Swamp Zombies
Encyclopedia
Swamp Zombies was an indie rock
band formed during the 1980s in California
(Irvine, CA). One of Doctor Dream Records
most popular bands, the Swamp Zombies released five albums for the label. The core of their sound blended folk music
and punk
music with heavy doses of calypso
and other influences thrown into the mix. The video for the song "Creeps" (Scratch and Sniff Car Crash
) received airplay on MTV
's 120 Minutes
.
band, The Silly Millions. After t-ray departed for San Francisco, the band continued as a three piece with Travis making appearances at the odd live show in their later years. The most recent Swamp Zombies gig appears to have taken place in August 1997. Members of the Swamp Zombies found themselves in splinter and spinoff bands such as The Tiki Tones, The Huntington Cads, The Calypso Cats, Tombstone Bullets, and Trucker Up.
As of April 2007, a documentary film is being made which will chronicle the history of the Swamp Zombies with recent interviews with band members and those associated with the band. A brief revival of the band is rumored to accompany the wrapping up of the documentary's filming.
Stand-Ins:
LPs:
Songs on Compilations:
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed during the 1980s in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(Irvine, CA). One of Doctor Dream Records
Doctor Dream Records
Doctor Dream Records is an independent record label founded in 1982 by Dave Hayes and originating from Orange, CA. During its time as an independent the company released over 100 records, from punkrock, alternative rock, comedy to heavy metal music. Their more well-known performers are Rich Little,...
most popular bands, the Swamp Zombies released five albums for the label. The core of their sound blended folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
music with heavy doses of calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
and other influences thrown into the mix. The video for the song "Creeps" (Scratch and Sniff Car Crash
Scratch and Sniff Car Crash
Scratch and Sniff Car Crash is the third album by the Swamp Zombies and was released in 1990 under the Doctor Dream Records label. It is available on record, tape, or CD. The first 1,000 LPs and the first 500 CDs actually had a "car crash" scratch and sniff sticker in which the odor of a mixture...
) received airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's 120 Minutes
120 Minutes
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to alternative music, originally airing on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then on MTV's sister channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003....
.
Brief history
The band was initially formed in 1985 in Irvine, CA, by two pairs of brothers, Josh and Travis Agle, and Steve and Mike Jacobs. Mike played percussion (congas) on the first single, Fire and Dogs, then was replaced by Gary McNiece, who also performed on the first album. After Gary left, a session musician laid down percussion tracks for their second album until Dave Warren stepped in to fill the void. After the third album Travis left the group and was replaced on the next album by t-ray Vogelzang, who came from a band called The Final Tourguides and also the thrash-a-bash art punkArt punk
Art punk or avant punk refers to punk rock of an experimental bent, or with connections to art school, the art world, or the avant garde....
band, The Silly Millions. After t-ray departed for San Francisco, the band continued as a three piece with Travis making appearances at the odd live show in their later years. The most recent Swamp Zombies gig appears to have taken place in August 1997. Members of the Swamp Zombies found themselves in splinter and spinoff bands such as The Tiki Tones, The Huntington Cads, The Calypso Cats, Tombstone Bullets, and Trucker Up.
As of April 2007, a documentary film is being made which will chronicle the history of the Swamp Zombies with recent interviews with band members and those associated with the band. A brief revival of the band is rumored to accompany the wrapping up of the documentary's filming.
Lineup
- Steve "Steeve" Jacobs 1985-1997 - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, nose fluteNose fluteThe nose flute is a popular musical instrument played in Polynesia and the Pacific Rim countries. Other versions are found in Africa, China, and India.- Hawaii :In the North Pacific, in the Hawaiian islands the nose flute was a common courting instrument...
, dulcimerAppalachian dulcimerThe Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
, double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, farfisaFarfisaFarfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy.The Farfisa brand name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organs, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizers. At the height of its production, Farfisa operated three factories to produce instruments, in...
, jaw harp and vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Travis Agle - 1985-1990, 1996-1997 - guitar & vocals, harmonica, slide guitar, some percussion
- "T. Ray Vogelzang" - 1990-1992 - guitar & vocals, accordion
- Josh "Shag" Agle - 1985-1997 - guitar, mandolin, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, & vocals. Also the artist for the cover art. - Smilin' Dave Warren (full name David Warren Williams) - 1988-1997- percussion, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe 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...
, & vocals - Gary McNiece 1987-1988 - percussion & vocals
- Mike Jacobs 1985-1987 - percussion, trombone, & vocals
Stand-Ins:
- Jeff Beals - guitar
- Jeff Fairbanks - touring percussionist
Discography
Singles:- Fire & Dogs b/w H.B. (1985)
- Creeps b/w California/I Love You, Etc. (1990)
- Matador b/w Temecula (1994)
LPs:
- Chicken Vulture CrowChicken Vulture CrowChicken Vulture Crow is the first album by Swamp Zombies, it was released on record in 1987.-Track listing:#"Truly Needy"#"Love Zombie"#"Swamp Boy"#"Open Up Your Eyes"#"Pots and Pans"#"Coffeehouse Ray"...
(1987) - FinkFink (album)Fink is the second album by the Swamp Zombies and was released in 1989 under the Doctor Dream Records label.-Track listing:#Mr. Freako#We Just Don't Belong #Zipper#We Got Five Bucks#Big Black Shoes#Victor#Mr...
(1989) - Scratch and Sniff Car CrashScratch and Sniff Car CrashScratch and Sniff Car Crash is the third album by the Swamp Zombies and was released in 1990 under the Doctor Dream Records label. It is available on record, tape, or CD. The first 1,000 LPs and the first 500 CDs actually had a "car crash" scratch and sniff sticker in which the odor of a mixture...
(1990) - A Frenzy of Music and Action!A Frenzy of Music and Action!A Frenzy of Music and Action! is the 1992 release by Swamp Zombies on Doctor Dream Records.-Track listing:#"Green"#"Unemployed"#"Oddball"#"Three Deep Thinkers"#"I Bawled"#"Damnedest Thing"#"Puerto Angel"#"Lemon Girl"#"Johnny Quest"#"Mountain Man"...
(1992) - Spunk!Spunk!Spunk! is the fifth and final album by Swamp Zombies. It was released on the Doctor Dream Records label in 1993.-Track listing:#"Purple"#"Daddy Long Legs"#"Mudbog"#"She's a Drag"...
(1993)
Songs on Compilations:
- Mr. HeatmiserHeat MiserHeat Miser is a character from the Rankin/Bass 1974 children's television special The Year Without a Santa Claus. A vaguely demonic ogre-like being, Heat Miser is a blustery, quick-tempered hothead who is ultimately harmless...
on the Doctor Dream White Christmas Album (1991) - Santa Claus Conquers the Martians on the Santa/Satan: One and the Same? album (1993)
- Creeps, Desolation Girl on Doctor Dream Presents III Promo Collection (1990)