Oil Tasters
Encyclopedia
Oil Tasters were an early 1980s band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, in the United States
. They are one of the city's best remembered post-punk
groups. They were not, however, easy to fit into the spectrum of post-punk music. Rather than use No Wave
, for example, as a foundation, the Oil Tasters start with surrealist literature
, then musically move through jazz
and rock, with occasional references to James Brown.
The trio, founded on Milwaukee's East Side, released a 2-song 45
record in December 1980. It included "What's In Your Mouth" backed with "Get Out Of The Bathroom", a track which also appeared on Sub Pop
founder Bruce Pavitt's compilation cassette release Sub Pop 5 (1981). In August 1981, a 3-song EP
was released with "That's When The Brick Goes Through The Window," backed with "Earn While You Learn" and "Smoke."
Aside from defining the edgy, experimental side of the era's music in their live performances, the Oil Tasters left behind an LP recorded for Thermidor
(1982), a Berkeley, California
-based independent label. It reaffirmed their sound, which was spiritually rooted in the unguarded expressiveness of 1960s soul
, the experimentalism of 60's jazz, and the energy of the late 1970s punk, but took forms unlike anything that preceded it.
The three members were bassist and vocalist Richard LaValliere, saxophonist
Caleb Alexander, and drummer Guy Hoffman
. No guitars were used. Alexander's thrashing sax took the leads and solos, while LaValliere plucked a sinewy bass and strummed it like a rhythm guitar. Hoffman's drums propelled the songs and he added backing vocals to LaValliere's lead voice.
LaValliere's singing and songwriting was as uniquely expressive as the Oil Tasters' sound was. A good example from their Australian reissued Oil Tasters collection CD (Lexicon Devil, 2005), is "My Girlfriend's Ghost," a song that hits with a Dixieland
rhythm. It spins a psycho-narrative story of a doleful female specter, haunting the narrator from his TV screen. At the climax of his ghostly tale, LaValliere roars out a scream borrowed from Soul Brother Number One, himself.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They are one of the city's best remembered post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
groups. They were not, however, easy to fit into the spectrum of post-punk music. Rather than use No Wave
No Wave
No Wave was a short-lived but influential underground music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City. The term No Wave is in part satirical word play rejecting the commercial elements of the then-popular New Wave genre...
, for example, as a foundation, the Oil Tasters start with surrealist literature
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
, then musically move through jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and rock, with occasional references to James Brown.
The trio, founded on Milwaukee's East Side, released a 2-song 45
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
record in December 1980. It included "What's In Your Mouth" backed with "Get Out Of The Bathroom", a track which also appeared on Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
founder Bruce Pavitt's compilation cassette release Sub Pop 5 (1981). In August 1981, a 3-song EP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
was released with "That's When The Brick Goes Through The Window," backed with "Earn While You Learn" and "Smoke."
Aside from defining the edgy, experimental side of the era's music in their live performances, the Oil Tasters left behind an LP recorded for Thermidor
Thermidor
Thermidor was the eleventh month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word thermal which comes from the Greek word "thermos" which means heat....
(1982), a Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
-based independent label. It reaffirmed their sound, which was spiritually rooted in the unguarded expressiveness of 1960s soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, the experimentalism of 60's jazz, and the energy of the late 1970s punk, but took forms unlike anything that preceded it.
The three members were bassist and vocalist Richard LaValliere, saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
Caleb Alexander, and drummer Guy Hoffman
Guy Hoffman
Guy Hoffman is a drummer and vocalist, formerly of such bands as Oil Tasters, BoDeans, Violent Femmes and Absinthe. He is a composer for such films as Field Day and a founding member of Radio Romeo.-Life:...
. No guitars were used. Alexander's thrashing sax took the leads and solos, while LaValliere plucked a sinewy bass and strummed it like a rhythm guitar. Hoffman's drums propelled the songs and he added backing vocals to LaValliere's lead voice.
LaValliere's singing and songwriting was as uniquely expressive as the Oil Tasters' sound was. A good example from their Australian reissued Oil Tasters collection CD (Lexicon Devil, 2005), is "My Girlfriend's Ghost," a song that hits with a Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
rhythm. It spins a psycho-narrative story of a doleful female specter, haunting the narrator from his TV screen. At the climax of his ghostly tale, LaValliere roars out a scream borrowed from Soul Brother Number One, himself.