Van Duren - vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass;
Rob Crockett - backing vocals, drums & percussion;
Terry Ferguson - guitars, backing vocals;
Brady Howle - backing vocals, bass, guitars
Influences
George Harrison, The Beatles, Humphrey Bogart, Brian Wilson, Neil Finn, the Band, Cary Grant, Chris Bell, Harry Nilsson, the Kinks, Emitt Rhodes, Neil Young, Marvin Gaye, Pete Ham, NRBQ. Jules Shear, Rolling Stones, Nick Lowe, Deputy Dawg, 10CC, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Heckle, Evie Sands, the Clash, Procol Harum, the Average White Band, Hank Kimble, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, James Taylor, Robert Palmer, Paul Young, Steve Winwood, Stevie Wonder, Todd Rundgren.
Faves: Tim Horrigan, Probyn Gregory, Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris, Sara Bareilles, Duffy, Allison Krause, Sting, Aimee Mann, Feist, Reba Russell, Grace Askew, Jeremy Stanfill, Nick Redmond, Brandon McGovern, Deering and Down.
Native Memphian Van Duren began his recording career in 1975, one of the pioneers in a musical genre later dubbed Power Pop. He and then-partner Jody Stephens (drummer with the band Big Star) wrote some songs together and recorded them at Ardent Studios in Memphis (some with legendary Rolling Stones producer Andrew Loog Oldham). Soon after, Van and Jody hooked up with another Big Star alumnus, singer/songwriter/guitarist Christopher Bell, and formed the Baker Street Regulars, playing around Memphis for the first half of 1976. In the summer of 1977, Van moved to Greenwich Village and recorded his first solo album for Big Sound Records, Are You Serious?. The album received excellent reviews and was added to over 110 FM radio playlists around the country. A followup, Idiot Optimism, was recorded in 1978 and 79, but was not released in the U.S. until 25 years later (Lucky Seven Records, 2003).
After touring the Northeast for 4 years, Van returned to Memphis in 1981 and played around town with the next incarnation of the Van Duren Band, which featured drummer Richard Rosebrough and 19 year-old keyboardist Rick Steff. In 1982, that band having split up, Duren formed Good Question with Ray Sanders, Greg Reding and Joel Williams. Good Question quickly became one of Memphis's favorite bands, and played throughout the region for 17 years with various lineups that included Memphis players John Hampton, James Lott, Rick Steff, Rob Crockett, Brady Howle, Steve McCraw, and Terry Ferguson. The band released its first album, Thin Disguise, in 1986, and the single from that album, Jane, received heavy airplay on several Memphis radio stations (still remarkable today and a testament to Good Questions popularity). Later, recording at Sun Studio over several years, the band released Chronicles: The Authorized Bootleg in 1992.
In 1998, Van Duren collaborated with Memphis singer/songwriter Tommy Hoehn and formed the Hoehn Duren Band. They recorded and released 2 albums, Hailstone Holiday (Frankenstein Records, 1999) and Blue Orange (Frankenstein Records, 2002), and did a few shows in Memphis to promote the albums.
Meanwhile, in 2003 Terry Manning's Lucky Seven Records released Idiot Optimism in the U.S. (it had been released, along with Are You Serious? and Chemical Fire: Van Duren Live 1978, in 2000 by Airmail Recordings in Japan only). Through a licensing deal with Lucky Seven and featuring a new mastering job by Manning and extensive liner notes by Kent Benjamin, Water Records released Are You Serious? on cd in the U. S. on 22 April 2008. It is currently available at all internet cd vendors.
Van had wanted to do another solo album for years, and he finally took the plunge at the end of 2002. Working with producer/engineer/drummer Rob Crockett at Crocketts Puddin' Truck Studio in Millington, Tennessee, Van began the long-awaited solo project. For over 2 years, Duren and Crockett recorded new songs that Van wrote as the sessions progressed. Most of the tracks were created by overdubbing, by actually playing and singing the parts, creating the arrangements on the spot. A few friends helped as well: Terry Ferguson on electric guitars and mandolin; James Lott on electric guitars; Tim Horrigan on piano; Probyn Gregory (of Brian Wilsons band) on guitars, French horn, trumpet, and backing vocals; Graham Perry ..o and trumpet; and Reba Russell and Brady Howle on backing vocals. The album, Open Secret, was mastered by Terry Manning at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, and was released in August, 2005, on Pure Pop Planet Recordings.
The followup to "Open Secret" is closing in on the finish line. Almost 30 songs have been recorded since September, 2005. A truly remarkable story, with a soundtrack to match. This work is quite possibly the best Van has ever done, with all the passion and originality one has come to expect from this artist. Working again with Rob Crockett along with a few surprise guest stars, a 2008 release date is hoped for. The working title is "Everything Soon". Watch this page for a release date later this year.
As 2008's spring warms into summer, the Van Duren Band has resumed live shows and they are turning out some terrific performances of a lot of great songs. See the blog on the live shows. The band features longtime partner Rob Crockett on drums and vocals, and stalwart Van Duren veterans Terry Ferguson on guitars and vocals, and Brady Howle on vocals, bass, and guitars. A new beginning for some old friends, and a song list spanning more than 30 years of Van's career--wow!
Van Duren Discography
Solo: Are You Serious? Big Sound Records 1978 (US)...also released inAustralia (EMI/Australia), and under the title Staring at the Ceiling on London/Big Sound in the United Kingdom, Germany, Holland,
Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland...remastered and re-released
in 1999 by Airmail Recordings (Japan), cd release in U.S. set for 22 April 2008
Solo: Idiot Optimism recorded 1978-79...released 2000 by Airmail Recordings (Japan); released 2003 by Lucky Seven Records (US & Europe)...co-producer Van Duren
Chemical Fire: Van Duren Live in Concert 1978 released 2001 by Airmail Recordings (Japan)
As Good Question: Thin Disguise Sur Records 1986...remastered and re-released in 2001 by Airmail Recordings (Japan)
As Van Duren & Good Question: Chronicles Music South 1992
Billy Swan Bop to Be 1994 duet/co-writer on Undying Love
With Tommy Hoehn: Hailstone Holiday, Frankenstein Records 1999
...co-producer Van Duren
Blue Orange, Frankenstein Records 2002
...co-producer Van Duren
Solo: Open Secret Pure Pop Planet Recordings 2005
...producer Van Duren
Guitars: Grace Askew, "In 1-2-3", Wasted Lipstick EP, 2008
hey van ... hope you're ok.... i've play new year eve on my last radio show this last wednesday, and the reissue of are you seriuos is describe as a cross of the first big star and the something anything from Rundgren you've got the class my friend! keep the faith !
hey i just got home from work...nice day today...hey ill see ya wednsday at neils lol ill be the guy with tha bama hat on.....thanks for accepting the add,peace,BEN
Hey Van. I enjoyed the show at Neils the other night. I am poor as dirt but hopefully I can see you guys perform again. Oh yeah, was a song on Blue Orange ever in a movie soundtrack? I swear I recognized it the first time I heard the record. Anyhow I hope you continue to fare well and rock out.
HEY!? i may just...?? i'll have a copy of what i did today prolly this weekend... then i'll decide what needs to be done next, (which may be quitting all together, HAHAA! no not really..) ;^)
as far as da "Brains"?... 'preciate ch'ya, and yet absence makes the heart grow fonder...ya'll save a few of those loose women and all those .50cent tips for me on my return...
"she's a drag, a well known drag...we turn the sound down on her and say RUDE THINGS!!"
hey van...... you should have your place in power pop hall of fave.... are you serious refuse to leave my portable cd reader it came with me in paris durin this week and you what?! In paris, gibert store i found some fan of it! seriously its a masterpiece...well and what bout you?!
Wednesdays my favorite night of the week! I was telling Grace last night I wanted to make a flyer about it so we could advertise more on here.. so I'll try to get one made up soon!
