Marc Jeffrey (guitar, vocals) 1980-88, 1999, 2008-present.
Richard Maurer (drums) 1980-88, 1999, 2008-present.
Dave Lee (guitar, backing vocals) 1980-83, (bass) 1999, 2008-present.
Jim McCarthy (guitar, vocals) 1983-88, 1999, 2008-present.
John Massetti (bass) 1980-83.
Harlan Gibson (bass) 1983-84.
Danny Hirsch (bass) 1984.
Joe Drake (bass) 1984-88.
Sounds Like
"a sound that compared favorably to both Television and the then-nascent Cali-zona bands (True West, Green on Red, Thin White Rope): heartland songsmithery with guitars in uneasy collaboration and/or comfortable rivalry.... Like the subtler concurrent New Zealand bands couching their pop in muted tones and colors, Band of Outsiders relied not so much on hooks or abandon as an ensnaring ambience."
~~~~ Art Black, Trouser Press
Band of Outsiders were formed in New York City’s East Village in October 1980. While playing the downtown club circuit (Max’s Kansas City, CBGB, A7 etc), the band recorded and released its debut single “Done Away” b/w “Tote Bag Ladies” in 1981. Not long after, a set at the Mudd Club caught the attention of Ivan Kral. The former Patti Smith guitarist produced studio recordings of the band during 1982-84. During this time the band played larger NYC venues (Irving Plaza, Danceteria, Peppermint Lounge, etc), and began performing regularly out of town throughout the DC-Boston corridor. In late 1983, ZigZag magazine editor Kris Needs came to NYC as press agent with Specimen, the house band for the London club, the Batcave. As part of the Specimen’s US launch, a Batcave night was held in NYC at Irving Plaza, featuring Band of Outsiders (who Needs had been a fan of since the first single), and another NYC band, Certain General. Soon after, the two groups put out an album that featured both bands live and in the studio, followed by a joint tour. The album, titled Far Away in America, was released in April 1984 on the groups’ own newly-constituted Sourmash Records label. Needs’ liner notes evangelized the music and outlined the rest of the plan: following a string of gigs in the Northeast, the bands traveled to the UK for a series of London-area shows. Kral-produced sessions from June 1984 were released in the UK on an ep titled Up The River, and in France, along with some 1983 Kral sessions, on an LP titled Everything Takes Forever. Both releases were well received, and as a result the Outsiders would spend much of 1985 touring the UK and Europe and recording in France. April 1985, self-produced sessions in Paris yielded the ep Longer than Always. In October in NYC and November in Paris the group recorded tracks for its album Act of Faith. Throughout 1985 the group was generating rave reviews for its releases and performances in the UK and Europe. And Act of Faith, eventually released over a year after being completed, was hailed in UK fanzines like Bucketful of Brains and Sounds as a masterpiece. In mid-1987, the band self-released an expanded American version (including tracks from Longer than Always), titled Acts of Faith. Thereafter they left for what would be their final European tour, at the end of which they went separate ways. Back in the US, Acts of Faith continued to garner rave reviews in fanzines. On November 11, 1988 the group played a farewell show at CBGB. It was recorded and released as Armistice Day by Nocturnal Records in the US and Conviction Records in the UK. The set included a guest appearance by Nikki Sudden, and the album featured liner notes by the Barracudas’ Jeremy Gluck. In April 1999, the band re-grouped for one show, celebrating the 25th anniversary of CBGBs, on a bill with Certain General and the Fleshtones. In October 2008, the group reformed to play a special benefit show, to help raise money for a liver transplant for Bush Tetras' original bassist, Laura Kennedy. This time they have continued playing, and writing/recording new music.
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Parkside Lounge is the place to be for an evening of East Village (and Brooklyn) guitar bands with Band of Outsiders, Certain General, Tex Wagner, and Nu-Sonics...
Band of Outsiders/Certain General/Jahn Xavier/Nu-Sonics
a full house of great NYC music at the Parkside Lounge - Friday July 31
Band of Outsiders’ only NYC gig of the summer, and a great bill of local talents.
First
up is Jahn Xavier. Formerly of the Nitecaps and Richard Hell’s
Voidoids, presently of Sugartime. Jahn is stepping out with a solo set
as he works on his own new album.
Next, the Nu-Sonics from
Brooklyn. Singer/guitarist Alex Sniderman was a teen discovery of MC5
‘s Wayne Kramer. The band's sound is closer to Neil Young/Crazy Horse
and Big Star. Their set will feature songs from their Eureka EP
The
second half of the evening becomes “Killer Death Tour Revisited”. 25
summers after their joint tour of the American South, Band of Outsiders
and Certain General play back-to-back sets, reaching back and spanning
all the years and music since....
So come early and stay late for a night full of some great New York music.
