John Peel Wiki
Register
Advertisement
10,000 Maniacs

10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups. The band was formed as Still Life in 1981 in Jamestown, New York, by Dennis Drew (keyboards), Steven Gustafson (bass), Chet Cardinale (drums), Robert Buck (guitar), and Teri Newhouse (vocalist and Buck's ex-wife). Gustafson invited Natalie Merchant, who was 17 at the time, to do some vocals. John Lombardo, who was in a band called The Mills (along with brother guitarist/vocalists Mark Liuzzo and Paul Liuzzo and drummer Mike Young) and used to play occasionally with Still Life, was invited to join permanently on guitar and vocals. Newhouse and Cardinale left the band in July, and Merchant became the main singer. Various drummers came and left. The band changed its name to Burn Victims and then to 10,000 Maniacs after the low-budget horror movie Two Thousand Maniacs!. (Read more at Wikipedia)

Links To Peel[]

The band's debut album Secrets Of The I Ching got the attention of Peel in 1983 and was well received by him and by critics in the music press. In his film for the John Peel's Record Box project, Joe Boyd mentions that Peel was responsible for putting him in touch with 10,000 Maniacs by recommending the band to him, and him to them. This led to Boyd producing the band's album The Wishing Chair.[1]

Plenty of early material by the band was played on Peel's shows, but by the late 80's, they had moved into a more pop rock orientation, which Peel was disappointed with. They remained favourites of Peel's colleague and friend Andy Kershaw, though, and tracks by the band were featured regularly on his shows - as was Natalie Merchant, after she left 10,000 Maniacs to pursue a solo career.

Festive Fifty Entries[]

Sessions[]

1. Recorded: 1985-06-23. Broadcast: 01 July 1985. Repeated: 22 July 1985, 06 August 198528 October 198518 December 1985, 29 October 1986

  • Just As The Tide Was A'Flowin' / Lily Dale / Maddox Table / Back O' The Moon

Other Shows Played[]

1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
  • 26 July 1988: Like The Weather (LP Version) (12") Elektra
  • 15 August 1988: Death Of Manolete (LP - Secrets Of The I-Ching) Mark
  • 17 August 1988: My Mother The War (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
  • 24 August 1988: Pour De Chirico (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
  • 27 August 1988 (BFBS): The Death Of Manolette (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark Recordings
1990
  • 13 August 1990: My Mother The War (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
  • 08 December 1990: Katrina's Fair [LP - Hope Chest (The Fredonia Recordings 1982 - 1983)] Elektra
  • 16 December 1990: 'Grey Victory (CD-Hope Chest (The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983)' (Elektra)
  • 28 December 1990 (BFBS): Pour De Chirico (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark MC 20389
  • Best Of Peel Vol 18: 'Grey Victory (CD-Hope Chest (The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983)' (Elektra)
1991
  • 04 January 1991 (BFBS): The Death Of Manolette (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark Recordings
  • 06 April 1991 (BFBS) (Peel 179 (BFBS)): 'Scorpio Rising (LP-The Wishing Chair)' (Elektra)
1998
  • 07 July 1998: My Mother The War (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
  • 09 July 1998: The Death Of Manolette (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark Recordings
  • 03 December 1998: 'Katrina's Fair (EP-Secrets Of The I Ching)' (Christian Burial)

See Also[]

External Links[]

Advertisement