Del.icio.us10,000 Maniacs
Fact Sheet
| Musical genre: | Rock & Roll, Pop |
| Country | New York, USA |
| Years active | 1981- |
They performed as 10,000 Maniacs for the first time on September 7th 1981, Labour Day, with Natalie Merchant (vocals), John Lombardo (guitar), Robert Buck (guitar), Steven Gustafson (bass), Dennis Drew (keyboards) and Tim Edborg (drums). Tim leaves and Bob O Matic Wachter will be on drums for most of the 1981 gigs. Tired of playing other people songs, they start to write their own, Natalie's lyrics and John's music stand out as solid partnership. On February and March of 1982, now with Jim Foti on drums, they record their first album, an EP called Human Conflict Number Five. More gigs through 1982.
In the beginning of 1983, drummer Jerome (Jerry) Augustyniak (26) joined the band. The Maniacs met Jerry while they were playing in Buffalo. Jerry was in a punk band called The Strains, and he was invited by John Lombardo to be part of the band. Between March and July they recorded the songs for the second album Secrets of the I Ching, pressed by Mark Records for Christian Burial Music, their label. The critics made some good reviews of the record. They caught attention of John Peel, DJ at Radio BBC-1 in London- England, who started to promote them. The song "My Mother the War" turned out to be a hit in UK and it entered the independent singles chart. Through 1983 and 1984 touring was a way of life for the band and they also made some gigs in England.
Peter Leak, an Englishman living in New York, got interested in the band, made contact and became their manager. With Peter Leak and Howard Thompson 's help, 10,000 Maniacs signed to Elektra Records in 1985 and released The Wishing Chair, which was recorded in London, England with Joe Boyd as the producer.
Feeling guilty his folk rock oriented music wasn't leading the band to the top charts, Lombardo left the band on July 14, 1986. The remaining five members started the recordings of a new album in Los Angeles-CA, with Peter Asher as the producer. In My Tribe, pop rock oriented was released on July 7, (1987), hit the charts and established a large audience for the group which was expanded by Blind Man's Zoo (1989). In 1990, with the help of a temporarily invited John Lombardo, they remastered the two first albums (Human Conflict and Secrets of I-Ching) and released it as a compilation called Hope Chest. In 1991, during the recordings of the new album, Natalie Merchant revealed the other members that she would be leaving for a solo career in two years.In 1992, Our Time in Eden was released. On April 19, 1993, 10,000 Maniacs recorded MTV Unplugged. Natalie Merchant announced her leaving on MTV on August 5, 1993. The 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged CD was released in October 1993. Natalie Merchant's first solo effort, Tigerlily, was released by Elektra on June 20, 1995.
The remaining quartet added Mary Ramsey (viola, vocals) and regained John Lombardo in 1994; the pair had been performing as John & Mary, a folk act and had released two albums Victory Gardens in 1991 and The Weedkillers Daughter in 1993 and had been the opening act for the Maniacs on the Hope Chest tour in 1990. The new line-up released Love Among the Ruins in 1997, which sold respectably, and The Earth Pressed Flat in 1999. On December 19th, 2000, Robert Buck, the band's guitarist and songwriter, died of liver failure at 37. Their last concert with Rob Buck was in November 3th, 2000, when the band played with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Buffalo-NY.
The band takes a break. Steve, Dennis and Jeff Eriksson (guitar) starts a new band called "Mighty Wallop". Jerry joins the band "Only Human". Later, on December 5th, 2001, the 10,000 Maniacs line up with Steve, Dennis, Jerry, John and Mary plays on a benefit concert in Toronto with Jeff Erikson on guitar.
John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey released the album The Pinwheel Galaxy as John & Mary in September 2002 and the duo signed with Mi5 recording label. Mary also signed with Mi5 for a solo career. John and Mary leave 10,000 Maniacs in 2002.
On 2003, 10,000 Maniacs (Steve, Dennis and Jerry) start a new line up by adding Jeff Erickson on guitar and Oskar Saville from Rubygrass on vocals and made some gigs promoting the Maniacs/Merchant era old songs.
On January 27th, 2004, Elektra/Asylum/Rhino Records released Campfire Songs, subtitled "The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings", a two CD set compilation, with 31 digitally remastered songs, 4 of them demos and 1 unreleased. This 10,000 Maniacs line up, with Steve Gustafson (bass), Dennis Drew (keyboards), Jerry Augustyniak (drums), Jeff Erikson (guitars) and Oskar Saville (vocals) is still active and has already been making some gigs in 2004.