Curtiss A
Encyclopedia
Curtiss A, the Godfather to the Minneapolis rock scene, is both a musician and a visual artist. One of the original artists on the Twin Tone
label, he performs one of the most popular shows in the Twin Cities, an annual tribute to John Lennon
held at First Avenue.
Curtiss formed Wire, his first Twin Cities band, in 1969 and played with various permutations of that group through the 1970s. His first recording, a six song EP, was with the Spooks, which he started with future Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap
.
In 1978, Curtiss (as Buzz Barker) released the single-cum-political rant, I Don’t Wanna Be President. Its B-side, Land of the Free, was played at Solidarity rallies as the Polish trade union protested martial law. Following those classic singles, Twin Tone
released a full length album in 1980. The acclaimed Courtesy received five stars in Rolling Stone
. Curtiss followed with two more albums on Twin Tone
, The Damage is Done and A Scarlet Letter, the latter produced by Al Anderson
of NRBQ
. The next LP was to have been produced by Peter Holsapple
and the dBs, but Curtiss took a break from performing following a family tragedy.
During his hiatus from music, Curtiss turned to making collage
s, an art form that has interested him since childhood and has fulfilled his desire “to see stuff that wasn’t together, together.” He mixes all types and periods of art, particularly different styles of comic book
illustrations.
Curtiss describes his collages as dreamscapes where iconic figures—or other images that embody a mythic quality—are placed in iconoclastic situations or surroundings. He often uses political and theological images along with depictions of superheroes to represent the constant struggle for justice and to question who or what is truly good. His work also has a great deal of humor, leaving the viewer with a mixture of despair and hope.
Since his return to music, Curtiss has released several albums, and he plays throughout the Twin Cities with his band, The Jerks of Fate. His annual Lennon show is being documented by Twin Cities filmmaker Amy Buchanan.
Twin/Tone Records
Twin/Tone Records was a record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that operated from 1977 until 1994 and helped several local groups receive national attention. The label was born from the Minneapolis punk rock music scene, which included venues like Jay's Longhorn Bar. The label was begun by...
label, he performs one of the most popular shows in the Twin Cities, an annual tribute to John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
held at First Avenue.
Curtiss formed Wire, his first Twin Cities band, in 1969 and played with various permutations of that group through the 1970s. His first recording, a six song EP, was with the Spooks, which he started with future Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap
Slim Dunlap
Bob "Slim" Dunlap is an American rock musician. He is a Minnesota-based guitarist and singer-songwriter who is best known for replacing The Replacements's original lead guitarist, Bob Stinson in 1987...
.
In 1978, Curtiss (as Buzz Barker) released the single-cum-political rant, I Don’t Wanna Be President. Its B-side, Land of the Free, was played at Solidarity rallies as the Polish trade union protested martial law. Following those classic singles, Twin Tone
Twin/Tone Records
Twin/Tone Records was a record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that operated from 1977 until 1994 and helped several local groups receive national attention. The label was born from the Minneapolis punk rock music scene, which included venues like Jay's Longhorn Bar. The label was begun by...
released a full length album in 1980. The acclaimed Courtesy received five stars in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. Curtiss followed with two more albums on Twin Tone
Twin/Tone Records
Twin/Tone Records was a record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that operated from 1977 until 1994 and helped several local groups receive national attention. The label was born from the Minneapolis punk rock music scene, which included venues like Jay's Longhorn Bar. The label was begun by...
, The Damage is Done and A Scarlet Letter, the latter produced by Al Anderson
Al Anderson (NRBQ)
Alan Gordon "Al" Anderson is an American guitarist, singer, and songwiter. Between 1971 and the early 1990s, he was the lead guitarist in the rock band NRBQ, also releasing several solo albums. He also played electric guitar on Jonathan Edwards' 1973 album Have a Good Time for Me...
of NRBQ
NRBQ
NRBQ is an American rock band founded in 1967. It is known for its live performances, containing a high degree of spontaneity and levity, and blending rock, pop, jazz, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles. Its best known line-up is the 1974–1994 quartet of pianist Terry Adams, bassist Joey Spampinato,...
. The next LP was to have been produced by Peter Holsapple
Peter Holsapple
Peter Holsapple formed, along with Chris Stamey, the singing, songwriting, and guitar-playing core of the dB's, a jangle-pop band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He became the band's principal songwriter and singer after Stamey's departure. The dB's were at the forefront of the guitar bands...
and the dBs, but Curtiss took a break from performing following a family tragedy.
During his hiatus from music, Curtiss turned to making collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
s, an art form that has interested him since childhood and has fulfilled his desire “to see stuff that wasn’t together, together.” He mixes all types and periods of art, particularly different styles of comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
illustrations.
Curtiss describes his collages as dreamscapes where iconic figures—or other images that embody a mythic quality—are placed in iconoclastic situations or surroundings. He often uses political and theological images along with depictions of superheroes to represent the constant struggle for justice and to question who or what is truly good. His work also has a great deal of humor, leaving the viewer with a mixture of despair and hope.
Since his return to music, Curtiss has released several albums, and he plays throughout the Twin Cities with his band, The Jerks of Fate. His annual Lennon show is being documented by Twin Cities filmmaker Amy Buchanan.