Editorial Reviews To realize his dream, Terhune recruited a variety of the best musicians on the New York scene: Joe Katz, a veteran of The Mumps and The Swinging Madisons, signed on to play bass. Former Psychedelic Furs sideman Joe McGinty brought his Farfisa organ. Kris Woolsey (Cardinal Woolsey, future Fountains of Wayne associate) was on guitar. The ensemble was rounded out by Clem Waldmann of Blue Man Group, on drums. Little did they know that over the next ten years, this side project would become one of the most written-about, talked-about and in-demand bands in New York. It's a long way back to the day in 1992, when, clad in bathrobes and cardboard crowns, the Kustard Kings debuted. They played small bars and developed a wickedly tight sound. The band both settled in and branched out, writing and arranging songs according to their individual influences and tastes. Then came the Loser's Lounge. Joe McGinty had been tinkering with the Loser's Lounge concept, casually backing various singers paying tribute to his musical heroes. It soon became clear that the Kings would make the perfect house band for this up-and-coming New York musical series. The Kings played their first Loser's Lounge show in 1994. The Loser's Lounge performances quickly began to dominate the Kings' activities. Word of mouth spread, and sold-out shows at Fez featured guest appearances by the likes of John Flansburgh, Deborah Harry, Lenny Kaye, Cyndi Lauper, J. Mascis, Bob Mould, Joey Ramone and Ronnie Spector. Other early fans include Burt Bacharach, who, upon learning of the Loser's tribute to his music, even invited the band to hang out while he was recording "God Give Me Strength" with Elvis Costello. In 2000, the Loser's Lounge moved to a new, larger location, The Westbeth Theatre on Bank Street. Notable guests continued to drop in, including James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), John Cameron Mitchell (composer and star of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch") and Parker Posey. The Kustard Kings were honored in 2001 when Paul Williams attended and performed at his own tribute show. Paul's guest, actor Richard Dreyfuss, even took the stage for a rendition of "Rainy Days and Mondays." Lee Hazelwood also took the stage the evening he was being hailed, and was feeling no pain when he made some memorable extemporaneous comments. Loser's Lounge tributes have included such diverse artists as David Bowie, Brian Wilson and Donovan. And the Kustard Kings have backed up every song. They have understandably picked up a few tricks while learning the entire catalogs of such a variety of musicians. The Kustard Kings are one of the most written-about, talked-about and in-demand bands in New York. The band has shared the stage with such diverse talents as Deborah Harry, James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Lenny Kaye, J. Mascis, Bob Mould, Joey Ramone and Ronnie Spector. The group has received high praise from such notables as Burt Bacharach and Lee Hazelwood. Blam! combines The Kustard Kings' years of honed stagecraft with their lounge- and surf-tinged originals into an instrumental-blend that will amaze you. Blam! is an album that bursts out of the speakers and puts the listener in the best seat in the lounge.
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About the Artist
Multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter David Terhune formed The Kustard Kings in New York City in 1992. Terhune, who in 1992 was playing in no less than four bands, thought of the idea as a side project. Its genesis came from his desire to combine the sounds of his influences, like The Meters and Booker T. & the MGs into a tight pop sound.
Album Description
Blam! Is the first full-length album from The Kustard Kings, the house band for the critically acclaimed New York City based Loser's Lounge series.