Timothy Sellers is the main dude. An incomplete list of other Artichoke musicians arranged by record:
"26 Animals" -- Christian Gonzalez: bass; Steve Collins: theremin and percussion, Nick Schutz: drums
"Bees" -- Christian Gonzalez: bass; Antonia Romeo: vocals and percussion; Daniel Leyson: guitar; Steve Collins: theremin and percussion. On the record, David Hurlin played drums and Juli Crocket and Lisa Dee sang on many songs.
"Historic Highland Park" -- Daniel Leyson: guitar; Steve Collins: theremin; David Hurlin: drums
"26 Scientists: Volumes One and Two" -- Steve collins' theremin, Sharon McGunigle's accordion, and drums drums drums by Fredo Ortiz, Nick Schutz, Gerry Porter, and cubase futzing.
"Evaporation" and "Sing in Traffic" -- Ezra Siegel: bass; Octavius: guitar; Mark Scanlon: drums
The new record "Is This Feeding Back?" -- Antonia Romeo: vocals and percussion, Christian Gonzalez: bass and wine; Anna Galaspy: accordion; Steve Collins: theremin and percussion with some miming, Nick Schutz: drums.
Influences
how about some swell bands that begin with "b" -- the breeders dave brubeck beck bix beiderbeck bjork blur big black frank black francis bauhaus beatles B-52s beethoven (ludwig van) beethoven (camper van) beat happening beastie boys billie holiday buddy holly bonzo dog band bob dylan bongwater butthole surfers belly belle and sebastian syd barrett benny goodman the blues explosion brian eno count basie
Sounds Like
Michael Erard writes in The New York Times science section "It’s been years since Timothy Sellers, then a budding naturalist, licked a slug. Now he writes pop songs about scientists who were less absurd about their empiricism."
RS at www.usedwigs.com writes about "26 Scientists Volume One: Anning - Malthus" : "What if…They Might Be Giants, Ween, and Camper Van Beethoven broke into Robert Pollard’s studio with a stack of science textbooks and more than a few six-packs? I imagine you’d wind up with something sonically similar to Artichoke’s latest. A fun and stylistically diverse collection of DIY pop-rock, this disc is the first of a proposed two based on the concept of stringing together 26 catchy musical biographies (one for each letter of the alphabet, of course) of historical scientists. That sounds way more highbrow than it actually comes across, though. From the cowboy swagger of "Einstein, Albert" to the percolating "Burbank, Luther," and from the megaphone-voiced rave-up "Galilei, Galileo" to the Beatle-chorused "Darwin, Charles Robert"," this is more School of Rock than science class. This should fit nicely next to the hotly anticipated 5-disc collection by Jay-Z addressing the elements of the periodic table. I hear that "Ununnilium" is particularly bangin’. Standout Tracks: "Malthus, Thomas Robert", "Fuller, Richard Buckminster", "Einstein, Albert", "Burbank, Luther" - RS
"26 Scientists, Volume One: Anning - Malthus." Sounds like a boring book? No way! Its an über-cool new album by the band ARTICHOKE. Featuring eclectic power-pop tunes, one written for a scientist for each letter of the alphabet, its brain-snappingly groovy. Could these folks be the next ARCADE FIRE?" So writes Michael J. Ryan, Ph.D., Curator and Head, Vertebrate Paleontology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
KUCI’s music director kyle olson writes:
"Previously, all I knew about this band is that KUCI had a copy of their album “20 Grit” which was covered in sandpaper and fucked up CDs around it and it sort of always twisted my biscuit. Now, when this album came, I learned that they are working on a two-album set of songs for Scientists (one for every letter of the alphabet). So far, they have one volume, Anning through Malthus, done. Now they put out an album which is, as the title suggests, a song-by-song cover of the famous Sex Pistols album. I was completely ready to pass it off as novelty, but you REALLY haven’t heard “Pretty Vacant” until you’ve heard it sung over a ukulele. No joke: this is REALLY FUCKING GOOD. It’s sort of folksy with great vocals, but with some more upbeat songs fused with electronics. “God Save the Queen” has a kazoo solo for Christ’s sake. What will it take to sell you this?!"
ARTICHOKE - Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Echangeriez-vous votre baril de Sex Pistols contre deux barils d’Artichoke? Non? Et bien vous avez peut-être tort… Non pas que les Californiens soient plus sauvages et brutaux que leurs collègues britanniques, bien au contraire, mais parce qu’ils proposent une relecture fort sympathique de "Never Mind the Bollocks," l’œuvre emblématique des punks londoniens: l’album est repris titre après titre dans un registre plutôt folk et avec beaucoup d’humour (le groupe aime les albums concepts originaux puisqu’il a déjà sorti un album intitulé "26 Scientists Volume One" célébrant 26 scientifiques célèbres, d’Einstein à Marie Curie, et s’apprête à sortir un "Volume Two"). Le groupe de Timothy Sellers s’attaque donc à celui de John Lydon et les chansons des Pistols, dépouillées de leur rage, révèlent des trésors mélodiques insoupçonnés; il faut dire qu’Artichoke les y aide bien en les accompagnant de guitares acoustiques, d’accordéons bucoliques et d’harmonies vocales habiles. Les morceaux, s’ils perdent bien évidemment en agressivité, y gagnent en ironie. Ainsi, le monumental "God Save the Queen" devient une ballade (faussement) enfantine qui rappelle le "I’m Sticking With You" du Velvet Underground. Le terrible "No Feelings" flirte avec la bluette. "Anarchy in the U.K.," dans un registre un poil plus jazz avec sa basse ronde et ses cuivres, est calqué sur le "Close to Me" de The Cure – Artichoke y a ajouté les bêlements d’un troupeau de moutons. Les coups de semonce de "Holidays in the Sun" sont reproduits en frappant une caisse à outils sur le sol. "EMI," charge contre la maison de disques des Sex Pistols, devient une folk-song enjouée. Mais Artichoke ne s’impose aucune règle: "Liar," "Problems" ou "Sub-Mission" conservent une tension rock… Les Sex Pistols sont les premiers à s’être parodiés (sur "The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle" - avec notamment une hilarante version disco de "Anarchy in the U.K."); mais ici, chaque morceau est subtilement réinventé, recyclé, détourné d’une manière tout à fait réjouissante. (Ré-)inventer, recycler, détourner : une démarche très punk finalement...
-- Christophe Dufeu POPNEWS Avril 2007
Am I the first one to get that "Abstract Red Adam" is about the short story, "The Circular ruins" by Jorge Luis Borges? Cool! Thumbs up to 26 scientists too, from a fellow traveler.
-- Lee
Few if any know what he means, but Mark "Flyingman" Caldwell of WAWL 91.5 FM somewhere in Tennesseesays "It makes u ponder over your smooth and wrinkled college cafeteria peas. Fun loud GMO Punk well deserving of a "nobel" spin on the radio."
These days, Artichoke performs 2 different live sets: a "26 Animals" set of songs, played by Timothy Sellers, Chris Gonzalez, Nick Schutz and Steve Collins; and a "Bees" set, with the addition of Daniel Leyson's guitar and Antonia Romeo's vocals and percussion. We often throw in a couple "Historic Highland Park" songs too.
"26 Scientists Volume Two: Newton - Zeno" is here! Thanks for waiting.
The "26 Animals" illustrated songbook and cd is here! Kids have birthdays.
“Historic Highland Park" is here! Howdy neighborino.
Artichoke is best known for 2 concept records about scientists, one for every letter of the alphabet, called "26 Scientists, Volume One: Anning - Malthus" and "26 Scientists, Volume Two: Newton - Zeno." The New York Times science section focused attention on Volume One when it was released in 2005.
Other Artichoke records include "Sing In Traffic" (our Canter's Kibitz Room days!) "Evaporation" (the 17-song extravaganza from "Artichoke 1.0") "20 Grit" (the sandpaper-covered 4 songs from 2004) and the beautiful fiasco of 2006 called "Nevermind the bollocks, here's the Sex Pistols by Artichoke." Note: it's not "bullocks."
All of these cds can be purchased at the official Artichoke website www.artichoketheband.com, at www.cdbaby.com, and at our shows.
And these 5 can be purchased like this:
thanks to all the wonderful friends, fans, and musicians who have been involved with artichoke since it started in 1999!!!
idk im sure this means nothing but ive been saving any extra change i have in order to purchase your albums/ im thinking that i will be purchasing 26 scientists and highland Park, once financially able.
After listening to far too much Miles Davis and Leonard Cohen while eating supper our family decided it was time to change the mood a bit. So after a long day at work and the babysitters we listen to 20 Grit while we stuff our faces. My 3 year old sings along to the ode of the Malthusian Theory and my 1 year throws his dinner around the room to celebrate rock and roll at its finest all the while my wife and I wonder who is this fan "Paul" ?
wished the train ran from here to artichoke for cheapness. Why caused we'd be on it. Sick tunes, so do you guys really like animals or what. ps its good
aardvarks, elephants and yaks... man you guys were SO good last night. it was such a pleasure to meet you kooks. we have got to play more!! your record is great. love always, the beeters
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