East River Pipe
Encyclopedia
East River Pipe is the name under which Fred Cornog (aka FM Cornog) records. Cornog was born in Norfolk, Virginia
, and raised in Summit, New Jersey
. After high school, Cornog worked a series of menial jobs before succumbing to alcoholism, depression, drug abuse and eventual homelessness, ending up in the Hoboken train station. During this time he met Astoria, Queens-resident Barbara Powers, and with Powers' support and label (Hell Gate), Cornog released some home-recorded cassettes and 7" singles under the name East River Pipe. Cornog named his one-man band East River Pipe after observing a sewage pipe spewing out raw waste into the East River. These initial 7" singles attracted the attention of UK-based Sarah Records
who released his records from 1993 to 1996, making Cornog one of the few American artists ever signed to the legendary British label. Stateside, Cornog released his first LP, Shining Hours In A Can, on the Chicago-based micro-indie Ajax Records in 1994. A year later, he found a more permanent home on Merge Records, the Chapel Hill-based indie run by Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance. Also in 1995, Cornog contributed the song "Miracleland" to the AIDS
benefit album Red Hot + Bothered
produced by the Red Hot Organization
. Merge released Poor Fricky (1995), Mel (1996), The Gasoline Age (1999), Shining Hours In A Can (2002;reissue), Garbageheads On Endless Stun (2003), What Are You On? (2006), and We Live In Rented Rooms (2011). Artists who have covered East River Pipe songs include David Byrne, Lambchop, The Mountain Goats, Okkervil River, Hazeldine, For Against, Hurricane Bells, and others. The New York Times has described East River Pipe's music as "gentle, smart and unspeakably sad." Rolling Stone called Cornog "one of our generation's great eccentric songwriters."
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, and raised in Summit, New Jersey
Summit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
. After high school, Cornog worked a series of menial jobs before succumbing to alcoholism, depression, drug abuse and eventual homelessness, ending up in the Hoboken train station. During this time he met Astoria, Queens-resident Barbara Powers, and with Powers' support and label (Hell Gate), Cornog released some home-recorded cassettes and 7" singles under the name East River Pipe. Cornog named his one-man band East River Pipe after observing a sewage pipe spewing out raw waste into the East River. These initial 7" singles attracted the attention of UK-based Sarah Records
Sarah Records
Sarah Records was a UK independent record label active between 1987 and 1995, best known for its recordings of indie pop.The label was formed in Bristol in 1987 by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes, and grew out of the fanzine scene at the time, Haynes having previously edited Are You Scared To Get...
who released his records from 1993 to 1996, making Cornog one of the few American artists ever signed to the legendary British label. Stateside, Cornog released his first LP, Shining Hours In A Can, on the Chicago-based micro-indie Ajax Records in 1994. A year later, he found a more permanent home on Merge Records, the Chapel Hill-based indie run by Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance. Also in 1995, Cornog contributed the song "Miracleland" to the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
benefit album Red Hot + Bothered
Red Hot + Bothered
Red Hot + Bothered is an anthology of the indie rock scene from the 1990s produced by Paul Heck. It was released as part of the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series....
produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
. Merge released Poor Fricky (1995), Mel (1996), The Gasoline Age (1999), Shining Hours In A Can (2002;reissue), Garbageheads On Endless Stun (2003), What Are You On? (2006), and We Live In Rented Rooms (2011). Artists who have covered East River Pipe songs include David Byrne, Lambchop, The Mountain Goats, Okkervil River, Hazeldine, For Against, Hurricane Bells, and others. The New York Times has described East River Pipe's music as "gentle, smart and unspeakably sad." Rolling Stone called Cornog "one of our generation's great eccentric songwriters."
Albums
- 1994 Shining Hours in a Can
- 1995 Poor Fricky
- 1996 Mel
- 1999 The Gasoline AgeThe Gasoline AgeThe Gasoline Age is an album by East River Pipe, released in 1999.-Track listing:#"Shiny, Shiny Pimpmobile" – 3:40#"Hell Is an Open Door" – 2:39#"Cybercar" – 3:13#"Wholesale Lies" – 1:44#"My Little Rainbow" – 2:14#"Party Drive" – 3:31...
- 2003 Garbageheads on Endless StunGarbageheads on Endless Stun-Track listing:#"Where Does All the Money Go?" – 3:06#"Monumental Freaks" – 2:59#"I Won't Dream About the Girl" – 4:30#"I Bought a Gun in Irvington" – 5:04#"Girls on the Freeway" – 2:41#"The Long Black Cloud" – 3:45#"Arrival Pad #19" – 3:47...
- 2006 What Are You On?What Are You On?-Track listing:#"What Does T.S. Eliot Know About You?" – 2:30#"Crystal Queen" – 2:29#"What Are You On?" – 2:02#"I'll Walk My Robot Home" – 3:09#"The Ultrabright Bitch" – 2:07#"Druglife" – 3:49#"Absolutely Nothing" – 2:12#"Dirty Carnival" – 3:06...
- 2011 We Live in Rented Rooms
External links
- Official site
- Discography at Merge RecordsMerge RecordsMerge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded to include artists from around the world and records...