band consisting of Pat Irwin, Cynthia Sley (Bush Tetras) and filmmaker Rachel Dengiz. On June 29, 2011, the Raybeats are scheduled to play at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, headlining a benefit concert to help raise funds to cover medical expenses for former bassist Danny Amis.
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
neo-surf rock combo
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from New York City that arose from the No Wave
No Wave
No Wave was a short-lived but influential underground music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City. The term No Wave is in part satirical word play rejecting the commercial elements of the then-popular New Wave genre...
musical scene. The original line-up consisted of Don Christensen (drums), Jody Harris
Jody Harris
Jody Harris is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer who was born in Kansas and became a central figure in the seminal No Wave scene in New York City in the 1970s.-Career history:...
(guitar), Pat Irwin
Pat Irwin
Pat Irwin is an American composer and musician, who was a founding member of a number of groups that grew out of New York City's No Wave scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including 8-Eyed Spy and Raybeats. He has composed the scores for numerous films and cartoons...
(guitar, saxophone, Acetone organ), and George Scott III
George Scott III
George Scott III was a bass player for several New York City bands during the No Wave era. He was a founding member of 8-Eyed Spy and the Raybeats, and he worked with James Chance and the Contortions, James White and the Blacks, Human Switchboard, and John Cale, among others.- Biography :George...
(bass).
History
The Raybeats formed in 1979, brought together by George Scott. He had worked with Jody Harris and Don Christensen in James Chance and the ContortionsJames Chance and the Contortions
James Chance and the Contortions, led by saxophonist and vocalist James Chance, were one of the original punk jazz groups of the New York No Wave music scene. Their first recording, credited solely as Contortions, was on the 1978 compilation, No New York, produced by Brain Eno...
, and he had worked with Pat Irwin in 8-Eyed Spy
8-Eyed Spy
8-Eyed Spy was a late 1970s No Wave/Post-punk band featuring Lydia Lunch, Jim Sclavunos, Pat Irwin, Michael Paumgardhen and George Scott III. They covered the Swamp rock classic "Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit"...
. When Scott died from a drug overdose in August 1980, he was replaced by Danny Amis. Amis left in the spring of 1982, after which the Raybeats used several bassists-for-hire, including David Hofstra, Bobby Albertson and Gene Holder. Amis later formed Los Straitjackets
Los Straitjackets
Los Straitjackets is an American instrumental rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1988. Originally comprising guitarists Danny Amis and Eddie Angel and drummer L. J. "Jimmy" Lester under the name The Straitjackets, the band split up soon after forming and reunited as Los Straitjackets...
.
With Amis, the Raybeats recorded an EP
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 Roping Wild Bears, which was released in 1981. Later that year, they recorded and released a full-length album titled Guitar Beat produced by Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
. It featured ten original tunes, plus a cover of Jan Berry's "B-Gas Rickshaw." After Amis's departure in 1982, the Raybeats recorded one more album, It's Only A Movie!, which was released on Shanachie Records
Shanachie Records
Shanachie Records was founded in 1976 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. According to Harvey Pekar , it is one of the largest independent record labels in the world, and is currently distributed by E1 Music. Starting as a label that specialized in fiddle music, they began releasing work by Celtic...
in 1983. They disbanded in 1984.
In 1990, Christensen, Harris and Irwin reunited one more time, playing a benefit concert for the Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, United States, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance....
. Jared Nickerson played bass.
On August 21, 2010 Pat Irwin, Jody Harris, Don Christensen, with Gail Ann Dorsey on bass backed up Adele Bertei (Contortions/The Bloods) at Joe's Pub in Greenwich Village. They played another show on August 25, 2010 at Bowery Electric (327 Bowery at 2nd Street). Also on the bill is Faith as well as Command V which is a band consisting of Pat Irwin, Cynthia Sley (Bush Tetras) and filmmaker Rachel Dengiz. On June 29, 2011, the Raybeats are scheduled to play at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, headlining a benefit concert to help raise funds to cover medical expenses for former bassist Danny Amis.
Discography
- Roping Wild Bears EPExtended playAn 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...
(Don't Fall Off the Mountain \ Beggars Banquet 1981) - Guitar BeatGuitar BeatGuitar Beat is the debut album by neo-surf combo the Raybeats. It was produced by Martin Rushent. The album features ten original instrumentals, plus a Jan and Dean cover....
(Don't Fall Off the Mountain [UK] \ PVC/Passport Records [US] 1981) - It's Only A Movie! (Shanachie 1983)
Compilations
- Start Swimming (Stiff RecordsStiff RecordsStiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
1981) (recorded live at the Rainbow (London) on 20 Feb 1981) - Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976-1995Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The Second Psychedelic Era, 1976-1995Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995 is a four compact disc compilation album of alternative pop music recorded between 1976 and 1995, although most of the recordings are from the 1980s. It was released on Rhino Records in 2005...
(Rhino 2005)