The Swirling Eddies
Encyclopedia
The Swirling Eddies are a band that began as an anonymous spinoff from the band Daniel Amos
, along with new drummer David Raven.
s for the liner notes; "Camarillo Eddy" (Terry Scott Taylor
), "Berger Roy Al" (Tim Chandler
), "Gene Pool" (Greg Flesch
), "Arthur Fhardy" (Rob Watson
), "Spot" (Jerry Chamberlain
), and "Hort Elvison" (David Raven). These pseudonyms were dropped for their third album, "Zoom Daddy
". Over the years new Eddies appeared on the bands albums including "Prickly Disco" (Gene Eugene
), Picky Swelly, Newt York Newt York, Derry Air, and Judy Ism. "Guest Eddies," a term used for musicians that contributed musically to one of the bands projects also made appearances on nearly every album. The list of "Guest Eddies" includes Buckeye Jazzbo, Miracle Babe, Mary Baker Eddy, Jeb McSwaggart, Mike Roe, and Eddie DeGarmo
. As early as 1991, Taylor saw the Eddies as an ever-evolving and ever-growing family of like minded musicians. At that time, in an interview with Harvest Rock Syndicate, Taylor explained that the plan was to "(open) the Eddies up to even more artists, sort of make the Eddies this conglomerate of different people that I've always wanted to work with, and have a lot of song-writing teams involved and different lead singers. Just make it this mass of people, that sort of fluctuates and changes."
Other characters, and pseudonyms associated with the band over the years include the fictional manager Morty Allen, jr., Sweaty & Bloated Management, Lounge Singer Nick Deletchi, Presty Gomez, Rockabye Sweetheart, Lenny Wagonmaster, Wildfire Friz the Shasta Man, Blue Joe Roundabout, the Silky Smooth Scrubby Muffin, The Grimmace Groove Dough Boy, The Hot Trottin' Dictator, Simeon Krease, and Coco the Talking Guitar.
The band released its debut album on Alarma Records
in 1988 entitled Let's Spin!. Outdoor Elvis, released in 1989, featured the band's first two radio singles, "Driving in England" and "Hide the Beer, the Pastor's Here!". The title track included lines such as: "It's said he croons when the moon's above, singing tenderly 'Hunk of Burning Love.'" The band's documentary video, Spittle and Phlegm was released the following year.
The Eddies' stage shows are rare and unusual, to say the least. Since the band was formed in the late 1980s, they have only performed about six or seven live concerts. In 1990, the band performed at The Cornerstone Festival
in drag, belting out covers like "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar", The Animals
' "We've Got To Get Out Of This Place", The Beatles
' "I Want to Hold Your Hand
", and Louis Armstrong
's "What a Wonderful World
".
In 2004, the band began to work on their first album of original, new material in ten years entitled The midget, the speck and the molecule
. The first new song to surface, a rough mix of "Giants in the Land," was made available in March 2007 exclusively to people that preordered the album before it was finished. The recording sessions ended in May 2007 and the album was released on July 23, 2007
Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos is a rock band formed in 1974 by Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and vocals, Marty Dieckmeyer on bass guitar, Steve Baxter on guitars and Jerry Chamberlain on lead guitars. Current members include bassist Tim Chandler, guitarist Greg Flesch and drummer Ed McTaggart...
, along with new drummer David Raven.
Career
For each Swirling Eddies release, band members adopted pseudonymPseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s for the liner notes; "Camarillo Eddy" (Terry Scott Taylor
Terry Scott Taylor
Terry Scott Taylor is an American songwriter, record producer, writer and founding member of the bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies . Taylor is also a member of the roots and alternative music group, Lost Dogs. He is currently based in San Jose, California, USA.Taylor is highly regarded for...
), "Berger Roy Al" (Tim Chandler
Tim Chandler
Tim Chandler is a bass guitar player, best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies and The Choir....
), "Gene Pool" (Greg Flesch
Greg Flesch
Greg Flesch is a guitarist and musician, best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies .Flesch joined D.A...
), "Arthur Fhardy" (Rob Watson
Rob Watson
Robert D. Watson is a keyboard player, producer and composer best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies...
), "Spot" (Jerry Chamberlain
Jerry Chamberlain
Jerry Chamberlain , is a United States singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer, best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies ....
), and "Hort Elvison" (David Raven). These pseudonyms were dropped for their third album, "Zoom Daddy
Zoom Daddy
Zoom Daddy is the title of the third album by rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 1994 on Alarma Records. It was released almost simultaneously with Terry Scott Taylor's other project the Daniel Amos album Bibleland....
". Over the years new Eddies appeared on the bands albums including "Prickly Disco" (Gene Eugene
Gene Eugene
Gene "Eugene" Andrusco was a Canadian born actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician. Andrusco was best known as the leader of the funk/rock band Adam Again, a member of The Swirling Eddies and as a founding member of the roots music supergroup Lost Dogs.-Acting:Andrusco was a child...
), Picky Swelly, Newt York Newt York, Derry Air, and Judy Ism. "Guest Eddies," a term used for musicians that contributed musically to one of the bands projects also made appearances on nearly every album. The list of "Guest Eddies" includes Buckeye Jazzbo, Miracle Babe, Mary Baker Eddy, Jeb McSwaggart, Mike Roe, and Eddie DeGarmo
Eddie DeGarmo
Eddie DeGarmo is an American Contemporary Christian music recording artist, keyboardist, producer and singer. Became best friends with guitarist/lead vocalist Dana Key since the first grade, DeGarmo co-founded the Christian rock group DeGarmo and Key in 1978...
. As early as 1991, Taylor saw the Eddies as an ever-evolving and ever-growing family of like minded musicians. At that time, in an interview with Harvest Rock Syndicate, Taylor explained that the plan was to "(open) the Eddies up to even more artists, sort of make the Eddies this conglomerate of different people that I've always wanted to work with, and have a lot of song-writing teams involved and different lead singers. Just make it this mass of people, that sort of fluctuates and changes."
Other characters, and pseudonyms associated with the band over the years include the fictional manager Morty Allen, jr., Sweaty & Bloated Management, Lounge Singer Nick Deletchi, Presty Gomez, Rockabye Sweetheart, Lenny Wagonmaster, Wildfire Friz the Shasta Man, Blue Joe Roundabout, the Silky Smooth Scrubby Muffin, The Grimmace Groove Dough Boy, The Hot Trottin' Dictator, Simeon Krease, and Coco the Talking Guitar.
The band released its debut album on Alarma Records
Alarma Records
Alarma Records is a sublabel of Frontline Records.Alarma! Records and Tapes was originally formed in 1983 by the band Daniel Amos, with musician Tom Howard, for the release of their Doppelgänger album...
in 1988 entitled Let's Spin!. Outdoor Elvis, released in 1989, featured the band's first two radio singles, "Driving in England" and "Hide the Beer, the Pastor's Here!". The title track included lines such as: "It's said he croons when the moon's above, singing tenderly 'Hunk of Burning Love.'" The band's documentary video, Spittle and Phlegm was released the following year.
The Eddies' stage shows are rare and unusual, to say the least. Since the band was formed in the late 1980s, they have only performed about six or seven live concerts. In 1990, the band performed at The Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
in drag, belting out covers like "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar", The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
' "We've Got To Get Out Of This Place", The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment....
", and Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
's "What a Wonderful World
What a Wonderful World
"What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released as a single in 1968. Thiele and Weiss were both prominent in the music world . Armstrong's recording was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999...
".
In 2004, the band began to work on their first album of original, new material in ten years entitled The midget, the speck and the molecule
The midget, the speck and the molecule
the midget, the speck and the molecule is the title of the latest album by rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 2007 on Stunt Records....
. The first new song to surface, a rough mix of "Giants in the Land," was made available in March 2007 exclusively to people that preordered the album before it was finished. The recording sessions ended in May 2007 and the album was released on July 23, 2007
Albums
- Let's Spin!Let's Spin!Let's Spin! is the title of the debut album by rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 1988 on Alarma Records.Although the true identities of the Swirling Eddies were later revealed, it remained a complete mystery for most people at the time of this albums release. Frontline Records helped to...
, 1988 album - Outdoor ElvisOutdoor ElvisOutdoor Elvis is the title of the second album by rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 1989 on Alarma Records.The title track found the Swirling Eddies in search of the elusive Elvis Presley who, according to the song, escaped the city by faking his own death and decided to make his home in...
, 1989 album - Zoom DaddyZoom DaddyZoom Daddy is the title of the third album by rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 1994 on Alarma Records. It was released almost simultaneously with Terry Scott Taylor's other project the Daniel Amos album Bibleland....
, 1994 album - The Berry Vest of The Swirling EddiesThe Berry Vest of The Swirling EddiesThe Berry Vest of The Swirling Eddies is the title of compilation album featuring music by the rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 1995 on Alarma Records....
, Best of album featured a bonus track on the tape version only reversing the usual convention of the time of putting bonus tracks on the CD only, 1995 Compilation - Sacred CowsSacred CowsSacred Cows, subtitled "The Songs That Helped Us," is the title of an album featuring the rock band The Swirling Eddies, performing their own less-than-serious versions of popular CCM hits, released in 1996 on StarSong....
, 1996 album - The midget, the speck and the moleculeThe midget, the speck and the moleculethe midget, the speck and the molecule is the title of the latest album by rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 2007 on Stunt Records....
, 2007 album
Special and limited editions
- Swirling Mellow, Released numerous times between 1988 and 2008
Videography
- Spittle & Phlegm, 1990 VHS documentary
- Spittle and Phlegm, 2002 DVD documentary (Reissue)