The A-Bones
Encyclopedia
The A-Bones is a garage rock
band from Brooklyn
, New York
. Their name was derived from a song by The Trashmen
. The band was formed in 1984 by vocalist Billy Miller and his wife, drummer Miriam Linna
; the couple had previously been the editors of the pop culture journal Kicks and later launched Norton Records
.
The New York Times
described the band as "dedicated rock revivalists," noting "The A-Bones include Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, proprietors of Norton Records, which worships rockabilly, 1960s garage and anything having to do with that most cartoonish rock archetype: the juvenile delinquent in a leather jacket."
The band also features Mike Mariconda, Mike Lewis (a founding member of both the Lyres and Yo La Tengo
), Bruce Bennett, Marcus "The Carcass" Natale and Lars Espensen, with Miller, Linna, Bennett, Natale and Espensen playing on the bulk of the band's recordings and for most of the band's touring life.
, Ronnie Dawson, Cordell Jackson
, The Flamin' Groovies' Roy Loney and many others. Though the band broke up in 1994,
the A-Bones reunited in 2004 and continued to perform sporadic gigs in the US and in Europe, with their core line-up frequently augmented by Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan
on keyboards.
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Their name was derived from a song by The Trashmen
The Trashmen
The Trashmen are a rock and roll band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1962. The group's original lineup was Tony Andreason on lead guitar and vocals, Dal Winslow on guitar and vocals, Steve Wahrer on drums and vocals, and Bob Reed on bass guitar...
. The band was formed in 1984 by vocalist Billy Miller and his wife, drummer Miriam Linna
Miriam Linna
Miriam Linna has run the Brooklyn-based independent record label Norton Records since 1986 with her husband—the producer and singer-songwriter Billy Miller...
; the couple had previously been the editors of the pop culture journal Kicks and later launched Norton Records
Norton Records
For the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...
.
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described the band as "dedicated rock revivalists," noting "The A-Bones include Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, proprietors of Norton Records, which worships rockabilly, 1960s garage and anything having to do with that most cartoonish rock archetype: the juvenile delinquent in a leather jacket."
The band also features Mike Mariconda, Mike Lewis (a founding member of both the Lyres and Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
), Bruce Bennett, Marcus "The Carcass" Natale and Lars Espensen, with Miller, Linna, Bennett, Natale and Espensen playing on the bulk of the band's recordings and for most of the band's touring life.
From Brooklyn to Europe
Aside from recording three albums, two EPs and roughly a dozen 45s, the A-Bones also performed as a backup band for acts such as Hasil AdkinsHasil Adkins
Hasil Adkins was an Appalachian country, rock and roll, and blues musician, though he was frequently considered rockabilly and sometimes primitive jazz...
, Ronnie Dawson, Cordell Jackson
Cordell Jackson
Cordell Jackson was an American guitarist thought to be the first woman to produce, engineer, arrange and promote music on her own rock and roll music label...
, The Flamin' Groovies' Roy Loney and many others. Though the band broke up in 1994,
the A-Bones reunited in 2004 and continued to perform sporadic gigs in the US and in Europe, with their core line-up frequently augmented by Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan
Ira Kaplan
Ira Kaplan [born 1957] is the co-founder, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of the American indie rock band Yo La Tengo. He is married to Georgia Hubley, Yo La Tengo's vocalist, drummer, songwriter and co-founder....
on keyboards.
Selected band albums
- Tempo Tantrum (1986)
- Free Beer for Life! (1988)
- The Life of Riley (1991)
- I Was a Teenage Mummy (1992)
- Music Minus Five (1993)
- Crash the Party (1996)
- Not Now! (2009)
Compilation albums
- Daddy Wants a Cold Beer and Other Million Sellers (2004)
- I Hate CD's: Norton Records 45 RPM Singles Collection, Vol. 1 (2007)
- Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The DiablosDaddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The DiablosDaddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos is a vinyl-only tribute album released by The Wind Records and distributed by Norton Records....
(The Wind / Norton RecordsNorton RecordsFor the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...
, 2010, TWR002 LP) track: Real True Love