Fruit of Life
Encyclopedia
Fruit of Life is the debut album
for American Alternative band Wild Colonials
, released in 1994 (see 1994 in music
).
using the same mic. After a successful and productive day and wishing to continue recording there were some scheduling conflicts as Tchad Blake was about to start work in England with Elvis Costello
and the reformed Attractions on what would become the album Brutal Youth. During a break in pre-production on the Elvis Costello album, Tchad Blake invited the Wild Colonials to England where the band recorded for a week at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios
in Box, England. Reconvening later in Los Angeles they did some additional recording with Red Hot Chili Peppers
drummer Chad Smith
.
/Tori Amos
drummer, Matt Chamberlain
on the initial Hollywood sessions. Elvis Costello & The Attractions drummer Pete Thomas
was brought in to record during the Real World sessions. On a break from touring, Red Hot Chili Peppers
drummer Chad Smith
played many gigs with the band during this time and can be heard on the track "Dear Mike". Argentine drummer Julio Ledezma from the band Huayucaltia can be heard on the track "Philadelphia Story". Playing percussion on several tracks is singer/percussionist Joel Virgel Vierset, who went on to play some gigs and Radio Sessions with the band around the time of the album's release. Touring behind the album's release, the band was joined by Thaddeaus Corea on drums/percussion who later became a full member.
, Café Largo club owner Mark Flanagan
, painter Luciana Martinez Del La Rosa and original Wild Colonials drummer/percusionist Ian Bernard.
except for the Billie Holiday cover "Don't Explain".
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
for American Alternative band Wild Colonials
Wild Colonials
Wild Colonials are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1992 by Angela McCluskey , Shark , Paul Cantelon , Scott Roewe and Ian Bernard...
, released in 1994 (see 1994 in music
1994 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
).
Details
Fruit of Life features some of Wild Colonials' more popular early songs, including first single "Spark", "Victim" and "Rainbow." Most of the songs on the album were recorded during a single day at the Sunset Sound Factory in Hollywood, CA to see if the band worked well with Engineer/Producer Tchad Blake. The recordings were all done live to 24 track with the band in the same room and vocalists Angela McCluskey and SharkShark (musician)
Shark, a Los Angeles-based musician, film composer, radio host, and is a founding member and guitarist for American alternative band Wild Colonials. He also records under the name Shark and Co..-Big Bam Boo:...
using the same mic. After a successful and productive day and wishing to continue recording there were some scheduling conflicts as Tchad Blake was about to start work in England with Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
and the reformed Attractions on what would become the album Brutal Youth. During a break in pre-production on the Elvis Costello album, Tchad Blake invited the Wild Colonials to England where the band recorded for a week at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios
Real World Studios
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio in Box, Wiltshire, England associated with the Real World Records Ltd. record label founded by rock musician Peter Gabriel...
in Box, England. Reconvening later in Los Angeles they did some additional recording with Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
drummer Chad Smith
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...
.
Drummers Drumming
The album features many well known drummers. These include session musician and Edie Brickell & New BohemiansEdie Brickell & New Bohemians
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians is an alternative rock jam band that originated in Texas in the mid-1980s. The band is best known for their 1988 hit "What I Am" from the album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. Their music contains elements of rock, folk, blues, and jazz...
/Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
drummer, Matt Chamberlain
Matt Chamberlain
Matthew Chamberlain is an American drummer, producer and sound engineer. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
on the initial Hollywood sessions. Elvis Costello & The Attractions drummer Pete Thomas
Pete Thomas
Pete Thomas is best known as the longtime drummer for Elvis Costello. Tom Waits has referred to him as "one of the best rock drummers alive".-Career:...
was brought in to record during the Real World sessions. On a break from touring, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
drummer Chad Smith
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...
played many gigs with the band during this time and can be heard on the track "Dear Mike". Argentine drummer Julio Ledezma from the band Huayucaltia can be heard on the track "Philadelphia Story". Playing percussion on several tracks is singer/percussionist Joel Virgel Vierset, who went on to play some gigs and Radio Sessions with the band around the time of the album's release. Touring behind the album's release, the band was joined by Thaddeaus Corea on drums/percussion who later became a full member.
Cover Artwork
The cover art by vocalist Angela McCluskey is based on a number of hand made lyric books she put together as a thank you for several people who worked on the album and some Geffen Record executives. Each booklet featured a different hand tinted photo on its cover. The Fruit of Life album cover was chosen from one of the booklets. The cover photo is of a ceremony and features amongst the band, friends, Scottish actor Ian BuchananIan Buchanan
Ian Buchanan is a Scottish television actor who appeared on the soap opera All My Children as Dr. Greg Madden.His first major work in the United States was playing the characters Duke Lavery on the soap General Hospital from 1986 to 1989, and Ian McFyfer in series three and four of the comedy...
, Café Largo club owner Mark Flanagan
Mark Flanagan
Mark Flanagan may refer to:* Mark Flanagan , Welsh television actor* Mark Flanagan, the Queen's chef of the Royal Kitchens* Mark Flanagan , British blues guitarist* Mark Flanagan , English rugby league player...
, painter Luciana Martinez Del La Rosa and original Wild Colonials drummer/percusionist Ian Bernard.
Soundtrack appearances
- The song "Rainbow" was featured in the film JacklightJacklightJacklight is a 1984 poetry collection by Louise Erdrich. The collection grew from poems Erdrich wrote for her 1979 Master of Arts thesis at Johns Hopkins University.-Table of Contents:*Jacklight**"Jacklight"*Runaways**"A Love Medicine"...
starring Dylan Hundley. - The song "Rainbow" was featured in the film SouthieSouthie (film)Southie is a 1999 American film directed by John Shea and starring Donnie Wahlberg. The film centers on Danny Quinn who returns home to South Boston from New York City and gets stuck between his friends, who are supported by one Irish gang, and his family, which are members of another...
starring Amanda PeetAmanda PeetAmanda Peet is an American actress, who has appeared on film, stage, and television. After studying with Uta Hagen at Columbia University, Peet began her career in television commercials, and progressed to small roles on television, before making her film debut in 1995...
. - A country version of the song "Rainbow" as performed by Wild Colonials' guitarist SharkShark (musician)Shark, a Los Angeles-based musician, film composer, radio host, and is a founding member and guitarist for American alternative band Wild Colonials. He also records under the name Shark and Co..-Big Bam Boo:...
was featured in the film Ed GeinEd GeinEdward Theodore "Ed" Gein - July 26, 1984) was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety after authorities discovered Gein had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes...
starring Steve RailsbackSteve RailsbackSteve Railsback is an American theatre, film and television actor, born in Dallas, Texas.-Personal life:Railsback was born Stephen Hall Railsback, in Dallas, Texas, the son of Emerett Spencer and Clyde Webb Railsback.-Career:Railsback was a student of Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio and in...
. - The song "Victim" appeared in the short film The Yard Sale directed by Ray Kimsey and starring Anne MearaAnne MearaAnne Meara is an American actress and comedian. She and Jerry Stiller were a prominent 1960s comedy team, appearing as Stiller and Meara, and are the parents of actor/comedian Ben and actress Amy Stiller.- Personal life :...
, Courtnee DraperCourtnee DraperCourtnee Alyssa Draper is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Morgan Hudson in the Disney Channel series The Jersey . Draper was a cast member on The Bold and the Beautiful from April to October 2002 as Erica Lovejoy.Draper was born at the Naval Hospital in Orlando, Florida. She...
, Maura Knowles. - An instrumental version of the song "Victim" was featured as score in the film The Last Supper starring Cameron DiazCameron DiazCameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
and Ron PerlmanRon PerlmanRonald N. "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast , a Deathstroke figure known as Slade in the animated series Teen Titans, Clarence "Clay" Morrow in Sons of Anarchy, the comic book character...
. The vocal version appeared on the motion picture soundtrack CD while the Instrumental version appeared on the third Wild Colonials album Reel Life vol 1Reel Life vol 1Reel Life, Vol. 1 is a compilation album by American alternative band Wild Colonials, released in 2000 .- Details :Reel Life, Vol. 1 is a compilation featuring songs and score cues recorded and composed for various films. Over the previous six years since their debut album Fruit of Life in 1994,...
. - A re-recorded version of "Heaven & Hell (2010)" appears in the movie "Conviction".
Trivia
- Fruit of Life is the first production credit for Tchad BlakeTchad BlakeTchad Blake is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer and musician.He has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including State Radio, Apartment 26, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, Brazilian Girls, Sheryl Crow, November 2nd, Travis, Marike...
. He went on to work with among others, Pearl JamPearl JamPearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
and No DoubtNo DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
. He often partners with Mitchell FroomMitchell Froom-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
, whom with David Hidalgo and Louie Perez of Los LobosLos LobosLos Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
formed Latin PlayboysLatin PlayboysLatin Playboys is a musical group comprising David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake, active in the 1990s.-History:The band began with a series of demo recordings made by Hidalgo on a home cassette tape 4-track machine...
.
- The familiar violin refrain at the start of "Rainbow" is from the opera CarmenCarmenCarmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
by Georges Bizat. The piece is called the "Habanera (aria)Habanera (aria)In the form of habanera, there is a famous aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. It is sometimes referred to as "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle." . Its score was adapted from the habanera "El Arreglito," originally composed by the Spanish musician Sebastián Yradier...
".
- The lyrics for "Mission" are about Sinéad O'ConnorSinéad O'ConnorSinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
and the infamous Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
30th Anniversary tribute concert in Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
where she was set to perform "I Believe In You" but when greeted with boos from the audience broke into an acapella version of Bob MarleyBob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's War as she had done two weeks earlier on SNL. During the Wild Colonials week of recording at Real World Studios, Sinéad O'Connor actually showed up with Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
who was in town for that year's Womad Festival (World of Music, Arts and DanceWorld of Music, Arts and DanceWOMAD is an international arts festival. The central aim of WOMAD is to celebrate the world's many forms of music, arts and dance.-History:...
). Although the lyrics are supportive and compassionate of Sinead, not knowing how she would react, the band did not play the song for her.
- The lyrics to "Dear Mike" are an open letter to Waterboys leader Mike ScottMike Scott (musician)Michael 'Mike' Scott is the founding member, lead singer and chief songwriter of rock band The Waterboys. He has also produced two solo albums, Bring 'em All In and Still Burning...
.
Track listing
All songs written by various members of the Wild ColonialsWild Colonials
Wild Colonials are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1992 by Angela McCluskey , Shark , Paul Cantelon , Scott Roewe and Ian Bernard...
except for the Billie Holiday cover "Don't Explain".
- "Girl" (McCluskey/Shark/Cantelon/Roewe) – 6:28
- "Spark" (McCluskey/Shark) – 4:20
- "Heaven & Hell" (McCluskey/Roewe) – 5:20
- "Philadelphia Story" (McCluskey/Shark/Cantelon) – 4:52
- "Mision" (McCluskey/Shark/Cantelon/Roewe/Bernard) – 6:05
- "Alice" (McCluskey/Shark/Cantelon/Roewe) – 4:58
- "Rainbow" (McCluskey/Shark/Cantelon) – 5:12
- "Don't Explain" (Holiday/Herzog) – 6:46
- "Victim" (McCluskey/Shark/Cantelon/Roewe) – 5:59
- "Dear Mike" (McCluskey/Shark/Cantelon/Roewe) – 6:13
Singles
- "Spark"
- "Spark (edit)" – 4:10
- "Spark (LP version)" – 4:20
Personnel
- Angela McCluskeyAngela McCluskeyAngela McCluskey is a Scottish singer-songwriter based in California. She performs as a solo artist and as a member of the folk rock group, Wild Colonials. McCluskey has also provided vocals for Curio and recorded the European dance hit and US Mitsubishi commercial hit "Breathe" among other songs...
- vocals - SharkShark (musician)Shark, a Los Angeles-based musician, film composer, radio host, and is a founding member and guitarist for American alternative band Wild Colonials. He also records under the name Shark and Co..-Big Bam Boo:...
- guitars, vocals, percussion - Paul CantelonPaul CantelonPaul Cantelon Paul Cantelon Paul Cantelon (born December 25, 1959 is an American composer of contemporary classical music, a film score composer and an actor He is also a violinist, pianist, and accordionist, who is also a founding member of American alternative band Wild Colonials....
- violin, piano, harmonium - Scott Roewe - piano, organ, bass, sax, chanter, didgeridoo, tin whistle
With
- Matt ChamberlainMatt ChamberlainMatthew Chamberlain is an American drummer, producer and sound engineer. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
- drums, percussion - Pete ThomasPete ThomasPete Thomas is best known as the longtime drummer for Elvis Costello. Tom Waits has referred to him as "one of the best rock drummers alive".-Career:...
- drums, percussion - Joel Virgel Vierset - percussion
- Glen C. Holmon - bass
- Chad SmithChad SmithChad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...
- drums on Dear Mike - Julio "Jimmy" Ledezma - drums on Philadelphia Story
- Pandit Dinesh - tablas on Victim
- Guy PrattGuy PrattGuy Pratt is a session bassist and also a songwriter, actor and comedian. He is the son of actor Mike Pratt. In Kensington and Chelsea, London, in 1996, Pratt married Gala Wright, the daughter of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright...
- bass on Heaven & Hell - Erik G. Hanson - percussion masssuer on Heaven & Hell
Production
- Producer: Tchad BlakeTchad BlakeTchad Blake is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer and musician.He has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including State Radio, Apartment 26, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, Brazilian Girls, Sheryl Crow, November 2nd, Travis, Marike...
- Recorded by: Tchad BlakeTchad BlakeTchad Blake is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer and musician.He has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including State Radio, Apartment 26, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, Brazilian Girls, Sheryl Crow, November 2nd, Travis, Marike...
- Additional engineering: John Paterno, James Cadsky, Richard Evans