Timbuk 3
Encyclopedia
Timbuk3 was an American post-punk
band which released six original studio album
s between 1986 and 1995 that were produced by Derrick Vedrani. They are most well known for their Top 20 single "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
". The band's music has been featured on more than 20 compilations
and soundtrack album
s.
, Wisconsin
by the husband
and wife
team of Pat MacDonald (acoustic
, electric
, bass
and MIDI
guitar
s, harmonica
, vocals, drum
programming
) and Barbara K. MacDonald
(electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin
, violin
, rhythm programming, vocals).
Timbuk3 was signed by I.R.S. Records
after appearing on an episode of MTV
's The Cutting Edge in 1986. Soon after, they released their first album
, Greetings from Timbuk 3
, which included their only single
to chart
, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
". That song
has had numerous movie
and television
appearances over the years since its release, and been included in numerous compilation
CDs
. Also from the same album, the song "Shame On You" was played during the opening scene of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, released in 1986. The band
was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist
in 1987. They appeared onscreen as the house band
in a bar
in the 1988 film
, D.O.A.
After their successful debut, Timbuk3 receded from the spotlight but went on to record
five more critically acclaimed albums. They were joined in 1991 by Wally Ingram
and Courtney Audain
.
The group broke up in 1995, with the ex-members going on to record other music independently. Pat MacDonald moved to Barcelona
and recorded several albums for Ulftone, a German
indie label (Sleeps With his Guitar, Begging Her Graces, Degrees of Gone, In the Red Room (a live album) and Strange Love: PM does DM, a collection of Depeche Mode
covers
). Of those, only Sleeps With His Guitar was released in the U.S. His 2007 effort, Troubadour of Stomp on the Broken Halo label
, was his first U.S.
release since 1997.
Barbara K. MacDonald has released two albums: Ready, and Undercover which is set of acoustic covers of Timbuk3 songs. She is currently working as part of Sparrow's Wheel, an Austin label for independent music, and a new group, Ghosts and Sparrows.
The first six Timbuk3 albums are currently out-of-print in the United States. A live CD "Espace Ornano" can be purchased from the band's official website.
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
band which released six original studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s between 1986 and 1995 that were produced by Derrick Vedrani. They are most well known for their Top 20 single "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
"The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" is a song by Timbuk3. It is the opening track from their debut album, Greetings from Timbuk 3. It was released by I.R.S. Records in 1986. The song made the Top 20 in the United States and The United Kingdom .- Background :The inspiration for the song,...
". The band's music has been featured on more than 20 compilations
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
and soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
s.
Career
Timbuk3 was formed in 1984 in MadisonMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
by the husband
Husband
A husband is a male participant in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the husband regarding his spouse and others, and his status in the community and in law, vary between cultures and has varied over time...
and wife
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
team of Pat MacDonald (acoustic
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electric
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface
MIDI is an industry-standard protocol, first defined in 1982 by Gordon Hall, that enables electronic musical instruments , computers and other electronic equipment to communicate and synchronize with each other...
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, vocals, drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
programming
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
) and Barbara K. MacDonald
Barbara K. MacDonald
Barbara Kooyman Barbara Kooyman (also known as by her stage name Barbara K and formerly Barbara K. MacDonald) Barbara Kooyman (also known as by her stage name Barbara K and formerly Barbara K. MacDonald) (born October 4, 1958 in Wausau, Wisconsin is an American singer-songwriter based in Austin,...
(electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 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...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, rhythm programming, vocals).
Timbuk3 was signed by I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
after appearing on an episode of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's The Cutting Edge in 1986. Soon after, they released their first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Greetings from Timbuk 3
Greetings from Timbuk 3
Greetings from Timbuk 3 was the debut album from Timbuk 3. The album contains their only charting single, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades".-Track listing:...
, which included their only single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
to chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
"The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" is a song by Timbuk3. It is the opening track from their debut album, Greetings from Timbuk 3. It was released by I.R.S. Records in 1986. The song made the Top 20 in the United States and The United Kingdom .- Background :The inspiration for the song,...
". That song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
has had numerous movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
appearances over the years since its release, and been included in numerous compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
CDs
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
. Also from the same album, the song "Shame On You" was played during the opening scene of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, released in 1986. The band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
in 1987. They appeared onscreen as the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
in a bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in the 1988 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, D.O.A.
D.O.A. (1988 film)
D.O.A. is a 1988 very loose remake of the 1950 film noir of the same name, sharing the same premise but otherwise having a different story and characters....
After their successful debut, Timbuk3 receded from the spotlight but went on to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
five more critically acclaimed albums. They were joined in 1991 by Wally Ingram
Wally Ingram
Wally Ingram is an American drummer and musician. He is most famous as a member of the band, Timbuk 3.In recent years, he has toured with the multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, and released several records with him :* 2000 : Twango Bango Deluxe...
and Courtney Audain
Courtney Audain
Courtney Audain is an American bass guitarist and musician. He is best known as a member of the band Timbuk 3. Audain joined the band in 1991 and remained until their break-up in 1995.-References:...
.
The group broke up in 1995, with the ex-members going on to record other music independently. Pat MacDonald moved to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and recorded several albums for Ulftone, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
indie label (Sleeps With his Guitar, Begging Her Graces, Degrees of Gone, In the Red Room (a live album) and Strange Love: PM does DM, a collection of Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
). Of those, only Sleeps With His Guitar was released in the U.S. His 2007 effort, Troubadour of Stomp on the Broken Halo label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, was his first U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
release since 1997.
Barbara K. MacDonald has released two albums: Ready, and Undercover which is set of acoustic covers of Timbuk3 songs. She is currently working as part of Sparrow's Wheel, an Austin label for independent music, and a new group, Ghosts and Sparrows.
The first six Timbuk3 albums are currently out-of-print in the United States. A live CD "Espace Ornano" can be purchased from the band's official website.
Single
- "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear ShadesThe Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades"The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" is a song by Timbuk3. It is the opening track from their debut album, Greetings from Timbuk 3. It was released by I.R.S. Records in 1986. The song made the Top 20 in the United States and The United Kingdom .- Background :The inspiration for the song,...
" (1986) - Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
# 19; UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
# 21
Albums
- Greetings from Timbuk 3Greetings from Timbuk 3Greetings from Timbuk 3 was the debut album from Timbuk 3. The album contains their only charting single, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades".-Track listing:...
(1986) - Billboard Hot 200 # 50; UK Albums ChartUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
# 51 - Eden Alley (1988) - Billboard Hot 200 # 107
- Edge of Allegiance (1989)
- Big Shot in the DarkBig Shot in the DarkBig Shot in the Dark is the fourth album from Timbuk 3, and their debut as a four-piece band. It was the first major release for Trinidad-Tobago native Courtney Audain who played bass and added steel drums to the group's instrumentation, and for drummer/percussionist Wally Ingram who later went on...
(1991) - Some Of The Best Of Timbuk3: Field Guide (1992) [the 45, 'Assholes On Parade' appears on CD only here]
- Espace Ornano (1993) - their only live albumLive albumA live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
[recorded live, Espace Ornano, Paris, France, Nov 1991] - Looks Like Dark To Me (1994) - 6-track EP
- A Hundred LoversA Hundred LoversA Hundred Lovers is the sixth and final album from Timbuk 3. It was released in 1995.-Track listing:# "Sunshine is Dangerous"# "A Hundred Lovers"# "Just Wanna Funk With Your Mind"# "Legalize our Love"# "Cynical"# "Not Yet Gone"# "Prey"...
(1995)
See also
- Grammy Award for Best New ArtistGrammy Award for Best New ArtistThe Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
- List of 1980s one-hit wonders in the United States
External links
- Timbuk3 official website
- Pat MacDonald official website
- The Legendary Sons of Crack Daniels official website
- Record Label website
- Timbuk3 discography at Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
- Pat MacDonald's Steel Bridge Songfest project