Beanland
Encyclopedia
Beanland was a roots rock
jam band
, based in Oxford, Mississippi
, which performed and recorded primarily from 1986 to 1993.
Beanland was founded in Oxford in 1985 by guitarists Bill McCrory and George McConnell
, with Adam Stoll on drums and harmonica. After some early shuffling, the band's line-up consisted of McConnell and McCrory on guitar, John "JoJo" Hermann
on keyboards, Ron Lewis on bass, and Harry Peel on drums. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1991 and toured extensively, mainly around the South and Southwest, playing blues-oriented rock as part of the nascent early-90's jamband renaissance.
Shortly after the album's release, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann
left Beanland to join Widespread Panic
. McConnell kept Beanland alive briefly as a four-piece with a much-altered line-up, and recorded a follow-up album in 1992, but the band dissolved soon after.
George McConnell
later joined JoJo Hermann in Widespread Panic
, serving as that band's lead guitarist from 2002-2006.
The Beanland songs "Sellin' The Rain" and "Doreatha" from the debut album garnered some airplay on college radio stations throughout the Southeastern United States
. The band has a moderate cult
following.
Beanland has played several reunion shows, most recently in 2004 at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford.
2004 also saw the release of "Beanland: Rising From the Riverbed", a film by Oxford based Cloudscapes Productions. The film tells the story of Beanland through classic footage and interviews with band members and such musical luminaries as producer Jim Dickinson and Rev. Jeff Mosier.
Beanland took their name from a home where some of the members lived, 1313 Beanland Drive, Oxford, Mississippi. In fact, the original name of the band was 1313 Beanland, but the name was changed at the request or demand of their landlord.
Roots rock
Roots rock is a term now used to describe rock music that looks back to rock's origins in folk, blues and country music. It is particularly associated with the creation of hybrid sub-genres from the later 1960s including country rock and Southern rock, which have been seen as responses to the...
jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
, based in Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
, which performed and recorded primarily from 1986 to 1993.
Beanland was founded in Oxford in 1985 by guitarists Bill McCrory and George McConnell
George McConnell
George McConnell is an American guitarist from Vicksburg, Mississippi who played for Widespread Panic, Kudzu Kings, and Beanland. He attended the University of Mississippi where he was in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity....
, with Adam Stoll on drums and harmonica. After some early shuffling, the band's line-up consisted of McConnell and McCrory on guitar, John "JoJo" Hermann
John Hermann
John "JoJo" Hermann was born in New York City. He toured the South extensively with the band Beanland until 1992, when he went to Athens, Georgia to play keyboard with Widespread Panic....
on keyboards, Ron Lewis on bass, and Harry Peel on drums. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1991 and toured extensively, mainly around the South and Southwest, playing blues-oriented rock as part of the nascent early-90's jamband renaissance.
Shortly after the album's release, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann
John Hermann
John "JoJo" Hermann was born in New York City. He toured the South extensively with the band Beanland until 1992, when he went to Athens, Georgia to play keyboard with Widespread Panic....
left Beanland to join Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
. McConnell kept Beanland alive briefly as a four-piece with a much-altered line-up, and recorded a follow-up album in 1992, but the band dissolved soon after.
George McConnell
George McConnell
George McConnell is an American guitarist from Vicksburg, Mississippi who played for Widespread Panic, Kudzu Kings, and Beanland. He attended the University of Mississippi where he was in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity....
later joined JoJo Hermann in Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
, serving as that band's lead guitarist from 2002-2006.
The Beanland songs "Sellin' The Rain" and "Doreatha" from the debut album garnered some airplay on college radio stations throughout the Southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The band has a moderate cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
following.
Beanland has played several reunion shows, most recently in 2004 at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford.
2004 also saw the release of "Beanland: Rising From the Riverbed", a film by Oxford based Cloudscapes Productions. The film tells the story of Beanland through classic footage and interviews with band members and such musical luminaries as producer Jim Dickinson and Rev. Jeff Mosier.
Beanland took their name from a home where some of the members lived, 1313 Beanland Drive, Oxford, Mississippi. In fact, the original name of the band was 1313 Beanland, but the name was changed at the request or demand of their landlord.
Beanland (1991)
- HiCool Records
- Produced by Jim DickinsonJim DickinsonJames Luther "Jim" Dickinson was an American record producer, pianist, and singer who fronted, among others, the Memphis based band, Mudboy & The Neutrons.- Biography :...
and engineered by Don SmithDon SmithDonald John Smith was a Canadian professional hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Shamrocks, Montreal Wanderers and the Renfrew Creamery Kings.-Playing career:...
Rising From the Riverbed - DVD (2004)
- Cloudscapes Productions
- Produced and directed by Scotty Glahn
- (includes bonus CD sampler of bands from the era)